Topical Bible: Fornication

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Topical Encyclopedia

Definition and Etymology:
Fornication, derived from the Latin word "fornicatio," refers to sexual intercourse between individuals who are not married to each other. In biblical terms, it is often used to describe illicit sexual behavior that is outside the bounds of marriage, encompassing a range of immoral sexual acts.

Biblical References:
The Bible addresses fornication extensively, emphasizing its moral and spiritual implications. In the New Testament, the Greek word "porneia" is frequently translated as fornication, encompassing various forms of sexual immorality.

1. 1 Corinthians 6:18 : "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." This verse underscores the unique nature of sexual sin, highlighting its profound impact on the individual.

2. Galatians 5:19-21 : "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Here, fornication is listed among the "acts of the flesh," indicating its incompatibility with a life led by the Spirit.

3. Ephesians 5:3 : "But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed." This passage calls for a standard of purity among believers, where fornication is not even to be named among them.

4. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 : "For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality; each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God." This instruction emphasizes self-control and sanctification, contrasting the behavior of believers with that of non-believers.

Old Testament Context:
In the Old Testament, fornication is often associated with idolatry and unfaithfulness to God. The prophets frequently used the imagery of fornication to describe Israel's spiritual adultery.

1. Hosea 4:12-13 : "My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God. They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, where the shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery." This passage illustrates the connection between physical and spiritual fornication.

2. Jeremiah 3:9 : "Because of the indecency of her unfaithfulness, Israel defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees." Here, the metaphor of fornication is used to describe Israel's idolatrous practices.

Moral and Spiritual Implications:
Fornication is consistently portrayed in Scripture as a sin that defiles both the body and the spirit. It is a violation of God's design for sexual relations, which is intended to be expressed within the covenant of marriage. The Bible calls believers to a life of holiness, urging them to avoid sexual immorality and to honor God with their bodies.

Theological Significance:
Fornication is not merely a physical act but a spiritual transgression that affects one's relationship with God. It is often linked with other sins and is seen as a barrier to inheriting the kingdom of God. The call to flee from fornication is a call to pursue purity and to live in accordance with God's will.

Practical Application:
Believers are encouraged to cultivate self-control and to seek accountability within the community of faith. The church is called to uphold the biblical standard of sexual purity, providing guidance and support for those struggling with sexual sin. Through repentance and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, individuals can overcome fornication and live in a manner that honors God.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

In every form of it was sternly condemned by the Mosaic law (Leviticus 21:9; 19:29; Deuteronomy 22:20, 21, 23-29; 23:18; Exodus 22:16). (see ADULTERY.)

But this word is more frequently used in a symbolical than in its ordinary sense. It frequently means a forsaking of God or a following after idols (Isaiah 1:2; Jeremiah 2:20; Ezek. 16; Hosea 1:2; 2:1-5; Jeremiah 3:8, 9).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) Unlawful sexual intercourse on the part of an unmarried person; the act of such illicit sexual intercourse between a man and a woman as does not by law amount to adultery.

2. (n.) Adultery.

3. (n.) Incest.

4. (n.) Idolatry.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

FORNICATION

for-ni-ka'-shun.

See CRIMES.

Greek

4202. porneia -- fornication
... fornication. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: porneia Phonetic Spelling:
(por-ni'-ah) Short Definition: fornication, idolatry Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4202.htm - 7k

1608. ekporneuo -- mid. to give oneself up to fornication
... mid. to give oneself up to fornication. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekporneuo
Phonetic Spelling: (ek-porn-yoo'-o) Short Definition: I am guilty of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1608.htm - 6k

4203. porneuo -- to commit fornication
... to commit fornication. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: porneuo Phonetic Spelling:
(porn-yoo'-o) Short Definition: I fornicate, practice idolatry Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4203.htm - 7k

630. apoluo -- to set free, release
... The Bible never contradicts itself and hence "the divorce passages" in the Gospels
uttered by Jesus (following on fornication) are not contrary to the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/630.htm - 10k

Strong's Hebrew

2181. zanah -- to commit fornication, be a harlot
... zanah. 2182 . to commit fornication, be a harlot. Transliteration: zanah Phonetic
Spelling: (zaw-naw') Short Definition: harlot. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/2181.htm - 6k

8457. taznuth -- fornication
... 8456, 8457. taznuth. 8458 . fornication. Transliteration: taznuth Phonetic
Spelling: (taz-nooth') Short Definition: harlotries. ...
/hebrew/8457.htm - 6k

2183. zenunim -- fornication
... 2182, 2183. zenunim. 2184 . fornication. Transliteration: zenunim Phonetic
Spelling: (zaw-noon') Short Definition: harlotry. Word ...
/hebrew/2183.htm - 6k

