Topical Bible: Sex

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Topical Encyclopedia

Definition and Origin
Sex, as described in the Bible, is a divinely instituted act intended for procreation, unity, and pleasure within the bounds of marriage. The origin of sex is rooted in the creation narrative, where God created male and female and blessed their union. Genesis 1:27-28 states, "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.'"

Purpose of Sex
The primary purposes of sex, according to Scripture, are procreation, the expression of love and unity between husband and wife, and the enjoyment of physical intimacy. In Genesis 2:24 , it is written, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." This "one flesh" union signifies the deep, intimate bond that sex fosters within marriage.

Sexual Morality
The Bible provides clear guidelines regarding sexual morality, emphasizing that sexual relations are to be confined within the marriage covenant. Hebrews 13:4 declares, "Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers." Sexual immorality, which includes adultery, fornication, and other forms of illicit sexual behavior, is consistently condemned throughout Scripture.

Adultery and Fornication
Adultery, defined as sexual relations between a married person and someone who is not their spouse, is explicitly prohibited in the Ten Commandments: "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14). Fornication, or sexual relations outside of marriage, is also condemned. 1 Corinthians 6:18 advises, "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."

Sexual Purity
Believers are called to maintain sexual purity, which involves abstaining from sexual immorality and honoring God with their bodies. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 instructs, "For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality; each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God."

Marriage as the Proper Context for Sex
The Bible consistently upholds marriage as the proper context for sexual relations. In 1 Corinthians 7:2 , Paul writes, "But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband." This underscores the importance of marriage as the exclusive setting for sexual intimacy.

Consequences of Sexual Sin
The Bible warns of both spiritual and physical consequences for engaging in sexual sin. Proverbs 6:32 states, "He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself." Sexual sin is seen as a violation of God's design and can lead to personal and relational harm.

Redemption and Forgiveness
Despite the seriousness of sexual sin, the Bible offers redemption and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:9 assures believers, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This promise of forgiveness extends to all who repent and seek to align their lives with God's standards.

Conclusion
The biblical perspective on sex is one of reverence and sanctity, emphasizing its role within the marriage covenant and its significance in God's design for human relationships. Through adherence to biblical principles, believers are encouraged to honor God with their bodies and maintain purity in their sexual conduct.

Topical Bible Verses

Genesis 2:24
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall join to his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Topicalbible.org

Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Topicalbible.org

1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is without the body; but he that commits fornication sins against his own body.
Topicalbible.org

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication:
Topicalbible.org

1 Corinthians 6:13
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
Topicalbible.org

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) The distinguishing peculiarity of male or female in both animals and plants; the physical difference between male and female; the assemblage of properties or qualities by which male is distinguished from female.

2. (n.) One of the two divisions of organic beings formed on the distinction of male and female.

3. (n.) The capability in plants of fertilizing or of being fertilized; as, staminate and pistillate flowers are of opposite sexes.

4. (n.) One of the groups founded on this distinction.

Greek

5043. teknon -- a child (of either sex)
... a child (of either sex). Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: teknon Phonetic
Spelling: (tek'-non) Short Definition: a child, descendent, inhabitant ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5043.htm - 7k

1060. gameo -- to marry
... to marry. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: gameo Phonetic Spelling:
(gam-eh'-o) Short Definition: I marry Definition: I marry, used of either sex. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1060.htm - 7k

3813. paidion -- a young child
... Neuter diminutive of pais; a childling (of either sex), ie (properly), an infant,
or (by extension) a half-grown boy or girl; figuratively, an immature ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3813.htm - 7k

4203. porneuo -- to commit fornication
... From porne; to act the harlot, ie (literally) indulge unlawful lust (of either sex),
or (figuratively) practise idolatry -- commit (fornication). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4203.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

5288. naar -- a boy, lad, youth, retainer
... Of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age) -- babe, boy, child, damsel (from the
margin), lad, servant, young (man). see HEBREW na'ar. 5287, 5288. ...
/hebrew/5288.htm - 6k

