26 Bible Verses About Marriage (NIV & KJV)

Marriage is one of the oldest gifts God gave to humanity, established in the garden and woven through the whole of Scripture. The Bible treats it as a sacred covenant, a union of two lives into one, and a living picture of God's faithful love for His people.

These Bible verses about marriage gather God's design for husband and wife, the patient love that holds a home together, and the unity that a couple shares before the Lord. Whether you are preparing to wed, celebrating an anniversary, or seeking to strengthen your bond, these passages offer wisdom and hope.

Each verse below is in both the NIV and KJV. May they encourage you to build your marriage on the firm foundation of God's word and to love one another the way Christ has loved us.

💍 God's Design for Marriage

From the beginning, God ordained the union of husband and wife.

“The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.””— Genesis 2:18 (NIV)“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”— Genesis 2:18 (KJV)

“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”— Genesis 2:24 (NIV)“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 (KJV)

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.””— Matthew 19:6 (NIV)“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”— Matthew 19:6 (KJV)

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”— Hebrews 13:4 (NIV)“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”— Hebrews 13:4 (KJV)

❤️ Love Between Husband and Wife

Scripture calls spouses to a deep, self-giving love.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”— Ephesians 5:25 (NIV)“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”— Ephesians 5:25 (KJV)

“In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”— Ephesians 5:28 (NIV)“So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”— Ephesians 5:28 (KJV)

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”— 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,”— 1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)

“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”— 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NIV)“Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”— 1 Corinthians 13:7 (KJV)

🤝 Unity and Partnership

Two joined together are stronger than one alone.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:”— Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV)“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.”— Ecclesiastes 4:9 (KJV)

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”— Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV)“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”— Ecclesiastes 4:12 (KJV)

“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?”— Amos 3:3 (NIV)“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”— Amos 3:3 (KJV)

“Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.”— Ecclesiastes 9:9 (NIV)“Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.”— Ecclesiastes 9:9 (KJV)

🌿 Honor and Mutual Respect

A godly marriage is marked by honor and consideration.

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”— Ephesians 5:21 (NIV)“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”— Ephesians 5:21 (KJV)

“However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”— Ephesians 5:33 (NIV)“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”— Ephesians 5:33 (KJV)

“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.”— 1 Peter 3:7 (NIV)“Likewise, 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 Peter 3:7 (KJV)

“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”— Proverbs 18:22 (NIV)“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.”— Proverbs 18:22 (KJV)

🏡 Patience, Kindness, and Forgiveness

Lasting love requires grace shown daily.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”— Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”— Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”— Colossians 3:13 (NIV)“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 (KJV)

“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”— Colossians 3:14 (NIV)“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”— Colossians 3:14 (KJV)

““In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,”— Ephesians 4:26 (NIV)“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:”— Ephesians 4:26 (KJV)

👑 A Worthy and Faithful Spouse

Scripture praises the virtue and faithfulness of a godly partner.

“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.”— Proverbs 31:10 (NIV)“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”— Proverbs 31:10 (KJV)

“Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.”— Proverbs 31:11 (NIV)“The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.”— Proverbs 31:11 (KJV)

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:”— Proverbs 31:28 (NIV)“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”— Proverbs 31:28 (KJV)

“Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.”— Proverbs 5:15 (NIV)“Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.”— Proverbs 5:15 (KJV)

“Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.”— Proverbs 19:14 (NIV)“House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.”— Proverbs 19:14 (KJV)

“May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.”— Proverbs 5:18 (NIV)“Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.”— Proverbs 5:18 (KJV)

What Does the Bible Say About Marriage?

The Bible describes marriage as a covenant designed by God, in which a husband and wife "shall be one flesh." It is called honorable, and Jesus affirmed its permanence with the words, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." More than a contract, biblical marriage is a lifelong union meant to reflect God's faithful, self-giving love.

Scripture gives clear guidance for how spouses should treat one another. Husbands are called to love their wives "even as Christ also loved the church," and wives are called to honor their husbands, with both submitting to one another in reverence for God. The qualities that sustain a marriage are the same ones that sustain love itself: patience, kindness, forgiveness, and a shared commitment to the Lord.

A marriage grounded in God's word is built to last. For more encouragement, see Bible verses about love, Bible verses about family, and Bible verses about patience.