2184. zenuth -- fornication
... 2183, 2184. zenuth. 2185 . fornication. Transliteration: zenuth Phonetic
Spelling: (zen-ooth') Short Definition: harlotry. Word ...
/hebrew/2184.htm - 6k

8458. tachbulah -- direction, counsel
... Word Origin from chabal Definition direction, counsel NASB Word Usage counsels
(1), guidance (2), wise counsel (1), wise guidance (2). fornication, whoredom. ...
/hebrew/8458.htm - 6k

Library

Whether Fornication is the Most Grievous of Sins?
... OF THE PARTS OF LUST (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether fornication is the most grievous
of sins? Objection 1: It would seem that fornication ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether fornication is the most.htm

Whether Simple Fornication is a Mortal Sin?
... OF THE PARTS OF LUST (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether simple fornication is a mortal sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that simple fornication is not a mortal sin. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether simple fornication is a.htm

Adultery and Fornication Synonymous.
... Chapter IV."Adultery and Fornication Synonymous. Having defined the
distinction (between the kinds) of repentance, we are by this ...
/.../tertullian/on modesty/chapter iv adultery and fornication synonymous.htm

Book vi. On the Spirit of Fornication.
... Prolegomena. Book VI. On the Spirit of Fornication. On the Spirit of Fornication.
We have thought best to omit altogether the translation of this book. ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /book vi on the spirit.htm

A Monk Convicted of Fornication, or who Takes a Wife for the ...
... The Sixth Ecumenical Council. Canon XLIV. A monk convicted of fornication,
or who takes a wife for the communion of matrimony? ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon xliv a monk convicted.htm

Concerning Women who Commit Fornication, and Destroy that which ...
... Canon XXI. Concerning women who commit fornication, and destroy that which
they have conceived? Concerning women who commit fornication ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon xxi concerning women who.htm

That the Sin of Fornication is Grievous.
... Third Book. 63. That the sin of fornication is grievous. In the first
Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: "Every sin whatsoever ...
/.../cyprian/three books of testimonies against the jews/63 that the sin of.htm

Whether it is Lawful for a Husband to Put Away his Wife on Account ...
... OF THE IMPEDIMENT THAT SUPERVENES TO MARRIAGE AFTER ITS CONSUMMATION, NAMELY
FORNICATION (SIX ARTICLES) Whether it is lawful for a husband to put away his wife ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is lawful for 22.htm

Whether the Husband is Bound by Precept to Put Away his Wife when ...
... OF THE IMPEDIMENT THAT SUPERVENES TO MARRIAGE AFTER ITS CONSUMMATION, NAMELY
FORNICATION (SIX ARTICLES) Whether the husband is bound by precept to put away his ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the husband is bound.htm

Whether the Husband Can on his Own Judgment Put Away his Wife on ...
... OF THE IMPEDIMENT THAT SUPERVENES TO MARRIAGE AFTER ITS CONSUMMATION, NAMELY
FORNICATION (SIX ARTICLES) Whether the husband can on his own judgment put away ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the husband can on.htm

Thesaurus

Fornication (52 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) Idolatry. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. FORNICATION. for-ni-ka'-shun.
See CRIMES. Multi-Version Concordance Fornication (52 Occurrences). ...
/f/fornication.htm - 24k

Committeth (22 Occurrences)
... Matthew 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 ...
/c/committeth.htm - 13k

Impurity (42 Occurrences)
... in your presence, and may have to mourn over many whose hearts still cling to their
old sins, and who have not repented of the impurity, fornication, and gross ...
/i/impurity.htm - 21k

Lasciviousness (9 Occurrences)
... Paul (2 Corinthians 12:21) classes it with uncleanness and fornication as sins to
be repented of; also (Galatians 5:19; compare The Wisdom of Solomon 14:26 ...
/l/lasciviousness.htm - 11k

Practise (52 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin which a man may practise is without
the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. (DBY). ...
/p/practise.htm - 22k

Adultery (49 Occurrences)
... 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. ...
/a/adultery.htm - 32k

Fornications (14 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 21:13 but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, like the ...
/f/fornications.htm - 10k

Repented (49 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV). Revelation 2:21 And I gave her space
to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. (KJV WBS). ...
/r/repented.htm - 22k

Lust (42 Occurrences)
... opposed to "spiritual" "heavenly," "the will of man" as opposed to "the will of
God," but also the sensual desire connected with adultery, fornication; verb in ...
/l/lust.htm - 24k

Crimes (22 Occurrences)
...Fornication. Hebrew, zanah = "to commit adultery," especially of the female,
and less frequently of mere fornication, seldom of ...
/c/crimes.htm - 44k

