Heb 13:4

“But rather, he says, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently, lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel surrendered his birth-right; and lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." And then, as putting the finishing stroke to the question about marriage, he adds: "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."”

“According to the laws of the new covenant, the producing of children is certainly not forbidden, but the provisions are similar to those followed by the ancient men of God. "Now a bishop," says the Scripture, "must be the husband of one wife." Yet it is fitting that those in the priesthood and occupied in the service of God should abstain after ordination from the intercourse of marriage. To all who have not undertaken this wondrous priesthood, Scripture almost completely gives way, when it says, "Let marriage be held in honor, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterous."”

“A further interpretation of "he knew her not until she had borne a son" is that this holiness was of necessity, even though they both willingly shared in it. But the holiness they observed after the birth of our Lord was of their own free will.The Evangelist defined the nature of this necessity and showed us concerning its limit, that it was "until." … Should it be deduced from this therefore that he did not live with her chastely after she had given birth, since it is indicated "until"? But "until" is not the end limit. For he said, "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet." Therefore, when his enemies were put beneath his feet, did he stand up? Another interpretation of "he knew her not" follows. Is not marriage pure, according to the testimony of the apostle, "The fruit of their womb is pure"? But, if one were to say, "See, the brothers of our Lord are named in the Gospel," I would reply, "Because our Lord entrusted his mother Mary to John, it is clear that these are not her sons, nor is Joseph her husband." For how could he who said, "Honor your father and your mother," have separated Mary from her sons and entrusted her to John instead?”

“See how large is his discourse concerning chastity. "Follow peace," he said, "and holiness; Lest there be any fornicator or profane person" (c. xii. 14); and again, "Fornicators and adulterers God will judge." (c. xii. 16.) In every case, the prohibition is with a penalty. "Follow peace with all men," he says, "and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: But fornicators and adulterers God will judge." And having first set down "Marriage is honorable in all men, and the bed undefiled," he shows that he rightly added what follows. For if marriage has been conceded, justly is the fornicator punished, justly does the adulterer suffer vengeance. Here he strips for the heretics. He did not say again, Let no one be a fornicator; but having said it once for all, he then went on as with a general exhortation, and not as directing himself against them.”

“But let us see in what sense "Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled." Because (he means) it preserves the believer in chastity. Here he also alludes to the Jews, because they accounted the woman after childbirth polluted: and "whosoever comes from the bed," it is said, "is not clean." Those things are not polluted which arise from nature O ungrateful and senseless Jew, but those which arise from choice. For if "marriage is honorable" and pure, why forsooth dost thou think that one is even polluted by it?”

“Sometimes people who commit this sin treat it lightly out of heaven knows what kind of perversity. They hunt about for heaven knows what null and worthless proofs in their support, and say, "God does not mind the sins of the flesh." Well, what about what we have heard today, "God will judge the immoral and adulterous"? So there you are, pay attention, any of you afflicted with this sort of disease. Listen to what God is saying, not to what your own prejudice is saying in favor of your sins, or to your friend, perhaps, chained with the same shackles of wickedness as yourself—though in fact he is more your enemy and his own.”

“See how often he speaks about chastity. Above, when mentioning the holiness of marriage (Heb. 12:14), he spoke about this chastity, and again after this he speaks about adulterers and fornicators. Or: in all circumstances and at all times. Not only in affliction and not only in times of peace: not "honorable" in this respect only, and not in another, but let it be entirely honorable. Here also the heretics who slander marriage are put to shame. For behold, it is called honorable precisely because it is preserved in chastity. And here the prohibition of fornication is joined with the threat of punishment, for God judges, that is, will condemn. And naturally so. For if marriage is permitted, then the fornicator and adulterer is justly subjected to punishment.”

“Then (v. 4) he urges them to do good to themselves. In regard to this he does two things: first, he gives an admonition against the concupiscences of carnal pleasures; secondly, against coveting external things (v. 5). It should be noted that sin in regard to sex occurs in two ways: in one way by the illicit union of one married person with another; as to this he says, Let marriage be held in honor among all who would not be continent: not fornication. It is called honorable, when it takes place with all the circumstances owed to marriage. This shows that the marriage act can exist without sin; which is against certain heretics: 'If a virgin marry, she does not sin' (1 Cor. 7:28). Hence, to show that the marriage act is good, the Lord performed His first sign during a marriage and ennobled marriage by His bodily presence and willed to be born of a married woman. In another way by violating the marriage bed, as when a husband approaches another man's wife, or a woman another's husband. In regard to this he says, and the marriage bed undefiled: 'So that now they neither keep life, nor marriage undefiled, but one kills another through envy, or grieves him by adultery' (Wis. 14:24); 'Happy is the barren, and the undefiled that has not known bed in sin; she shall have fruit in the visitation of holy souls' (Wis. 3:13). Then the Apostle adds the reason when he says: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. In this he escapes the error of those who say that God neither punishes nor is concerned about carnal sins: 'Let no man deceive you with vain words. For because of these things (namely, because of carnal sins) the anger of God comes upon the children of unbelief' (Eph. 5:6). Therefore, he says, fornicators, on account of which he said, marriage honorable; and adulterers on account of which he said, and the bed undefiled; God will judge, i.e., condemn: 'No fornicator or unclean or covetous person (which is a serving of idols) has inheritance in the kingdom of God and of Christ' (Eph. 5:5).”

“These things the laws have forbidden, but they have honoured marriage, and have called it blessed, since God has blessed it who joined male and female together. And wise Solomon somewhere says: "A wife is suited to her husband by the Lord." And David says: "Thy wife is like a flourishing vine in the sides of thine house; thy children like olive-branches round about thy table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord." Wherefore "marriage is honourable" and comely, and the begetting of children pure, for there is no evil in that which is good.”

“"Marriage is honorable in all things." How much indeed is the discourse about moderation! For also earlier, recalling sanctification, Paul spoke about this, and again after this he will speak about prostitutes and adulterers. Therefore, in all things, that is, not honorable in this part and not in another, but entirely throughout honorable and unblemished, let it be. In all ways and at all times; not in distress, but in ease let it not be. "but God will judge fornicators and adulterers." And here, along with punishments, is the prohibition of fornication and adultery. For God will judge, or rather condemn. And rightly so. For if marriage is permitted, and it is lawful to fulfill desire without sin, what excuse will there be for adulterers and fornicators?”

“For he who covets for himself these things so great and excellent, withdraws and severs himself on this account from all the world, that he may go and live a life divine and heavenly, like the holy angels, in work pure and holy, and "in the holiness of the Spirit of God," [2 Thessalonians 2:13] and that he may serve God Almighty through Jesus Christ for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. On this account he severs himself from all the appetites of the body. And not only does he excuse himself from this command, "Be fruitful, and multiply," but he longs for the "hope promised" and prepared "and laid up in heaven" [Colossians 1:5] by God, who has declared with His mouth, and He does not lie, that it is "better than sons and daughters," [Isaiah 56:4-5] and that He will give to virgins a notable place in the house of God, which is something "better than sons and daughters," and better than the place of those who have passed a wedded life in sanctity, and whose "bed has not been defiled." [Hebrews 13:4] For God will give to virgins the kingdom of heaven, as to the holy angels, by reason of this great and noble profession.”