Sacraments
Baptism
Confession
(Reconciliation / Penance)
Confirmation
Eucharist
Extreme
Unction (Anointing of the Sick)
Holy
Orders
Matrimony
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links
Note:
Sacraments are "Perceptible signs (words and actions) ... By
the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they make
present efficaciously the grace that they signify."
Notice:
Items included herein may apply to the Sacraments only indirectly. |
Baptism - Click
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Confession
(Reconciliation / Penance)
[Jesus said,] "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of
heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and
whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
[Taken from MT 16:19]
[Jesus said,] "If your brother sins (against you), go and
tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to
you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take
one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be
established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he
refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to
listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile
or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven." [Taken from MT 18:15-18]
(Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the
Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said
this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy
Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins
you retain are retained." [JN 20:21-23]
Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint (him) with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be
forgiven. [JMS 5:14-15] [Note: This passage actually refers to
Extreme Unction, however it has been included here to show the
authority of the Church to forgive sins.]
If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.
[1JN 5:16-17] [Note: Deadly sin necessitates the
Sacrament of Reconciliation.]
Also try:
sin
/ sins / sinned / sinful / sinner [S18a]
wicked
/ wickedness [E3a]
wrong
/ wrongdoing [W14]
disobey
/ disobedience [D]
mortal
sin [M]
guilt
/ guilty [G12]
repent
/ repentance [R4]
confess
/ confession of sins [C]
confessing
of sins / forgiveness [F10]
heal
/ healing [H4]
love
/ love of God / loving / loved [L7a]
mercy
/ merciful [M3a]
Baptism
[B1]
Other
resources:
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(Topic Page)
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/ Reconciliation / Penance [Sacraments Section]
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Confirmation
"When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the
Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will
testify to me." [JN 5:26]
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will
ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with
you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it
remains with you, and will be in you." [JN 14:15-17]
In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did
and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving
instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had
chosen. He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he
had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking
about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he enjoined
them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for "the
promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for
John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized
with the Holy Spirit." [ACTS 1:1-5]
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one
place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like
a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which
they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which
parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different
tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. [ACTS 2:1-4]
Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had
accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went
down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on
them and they received the Holy Spirit. [ACTS 8:14-17]
So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him,
he said, "Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who
appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain
your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately
things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered
his strength. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he
is the Son of God. [ACTS 9:17-20]
While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit
fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised
believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift
of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles
also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying
God. Then Peter responded, "Can anyone withhold the water for
baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as
we have?" He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ. Then they invited him to stay for a few days. [ACTS
10:44-49]
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the
interior of the country and came (down) to Ephesus where he found
some disciples. He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit
when you became believers?" They answered him, "We have
never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." He said,
"How were you baptized?" They replied, "With the
baptism of John." Paul then said, "John baptized with a
baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one
who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." When they
heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And
when Paul laid (his) hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon
them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. [ACTS 19:1-6]
Also try:
Holy
Spirit [S27a]
Pentecost
[P]
Baptism
[B1]
Other
resources:
Confirmation (Topic
Page)
Confirmation
[Sacraments Section]
Sacraments
Reflections: A-Z
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Extreme
Unction (Anointing of the Sick)
He instructed them to take nothing for
the journey but a walking stick - no food, no sack, no money in
their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second
tunic. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay
there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome
you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them." So they went off and preached
repentance. They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil
many who were sick and cured them. [MK 6:8-13]
Is anyone among you sick? He should
summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him
and anoint (him) with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer
of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him
up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. [JMS
5:14-15]
Also try:
ill
/ illness [S16]
dead
/ death [D1a]
sin
/ sins / sinned / sinful / sinner [S18a]
repent
/ repentance [R4]
forgive
/ forgiveness [F10]
heal
/ healing [H4]
love
/ love of God / loving / loved [L7a]
mercy
/ merciful [M3a]
Other
resources:
Sickness /
Extreme Unction (Topic Page)
Extreme
Unction / Anointing of the Sick [Sacraments Section]
Sacraments
Suffering
/ Death (Catholic Life Section)
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Holy Orders
Then he summoned his twelve disciples and
gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to
cure every disease and every illness. [MT 10:1]
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked
his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man
is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others
Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He
said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon
Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the
living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are
you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this
to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are
Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of
the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the
keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed
in heaven." Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no
one that he was the Messiah. [MT 16:13-20]
"If your brother sins (against you), go and tell him his
fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have
won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two
others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on
the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen
to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the
church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven." [MT 18:15-18]
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which
Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but
they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All
power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore,
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them
to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with
you always, until the end of the age." [MT 28:16-20]
(But) later, as the eleven were at table, he appeared to them
and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because
they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised.
