The 10 Commandments E10 — The short commandment, “Do not commit adultery,” assumes that every marriage is vitally important and just as worth protecting as a human life. But why is a marriage covenant so important in the Bible? The biblical authors consider marriage to be a great mystery that points to something cosmic: God’s faithful commitment to humanity. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the meaning of marriage in the Bible, and how its deeper values are relevant to both married and unmarried people.
FULL SHOW NOTES
For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode.
CHAPTERS

Defining Adultery and Reflecting on its Penalty (0:00-15:00)
Israel’s Unique Prohibitions Against Adultery (15:00-25:08)
Genesis 1-2’s Meditations on Man and Woman as One  (25:08-42:42)
Marriage as a Reflection of God’s Covenant with His People (42:42-53:54)
Recap and Sacrificial Love as the Highest Value (53:54-1:07:04)

OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
View this episode’s official transcript.
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION
View our full translation of the 10 Commandments.
REFERENCED RESOURCES

Find the related animated video for this episode here.
Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters by Carmen Joy Imes
“Grace – therefore, Holy” - sermon by Timothy Keller
Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books.

SHOW MUSIC

“Purple Clouds” by Lofi Sunday feat. Marc Vanparla
“Faithful” by Lofi Sunday feat. Marc Vanparla
“Be Like Water” by Lofi Sunday feat. Zairis TéJion
BibleProject theme song by TENTS 

SHOW CREDITS
Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today’s episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Released on 25 May 2026