What Does the Bible Say About Saving Yourself Until Marriage?

Hebrews 13:4 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Ephesians 5:1-33 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ...

1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

Proverbs 22:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes

The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

Genesis 2:24 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Colossians 3:1-25 ESV / 4 helpful votes

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ...

1 Corinthians 7:1-40 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ...

1 Corinthians 6:13 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

Matthew 6:1-34 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ...

Hebrews 13:1-25 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ...

1 Thessalonians 4:7 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

Philippians 4:13 ESV / 3 helpful votes

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Matthew 5:27 ESV / 3 helpful votes

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

Proverbs 31:1-31 ESV / 3 helpful votes

The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him: What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. ...

Proverbs 12:1-28 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns. No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. ...

Proverbs 5:18-19 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.

Proverbs 5:1-23 ESV / 3 helpful votes

My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; ...

Psalm 1:1-6 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; ...

Deuteronomy 24:1-22 ESV / 3 helpful votes

“When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, and if she goes and becomes another man's wife, and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the Lord. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance. “When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken. ...

Exodus 20:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes

“You shall not commit adultery.

Genesis 39:7-12 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master's wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, ...

1 Thessalonians 4:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

That each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

Colossians 3:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Galatians 5:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

1 Corinthians 6:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

Romans 13:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

Romans 7:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage.

Mark 10:6-9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Matthew 19:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

Matthew 19:1-30 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? ...

Matthew 5:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5:1-48 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ...

Malachi 2:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

Proverbs 28:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 27:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

Proverbs 18:1-24 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace. The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice. ...

Proverbs 16:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

38 Bible Verses about Saving Yourself Until Marriage

Hebrews 13:4 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 5:1-33 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 22:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 2:24 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 3:1-25 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 7:1-40 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 6:13 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 6:1-34 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hebrews 13:1-25 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Thessalonians 4:7 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Philippians 4:13 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:27 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 31:1-31 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 12:1-28 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 5:18-19 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 5:1-23 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 1:1-6 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Deuteronomy 24:1-22 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 20:14 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 39:7-12 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Thessalonians 4:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 3:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Galatians 5:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 6:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 13:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 7:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 10:6-9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 19:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 19:1-30 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:1-48 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Malachi 2:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 28:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 27:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 18:1-24 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 16:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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