Paul in his letter to the Ephesians states that marriage is the mysterious transformation of two individuals into one new flesh. The image of God was first placed in Adam, both male and female. Then Eve was removed from Adam. Now in marriage Adam and Eve are essentially reconnected as one new identity. Paul goes on to say that this new relationship is similar to that of Christ and the Church. Just as we are encouraged to put on the ‘new man’ of this new relationship with God (Ephesians 4:24), we should also put on the new man of this new relationship with our spouse in marriage (Ephesians 5:31).

Paul, they say, knew marriage on a spiritual level but Peter actually lived with a woman. There is a difference. Peter tells us to live together in understanding and honor. They are both correct. Marriage is both a deep spiritual mystery and a simple relationship between two people (one male and one female), choosing to live in a lifelong loving, trusting, and faithful connection before God. Get these scriptures into your heart, they will reinforce the mystery and enhance the journey.

Enjoy life with the wife whom you love.

Then God said, ”Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ”Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.- Genesis 1:26-28

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him – Genesis 2:18

When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken…Deuteronomy 24:5

House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD – Proverbs 19:14

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.” – Proverbs 24:29

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun- Ecclesiastes 9:9 ESV

And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy-  Hosea 2:19

But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one Godseeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth- Malachi 2:14-15

… ’Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate –  Matthew 19:5-6

…What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate- Mark 10:9

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all- Romans 12:17

Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace- Ephesians 4:1-3

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you- Ephesians 4:31-32

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church-  Ephesians 5:25-29

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church- Ephesians 5:31-32

complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind- Philippians 2:2

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ – Philippians 1:9-10

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony- Colossians 3:12-14

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous-  Hebrews 13:4

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart- 1 Peter 1:22

In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. And let not your adornment be merely external– braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands. Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear- 1 Peter 3:1-6

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered – 1 Peter 3:7