18 The Lord God said, "It isn’t good for the man to live alone. I will make a suitable partner for him."

21 So the Lord God made him fall into a deep sleep, and he took out one of the man’s ribs. Then after closing the man’s side, 22 the Lord made a woman out of the rib.

The Lord God brought her to the man, 23 and the man exclaimed,

"Here is someone like me!

She is part of my body,

my own flesh and bones.

She came from me, a man.

So I will name her Woman!"*

24 *That’s why a man will leave his own father and mother. He marries a woman, and the two of them become like one person.

24 *That’s why a man will leave his own father and mother. He marries a woman, and the two of them become like one person.

25 Although the man and his wife were both naked, they were not ashamed.

24 *That’s why a man will leave his own father and mother. He marries a woman, and the two of them become like one person.

22 the Lord made a woman out of the rib.

The Lord God brought her to the man, 23 and the man exclaimed,

"Here is someone like me!

She is part of my body,

my own flesh and bones.

She came from me, a man.

So I will name her Woman!"*

24 *That’s why a man will leave his own father and mother. He marries a woman, and the two of them become like one person.

26 *God said, "Now we will make humans, and they will be like us. We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and all other living creatures."

27 **So God created humans to be like himself; he made men and women. 28 God gave them his blessing and said:

Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.

1 Adam* and Eve had a son. Then Eve said, "I’ll name him Cain because I got* him with the help of the Lord."

25 Adam and his wife had another son. They named him Seth, because they said, "God has given* us a son to take the place of Abel, who was killed by his brother Cain."

6 Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple God has joined together."

4 *Jesus answered, "Don’t you know in the beginning the Creator made a man and a woman? 5 *That’s why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. 6 Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple God has joined together."

5 *That’s why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. 6 Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple God has joined together."

31 *You have been taught that a man who divorces his wife must write out divorce papers for her.*32 *But I tell you not to divorce your wife unless she has committed some terrible sexual sin.* If you divorce her, you will cause her to be unfaithful, just as any man who marries her is guilty of taking another man’s wife.

27 *You know the commandment which says, "Be faithful in marriage." 28 But I tell you if you look at another woman and want her, you are already unfaithful in your thoughts.

4 *They answered, "Moses allows a man to write out divorce papers and send his wife away."

5 Jesus replied, "Moses gave you this law because you are so heartless. 6 *But in the beginning God made a man and a woman. 7 *That’s why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. 8 He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one. 9 And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together."

12 A woman who divorces her husband* and marries again is also unfaithful."

4 *Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage.

4 *Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage.

4 *Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage.

25 *A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. 26 He made the church holy by the power of his word, and he made it pure by washing it with water.

25 *A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. 26 He made the church holy by the power of his word, and he made it pure by washing it with water. 27 Christ did this, so he would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws.

25 *A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. 26 He made the church holy by the power of his word, and he made it pure by washing it with water. 27 Christ did this, so he would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws.

28 In the same way, a husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself. A husband who loves his wife shows he loves himself. 29 None of us hate our own bodies. We provide for them and take good care of them, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are each part of his body.

28 In the same way, a husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself. A husband who loves his wife shows he loves himself.

28 In the same way, a husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself. A husband who loves his wife shows he loves himself. 29 None of us hate our own bodies. We provide for them and take good care of them, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are each part of his body.

22 *A wife should put her husband first, as she does the Lord. 23 A husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head and the Savior of the church, which is his own body. 24 Wives should always put their husbands first, as the church puts Christ first.

22 *A wife should put her husband first, as she does the Lord. 23 A husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head and the Savior of the church, which is his own body.

22 *A wife should put her husband first, as she does the Lord. 23 A husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head and the Savior of the church, which is his own body. 24 Wives should always put their husbands first, as the church puts Christ first.

25 *A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. 26 He made the church holy by the power of his word, and he made it pure by washing it with water. 27 Christ did this, so he would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws.

28 In the same way, a husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself. A husband who loves his wife shows he loves himself. 29 None of us hate our own bodies. We provide for them and take good care of them, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are each part of his body. 31 *As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother to get married, and he becomes like one person with his wife." 32 This is a great mystery, but I understand it to mean Christ and his church. 33 So each husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself, and each wife should respect her husband.

31 *As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother to get married, and he becomes like one person with his wife."

33 So each husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself, and each wife should respect her husband.

33 So each husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself, and each wife should respect her husband.

3 You are God’s people, so don’t let it be said that any of you are immoral or indecent or greedy.

18 *A wife must put her husband first. This is her duty as a follower of the Lord.

