Romans 7:3
So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
So then if while her husband liueth, shee be married to another man, shee shalbe called an adulteresse: but if her husband be dead, shee is free from that law, so that she is no adulteresse, though she be married to another man.
PASSAGE SELECTION
Build from either side
Add or remove verses within this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.
SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE
Cross References
All 10 ranked passages are available for comparison.
From verse 3
- Exodus 20:14Rank 1 from verse 3
- Matthew 5:32Rank 2 from verse 3
32But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
32But I say vnto you, that whosoeuer shall put away his wife, sauing for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoeuer shall marie her that is diuorced, committeth adulterie.
- Mark 10:6–12Rank 3 from verse 3
6But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
7For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
9What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
10And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
11And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
12And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
6But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male, and female.
7For this cause shall a man leaue his father and mother, and cleaue to his wife,
8And they twaine shalbe one flesh: so then they are no more twaine, but one flesh.
9What therefore God hath ioyned together, let not man put asunder.
10And in the house his disciples asked him againe of the same matter.
11And he saith vnto them, *Whosoeuer shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
12And if a woman shall put away her husband, and bee married to another, she committeth adulterie.
- 1 Timothy 5:11–14Rank 4 from verse 3
11But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;
12Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.
13And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
14I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
11But the yonger widowes refuse: for when they haue begunne to waxe wanton against Christ, they will marry,
12Hauing damnation, because they haue cast off their first faith.
13And withall they learne to bee idle, wandering about from house to house; and not onely idle, but tatlers also, and busibodies, speaking things which they ought not.
14I will therefore that the yonger women marry, beare children, guid the house, giue none occasion to the aduersary †to speake reprochfully.
- Deuteronomy 22:22–24Rank 5 from verse 3
22¶ If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
23¶ If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;
24Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.
22¶ *If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away euill from Israel.
23¶ If a damosell that is a virgin be betrothed vnto an husband, and a man find her in the citie, and lie with her:
24Then yee shall bring them both out vnto the gate of that citie, and yee shall stone them with stones that they die; the damosel, because shee cried not, being in the citie; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbours wife: so thou shalt put away euill from among you.
- John 8:3–5Rank 6 from verse 3
3And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
3And the Scribes and Pharisees brought vnto him a woman taken in adultery, and when they had set her in the mids,
4They say vnto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5*Now Moses in the Law commanded vs, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
- Leviticus 20:10Rank 7 from verse 3
10¶ And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
10¶ And *the man that committeth adulterie with another mans wife, euen he that committeth adulterie with his neighbours wife, the adulterer, and the adulteresse shall surely bee put to death.
- Numbers 5:13–31Rank 8 from verse 3
13And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the manner;
14And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:
15Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
16And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the Lord:
17And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:
18And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord, and uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
19And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse:
20But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:
21Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The Lord make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell;
22And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
23And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:
24And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
25Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman’s hand, and shall wave the offering before the Lord, and offer it upon the altar:
26And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.
27And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.
28And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.
29This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled;
30Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law.
31Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman shall bear her iniquity.
13And a man lye with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witnesse against her, neither she be taken with the maner;
14And the spirit of ielousie come vpon him, and he be ielous of his wife, and shee be defiled: or if the spirit of ielousie come vpon him, and hee be ielous of his wife, and she be not defiled:
15Then shall the man bring his wife vnto the Priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an Ephah of barley meale: hee shall powre no oyle vpon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of ielousie, an offering of memoriall, bringing iniquitie to remembrance:
16And the Priest shall bring her neere, and set her before the LORD.
17And the Priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessell, and of the dust that is in the floore of the Tabernacle the Priest shall take, and put it into the water:
18And the Priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and vncouer the womans head, and put the offering of memoriall in her hands, which is the Ielousie offering: and the Priest shall haue in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse.
19And the Priest shall charge her by an othe, and say vnto the woman, If no man haue lyen with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to vncleannesse ‖ with another in stead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse.
20But if thou hast gone aside to another in stead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man hath lien with thee beside thine husband:
21Then the Priest shall charge the woman with an othe of cursing, and the Priest shall say vnto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse, and an othe among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to †rot, and thy belly to swell.
22And this water that causeth the curse, shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: and the woman shall say, Amen, Amen.
