Fornication or Adultery? How the Two Words Differ
In short
Adultery is sex in which at least one partner is married to someone else; fornication is sex between people not married to each other. South Carolina's code still draws exactly that line. Some older laws turned on the woman's status alone. In the King James Bible, fornication can also be a wider term covering adultery.
What the full article will cover
- How do dictionaries distinguish fornication from adultery?
- How do state laws define each offense?
- Why did some laws depend on the woman's marital status?
- How does the Bible use the two words?
- Which is treated more seriously?
Frequently asked questions
- Is adultery still a crime in some states?
- Can a single person commit adultery?
- Does the Bible treat fornication and adultery as the same sin?
Sources
- merriam-webster.com — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fornication
- law.cornell.edu — https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fornication
- scstatehouse.gov — https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c015.php
General information, not legal or religious advice.