What does the Bible say about emotional affairs?

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• Matthew 5:28

  but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

• 1 Corinthians 7:1-40

  [1] Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman. [2] But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. [3] Let the husband render to his wife the affection owed her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. [4] The wife doesn't have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise also the husband doesn't have authority over his own body, but the wife. [5] Don't deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn't tempt you because of your lack of self-control. [6] But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment. [7] Yet I wish that all men were like me. However each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind. [8] But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am. [9] But if they don't have self-control, let them marry. For it's better to marry than to burn. [10] But to the married I command--not I, but the Lord--that the wife not leave her husband [11] (but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife. [12] But to the rest I--not the Lord--say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her. [13] The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband. [14] For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now are they holy. [15] Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace. [16] For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? [17] Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies. [18] Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. [19] Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. [20] Let each man stay in that calling in which he was called. [21] Were you called being a bondservant? Don't let that bother you, but if you get an opportunity to become free, use it. [22] For he who was called in the Lord being a bondservant is the Lord's free man. Likewise he who was called being free is Christ's bondservant. [23] You were bought with a price. Don't become bondservants of men. [24] Brothers, let each man, in whatever condition he was called, stay in that condition with God. [25] Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be trustworthy. [26] I think that it is good therefore, because of the distress that is on us, that it is good for a man to be as he is. [27] Are you bound to a wife? Don't seek to be freed. Are you free from a wife? Don't seek a wife. [28] But if you marry, you have not sinned. If a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you. [29] But I say this, brothers: the time is short, that from now on, both those who have wives may be as though they had none; [30] and those who weep, as though they didn't weep; and those who rejoice, as though they didn't rejoice; and those who buy, as though they didn't possess; [31] and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest. For the mode of this world passes away. [32] But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; [33] but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife. [34] There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world--how she may please her husband. [35] This I say for your own profit; not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction. [36] But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn't sin. Let them marry. [37] But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own heart, to keep his own virgin, does well. [38] So then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who doesn't give her in marriage does better. [39] A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whoever she desires, only in the Lord. [40] But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God's Spirit.

• 1 Corinthians 10:13

  No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

• Hebrews 13:4

  Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

• 1 Peter 3:7

  You husbands, in like manner, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.

• 1 Corinthians 6:18

  Flee sexual immorality! "Every sin that a man does is outside the body," but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

• 1 John 2:1-29

  [1] My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. [2] And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. [3] This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. [4] One who says, "I know him," and doesn't keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn't in him. [5] But whoever keeps his word, God's love has most assuredly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him: [6] he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked. [7] Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. [8] Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shines. [9] He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now. [10] He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. [11] But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn't know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. [12] I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. [13] I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you know the Father. [14] I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one. [15] Don't love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love isn't in him. [16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn't the Father's, but is the world's. [17] The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God's will remains forever. [18] Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the end times. [19] They went out from us, but they didn't belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us. [20] You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know the truth. [21] I have not written to you because you don't know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. [22] Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. [23] Whoever denies the Son, the same doesn't have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. [24] Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father. [25] This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life. [26] These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray. [27] As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him. [28] Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. [29] If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him.

• Matthew 5:27-28

  [27] "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;' [28] but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

• Matthew 5:32

  but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.

Related topics

• affairs
• emotional attachment
• extra marital affairs
• emotional abuse
• emotional affair
• emotional healing
• emotional infidelity