In Part One of this article, we discussed the sometimes
challenging task of choosing Bible verses for your
wedding ceremony and listed possible choices from
the Old Testament and Apocrypha.
In Part II we continue with a list of possibilities
from the Gospels and New Testament. We will also
discuss some tried and true methods for narrowing
down the choices.
DYI wedding planner
The Gospels
Matthew 5:1-10 The famous Beatitudes, which proclaim
God's favor to those who try to live by God's law.
(See Luke 6:17-49 for a shorter account of
The Sermon on the Mount which also includes
a few other verses found elsewhere in Matthew.)
Matthew 7:24-27 A metaphor on establishing your
home on a foundation in God.
Matthew 22:35-40 The greatest commandment of
love and the many ways it applies to life.
Mark 2:18-22 Christ as the bridegroom and His
followers as the bride.
Mark 10: 42-45 It is better to serve than to be served
John 2:1-11 The wedding at Cana where Christ
performs his first miracle of turning water to wine.
John 3:16 The famous "For God so loved the world."
John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life..."
John 15:9-17 An admonition to love one another and
Christ's sacrificial love for us.
Verses from the New Testament
Romans 12:9-18 The Christian's duty to love and
all that is encompassed by that duty: hope, patience,
prayer, compassion, and more. Be sure to compare
this passage to the 13th chapter of First Corinthians.
I Corinthians 13 Perhaps the most famous of all
wedding Bible verses, this chapter defines the
ultimate gift of the Spirit: Love.
I Corinthians 14:1 "Make love your aim" in all
you do. (Verses 2-5 go on to discuss the superior
gift of prophecy rather than speaking in tongues.)
I Corinthians 16:14 Be certain that everything
you do is motivated by love.
2 Corinthians 5:14-17 Through Christ's sacrificial
love, we have become new creations.
Ephesians 2:4-10 God's gracious love for us saves
us through faith.
Ephesians 4:25-5:2 Be loving and forgiving, speaking
only good and imitating Christ." ...let not the sun
go down upon your wrath..." (KJV) Check on more
modern translations for a better reading.
Ephesians 5:21-33 This passage depicting the
Christian home is difficult for some because it
deals with "submission theology." However, the
general thought is mutual submission. Understand
it from an early church point of view.
Philippians 2:1-5 Guard against selfishness. Be
humble and serve others.
Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice and don't be anxious.
Live honorably and justly, and God's peace will
be a part of your lives.
Colossians 3:12-17 The Christian life lived in
love and harmony. Do all in Christ's name.
Colossians 3:18-20 More submission theology with
the admonition to husbands to love their wives.
I John 3:1 "Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us..." (KJV)
I John 3:16 Christ's example of sacrificial love.
I John 3:18-24 Believe in Christ, and keep His
commandments by loving one another.
I John 4:7 Love each other because love comes
from God.
I John 4:16-19 God loves us. If we live in love,
it serves as a sign that God lives in us. We are
capable of love only because God loved us first.
Revelation 19:1; 5-9 A glorious celebration in
heaven for the marriage of the Lamb of God.
The church is depicted as the Bride.
In reading these selections, you may find yourself
reading beyond the verses. This is an excellent
idea because the context may surprise you in some
cases. For example, Ruth 1:16 is a popular verse
and is often used in weddings. (There are endless
vocal music settings of this text as well, so don.t
rule this possibility out for your soloist.) While
we think of this passage as being spoken by a man
to a woman, or visa versa, as an affirmation of love
and devotion, it is actually spoken by Ruth to her
mother-in-law, Naomi! The story of Ruth, Naomi,
and Boaz is certainly an entertaining tale. If you
have time to read the whole saga, I encourage you
to do so! It.s quite a story! So, again, try to
take the time to read a few verses before and after
the main verses listed below. It could influence
your decision.
How does one begin to narrow
the choices? One thing to bear in mind is that many
of these popular wedding Bible verses have been
set to music. If you narrow your choices down to 5,
but you only need to use 3, find out from
your music director if any of your choices are set
to music. You could then use those as vocal
selections and the problem is solved. You can
have them all!
And as for which ones to choose, you have some
work ahead of you. Read the verses as a couple.
Ask each other, "Does it speak to our situation?"
"Does this sum up an important belief that we hold?"
"Does this make us feel good or special when we
read it?" And sometimes it.s simply a matter of
what grabs you!
A word about translations and paraphrases: While
many prefer the King James Version for the sheer
poetry of the language, the verses above read quite
differently in other translations. Consider
consulting Today's English Version, The New
International Version, the Revised Standard, the
New Revised Standard, The Good News Bible,
the New Living Translation, the Jerusalem Bible,
and many others for more modern language.
The most appropriate version of the Bible for a
Jewish wedding is the Masoretic Text.
Your wedding is one of the most important events
in your life. Take the time to set the perfect
tone for your married years by starting your
ceremony preparations with the Bible.
