Answers from church history on today's questions
What Christian writers said, from about AD 207 to 1930.
42 passages · 21 writers · 10 centuries
Aquinas defines simple fornication as the union of an unmarried man with an unmarried woman, and Barnes, Robertson, and Wesley say the Greek porneia is used of illicit intercourse or unchastity more widely. On Acts 15:20, Aquinas says the Gentiles did not hold fornication to be sinful, Wesley says the heathen philosophers did not account it any fault, and Brown calls it the characteristic sin of heathendom. Tertullian quotes that every fornicator or impure person has not God's kingdom; he also cites the plague that fell on the people after fornication with the daughters of Madian, and Henry says Judah was willfully guilty of fornication. On 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Gregory the Great and Tertullian say the sanctification that is God's will is shown by the words that follow, abstaining from fornication, and Calvin says abstaining from fornication is one injunction derived from it. On Hebrews 13:4, Augustine, Chrysostom, and Wesley quote that marriage is honourable and the bed undefiled and that God will judge whoremongers or fornicators and adulterers.
10 passages · 9 writers · 300s to 1900s
Aquinas defines simple fornication as the union of an unmarried man with an unmarried woman and sets it apart from incest, adultery, seduction, and rape, while Philaret calls it irregular carnal love between unmarried persons and Rosewell calls it folly committed between unmarried persons. Barnes, Robertson, and Wesley say the Greek porneia is used of illicit intercourse or unchastity in general, not only of the unmarried. Calvin says uncleanness differs from fornication as the whole class differs from a single department, and Cassian lists uncleanness, which takes place without touching a woman, as the second of three sorts of fornication.
c. 357–378 · Basil of Caesarea, Letters 199.21
If a man living with a wife is not satisfied with his marriage and falls into fornication, I account him a fornicator, and prolong his period of punishment. Nevertheless, we have no canon subjecting him to the charge of adultery, if the sin be committed against an unmarried woman.
c. 426–429 · John Cassian, Conferences (Conlationes) 5.11
Of fornication there are three sorts: (1) that which is accomplished by sexual intercourse; (2) that which takes place without touching a woman, for which we read that Onan the son of the patriarch Judah was smitten by the Lord; and which is termed by Scripture uncleanness: of which the Apostle says: “But I say to the unmarried and to widows, that it is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they do not contain let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn;” (3) that which is conceived in heart and mind, of which the Lord says in the gospel: “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
1265–1273 · Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II, q. 154, a. 1, co.
In this way, as hindering the begetting of children, there is the "vice against nature," which attaches to every venereal act from which generation cannot follow; and, as hindering the due upbringing and advancement of the child when born, there is "simple fornication," which is the union of an unmarried man with an unmarried woman. Secondly, the matter wherein the venereal act is consummated may be discordant with right reason in relation to other persons; and this in two ways. First, with regard to the woman, with whom a man has connection, by reason of due honor not being paid to her; and thus there is "incest," which consists in the misuse of a woman who is related by consanguinity or affinity. Secondly, with regard to the person under whose authority the woman is placed: and if she be under the authority of a husband, it is "adultery," if under the authority of her father, it is "seduction," in the absence of violence, and "rape" if violence be employed.
1548 · John Calvin, Commentary on Ephesians 5.3
By uncleanness he means all base and impure lusts; so that this word differs from fornication, only as the whole class differs from a single department. The third is covetousness, which is nothing more than an immoderate desire of gain. To this precept he adds the authoritative declaration, that he demands nothing from them but that which becometh saints, — manifestly excluding from the number and fellowship of the saints all fornicators, and impure and covetous persons.
c. 1714 · Samuel Rosewell, Commentary on Ephesians 5.3-20
Walk in love, and shun fornication and all uncleanness. Fornication is folly committed between unmarried persons. All uncleanness includes all other sorts of filthy lusts, which were too common among the Gentiles.
1830 · Philaret of Moscow, The Longer Catechism of the Orthodox, Catholic, Eastern Church 3.585
Eph. v. 3. It is only of necessity, to forewarn people against such sins, that we shall here name some of them. Such are— 1. Fornication; or irregular carnal love between unmarried persons.
1834 · Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible: Acts 15.20
And from fornication - The word used here πορνεία porneia is applicable to "all illicit sexual intercourse," and may refer to adultery, incest, or licentiousness in any form.
