adultery is a word used in religious texts like exodus 20:14. adultery applies to a married person having sex with someone other than the person who they are married to. in countries where religion is important, adultery often comes with a heavy punishment. some muslim countries punish it with death by stoning. in most countries adultery is no longer a crime, but most people still see it as a bad thing.(see gospel of john 8) if a person who is married takes part in adultery, that person's husband or wife would usually have the right to be able to go to court to divorce them.