19 *A husband must love his wife and not abuse her.

14 Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.

15 Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful. 16 *Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.

14 Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.

5 Don’t be controlled by your body. Kill every desire for the wrong kind of sex. Don’t be immoral or indecent or have evil thoughts. Don’t be greedy, which is the same as worshiping idols.

7 *If you are a husband, you should be thoughtful of your wife. Treat her with honor, because she isn’t as strong as you are, and she shares with you in the gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers.

7 *If you are a husband, you should be thoughtful of your wife. Treat her with honor, because she isn’t as strong as you are, and she shares with you in the gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers.

14 *Be faithful in marriage.

17 *Do not desire to possess anything that belongs to another person—not a house, a wife, a husband, a slave, an ox, a donkey, or anything else.

2 Well, having your own husband or wife should keep you from doing something immoral.

3 Husbands and wives should be fair with each other about having sex. 4 A wife belongs to her husband instead of to herself, and a husband belongs to his wife instead of to himself.

3 Husbands and wives should be fair with each other about having sex. 4 A wife belongs to her husband instead of to herself, and a husband belongs to his wife instead of to himself. 5 So don’t refuse sex to each other, unless you agree not to have sex for a little while, in order to spend time in prayer. Then Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

3 Husbands and wives should be fair with each other about having sex. 4 A wife belongs to her husband instead of to herself, and a husband belongs to his wife instead of to himself. 5 So don’t refuse sex to each other, unless you agree not to have sex for a little while, in order to spend time in prayer. Then Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

8 My advice for the unmarried and for widows is that it is acceptable for them to remain single, just as I am. 9 But if you don’t have enough self-control, then go ahead and get married. After all, it is better to marry than to burn with desire.*

10 *I instruct married couples to stay together, and this is exactly what the Lord himself taught. A wife who leaves her husband 11 should either stay single or go back to her husband. And a husband should not leave his wife.

14 Your husband or wife who isn’t a follower is made holy by having you as a partner. This also makes your children holy and keeps them from being unclean in God’s sight.

32 I want all of you to be free from worry. An unmarried man worries about how to please the Lord. 33 But a married man has more worries. He must worry about the things of this world, because he wants to please his wife. 34 So he is pulled in two directions. Unmarried women and women who have never been married* worry only about pleasing the Lord, and they keep their bodies and minds pure. But a married woman worries about the things of this world, because she wants to please her husband.

39 A wife should stay married to her husband until he dies. Then she is free to marry again, but only to a man who is a follower of the Lord.

1 Now I will answer the questions you asked in your letter. You asked, "Is it best for people not to marry?"*2 Well, having your own husband or wife should keep you from doing something immoral.

18 Don’t be immoral in matters of sex. That is a sin against your own body in a way no other sin is. 19 *You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. 20 God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God.

13 You also say, "Food is meant for our bodies, and our bodies are meant for food." But I tell you that God will destroy them both. We are not supposed to do indecent things with our bodies. We are to use them for the Lord who is in charge of our bodies. 14 God will raise us from death by the same power he used when he raised our Lord to life.

9 Don’t you know that evil people won’t have a share in the blessings of God’s kingdom? Don’t fool yourselves! No one who is immoral or worships idols or is unfaithful in marriage or is a pervert or behaves like a homosexual 10 will share in God’s kingdom. Neither will any thief or greedy person or drunkard or anyone who curses and cheats others.

4 Love is patient and kind,

never jealous, boastful,

proud, or 5 rude.

Love isn’t selfish

or quick tempered.

It doesn’t keep a record

of wrongs that others do.

6 Love rejoices in the truth,

but not in evil.

7 Love is always supportive,

loyal, hopeful,

and trusting.

13 Has Christ been divided up? Was I nailed to a cross for you? Were you baptized in my name? 14 *I thank God* that I didn’t baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius. 15 Not one of you can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 *I did baptize the family* of Stephanas, but I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else. 17 Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to tell the good news without using words that sound wise and would make the cross of Christ lose its power.

1 *I have heard terrible things about some of you. In fact, you are behaving worse than Gentiles. A man is even sleeping with his own stepmother.*2 You are proud, when you ought to feel bad enough to chase away anyone who acts like this.

22 *A man’s greatest treasure

is his wife—

she is a gift from the Lord.

22 *A man’s greatest treasure

is his wife—

she is a gift from the Lord.

22 *A man’s greatest treasure

is his wife—

she is a gift from the Lord.

14 You may inherit all you own

from your parents,

but a sensible wife

is a gift from the Lord.

18 Be happy with the wife

you married

when you were young.

