27 Bible Verses about Adultery

"'Thou shalt not lie with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her.

and yet for all that they would not hearken unto their judges: But went a whoring after strange gods and bowed themselves unto them, and turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD, and did not so.

And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city Ophrah. And all Israel went a whoring after him there, which thing was the ruin of Gideon's house.

But when they had transgressed against the God of their fathers and had gone awhoring after the gods of the people of the land, which God destroyed before them,

Thus were they stained with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

And they that escape from you, shall think upon me among the Heathen, where they shall be in captivity. As for that whorish and unfaithful heart of theirs, wherewith they run away from me, I will break it: Yea, and put out those eyes of theirs, that committed fornication with their idols. Then shall they be ashamed, and displeased with their selves, for the wickedness and abominations, which they have done:

He that breaketh wedlock with another man's wife shall die for it, because he hath broke wedlock with his neighbour's wife, and so shall she likewise.

If a man be found lying with a woman that hath a wedded husband, they shall die: both the man that lie with the wife, and also the wife. So shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

that they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the harlot: that thou lust not after her beauty in thine heart, and lest thou be taken with her fair looks. A harlot will make a man to beg his bread, but a married woman will hunt for the precious life. read more.
May a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burnt? Or can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be hurt? Even so, whosoever goeth in to his neighbour's wife, and toucheth her, can not be unguilty. Men do not utterly despise a thief, that stealeth to satisfy his soul, when he is hungry: But if he may be gotten, he restoreth again seven times as much, or else he maketh recompense with all the goods of his house. But whoso committeth adultery with a woman, he is a fool: and destroyeth his own soul. He getteth himself also shame and dishonour, such as shall never be put out. For the jealousy and wrath of the man will not be intreated;

There be three things too high for me, and as for the fourth, it passeth my knowledge. The way of an Eagle in the air, the way of a serpent over a stone, the way of a ship in the sea, and the way of a man with a young woman. Such is the way also of a wife that breaketh wedlock, which wipeth her mouth like as when she hath eaten, and sayeth, "As for me, I have done no harm."

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery, and set her in the midst and said unto him, "Master, this woman was taken in adultery, even as the deed was a doing. Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned: What sayest thou therefore?"

He that breaketh wedlock with another man's wife shall die for it, because he hath broke wedlock with his neighbour's wife, and so shall she likewise.

"Thou shalt not break wedlock.

The eye of the ungodly is like the adulterer, that waiteth for the darkness, and sayeth thus in himself, 'Tush, there shall no man see me,' and so he disguiseth his face.

"Ye have heard how it was said to them of old time, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery:'

I say therefore unto you, whosoever putteth away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock. And whosoever marrieth her which is divorced, doth commit adultery."

"'Thou shalt not lie with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her.

"Thou shalt not break wedlock.

'Thou shalt not break wedlock.

The other said, "Which?" And Jesus said, "Thou shalt not kill: thou shalt not break wedlock. Thou shall not steal: thou shalt not bear false witness.

Owe nothing to any man: but to love one another. For he that loveth another, fulfilleth the law. For these commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not desire, and so forth: if there be any other commandment, they are all comprehended in this saying, "Love thine neighbor as thyself."

I say therefore unto you, whosoever putteth away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock. And whosoever marrieth her which is divorced, doth commit adultery."

It is said, Whosoever put away his wife let him give her a testimonial also of the divorcement. But I say unto you, Whosoever put away his wife, except it be for fornication, causeth her to break matrimony. And whosoever marryeth her that is divorced breaketh wedlock.

And he said unto them, "Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock to her-ward. And if a woman forsake her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."

Whosoever forsaketh his wife, and marrieth another, breaketh matrimony. And every man which marrieth her that is divorced from her husband committeth adultery also.

Remember ye not brethren - I speak to them that know the law - how that the law hath power over a man as long as it endureth? For the woman which is in subjection to a man, is bound by the law to the man, as long as he liveth. If the man be dead, she is loosed from the law of the man. So then, if while the man liveth she couple herself with another man, she shall be counted a wedlock-breaker. But if the man be dead she is free from the law: so that she is no wedlock-breaker, though she couple herself with another man.

And they rose up in the morning and offered burnt offerings, and brought offerings of atonement also. And then they sat them down to eat and drink, and rose up again to play.

When Moses saw that the people were naked - for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame when they made insurrection -

Because they sinned shamefully in Israel. For they have not only defiled their neighbours' wives, but also preached lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them. This I testify, and assure, sayeth the LORD.

Murderers are there in thee, that shed blood, and eat upon the hills, and in thee they use unhappiness. In thee have they discovered their fathers' shame, in thee have they vexed women in their sickness. Every man hath dealt shamefully with his neighbour's wife, and abominably defiled his daughter-in-law. In thee hath every man forced his own sister, even his father's daughter.

