What Does the Bible Say About Sex? (Verses)

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily match my own. - Dr. Bart D. Ehrman

In the modern world, to talk about sex and sexuality is to enter a complex and often contested terrain that touches on identity, morality, law, and power. Few topics generate as much interest (or as much disagreement!), precisely because sexuality carries such profound personal and societal significance.

What does the Bible say about sex? Those interested in knowing the answer discover that the biblical world reflects a complex and multifaceted set of views on sex and sexuality. 

The French philosopher Michel Foucault recognized those topics’ intricacies in his multivolume work The History of Sexuality, famously observing that “sexuality must not be thought of as a kind of natural given… but rather as a dense transfer point for relations of power.” 

His insight captures something that is difficult to ignore: discussions of sex are never simply about biology or individual behavior. They are embedded in larger systems (social, cultural, and ideological) that shape how people think, regulate, and experience sexuality.

When people ask about coverage of sex in the Bible or the topics of God and sexuality they often expect to find straightforward answers or unified teachings that can be easily summarized. 

Yet the Bible isn’t a single book written at one time, but a collection of diverse texts produced over many centuries, in different historical and cultural contexts. 

As a result, its references to sex are varied in tone, purpose, and emphasis: ranging from legal regulations and moral warnings to poetic celebration and theological reflection.

This diversity means that the Bible doesn’t present a systematic or consistent “sexual ethic” in the way modern readers might expect.

Instead, it offers a wide array of perspectives shaped by the concerns of ancient Israelite and early Christian communities: issues of family structure, lineage, social order, purity, and, at times, human desire itself. 

To understand how sex is treated in these texts, then, requires more than simply collecting verses. It involves recognizing the different voices within the biblical tradition and the distinct contexts in which they speak: an exploration that reveals a far more nuanced picture than is often assumed.

However, before we begin our exploration of the Bible and sexuality, it’s worth stepping back to the very beginning. In the online course In the Beginning: History, Legend, or Myth in Genesis, Bart D. Ehrman examines famous stories like Adam and Eve, Noah’s flood, and the Tower of Babel, asking whether they reflect history, legend, or myth.

If you’re curious how modern scholarship approaches these foundational narratives, this course offers a clear and engaging starting point.

What Does the Bible Say About Sex? A Wide Survey

“In his book What the Bible Says About Sex?, Jeremiah W. Cataldo observes:

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Cataldo’s point highlights a central difficulty: discussions of sex in the Bible are rarely just about the texts themselves, but about how those texts are read, generalized, and applied.

This makes the topic particularly complex, since modern expectations often press the Bible into offering clear, universal rules where the ancient sources themselves are more varied and context-bound.

For that reason, what follows isn’t a full-scale exegesis of every relevant passage nor a detailed theological analysis of Bible, God, and sexuality.

Instead, this section offers a broad, historically informed survey of the key places where sex and sexuality appear across the biblical corpus.

By moving through different kinds of texts (narrative, legal, poetic, and early Christian writings) we can begin to see how these materials approach the subject from distinct angles, shaped by their own literary aims and social contexts, starting with the texts of the Hebrew Bible.

What Does God Say About Sex? A Survey of Key Old Testament Verses

In the narrative portions of the Hebrew Bible, sex most often appears as an integral part of larger stories about family, survival, and social order. 

From the opening chapters of Book of Genesis, sexual relations are closely tied to reproduction and the continuation of human life (most famously in the divine command to “be fruitful and multiply”). Within these narratives, sex functions less as a topic in its own right and more as a necessary mechanism through which kinship structures are formed, maintained, and extended across generations.

At the same time, these texts reveal that sexuality is deeply embedded in concerns about lineage and inheritance. 

Stories such as that of Tamar in Genesis 38 illustrate how sexual relations could be mobilized (sometimes in unconventional or socially ambiguous ways) to secure offspring and preserve a family line.

