Intercourse, within the context of the Bible, primarily refers to the physical union between a man and a woman. This act is designed by God to occur within the bounds of marriage, serving both procreative and unitive purposes. The Bible provides numerous references and teachings regarding intercourse, emphasizing its sanctity and the moral framework within which it should occur.

Biblical Foundations

The concept of intercourse is first introduced in the creation narrative. Genesis 1:28 states, "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.'" This command underscores the procreative purpose of intercourse, as part of God's design for humanity to populate the earth.

In Genesis 2:24 , the institution of marriage is established: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." The phrase "one flesh" is often interpreted as a reference to the physical and spiritual union achieved through intercourse, highlighting its role in the marital bond.

Moral and Ethical Considerations

The Bible sets clear boundaries for sexual conduct, reserving intercourse for the marriage relationship. In Exodus 20:14 , the commandment "You shall not commit adultery" underscores the exclusivity of the marital bond. Adultery, fornication, and other forms of sexual immorality are consistently condemned throughout Scripture.

The New Testament reiterates these principles. In 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 , Paul writes, "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. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body." This passage emphasizes the sanctity of the body and the importance of honoring God through sexual purity.

Intercourse as a Gift

Within marriage, intercourse is portrayed as a gift from God, intended to strengthen the bond between husband and wife. The Song of Solomon celebrates the beauty and joy of marital love, using poetic language to describe the intimacy shared between a bride and groom.

Proverbs 5:18-19 encourages marital fidelity and delight: "May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful fawn—may her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever." This passage highlights the joy and satisfaction found in the exclusive marital relationship.

Warnings and Consequences

The Bible also warns of the consequences of engaging in intercourse outside of God's ordained boundaries. In Hebrews 13:4 , it is written, "Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers." This serves as a reminder of the divine judgment that accompanies sexual sin.

The account of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11) illustrates the destructive power of adultery, leading to personal and familial turmoil. Similarly, the account of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19) serves as a stark warning against sexual immorality and its societal consequences.

Redemption and Restoration

Despite the seriousness of sexual sin, the Bible offers hope for redemption and restoration. In John 8:11 , Jesus tells the woman caught in adultery, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." This demonstrates God's willingness to forgive and restore those who repent and turn away from sin.

1 Corinthians 6:11 provides further assurance: "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." This passage highlights the transformative power of God's grace for those who seek forgiveness and strive to live according to His commandments.(n.) A commingling; intimate connection or dealings between persons or nations, as in common affairs and civilities, in correspondence or trade; communication; commerce; especially, interchange of thought and feeling; association; communion.3657. homilia -- company, association
... Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: homilia Phonetic Spelling:
(hom-il-ee'-ah) Short Definition: intercourse, companionship, conversation Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3657.htm - 6k

3352. metoche -- sharing
... fellowship. From metecho; participation, ie Intercourse -- fellowship. see GREEK
metecho. (metoche) -- 1 Occurrence. 3351, 3352. metoche. 3353 . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3352.htm - 6k

2845. koite -- a bed
... koite Phonetic Spelling: (koy'-tay) Short Definition: a bed, marriage bed Definition:
(a) a bed, (b) a marriage bed; plur: repeated (immoral) sexual intercourse ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2845.htm - 6k

642. aporphanizo -- to be bereaved
... to make an orphan of. From apo and a derivative of orphanos; to bereave wholly,
ie (figuratively) separate (from intercourse) -- take. see GREEK apo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/642.htm - 7k

2853. kollao -- to glue, unite
... glue); hence: mid. and pass: I join myself closely, cleave, adhere (to),
I keep company (with), of friendly intercourse. 2853 (from ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2853.htm - 7k

4561. sarx -- flesh
... Indeed, it is used positively in relation to sexual intercourse in marriage (Eph
5:31) -- as well as for the sinless human body of Jesus (Jn 1:14; 1 Jn 4:2,3 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4561.htm - 8k

5540. chresis -- use (as in a sexual sense)
... use. From chraomai; employment, ie (specially), sexual intercourse (as an occupation
of the body) -- use. see GREEK chraomai. (chresin) -- 2 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5540.htm - 6k

4798. sugchraomai -- to use together with, fig. to associate with
... associate, have dealings with. From sun and chraomai; to use jointly, ie (by
implication) to hold intercourse in common -- have dealings with. see GREEK sun. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4798.htm - 6k

2842. koinonia -- fellowship
... From koinonos; partnership, ie (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse,
or (pecuniary) benefaction -- (to) communicate(-ation), communion, (contri ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2842.htm - 7k

4327. prosdechomai -- to receive to oneself
... From pros and dechomai; to admit (to intercourse, hospitality, credence, or
(figuratively) endurance); by implication, to await (with confidence or patience ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4327.htm - 8k

7903. shekobeth -- copulation
... 7902, 7903. shekobeth. 7904 . copulation. Transliteration: shekobeth Phonetic
Spelling: (shek-o'-beth) Short Definition: intercourse. ...
/hebrew/7903.htm - 6k

