Greek word · G3430

μοιχεία

moicheia

adultery

Adultery. In the Jewish legal framework this meant sex involving a married or betrothed woman and a man not her husband. It was an offence against the husband's marriage, and the Torah prescribed death for both parties (Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22–24).

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

μοιχεία, -ας, ἡ

(μοιχύω), [rn LXX: Hosea 2:2 (נַאֲפוּף), Hosea 4:2 (נָאַף), Jeremiah 13:27 (נִאֻף), Wisdom of Solomon 14:26 * ;]

adultery: John 8:3; pl. (see WM, 220; Bl., § 32, 6), Matthew 15:19, Mark 7:21,†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of John 8:3

Range of meaning

Adultery. In the Jewish legal framework this meant sex involving a married or betrothed woman and a man not her husband. It was an offence against the husband's marriage, and the Torah prescribed death for both parties (Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22–24). A married man sleeping with an unmarried, unbetrothed woman was not 'adultery' under Torah law, though it was condemned in other ways.

Against the English

Every English version has 'adultery', which is the right word, but English uses it equally for a husband's or a wife's infidelity.

How it drifted

Modern English 'adultery' is symmetrical: either spouse cheating. The ancient Jewish category was defined by the woman's marital status. That is why the charge here falls on her as a married or betrothed woman.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint, the seventh commandment is ou moicheuseis (Exod 20:13 LXX). Mishnah Sanhedrin 7:4 and 11:1 (compiled about AD 200) prescribe stoning for a betrothed maiden and strangling for a married woman. Philo treats adultery as among the gravest crimes (Special Laws 3.8–11).

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 15:19 μοιχεῖαι, adulteries,

    For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.

    Here: Acts of adultery: sex that breaks a marriage bond, in Jewish law sex with another man's wife. It answers the seventh commandment.

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 7:22 μοιχεῖαι, adulteries

    greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness.

    Here: The noun is plural: 'adulteries', meaning acts of adultery. In Jewish law this meant sex with another man's wife, a violation of the seventh commandment. Here it is something that starts in the heart before it is ever done.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.