Does the Bible say anything about voyeurism?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible does not use the word “voyeurism,” but it addresses the same sin: secretly seeking sexual arousal and invading another person’s privacy. God set boundaries by forbidding the uncovering of nakedness outside marriage (Leviticus 18:6-18) and warning against coveting another’s spouse (Exodus 20:17).

Biblical accounts demonstrate how sinful looking can lead to immoral actions. David’s gaze at Bathsheba led to adultery (2 Samuel 11:2-4), and Ham’s look at Noah’s nakedness brought shame (Genesis 9:22-23). Because of this danger, we are called to guard our eyes and hearts (Proverbs 4:25; 6:25; 7:25), refusing to look at what belongs only within marriage.

Righteousness involves resisting sexual temptation. Job made a covenant with his eyes (Job 31:1), Jesus taught that lustful looks commit adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:28), and the apostles urged believers to pursue holiness and self-control (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; Ephesians 5:3-12). Scripture warns against the “desires of the eyes” (1 John 2:16) and calls us to live in purity (Romans 13:13-14).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Voyeurism is the secret pursuit of sexual arousal by watching someone who is naked or engaged in sexual activity without their consent or proper access. The Scriptures address this by considering nakedness as private and by establishing clear boundaries concerning what may be viewed sexually. The law’s repeated phrase about “uncovering nakedness” in Leviticus indicates that it should occur only within marriage, protecting both dignity and covenant faithfulness (Leviticus 18:6-18). From the beginning, the Bible teaches that the way we view others is part of sexual morality and cannot be separated from it as something permissible.
• A sobering example is David’s sin with Bathsheba. He secretly watched her bathe, which sparked sexual desire and swiftly led to physical adultery with her (2 Samuel 11:2-4). The consequences were severe, including David killing her husband (2 Samuel 11:14-17), losing the baby he conceived with her (2 Samuel 12:14, 18), and even seriously weakening the nation (2 Samuel 12:10).
• Another early example comes from Noah’s family. Ham saw his father’s nakedness and told others about it (Genesis 9:22-23). While the exact sin committed is debated, the passage shows that Ham’s gaze on his father’s nakedness was dishonorable. Respecting another person’s privacy, even when they are vulnerable, is shown as a basic act of love and honor.
• The tenth commandment goes beyond just outward actions like voyeurism by addressing inner desire. God told His people they should not covet their neighbor’s wife (Exodus 20:17). Coveting is the internal longing for what others have. When it involves someone’s wife, it often includes looking where one shouldn’t and imagining what cannot be seen externally. Voyeurism, then, is more than simple curiosity; it is a craving that invades someone else’s life and marriage. When that longing is acted upon, the eyes become willing accomplices in unfaithfulness.
• The Bible offers wisdom in this area. For example, Job said, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?” (Job 31:1), while Solomon warned, “Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes” (Proverbs 6:25). These verses teach us to be intentionally cautious about what we see to avoid both lust and the sin that naturally arises from inflamed desire.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In the New Testament, Jesus didn’t limit sexual ethics to physical acts; He addressed the root cause by saying, “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). In other words, voyeurism involves looking with lustful intent. It’s heart adultery that distorts how we see and treat others.
• The apostles called believers to a holy, self-controlled life that honors God with their bodies and eyes. Paul urged Christians to practice self-mastery and to pursue sanctification in sexual matters, avoiding passionate lust that treats people as objects (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7). He also told believers to flee sexual immorality because their bodies belong to the Lord and are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).
• John warned against “the desires of the eyes” (1 John 2:16), which is what voyeurism is. Secret sin thrives in the dark, but Paul said, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret (Ephesians 5:11-12). This means one is to bring his or her secret sins into the light as part of repentance and healing.
• Sexual ethics should also be viewed through the lens of love for one's neighbor and respect for those in the family of faith. For example, Paul instructed Timothy to treat younger women “as sisters, in all purity” (1 Timothy 5:2). Paul needed to stress this because each person is easily tempted to look at others in a way he or she should not.
• The gospel offers real hope for anyone trapped in any form of voyeurism. Paul reminded believers who were formerly “sexually immoral” that “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Receiving Jesus as Savior is the first step in breaking the bonds of all sin, including voyeurism.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

If you struggle with voyeurism, know that the Bible speaks clearly about it. God cares about your heart, your eyes, and the people you are tempted to treat as objects. Scripture leaves no room for this sin, so start with an honest confession to God, and turn to Jesus, who died and rose to forgive and cleanse those who come to Him (1 John 1:9; Romans 3:24-26). Don’t wait until you fix your sexual lust because you cannot do it on your own. Come to Christ as you are, trusting His mercy and power to make you new. Believe the good news and ask for the Holy Spirit’s help to walk rightly (Ephesians 5:8-11).

Once you are saved, ongoing repentance takes practical form. Become accountable for your sins to mature believers who will pray for and with (James 5:16). Remove easy access to temptation, set boundaries for media and devices, and replace old patterns of sin with grateful, wholehearted obedience by serving others, pursuing fellowship, and learning to see people as men and women who bear God’s image rather than viewing them as content for you to consume. If you are married, honor your spouse with honesty and pursue faithful intimacy with him or her. If you are single, seek contentment and self-control that reflect your identity in Christ.

UNDERSTAND

• Voyeurism is secretly watching someone who is naked or engaged in sexual activity for the purpose of sexual arousal.
• The Bible condemns uncovering others’ nakedness outside the bounds of marriage.
• Scripture teaches sexual purity for believers, which includes avoiding sins of the heart and mind.

REFLECT

• How do you ensure that you view other believers appropriately as brothers and sisters?
• How can you help a believing friend who struggles with sexual sin?
• How do you keep your thoughts pure?

ENGAGE

• How does the Christian view of sexual purity differ from the predominant cultural view?
• How can the church reach those who view sins of looking (voyeurism, pornography) as not really sins?
• How can we help each other to reject the culture’s sexual standards?