Skip to main content

My spouse cheated on me - what do I do now

The pain of adultery is one of the deepest wounds Scripture acknowledges - God himself uses the language of betrayal to describe how unfaithfulness feels (Jeremiah 3:20). First: your grief and anger are not sinful.

Jesus named adultery as legitimate grounds for divorce (Matthew 19:9), so whatever you decide next, you are not trapped, and you have not failed by being sinned against. Some marriages are rebuilt after adultery through genuine repentance, honesty, and often a wise counselor; others end, and God's grace covers both roads.

Do not make the decision alone or in the first fog of shock - bring in a trusted pastor or counselor (Proverbs 11:14). And hear this clearly: the betrayal was not your fault, and God is near to you in it - 'The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart' (Psalm 34:18).

Want to talk it through? Ask a follow-up →

From Bible Navigator's study library. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (public domain). This is encouragement for study and reflection, not professional counseling - if you are in crisis, call or text 988.

popup on entity pages that appear in the graph. -->