19 She is beautiful and graceful,

just like a deer;

you should be attracted to her

and stay deeply in love.

3 The words of an immoral woman

may be as sweet as honey

and as smooth as olive oil.

4 But all that you really get

from being with her

is bitter poison and pain.

5 If you follow her,

she will lead you down

to the world of the dead.

6 She has missed the path

that leads to life

and doesn’t even know it.

7 My son, listen to me

and do everything I say.

8 Stay away from a bad woman!

Don’t even go near the door

of her house.

9 You will lose your self-respect

and end up in debt

to some cruel person

for the rest of your life.

3 The words of an immoral woman

may be as sweet as honey

and as smooth as olive oil.

4 But all that you really get

from being with her

is bitter poison and pain.

5 If you follow her,

she will lead you down

to the world of the dead.

6 She has missed the path

that leads to life

and doesn’t even know it.

8 Stay away from a bad woman!

Don’t even go near the door

of her house.

9 You will lose your self-respect

and end up in debt

to some cruel person

for the rest of your life.

10 Strangers will get your money

and everything else

you have worked for.

11 When it’s all over,

your body will waste away,

as you groan 12 and shout,

"I hated advice and correction!

13 I paid no attention

to my teachers,

14 and now I am disgraced

in front of everyone."

19 She is beautiful and graceful,

just like a deer;

you should be attracted to her

and stay deeply in love.

20 Don’t go crazy over a woman

who is unfaithful

to her own husband!

29 And if you go to bed

with another man’s wife,

you pay the price.

32 But if you go to bed

with another man’s wife,

you will destroy yourself

by your own stupidity.

32 But if you go to bed

with another man’s wife,

you will destroy yourself

by your own stupidity.

33 You will be beaten

and forever disgraced,

34 because a jealous husband

can be furious and merciless

when he takes revenge.

35 He won’t let you pay him off,

no matter what you offer.

4 A helpful wife is a jewel

for her husband,

but a shameless wife

will make his bones rot.

9 We make our own plans,

but the Lord decides

where we will go.

9 *It’s better to stay outside

on the roof of your house

than to live inside

with a nagging wife.

10 A truly good wife

is the most precious treasure

a man can find!

15 Didn’t God create you and your wife to become like one person?* And why did he do this? It was so you would have children, and then lead them to become God’s people. Don’t ever be unfaithful to your wife. 16 The Lord God All-Powerful of Israel hates anyone who is cruel enough to divorce his wife. So take care never to be unfaithful!

14 Stay away from people who are not followers of the Lord! Can someone who is good get along with someone who is evil? Are light and darkness the same?

3 God wants you to be holy, so don’t be immoral in matters of sex. 4 Respect and honor your wife.*5 Don’t be a slave of your desires or live like people who don’t know God.

15 Don’t be hateful to people, just because they are hateful to you. Rather, be good to each other and to everyone else.

10 The Law was written for people who are sexual perverts or who live as homosexuals or are kidnappers or liars or won’t tell the truth in court. It is for anything else that opposes the correct teaching

2 *That’s why officials must have a good reputation and be faithful in marriage.* They must be self-controlled, sensible, well-behaved, friendly to strangers, and able to teach.

12 Church officers must be faithful in marriage.* They must be in full control of their children and everyone else in their home.

6 *they must have a good reputation and be faithful in marriage.* Their children must be followers of the Lord and not have a reputation for being wild and disobedient.

5 If a man and a woman have been married less than one year, he must not be sent off to war or sent away to do forced labor. He must be allowed to stay home for a year and be happy with his wife.

Moses said to Israel:

1 *Suppose a woman was divorced by her first husband because he found something disgraceful about her.* He wrote out divorce papers, gave them to her, and sent her away.

13 Suppose a man starts hating his wife soon after they are married. 14 He might tell ugly lies about her, and say, "I married this woman, but when we slept together, I found out she wasn’t a virgin."

15 If this happens, the bride’s father and mother must go to the town gate to show the town leaders the proof that the woman was a virgin. 16 Her father will say, "I let my daughter marry this man, but he started hating her 17 and accusing her of not being a virgin. But he is wrong, because here is proof that she was a virgin!" Then the bride’s parents will show them the bed sheet from the woman’s wedding night.

8 *And don’t disgrace him by having sex with any of his other wives.

20 *Don’t have sex with another man’s wife—that would make you unclean.

10 *If any of you men have sex with another man’s wife, both you and the woman will be put to death.

13 *It’s disgusting for men to have sex with one another, and those who do will be put to death, just as they deserve.

