What does the Bible say about wedding vows?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible presents marriage vows as a solemn, covenantal promise of lifelong faithfulness before God, marked by exclusive love, mutual service, and honor. Genesis 2:24 and Matthew 19:6 ground marriage in God’s joining of husband and wife, whom no one should separate. Ephesians 5:22-33 calls spouses to reflect Christ’s sacrificial love for His church, with husbands loving tenderly and wives respecting their husbands. Hebrews 13:4 commands that marriage be honored and kept sexually pure. Biblical love is patient, kind, enduring, and forgiving, as 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 teaches. In dependence on God’s grace, such promises express a faithful union meant to persevere through every season.
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Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- 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.
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
[9] Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. [10] 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. [11] Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone? [12] If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
[1] If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing. [3] If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing. [4] Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, [5] doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; [6] doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; [7] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [8] Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. [9] For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; [10] but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. [11] When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. [12] For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. [13] But now faith, hope, and love remain--these three. The greatest of these is love.
- 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.
- 1 Peter 3:7
You husbands, in like manner, 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.
- Ephesians 5:22-33
[22] Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. [23] For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. [24] But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. [25] Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; [26] that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, [27] that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. [28] Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. [29] For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly; [30] because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. [31] "For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh." [32] This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. [33] Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
- 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."
- Ephesians 5:33
Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
- 1 Peter 4:8
And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
[4] Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, [5] doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; [6] doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; [7] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [8] Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
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