A. Bible Texts on Marriage

• Genesis 2:18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper suitable for him.” The word for helper does not denote an inferior, but is the same as in the Psalm text, “The Lord is my helper.”

• Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. This text is quoted by both Jesus and Paul, with Jesus adding, “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Matthew 19:6)

• Exodus 20:14 You shall not commit adultery. Clearly more than a mere suggestion.

• Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.

• Matthew 5:32; 19:9 Anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to commit adultery, and anyone who marries a woman so divorced commits adultery. Jesus considers marriage a serious commitment indeed.

• Ephesians 5: 21-22, 25 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives… to your husbands as to the Lord... Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her... Each is asked to freely and sacrificially yield to the other.

• Colossians 3:18-19 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

• Hebrews 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Unfaithfulness is never an option.

• I Peter 2: 13, 14, 17, 3:1, 7 Submit yourselves to every authority for the Lord’s sake... whether to the king... or to governors... Show proper respect to everyone: Love each other, fear God, honor the king...  Wives, in the same way, be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe in the word, they may be won over without a word by the behavior of their wives... Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. The words translated honor and respect are from the same Greek root, in this context suggesting that partners honor and respect each other as they would royalty.