Adulterer (-ess), Adulterous, Adultery
Adulterer (-ess), Adulterous, Adultery
denotes one “who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of another,” Luk 18:11; 1Co 6:9; Heb 13:4. As to Jam 4:4, see below.
“an adulteress,” is used (a) in the natural sense, 2Pe 2:14; Rom 7:3; (b) in the spiritual sense, Jam 4:4; here the RV rightly omits the word “adulterers.” It was added by a copyist. As in Israel the breach of their relationship with God through their idolatry, was described as “adultery” or “harlotry” (e.g., Eze 16:15 ff.; Eze 23:43), so believers who cultivate friendship with the world, thus breaking their spiritual union with Christ, are spiritual “adulteresses,” having been spiritually united to Him as wife to husband, Rom 7:4. It is used adjectivally to describe the Jewish people in transferring their affections from God, Mat 12:39; Mat 16:4; Mar 8:38. In 2Pe 2:14, the lit. translation is “full of an adulteress” (RV, marg.).
“adultery,” is found in Mat 15:19; Mar 7:21; Joh 8:3 (AV only).
used in the Middle Voice in the NT, is said of men in Mat 5:32; Mat 19:9; Mar 10:11; of women in Mar 10:10.
is used in Mat 5:27-28, Mat 5:32 (in Mat 5:32 some texts have No. 1); Mat 19:18; Mar 10:19; Luk 16:18; Luk 18:20; Joh 8:4; Rom 2:22; Rom 13:9; Jam 2:11; in Rev 2:22, metaphorically, of those who are by a Jezebel’s solicitations drawn away to idolatry.