How many times is lust mentioned in the Bible?
The word lust appears 19 times in the King James Version, in 18 verses. Counting every form (lust, lusts, lusted, lusteth, lusting), it appears 54 times in 52 verses across 22 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses lust 14 times (46 with every form).
Lust in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of lust counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| lust | 19 | 14 |
| lusts | 24 | 23 |
| lusted | 4 | 8 |
| lusteth | 6 | 0 |
| lusting | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 54 | 46 |
Which books mention lust most
Lust appears in 22 books of the 66 in the King James Version. James has the most (6), then Romans (5) and Deuteronomy (4).
Also in: Proverbs (1), Matthew (1), Mark (1), John (1), 1 Thessalonians (1), 1 Timothy (1), Revelation (1).
First and last mention of lust
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
The verse that uses it most is 1 Corinthians 10:6, 2 times (tied with 1 John 2:16):
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
Where the two translations differ
14 verses match in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 6 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
Exodus 15:9: counted in the KJV only
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the plunder. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’
Deuteronomy 12:15: counted in the KJV only
Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.
Notwithstanding, you may kill and eat meat within all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to Yahweh your God’s blessing which he has given you. The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle, and as of the deer.
Ezekiel 23:7: counted in the World English Bible only
Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with all their idols she defiled herself.
She gave herself as a prostitute to them, all of them the choicest men of Assyria. She defiled herself with the idols of whoever she lusted after.
Ezekiel 23:11: counted in the World English Bible only
And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms.
“Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet she was more corrupt in her lusting than she, and in her prostitution which was more depraved than the prostitution of her sister.
Verses with lust on our topic pages
23 verses that use lust in the World English Bible are in our topic collections.
but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age;
On: Lust, Self Control, Addiction, Holiness
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God;
On: Lust, Dating, Purity, What Does the Bible Say About Sex Before Marriage? 26 Verses
Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
On: Jealousy, Lust, What Does the Bible Say About Sex Before Marriage? 26 Verses, What Does the Bible Say About Masturbation? 25 Verses
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.
On: Pride, Lust, Temptation, Modesty
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.
On: Lust, Modesty, What Does the Bible Say About Gluttony? 26 Verses, What Does the Bible Say About Pornography? 28 Verses
Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, produces death.
On: Lust, Temptation, Sin, What Does the Bible Say About Pornography? 28 Verses
Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves;
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.
On: Lust, Temptation, What Does the Bible Say About Masturbation? 25 Verses
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
On: Lust, Temptation, What Does the Bible Say About Pornography? 28 Verses
Common questions
How many times is lust in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 12 of the 54 uses are in the Old Testament and 42 in the New Testament. Lust appears in 22 books of the 66 in the King James Version. James has the most (6), then Romans (5) and Deuteronomy (4).
Where is lust first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Exodus 15:9: "The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them." The last is Revelation 18:14.
Read the full collection: Bible Verses About Lust (32 Verses).
More word counts: hate, compassion, goodness, faithful, righteous, sinner, saint, redemption, or all 253 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-05.