Introduction
Between the engagement and the big day, you think about the venue, the guests and the budget. Yet what makes a marriage last is prepared long before the ceremony. These 20 verses, quoted from the World English Bible, move through five stages: waiting and choosing wisely, building on good foundations, loving as Christ loves, holding fast to one another, and then standing together for the long haul. Read them with the person you love, one or two each evening, and talk about them with your pastor or an older couple.
Waiting and Choosing Wisely
1. Proverbs 18:22
"Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh."
This proverb presents marriage as something received rather than conquered. Finding the right person is a grace, not only the result of your strategy. If you are still waiting or you hesitate, you can ask God to help you recognize what is good for you. Read all of Proverbs 18.
2. Proverbs 14:15
"A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways."
This proverb contrasts the simple person, who believes everything he is told, with the prudent person, who watches his steps. Choosing a spouse takes prudence: observe their character over time, listen to the advice of wise people close to you, and do not confuse the feelings of the moment with true compatibility. Read all of Proverbs 14.
3. Proverbs 19:14
"House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh."
A material inheritance can be handed down, but the wisdom of a spouse cannot. This verse reminds you that a prudent wife is a gift from the Lord, more precious than a house. When you choose, look at character and faith before the visible advantages. Read all of Proverbs 19.
4. 2 Corinthians 6:14
"Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship do righteousness and iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?"
Paul warns the believers in Corinth against close ties with those who do not share their faith. Many apply this principle to the choice of a spouse, because life as a couple rests on shared values. Take the time to talk about it with your pastor. Read all of 2 Corinthians 6.
Building on Good Foundations
5. Psalm 127:1
"Unless Yahweh builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain."
This song, attributed to Solomon, speaks of building a house. Without the Lord, every effort stays in vain, even the most sincere. Before you plan the wedding, ask yourself whether God is truly the builder of your future home, and not just the guest of honor. Read all of Psalm 127.
6. Matthew 7:24-25
"Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock."
Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with the image of two houses. The one that stands through the storm rests on the rock, that is, on his words put into practice. Your marriage will face storms: the question is what it is built on. Read all of Matthew 7.
7. Amos 3:3
"Do two walk together, unless they have agreed?"
The prophet asks a very simple question. Two people walk together only if they have agreed on the direction. Before the wedding, talk frankly with your fiance or fiancee about your plans, money, children and the place of the church in your life. Read all of Amos 3.
8. Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
This passage invites you to trust with all your heart rather than lean on your own understanding. For a couple deciding where to live, what work to do or which date to choose, it is a precious guide: you acknowledge God in your decisions, and he makes your paths straight. Read all of Proverbs 3.
Loving as Christ Loves
9. Ephesians 5:25
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;"
Paul asks husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, to the point of giving himself up for her. It is not about dominating but about serving, with a love ready to pay the price. The future husband is called to take this example very seriously. Read all of Ephesians 5.
10. Ephesians 5:21
"subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ."
Before speaking of husband and wife, Paul states the principle for everyone: submit to one another in the fear of Christ. In a couple, this means listening to the other, giving way at times, and seeking the common good rather than being right. Read all of Ephesians 5.
11. Ephesians 5:33
"Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband."
Paul sums up his teaching on marriage: each one must love his own wife as himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Love and respect are two deep needs, to be nurtured together. Before the wedding, ask yourself whether you know how to express them in practical ways, in your own way. Read all of Ephesians 5.
12. Colossians 3:14
"Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection."
Paul lists the virtues of the Christian, then places love above them all. It is the bond that holds everything together. In marriage, patience, forgiveness and kindness last only when they rest on this love, chosen each day and not only felt. Read all of Colossians 3.
Holding Fast and Giving Yourselves to Each Other
13. Genesis 2:24
"Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh."
This verse describes marriage in three movements: leaving, holding fast, becoming one flesh. Leaving means putting your spouse before your parents in decisions. Holding fast means choosing faithfulness. Serious preparation begins with these first two steps. Read all of Genesis 2.
14. Ruth 1:16
"Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God."
Ruth tells her mother-in-law Naomi that she will go where she goes, with no conditions. It is not a wedding vow, but it expresses the commitment you hope for in a couple: to stay, even when the road becomes uncertain. Many couples have read it at their ceremony. Read all of Ruth 1.
15. John 15:12
"This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you."
Jesus gives his disciples a commandment: to love one another as he has loved them. This model, a love that gives itself and forgives, is the measure of a Christian marriage. It asks for more than good feelings: it asks for decisions, repeated every day. Read all of John 15.
16. Song of Songs 8:6-7
"Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame of Yahweh. Many waters can’t quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned."
The Song of Songs speaks of love as a seal, a flame that nothing can put out. This poetry does not promise constant feelings, but a faithfulness as strong as death. It invites every engaged person to see their commitment as serious and precious. Read all of Song of Songs 8.
Standing Together for Life
17. Romans 15:5-6
"Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Paul prays that God would give believers the same mind toward one another. This harmony is not uniformity but a shared direction. For an engaged couple, it is a beautiful prayer: ask God for unity of heart and purpose, despite your differences. Read all of Romans 15.
18. Ecclesiastes 4:12
"If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken: many see in it the couple with God in the middle. This image is often chosen for ceremonies. It reminds you that your union holds better when you braid it with faith, prayer and the church. Read all of Ecclesiastes 4.
19. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
"Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do."
Paul urges Christians to encourage one another and build each other up. In a couple, this means speaking kindly to each other, pointing out what is good and helping each other grow. Make it a habit, starting in the engagement, to tell the other what you admire. Read all of 1 Thessalonians 5.
20. Philippians 2:3-4
"doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others."
Paul invites Christians to count others as more important than themselves and to look to their interests. It is not easy, but a marriage is built better on humility than on a power struggle. Practice now, before the ceremony. Read all of Philippians 2.
Further reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Bible verses should I read before getting married?
Genesis 2:24 on leaving, holding fast and becoming one flesh, Matthew 7:24-25 on the house built on the rock, and John 15:12 on the love that gives itself are good places to start. Read them together and say what they awaken in you.
How can I prepare spiritually for marriage?
Pray with the person you are going to marry, read the Bible together at least once a week, and meet with your pastor or an experienced couple for marriage preparation. Talk about practical matters too: money, children, family, the place of the church. This honesty is worth as much as the vows on the day of the ceremony.
Which verse should I choose for the wedding ceremony?
Choose a passage that fits who you are: Ruth 1:16 for commitment, Ecclesiastes 4:12 for the cord of three strands, 1 Corinthians 13 for love. Read it aloud before the big day, then explain in two sentences why you chose it.