Avoiding Immorality
Leviticus 20:10–21; 1 Corinthians 5:1–8
1My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding,+ 2that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.+ 3For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,+ 4but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.+ 5Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol.+ 6She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn’t know it.+ 7Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.+ 8Remove your way far from her. Don’t come near the door of her house,+ 9lest you give your honour to others, and your years to the cruel one;+ 10lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labours enrich another man’s house.+ 11You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed,+ 12and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof.+ 13I haven’t obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!+ 14I have come to the brink of utter ruin, amongst the gathered assembly.”+ 15Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well.+ 16Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?+ 17Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you. 18Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.+ 19A loving doe and a graceful deer— let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.+ 20For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?+ 21For the ways of man are before the LORD’s eyes. He examines all his paths.+ 22The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly.+ 23He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.+