What Does the Bible Say About Masturbation?

TL;DR: The Bible never uses the word 'masturbation' or explicitly condemns the act by name. Christian teaching on the subject is drawn indirectly from broader biblical principles about sexual purity, lust, and self-control. Passages addressing adultery Exodus 20:14, sexual immorality, and the sanctity of the body are frequently cited in this discussion. Because no verse directly addresses it, sincere Christians hold a range of views, from treating it as always sinful to viewing it as a matter of personal conscience before God.

"Thou shalt not commit adultery." — Exodus 20:14 Exodus 20:14

The Seventh Commandment's prohibition on adultery Exodus 20:14 is one of the foundational texts Christians apply to sexual ethics broadly. The same command is repeated in Deuteronomy 5:18:

"Neither shalt thou commit adultery." — Deuteronomy 5:18 Deuteronomy 5:18

Because masturbation isn't named in Scripture, theologians look to these commands about sexual boundaries and ask whether the act violates the spirit of such laws. It's worth noting that Leviticus 19:29 warns against sexual profanity that corrupts the land:

"Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness." — Leviticus 19:29 Leviticus 19:29

While this verse addresses a specific social sin, it illustrates the Bible's consistent concern for sexual integrity as a communal and personal value Leviticus 19:29.

Since no passage names masturbation, honest exegesis requires acknowledging the silence of Scripture on this precise act. Claims that the Bible explicitly condemns it cannot be supported by direct citation Exodus 20:14 Deuteronomy 5:18.

Protestant · Christianity

Protestant View on Masturbation and Scripture

"Thou shalt not commit adultery." — Exodus 20:14 Exodus 20:14

Protestant traditions vary widely, but most evangelical teachers argue that while the Bible doesn't name masturbation, the act is rarely morally neutral in practice. The concern centers on lust: Jesus taught in Matthew 5:28 that looking at someone with lust is equivalent to adultery in the heart—a principle many Protestants apply directly to sexual fantasy accompanying masturbation Exodus 20:14. The Seventh Commandment's prohibition on adultery Exodus 20:14 is understood to cover the interior disposition of the heart, not merely the external act.

Reformed and Lutheran traditions tend to emphasize that all sexual expression outside of marriage carries moral weight. Deuteronomy 5:18's restatement of the adultery prohibition Deuteronomy 5:18 is read as evidence that God's moral law is consistent and comprehensive, governing thought and action alike. Some Protestant ethicists argue that if masturbation involves lust toward another person, it violates this command Deuteronomy 5:18.

More progressive Protestant voices note that Scripture's actual silence on the act demands humility. They point out that Leviticus addresses specific covenant-community sexual sins Leviticus 19:29 and that applying those texts to masturbation requires interpretive steps the text itself doesn't authorize Leviticus 19:29. For these thinkers, it becomes a matter of personal conscience and spiritual formation rather than a clear biblical prohibition Exodus 20:14.

Key takeaways

The Bible never explicitly names or condemns masturbation in any verse.
Christian positions are derived indirectly from the Seventh Commandment against adultery (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18) Exodus 20:14 Deuteronomy 5:18.
Leviticus addresses specific sexual sins and communal sexual integrity Leviticus 19:29, but does not mention masturbation.
Because Scripture is silent on the act directly, sincere Christians hold a range of views from prohibition to personal conscience.
Honest biblical scholarship requires acknowledging the text's silence rather than claiming a direct condemnation that isn't there Exodus 20:14.

FAQs

Does the Bible explicitly condemn masturbation?

No. The Bible does not use the word 'masturbation' or describe the act in any passage. Christian teaching on the subject is derived indirectly from commands like 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' in Exodus 20:14 Exodus 20:14 and Deuteronomy 5:18 Deuteronomy 5:18, applied through principles about lust and sexual purity. Any claim that a specific verse directly condemns it goes beyond what the text actually says Exodus 20:14.

Is the 'sin of Onan' about masturbation?

Many scholars and theologians argue that Genesis 38 (the account of Onan) is about violating the levirate marriage duty, not masturbation per se. The retrieved passages for this question do not include Genesis 38, so a direct citation cannot be provided here. What Scripture does consistently address is the broader ethic of sexual integrity Deuteronomy 5:18 Exodus 20:14 Leviticus 19:29.

What biblical principles do Christians apply to this question?

Christians most commonly apply the prohibition on adultery Exodus 20:14 Deuteronomy 5:18, which Jesus extended to lustful thought, as well as Old Testament warnings against sexual immorality that corrupts personal and communal holiness Leviticus 19:29. The principle is that sexual ethics in Scripture are comprehensive, covering heart and action, though the specific act of masturbation is never named Exodus 20:14.

Does Leviticus address masturbation?

Leviticus contains extensive sexual ethics legislation, including prohibitions on adultery and sexual profanity Leviticus 19:29 Leviticus 18:16, but it does not mention masturbation by name. Leviticus 19:29 warns against prostituting one's daughter and the spread of sexual wickedness Leviticus 19:29, and Leviticus 18 addresses specific forbidden sexual acts Leviticus 18:16, but masturbation is not among those listed.

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