4904. mishkab -- place of lying, a couch, act of lying
... From shakab; a bed (figuratively, a bier); abstractly, sleep; by euphemism, carnal
intercourse -- bed((-chamber)), couch, lieth (lying) with. see HEBREW shakab. ...
/hebrew/4904.htm - 6k

7902. shekabah -- (act of) lying, a layer
... Word Origin from shakab Definition (act of) lying, a layer NASB Word Usage carnally*
(1), emission (5), intercourse* (1), layer (2), seminal* (1). ...
/hebrew/7902.htm - 6k

2233. zera -- a sowing, seed, offspring
... Word Usage carnally* (1), child (1), children (3), descendant (3), descendants
(105), descent (1), family (6), fertile (1), grain (3), intercourse* (2), line ( ...
/hebrew/2233.htm - 6k

Whether Unlawful Intercourse Causes Affinity?
... OF THE IMPEDIMENT OF AFFINITY (ELEVEN ARTICLES) Whether unlawful intercourse
causes affinity? Objection 1: It would seem that unlawful ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether unlawful intercourse causes affinity.htm

Whether Carnal Intercourse is an Integral Part of this Sacrament?
... OF MATRIMONY AS A SACRAMENT (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether carnal intercourse is
an integral part of this sacrament? Objection 1: It would ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether carnal intercourse is an.htm

The Intercourse of God and his Friend
... GENESIS THE INTERCOURSE OF GOD AND HIS FRIEND. II. ... The tone of Abraham's intercession
may teach us how familiar the intercourse with the Heavenly Friend may be. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the intercourse of god and.htm

(Of those who have Intercourse with Excommunicated Persons, or ...
... The Second Epistle. II. (Of those who have intercourse with excommunicated persons,
or with unbelievers.). Those, too, who are excommunicated ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the decretals/ii of those who have.htm

Whether Carnal Intercourse after Consent Expressed in Words of the ...
... OF THE CONSENT TO WHICH AN OATH OR CARNAL INTERCOURSE IS APPENDED (TWO ARTICLES)
Whether carnal intercourse after consent expressed in words of the future ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether carnal intercourse after consent.htm

Intercourse of Jesus with the Pagans and the Samaritans.
... CHAPTER XIV. INTERCOURSE OF JESUS WITH THE PAGANS AND THE SAMARITANS. Following
out these principles, Jesus despised all religion which was not of the heart. ...
/.../renan/the life of jesus/chapter xiv intercourse of jesus.htm

Intercourse with Barnabas.
... Book I. Chapter X."Intercourse with Barnabas. While I was urging these
and similar arguments, a great excitement was stirred up ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter x intercourse with barnabas.htm

Intercourse of Sulpitius with Martin.
... Sulpitius Severus On the Life of St. Martin. Chapter XXV. Intercourse of Sulpitius
with Martin. For since I, having long heard accounts ...
/.../chapter xxv intercourse of sulpitius.htm

Thirdly, of Conjugal Intercourse.
... A Treatise against two letters of the pelagians, Chapter 31."Thirdly, of
Conjugal Intercourse. "We say," says he, "that the sexual ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 31 thirdly of conjugal intercourse.htm

That no one Should have Intercourse with those with whom the ...
... The Epistle of Pope Urban First. V. That no one should have intercourse with those
with whom the bishop has no intercourse, or receive those whom he rejects. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the decretals/v that no one should.htm

Intercourse (6 Occurrences)
... communion. Multi-Version Concordance Intercourse (6 Occurrences). John ... woman?
for Jews have no intercourse with Samaritans. (DBY). Leviticus ...
/i/intercourse.htm - 8k

Adultery (49 Occurrences)
... Conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married
or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. ...
/a/adultery.htm - 32k

Conversation (30 Occurrences)
... Generally the goings out and in of social intercourse (Ephesians 2:3; 4:22;
RV, "manner of life"); one's deportment or course of life. ...
/c/conversation.htm - 19k

Commerce (3 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Social intercourse; the dealings of one person or class in society
with another; familiarity. 3. (n.) Sexual intercourse. ...
/c/commerce.htm - 15k

Quarantine (3 Occurrences)
... days, during which a ship arriving in port, and suspected of being infected a malignant
contagious disease, is obliged to forbear all intercourse with the shore ...
/q/quarantine.htm - 8k

Converse (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To keep company; to hold intimate intercourse; to commune; -- followed by
with. ... 4. (n.) Frequent intercourse; familiar communion; intimate association. ...
/c/converse.htm - 8k

Gentiles (150 Occurrences)
... and were to be treated almost on a plane of equality, except certain tribes in Canaan
with regard to whom there were special regulations of non-intercourse. ...
/g/gentiles.htm - 45k

Whore (14 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) To have unlawful sexual intercourse; to practice lewdness. ... 4. (vt) To corrupt
by lewd intercourse; to make a whore of; to debauch. Int. ...
/w/whore.htm - 11k

Fornication (52 Occurrences)
... 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 ...
/f/fornication.htm - 24k

Tahpanhes (7 Occurrences)
... Especially between 607-587 BC a constant intercourse with the Greek settlers must
have been going on and a wider intercourse than even a Greek colony in ...
/t/tahpanhes.htm - 14k

What constitutes marriage according to the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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Intercourse: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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