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21 Bible Verses About Abstinence

    Drawing of a padlock in black and white depicting the theme of abstinence.

    Abstinence is a path to spiritual strength, teaching discipline and self-control. It encourages a deeper connection with God by prioritizing His will over immediate desires. Through abstinence, you learn patience and trust in God’s timing. This practice fosters inner peace and clarity, guiding you toward a more purposeful life.

    Below is our full list of bible verses on abstinence (King James Version – KJV) provided in ranked order.

    Most Popular Bible Verses About Abstinence

    1 Corinthians 7:2

    2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.”

    Related Themes: Dating Adultery Marriage Lust

    Hebrews 13:4

    4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”

    Related Themes: Lust Adultery Marriage Dating Fidelity

    1 Thessalonians 4:3-4

    3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;”

    Related Themes: Lust Dating Holiness Lust Adultery

    1 Corinthians 6:18

    18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.”

    Related Themes: Lust Dating Adultery Dating Impurity

    2 Timothy 2:22

    22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

    Related Themes: Lust Dating Youth Impurity Holiness

    1 Peter 2:11

    11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;”

    Related Themes: Lust Strangers Reputation Addiction Morality

    Genesis 39:7-10

    7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.”

    Related Themes: Lust

    1 Corinthians 6:19

    19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

    Related Themes: Holy Spirit Lust Health Holiness Omnipresence

    Colossians 3:5

    5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”

    Related Themes: Lust Impurity Dating Greed Idolatry

    Galatians 5:19-21

    19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

    Related Themes: Lust Abomination Lust Bitterness Adultery

    Proverbs 31:30

    30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”

    Related Themes: Dating Vanity Beauty Modesty Self-Esteem

    Romans 13:13

    13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.”

    Related Themes: Dating Lust Drugs Indulgence

    2 Corinthians 12:21

    21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.”

    Related Themes: Adultery Lust Impurity Indulgence Repentance

    Jude 1:7

    7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

    Related Themes: Lust Abomination Hell Social Justice Adultery

    1 Corinthians 10:13

    13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

    Related Themes: Lust Self-Control Addiction Strength Temptation

    Ephesians 5:3

    3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;”

    Related Themes: Lust Holiness Impurity Coveting Lust

    Matthew 5:8

    8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

    Related Themes: Purity Lust Heart Impurity Holiness

    1 Corinthians 9:27

    27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

    Related Themes: Lust Self-Control Discipline Self Discipline Indulgence

    2 Timothy 1:7

    7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

    Related Themes: Fear Self Confidence Business Bullying Self-Control

    Galatians 2:20

    20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

    Related Themes: Greatness Life Love Reaping Faith

    Acts 15:20

    20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.”

    Related Themes: Impurity

    Word cloud of verses in the Bible that are about abstinence