39 Bible Verses about Marriage

"The kingdom from heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.

But I say to you, any man who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

(Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they will become one flesh.)

To married people I give this command (not really I, but the Lord): A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. Likewise, a husband must not abandon his wife.

That's why "a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife,

Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate."

Let marriage be kept honorable in every way, and the marriage bed undefiled. For God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.

Ministers must be husbands of one wife and must manage their children and their families well.

Whoever finds a wife finds what is good, and receives favor from the LORD.

Take wives and father sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so they may have sons and daughters. Increase in numbers there, don't decrease.

Therefore, I want younger widows to remarry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them.

"When a man is newly married, he must not be sent out to war or have a related duty placed on him. Let him stay home for one year and be happy with his wife whom he has married.

Husbands, love your wives as the Messiah loved the church and gave himself for it,

In a similar way, you husbands must live with your wives in an understanding manner, as with a most delicate partner. Honor them as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing may interfere with your prayers.

Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

Drink water from your own cistern, and fresh water from your own well. Should your springs flow outside, or streams of water in the street? They should be for you alone and not for strangers who are with you. read more.
Let your fountain be blessed and enjoy the wife of your youth. Like a loving deer, a beautiful doe, let her breasts satisfy you all the time. Be constantly intoxicated by her love. Why should you be intoxicated by an adulteress, my son, and embrace the bosom of a foreign woman?

"Return, unfaithful people," declares the LORD, "for I am your husband. I'll take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I'll bring you to Zion.

For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of the Heavenly Armies is his name, and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of the whole earth.

"For just as a young man marries a maiden, so your sons will marry you; and just as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.

Let us rejoice, be glad, and give him glory, because the marriage of the lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready.

"While they were away buying it, the groom arrived. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was closed.

"The land you are entering to possess is a morally unclean land due to the moral uncleanness of the nations of the lands along with their abominations that has filled it from one end to the other with their impurities. So, therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor marry their daughters to your sons, and under no circumstances are you to seek their well-being or their wealth, so that you may remain strong, enjoying the best things the land has to give, and so that you may establish an inheritance for your children forever.'

After these things occurred, certain officials approached me and said "The people of Israel, the priests, and the descendants of Levi have not separated themselves from the people of the lands or from the detestable behavior of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites, because they and their sons have married foreign women. As a result, the holy people have mingled themselves among the nations of these lands. As a matter of fact, the senior officials and the rulers have been foremost in this sin."

"You are not to take any of their daughters for your sons. Otherwise, when their daughters prostitute themselves with their gods, they may cause your sons to prostitute themselves with their gods.

You are not to intermarry with them. You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons, because they will turn your children from me to serve other gods so that the LORD's anger blazes against you and swiftly destroys you by fire.

but Eleazar died having no sons, but only daughters. Their relatives (the descendants of Kish) married them.

At that time I also noticed that Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. Furthermore, their children spoke half of the time in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of Judah. Instead, they spoke in the languages of various nations. So I rebuked them, cursed them, struck some of their men, tore out their hair, and made them take this oath in the name of God: "You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. read more.
Didn't Solomon, king of Israel, sin by doing these things, even though among many nations there was no king like him who was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel? Even so, foreign women caused him to sin. Should we listen to you and do all of this terrible evil by transgressing against our God to marry foreign wives?"

After these things occurred, certain officials approached me and said "The people of Israel, the priests, and the descendants of Levi have not separated themselves from the people of the lands or from the detestable behavior of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites, because they and their sons have married foreign women. As a result, the holy people have mingled themselves among the nations of these lands. As a matter of fact, the senior officials and the rulers have been foremost in this sin."

"When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, he will drive out many nations before you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations who are more numerous and stronger than you. So when the LORD your God delivers them to you and you have defeated them, then utterly destroy them. You are not to make any covenant with them nor be gracious to them. You are not to intermarry with them. You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons, read more.
because they will turn your children from me to serve other gods so that the LORD's anger blazes against you and swiftly destroys you by fire.

Many years later, after the LORD had given peace between Israel and all its surrounding enemies, and after Joshua had become very old, Joshua called together all Israel, including their leaders, officials, judges, and tribal officers. He told them, "I am old now after having lived many years. You have seen everything that the LORD your God has done to all of these nations on your behalf, because it has been the LORD your God who has been fighting on your behalf. read more.
Now look, I have allocated these nations that remain as an inheritance for your tribes, including all of the nations that I have eliminated, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea to the west. The LORD your God will expel them in front of you, driving them out of your sight. You will take possession of this land, just as the LORD your God promised you. Stand very strong, then, so you can obey and carry out everything written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning neither to the right nor to the left of it. That way, you will not mingle with those nations that remain among you, nor mention the name of their gods, nor make oaths by them, nor serve them, nor worship them. Instead, you are to hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done today, because the LORD has expelled great and strong nations ahead of you. Now as for you, not a single man has been able to oppose you right to this day. A single man makes a thousand flee, because the LORD your God is the one who is fighting for you, just as he promised you. "So be very diligent to love the LORD your God, because if you ever turn back and cling to those who remain of these nations by intermarrying with them and associating one with another,

Jehiel's son Shecaniah, one of Elam's descendants, responded to Ezra: "We have sinned against our God by marrying foreign wives from the people of the land, but even now there is hope in Israel, despite this. So let's make a promise to our God by which we divorce all of these foreign wives as well as those born to them in accordance with the counsel of our Lord and of those who tremble at our God's command. Furthermore, let it be done according to the Law.

At that time I also noticed that Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. Furthermore, their children spoke half of the time in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of Judah. Instead, they spoke in the languages of various nations. So I rebuked them, cursed them, struck some of their men, tore out their hair, and made them take this oath in the name of God: "You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. read more.
Didn't Solomon, king of Israel, sin by doing these things, even though among many nations there was no king like him who was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel? Even so, foreign women caused him to sin. Should we listen to you and do all of this terrible evil by transgressing against our God to marry foreign wives?"