7 Don’t marry a divorced woman or a woman who has served as a temple prostitute. You are holy,

13 If you are the high priest, you must marry only a virgin 14 from your own tribe. Don’t marry a divorced woman or any other woman who has already had sex, including a temple prostitute.

6 Always keep me in your heart

and wear this bracelet

to remember me by.

The passion of love

bursting into flame

is more powerful than death,

stronger than the grave.

7 Love cannot be drowned

by oceans or floods.

It cannot be bought—

any offer would be scorned

no matter how great.

Their Friends Speak:

7 Love cannot be drowned

by oceans or floods.

It cannot be bought—

any offer would be scorned

no matter how great.

Their Friends Speak:

7 My darling, you are lovely

in every way.

5 Your breasts are perfect;

they are twin deer

feeding among lilies.

9 My bride, my very own,

you have stolen my heart!

With one glance from your eyes

and the glow of your necklace,

you have stolen my heart.

6 Put your left hand under my head

and embrace me

with your right arm.

2 Kiss me tenderly!

Your love is better than wine,

9 Life is short, and you love your wife, so enjoy being with her. This is what you are supposed to do as you struggle through life on this earth.

9 Life is short, and you love your wife, so enjoy being with her. This is what you are supposed to do as you struggle through life on this earth.

9 You are better having a friend than to be all alone, because then you will get more enjoyment out of what you earn. 10 If you fall, your friend can help you up. But if you fall without having a friend nearby, you are really in trouble. 11 If you sleep alone, you won’t have anyone to keep you warm on a cold night. 12 Someone might be able to beat up one of you, but not both of you. As the saying goes, "A rope made from three strands of cord is hard to break."

14 You are unfaithful children,

but you belong to me.

Come home!

I’ll take one or two of you

from each town and clan

and bring you to Zion.

2 The Lord said, "Hosea, Israel has betrayed me like an unfaithful wife.* Marry such a woman and have children by her."

2 Accuse! Accuse your mother!

She is no longer my wife,

and now I, the Lord,

am not her husband.

Beg her to give up prostitution

and stop being unfaithful,*

36 You chased after lovers, then took off your clothes and had sex. You even worshiped disgusting idols and sacrificed your own children as offerings to them. 37 So I, the Lord God, will gather every one of your lovers, those you liked and those you hated. They will stand around you, and I will rip off your clothes and let all of those lovers stare at your nakedness.

17 Because of Sarai, the Lord struck the king and everyone in his palace with terrible diseases. 18 Finally, the king sent for Abram and said to him, "What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me Sarai was your wife?

1 Abram’s wife Sarai had not been able to have any children. But she owned a young Egyptian slave woman named Hagar, 2 and Sarai said to Abram, "The Lord has not given me any children. Sleep with my slave, and if she has a child, it will be mine."* Abram agreed, 3 and Sarai gave him Hagar to be his wife. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years.

10 *One of the guests was the Lord, and he said, "I’ll come back about this time next year, and when I do, Sarah will already have a son."

Sarah was behind Abraham, listening at the entrance to the tent. 11 Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was well past the age for having children. 12 *So she laughed and said to herself, "Now that I am worn out and my husband is old, will I really know such happiness?"*

9 Onan knew the child would not be his,* and when he had sex with Tamar, he made sure that she would not get pregnant. 10 The Lord wasn’t pleased with Onan and took his life too.

24 David comforted his wife Bathsheba and slept with her. Later on, she gave birth to another son and named him Solomon. The Lord loved Solomon

21 Abijah had a total of 14 wives, 22 sons, and 16 daughters.

29,30 This is the ceremony that must take place at my altar when a husband suspects that his wife has been unfaithful. The priest must tell the woman to stand in my presence and carefully follow these instructions.

1 *Sing and shout,

even though you have never

had children!

The Lord has promised that you

will have more children

than someone married

for a long time.

10 *I celebrate and shout

because of my Lord God.

His saving power and justice

are the very clothes I wear.

They are more beautiful

than the jewelry worn

by a bride or groom.

36 *The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died.

8 *When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the best place. Someone more important may have been invited.

18 *It is a terrible sin* for a man to divorce his wife and marry another woman. It is also a terrible sin for a man to marry a divorced woman.

27 *People were eating, drinking, and getting married right up to the day when Noah went into the big boat. Then the flood came and drowned everyone on earth.

10 Jesus stood up and asked her, "Where is everyone? Isn’t there anyone left to accuse you?"

11 "No sir," the woman answered.

Then Jesus told her, "I am not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don’t sin anymore."*

29 All who have given up home or brothers and sisters or father and mother or children or land for me will be given 100 times as much. They will also have eternal life.

24 *Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry the widow. Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother.