Ceremony Readings For Weddings

Ceremony readings for weddings can be recited at your wedding in the modern translation, the New International Version or NIV. It is my favorite translation of the Bible.

For your convenience, this page has the most popular scriptures for marriage ceremonies in the NIV translation. Of course, some couples prefer the elegant sound of King James and that, too, is fine.

Genesis 2:20-24

...But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man."

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. (NIV)

One of the Old Testament ceremony readings for weddings, this is included in some wedding songs as well.

Matthew 19:4-6

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (NIV)

The above ceremony readings for weddings of Matthew 19:4-6 are the words of Jesus and are often read as the couple is being pronounced husband and wife.

Ceremony readings for weddings are abundant in the New Testament. Paul had a lot to say about the relationship between a husband and his wife. Take his advice to heart. It could save your marriage down the road.

I Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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. Love never fails. (NIV)

This is one of the most popular ceremony readings for weddings about love and sounds so beautiful in the New International Version.

Ephesians 5:22-31

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church-for we are members of his body.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. (NIV)

Colossians 3:12-19

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. (NIV)

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down, his friend can help him up.

But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (NIV)

This is another of the most popular ceremony readings for weddings because of the phrase "threefold cord is not quickly broken". Some weddings include a threefold cord ceremony where one cord represents Christ and the other two represent the bride and groom.

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