1872 · John Wesley, Sermons on Several Occasions 23
Nor may marriage itself, holy and honourable as it is, be used as a pretence for giving a loose to our desires. Indeed, “it hath been said, Whosoever will put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:” And then all was well; though he alleged no cause, but that he did not like her, or liked another better. “But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the case of fornication,’ (that is, adultery; the word porneia signifying unchastity in general, either in the married or unmarried state,) causeth her to commit adultery, if she marry again: And whosoever shall marry her that is put away committeth adultery.
1930–1933 · A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament: 1 Corinthians 5.1
Climactic qualitative pronoun showing the revolting character of this particular case of illicit sexual intercourse. Πορνεια is sometimes used (Ac 15:20,29 ) of such sin in general and not merely of the unmarried whereas μοιχεια is technically adultery on the part of the married (Mr 7:21 ).
1930–1933 · A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament: John 8.41
Jesus had admitted that they were physical (De 23:2 ) descendants of Abraham ( 37), but now denies that they are spiritual children of Abraham (like Paul in Ro 9:7 ). Πορνεια is from πορνος (harlot) and that from περνημι, to sell, a woman who sells her body for sexual uses.
13 passages · 8 writers · 200s to 1800s
On Acts 15:20, Aquinas says a special prohibition of fornication was made because the Gentiles did not hold it to be sinful, Wesley says the heathen philosophers did not account it any fault, and Brown calls it the characteristic sin of heathendom. Tertullian quotes that every fornicator or impure person has not God's kingdom, and Ambrose quotes that no immodest, unclean, or covetous person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Tertullian says 24,000 of the people fell in one plague after fornication with the daughters of Madian, Calvin says the defection into the rites of Baalpeor began with fornication, and Henry says Judah was willfully guilty of fornication.
c. 210–220 · Tertullian, On Modesty (De pudicitia) 17
Again: “But let fornication and every impurity not be even named among you, as becometh saints,”—so far is it from being excused,—“knowing this, that every fornicator or impure (person) hath not God’s kingdom. Let none seduce you with empty words: on this account cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of unbelief.”
c. 210–220 · Tertullian, On Modesty (De pudicitia) 6
We, too, indeed have precedents in the self-same antiquity on the side of our opinion,—(precedents) of judgment not merely not waived, but even summarily executed upon fornication. And of course it is a sufficient one, that so vast a number—(the number) of 24,000—of the People, when they committed fornication with the daughters of Madian, fell in one plague. But, with an eye to the glory of Christ, I prefer to derive (my) discipline from Christ.
384–396 · Ambrose of Milan, Letters (selection) 63.11
In vain, then, does the Apostle say: “I wrote to you, in an Epistle, not to mingle with fornicators;” and lest perchance they should say, We are not speaking of all the fornicators of the world, but we say that he who has been baptized in Christ ought not now to be esteemed a fornicator, but his life, whatever it is, is accepted of God, the Apostle has added “Not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world,” and farther on, “If any that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one not even to eat. For what have I to do with judging them that are without?” And to the Ephesians: “But fornication, and all uncleanness, and covetousness let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints.” And immediately he adds: “For this ye know, that no immodest person, nor unclean, nor covetous, which is an idolator, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” It is clear that this is said of the baptized, for they receive the inheritance, who are baptized into the death of Christ and are buried together with Him, that they may rise again with Him. Therefore they are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ: heirs of God, because the grace of Christ is conveyed to them; joint-heirs with Christ, because they are renewed into His life; heirs also of Christ; because to them is given by His death as it were the inheritance of the testator.
1261–1264 · Thomas Aquinas, Of God and His Creatures: An Annotated Translation (With some Abridgement) of the Summa contra Gentiles 3.122
The unlawfulness of fornication and of all connexion with any other woman than one’s own wife is clear from Deut. xxiii, 17: There shall be no whore among the daughters of Israel, nor whoremonger among the sons of Israel: Keep thyself from all fornication, and beyond thine own wife suffer not the charge of knowing another (Job. iv, 13): Fly fornication (1 Cor. vi, 18).
1265–1273 · Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica I-II, q. 103, a. 4, ad 3
With regard to fornication a special prohibition was made, because the Gentiles did not hold it to be sinful.