But King Solomon married many foreign women besides the daughter of Pharaoh: women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidonia, along with Hittite women, too, all of them from nations that the LORD had ordered the Israelis, "You are not to associate with them and they are not to associate with you, because they will most certainly turn your affections away to follow their gods." Solomon became deeply attached to them by falling in love. He had 700 princess wives and 300 mistresses who turned his heart away from the LORD, read more.
because as Solomon grew older, his wives turned his affections away after other gods, and his heart was not fully as devoted to the LORD his God as his father David's heart had been. Solomon pursued Astarte, the Sidonian goddess, and Milcom, that detestable Ammonite idol. Solomon practiced what the LORD considered to be evil by not fully following the LORD, as had his father David. Later, Solomon even constructed a high place on the mountain east of Jerusalem that was dedicated to Chemosh, that detestable Moabite idol, and to Molech, the detestable Ammonite idol. Solomon did this for all of his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their own gods.

Obey what I am commanding you today and I'll drive out from before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. "Be very careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you are going, so they won't be a snare among you. Rather, you are to tear down their altars, you are to smash their sacred pillars, and you are to cut down their sacred poles read more.
indeed, you are not to bow down in worship to any other god, because the LORD's name is Jealous he's a jealous God Otherwise, you may make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and when they prostitute themselves with their gods and offer sacrifices to their gods, someone may invite you and then you may eat some of their sacrifices. "You are not to take any of their daughters for your sons. Otherwise, when their daughters prostitute themselves with their gods, they may cause your sons to prostitute themselves with their gods.

"When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, he will drive out many nations before you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations who are more numerous and stronger than you. So when the LORD your God delivers them to you and you have defeated them, then utterly destroy them. You are not to make any covenant with them nor be gracious to them. You are not to intermarry with them. You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons, read more.
because they will turn your children from me to serve other gods so that the LORD's anger blazes against you and swiftly destroys you by fire.

Judah has become unfaithful, and a detestable thing was committed in Israel and Jerusalem. Indeed, Judah profaned the Holy Place of the LORD, which he loves, and married a daughter of a foreign god. May the LORD exclude from the community of Jacob any man who does this, whoever he may be, even though he brings offerings to the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "This is another thing you do: you flood the altar of the LORD with tears, weeping and wailing because he no longer pays attention to your offering nor takes pleasure in it from your hand.

"The land you are entering to possess is a morally unclean land due to the moral uncleanness of the nations of the lands along with their abominations that has filled it from one end to the other with their impurities. So, therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor marry their daughters to your sons, and under no circumstances are you to seek their well-being or their wealth, so that you may remain strong, enjoying the best things the land has to give, and so that you may establish an inheritance for your children forever.'

Later, Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, instructing him, "Don't marry a wife from the local Canaanite women.

So I rebuked them, cursed them, struck some of their men, tore out their hair, and made them take this oath in the name of God: "You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

You are not to intermarry with them. You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons,

because if you ever turn back and cling to those who remain of these nations by intermarrying with them and associating one with another,

You know that your bodies belong to the Messiah, don't you? Should I take what belongs to the Messiah and unite them with a prostitute? Certainly not! You know that the person who unites himself with a prostitute becomes one body with her, don't you? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."

(Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they will become one flesh.)

He answered them, "Haven't you read that the one who made them at the beginning "made them male and female' and said, "That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate."

But from the beginning of creation, "God made them male and female.' That's why "a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they're no longer two, but one flesh. read more.
Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate."

In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, as the Messiah does the church. For we are parts of his body of his flesh and of his bones. read more.
"That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh."

But I say to you, any man who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

(Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they will become one flesh.)

To married people I give this command (not really I, but the Lord): A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. Likewise, a husband must not abandon his wife.

That's why "a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife,

Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate."

But I say to you, any man who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

(Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they will become one flesh.)

To married people I give this command (not really I, but the Lord): A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. Likewise, a husband must not abandon his wife.

That's why "a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife,

Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate."

Let marriage be kept honorable in every way, and the marriage bed undefiled. For God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.

Ministers must be husbands of one wife and must manage their children and their families well.

Whoever finds a wife finds what is good, and receives favor from the LORD.

Take wives and father sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so they may have sons and daughters. Increase in numbers there, don't decrease.

Therefore, I want younger widows to remarry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them.

"Return, unfaithful people," declares the LORD, "for I am your husband. I'll take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I'll bring you to Zion.

For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of the Heavenly Armies is his name, and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of the whole earth.

Let us rejoice, be glad, and give him glory, because the marriage of the lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. She has been given the privilege of wearing fine linen, dazzling and pure." (The fine linen represents the righteous deeds of the saints.) Then the angel told me, "Write this: "How blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb!'" He also told me, "These are the true words of God."

It won't be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. They broke my covenant, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.

I will make you my wife forever I will make you my wife in a way that is righteous, in a manner that is just, by a love that is gracious, and by a motive that is mercy. I will make you my wife because of my faithfulness, and you will know the LORD.

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord.

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is appropriate for those who belong to the Lord.

Now about what you asked: "Is it advisable for a man not to marry?" Because sexual immorality is so rampant, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband. A husband should fulfill his obligation to his wife, and a wife should do the same for her husband.

In a similar way, you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands so that, even if some of them refuse to obey the word, they may be won over without a word through your conduct as wives when they see your pure and reverent lives. Your beauty should not be an external one, consisting of braided hair or the wearing of gold ornaments and dresses. read more.
Instead, it should be the inner disposition of the heart, consisting in the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which God values greatly. After all, this is how holy women who set their hope on God used to make themselves beautiful in the past. They submitted themselves to their husbands, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. You have become her daughters by doing good and by not letting anything terrify you.

