Sex Outside of Marriage in the Bible
The Bible consistently presents marriage as the divinely instituted context for sexual relations, originating from the creation account in Genesis 2:18-25 [4, 5]. This foundational understanding establishes monogamy as the original law of marriage, a principle later reaffirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:4-5 [5]. Sexual activity outside of this marital bond is generally condemned throughout scripture, though specific terminology and legal ramifications varied in ancient Israel.
Adultery, defined as illicit intercourse with a married or betrothed woman, was considered a grave social wrong and a sin under Mosaic law [2, 6]. Both the man and the married woman involved were subject to stoning [6]. Ezekiel 16:32 vividly describes adultery as a wife taking "strangers instead of her husband" [1]. While the Mosaic law prescribed a trial by the "water of jealousy" for a suspected wife, no instances of its application are recorded [2]. Over time, rabbinic traditions introduced various regulations concerning adultery [2].
Fornication, distinct from adultery, referred to intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman [2]. Jewish and Christian authors alike prohibited all sexual involvement outside of marriage [9]. The book of Proverbs expresses horror at sex outside of marriage [8]. Maimonides, a prominent Jewish scholar, notes that before the giving of the Torah, a man and woman could engage in relations by mutual desire and payment, but such a woman was considered a harlot. He clarifies that sexual relations outside of marriage are prohibited, though the severity of the prohibition might be debated among different rabbinic interpretations [11].
The concept of concubinage existed in the patriarchal age and was acknowledged in Mosaic law, though it represented a secondary rank of wife [5, 7]. Concubines had fewer rights than wives, particularly lacking the right to a bill of divorce, but their children were not considered illegitimate in the same way as in modern Western societies and appear in patriarchal genealogies [3]. Laws were in place to protect concubines and define their role within the household [7].
Christian theology, building on these foundations, maintains the prohibition of sexual activity outside of marriage. Augustine, for instance, discusses sexual intercourse within marriage, noting that it is not solely for procreation and that marriage provides pardon for it, provided it does not hinder prayer or devolve into unnatural acts [10]. The New Testament further emphasizes this, with passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:5 linking willful ignorance of God's ways to moral corruption and lustful passion, contrasting the common tolerance of sexual immorality in the Mediterranean world with the Christian prohibition of all sexual involvement outside of marriage [9].
Sources
- Ezekiel “A wife who commits adultery! who takes strangers instead of her husband! -- Ezekiel 16:32”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Adultery — Conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman was fornication. Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong, as well as a great sin. The Mosaic law (Num. 5:11-31) prescribed that the suspected wife should be tried by the ordeal of the "water of jealousy." There is, however, no recorded instance of the application of this law. In subsequent times the Rabbis made various regulations with the view of disc”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Concubine — The difference between wife and concubine was less marked among the Hebrews than among us, owing to the absence of moral stigma. The difference probably lay in the absence of the right of the bill of divorce, without which the wife could not be repudiated. With regard to the children of wife and of concubine, there was no such difference as our illegitimacy implies. The latter were a supplementary family to the former; their names occur in the patriarchal genealogies, (Genesis 22:24; 1 Chronicles 1:22) and their position and provision would depend on the f”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — + Its origin and history .--The institution of marriage dates from the time of man's original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied in her being formed out of man. (2) The indissolubleness of the marriage bond, except on; the strongest grounds, Comp. (Matthew 19:9) (3) Monogamy, as the original law of marriage (4) The social equality of man and wife. (5) The subordination of the wife to the husband. (1 Corinthians 11:8,9; 1 Timothy 2:13) (6) The respective duties of ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Marriage — Was instituted in Paradise when man was in innocence (Gen. 2:18-24). Here we have its original charter, which was confirmed by our Lord, as the basis on which all regulations are to be framed (Matt. 19:4, 5). It is evident that monogamy was the original law of marriage (Matt. 19:5; 1 Cor. 6:16). This law was violated in after times, when corrupt usages began to be introduced (Gen. 4:19; 6:2). We meet with the prevalence of polygamy and concubinage in the patriarchal age (Gen. 16:1-4; 22:21-24; 28:8, 9; 29:23-30, etc.). Polygamy was acknowledged in the Mosa”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Adultery — (Exodus 20:14) The parties to this crime, according to Jewish law, were a married woman and a man who was not her husband. The Mosaic penalty was that both the guilty parties should be stoned, and it applied as well to the betrothed as to the married woman, provided she were free. (22:22-24) A bondwoman so offending was to be scourged, and the man was to make a trespass offering. (Leviticus 19:20-22) At a later time, and when owing, to Gentile example, the marriage tie became a looser bond of union, public feeling in regard to adultery changed, and the pena”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Concubine — In the Bible denotes a female conjugally united to a man, but in a relation inferior to that of a wife. Among the early Jews, from various causes, the difference between a wife and a concubine was less marked than it would be amongst us. The concubine was a wife of secondary rank. There are various laws recorded providing for their protection (Ex. 21:7; Deut. 21:10-14), and setting limits to the relation they sustained to the household to which they belonged (Gen. 21:14; 25:6). They had no authority in the family, nor could they share in the household gov”
- Proverbs (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Proverbs 30:20: 30:20 The writer expresses horror at sex outside of marriage.”
- 1 Thessalonians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Thessalonians 4:5: 4:5 Willful ignorance of God and his ways is the root of moral corruption (Rom 1:18-32; Eph 4:17-18). • lustful passion: Sexual immorality was often tolerated in the Mediterranean world. Prostitution was allowed, but sexual relations with another man’s wife were prohibited. Roman marriage customs barred women, but not men, from extramarital affairs. By contrast, Jewish and Christian authors alike prohibited all sexual involvement outside of marriage (Acts 15:20; 1 Cor 6:12-20; Col 3:5-6).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — ON THE GOOD OF MARRIAGE. (part 13): not alone for the begetting of children, and, at times, not at all for the begetting of children; and it is not that marriage forces this to take place, but that it procures pardon for it; provided however it be not so in excess as to hinder what ought to be set aside as seasons of prayer, nor be changed into that use which is against nature, on which the Apostle could not be silent, when speaking of the excessive corruptions of unclean and impious men. For necessary sexual intercourse for begetting is free from”
- Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Marriage 1:4: Before the Torah was given, when a man would meet a woman in the marketplace, and he and she desired, he could give her payment, engage in relations with her wherever they desired, and then depart. Such a woman is referred to as a harlot. 3 The Ra'avad and others differ and maintain that a woman is not considered to be a harlot unless she is a professional prostitute. The difference between this approach and the Rambam's involves only the severity of the prohibition. Both agree that sexual relations outside the context of marriage are ”