1546 · John Calvin, Commentary on 1 Corinthians, part 1 (chapters 1-14) 10.8
As there were, therefore, about twenty-four thousand that were overthrown by the Lord’s hand — that is, above twenty-three, Moses has set down the number above the mark, and Paul, the number below it, and in this way there is in reality no difference. This history is recorded in Numbers 25:9 There remains, however, one difficulty here — why it is that Paul attributes this punishment to fornication, while Moses relates that the anger of God was aroused against the people on this account — that they had initiated themselves in the sacred rites of Baalpeor. But as the defection began with fornication, and the children of Israel fell into that impiety, not so much from being influenced by religious considerations, as from being allured by the enticements of harlots, everything evil that followed from it ought to be attributed to fornication. For Balaam had given this counsel, that the Midianites should prostitute their daughters to the Israelites, with the view of estranging them from the true worship of God.
1554 · John Calvin, Commentary on Acts, part 2 (chapters 14-28) 15.20
No marvel, therefore, if there might arise greater offense thereupon, which to cure seemed good to the apostles. But there ariseth a harder question concerning fornication; because James seemeth to reckon the same among things indifferent, whereof they must beware only in respect of offense; but there was another cause for which he placed fornication among those things which were not of themselves unlawful. It is well known what unbridled liberty to run awhoring did reign and rage everywhere; and this disease had got the upper hand principally among the men of the east country, as they be more given to lust. Assuredly the faith and chastity of wedlock was never less observed and kept any where than among them. Moreover, he doth not intreat indifferently, in my judgment, in this place of all manner [of] fornication or whoredom, as of adultery, and wandering, and unbridled lusts, whereby all chastity is violate and corrupt; but I think he speaketh of concubineship, as they call it; which was so common among the Gentiles, that it was almost like to a law.
1554 · John Calvin, Commentary on Acts, part 2 (chapters 14-28) 15.20
As concerning the judgment of God, the knowledge thereof must be let [sought] out of the continual doctrine of the Scripture; and it is nothing doubtful what the Scripture saith; to wit, that whoredom is accursed before God, and that the soul and body are thereby defiled, that the holy temple of God is polluted, and Christ is rent in pieces; that God doth daily punish whoremongers, and that he will once pay them home. The filthiness of whoredom, which the heavenly Judge doth so sore condemn, can be covered with no cloaks by the patrons of whoredom how witty and eloquent soever they be.
1563 · John Calvin, Commentaries on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony, part 3 Deut.23.17
This passage is akin to the foregoing; for in the first clause He forbids that girls should be prostituted. Some think that a whore is called in Hebrew קדשה, kedeshah, because she is exposed to, and prepared for sin; but her pollution, the opposite of sanctity, seems rather to be expressed by antiphrasis. At any rate, a precept of chastity is given, that it should not be lawful for unmarried girls to have connection with men.
1673 · Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory Chapter VIII
It is reason enough against any sin, that it is forbidden by the most wise, infallible, universal King of all the world. Thy Maker's will is enough to condemn it, and shall be enough to condemn those that are servants of it. He hath said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, "Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind—shall inherit the kingdom of God." Ver. 15-19, "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body: for two (saith he) shall be one flesh. But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?"
1706–1708 · Matthew Henry, Commentary on Genesis 38.12-23
Judah was taken in the snare, and though it was ignorantly that he was guilty of incest with his daughter-in-law (not knowing who she was), yet he was willfully guilty of fornication: whoever she was, he knew she was not his wife, and therefore not to be touched. Nor was his sin capable, in the least, of such a charitable excuse as some make for Tamar, that though the action was bad the intention possibly might be good.
1754 · John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on Acts 15.20
To abstain from fornication - Which even the philosophers among the heathens did not account any fault. It was particularly frequent in the worship of their idols, on which account they are here named together.
1871 · David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on Acts 15.20
From such food James would enjoin the Gentile converts to abstain, lest it should seem to the Jews that they were not entirely weaned from idolatry. and from fornication—The characteristic sin of heathendom, unblushingly practiced by all ranks and classes, and the indulgence of which on the part of the Gentile converts would to Jews, whose Scriptures branded it as an abomination of the heathen, proclaim them to be yet joined to their old idols.