2145. zakar -- male
... him, male, manchild,. From zakar; properly, remembered, ie A male (of man or animals,
as being the most noteworthy sex) -- X him, male, man(child, -kind). ...
/hebrew/2145.htm - 6k

Library

Whether the Female Sex is an Impediment to Receiving Orders?
... OF THE IMPEDIMENTS TO THIS SACRAMENT (SIX ARTICLES) Whether the female sex is
an impediment to receiving Orders? ... But sex is not in the soul. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the female sex is.htm

Thus Far of Sex. ...
... Book III. 12 Thus far of sex.? Thus far of sex. Now let us come to the
appearance and shapes by which you believe that the gods ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/12 thus far of sex .htm

Sex Education for Boys and the Sunday School
... XV SEX EDUCATION FOR BOYS AND THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. There can be no adequate comprehension
of the physical side of boyhood if the sex element be left out. ...
/.../alexander/the boy and the sunday school/xv sex education for boys.htm

The Details of Our Bodily Sex, and of the Functions of Our Various ...
... Chapter LXI."The Details of Our Bodily Sex, and of the Functions of Our Various
Members Apology for the Necessity Which Heresy Imposes of Hunting Up All Its ...
/.../tertullian/on the resurrection of the flesh/chapter lxi the details of our.htm

Whether all Will Rise Again of the Male Sex?
... OF THE QUALITY OF THOSE WHO RISE AGAIN (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether all will rise again
of the male sex? ... Therefore there will be none but the male sex. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether all will rise again 4.htm

That God is Without a Body, nor Does He Need Difference of Sex for ...
... the divine institutes book i. of the false worship of the gods. Chap. viii."that
god is without a body, nor does he need difference of sex for procreation. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap viii that god is without.htm

Whether the Bodies of Women Shall Retain their Own Sex in the ...
... Book XXII. Chapter 17."Whether the Bodies of Women Shall Retain Their Own Sex in
the Resurrection. ... And the sex of woman is not a vice, but nature. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 17 whether the bodies of.htm

by what Argument it is Proved that those who are Distinguished by ...
... gods. Chap. xvi." by what argument it is proved that those who are
distinguished by a difference of sex cannot be gods. I might ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xvi by what argument.htm

Inconsistency of Giving the Soul all the Parts of Sex and yet no ...
... Book IV. Chapter 32."Inconsistency of Giving the Soul All the Parts of
Sex and Yet No Sex. For that form of the soul, whether ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 32 inconsistency of giving the.htm

Since God is Eternal and Immortal, He Does not Stand in Need of ...
... Addressed to His Brother Pentadius. Chap. VI."Since God is Eternal and
Immortal, He Does Not Stand in Need of Sex and Succession. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap vi since god is eternal.htm

Thesaurus

Sex (51 Occurrences)
... distinction. Multi-Version Concordance Sex (51 Occurrences). Matthew ... night? Bring
them out to us, that we may have sex with them." (WEB NIV). Exodus ...
/s/sex.htm - 22k

Sexual (59 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Of or pertaining to sex, or the sexes ... Exodus 22:19
Any man who has sex connection with a beast is to be put to death. (See NIV). ...
/s/sexual.htm - 23k

Male (303 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) of or pertaining to the sex that begets or procreates young, or (in a wider
sense) to the sex that produces spermatozoa, by which the ova are fertilized ...
/m/male.htm - 43k

Relations (92 Occurrences)
... night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them." (See NAS).
Genesis 19:8 See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please ...
/r/relations.htm - 32k

Connection (72 Occurrences)
... her to be his wife. (BBE). Exodus 22:19 Any man who has sex connection with
a beast is to be put to death. (BBE). Leviticus 5:15 If ...
/c/connection.htm - 29k

Gender (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Kind; sort. 2. (n.) Sex, male or female.
3. (n.) A classification of nouns, primarily according ...
/g/gender.htm - 8k