"When two brothers are living together and one of them dies without leaving a son, his widow must not be married outside the family to a foreigner. Instead, the brother-in-law must go to her, take her as his wife, and by doing so perform the duty of a brother-in-law. The firstborn whom she will bear will continue the name of the dead brother, so his name will not be erased from Israel. But if the man does not want to marry his brother's widow, then she must go to the elders at the city gate and declare, "My husband's brother refuses to perform the duty of a brother-in-law in order to preserve the name of his brother in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law.' read more.
Then the elders of the city are to summon him and speak with him. If he insists on saying, "I don't want to marry her,' then she is to approach her brother-in-law in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal, spit in his face, and say in response, "May this be done to the man who does not preserve the lineage of his brother.' Then his family name in Israel will be known as "the family of the one whose sandal was removed.'"

"Teacher, Moses said, "If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for his brother.'

and asked him, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no child, the man should marry the widow and have children for his brother.

So Judah instructed Onan, "You are to have sexual relations with your dead brother's wife, performing the duty of a brother-in-law with her, and have offspring for your brother."

After this, Judah told his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Go live as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up." But he was really thinking, ""otherwise, Shelah might die like his brothers." So Tamar left and lived in her father's house.

I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

"It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.' But I say to you, any man who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

So he told them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."

Any man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."

Don't you realize, brothers for I am speaking to people who know the Law that the Law can press its claims over a person only as long as he is alive? For a married woman is bound by the Law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the Law concerning her husband. So while her husband is living, she will be called an adulterer if she lives with another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from this Law, so that she is not an adulterer if she marries another man.

as a promise to the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you won't acquire a wife for my son from the Canaanite women among whom I'm living.

Meanwhile, Shechem's father Hamor arrived to talk to Jacob.

But Hamor said this: "My son is deeply attracted to your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.

When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, "Blessed be the LORD who has judged the dispute over my insult at the hand of Nabal, and has held back his servant from evil. The LORD has repaid Nabal's wickedness." Then David sent word to Abigail that he would take her as his wife. David's servants went to Abigail at Carmel and told her, "David sent us to you to take you to him as his wife."

Therefore, I want younger widows to remarry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them.

Because sexual immorality is so rampant, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband.

But if you do get married, you have not sinned. And if a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. However, these people will experience trouble in this life, and I want to spare you from that.

"Teacher, Moses said, "If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for his brother.'

"When two brothers are living together and one of them dies without leaving a son, his widow must not be married outside the family to a foreigner. Instead, the brother-in-law must go to her, take her as his wife, and by doing so perform the duty of a brother-in-law.

He asked her, "Who are you?" She answered, "I'm only Ruth, your servant. Spread the edge of your garment over your servant, because you are my related redeemer."

along with Mahlon's wife Ruth the Moabite woman. I will marry her to continue the family name as an inheritance, so that the name of the deceased does not disappear from among his relatives, nor from the public record. You are all witnesses today!"

During the reign of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

A man of the family of Levi married the daughter of a descendant of Levi.

This is what the LORD is commanding the daughters of Zelophehad: If they decide it's a good idea in their opinion to get married only within the family of their father's tribe, then let them get married so that the inheritance of the Israelis won't be turned over from one tribe to another. Each one has an inheritance from his own father's tribe that the Israelis are to maintain. Every daughter who is in possession of an inheritance from the Israelis is to marry someone from the families within her father's tribe so the Israelis can retain possession of their ancestral inheritance. read more.
That way, their inheritance won't be turned over from one tribe to another, because the Israelis are each to maintain their ancestral inheritances." Zelophehad's daughters did just what the LORD had commanded Moses for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah: Zelophehad's daughters married their uncle's sons. They married into families of the descendants of Manasseh, that is, Joseph's descendants, so that their inheritance remained within the tribe of their ancestor's family. These were the commands and the ordinances that the LORD issued to the Israelis through Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River in Jericho.

She got up, prostrated herself face down on the ground, and replied, "Your servant would be a slave to wash the feet of your majesty's servants."

But they said, "We'll call the young lady and see what she has to say about this." So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you want to go with this man?" "I will go," she replied.

Saul's daughter Michal loved David. Saul was informed of this and he liked the idea.

No matter how big or how extensive your demands are for a dowry and wedding presents from me, I'll provide whatever you ask. Only give me the young lady to be my wife."

Jacob loved Rachel, so he made this offer to Laban: "I'll serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."

David got up, went out with his men, and struck down 200 Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and gave them all to the king so he could become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife. As Saul continued to observe, he realized that the LORD was with David and that Saul's daughter Michal loved him.

Then some Sadducees, who claim there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no child, he should marry the widow and have children for his brother. There were seven brothers. The first one married and died without having children. read more.
Then the second married her and died without having children, and so did the third. None of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died, too. In the resurrection, whose wife will she be, since all seven had married her?" Jesus answered them, "Aren't you mistaken because you don't know the Scriptures or God's power? When people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, haven't you read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!"

That same day some Sadducees, who claim there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him, "Teacher, Moses said, "If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for his brother.' Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his widow to his brother. read more.
The same thing happened with the second brother, and then the third, and finally with the rest of the brothers. Finally, the woman died, too. Now in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be, since all of them had married her?" Jesus answered them, "You are mistaken because you don't know the Scriptures or God's power, because in the resurrection, people neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven. As for the resurrection from the dead, haven't you read what was spoken to you by God when he said, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

Now some Sadducees, who claim there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no child, the man should marry the widow and have children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died childless. read more.
Then the second and the third married her. In the same way, all seven died and left no children. Finally, the woman died, too. Now in the resurrection, whose wife will the woman be, since the seven had married her?" Jesus told them, "Those who belong to this age marry and are married, but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Nor can they die anymore, because they are like the angels and, since they share in the resurrection, are God's children. Even Moses demonstrated in the story about the bush that the dead are raised, when he calls the Lord, "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, because he considers all people to be alive to him."