Ye lean upon your swords, ye work abominations, every one defileth his neighbour's wife: and shall ye then possess the land?'

For Herod had taken John and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. For John said unto him, "It is not lawful for thee to have her."

For Herod himself had sent forth, and had taken John, and bound him and cast him into prison for Herodias' sake, which was his brother Philip's wife. For he had married her. John said unto Herod, "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife."

Then Herod the Tetrarch; when he was rebuked of him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done;

Lift up thine eyes on every side, and look, if thou be not defiled. Thou hast waited for them in the streets, and as a murderer in the wilderness. through thy whoredoms and shameful blasphemies, is the land defiled.

"'But thou hast put confidence in thine own beauty, and played the harlot, when thou hadst gotten thee a name. Thou hast committed whoredom with all that went by thee, and hast fulfilled their desires: Yea, thou hast taken thy garments of divers colors, and decked thine altars therewith, whereupon thou mightest fulfill thine whoredom, of such a fashion as never was done, nor shall be.

It chanced in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that a certain Levite dwelling on the side of mount Ephraim, took to wife a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah: which concubine played the whore in his house, and went away from him, unto her father's house to Bethlehem Judah, and there continued four months. And her husband arose and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her home again; and his lad with him and a couple of asses. And she brought him unto her father's house, and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced of his coming. read more.
And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, kept him that he abode with him three days and so they ate and drank and lodged there.

When Jesus had lifted up himself again, and saw no man, but the woman; He said unto her, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?" She said, "No man, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go hence and sin no more."

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other gentiles walk; in vanity of their mind, blinded in their understanding, being strangers from the life which is in God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts. Which, being past repentance, have given themselves unto wantonness, to work all manner of uncleanness even with greediness.

For it is sufficient for us that we have spent the time that is past of the life, after the will of the gentiles; walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, in eating, drinking, and in abominable idolatry.

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a wife lusting after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

For the woman which is in subjection to a man, is bound by the law to the man, as long as he liveth. If the man be dead, she is loosed from the law of the man. So then, if while the man liveth she couple herself with another man, she shall be counted a wedlock-breaker. But if the man be dead she is free from the law: so that she is no wedlock-breaker, though she couple herself with another man.

The woman answered, and said to him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "Thou hast well said, 'I have no husband.' For thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast, is not thy husband. That saidst thou truly."

And as they were making their hearts merry, the men of the city which were wicked, set the house round about, and thrust at the door, and spake to the man of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him." But the man of the house went out to them and said unto them, "Oh, nay my brethren, do not so wickedly seeing that this man is come into mine house: do not this folly. Behold my daughter, yet a virgin, and this man's concubine: them I will bring out unto you, and humble them, and do with them what seemeth you good: but unto this man, do not this folly." read more.
But the men would not hearken to him. Nevertheless the man took his concubine and brought her out unto them, and they had to do with her, and entreated her shamefully, all the night even unto the morning. And when the day began to spring, they let her go.

And it chanced that Absalom, David's son, had a fair sister named Tamar, whom afterward Amnon, another son of David, loved. And this Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick for the love of his sister Tamar: for he thought it hard to come by his purpose of her, seeing she was yet a virgin. But Amnon had a companion called Jonadab, the son of Shimeah the brother of David: which Jonadab was a very wise man. read more.
And he said unto him, "How cometh it that thou, being the king's son, art thus consumed every morning? Mayest thou not tell it me?" And Amnon answered him, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister." Then said Jonadab unto him, "Lie on thy bed and feign thyself sick. And when thy father is come to see thee, say unto him, 'Let my sister Tamar come and give me meat and dress it in my sight, that I may see it and eat it of her hand." And Amnon lay down and made himself sick. And when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto him, "Let Tamar my sister come and make me a couple of fritters in my sight, that I may eat of her hand." And David sent home to Tamar, saying, "Go to thy brother Amnon's house and dress him meat. When Tamar came to her brother Amnon's house, he lay. And she took flour and made paste and made fritters in his sight and did bake them, and took a platter and poured them out before him. And Amnon would not eat, but commanded to have out all men from him. And they went all out from him. Then said Amnon unto Tamar, "Bring the meat into the chamber that I may eat it of thine hand." And Tamar took the fritters which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother, and set them before him to eat. And he took her and said unto her, "Come, lie with me my sister." And she answered him, "Nay, my brother, do not force me, for it ought not to be so in Israel. Do not this folly. For whither shall I go with my shame? And thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. But speak unto the king, and he shall not deny me unto thee." Howbeit, he would not hearken unto her voice but was too strong for her and forced her and lay with her. And then Amnon hated her exceedingly: so that the hate wherewith he hated her was greater than the love with which he before loved her. And he said unto her, "Up, and away." Then she said unto him, "This great cruelness, that thou puttest me away, passeth the other that thou didst unto me." Nevertheless he would not hear her, but called his lad that waited upon him, and said, "Put her out at the doors from me and bolt the door after her." And she had a kirtle of divers colors upon her: for with such were the king's daughters that were virgins appareled; made strait unto them. Then his servant brought her out at the doors and locked the doors after her. And Tamar put ashes on her head and rent her gay kirtle that was on her and put her hand on her head and so went, and as she went cried. Then Absalom her brother said unto her, "Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? Now then, be still my sister: for he is thy brother. And let not this thing grieve thine heart." And so Tamar remained discomforted in her brother Absalom's house.

