Word study · Greek
porneia
sexual immorality
Say it: por-NAY-ah (approximate)
πορνεία
What it means
A broad word for sexual sin outside what God intends for marriage. It covers a range from prostitution to adultery, incest, and other unlawful unions. In Matthew's exception clause (5:32; 19:9) it's the one reason named for divorce.
Open question Debated
Exactly what porneia covers in Jesus' exception (adultery, an unlawful marriage, or sexual sin more broadly) is debated, as is how the clause relates to Mark and Luke, which don't have it.
Range of meaning
- Sexual immoralitySexual sin of any kind.
- ProstitutionThe earliest sense, from the word for a prostitute.
- Unlawful marriageAs in Leviticus 18, which Acts 15 echoes.
In Matthew
- Chapter 19
The exception Jesus names for divorce (19:9).
Every verse (3)
Verses where G4202 is tagged in the Hebrew text: STEPBible Data (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. About our sources