Top 18 Bible Verses About Abstinence


Abstinence means to refrain on purpose and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice. We know that God specifically commands us to abstain from idolatry, sexual immorality, drunkenness, and other sins. Abstinence  is one of those topics that may not always be easy to talk about out loud, but it is talked about quite a bit in the Bible. How we approach abstinence is important to Christians, and it is always best to let God, through the Bible, be our guide.

Below are our top 18 Bible verses about abstinence and sexual immorality. 

18
just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
- Jude 1:7
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17
But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
- 1 Corinthians 7:2
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16
I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.
- 2 Corinthians 12:21
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15
but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.
- Acts 15:20
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14
And he said, What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.
- Mark 7:20-23
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13
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
- Ephesians 5:3
1

12
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
- 1 Corinthians 9:27
1

11
Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
- Romans 13:13-14
1

10
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
- Colossians 3:5
5

9
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
- 1 Corinthians 6:18
6

8
Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
- 1 Peter 2:11
6

7
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
- Proverbs 31:30-31
7

6
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
- Hebrews 13:4
11

5
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
- 2 Timothy 2:22
13

4
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,
- 1 Corinthians 6:19
101

3
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
- 2 Timothy 1:7
129

2
Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!
- 1 Chronicles 16:11
133

1
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13
141

Total Quotes Found: 18

5 Stories From The Bible About Abstinence

Here are 5 stories from the Bible that relate to abstinence.

No Sexual Immorality

God’s will is not hidden. It’s not some mysterious thing you need to seek out and find.  God’s will is clearly revealed in Scripture, and fewer things are more clearly revealed than the command to abstain from sexual immorality.  The Apostle Paul says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4).  Our bodies are not our own anyway…they belong to God. They are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

No Adultery

The Bible is clear that there should be no sex outside of marriage.  It doesn’t matter if someone loses benefits or it’s because of financial considerations that a couple lives together unmarried.  The Bible says, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous” (Hebrews 13:4).  It’s black and white; sex outside of marriage is called adultery and all adulterers, “God will judge.”

Flee Immorality

It’s wise to run from temptation.  If we sit and ponder it, our fleshly desires can overtake us.  The best advice is to “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18).  How can we join ourselves with a “prostitute” (1 Corinthians 6:16) when the Spirit of God lives in us!?

Pursue Righteousness

If you are fleeing temptation, especially sexual immorality, then you are pursuing righteousness…and the righteousness of God is found only in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).  If we’re pursuing righteousness, then we’ll be fleeing sexual immorality, “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).   Surely we would not be “members of a prostitute” (2 Corinthians 6:15).

Sinning Against God

When Joseph had the opportunity to commit sexual immorality, no one else would have known about it since the house that he was in charge of was empty, but Joseph would have known about it….and God would have known about it, so when Potiphar’s wife tried to commit adultery with Joseph, he told her, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God” (Genesis 39:9b).  He is exactly right.  It would have been first and foremost a sin against God, but also a sin against his owner, Potiphar, and to his wife.  Of course, Joseph resisted and ended up in prison for it, but his abstinence proved his loyalty and obedience to God.  As a result, God would later make him second in command in the whole of Egypt.

God knows our hearts.  He knows the natural desires that we have, and that it’s so easy for us to give into the temptation and sin, but God has not left us helpless.  He can strengthen us (Philippians 4:13) and empower us with His Word and His Spirit.  What we must do is to “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18a).

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