You Shall Not Commit Adultery — Exodus 20:14
“You shall not commit adultery”
— Exodus 20:14, NIV
This commandment teaches that marriage is a sacred promise, and that staying faithful to a husband or wife honors both them and God.
Many people know this verse in its older wording: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” It is one of the Ten Commandments, and it protects one of the closest bonds God gives us, the bond between husband and wife.
Adultery rarely begins with one big decision. It usually starts small: a secret message, a flirtation that feels harmless, a growing closeness with someone who is not our spouse. Like a crack in a dam, it may look tiny at first, but the pressure behind it keeps building.
Jesus taught that faithfulness begins in the heart. He said that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27–28). That is why it is wise to guard your heart above all else.
In our time, temptation is often only a screen away. Pornography, secret online friendships and late-night messages can quietly pull a heart away from a spouse. Faithfulness means setting clear boundaries before temptation arrives, not after.
This commandment is not only for married people. Scripture says, “Marriage should be honored by all” (Hebrews 13:4). We honor marriage when we respect other people’s marriages too, and when we see purity as a gift rather than a burden.
If you have already failed in this area, God has not given up on you. When King David fell into adultery, he turned back to God and asked Him to create in him a pure heart. Forgiveness is real, and broken trust can often be rebuilt. A pastor or priest, or a trained counselor, can help a couple walk that road.
Today, if you are married, do one small thing that tells your spouse, “I choose you.” If you are not married, pray for the marriages of people you love.
Lord, keep my heart faithful and my eyes pure. Help me honor marriage in my thoughts, my words and my actions. Amen.
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