What does the Bible say about pornography?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible teaches that pornography is sinful because it cultivates lust, dishonors those made in God’s image, and misuses the gift of sexuality that God designed for marriage. Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:28 that lustful looking is a matter of the heart, while 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 calls believers to flee sexual immorality and honor God with their bodies. Scripture also exposes desire’s destructive course in James 1:14-15 and calls Christians to set their minds on what is pure in Philippians 4:8. Yet believers are not left without hope: God provides a way of escape from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) and, through Christ, grants forgiveness, renewal, and strength for growing purity.
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Matthew 5:28 6 votes
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 6:18-20 4 votes
Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 3 votes
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.
- Psalms 119:37 3 votes
Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive me in your ways.
- 1 John 2:16 3 votes
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.
- Hebrews 13:4 3 votes
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 2 votes
Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
- Philippians 4:8 2 votes
Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
- James 1:14-15 2 votes
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin. The sin, when it is full grown, produces death.
- Job 31:1 2 votes
“I made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
Related topics
Go deeper
Ask Explain Bible AI about pornography and get a fuller answer from a Reformed theological perspective.
Ask what the Bible says about pornography