Does the Bible say anything about masturbation being a sin? And if so, where?

I don't know of anything specific in the Bible about this. I don't think the act itself is a sin, but the thoughts and emotions that lead to it are. The lust for the flesh is the real problem there. Also a violation of the commandment against coveting thy neighbor's wife or his goods. I know what you are going to say, the women I think about are not married, but there's that pesky lust for the flesh thing again.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (meaning it comes from the devil, god of the world)

There is in the book of Leviticus, a reference to casting seed of copulation, which makes a man unclean until the even. I think that this is where the question comes from. I believe that the bible is talking about sex with a prostitute, or a woman not your wife, not sex with yourself.

The best thing to do is get yourself saved, so God will hear your prayers, and ask Him. If He says its a sin, then it is.

I don't know..
90% of people masturbate...the other 10% lie about it.

The Book of Genesis 38:9-10 is the reference to spilling seed on the ground being offensive to God, in response to the post about it.

Many religious denominations condemn masturbation in whatever manner it is done. In the present Jewish religion, a rabbi has this to say:

“Kabbalah is very explicit about the negative spiritual side-effects of masturbation. The idea is as follows: Your seed is the material by which you procreate; it is the genetic material within you that allows you the opportunity to partner with G-d. When we let human seed go to waste, we squander G-d’s sacred and divine potential”
(http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=237&o=53)



While the Jehovah’s witnesses have this to say:

Watchtower 1976 February 15 pp.122-3 You Must Be Holy Because Jehovah Is Holy

“15 In recent years, homosexuality has swept the world. These homosexuals claim that they are ‘bringing it out of the closet’ and they brag by saying, ‘We are proud to be such.’ It was apparent that this erosion of moral standards could pose a danger or threat for God’s holy people, so the congregations were alerted and wrongdoers were cleaned out. Likewise, unclean practices, such as masturbation, which can be a steppingstone to homosexuality, have been dealt with in a serious, yet understanding…”

(http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/index.php/watchtower_quotes/sexual-matters/masturbation/)


Sin is defined in the Bible as transgression of the law.

(1 John 3:4) “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

Everything unrighteous is a sin.

(1 John 5:17) “All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.”

It is a known fact and scientifically accepted that every normal human person experiences occasional lust of the flesh. Even the apostles of Christ testify to this.

(James 1:14) “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

Sexual urges in humans is but as natural as experiencing hunger, thirst, tiredness, etc. It is one of the most important processes in the human body. This feeling is moderated by God’s laws and statutes among His people, like the Israelites, because this is God’s instrument in the process of procreation. The Lord killed Onan when he did not obey God’s law to raise seed for his brother who died, and spilled it on the ground.

(Genesis 38:8-10) “And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.”

Onan did not masturbate, as others claim. He lied with his brother’s wife to enjoy the pleasure of sex, but at the point of orgasm, he spilled it to the ground in utter defiance of God’s commandment. So, he was condemned to death.

Frankly speaking, most men (and women), if not all, masturbate — especially those without sexual partners. Even those with sexual partners, like husbands and wife do masturbate also, when situations do not allow them to have sexual intercourse; like when a woman is with her ‘monthly visit’ or pregnant and about to deliver her baby. In a clinic, a man is required by a doctor to masturbate when having a physical check up and evaluation in his capacity to bear children.

In the Biblical sense of righteousness, these situations can not be considered as sin. If a married man or woman, a bachelor, or a spinster, do masturbate to refrain from doing evil or infidelity to his or her partner, are you going to consider it a sin?

(1 Corinthians 7:29; 31) “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none…”

“…And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.”

Scientifically, there is also evil in too much indulgence in everything we do to our body. Overindulgence in eating, drinking, etc. will cause us to sin and scientifically will eventually cause diseases in our bodies (http://www.uspharmacist.com/oldformat.asp?url=newlook/files/Feat/ACF2F0E.cfm&pub_id=8&article_id=45.)

Gluttony is being condemned by the Bible.

(Proverbs 23:20) “Be not among winebibbers, or among gluttonous eaters of meat…”RSV

Overindulgence in masturbation poses psychological and physiological imbalances. (http://www.herballove.com/library/resource/overmas/fatal.asp)

Scientifically, there are benefits of regular, and not overindulging,in masturbation. In recent study, researchers say that They found those who had ejaculated the most between the ages of 20 and 50 were the least likely to develop the cancer. They say that men who ejaculated more than five times a week were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer later in life. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3072021.stm)

I do not recommend masturbation to anybody, neither do I encourage anybody to make it a scapegoat of their immoral sexual addictions, but I will not judge nor condemn anybody that because of force of circumstances, and not with evil mind, is doing the act. God judges according to the intents of the heart!

(Jeremiah 17:9-10) “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

Sins committed by a Christian due to the ‘weakness’ of his flesh is pardonable under God’s mercy.

(Galatians 6:1) “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

It is better to marry than to be burned.

(1 Corinthians 7:9) “But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.” RSV

May the Lord teach your heart of the proper things to do through His words in the Bible.

It seems most Christians think it is wrong, however, it is not usually something that is discussed a lot.
I heard one Bible teacher explain it in a way that I fully agree with. It is not the act of masturbation that is the problem, but the thoughts that accompany the act.
Most people, I'm told, fantasize during masturbation. Looking at porn of any kind, or fantasizing about any person other than one's spouse is definitely sin: fornication, sexual immorality. Even if you are single, looking at porn is still fornication. Looking at women with sexual thoughts is a sin, as Jesus made clear. However, if you can masturbate and keep it purely physical, focusing only on your own sensations, without porn or fantasy, then I don't believe that would be sin. But I do believe many (most?) people would fall into sin because of their thoughts.

