Adultery

Forbidden

Adultery is forbidden in the Bible.

Ex. 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Deut. 5:18 And thou shalt not commit adultery.

Matt. 5:27-28 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Married and Divorced Women

According to the Bible, it is adultery when a married or divorced woman marries or has relations with a man who is not her first husband, if he is still alive.

A married or unmarried man commits adultery if he marries or has relations with a married or divorced woman, if her first husband is still alive.

Rom. 7:2-3 For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband. So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man.

Lev. 20:10 And the man that commits adultery with another man’s wife, even he that commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

Jer. 29:23 because they have wrought folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I commanded them not; and I am he that knoweth, and am witness, saith the Lrd.

Ezek. 16:32 A wife that committeth adultery! that taketh strangers instead of her husband!

Matt. 5:31-32 It was said also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry a divorced woman commits adultery.

Matt. 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and he that marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Mark 10:11-12 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her: and if she herself shall put away her husband, and marry another, she committeth adultery.

Luke 16:18 Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her who is divorced from a husband committeth adultery.

Married and Divorced Men

According to the Bible, it is not adultery when a married man marries and has relations with another woman, even if he is still married to his first wife.

A married man marrying and having relations with another woman cannot be defined as adultery because Gd forbade adultery in the Law, but at the same time:
1) Gd allowed men to marry multiple wives in the Law, and
2) Gd himself gave multiple wives to David.

Because Gd allowed men to marry multiple wives, if a man’s wife divorces him, it is not adultery if he marries another woman, because this would be the same as him marrying a second wife.

Ex. 21:7-11 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maid-servant, she shall not go out as the men-servants do. If she please not her master, who hath espoused her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a foreign people he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. And if he espouse her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. And if he do not these three things unto her, then shall she go out for nothing, without money.

Deut. 21:15-17 If a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the first-born son be hers that was hated; then it shall be, in the day that he causeth his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the hated, who is the first-born: but he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath; for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the first-born is his.

2Sam. 12:7-8 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lrd, the Gd of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added unto thee such and such things.

Is. 4:1 And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.

Men Divorcing and Remarrying

According to the Bible, it is adultery when a man divorces his wife, except for fornication, and marries another woman.

Matt. 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and he that marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Mark 10:11-12 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her: and if she herself shall put away her husband, and marry another, she committeth adultery.

Luke 16:18 Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth one that is put away from a husband committeth adultery.

Divorced Women

If a woman divorces her husband, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband, as long as he is still alive.

If a woman marries or has relations with another man while her first husband is still alive, she commits adultery.

1Cor. 7:10-11 But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the Lrd, That the wife not divorce her husband, and even if she should divorce, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband; and that the husband not divorce his wife.

1Cor. 7:39 A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lrd.

Rom. 7:2-3 For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband. So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man.

1Tim. 5:9-10 Let none be enrolled as a widow under 60 years old, a woman of one man, well reported of for good works; if she hath brought up children, if she hath used hospitality to strangers, if she hath washed the saints’ feet, if she hath relieved the afflicted, if she hath diligently followed every good work.

Unbelieving Spouses

1Cor. 7:12-15 But to the rest say I, not the Lrd: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not divorce her. And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not divorce her husband. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. Yet if the unbelieving separates, let him separate: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such: but Gd hath called us in peace.

Ministry Qualifications

1Tim. 3:1-13 Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. The bishop therefore must be without reproach, a man of one woman, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach; no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of Gd?) not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Deacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blameless. Women in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be men of one woman, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Chrst Jsus.

Titus 1:5-9 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge; if any man is blameless, a man of one woman, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly. For the bishop must be blameless, as Gd’s steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled; holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers.