19 Bible Verses about Singleness

For the Scripture says: "Rejoice, you childless woman, who never bore a child; break forth into shouting, you who feel no birth pangs; for the desolate woman has many children, even more than the married one."

However, I should like for everyone to be just as I am myself, yet each of us has his own special gift from God, one for one way, another for another.

The disciples said to Him, "If that is a man's relation to his wife, there is no advantage in getting married." He said to them, "It is not every man who has the capacity to carry out this saying, but it is for those to whom the capacity has been given. For some are born incapable of marriage, and some have been made so by men, and some have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him accept it who can."

But if they do not practice self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burning in the fire of passion.

Keep the young widows off this roll, for when they get to indulging their lower nature in opposition to Christ, they want to marry, and so deserve censure for breaking their previous pledge. Besides, as they get the habit of gadding about from house to house, they learn to be idle, and not only idle but gossips and busybodies, talking of things they ought not to mention.read more.
So I would have the younger women marry, have children, and keep house, so as not to give our opponents any occasion for slander.

About unmarried women I have no command from the Lord, but I will give you my opinion as of one who is trustworthy, since I have had mercy shown me by the Lord. Now this is my opinion in the light of the present distress: That it is a good thing for a man to remain as he is. Are you married? Stop trying to get a divorce. Are you unmarried? Stop looking for a wife.read more.
But if you do get married, you have not sinned in doing so. And if a girl gets married, she has not sinned in doing so. But those who do will have trouble in their earthly life, and I am trying to spare you this.

To the people already married I give this instruction -- no, not I but the Lord -- that a wife is not to leave her husband.

but because of so much sexual immorality every man should have a wife of his own, and every woman a husband of her own. The husband must always give his wife what is due her, and the wife too must do so for her husband. The wife does not have the right to do as she pleases with her own body; the husband has his right to it. In the same way the husband does not have the right to do as he pleases with his own body; the wife has her right to it.read more.
You husbands and wives must stop refusing each other what is due, unless you agree to do so just for awhile, so as to have plenty of time for prayer, and then to be together again, so as to keep Satan from tempting you because of your lack of self-control. But I say this by way of concession, not by way of command.

To unmarried people and to widows I would say this: It would be a fine thing for them to remain single, as I am.

Now I take up the matters about which you wrote me. It may be good thing for a man to remain unmarried;

I want you to be free from worldly worries. An unmarried man is concerned about the affairs of the Lord. A married man is concerned about the affairs of the world, and how he can please his wife, and so his devotion is divided. An unmarried woman or a girl is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, so as to be consecrated in body and spirit, but a married woman is concerned about the affairs of the world, and how she can please her husband.read more.
It is for your welfare that I am saying this, not to put restraint on you, but to foster good order and to help you to an undivided devotion to the Lord.

Another said, 'I have just gotten married, and so I cannot come.'

He had four unmarried daughters who were prophetesses.

But a woman who is really a widow and lives alone has fixed her hope on God, and night and day devotes herself to prayers and entreaties,

for after the resurrection men do not marry and women are not married, but continue to live together as the angels do in heaven.

For when people rise from the dead, men do not marry and women are not married, but continue to live together as the angels in heaven do.

but those who are considered worthy to attain that other world and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are married.

I mean this, brothers. The time has been cut short. For the future, men who have wives should live as though they had none, and those that mourn as though they did not mourn, and those who are glad as though they were not glad, and those who buy as though they did not own a thing, and those who are enjoying the world as though they were not entirely absorbed in it. For the outward order of this world is passing away.