The Bible does not explicitly mention masturbation, and Christians hold different views on whether it is sinful. Their blog and this site are resources some readers find helpful.
Definition
Masturbation is the stimulation of one’s own genitals for sexual pleasure. It is a topic Christians discuss and disagree about, without a single verse in Scripture that names it directly.
A Passage Often Brought Into the Discussion
Genesis 38:9-10 is sometimes cited in this debate, but it describes something different: Onan was struck down for deliberately avoiding his levirate-marriage duty to give his deceased brother’s widow offspring, not simply for a sex act on its own.
But Onan knew that the offspring would not belong to him; so whenever he would sleep with his brother’s wife, he would spill his seed on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put Onan to death as well. (Genesis 38:9-10)
Where Christians Differ
Because the Bible does not name masturbation directly, Christians reason from related passages, and land in different places:
One View: It Can Be Sinful
Some Christians hold that masturbation is typically tied to lustful thoughts, and point to Jesus’ teaching that lust itself is sin: “anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). On this view, the concern is less the physical act and more the lust that usually accompanies it.
Another View: It Is Not Inherently Sinful
Other Christians hold that the Bible’s sexual-immorality warnings, such as “flee from sexual immorality… you are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20), address sex outside marriage and exploitation of others, not private acts free of lust or another person’s involvement, and so do not settle the question either way.
Summary
Scripture does not mention masturbation by name, and sincere Christians disagree about how the Bible’s teaching on lust and sexual immorality applies to it. This page does not take a side between those views.