Resources

What does the Bible say about fornication? | GotQuestions.org

What is the difference between fornication and adultery? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about pedophilia/paedophilia? | GotQuestions.org

Fornication: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Fornication (52 Occurrences)

Matthew 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.
(KJV ASV DBY)

Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
(Root in KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Matthew 19:9
And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
(KJV ASV DBY)

Mark 7:21
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
(Root in KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

John 8:41
Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Acts 15:20
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY NAS)

Acts 15:29
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY NAS)

Acts 21:25
As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY NAS)

Romans 1:29
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
(KJV WBS)

1 Corinthians 5:1
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

1 Corinthians 5:11
But what I meant was that you were not to associate with any one bearing the name of "brother," if he was addicted to fornication or avarice or idol-worship or abusive language or hard-drinking or greed of gain. With such a man you ought not even to eat.
(WEY)

1 Corinthians 6:13
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

1 Corinthians 7:2
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

1 Corinthians 10:8
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

2 Corinthians 12:21
And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

Galatians 5:19
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
(KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Ephesians 5:3
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
(KJV WEY ASV DBY RSV)

Colossians 3:5
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
(KJV WEY ASV DBY RSV)

1 Thessalonians 4:3
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

Hebrews 12:16
lest 'there be' any fornication, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright.
(ASV)

Jude 1:7
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

Revelation 2:20
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

Revelation 2:21
And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

Revelation 9:21
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

Revelation 14:8
And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY)

Revelation 17:2
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY RSV)

Revelation 17:4
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
(KJV WEY ASV DBY RSV)

Revelation 18:9
And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
(KJV WEY ASV DBY RSV)

Revelation 19:2
For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
(KJV WEY ASV DBY RSV)

Genesis 38:24
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law has committed fornication, and behold, she is also with child by fornication. And Judah said, Bring her forth, that she may be burned.
(DBY YLT)

Numbers 25:1
And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to commit fornication with the daughters of Moab.
(DBY)

2 Chronicles 21:11
Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.
(KJV DBY WBS)

2 Chronicles 21:13
but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, like the fornications of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren, thy father's house who were better than thyself:
(DBY)

Isaiah 23:17
And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Jeremiah 3:1
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? Would not that land be utterly polluted? But thou hast committed fornication with many lovers; yet return to me, saith Jehovah.
(DBY)

Jeremiah 3:6
And Jehovah said unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen what backsliding Israel hath done? She hath gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath committed fornication.
(DBY YLT)

Jeremiah 3:8
And I saw that when for all the causes wherein backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce, yet the treacherous Judah, her sister, feared not, but went and committed fornication also.
(DBY YLT)

Jeremiah 3:9
And it came to pass through the lightness of her fornication that she polluted the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
(DBY YLT)

Jeremiah 13:27
Thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy fornication, on the hills, in the fields, thine abominations, have I seen. Woe unto thee, Jerusalem! Wilt thou not be made clean? after how long a time yet?
(DBY)

Ezekiel 16:17
And thou didst take thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of males, and didst commit fornication with them.
(DBY)

Ezekiel 16:26
Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS)

Ezekiel 16:28
And thou didst commit fornication with the Assyrians, because thou wast insatiable; yea, thou didst commit fornication with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied.
(DBY)

Ezekiel 16:29
Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied therewith.
(KJV WBS)

Ezekiel 16:34
And in thee is the contrary from other women, in thy whoredoms, in that none followeth thee to commit fornication; and whereas thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, so art thou contrary.
(DBY)

Ezekiel 20:30
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Do ye defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers? and do ye commit fornication after their abominations?
(DBY)

Ezekiel 23:8
Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt; for in her youth they had lain with her, and had handled the breasts of her virginity, and poured their fornication upon her.
(DBY)

Ezekiel 23:17
And the children of Babylon came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their fornication; she too defiled herself with them, and her soul was alienated from them.
(DBY)

Ezekiel 43:7
And he said unto me, Son of man, this is the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever; and the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, they nor their kings, with their fornication, and with the carcases of their kings in their high places,
(DBY)

Ezekiel 43:9
Now let them put away their fornication, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.
(DBY)

Hosea 4:11
Fornication, and wine, and new wine take away the heart.
(DBY)

Subtopics

Fornication

Related Terms

Sorceries (11 Occurrences)

Fornication (52 Occurrences)

Graceful (6 Occurrences)

Selling (23 Occurrences)

Lady (37 Occurrences)

Witnessings (1 Occurrence)

Fornicator (3 Occurrences)

Railings (2 Occurrences)