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The Bible never mentions masturbation. The word is absent from the World English Bible and the King James Version. The passage most often cited is the story of Onan (Genesis 38:8-10), but the text is about a man who refused to give his dead brother's widow a child and was judged for that refusal, so many Christian writers do not read it as a verse on masturbation. What the Bible does address is lust. Jesus says that looking at a woman to desire her is adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:28), and Paul calls believers to self-control and to flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5). Christians disagree: some say the act is sinful because it usually involves lust, and others say it is not addressed and depends on the thoughts behind it. The verses below set out what Scripture says on lust, self-control and forgiveness.
Counts from this page's curated collection (16 books of Scripture).
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."
"If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna."
"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut if off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."
“I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
"I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?"
"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life."
"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
"Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint."
"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls."
"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. With my whole heart, I have sought you. Don’t let me wander from your commandments. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."
"Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me."
"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are expedient. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be brought under the power of anything.
"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."
"Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."
"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? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s."
"No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
"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."
"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire."
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
"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 sanctification and honor, not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God;"
"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, 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 lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:"
"Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;"
"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:"
"Therefore don’t let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. Also, do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace."
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
"Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God."
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
"Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things."
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
"Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart."
"Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart."
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age;"
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;"
"For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need."
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
"Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” Onan knew that the offspring wouldn’t be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. The thing which he did was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and he killed him also."
"And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also."
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible and the King James Version (both public domain), checked word for word against the full text. Updated October 3, 2026.
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The Bible does not say. Christians who believe it is a sin argue that it is almost always joined with lust, which Jesus condemns (Matthew 5:28), and that it conflicts with self-control (Galatians 5:23). Others say Scripture is silent and that the question turns on what a person is thinking and whether the habit rules him (1 Corinthians 6:12). Both groups agree that lust is sin and that a believer is not condemned (Romans 8:1).
Probably not. In Genesis 38:8-10 Judah told Onan to father a child for his dead brother Er, and Onan spilled his seed on the ground so that the child would not count as his. The text says what he did was evil in Yahweh's sight, and the context is his refusal of that duty. The act described is withdrawal during intercourse, not masturbation.
Jesus teaches that lust is adultery of the heart and that it is better to lose a member than to fall into hell (Matthew 5:27-30). Job made a covenant with his eyes not to look at a young woman (Job 31:1), Paul tells Timothy to flee youthful lusts (2 Timothy 2:22), and Colossians 3:5 says to put to death sexual immorality, impurity and evil desire.
Yes. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us and cleanse us (1 John 1:9), there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1), and as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions (Psalm 103:12). Hebrews 4:15-16 invites us to come boldly to the throne of grace because Jesus sympathizes with our weakness.
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