Lust is one of the seven deadly sins and in my opinion masturbating is an act of lust.......so i would says its wrong, but people interpret things in different ways

Is it a sin for someone who is unmarried, and completely single. Are the mental views just like having sex with out the person being there. It is extremely difficult for a male to have no where to release. Is it okay without any fantasy in the mind at all? just wanting to release the pressure of getting in more trouble. Is watching pornography a sin for a single guy?

The bible does not mention masturbation one way or another. It mentions fornication- which can encompass a variety of sexually immoral acts, depending on who you ask- but not masturbation per se.

Although most Christians avoid the topic of masturbation some have even hinted that it may be a useful alternative to more harmful or serious acts considered sinful, such as premarital sex.

Most likely if you are masterbating, you have to have some form of lust to cause you to do it. A great verse pertaining to that is Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore whateve belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, LUST,evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. verse 6 says because of these the wrath of God is coming! Then with masturbation, a man tends to waste his seed. In the book of Genesis, God put Onan to death because he keep spilling his semen on the ground to keep from producing offsprings! Genesis 38:9-10

Another thing that makes it a sin is idolotry, Masturbation become very addictive and be a foot in the door for satan in your life. It can very easily consume you, as I have seen before, and can really distract you from God, and anything that does that must be wrong in some way.

This is basically how I think of it:
God created sexual pleasure for us to enjoy with our spouse and in marraige. The only reason I would see biblically to show that masturbation is sinful(other than lust) would be: 1 you are not married and 2: you are not your spouse, and God created sexual pleasure to be given in marraige by your spouse. and since you arent your spouse, then giving yourself sexual pleasure is distortiong what God created sex to be.

Who cares if it is or isn't. If your a male and you do not masturbate, your body will still expel your semen, through your penis without your control. It can happen through wet dreams which you have no control over, or it will just seep out of your shaft into your undies during the day. So, you may as well enjoy the fun and feelings you have while masturbating while fully awake.

I do not know where, but it does say thou shall not waste his seed.

It's not. Also if I were to, my thoughts are my own, and no one else's

So some of you are saying, a male cannot masturbate! Because it is against God's will???? Like I said in an earlier post, if you don't releive it bu hand, it will still come out, so may as well enjoy it while you can by hand. For you religious nuts, just say at 13 or 14 y/o, it didn't didn't escape, sperm takes about 70 days to make, where would all the old/ead sperm goto, if you do not manually expell it???

Glenn is right about being attrqacted to your spouse not sinful. The reason it is not is because the husband and wife are one flesh, joined in marriage. That is the reason the marriage bed is undefiled.

I beg to differ about the statement that it is not sinful to think about sex with someone not married to you. See Matt chapters 5 and 6. Thoughts are just as sinful as actions. The bible says you must make a covenant with your eyes, to not look, and when you catch your eyes looking as we all do, turn away immediately. Go home and give your wife full benevolence if you know what I mean. Go into your wife that ye not be tempted.

well ive been thimkin bout it for the pasts days and i never heard of it beein a sin .some pple just tryn to add things to the bible which aint there!

Masturbation is not a sin. There is no where in the bible that says it is, but lust is a sin. If you lust after a woman or man than you commit adultry with that person in your heart. So I don't know how you could masturbate without lusting. Jesus does forgive all sin if you trust in Him.

Why is no one talking about female masturbation? You girls do it just as much as we do. :p

God told me to write a story called The Master Baiter. It was all about how masturbation turns into lust, then lust into fornication/adultery then joining ourselves to a harlots, male or female in person on the phone or on the internet. It also can lead to dis-respect of women or men when porn is involved therefore even causing violent crimes such as rape and murder when the person lets the spirit behind it control their lives in addiction to it. While Masturbating may seem to be something innocent when you are a young boy or girl, it is what it turns into as you grow up that defines how it Spiritually affects a person. Yes it is true if a male does not masturbate his seed will come out anyway. That is just normal, but that was how God designed the man. So I would have to say based on the story God urged me to write (that by the way eventually delivered both me and husband from masterbation and porn) means the man or woman should not do it. We should let it be expelled like God made the man's body on it's own and suffer through the blue balls and women let Jesus be your emotion support when you need to feel close to someone. Go to God and pray for the desire to leave you. What is it to suffer for our bodies to be Christ like when he suffered when he died on the cross? We have to crucify our flesh so that our body and remain the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Personally my husband and I struggled with this and it graduated to porn for us both and sexual phone calls for him. There is a way to make sure that we do not have wet dreams. That way is to pray the Blood of Jesus over our dreams so that we do not dream anything that is unholy or unpleasing to God. Then when the sperm is expelled it will not be in a wet dream, just an automatic reaction to not having sex. Yes women masturbate just as much as men and it has actually been accepted for a woman to do it even considered sexy. But we as women of God need to obstain from that as well because a vibrater will never take the place of our husband and it causes us to lose respect for our husband sexually. A woman will get to the point that if her husband can not satisfy her she will turn to the vibrator or the fingers to pleasure herself. Having the attitude of "Well if he can not satisfy me then I can, then later it can lead to divorce because we think if he can not take care of us then why even be married". Marriage is not all about sex it is about the companionship, and love that we have for each other. So in order for us to respect one another it is best to not bring these sort of things into the marriage or our lives. It is a hard thing to not want to pleasure ourselves because human beings are so selfish. But becoming unselfish for the cause of Christ and protecting our marriage and our spirit, soul and bodies is worth it all in the end.