Then said the elder unto the younger, "Our father is old, and there are no more men in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the world. Come therefore, let us give our father wine to drink, and let us lie with him that we may save seed of our father." And they gave their father wine to drink that same night. And the elder daughter went and lay with her father. And he perceived it not; neither when she lay down, neither when she rose up. read more.
And on the morrow the elder said unto the younger, "Behold, yesternight lay I with my father. Let us give him wine to drink this night also, and go thou and lie with him, and let us save seed of our father." And they gave their father wine to drink that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him. And he perceived it not; neither when she lay down, neither when she rose up. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the elder bare a son and called him Moab, which is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger bare a son and called him Benammi, which is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Hear the word of the LORD, O ye children of Israel: For the LORD must punish them, that dwell in the land. And why? There is no faithfulness, there is no mercy, there is no knowledge of God in the land: but swearing, lying, manslaughter, theft, and adultery have gotten the overhand; and one bloodguiltiness followeth another. Therefore shall the land be in a miserable cause, and all they that dwell therein, shall mourn. The beasts in the field, the fowls in the air, and the fishes in the sea shall die.

"Master, this woman was taken in adultery, even as the deed was a doing. Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned: What sayest thou therefore?" And this they said to tempt him: that they might have, whereof to accuse him. Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. read more.
And while they continued asking him, he lifted himself up; And said unto them, "Let him that is among you without sin, cast the first stone at her." And again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. And as soon as they heard that, they went out one by one, the eldest first. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself again, and saw no man, but the woman; He said unto her, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?" She said, "No man, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go hence and sin no more."

And it fortuned, after this, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, "Come lie with me." But he denied, and said to her, "Behold, my master knoweth not what he hath in the house with me, but hath committed all that he hath to my hand. He himself is not greater in the house than I, and hath kept nothing from me, but only thee because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, for to sin against God?" read more.
And after this manner spake she to Joseph day by day; but he hearkened not unto her, to sleep near her or to be in her company. And it fortuned about the same season, that Joseph entered into the house, to do his business: and there was none of the household by, in the house. And she caught him by the garment, saying, "Come, sleep with me." And he left his garment in her hand and fled and got him out.

And it came to pass in the beginning of a new year, in the times when kings are wont to go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel. And they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it chanced in an evening that David arose from his couch and walked upon the roof of the king's palace; and from the roof saw a very beautiful woman washing herself. And he sent to enquire what woman it should be. And it was answered again, that she was Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam and wife to Uriah the Hittite. read more.
And David sent messengers and fetched her, and she came unto him, and he lay with her. And she was straightway purified of her uncleanness, and returned unto her house. And when the woman had perceived that she had conceived, she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child."

And it fortuned at that time that Judah went from his brethren and gat him to a man called Hirah of Adullam, and there he saw the daughter of a man called Shua, a Canaanite. And he took her and went in unto her. And she conceived and bare a son and called his name Er. read more.
And she conceived again and bare a son and called him Onan. And she conceived the third time and bare a son, whom she called Shelah: and he was at Chezib when she bare him. And Judah gave Er, his eldest son, a wife whose name was Tamar. But this Er, Judah's eldest son, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; wherefore the LORD slew him. Then said Judah unto Onan, go in to thy brother's wife and marry her, and stir up seed unto thy brother. And when Onan perceived that the seed should not be his: therefore when he went into his brother's wife, he spilled it on the ground, because he would not give seed unto his brother. And the thing which he did, displeased the LORD, wherefore he slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown." For he feared lest he should have died also, as his brethren did. Thus went Tamar and dwelt in her father's house. And in process of time, the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died. Then Judah, when he had left mourning, went unto his sheep shearers to Timnath with his friend Hirah of Adullam. And one told Tamar, saying, "Behold, thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnath, to shear his sheep." And she put her widow's garments off from her and covered her with a cloak, and disguised herself: And sat her down at the entering of Enaim which is by the high way's side to Timnath, for because she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought it had been an whore, because she had covered her face. And turned to her unto the way and said, "Come, I pray thee, let me lie with thee." For he knew not that it was his daughter-in-law. And she said, "What wilt thou give me, for to lie with me?" Then said he, "I will send thee a kid from the flock." She answered, "Then give me a pledge till thou send it." Then said he, "What pledge shall I give thee?" And she said, "Thy signet, thy necklace, and thy staff that is in thy hand." And he gave it her and lay by her, and she was with child by him. And she gat her up and went and put her mantle from her, and put on her widow's raiment again. And Judah sent the kid by his neighbour of Adullam, for to fetch out his pledge again from the woman. But he found her not. Then asked he the men of the same place saying, "Where is the whore that sat at Enaim in the way?" And they said, "There was no whore here." And he came to Judah again, saying, "I cannot find her, and also the men of the place said that there was no whore there." And Judah said, "Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: for I sent the kid and thou couldest not find her." And it came to pass that after three months, one told Judah, saying, "Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the whore, and with playing the whore is become great with child." And Judah said, "Bring her forth and let her be burnt."