Purposes (67 Occurrences)
... 18 Do not take into the house of the Lord your God, as an offering for an oath,
the price of a loose woman or the money given to one used for sex purposes in ...
/p/purposes.htm - 25k

Disgusting (149 Occurrences)
... me. (BBE). Leviticus 18:22 You may not have sex relations with men, as you
do with women: it is a disgusting thing. (BBE). Leviticus ...
/d/disgusting.htm - 38k

Relation (86 Occurrences)
... forgiveness. (BBE). Leviticus 18:6 You may not have sex connection with anyone
who is a near relation: I am the Lord. (BBE DBY YLT NIV). ...
/r/relation.htm - 33k

Eve (5 Occurrences)
... 1:27); and then, in the more particularized (or J) account of the creation of man,
the human being is described at a point before the distinction of sex existed ...
/e/eve.htm - 16k

Resources

What does the Bible say about sex addiction? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about oral sex? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about sex in marriage / marital sex? | GotQuestions.org

Sex: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Sex (51 Occurrences)

Matthew 19:12
For there are men who, from birth, were without sex: and there are some who were made so by men: and there are others who have made themselves so for the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to take it, let him take it.
(BBE)

Genesis 19:5
They called to Lot, and said to him, "Where are the men who came in to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them."
(WEB NIV)

Exodus 22:19
"Whoever has sex with an animal shall surely be put to death.
(WEB BBE NIV)

Leviticus 15:18
And if a man has sex relations with a woman and his seed goes out from him, the two of them will have to be bathed in water and will be unclean till evening.
(BBE)

Leviticus 15:24
And if any man has sex relations with her so that her blood comes on him, he will be unclean for seven days and every bed on which he has been resting will be unclean.
(BBE)

Leviticus 15:33
And for her who has a flow of blood, and for any man or woman who has an unclean flow, and for him who has sex relations with a woman when she is unclean.
(BBE)

Leviticus 18:6
You may not have sex connection with anyone who is a near relation: I am the Lord.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 18:7
You may not have sex relations with your father or your mother: she is your mother, you may not take her.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 18:8
And you may not have sex relations with your father's wife: she is your father's.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 18:10
You may not have sex relations with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter, for they are part of yourself;
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 18:12
You may not have sex connection with your father's sister, for she is your father's near relation.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 18:13
You may not have sex connection with your mother's sister, for she is your mother's near relation.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 18:14
You may not have sex relations with the wife of your father's brother, for she is of your family;
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 18:16
You may not have sex relations with your brother's wife, for she is your brother's.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 18:19
And you may not go near a woman or have sex relations with her when she is unclean, at her regular time.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 18:20
And you may not have sex relations with your neighbour's wife, making yourself unclean with her.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 18:22
You may not have sex relations with men, as you do with women: it is a disgusting thing.
(BBE)

Leviticus 18:23
And you may not have sex relations with a beast, making yourself unclean with it; and a woman may not give herself to a beast: it is an unnatural act.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 19:20
If any man has sex relations with a servant-woman who has given her word to be married to a man, and has not been made free for a price or in any other way, the thing will be looked into; but they will not be put to death because she was not a free woman.
(BBE)

Leviticus 20:10
And if a man has sex relations with another man's wife, even the wife of his neighbour, he and she are certainly to be put to death.
(BBE)

Leviticus 20:11
And the man who has sex relations with his father's wife has put shame on his father: the two of them are to be put to death; their blood will be on them.
(BBE)

Leviticus 20:12
And if a man has sex relations with his son's wife, the two of them are to be put to death: it is unnatural; their blood will be on them.
(BBE)

Leviticus 20:13
And if a man has sex relations with a man, the two of them have done a disgusting thing: let them be put to death; their blood will be on them.
(BBE)

