What Does the Bible Say About Marriage?

Scripture presents marriage as a covenant relationship designed by God to reflect the union between Christ and the Church — a lifelong commitment of love, faithfulness, and mutual service.

Key Verse: Ephesians 5:25

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."

Old Testament Perspective

Marriage was instituted at creation (Genesis 2:24) as the foundational human relationship. The Song of Solomon celebrates marital love and intimacy.

New Testament Perspective

Paul elevates marriage as a picture of Christ's relationship with the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). Jesus affirmed the permanence of marriage.

15 Key Bible Verses About Marriage

Ephesians 5:25: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;"
Genesis 2:24: "Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh."
1 Corinthians 13:4-7: "Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Proverbs 31:10: "Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies."
Mark 10:9: "What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”"
Colossians 3:19: "Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them."
Hebrews 13:4: "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers."
Proverbs 18:22: "Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh."
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone? If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."
1 Peter 3:7: "You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered."
Song of Solomon 8:7: "Many waters can’t quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned."
Ephesians 5:31-33: "“For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.” This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband."
Malachi 2:14-15: "Yet you say, ‘Why?’ Because Yahweh has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant. Did he not make you one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of his youth."
Genesis 2:18: "Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.”"
Matthew 19:6: "So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.”"

What Does the Bible Say About Marriage?

Key Verse: Ephesians 5:25

Old Testament Perspective

New Testament Perspective

15 Key Bible Verses About Marriage

Video: What the Bible Says About Marriage

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