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What does the Bible say about sex?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible teaches that sex is God’s good gift, created for the covenant bond of marriage between a man and a woman, to be received with faithfulness, mutual love, and holiness. Genesis 2:24 presents marriage as a one-flesh union, and Genesis 1:28 includes fruitfulness among God’s blessings. Hebrews 13:4 calls believers to honor marriage and keep the marriage bed pure. Within marriage, 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 commends mutual care and consent, while Proverbs 5:18-19 celebrates delight in one’s spouse. Scripture also calls Christians to flee sexual immorality and lust, treating their bodies as belonging to the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:18; Matthew 5:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5).

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.

  • 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.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:3-5

    [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.

  • Genesis 1:28

    God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

  • 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 Corinthians 7:2

    But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

  • Proverbs 5:18-19

    [18] Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. [19] A loving doe and a graceful deer-- Let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.

  • Song of Solomon 8:4

    I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, That you not stir up, nor awaken love, Until it so desires. Friends

  • 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 Thessalonians 4:3-5

    [3] For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, [4] that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, [5] not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don't know God;

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