For a married woman is bound by the Law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the Law concerning her husband. So while her husband is living, she will be called an adulterer if she lives with another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from this Law, so that she is not an adulterer if she marries another man.

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate."

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.

Then Samson went down in the direction of Timnah with his father and mother and arrived as far as the vineyards of Timnah. And surprise! a young lion came roaring at him!

And is there a man here who is engaged to a woman and has not yet married her? Let him go back home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man marry her.'

Then he went down and talked to the woman, and she looked fine to Samson. When he came back later to marry her, he turned aside to observe the lion's carcass. Amazingly, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, complete with honey.

In the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem I'll bring an end to the sound of gladness and rejoicing, to the sounds of the bridegroom and bride, for the land will become a wasteland."

For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: "In this place I'm about to bring an end to the sounds of happiness and rejoicing, the sounds of the bridegroom and the bride. I'll do it in front of your eyes and in your time.

I'll destroy the sounds of gladness and rejoicing from them, the sounds of the bridegroom and the bride, the sound of the hand mill and also the light of the lamp.

Then the servant brought out some silver and gold items, along with some clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave gifts to her brother and to her mother.

So I bought her back for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and one and a half omers of barley.

No matter how big or how extensive your demands are for a dowry and wedding presents from me, I'll provide whatever you ask. Only give me the young lady to be my wife."

then the man who raped her must give 50 shekels of silver to the girl's father. Furthermore, he must marry her. Because he had violated her, he is to not divorce her as long as he lives.

Saul said, "This is what you are to tell David, "The king desires no bride price except 100 Philistine foreskins to take vengeance on the king's enemies.'" Now Saul thought he would cause David to die at the hand of the Philistines.

Meanwhile, Shechem's father Hamor arrived to talk to Jacob.

But Hamor said this: "My son is deeply attracted to your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.

So now, if you wish to show gracious love and truth toward my master, tell me so. But if not, tell me, so that I may go elsewhere." "Since this has come from the LORD," Laban and Bethuel both replied, "we cannot speak one way or another. So here's Rebekah she's right in front of you. Take her and go, so she can become a wife for your master's son, just as the LORD has decreed."

So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.

Later on, when his father went down to visit the woman, Samson threw a party there, since young men customarily did this.

"The kingdom from heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding, but they refused to come.

Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant.

So they sent off their sister Rebekah, along with her personal assistant, Abraham's servant, and his men.

Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant.

"I am the daughter of Bethuel," she answered. "He's the son of Milcah and Nahor.

Instead, get up, travel to Paddan-aram, and visit the household of Bethuel, your mother's father. Marry one of Laban's daughters, since he's your mother's brother.

Besides, she really is my sister she's my father's daughter, but not my mother's daughter so she could become my wife.

"Return, unfaithful people," declares the LORD, "for I am your husband. I'll take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I'll bring you to Zion.

For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of the Heavenly Armies is his name, and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of the whole earth.

I will make you my wife forever I will make you my wife in a way that is righteous, in a manner that is just, by a love that is gracious, and by a motive that is mercy. I will make you my wife because of my faithfulness, and you will know the LORD.

So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.

The king put on a great banquet for all his officials and ministers to honor Esther. He declared a holiday for the provinces and gave generous gifts.

"Let me tell you a riddle," Samson told them. "If you can solve it during this week-long festival, I'll give you 30 linen garments and 30 formal garments.

"When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked him, "Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' But the man was speechless.

Whoever finds a wife finds what is good, and receives favor from the LORD.

Now concerning virgins, although I do not have any command from the Lord, I will give you my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. In view of the present crisis, I think it is prudent for a man to stay as he is. Have you become committed to a wife? Stop trying to get released from your commitment. Have you been freed from your commitment to a wife? Stop looking for one. read more.
But if you do get married, you have not sinned. And if a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. However, these people will experience trouble in this life, and I want to spare you from that. This is what I mean, brothers: The time is short. From now on, those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they did not mourn, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they did not own a thing, and those who use the things in the world as though they were not dependent on them. For the world in its present form is passing away. I want you to be free from concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, that is, about how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about things of this world, that is, about how he can please his wife, and so his attention is divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, that is, about how she can please her husband. I'm saying this for your benefit, not to put a noose around your necks, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord. If a man thinks he is not behaving properly toward his virgin, and if his passion is so strong that he feels he ought to marry her, let him do what he wants; he isn't sinning. Let them get married. However, if a man stands firm in his resolve, feels no necessity, and has made up his mind to keep her a virgin, he will be acting appropriately. So then the man who marries the virgin acts appropriately, but the man who refrains from marriage does even better.

"When a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and has sexual relations with her, he must pay her bride price, and she is to become his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he is to pay an amount equal to the bride price for virgins.

But I say this as a concession, not as a command. I would like everyone to be unmarried, like I am. However, each person has a special gift from God, one this and another that. I say to those who are unmarried, especially to widows: It is good for them to remain like me. read more.
However, if they cannot control themselves, they should get married, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Don't you realize, brothers for I am speaking to people who know the Law that the Law can press its claims over a person only as long as he is alive? For a married woman is bound by the Law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the Law concerning her husband. So while her husband is living, she will be called an adulterer if she lives with another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from this Law, so that she is not an adulterer if she marries another man.

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord. However, in my opinion she will be happier if she stays as she is. And in saying this, I think that I, too, have God's Spirit.

This is a great secret, but I am talking about the Messiah and the church.