7 passages · 6 writers · 200s to 1900s
Gregory the Great and Tertullian say the sanctification that is God's will is shown by the words that follow, abstaining from fornication, and Calvin says abstaining from fornication is one injunction derived from sanctification. Chrysostom says one must abstain from all fornication, including not having the wives of others or women that have no husbands. Robertson says pagan religion did not demand sexual purity of its devotees.
c. 207–212 · Tertullian, Against Marcion (Adversus Marcionem) 5.15
What that “sanctification of ours” is, which he declares to be “the will of God,” you may discover from the opposite conduct which he forbids. That we should “abstain from fornication,” not from marriage; that every one “should know how to possess his vessel in honour.” In what way? “Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles.”
c. 398–404 · John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 Thessalonians (In epistulam i ad Thessalonicenses homiliae 1-11) 5
And one may find this in many places, both in this Epistle to the Romans, and everywhere, and in all his Epistles. For in truth this is an evil pernicious to all. And as a swine full charged with mire, wherever he enters, fills all places with his ill odor, and chokes the senses with dung, so too does fornication; it is an evil not easy to be washed away. But when some even who have wives practice this, how excessive is the outrage! “For this,” he says, “is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from all fornication.”
c. 398–404 · John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 Thessalonians (In epistulam i ad Thessalonicenses homiliae 1-11) 5
Dost thou call him brother, and wrongest him, and that in things which are unlawful? Here he speaks concerning adultery, but above also concerning “all fornication.” For since he was about to say, “That no man transgress and wrong his brother,” Do not think, he says, that I say this only in the case of brethren; you must not have the wives of others at all, nor even women that have no husbands, and that are common. You must abstain from “all fornication”; “Because,” he says, “the Lord is an avenger in all these things.”
598–599 · Gregory the Great, Register of Letters (Registrum epistularum), Book IX (selected) 122
Cleanness also of body is to be guarded in our strivings after well-doing, since, according to the voice of the apostolic preacher, The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are (1 Cor. iii. 17). And again he says, For this is the will of God, even your sanctification (1 Thess. iv. 3). As to which sanctification, what he means by it he shews by straightway adding, That ye should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour, not in the lusts of concupiscence.
1550 · John Calvin, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4.3
When he says that this is the will of God, he means that we have been called by God with this design. “For this end ye are Christians — this the gospel aims at — that ye may sanctify yourselves to God.” The meaning of the term sanctification we have already explained elsewhere in repeated instances — that renouncing the world, and clearing ourselves from the pollutions of the flesh, we offer ourselves to God as if in sacrifice, for nothing can with propriety be offered to Him, but what is pure and holy. That ye abstain. This is one injunction, which he derives from the fountain of which he had immediately before made mention; for nothing is more opposed to holiness than the defilement of fornication, which pollutes the whole man.
c. 1714 · Daniel Mayo, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4.1-8
It is expressed in these words: That you should abstain from fornication (v. 3), by which we are to understand all uncleanness whatsoever, either in a married or unmarried state. Adultery is of course included, though fornication is particularly mentioned.
1930–1933 · A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament: 1 Thessalonians 4.3
Found only in the Greek Bible and ecclesiastical writers from αγιαζω and both to take the place of the old words αγιζω, αγισμος with their technical ideas of consecration to a god or goddess that did not include holiness in life. So Paul makes a sharp and pointed stand here for the Christian idea of sanctification as being "the will of God" (apposition) and as further explained by the epexegetic infinitive that ye abstain from fornication (απεχεσθαι υμας απο της πορνειας). Pagan religion did not demand sexual purity of its devotees, the gods and goddesses being grossly immoral. Priestesses were in the temples for the service of the men who came.
10 passages · 8 writers · 300s to 1900s
Calvin says the Apostle sets marriage in opposition to fornication as a remedy for it, and Chrysostom says that since marriage has been conceded, the fornicator is justly punished. Wesley says marriage is honourable for all sorts of men, clergy as well as laity, and that whoremongers and adulterers frequently escape the sentence of men. Tong says no darkness can hide the guilty from God, and Moule says the verse names not only adulterers but also those who commit a sin the world easily condones.
391–430 · Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (Sermones 51-147) 32.11
Where is that then which we have heard to-day, “Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge”? Lo! whosoever thou art that labourest under such a disease attend. Hear what God saith; not what thine own mind, in indulgence to thine own sins, may say, or what thy friend, thine enemy rather and his own too, bound in the same bond of iniquity with thee may say. Hear then what the Apostle saith; “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled. But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
c. 401 · Augustine of Hippo, On the Good of Marriage (De bono coniugali) 8
“Honorable,” therefore, “is marriage in all, and the bed undefiled.” And this we do not so call a good, as that it is a good in comparison of fornication: otherwise there will be two evils, of which the second is worse: or fornication will also be a good, because adultery is worse: for it is worse to violate the marriage of another, than to cleave unto an harlot: and adultery will be a good, because incest is worse; for it is worse to lie with a mother than with the wife of another: and, until we arrive at those things, which, as the Apostle saith, “it is a shame even to speak of,” all will be good in comparison of what are worse. But who can doubt that this is false? Therefore marriage and fornication are not two evils, whereof the second is worse: but marriage and continence are two goods, whereof the second is better, even as this temporal health and sickness are not two evils, whereof the second is worse; but that health and immortality are two goods, whereof the second is better.