23And the Priest shall write these curses in a booke, and hee shall blot them out with the bitter water:
24And he shall cause the woman to drinke the bitter water, that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
25Then the Priest shall take the ielousie offering out of the womans hand, and shall waue the offering before the LORD, and offer it vpon the Altar.
26And the Priest shal take an handfull of the offering, euen the memoriall thereof, and burne it vpon the Altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drinke the water.
27And when he hath made her to drinke the water, then it shall come to passe, that if shee be defiled, and haue done trespasse against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse, shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shal rot: and the woman shalbe a curse among her people.
28And if the woman be not defiled, but be cleane, then she shall be free, and shall conceiue seed.
29This is the law of ielousies, when a wife goeth aside to another in stead of her husband, and is defiled:
30Or when the spirit of ielousie commeth vpon him, and hee be ielous ouer his wife, and shall set the woman before the LORD, and the Priest shal execute vpon her all this law.
31Then shall the man bee guiltlesse from iniquitie, and this woman shall beare her iniquitie.
13Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
13Then she said, ‖Let me finde fauour in thy sight, my lord, for that thou hast comforted mee, and for that thou hast spoken †friendly vnto thine handmaid, though I be not like vnto one of thy hand-maidens.
- 1 Samuel 25:39–42Rank 10 from verse 3
39¶ And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
40And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.
41And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.
42And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.
39¶ And when Dauid heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproch from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his seruant from euil: for the LORD hath returned the wickednesse of Nabal vpon his owne head. And Dauid sent, and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
40And when the seruants of Dauid were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake vnto her, saying, Dauid sent vs vnto thee, to take thee to him to wife.
41And shee arose, and bowed her selfe on her face to the earth, and sayd, Beholde, let thine handmayd bee a seruant to wash the feet of the seruants of my lord.
42And Abigail hasted, and rose, and rode vpon an asse, with fiue damosels of hers that went †after her; and she went after the messengers of Dauid, and became his wife.
WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE
Definitions
Open a word for its full definition and concordance.
DEFINED WORDS
Romans 7:3
Sense 1: A married man in relation to his wife. Sense 2: One who manages or cultivates carefully.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of marry, meaning to take or join in marriage; to enter the marriage relation.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
1. In "one another" and like reciprocal or distributive constructions, each the other, or one in relation to the other or others. 2. One other, one more, or a different or additional person or thing.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
An auxiliary verb expressing future action, intention, promise, command, requirement, or determination.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of call. Sense 1: To name. Sense 2: To summon or invite. Sense 3: To proclaim or address. Sense 4: To request.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
COMBINED MEANING
adulteress
A woman who commits adultery; a married woman sexually unfaithful to her husband.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828
Sense 1: Without life; deprived of life. Sense 2: Lifeless, inactive, insensible, or separated from a former state by figure.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: At liberty; released or exempt from bondage, confinement, service, obligation, dominion, guilt, or other restraint. Sense 2: Unrestrained, unobstructed, or at liberty to act or proceed. Sense 3: Willing, voluntary, liberal, or unreserved. Sense 4: Given or received without price, payment, or purchase.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Sense 1: An authoritative rule, command, ordinance, instruction, standard, or body of requirements. Sense 2: The writings containing such instruction. Sense 3: A governing principle, power, regular order, or civil rule. Sense 4: In family compounds, relationship by marriage.
Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references
FOLLOW THE THEME
Related Concepts
Choose a connected KJV word or phrase to find where it appears in scripture.
death and resurrection
READ THE PASSAGE
View in context
Suggested context · Romans 7:1–6
The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.
7:1KNOW ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
7:1¶ Know ye not, brethren (for I speake to them that knowe the Lawe) how that the Lawe hath dominion ouer a man, as long as he liueth?
7:2For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
7:2For the woman which hath an husbaud, is bound by the law to her husband, so long as he liueth: but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of the husband.
7:3So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
7:3So then if while her husband liueth, shee be married to another man, shee shalbe called an adulteresse: but if her husband be dead, shee is free from that law, so that she is no adulteresse, though she be married to another man.
Selected passage7:4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
7:4Wherefore my brethren, yee also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, euen to him who is raised from the dead, that wee should bring forth fruit vnto God,
7:5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
7:5For when wee were in the flesh, the †motions of sinnes which were by the law, did worke in our members, to bring foorth fruit vnto death.
7:6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
7:6But now wee are deliuered from the law, ‖that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serue in newnesse of spirit, and not in the oldnesse of the letter.