In such contexts, the emphasis falls on ensuring the continuity of a household within a patriarchal framework where descendants, especially male heirs, were of central importance. Sexuality, in other words, is closely intertwined with questions of legitimacy, status, and the transmission of property and identity.

Yet these narratives also portray sex as a site of power, vulnerability, and moral tension. The account of David and Bathsheba in the Second Book of Samuel 11 is perhaps the most striking example, precisely because it exposes how sexual relations could be entangled with authority and social hierarchy. 

As Michael D. Coogan observes in his book God and Sex, “the understanding of adultery as expropriation of another man’s property is also found in biblical narrative.” In this case, the issue isn’t merely personal desire or moral failure in the abstract, but the abuse of royal power. 

David, as king, is able to summon Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers, and then orchestrate her husband’s death to conceal the consequences of the encounter.

Coogan’s analysis sharpens the underlying logic of the story by noting that, in effect, David’s action is portrayed as a form of appropriation: “in committing adultery with Bathsheba, David was guilty of expropriating Uriah’s property.” 

Read in this light, the narrative reflects a broader ancient Near Eastern framework in which adultery is construed less as a mutual violation of marital fidelity and more as an infringement upon another man’s household.

At the same time, the story doesn’t simply normalize this perspective; it dramatizes its consequences. 

Through the prophet Nathan’s parable and David’s eventual recognition of guilt, the text exposes the moral and political ramifications of such an abuse of power. 

The episode thus illustrates how, within biblical narrative, sexuality can function as a flashpoint where desire, authority, and social order intersect, revealing tensions that resist any simple or uniform ethical formulation.

A somewhat different perspective emerges, however, when we turn from narrative to the poetic and wisdom traditions of the Hebrew Bible, where sex isn’t primarily embedded in stories of lineage or power but becomes the subject of reflection, exhortation, and even celebration.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Song of Solomon, a collection of lyrical poems that foreground erotic desire and mutual longing between lovers. Unlike many other biblical texts, the Song doesn’t frame sexuality in terms of law, prohibition, or even explicit marriage.

Instead, it offers an intimate and highly sensual portrayal of human attraction, expressed through vivid imagery and reciprocal dialogue.

The prominence of the female voice in particular (articulate, desiring, and active) has drawn significant scholarly attention. As Renita J. Weems notes in her essay published in the Women's Bible Commentary:

Read in this light, the Song not only celebrates desire but also subtly challenges certain social assumptions about gender, beauty, and the legitimacy of romantic attachment.

At the same time, the very openness of the text has historically made it difficult to situate within more restrictive moral frameworks, prompting generations of interpreters to read it allegorically (as a depiction of the love between God and Israel or Christ and the Church) rather than as a celebration of human sexuality. 

Yet when approached in its literary and historical context, the Song stands out within the biblical corpus as a rare and striking affirmation of erotic experience.

By contrast, the Book of Proverbs offers a more didactic and cautionary approach. Here, sexual behavior is framed within the pursuit of wisdom and the maintenance of social order, most notably through warnings against adultery and the figure of the “strange woman.” 

At the same time, Proverbs doesn’t reject sexuality outright. Passages such as Proverbs 5:18–19 affirm the value of sexual pleasure within marriage, encouraging delight in one’s spouse in language that is, at times, surprisingly evocative.

The juxtaposition of these elements (warning and affirmation) underscores a broader tension within the wisdom literature: sexuality is neither wholly condemned nor unconditionally embraced, but carefully situated within a moral framework that seeks to regulate desire while acknowledging its place in human life.

What Does the Bible Say About Sexuality? A Survey of Key Verses in the New Testament

In our survey of key verses that can help us understand what the Bible says about sex, we now turn to the New Testament, where the discussion takes on new dimensions shaped by early Christian concerns, theological developments, and changing views on the body, desire, and the ideal of sexual renunciation.

