What the Bible says
In the beginning God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18). Then He joined them: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). When Jesus taught on marriage, He went straight back to this beginning, for marriage is God’s design and not man’s invention.
Paul shows that marriage points beyond itself: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:32). Husbands are to love their wives “even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25), and wives are to submit “as unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). Together they are “heirs together of the grace of life” (1 Peter 3:7). A Christian marriage is a living picture of the gospel.
Love in marriage is the love Scripture describes: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not” (1 Corinthians 13:4). It means “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Colossians 3:13). The forgiveness we have received in Christ becomes the forgiveness we give at home, day by day.
Marriage is to be guarded and honoured: “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled” (Hebrews 13:4). Its love is meant to be strong and lasting, for “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it” (Song of Solomon 8:7). When husband and wife both lean upon the Lord, they know the truth of the word, “a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
14 verses, King James Version
Genesis 2:18
It is not good that the man should be alone
18And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Ephesians 5:31–32
Marriage pictures Christ and the church
31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Colossians 3:12–14
Put on kindness, forbearance and forgiveness
12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Ecclesiastes 4:12
A threefold cord is not quickly broken
12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Genesis 2:24
God’s design from the beginning
24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Mark 10:6–9
What God joins together
6But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Ephesians 5:21–25
Wives and husbands, like the church and Christ
21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Ephesians 5:33
Love and respect
33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Colossians 3:18–19
Love without bitterness
18Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
1 Peter 3:7
Understanding and honor
7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
1 Corinthians 13:4–7
What love looks like
4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Hebrews 13:4
Keep marriage honored and pure
4Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Proverbs 18:22
A good gift from the Lord
22Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
Song of Solomon 8:6–7
Love strong as death
6Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. 7Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (public domain). Read aloud by Anthony.