For the husband is the head of his wife as the Messiah is the head of the church. It is he who is the Savior of the body. Indeed, just as the church is submissive to the Messiah, so wives must be submissive to their husbands in everything.

So I bought her back for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and one and a half omers of barley.

Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her.

Jacob fled into the land of Aram; Israel served there to obtain his wife, tending sheep to gain his wife.

along with Mahlon's wife Ruth the Moabite woman. I will marry her to continue the family name as an inheritance, so that the name of the deceased does not disappear from among his relatives, nor from the public record. You are all witnesses today!"

They asked him, "Why, then, did Moses order us "to give a certificate of divorce and divorce her'?" He told them, "It was because of your hardness of heart that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning it was not this way.

"If a man chooses to enter into marriage with a woman, but she finds herself displeasing to him because he has found something objectionable about her, he must draw up divorce papers, hand them to her, and then send her out of his house.

"Teacher, Moses said, "If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for his brother.'

"When two brothers are living together and one of them dies without leaving a son, his widow must not be married outside the family to a foreigner. Instead, the brother-in-law must go to her, take her as his wife, and by doing so perform the duty of a brother-in-law.

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as his own life, he can't be my disciple.

In fact, everyone who has left his homes, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

"Your own blood brother, your son, your daughter, your beloved wife, or your friend who is like your soul mate may entice you quietly. He may tell you, "Let's go and serve other gods,' (whom neither you nor your ancestors have known from the gods of the people that surround you whether near or far from you from one end of the earth to the other). You must not yield to him, listen to him, look with pity on him, show compassion to him, or even cover up for him. read more.
But you must surely execute him. You must be the first to put him to death with your own hand, and then the hands of the whole community. Stone him to death, because he sought to lure you from the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the land of slavery.

You are not to intermarry with them. You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons,

If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he is to pay an amount equal to the bride price for virgins.

So Abraham instructed his servant, who was the oldest member of his household and in charge of everything he owned, "Make this solemn oath to me

Later, Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, instructing him, "Don't marry a wife from the local Canaanite women. Instead, get up, travel to Paddan-aram, and visit the household of Bethuel, your mother's father. Marry one of Laban's daughters, since he's your mother's brother.

But King Solomon married many foreign women besides the daughter of Pharaoh: women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidonia, along with Hittite women, too,

At that time I also noticed that Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

"At that time, seven women will cling tightly to one man and will make him this offer: "We'll provide our own bread. We'll provide our own clothes. Just let us marry you so we won't be stigmatized anymore.'"

For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: "In this place I'm about to bring an end to the sounds of happiness and rejoicing, the sounds of the bridegroom and the bride. I'll do it in front of your eyes and in your time.

So he said, "Go!" He sent her away for two months. She left with her friends and cried there on the mountains because she would never marry.

Esau realized that Canaan women didn't please his father Isaac,

Then he returned and told his father and mother, "In Timnah I saw a woman of Philistine origin." He ordered them, "Get her for me as a wife. Now!" His father and mother asked him, "Isn't there a woman suitable among the daughters of your relatives or among all of our people, since you're going to get your wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?"

Then all of the assembled people, including the elders who were there, said, "We are witnesses! May the LORD make this woman who enters your house like Rachel and Leah, who together established the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrathah, and may you excel in Bethlehem! Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore for Judah, from the offspring that the LORD gives you from this young woman."

As they were leaving, they all blessed Rebekah by saying, "Our sister, may you become the mother of tens of millions! May your descendants take over the city gates of those who hate them."

"The land you are entering to possess is a morally unclean land due to the moral uncleanness of the nations of the lands along with their abominations that has filled it from one end to the other with their impurities. So, therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor marry their daughters to your sons, and under no circumstances are you to seek their well-being or their wealth, so that you may remain strong, enjoying the best things the land has to give, and so that you may establish an inheritance for your children forever.'

You are not to intermarry with them. You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons,

"I will heartily rejoice in the LORD, my soul will delight in my God; for he has wrapped me in garments of salvation; he has arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, just like a bridegroom, like a priest with a garland, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Lift up your eyes and look around they have all gathered together and are coming to you. "As surely as I live," says the LORD, "you will clothe yourself with all of them like ornaments, and tie them on like a bride.

But King Solomon married many foreign women besides the daughter of Pharaoh: women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidonia, along with Hittite women, too,

He had 700 princess wives and 300 mistresses who turned his heart away from the LORD,

Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of Milcah and Iscah.

But God came to Abimelech in a dream during the night and spoke to him, "Pay attention! You're about to die, because the woman you have taken is a man's wife!"

Please say that you are my sister, so things will go well for me for your sake. That way, you'll be saving my life."

Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such great sin against me and my kingdom? You've done things to me that ought not to have been done." Abimelech also asked Abraham, "What could you have been thinking when you did this?" "I thought that there's no fear of God in this place," Abraham replied, "and that they would kill me because of my wife. read more.
Besides, she really is my sister she's my father's daughter, but not my mother's daughter so she could become my wife. When God caused me to journey from my father's house, I asked her to do me this favor and say, "He's my brother.'" So Abimelech took some sheep and oxen, and some male and female servants, gave them to Abraham, returned his wife Sarah to him, and said, "Look! My land is available to you, so settle wherever you please." Abimelech also told Sarah, "Look! I am giving your brother 1,000 pieces of silver to vindicate you in the eyes of all who are with you. As a result, you will be completely vindicated."

God blessed Noah and his sons and ordered them, "Be productive, multiply, and fill the earth.

God blessed the humans by saying to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it! Be masters over the fish in the ocean, the birds that fly, and every living thing that crawls on the earth!"

