What does the Bible say about adultery?A Scripture-grounded answer about adultery in the bible

Adultery in the Bible is treated as a grave violation of the marriage covenant and a sin against God. The seventh commandment—thou shalt not commit adultery—is one of the Ten Commandments given at Sinai (Exodus 20:14), establishing marital faithfulness as fundamental to God's moral law. Hebrews 13:4 declares that God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Proverbs devotes multiple chapters to warning against the destructive path of adultery. Jesus deepened the standard in Matthew 5:27-28, teaching that adultery of the heart—lustful intent—violates the same commandment, showing that God cares about inner purity, not just outward behavior. Yet the Bible's message on adultery is not only judgment but also redemption. In John 8, when the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus, He challenged those without sin to cast the first stone, then told her He did not condemn her and to go and sin no more. This reveals the heart of God: He takes sexual immorality seriously because the marriage covenant reflects His covenant love, yet He offers genuine forgiveness and a new beginning to those who repent.