Scripture Library · Marriage and family · KJV
Bible Verses About Marriage and Family (KJV) + A Prayer for Your Home
How do I love the people at home well? These 14 passages from the King James Bible cover marriage, parenting and family life, from “they shall be one flesh” to “Charity suffereth long, and is kind.” They end with a simple decision: “as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
14 Bible verses about marriage and family
How do I love the people at home well?
Genesis 2:18-24KJV
18And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
God makes a companion for the man, and the two become one flesh.Read in context →
Ephesians 5:21-33KJV
21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Keep reading →
Husbands and wives, patterned on Christ and the church.Read in context →
1 Corinthians 13:4-7KJV
4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love is patient and kind; it bears, believes, hopes and endures.Read in context →
Colossians 3:18-21KJV
18Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 21Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Instructions for wives, husbands, children and fathers.Read in context →
1 Peter 3:1-9KJV
1Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. 7Likewise, 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. 8Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
Living with understanding and honour in marriage.Read in context →
Proverbs 31:10-31KJV
10Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. Keep reading →
The portrait of a woman of noble character.Read in context →
Deuteronomy 6:4-9KJV
4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Teach God's words diligently to your children in daily life.Read in context →
Ephesians 6:1-4KJV
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Children, obey your parents; fathers, do not provoke your children.Read in context →
Psalm 127KJV
1Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. 3Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Unless the Lord builds the house; children are a heritage from Him.Read in context →
Proverbs 22:6KJV
6Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Train up a child in the way he should go.Read in context →
Joshua 24:15KJV
15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.Read in context →
Hebrews 13:4KJV
4Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Let marriage be held in honour by all.Read in context →
1 Timothy 5:8KJV
8But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Whoever does not provide for his own household has denied the faith.Read in context →
Ruth 1:16-17KJV
16And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
Ruth's pledge of loyalty to Naomi.Read in context →
A prayer for marriage and family
Pray it slowly, in your own words if you like.
Lord, thank You for the people You have given me at home. Help me love them the way You love me: patiently, kindly, and without keeping score.
Strengthen our marriage. Teach us to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ, to forgive quickly, and to keep You at the center. Guard our home from everything that would pull us apart.
Give us wisdom to raise our children in Your ways, with Your words on our hearts and in our conversations. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
What the Bible says about marriage and family
What does the Bible say about marriage?
Marriage begins in Genesis 2:18-24, where God brings the man and woman together and they become “one flesh.” Ephesians 5:21-33 describes marriage as a picture of Christ and the church, built on mutual submission, sacrificial love and respect. Hebrews 13:4 calls marriage honourable.
Why does 1 Corinthians 13 say “charity” instead of “love”?
In 1611, “charity” (from the Latin caritas) meant self-giving love, the same Greek word agape that newer translations render “love.” “Charity suffereth long, and is kind” describes the kind of love that holds a marriage and family together.
What does the Bible say about raising children?
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 tells parents to talk about God’s words at home, on the road, at bedtime and in the morning. Ephesians 6:4 says fathers should not provoke their children to wrath but bring them up “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Proverbs 22:6 adds, “Train up a child in the way he should go.”
What are good Bible verses for a wedding?
Popular choices include Genesis 2:24, Ruth 1:16-17 (“whither thou goest, I will go”), 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (“a threefold cord is not quickly broken”) and Colossians 3:12-14.
More Bible verses by topic
- Forgiveness and reconciliation
- Anger and conflict
- Work and rest
- Lust and temptation
- Loneliness and belonging
- All topics
Looking for Scripture on something else? The Scripture Library gathers 255 passages around the struggles and questions people actually bring to God.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (public domain).

