What does the Bible say about loving a married man?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible teaches that romantic or sexual love for someone married to another is sinful and must be resisted, while every person should be treated with purity, respect, and neighborly love. Marriage is God’s covenantal union of one man and one woman, who become one flesh and owe one another faithful devotion (Genesis 2:24; Hebrews 13:4). The commandments forbid adultery and coveting a neighbor’s spouse (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:21), and Proverbs warns that sexual unfaithfulness brings serious harm (Proverbs 6:32). Christians are called to flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18), honor marital commitments, and seek God’s grace for repentance, self-control, and faithful love.

Top passages, ranked by readers

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

  • 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.

  • Proverbs 6:32

    He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.

  • Genesis 2:24

    Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.

  • Proverbs 18:22

    Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor of Yahweh.

  • Deuteronomy 5:21

    "Neither shall you covet your neighbor's wife; neither shall you desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

  • 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.

  • Exodus 20:14

    "You shall not commit adultery.

  • 1 Peter 4:8

    And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.

  • 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.

  • Romans 7:2

    For the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband.

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