☀️
← Back to Lexicon
G4203 · Greek · New Testament
πορνεύω
Porneuo
Verb
To Commit Sexual Immorality / To Fornicate

Definition

The Greek verb porneuo (πορνεύω) means to commit sexual immorality, fornication, or prostitution. It appears about 8 times in the NT. The related noun porneia (G4204) is more common. Both derive from porne (prostitute).

Usage & Theological Significance

Porneuo describes sexual sin outside of the covenant of marriage. In Revelation, it takes on cosmic proportions: the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries (Revelation 19:2) represents spiritual adultery against God through idolatry. Paul connects sexual immorality to idolatry repeatedly (1 Corinthians 10:8). The body matters: 'Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body' (1 Corinthians 6:18). The call to flee porneia is not legalism — it is covenant faithfulness, because the body belongs to the Lord and is a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Key Bible Verses

1 Corinthians 10:8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did — and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
Revelation 2:14 There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they committed sexual immorality.
Revelation 17:2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.
1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
Jude 1:7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion.

Related Words

Study Resources

🌙
☀️