It is the bridegroom who gets the bride, yet the bridegroom's friend, who merely stands by and listens for him, is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom's voice. That's why this joy of mine is now complete.

the sounds of rejoicing and gladness, the sounds of the bridegroom and the bride, and the sounds of those saying, "Give thanks to the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, for the LORD is good, and his gracious love lasts forever," as they bring thanksgiving offerings to the LORD's Temple. For I'll restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,' declares the LORD.

"I'll place hostility between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring. He'll strike you on the head, and you'll strike him on the heel."

Later, Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have given birth to a male child the LORD."

"Did all of you see this man coming up?" one Israeli asked. "He comes up to defy Israel, and the king will richly reward the man who kills him. He will give his daughter to him and will make his father's house tax free in Israel."

Caleb announced, "I'll give my daughter Achsah in marriage to whomever leads the attack against Kiriath-sepher and captures it."

David got up, went out with his men, and struck down 200 Philistine men. David brought their foreskins and gave them all to the king so he could become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife.

Now about what you asked: "Is it advisable for a man not to marry?" Because sexual immorality is so rampant, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband.

Jesus answered them, "You are mistaken because you don't know the Scriptures or God's power, because in the resurrection, people neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven.

Jesus answered them, "Aren't you mistaken because you don't know the Scriptures or God's power? When people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven.

It is the bridegroom who gets the bride, yet the bridegroom's friend, who merely stands by and listens for him, is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom's voice. That's why this joy of mine is now complete.

When they saw him, they brought 30 companions to accompany him.

someone who abandoned the companion of her youth and forgot the covenant of her God.

"Grieve like a virgin, who, dressed in her mourner's clothes, cries out in memory of the man she was going to marry.

Now concerning virgins, although I do not have any command from the Lord, I will give you my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. In view of the present crisis, I think it is prudent for a man to stay as he is. Have you become committed to a wife? Stop trying to get released from your commitment. Have you been freed from your commitment to a wife? Stop looking for one. read more.
But if you do get married, you have not sinned. And if a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. However, these people will experience trouble in this life, and I want to spare you from that. This is what I mean, brothers: The time is short. From now on, those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they did not mourn, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they did not own a thing, and those who use the things in the world as though they were not dependent on them. For the world in its present form is passing away. I want you to be free from concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, that is, about how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about things of this world, that is, about how he can please his wife, and so his attention is divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, that is, about how she can please her husband. I'm saying this for your benefit, not to put a noose around your necks, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord. If a man thinks he is not behaving properly toward his virgin, and if his passion is so strong that he feels he ought to marry her, let him do what he wants; he isn't sinning. Let them get married. However, if a man stands firm in his resolve, feels no necessity, and has made up his mind to keep her a virgin, he will be acting appropriately. So then the man who marries the virgin acts appropriately, but the man who refrains from marriage does even better.

To married people I give this command (not really I, but the Lord): A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. Likewise, a husband must not abandon his wife. I (not the Lord) say to the rest of you: If a brother has a wife who is an unbeliever and she is willing to live with him, he must not abandon her. read more.
And if a woman has a husband who is an unbeliever and he is willing to live with her, she must not abandon him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him go. In such cases the brother or sister is not under obligation. God has called you to live in peace. Wife, you might be able to save your husband. Husband, you might be able to save your wife.

Come out, young women of Zion, and see King Solomon with the crown with which his mother crowned him on his wedding day his day of great delight.

Meanwhile, Boaz approached the city gate and sat down there. Just then, the very same related redeemer whom Boaz had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, "Come over and sit down here, my friend!" So the man came over and sat down. Boaz selected ten of the town elders and spoke to them, "Sit down here." So they sat down and Boaz addressed the related redeemer directly: "A portion of a field belonging to our relative Elimelech is up for sale by Naomi, who recently returned from the country of Moab. read more.
So I thought to myself I ought to tell you that you must make a public purchase of this before the town residents and the elders of my people. So if you intend to act as the related redeemer, then do so. But if not, let me know, because except for you and I after you there is no one to fulfill the duties of a related redeemer." The man responded, "I will act as related redeemer." Boaz continued, "On the very day you buy the field from Naomi, you're also "buying" Ruth the Moabite woman, the wife of her dead husband, so the family name may be continued as an inheritance." At this, the nearer related redeemer replied, "Then I am unable to act as related redeemer, because that would complicate my own inheritance. You act instead as the related redeemer, because I cannot do so." During Israel's earlier history, all things concerning redeeming or changing inheritances were confirmed by a man taking off his sandal and giving it to the other party, thereby creating a public record in Israel. So when the nearer related redeemer told Boaz, "Make the purchase yourself," he then took off his sandal. At this, Boaz addressed the elders and all of the people: "You all are witnesses today that I hereby redeem everything from Naomi that belonged to Elimelech, including what belonged to Chilion and Mahlon, along with Mahlon's wife Ruth the Moabite woman. I will marry her to continue the family name as an inheritance, so that the name of the deceased does not disappear from among his relatives, nor from the public record. You are all witnesses today!" Then all of the assembled people, including the elders who were there, said, "We are witnesses! May the LORD make this woman who enters your house like Rachel and Leah, who together established the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrathah, and may you excel in Bethlehem!

The LORD also told me, "Take a large tablet and write on it with a stylus pen, "For Maher-shalal-hash-baz'. Then I will call Uriah the priest and Jeberechiah's son Zechariah as reliable witnesses to testify on my behalf." After this, I was intimate with the prophetess and she conceived. Later, she bore a son, and then the LORD told me, "Call him "Maher-shalal-hash-baz,'

"If a man meets a young virgin lady in the city who is engaged to be married and has sexual relations with her, then the two must be brought to the city gate and there they must be stoned to death the girl because she was in a city but did not cry out for help, and the man who abused a woman who was engaged to another man. By doing this you are to remove this evil from among you.

