Adultery vs Fornication

[Jullianna]

Have you ever had something really bug you about the misuse of a word? This is mine. SINGLE people do not commit adultery, they commit FORNICATION if they have sexual relations with someone. MARRIED people commit adultery if they have sexual relations with someone other than their spouse.

Definitions:

Adultery
Illicit intimate sex whereby the offender is currently Married.
Fornication
Illicit intimate sex whereby the offender is currently NOT married.

Webster's dictionary pretty much follows the above scriptural definitions as well, except that it limits this to consensual sex, as non-consensual sex would be rape, wouldn't it?

Verses that explain this:

For Fornication - - -

1 Corinthians 7 (KJV)
2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
The Apostle Paul is saying that if a person is married, then by definition, they cannot be a Fornicator.

For Adultery - - -

Mark 10 (KJV)
11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
Leviticus 20 (KJV)
10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

 

[nukreation]

I agree with you on this. NIV has dropped the use if the word fornication as found in the KJV. Even unbelievers disagree with adultery, but the NIV translation doesn't clearly outline the danger of fornication.

KJV 1 Cor 6:9: ' Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind'

NIV 1 Cor 6:9 ' Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders'

 

[Oncefallen]

The thing is, the Greek word (Pornea) that the KJV renders as fornication actually would cover such things as bestiality, incest, and other perversions including modern pornography so in reality the use of sexual immorality is a better translation. Most people when the think of fornication think of the sexual act between two consenting adults, not the more broad interpretation that the original language conveys.

 

[Jullianna]

That's probably why the term "illicit" was used in the definition I found, huh? All of those things would certainly qualify as illicit. Yuck...

 

[zeroturbulence]

I find it interesting that when talking about sin, a lot of christians will say that just thinking lustful thoughts about a woman is adultery (as Jesus said it was), but when it comes to someone who can't file for divorce yet (by law) even though her husband has left her, they say that in her case her she is bound to the marriage until the husband actually has sex with another woman.

 

[LightningClap0002]

Speaking of word misusage...

Lust (v)
Have a very strong sexual desire for someone

You can want something, you can be attracted to something, you can appreciate something (even sexually or physically) without lusting!

 

[iraasuup]

I find it interesting that when talking about sin, a lot of christians will say that just thinking lustful thoughts about a woman is adultery (as Jesus said it was), but when it comes to someone who can't file for divorce yet (by law) even though her husband has left her, they say that in her case her she is bound to the marriage until the husband actually has sex with another woman.

*Smiles at above response*

 

[Jullianna]

Since we put the Greek word for fornication/sexual immorality up there (porneia) I thought it would be helpful to put the Greek word for adultery here too: moicheia


There are several verses that list them separately:

Matt 5:32​

32 "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is​

divorced commits adultery.

Matt 15:19​

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
​

Matt 19:9​

9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."
​

Mark 7:21-22​

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
​

Mark 7:2122​

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, ovetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
​

There are more, but I'm tired

 

[Jullianna]

Zero brings up an interesting point. Can single people actually commit "adultery" per this verse (unless the object of their lust is married) or are they lustful thoughts instead?

Matthew 5:28 - But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

“To lust after” is a trans­la­tion of the word ἐπιθυμέω, which car­ries a very sim­ple mean­ing accord­ing to Strong’s: “to set the heart upon, i.e., long for (right­fully or otherwise).”

Adultery is derived from μοιχός, which “denotes one ‘who has unlaw­ful inter­course with the spouse of another."

Not that either is good Just made me curious after he posted that...

Any Greek scholars out there who could help us with this?

 

[GRA]

Matt 5:27 "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: "

Matt 5:28 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. "

Matt 5:31 "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: "

Matt 5:32 "But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.


If 'whosoever' includes single people - a single person can commit adultery.

In the latter example, it certainly appears that fornication can be committed by a married person.

The answer lies in the reply of Oncefallen. The true Biblical definition of 'fornication' is a broad term covering more sins than people normally think about when they hear/read the word.

'adultery' is a very specific term, with special regard to - and involving - a marital relationship.

EDIT: ----- as in, that violates a marital relationship...

 

[Jullianna]

Thanks, GRA. I know that fornication/sexual immorality includes adultery, along with so many other things... but what I'm scratching my head about is how a single person can commit adultery (but could certainly commit all of the other things that qualify as porneia) if adultery (moicheia), and I agree with you, means to betray a spouse.


Or is the word they are translating as "adultery" in that verse not moicheia, but porneia?

Does anyone know which word is really is? I'm too tired to look it up.


In my brain right now it looks like this:
A red crayon (adultery/moicheia) is one of a box of 64 crayons (sexual immorality/porneia), but how does the box of 64 crayons fit into the red crayon?



Gabe, thanks alot for putting this question in my brain.

 

[Oncefallen]

The word in that verse rendered as fornication is Pornea, and the word for adultery is Moicheia.

 

[Ugly]

This post is more informative and interesting than 99% of the 'bible forums' post. Think i've learned more in this small bit than i have in a month of bible forum attacks. Hope it maintains.

 

[iraasuup]

I'm confused.

These verses read as though 'sexual immorality' (in ALL that it entails including adultery I guess) is the only exception God gives for divorce, but then it goes on to say that anyone who marries a divorced woman is commiting adultery. So, is it just me, or does that imply that EVEN if the woman is divorced as a result of 'sexual immorality' she can still never remarry without then committing adultery?

 

[GRA]

Thanks, GRA. I know that fornication/sexual immorality includes adultery, along with so many other things... but what I'm scratching my head about is how a single person can commit adultery...

Matt 5:28 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. "

If he commits an actual physical act of adultery - with her - do they not both commit adultery?

He commits adultery because he has violated the sacredness of what God hath ordained...

 

[iraasuup]

Im still confused about the whole re-marrying thing?

ie: if ONE spouse was unfaithful, and as a result the marriage ended, is not the other spouse free to re-marry without fear of committing adultery because of the behaviour of their former spouse?

 

[GRA]

I'm confused.

These verses read as though 'sexual immorality' (in ALL that it entails including adultery I guess) is the only exception God gives for divorce, but then it goes on to say that anyone who marries a divorced woman is commiting adultery. So, is it just me, or does that imply that EVEN if the woman is divorced as a result of 'sexual immorality' she can still never remarry without then committing adultery?

Matt 5:32 "But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Notice the ':' ----- what is after it is said with specific regard to 'unlawful' putting away of a wife -- i.e., for some reason other than fornication.

 

[iraasuup]

Hmmm okay. But that implies that the man would be committing adultery too, if he married a divorced woman, and the woman would be committing adultery also (if they divorced for reasons other than fornication)... am I understanding this correctly?

 

[Jullianna]

Thanks, Oncefallen. Now all of my crayons fit neatly into the box. I appreciate it.

Katie, there are going to be a whole lot of people who are going to give you a whole lot of opinions in the rest of this thread, and perhaps in unkind ways. Like Ugly, I pray for wisdom and compassion here. My answer to you is this: Get your answer directly from God and no one else. Pray for understanding and He will give it to you. If and when the time comes, He can show you clearly whether you should marry a person or not.

 

[iraasuup]

Thanks Julianna,

I have already searched the scriptures and am constantly seeking God. I know how I feel and what God has revealed to me already, but the scriptures can be a little confusing at times.