The Apostle Paul: Views on Sex and Sexuality

In our exploration of the key verses, the most methodologically sound approach is to begin with the earliest sources, namely the letters of Paul. What does the Bible say about sex in those writings? We’ll soon see that there isn’t a simple endorsement or prohibition, but a reframing of sexuality within a broader vision of disciplined life, where desire is acknowledged, managed, and directed rather than denied.

Among these letters, 1 Corinthians offers one of the most sustained reflections on sex, sexuality, and marriage in early Christianity. 

Here, sexuality is woven into broader concerns about community life, moral discipline, and the expectation that the present world is passing away.

Paul’s discussion reveals a careful balancing act between acknowledging human desire and regulating it. 

Drawing on the analysis of William Loader in his book The New Testament on Sexuality, we can see that Paul doesn’t simply condemn sexuality, nor does he celebrate it unreservedly.

Instead, he situates it within a framework of control and accommodation. As Loader explains:

Loader’s reading highlights an important nuance for understanding sexuality in the Bible: Paul distinguishes between desire itself and the failure to regulate it.

Sexual passion is portrayed as powerful (something that can “burn”) but not inherently sinful. Rather than condemning those who struggle with such desire, Paul offers a practical solution. As Loader continues,

Marriage, then, functions less as an ideal state and more as a structured and legitimate context within which desire can be expressed without transgressing communal norms.

At the same time, Paul’s preference for celibacy reflects a distinctive early Christian perspective shaped by eschatological expectation.

If the present form of the world is passing away, then even socially central institutions such as marriage become relativized. This doesn’t mean that sex is rejected outright, but that it’s subordinated to a higher ideal of undivided devotion.

The Gospel of Matthew: Views on Sex and Sexuality

A somewhat different but related approach emerges when we turn from Paul’s letters to the teachings attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. 

Here, the focus shifts from regulating behavior within communal structures to intensifying the moral demands placed upon the individual, especially at the level of intention.

In Matthew’s Gospel, sexual ethics are articulated through a reinterpretation of earlier commandments, most notably in the teaching that moves from the prohibition of adultery to the internalization of desire (Matt 5:27–28).

Drawing again on Loader’s analysis, the key point is that this passage doesn’t simply condemn sexual attraction as such, but rather the deliberate cultivation of desire directed toward another man’s wife.

The emphasis lies on intentionality (on the purposeful orientation of one’s will) rather than on spontaneous or involuntary responses.

In this way, the Gospel reflects a broader ethical move: just as anger can lead to violence, so intentional desire can lead to adultery. Sexuality here isn’t denied per se but brought under a more rigorous form of moral scrutiny, one that relocates the locus of ethical responsibility from external action to internal disposition.

A further nuance becomes clear when we look more closely at the language and conceptual framework of this passage. The focus is on a deliberate orientation of the will. Namely, what the text describes as looking “with a view to” desiring. In this sense, the issue isn’t simply that desire exists, but how it’s cultivated and directed within a relational context. 

In other words, the passage presupposes that sexual response itself is a natural part of human experience. What is brought under scrutiny is the intentional development of that desire in a way that transgresses established boundaries, particularly those defined by marriage.

The emphasis, therefore, lies on responsibility rather than on the mere presence of those impulses. In this way, the Gospel’s teaching contributes to a broader pattern within early Christian thought, where sexuality in the Bible is neither simply affirmed nor rejected, but carefully situated within a framework of moral intention and relational accountability.

What Does the Bible Say About Sex? Key Verses (Table)

Before we move on, we’ve put together a handy (and dare we say, quite generous) table for our readers, bringing together some of the most frequently cited Bible verses about sex, so you don’t have to go hunting through multiple books and chapters yourself.

FAQ: What Does the Bible Say About Sexuality?

With this broader context in place, we can now turn to a set of frequently asked questions, briefly addressing some of the most common issues people raise when exploring sex and sexuality in the Bible.

What Does the Bible Say About Sex Before Marriage?

The Bible refers to sexual relations prior to marriage, but it doesn’t treat “premarital sex” as a clearly defined, abstract moral category in the way it’s often understood today. Instead, such situations are typically addressed within legal and social frameworks that prioritize family structure, property, and lineage. 