A husband should fulfill his obligation to his wife, and a wife should do the same for her husband. A wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband doesn't have authority over his own body, but his wife does. Do not withhold yourselves from each other unless you agree to do so just for a set time, in order to devote yourselves to prayer. Then you should come together again so that Satan does not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

Will a young woman forget her wedding ornaments, or a bride her attire? But my people have forgotten me days without number.

Lift up your eyes and look around they have all gathered together and are coming to you. "As surely as I live," says the LORD, "you will clothe yourself with all of them like ornaments, and tie them on like a bride.

"Did all of you see this man coming up?" one Israeli asked. "He comes up to defy Israel, and the king will richly reward the man who kills him. He will give his daughter to him and will make his father's house tax free in Israel."

Saul told David, "Here is my older daughter Merab. I'll give her to you as a wife. Just be an excellent soldier for me and fight the LORD's battles." Now Saul told himself, "I won't harm him myself. Instead, I'll let the Philistines harm him."

Saul told himself, "I'll give her to him and she can be a snare to him and the Philistines will harm him." So Saul told David, "For a second time you can be my son-in-law today."

Then the servant brought out some silver and gold items, along with some clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave gifts to her brother and to her mother.

The daughter of Tyre will come with a wedding gift; wealthy people will entreat your favor.

Instead, get up, travel to Paddan-aram, and visit the household of Bethuel, your mother's father. Marry one of Laban's daughters, since he's your mother's brother.

Later, Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent that had belonged to his mother Sarah and married her. Isaac loved her, and that's how he was comforted following the loss of his mother.

as a promise to the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you won't acquire a wife for my son from the Canaanite women among whom I'm living. Instead, you are to go to my country and to my family and acquire a wife for my son Isaac."

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord.

Because sexual immorality is so rampant, every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband.

You are not to intermarry with them. You are not to give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons, because they will turn your children from me to serve other gods so that the LORD's anger blazes against you and swiftly destroys you by fire.

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of his wife as the Messiah is the head of the church. It is he who is the Savior of the body. Indeed, just as the church is submissive to the Messiah, so wives must be submissive to their husbands in everything. read more.
Husbands, love your wives as the Messiah loved the church and gave himself for it, so that he might make it holy by cleansing it, washing it with water and the word, and might present the church to himself in all its glory, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind, but holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, as the Messiah does the church. For we are parts of his body of his flesh and of his bones. "That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a great secret, but I am talking about the Messiah and the church. But each individual man among you must love his wife as he loves himself; and may the wife fear her husband.

In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, as the Messiah does the church.

"The kingdom from heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.

"At that time, the kingdom from heaven will be comparable to ten bridesmaids who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the groom. Now five of them were foolish, and five were wise, because when the foolish ones took their lamps, they didn't take any oil with them. read more.
But the wise ones took flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the groom was late, all of them became sleepy and lay down. But at midnight there came a shout: "The groom is here! Come out to meet him!' Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready. "But the foolish ones told the wise, "Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out!' "But the wise ones replied, "No! There will never be enough for us and for you. You'd better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' "While they were away buying it, the groom arrived. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was closed.

And is there a man here who is engaged to a woman and has not yet married her? Let him go back home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man marry her.'

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah happened in this way. When his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they lived together she was discovered to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

I would like everyone to be unmarried, like I am. However, each person has a special gift from God, one this and another that. I say to those who are unmarried, especially to widows: It is good for them to remain like me.

Brothers, everyone should stay in the same condition in which he was called by God. Now concerning virgins, although I do not have any command from the Lord, I will give you my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. In view of the present crisis, I think it is prudent for a man to stay as he is. read more.
Have you become committed to a wife? Stop trying to get released from your commitment. Have you been freed from your commitment to a wife? Stop looking for one. But if you do get married, you have not sinned. And if a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. However, these people will experience trouble in this life, and I want to spare you from that. This is what I mean, brothers: The time is short. From now on, those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they did not mourn, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they did not own a thing, and those who use the things in the world as though they were not dependent on them. For the world in its present form is passing away. I want you to be free from concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, that is, about how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about things of this world, that is, about how he can please his wife, and so his attention is divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, that is, about how she can please her husband. I'm saying this for your benefit, not to put a noose around your necks, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord. If a man thinks he is not behaving properly toward his virgin, and if his passion is so strong that he feels he ought to marry her, let him do what he wants; he isn't sinning. Let them get married. However, if a man stands firm in his resolve, feels no necessity, and has made up his mind to keep her a virgin, he will be acting appropriately. So then the man who marries the virgin acts appropriately, but the man who refrains from marriage does even better. A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord. However, in my opinion she will be happier if she stays as she is. And in saying this, I think that I, too, have God's Spirit.

He is not to marry a widow or one who has been divorced, has been defiled, or has been a prostitute. Instead, he is to take a virgin from among his people as his wife.

"At that time, the kingdom from heaven will be comparable to ten bridesmaids who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the groom. Now five of them were foolish, and five were wise, because when the foolish ones took their lamps, they didn't take any oil with them. read more.
But the wise ones took flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the groom was late, all of them became sleepy and lay down. But at midnight there came a shout: "The groom is here! Come out to meet him!'

In her chamber, the king's daughter is glorious; her clothing is embroidered with gold thread. In embroidered garments she is presented to the king. Her virgin companions who follow her train will be presented to you.

"A person is not to approach a near blood relative for sexual relations. I am the LORD.

A father's ruin is a foolish son, and a wife's quarreling is like dripping water that never stops.

A house and self-sufficiency are a father's inheritance, but from the LORD comes an insightful wife.

"They are not to marry a prostitute or a woman who has been dishonored or who was divorced from her husband, because the priest is holy to his God.

Then the servant brought out some silver and gold items, along with some clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave gifts to her brother and to her mother.

