Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 13:4

"[Let] marriage [be] had in honor among all, and [let] the bed [be] undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge." — Hebrews 13:4 (ASV)

Marriage is honourable in all. The object here is to state that honor is to be shown to the marriage relation. It is not to be undervalued by the pretense of the superior purity of a state of celibacy, as if marriage were improper for any class of men or any condition of life; and it should not be dishonored by any violation of the marriage contract.

The course of things has shown that there was abundant reason for the apostle to assert, with emphasis, that "marriage was an honorable condition of life." There has been a constant effort made to show that celibacy was a more holy state; that there was something in marriage that rendered it dishonorable for those who were in the ministry and for those of either sex who would be eminently pure.

This sentiment has been the cause of more abomination in the world than any other single opinion claiming to have a religious sanction. It is one of the supports on which the Papal system rests and has been one of the principal upholders of all the corruptions in monasteries and nunneries. The apostle asserts, without any restriction or qualification, that marriage is honourable in all; and this proves that it is lawful for the ministers of religion to marry and that the whole doctrine of the superior purity of a state of celibacy is false (see this subject examined in the commentary on 1 Corinthians 7).

And the bed undefiled. This refers to fidelity to the marriage vow. But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. This means that all licentiousness of life and all violations of the marriage covenant will be severely punished by God (see the commentary on 1 Corinthians 6:9).

The sins referred to here prevailed everywhere, and for this reason, there was all the more reason for the frequent and solemn injunctions to avoid them that we find in the Scriptures.