What does the Bible say about kissing before marriage?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible does not explicitly forbid every kiss before marriage, but it calls unmarried believers to holiness, self-control, and conduct that honors marriage rather than awakens lust or leads toward sexual sin. Genesis 29:10-12 records Jacob kissing Rachel in a culturally specific setting, yet it does not establish a universal rule. Jesus teaches that lustful intent is adultery of the heart in Matthew 5:28, and Paul urges believers to flee sexual immorality and make no provision for the flesh (1 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 5:16). Hebrews 13:4 honors marriage as the proper covenant context for sexual intimacy. Therefore, couples should prayerfully set wise boundaries, seek accountability, and let love pursue another's spiritual good rather than personal gratification (1 Corinthians 13:1-10).
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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.
- Galatians 5:16
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh.
- 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 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.
- Romans 8:8
Those who are in the flesh can't please God.
- Galatians 5:19
Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,
- Hebrews 10:26
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,
- Ephesians 5:3
But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints;
- Genesis 29:10-12
[10] It happened, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. [11] Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. [12] Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-10
[1] If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing. [3] If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing. [4] Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, [5] doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; [6] doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; [7] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [8] Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. [9] For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; [10] but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.
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