Leviticus 20:15
And if a man has sex relations with a beast, let him be put to death, and let the beast be put to destruction.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 20:16
And if a woman goes near a beast and has sex relations with it, you will put an end to the woman and the beast: their blood will be on them.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 20:17
And if a man takes his sister, daughter of his father or his mother, and has sex relations with her and she with him, it is an act of shame: they are to be cut off before the children of their people; he has had sex relations with his sister, and his sin will be on him.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 20:18
And if a man has sex relations with a woman at the time when she is unwell, he has seen her fountain and she has let the fountain of her blood be uncovered, and the two of them are to be cut off from among their people.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 20:19
And you may not have sex connection with your mother's sister or your father's sister, for they are his near relations: their sin will be on them.
(BBE NIV)

Leviticus 20:20
And if a man has sex relations with the wife of his father's brother, he has put shame on his father's brother: their sin will be on them; till the day of their death they will have no children.
(BBE)

Leviticus 21:20
Or one whose back is bent, or one who is unnaturally small, or one who has a damaged eye, or whose skin is diseased, or whose sex parts are damaged;
(BBE)

Leviticus 22:24
An animal which has its sex parts damaged or crushed or broken or cut, may not be offered to the Lord; such a thing may not be done anywhere in your land.
(BBE)

Numbers 31:17
So now put every male child to death, and every woman who has had sex relations with a man.
(BBE)

Numbers 31:18
But all the female children who have had no sex relations with men, you may keep for yourselves.
(BBE)

Numbers 31:35
And thirty-two thousand persons, that is, women who had never had sex relations with a man.
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 20:7
Or if any man is newly married and has had no sex relations with his wife, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another man may not take her.
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 22:30
A man may not take his father's wife or have sex relations with a woman who is his father's.
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 23:18
Do not take into the house of the Lord your God, as an offering for an oath, the price of a loose woman or the money given to one used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods: for these two things are disgusting to the Lord your God.
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 27:20
Cursed is he who has sex relations with his father's wife, for he has put shame on his father. And let all the people say, So be it.
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 27:21
Cursed is he who has sex relations with any sort of beast. And let all the people say, So be it.
(BBE NIV)

Deuteronomy 27:22
Cursed is he who has sex relations with his sister, the daughter of his father or of his mother. And let all the people say, So be it.
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 27:23
Cursed is he who has sex relations with his mother-in-law. And let all the people say, So be it.
(BBE)

Judges 19:22
As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may have sex with him!"
(WEB NIV)

Judges 19:25
But the men wouldn't listen to him: so the man laid hold of his concubine, and brought her out to them; and they had sex with her, and abused her all night until the morning: and when the day began to dawn, they let her go.
(WEB)

Judges 21:11
And this is what you are to do: every male, and every woman who has had sex relations with a man, you are to put to the curse, but you are to keep safe the virgins. And they did so.
(BBE)

Judges 21:12
Now there were among the people of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins who had never had sex relations with a man; these they took to their tents in Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
(BBE)

1 Kings 14:24
And more than this, there were those in the land who were used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods, doing the same disgusting crimes as the nations which the Lord had sent out before the children of Israel.
(BBE)

1 Kings 15:12
Those used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods he sent out of the country, and he took away all the images which his fathers had made.
(BBE)

1 Kings 22:46
He put an end to the rest of those who were used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods, all those who were still in the land in the time of his father Asa.
(BBE)

2 Kings 23:7
And he had the houses pulled down of those who were used for sex purposes in the house of the Lord, where women were making robes for the Asherah.
(BBE)

Job 36:14
They come to their end while they are still young, their life is short like that of those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of their gods.
(BBE)

Hosea 4:14
I will not give punishment to your daughters or your brides for their evil behaviour; for they make themselves separate with loose women, and make offerings with those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods: the people who have no wisdom will be sent away.
(BBE)

Subtopics

Oral Sex

Sex

Sex and not Married

Related Terms

Sexual (59 Occurrences)

Male (303 Occurrences)

Relations (92 Occurrences)

Connection (72 Occurrences)

Gender (2 Occurrences)

Purposes (67 Occurrences)

Disgusting (149 Occurrences)