The New Testament associates sexual intimacy with marriage: marriage should be held in honor, and the marriage bed undefiled, while God will judge the sexually immoral; God’s will is abstinence from sexual immorality. The word “sexual immorality” (Greek πορνεία) in various passages encompasses illicit sexual relations outside marriage and is not limited to one type, so this conclusion rests on several passages rather than a single word. On this basis, Christian tradition as a whole considers premarital sexual relations sinful.
What Does the Bible Say About This?
- Marriage should be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers (Heb. 13:4).
- God’s will is sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality, controlling your own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust (1 Thess. 4:3–5).
- To avoid sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband (1 Cor. 7:2); those who cannot exercise self-control should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion (1 Cor. 7:8–9).
- Sexual immorality is listed among the works of the flesh and the things that come from the heart (Gal. 5:19–21; Matt. 15:19); we must flee from sexual immorality (1 Cor. 6:18).
- The word “sexual immorality” (πορνεία) in the New Testament refers to various illicit sexual relations—for example, incest (1 Cor. 5:1) and relations with a prostitute (1 Cor. 6:15–16); it is broader than the phrase “sex before marriage,” and its meaning is determined by the context.
The brief answer was prepared by the editorial team; the Scripture texts are from the “Father’s Blessing” Bible.
Key Scriptures
9 Bible Passages · Father’s Blessing Bible
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is honorable among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
1 Thessalonians 4:3–5
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to keep his own vessel in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;
1 Corinthians 7:2
But, to avoid sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
1 Corinthians 7:8–9
8 Now I say to the unmarried and the widows: It is good for them to remain as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against their own body.
Galatians 5:19–21
19 The works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, heresies, 21 envy, [murder,] drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander—
1 Corinthians 5:1
There is reliable news that sexual immorality has appeared among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even heard of among the Gentiles: someone has his father’s wife instead of his own wife.
1 Corinthians 6:15–16
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”
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