For example, in Book of Exodus 22:16–17 and Book of Deuteronomy 22:28–29, a man who has sexual relations with an unmarried woman is required to pay compensation (the bride-price) and, in many cases, marry her. 

This suggests that the primary concern isn’t the sexual act in isolation but its social and economic consequences for the woman and her family. 

As many scholars have noted, including those working within historical-critical frameworks, these texts reflect a patriarchal context in which a woman’s sexuality was closely tied to household honor and inheritance structures.

Thus, rather than articulating a universal prohibition of sex before marriage, the biblical material regulates such behavior in ways that preserve social order and familial integrity.

Does the Bible Mention Sex Outside of Marriage?

Yes, the Bible frequently refers to sexual activity outside of marriage, most often under the categories of adultery and prostitution, though these are framed within ancient social and legal assumptions rather than modern concepts of “consensual relationships.” 

Adultery, for example, is explicitly prohibited in Book of Exodus 20:14, but, in its original context, it refers specifically to an Israelite man having sexual relations with another man’s wife, thus violating household boundaries and property relations.

As Michael D. Coogan contextualizes:

Similarly, references to prostitution appear in various narrative and legal texts, sometimes condemned (as in prophetic literature) and sometimes simply described.

In the New Testament, terms such as porneia (often translated “sexual immorality”) are used broadly to denote illicit sexual behavior outside accepted norms.

Taken together, these references show that the Bible does address sex outside marriage, but typically through the lens of social order, honor, and communal boundaries rather than through a systematic moral category equivalent to modern usage.

Does the Bible Mention Sex Within Marriage?

Yes, the Bible does refer to sexual relations within marriage, and in several instances it presents them in a positive or at least accepted light.

In the Hebrew Bible, passages such as Book of Proverbs 5:18–19 explicitly affirm marital intimacy, encouraging mutual delight between spouses, while texts like Song of Solomon celebrate erotic desire more broadly, often understood (though not always explicitly stated) within a relational framework.

In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 7 presents marriage as a legitimate context for sexual relations, even emphasizing mutual obligations between partners, though it does so within a larger (eschatological) framework that prioritizes celibacy.

Does the Bible Mention Sex With Animals?

Yes, the Bible explicitly mentions and prohibits sexual relations between humans and animals, typically referred to in modern scholarship as bestiality.

Such prohibitions appear most clearly in legal texts such as Book of Leviticus 18:23 and 20:15–16, where these acts are described as violations of proper boundaries and are subject to severe penalties. 

Within their ancient Near Eastern context, these laws aren’t primarily concerned with individual morality in a modern sense, but with maintaining distinctions between categories of creation (human and animal) and preserving what is understood as social and cosmic order.

As John E. Hartley notes in his Commentary:

Conclusion

What does the Bible say about sex? As this survey has shown, the answer is neither simple nor singular. 

Rather than offering a unified or systematic sexual ethic, the Bible presents a range of perspectives shaped by diverse historical contexts, literary genres, and social concerns.

In some passages, sexuality is regulated in order to preserve lineage, property, and communal stability. In others, it’s celebrated as an expression of human desire and relational intimacy. And in still others, it’s reframed within broader theological visions that emphasize discipline, self-control, and eschatological urgency. 

To ask what the Bible says about sex, therefore, isn’t to retrieve a single voice, but to engage a conversation among many voices across time.

Needless to say, recognizing this diversity is essential for any historically informed reading. Sexuality in the Bible is consistently embedded in larger frameworks (family structures, purity systems, power relations, and theological commitments) rather than treated as an isolated domain of human behavior.

This means that modern attempts to extract clear, universal rules often overlook the complexity of the texts themselves. A more careful approach reveals an evolving set of reflections on human desire, social order, and moral responsibility. It’s precisely this complexity that makes the biblical material both challenging and enduringly significant for contemporary discussions about sex and sexuality.