c. 403–404 · John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews 30.3
Marriage is not “holiness,” but marriage preserves the holiness which [proceeds] from Faith, not permitting union with a harlot. For “marriage is honorable” ( c. xiii. 4 ), not holy. Marriage is pure: it does not however also give holiness, except by forbidding the defilement of that [holiness] which has been given by our Faith.
c. 403–404 · John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews 33.2
“Follow peace with all men,” he says, “and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: But fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” And having first set down “Marriage is honorable in all men, and the bed undefiled,” he shows that he rightly added what follows. For if marriage has been conceded, justly is the fornicator punished, justly does the adulterer suffer vengeance.
1549 · John Calvin, Commentary on Hebrews 13.4
I am inclined to think that the Apostle sets marriage here in opposition to fornication as a remedy for that evil; and the context plainly shows that this was his meaning; for before he threatens that the Lord would punish fornicators, he first states what is the true way of escape, even if we live honourable in a state of marriage. Let this then be the main point, that fornication will not be unpunished, for God will take vengeance on it. And doubtless as God has blessed the union of man and wife, instituted by himself, it follows that every other union different from this is by him condemned and accursed. He therefore denounces punishment not only on adulterers, but also on fornicators; for both depart from the holy institution of God; nay, they violate and subvert it by a promiscuous intercourse, since there is but one legitimate union, sanctioned by the authority and approval of God. But as promiscuous and vagrant lusts cannot be restrained without the remedy of marriage, he therefore commends it by calling it “honorable”.
c. 1714 · William Tong, Commentary on Hebrews 13.1-17
A dreadful but just censure of impurity and lewdness: Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (1.) God knows who are guilty of such sins, no darkness can hide them from him. (2.) He will call such sins by their proper names, not by the names of love and gallantry, but of whoredom and adultery, whoredom in the single state and adultery in the married state.
1754 · John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on Hebrews 13.4
Marriage is honourable in, or for all sorts of men, clergy as well as laity: though the Romanists teach otherwise. And the bed undefiled - Consistent with the highest purity; though many spiritual writers, so called, say it is only licensed whoredom. But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge - Though they frequently escape the sentence of men.
1834 · Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible: Hebrews 13.4
The apostle asserts, without any restriction or qualification, that marriage is honorable in all; and this proves that it is lawful for the ministers of religion to marry, and that the whole doctrine of the superior purity of a state of celibacy is false; see this subject examined in the notes on 1 Cor. 7. And the bed undefiled - Fidelity to the marriage vow. But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge - All licentiousness of life, and all violations of the marriage covenant, will be severely punished by God; see the notes on 1Co 6:9. The sins here referred to prevailed everywhere, and hence, there was the more propriety for the frequent and solemn injunctions to avoid them which we find in the Scriptures.
1909 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 55 (1909) 3150
Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. And terrible will be their doom when God does judge them! They may think that because they sin in secret, they shall escape punishment—but it shall not be so. Whether men judge them or not, God will judge them.
1909 · Handley C. G. Moule, Messages from the Epistle to the Hebrews 12
Sacred is the witness borne here to the pure dignity of wedlock (ver. 4): "Be marriage honourable in all things, and the bed unspotted; for fornicators and adulterers"—not only adulterers, but those also who sin that other sin which the world so easily and so blindly condones—"God will judge."
2 passages · 2 writers · 300s to 1700s
Two of the strongest passages from the page "1 Corinthians 6:18: flee fornication", repeated here with a link to the full page.
391–430 · Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (Sermones 51-147) 32.13
“Know ye not,” he says, “that your bodies” (and this the Apostle spake touching fornication, that they might not think lightly of sins of the body) “are the temples of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” For “ye have been bought with a great price.” If thou think so lightly of thine own body, have some consideration for thy price.
1754 · John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on 1 Corinthians 6.18
Flee fornication - All unlawful commerce with women, with speed, with abhorrence, with all your might. Every sin that a man commits against his neighbour terminates upon an object out of himself, and does not so immediately pollute his body, though it does his soul. But he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body - Pollutes, dishonours, and degrades it to a level with brute beasts.
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