Common misinterpretations reduce the commandment to only physical acts of infidelity by married persons, ignoring its broader biblical context encompassing all sexual immorality and Jesus' teaching that lustful intent equates to adultery in the heart; others dismiss it as outdated moralism irrelevant to consensual modern relationships or apply it legalistically without grace, missing its purpose in fostering covenant loyalty and purity before God.
Deuteronomy 5:18
King James Version (1769)
18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.
Deuteronomy 5:18 commands fidelity in marriage as a divine imperative, protecting the sacred covenant between husband and wife that mirrors God's faithfulness to His people, promoting trust, stability in families, and holiness in relationships while forbidding any sexual unfaithfulness that undermines these foundations.