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What is marriage according to the Bible? -

According to the Bible, marriage is a sacred vow between two people. The Bible mentions a union in the second creation story in Genesis 2:18, which claims the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

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Roots -

Genesis 2:24 delves into the unity between a man and a woman. "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh."

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Procreation and family -

Since the very beginning, God’s message was to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28).

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Marriage is forever, so says the Bible -

Matthew 19:6 stresses the idea of oneness in marriage. "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

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Divorce -

Matthew 5:32 explains that "anyone who divorces his wife, except for immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

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Love conquers all -

The union and love in a marriage is a beautiful thing. Indeed, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 reads: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

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Being faithful is important -

Hebrews 13:4 stresses how important faithfulness is in a marriage. It reads: "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the immoral."

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Being faithful is important -

The instructions found in 1 Corinthians 7:2-3 are clear: "But since immorality is occurring, each man should have relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband."

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Don’t look at women lustfully -

Adultery, in biblical terms, includes a lot more than being physically intimate with someone else. Matthew 5:28 explains: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

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Marrying those with common beliefs is a good idea -

This idea is stressed in 2 Corinthians 6:14. It reads: "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"

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Finding a wife is a blessing -

"He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord," (Proverbs 18:22).

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Finding a wife is a blessing -

The idea is stressed in Proverbs 19:14, which reads: "House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord."

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Nagging can be a problem -

Proverbs 21:9 reads: "It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife."

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Husbands should love their wives as Jesus loved the church -

The Bible is very clear when it comes to instructions for husbands. In Ephesians 5:25, husbands are called upon to love their wives "just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."

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Husbands should love their wives as they love themselves -

The message goes further in Ephesians 5:28, which reads: "In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself."

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Submission -

Colossians 3:18-19 has sparked controversy over the years. The verse reads: "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them."

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Submission -

The same goes for Ephesians 5:22, which says: "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord."

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Marriage violations -

Deuteronomy 22:13-21 is also a controversial part of the Bible. It says that a man who dislikes his wife after sleeping with her is punished if he slanders her for not being a virgin, but such is proven otherwise. The punishment is paying a fine and not being allowed to divorce her.

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Marriage violations -

However, if there was no proof she was a virgin, then her promiscuity would be punished by being stoned to death.

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Good wife vs. bad wife -

Proverbs 12:4 talks about this duality: "A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones."

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Intimacy is important -

The Bible paints quite a romantic version of intimacy in 1 Corinthians 7:4. It says that "the wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife."

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It’s okay to take a break, but couples should return to intimacy -

The notion of consent may have become more prominent in recent years, but the Bible does mention it with regards to intimacy. Indeed, 1 Corinthians 7:5 reads: "Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."

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Is being married better than being single? -

Jesus himself did not marry, nor did many of his disciples. In fact, there are a few passages encouraging a life of singleness and abstinence (Matthew 19:29). Jesus even mentions "those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven" in Matthew 19:12.

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Is being married better than being single? -

Paul goes as far as telling believers to not look for a wife in 1 Corinthians 7:27. Being married is not better or worse than being single; it seems that both are viable options according to the Bible.

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Married couples in the Bible -

After Adam and Eve, many married couples are mentioned in the Bible. One of the most famous are Abraham and Sarah, who faced numerous challenges, including infertility.

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Old Testament couples -

There are other married couples in the Old Testament, including the interracial couple Moses and Zipporah (pictured), Isaac and Rebekah, Ruth and Boaz, and Hannah and Elkanah, among others.

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Mary and Joseph -

The most famous couple in the New Testament are Mary and Joseph. Raising the son of God was no easy task, especially for Joseph, for obvious reasons.

Sources: (Bible Study Tools) (Biblium) (Bible Gateway) (Bible Lyfe) (HuffPost) 

See also: Surprising ways marriage can affect your health

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