What does μοιχεύω (moicheúō) mean in the Bible?
moicheuo means to commit adultery. In the New Testament witness selected here, the word is not treated as a narrow technicality that touches only the outward act.
Greek · G3431
μοιχεύω
To commit adultery
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μοιχεύω G3431
Pronunciation moicheúō
What does μοιχεύω (moicheúō) mean in the Bible?
moicheuo means to commit adultery. In the New Testament witness selected here, the word is not treated as a narrow technicality that touches only the outward act.
Reader summary
Full entry for μοιχεύω (G3431) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3431?
The BSB source-word alignment has 15 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Do not commit adultery (5), adultery (2), commit adultery (2), commits adultery (2), committed adultery with (1).
Where does μοιχεύω (moicheúō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 5:27. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (4), Luke (3), Romans (3), James (2).
What This Word Actually Means
Moicheuo means to commit adultery. In the New Testament witness selected here, the word is not treated as a narrow technicality that touches only the outward act. Jesus cites the command and then presses the heart, exposing lustful looking as covenant-breaking desire before God. He also addresses divorce and remarriage in ways that must be handled with pastoral care and attention to the full biblical witness.
Paul names the command within neighbor-love, and James uses it to show that selective obedience cannot escape the lawgiver's authority. Pastorally, the word requires moral clarity without cruelty. Adultery is covenant treachery, not merely private desire, yet the teacher must speak as one who calls sinners to repentance, protection, truth, and mercy rather than shame without gospel hope.
How the Bible Uses It
Moicheuo names adultery and covenant-breaking sexual sin. These anchors include the command itself, Jesus' heart-level exposition, divorce and remarriage warnings, Paul's placement of the command under neighbor-love, and James's use of the command to expose selective lawkeeping.
- Matt.5.27
You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
Jesus cites the command not to commit adultery. The verse anchors the term in the moral law before He applies it to the heart.
- Matt.5.28
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Jesus says lustful looking has already committed adultery in the heart. The word exposes desire as morally accountable before God.
- Matt.5.32
But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Jesus warns that wrongful divorce brings adultery into view. The verse requires careful teaching within Matthew's covenant and exception language.
- Luke.16.18
Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Jesus speaks strongly about divorce, remarriage, and adultery. The word guards the seriousness of marriage covenant obligations.
- Rom.13.9
The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Paul includes the adultery command among commandments summed up by love of neighbor. Sexual holiness is neighbor-love, not mere rulekeeping.
- Jas.2.11
For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
James pairs adultery and murder to show the unity of the lawgiver's authority. Avoiding one sin does not excuse another.
Old Testament background
μοιχεύω translates the Hebrew נָאַף (na'ap), the verb of the seventh commandment (Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18). The same Hebrew verb is used in the prophets for Israel's spiritual adultery against God (Jer 3:9; Hos 4:2; Ezek 23:37), giving the word a double register that carries through into the NT metaphorical use in Revelation 2:22.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It Do not commit adultery 5× Matthew 5:27, Matthew 19:18, Luke 18:20, Romans 13:9
adultery 2× Matthew 5:32, Romans 2:22
commit adultery 2× Mark 10:19, Revelation 2:22
commits adultery 2× Luke 16:18
committed adultery with 1× Matthew 5:28
do you commit adultery 1× Romans 2:22
of adultery 1× John 8:4
you do not commit adultery 1× James 2:11
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 5:27 μοιχεύσεις to Do not commit adultery Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 5:28 ἐμοίχευσεν to committed adultery with Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 5:32 μοιχευθῆναι to adultery Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive Matthew 19:18 μοιχεύσεις to do not commit adultery Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Mark 10:19 μοιχεύσῃς to commit adultery Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular Luke 16:18 μοιχεύει to commits adultery Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Luke 16:18 μοιχεύει to commits adultery Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Luke 18:20 μοιχεύσῃς to Do not commit adultery Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular John 8:4 μοιχευομένη to of adultery Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular Romans 2:22 μοιχεύειν to adultery Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 5:27
Aligned rows 15
Books represented 7
Matthew 4 Mark 1 Luke 3 John 1 Romans 3 James 2 Revelation 1
Source forms
μοιχεύσεις 3x moicheuseis Matthew 5:27, Matthew 19:18, Romans 13:9
μοιχεύσῃς 3x moicheusēs Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, James 2:11
μοιχεύει 2x moicheuei Luke 16:18
μοιχεύεις 2x moicheueis Romans 2:22, James 2:11
ἐμοίχευσεν 1x emoicheusen Matthew 5:28
μοιχεύειν 1x moicheuein Romans 2:22
μοιχευθῆναι 1x moicheuthēnai Matthew 5:32
μοιχευομένη 1x moicheuomenē John 8:4
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular 3x Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, James 2:11
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular 3x Matthew 5:27, Matthew 19:18, Romans 13:9
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular 2x Romans 2:22, James 2:11
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2x Luke 16:18
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Matthew 5:28
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive 1x Matthew 5:32
Verb - Present Infinitive Active 1x Romans 2:22
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural 1x Revelation 2:22
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Speak with moral clarity and pastoral care, especially for wounded spouses and repentant sinners.
- Use the word to call for truth, protection, confession, and gospel hope.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim every divorce case is identical from this verb alone.
- Do not claim heart-level sin removes the special seriousness of outward covenant betrayal.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Violates marriage covenant; also used metaphorically for spiritual unfaithfulness or idolatry.
Strong's G3431
Lexical occurrences 14 verses Greek text appearances 14 times Word forms 4 forms 14 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Matthew 5:27-28 Source Gloss
to commit adultery
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Violates marriage covenant; also used metaphorically for spiritual unfaithfulness or idolatry.
(μοιχός), [in LXX: Exo.20:13, Lev.20:10, al. (נָאַף) ;] to commit adultery: absol., Mat.5:27 19:18, Mrk.10:19, Luk.16:18 18:20, Rom.2:22 13:9, Jas.2:11; with accusative fem., Mat.5:28. Pass., of the woman, Mat.5:32 19:9 WH, mg.), Jhn.8:4. Metaphorical, of idolatry (see: μιοιχαλίς, and cf. Jer.3:9, a1.), before μετ᾽ αὐτῆς, Rev.2:22.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
14 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 5:27 Verb Second Person Singular Future Active Indicative
μοιχεύσεις· moiceuseiv
I commit adultery
Read verse Matthew 5:28 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐμοίχευσεν emoiceusen
I commit adultery
Read verse Matthew 19:18 Verb Second Person Singular Future Active Indicative
μοιχεύσεις· moiceuseiv
I commit adultery
Read verse Mark 10:19 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
μοιχεύσῃς, moiceushv
I commit adultery
Read verse Luke 16:18 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
μοιχεύει· moiceuei
I commit adultery
Read verse Luke 16:18 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
μοιχεύει. moiceuei
I commit adultery
Read verse Luke 18:20 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
μοιχεύσῃς, moiceushv
I commit adultery
Read verse John 8:4 Verb Present Passive Participle Nominative Singular Feminine
μοιχευομένη. moiceuomenh
I commit adultery
Read verse Romans 2:22 Verb Present Active Infinitive
μοιχεύειν, moiceuein
I commit adultery
Read verse Romans 2:22 Verb Second Person Singular Present Active Indicative
μοιχεύεις; moiceueiv
I commit adultery
Read verse Romans 13:9 Verb Second Person Singular Future Active Indicative
μοιχεύσεις, moiceuseiv
I commit adultery
Read verse James 2:11 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
μοιχεύσῃς, moiceushv
I commit adultery
Read verse James 2:11 Verb Second Person Singular Future Active Indicative
μοιχεύσεις, moiceuseiv
I commit adultery
Read verse Revelation 2:22 Verb Present Active Participle Accusative Plural Masculine
μοιχεύοντας moiceuontav
I commit adultery
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 14 Tenses Future, Aorist, Present Voices Active, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 8×
Present Active Luke 16:18 · Rom 2:22 · Jas 2:11 4×
Future Active Matt 5:27 · Matt 19:18 · Rom 13:9 3×
Aorist Active Matt 5:28 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×
Aorist Active Mark 10:19 · Luke 18:20 · Jas 2:11 3×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Aorist Passive Matt 5:32 1×
Present Active Rom 2:22 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Present Active Rev 2:22 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 15 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 7 aorist 5 future 3
Voice
active 13 passive 2
Mood
indicative 8 subjunctive 3 participle 2 infinitive 2
NT Occurrences
Matthew 5:27 μοιχεύσεις future active indicative prospective Matthew 5:28 ἐμοίχευσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 5:32 μοιχευθῆναι aorist passive infinitive infinitive Matthew 19:18 μοιχεύσεις future active indicative prospective Mark 10:19 μοιχεύσῃς aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Luke 16:18 μοιχεύει present active indicative ongoing Luke 16:18 μοιχεύει present active indicative ongoing Luke 18:20 μοιχεύσῃς aorist active subjunctive subjunctive John 8:4 μοιχευομένη present passive participle participle Romans 2:22 μοιχεύειν present active infinitive infinitive Romans 2:22 μοιχεύεις present active indicative ongoing Romans 13:9 μοιχεύσεις future active indicative prospective James 2:11 μοιχεύσῃς aorist active subjunctive subjunctive James 2:11 μοιχεύεις present active indicative ongoing Revelation 2:22 μοιχεύοντας present active participle participle
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Prohibition of adultery in action and lustful intent of the heart
Adultery in the context of divorce and remarriage teaching
Adultery as violation of God's law, addressed to those judging others
Metaphorical use referring to spiritual unfaithfulness and idolatry
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 14 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
μοιχεύω is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Moicheuo must be taught as more than a boundary marker for public scandal. Jesus shows that adultery reaches into the heart's chosen gaze, not because desire is beyond grace, but because God claims the whole person. Paul places the command under love of neighbor, which means sexual holiness protects others rather than merely preserving reputation. James reminds readers that selective obedience cannot bargain with the lawgiver.
The preacher should therefore speak with sober clarity, protect the vulnerable, avoid lurid detail, and hold out repentance in the gospel. Moral seriousness and pastoral mercy belong together because Christ tells the truth in order to save.
Anchor passage
Matt.5.28
Doctrinal connections
- Moral law: Matthew 5:27 anchors the term in the command not to commit adultery.
- Heart accountability: Matthew 5:28 shows Jesus pressing the command beneath outward behavior.
- Marriage covenant: Matthew 5:32 and Luke 16:18 treat divorce and remarriage with covenant seriousness.
- Neighbor-love: Romans 13:9 places the command within love for neighbor.
- Unity of God's law: James 2:11 refuses selective obedience before the one lawgiver.
- Repentance and mercy: the larger gospel summons sexual sinners to truth, protection, confession, and grace.
Moicheuo is a verb for committing adultery. In these passages, its range is governed by commandment citation, Jesus' heart-level exposition, marriage covenant teaching, and apostolic moral instruction.
From Old to New Testament
The command against adultery belongs to the Decalogue and is developed through wisdom, prophetic covenant imagery, Jesus' kingdom righteousness, and apostolic neighbor-love.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain