Explain Bible

What does the Bible say about punishment for adultery?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible teaches that adultery is a serious sin against God’s holy design for marriage, deserving judgment, yet God offers mercy and forgiveness to repentant sinners through Christ. Under the old covenant, Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22 prescribed civil penalties for adultery within Israel, showing its grave covenant-breaking nature. Exodus 20:14 forbids it, while Proverbs 6:32 warns that it destroys the sinner. Jesus upheld marital faithfulness in Matthew 19:9 and Luke 16:18, but in John 8:3-11 He also confronted sin with compassionate mercy and called the adulterous woman to leave her sin. Hebrews 13:4 warns that God will judge sexual immorality, while the gospel promises cleansing for those who turn to Christ in faith.

Top passages, ranked by readers

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

  • Leviticus 20:10 5 votes

    “‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

  • Proverbs 6:32 4 votes

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

  • Hebrews 13:4 4 votes

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

  • John 8:3-11 3 votes

    The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the middle, they told him, “Teacher, we found this woman in adultery, in the very act. Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say about her?” They said this testing him, that they might have something to accuse him of. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger. They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle. Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”

  • Deuteronomy 22:22 3 votes

    If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both die, the man who lay with the woman and the woman. So you shall remove the evil from Israel.

  • Exodus 20:14 3 votes

    “You shall not commit adultery.

  • Matthew 19:9 2 votes

    I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.”

  • Luke 16:18 2 votes

    “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:9 2 votes

    Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,

  • Revelation 2:22 2 votes

    Behold, I will throw her and those who commit adultery with her into a bed of great oppression, unless they repent of her works.

Related topics

Go deeper

Ask Explain Bible AI about punishment for adultery and get a fuller answer from a Reformed theological perspective.

Ask what the Bible says about punishment for adultery