There goeth a common saying that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not once named among the gentiles: that one should have his father's wife. And ye swell and have not rather sorrowed, that he which hath done this deed might be put from among you. For I, verily, as absent in body, even so present in spirit, have determined already - as though I were present - of him that hath done this deed; read more.
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver him unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

And they called unto Lot and said unto him, "Where are the men which came into thy house tonight? Bring them out unto us that we may do our lust with them." And Lot went out at doors unto them and shut the door after him, and said, "Nay. For God's sake, brethren, do not so wickedly. read more.
Behold, I have two daughters which have known no man; them will I bring out unto you: do with them as it seemeth you good: Only unto these men do nothing, for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof."

And so they pitched Absalom a tent upon the top of the house. And he went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Eli was very old and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they slept with the women that waited in the door of the tabernacle of witness,

And it chanced, as Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine, and it came to Israel's ear. The sons of Jacob were twelve in number.

which concubine played the whore in his house, and went away from him, unto her father's house to Bethlehem Judah, and there continued four months.

And Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, lord of the country, saw her, and took her, and lay with her, and forced her:

And there was one Jephthah a Gileadite, a strong man, which was the son of a harlot: Howbeit Gilead begat Jephthah.

Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an whore, and went in unto her.

I say therefore unto you, whosoever putteth away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock. And whosoever marrieth her which is divorced, doth commit adultery."

But I say unto you, Whosoever put away his wife, except it be for fornication, causeth her to break matrimony. And whosoever marryeth her that is divorced breaketh wedlock.

He that breaketh wedlock with another man's wife shall die for it, because he hath broke wedlock with his neighbour's wife, and so shall she likewise.

"Thou shalt not break wedlock.

The eye of the ungodly is like the adulterer, that waiteth for the darkness, and sayeth thus in himself, 'Tush, there shall no man see me,' and so he disguiseth his face.

"Ye have heard how it was said to them of old time, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery:'

I say therefore unto you, whosoever putteth away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock. And whosoever marrieth her which is divorced, doth commit adultery."

He that breaketh wedlock with another man's wife shall die for it, because he hath broke wedlock with his neighbour's wife, and so shall she likewise.

"Thou shalt not break wedlock.

The eye of the ungodly is like the adulterer, that waiteth for the darkness, and sayeth thus in himself, 'Tush, there shall no man see me,' and so he disguiseth his face.

"Ye have heard how it was said to them of old time, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery:'

I say therefore unto you, whosoever putteth away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marrieth another, breaketh wedlock. And whosoever marrieth her which is divorced, doth commit adultery."

He that breaketh wedlock with another man's wife shall die for it, because he hath broke wedlock with his neighbour's wife, and so shall she likewise.

then ye shall bring them both out unto the gates of that same city and shall stone them with stones to death: The damsel because she cried not, being in the city, and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife; and thou shalt put away evil from thee.

and yet for all that they would not hearken unto their judges: But went a whoring after strange gods and bowed themselves unto them, and turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD, and did not so.

And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city Ophrah. And all Israel went a whoring after him there, which thing was the ruin of Gideon's house.

But when they had transgressed against the God of their fathers and had gone awhoring after the gods of the people of the land, which God destroyed before them,

Thus were they stained with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

And they that escape from you, shall think upon me among the Heathen, where they shall be in captivity. As for that whorish and unfaithful heart of theirs, wherewith they run away from me, I will break it: Yea, and put out those eyes of theirs, that committed fornication with their idols. Then shall they be ashamed, and displeased with their selves, for the wickedness and abominations, which they have done:

And it chanced in an evening that David arose from his couch and walked upon the roof of the king's palace; and from the roof saw a very beautiful woman washing herself. And he sent to enquire what woman it should be. And it was answered again, that she was Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam and wife to Uriah the Hittite. And David sent messengers and fetched her, and she came unto him, and he lay with her. And she was straightway purified of her uncleanness, and returned unto her house. read more.
And when the woman had perceived that she had conceived, she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child."