Adultery and cheating are painful topics—ones that affect marriages, families, and communities in deep and lasting ways. Whether you’ve experienced betrayal, wrestled with temptation, or are seeking to rebuild trust, the Bible offers honest guidance. God’s Word is not silent about this issue. It provides strong warnings, clear commands, and also paths toward repentance and healing.
This post shares 35 powerful Bible verses about adultery or cheating, each with a short, easy-to-understand explanation. These scriptures help us see the seriousness of infidelity, the mercy of God, and the importance of purity and faithfulness in our relationships. Let them speak truth and healing into your heart today.
1. Exodus 20:14
You shall not commit adultery.
Explanation:
This command is part of the Ten Commandments. God values faithful love and calls us to honor our marriage vows.
2. Proverbs 6:32
He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.
Explanation:
Adultery brings deep personal and relational damage. It’s a path that leads to regret.
3. Matthew 5:27–28
…everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Explanation:
Jesus raises the standard, showing that purity begins in the heart, not just with actions.
4. Hebrews 13:4
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled…
Explanation:
God calls us to protect the holiness of marriage. Faithfulness matters in His eyes.
5. 1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality…
Explanation:
We’re urged to run from temptation, not reason with it. Purity requires action.
6. Proverbs 5:3–5
…her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood…
Explanation:
Temptation may seem sweet at first, but it leads to pain and bitterness.
7. Luke 16:18
Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery…
Explanation:
Jesus warns against unfaithfulness in marriage and reminds us of the covenant nature of those vows.
8. Leviticus 20:10
If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor… both of them shall surely be put to death.
Explanation:
In the Old Testament, adultery was considered a severe offense, showing its seriousness before God.
9. Malachi 2:14
…the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth…
Explanation:
God sees broken promises in marriage. He values the covenant made between husband and wife.
10. John 8:4–11
…let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone…
Explanation:
Jesus offers mercy and a call to repentance. He does not excuse sin but forgives and restores.
11. 2 Samuel 11:2–4
David saw… a woman bathing… and took her…
Explanation:
David’s sin with Bathsheba is a warning that even spiritual leaders can fall. But it also shows that repentance is possible.
12. Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God…
Explanation:
This is David’s prayer after his sin. It’s a model for anyone seeking forgiveness and renewal.
13. Proverbs 6:24–26
…to preserve you from the evil woman… for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread…
Explanation:
These verses warn about the cost of giving in to sexual temptation. It may seem small, but it leads to great loss.
14. Mark 7:21–22
For from within, out of the heart of man… come adulteries…
Explanation:
Jesus teaches that sin starts in the heart. We must guard our thoughts and desires.
15. Matthew 19:9
…whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.
Explanation:
This shows that sexual sin can break the marital covenant, and Jesus addresses its impact on relationships.
16. Proverbs 7:21–23
…he goes after her… as a bird rushes into a snare…
Explanation:
This is a vivid warning that adultery traps and destroys. Temptation is not harmless.
17. Colossians 3:5
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion…
Explanation:
We’re called to actively remove sin from our lives—including anything that leads to unfaithfulness.
18. James 4:4
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?
Explanation:
Adultery is also used as a picture of unfaithfulness to God. Spiritual loyalty matters, too.
19. Ezekiel 16:32
Adulterous wife, who receives strangers instead of her husband!
Explanation:
God uses this metaphor to show Israel’s spiritual betrayal. Adultery is serious both physically and spiritually.
20. Romans 7:2–3
…a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives…
Explanation:
This verse highlights the commitment marriage represents—lasting until death.
21. Deuteronomy 5:18
And you shall not commit adultery.
Explanation:
This command is repeated to reinforce its importance across generations.
22. Ezekiel 23:37
They have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands…
Explanation:
Sin leads to consequences. God doesn’t ignore repeated betrayal.
23. Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come… adultery…
Explanation:
Adultery starts in the heart. Guarding your heart is key to staying faithful.
24. Job 24:15
The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight…
Explanation:
This verse exposes how sin often hides in secrecy. But God sees everything.
25. Proverbs 2:16–17
…who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God;
Explanation:
Adultery violates a sacred promise made not only to a spouse but also before God.
26. 1 Corinthians 7:2
But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife…
Explanation:
Marriage is God’s design for faithful love and intimacy. It protects against sin.
27. Genesis 39:7–9
…how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?
Explanation:
Joseph’s refusal to commit adultery shows his reverence for God, not just fear of consequences.
28. Proverbs 9:17–18
Stolen water is sweet… but he does not know that the dead are there…
Explanation:
Sin may feel exciting, but its end is destruction. Hidden sin brings death.
29. Leviticus 18:20
You shall not lie sexually with your neighbor’s wife…
Explanation:
God clearly defines boundaries to protect relationships and holiness.
30. Psalm 51:1
Have mercy on me, O God… according to your steadfast love;
Explanation:
David’s plea for mercy shows that forgiveness is possible—even after adultery—through true repentance.
31. 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5
…abstain from sexual immorality… not in the passion of lust…
Explanation:
God’s will is for believers to live in holiness, with self-control and respect.
32. Jeremiah 3:20
Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband, so have you been treacherous to me…
Explanation:
Spiritual unfaithfulness is as painful to God as adultery is in marriage.
33. Proverbs 30:20
This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong.”
Explanation:
Some people try to hide or justify sin. But God sees the heart and calls for honesty and change.
34. Revelation 2:22
Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed… unless they repent of her works,
Explanation:
God gives strong warnings but also offers the chance to repent and be restored.
35. Isaiah 1:18
Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…
Explanation:
No sin is beyond forgiveness. If you’ve fallen into adultery or been hurt by it, God offers cleansing and hope.
A Call to Purity, Repentance, and Grace
Adultery and cheating bring real hurt—but God brings real healing. These Bible verses about adultery or cheating help us understand the seriousness of unfaithfulness, while also pointing to the mercy of a God who restores. Whether you’re in a place of repentance, recovery, or simply seeking to stay pure, His Word offers the wisdom and strength you need.
Have you found comfort or conviction in one of these verses? Has God brought healing in an area of broken trust? Share your thoughts, favorite scriptures, or personal story in the comments below. Let’s grow together in grace and truth.