Then the young men who attended the king suggested, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. Let the king appoint officials in all the provinces of his kingdom to bring all the beautiful young virgins into the harem in Susa the capital. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women to give them their beauty treatments. Then let the young woman who pleases the king rule in place of Vashti." This advice pleased the king, and he did this.

The king's order and edict was proclaimed, and many young women were brought to Susa the capital under the care of Hegai. Esther was taken to the palace into the care of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. The young woman pleased him and gained his favor. He quickly provided her beauty treatments and gave her portions of food to her. He also assigned her seven suitable young women from the palace and transferred her and her young women to the best place in the harem. Esther did not make known her people or heritage because Mordecai had instructed her not to make it known. read more.
Every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to find out about Esther's well-being and what was happening to her. Each young woman's turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus at the end of the twelve month period, at which time she was treated according to the regulations for women. This process completed the period of her beauty treatments six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and cosmetics for women. After that the young woman would go in to the king, and whatever she asked for would be given to her to take with her from the harem to the palace. In the evening she would go into the palace and in the morning she would return to the second harem, into the care of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the mistresses. She would not go again to the king unless the king wanted her and she was called for by name.

But Laban responded, "It's not the practice of our place to give the younger one in marriage before the firstborn.

He asked him, "Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' But the man was speechless.

"I will heartily rejoice in the LORD, my soul will delight in my God; for he has wrapped me in garments of salvation; he has arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, just like a bridegroom, like a priest with a garland, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Did he not make them one? And the vestige of the spirit remains in him. And why did he make them one? He was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and don't be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.

Later, the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make the woman to be an authority corresponding to him."

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate."

"Let me tell you a riddle," Samson told them. "If you can solve it during this week-long festival, I'll give you 30 linen garments and 30 formal garments.

So he said, "Go!" He sent her away for two months. She left with her friends and cried there on the mountains because she would never marry.

Let marriage be kept honorable in every way, and the marriage bed undefiled. For God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.

Later, Lamech married two wives. One was named Adah and the other was named Zillah.

Let marriage be kept honorable in every way, and the marriage bed undefiled. For God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.

(Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they will become one flesh.)

"For just as a young man marries a maiden, so your sons will marry you; and just as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.

The daughter of Tyre will come with a wedding gift; wealthy people will entreat your favor.

Watch when the unmarried women from Shiloh come out to participate in the dances. Then come out of the vineyards and each of you grab a wife from the unmarried women from Shiloh. Then go back home to the territory of Benjamin. If their fathers or brothers come complaining to us, we'll tell them "Be generous! Give them to us voluntarily, because we didn't take anyone to be a wife for the men of the tribe of Benjamin as a result of the battle. And you haven't incurred guilt by giving your daughters to them.'" So the descendants of Benjamin did all of this: they chose and carried away just enough wives from those who danced to meet the number needed, then they left to return to their inheritance, to rebuild their cities, and to live there.

Later, Solomon intermarried with the family of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt by taking his daughter and bringing her to the City of David to live until he had completed building his own palace, the LORD's Temple, and the wall around Jerusalem.

Listen, daughter! Consider and pay attention. Forget your people and your father's house,

Later, Laban asked Jacob, "Should you serve me for free, just because you're my nephew? Let's talk about what your wages should be." Now Laban happened to have two daughters. The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel. Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance. read more.
Jacob loved Rachel, so he made this offer to Laban: "I'll serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter." "It's better that I give her to you than to another man," Laban replied, "so stay with me." Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her. Eventually, Jacob told Laban, "Bring me my wife, now that my time of service has been completed, so I can go be with her." So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival. That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. He had marital relations with her. Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant. The next morning, Jacob realized that it was Leah! "What have you done to me?" he demanded of Laban. "Didn't I serve you for seven years in order to marry Rachel? Why did you deceive me?" But Laban responded, "It's not the practice of our place to give the younger one in marriage before the firstborn. Fulfill the week for this daughter, then we'll give you the other one in exchange for serving me another seven years." So Jacob completed another seven years' work, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant. Jacob also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years' work for Rachel.

"You will know that I sent this commandment to you in order to continue my covenant with Levi," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

A man of the family of Levi married the daughter of a descendant of Levi.

The king's daughters are among your honorable women; the queen, dressed in gold from Ophir, has taken her place at your right hand."

The king's daughters are among your honorable women; the queen, dressed in gold from Ophir, has taken her place at your right hand."

"At that time, seven women will cling tightly to one man and will make him this offer: "We'll provide our own bread. We'll provide our own clothes. Just let us marry you so we won't be stigmatized anymore.'"

"I will heartily rejoice in the LORD, my soul will delight in my God; for he has wrapped me in garments of salvation; he has arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, just like a bridegroom, like a priest with a garland, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

On the third day of that week there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, Jesus' mother told him, "They don't have any more wine." read more.
"How does that concern us, dear lady?" Jesus asked her. "My time hasn't come yet." His mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Later he settled in the desert area of Paran, and his mother chose a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Then David sent a delegation to Saul's son Ish-bosheth to say, "Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was engaged with a dowry of 100 Philistine foreskins."

Meanwhile, Boaz approached the city gate and sat down there. Just then, the very same related redeemer whom Boaz had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, "Come over and sit down here, my friend!" So the man came over and sat down.

If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he is to pay an amount equal to the bride price for virgins.

"When I passed by you again, I looked at you, and noticed that it was your proper time for love. I spread my cloak over you to cover your nakedness. I made a solemn promise to you and entered into a covenant with you," declares the Lord GOD. "You belong to me.

Then he returned and told his father and mother, "In Timnah I saw a woman of Philistine origin." He ordered them, "Get her for me as a wife. Now!"

"When a man is newly married, he must not be sent out to war or have a related duty placed on him. Let him stay home for one year and be happy with his wife whom he has married.