He said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the
gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be
saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned." [MK
16:14-16]
In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent
the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples
to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named
apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son
of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of
James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. [LK 6:12-16]
[Jesus said,] "Whoever listens to you listens to me.
Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the
one who sent me." [Taken from LK 10:16]
Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave
it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for
you; do this in memory of me." And likewise the cup after
they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my
blood, which will be shed for you." [LK 22:19-20]
It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a
kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me, that
you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit
on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. [LK 22:28-30]
"Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of
you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not
fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your
brothers." [LK 22:31-32]
"I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because
they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the
world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that
you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth.
Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them
into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they
also may be consecrated in truth. I pray not only for them, but
also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that
they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that
they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent
me." [Taken from JN 17:14-21]
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors
were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus
came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be
with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands
and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
(Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father
has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he
breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you
retain are retained." [JN 20:19-23]
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He
said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He
said to him, "Feed my lambs." He then said to him a
second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He
said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He
said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third
time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was
distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love
me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you
know that I love you." (Jesus) said to him, "Feed my
sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used
to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old,
you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go." He said this
signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he
had said this, he said to him, "Follow me." [JN
21:15-19]
What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through
whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. I
planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore,
neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but
only God, who causes the growth. The one who plants and the one
who waters are equal, and each will receive wages in proportion to
his labor. For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's
building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise
master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon
it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one
can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely,
Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation with gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each
will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be
revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of
each one's work. [1COR 3:5-13]
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that
the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and,
after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my
body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the
same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the
new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and
drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord
unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.
[1COR 11:23-27]
Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it. Some
people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles;
second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts
of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work
mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in
tongues? Do all interpret? [1COR 12:27-30]
So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are
fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of
God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with
Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole
structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the
Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling
place of God in the Spirit. [EPH 2:19-22]
But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of
Christ's gift. Therefore, it says: "He ascended on high and
took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men." What does
"he ascended" mean except that he also descended into
the lower (regions) of the earth? The one who descended is also
the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill
all things. And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip
the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body
of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge
of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full
stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by
waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human
trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful
scheming. [EPH 4:7-14]
We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are laboring among
you and who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you, and to
show esteem for them with special love on account of their work.
Be at peace among yourselves. [1THES 5:12-13]
This saying is trustworthy: whoever aspires to the office of
bishop desires a noble task. Therefore, a bishop must be
irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled,
decent, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not aggressive,
but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money. He must manage
his own household well, keeping his children under control with
perfect dignity; for if a man does not know how to manage his own
household, how can he take care of the church of God? He should
not be a recent convert, so that he may not become conceited and
thus incur the devil's punishment. He must also have a good
reputation among outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace,
the devil's trap. Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not
deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain,
holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
Moreover, they should be tested first; then, if there is nothing
against them, let them serve as deacons. Women, similarly, should
be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in
everything. Deacons may be married only once and must manage their
children and their households well. Thus those who serve well as
deacons gain good standing and much confidence in their faith in
Christ Jesus. [1TM 3:1-13] [Note: Religious offices indicated
in the New Testament are in their infancy and can be shown to be
developing even in Scripture. Within a short time, many religious
offices in the Church adopted Jesus' and Paul's recommended
observance of celibacy as a
general rule.]
Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you
through the prophetic word with the imposition of hands of the
presbyterate. [1TM 4:14]
Presbyters who preside well deserve double honor, especially
those who toil in preaching and teaching. For the scripture says,
"You shall not muzzle an ox when it is threshing," and,
"A worker deserves his pay." Do not accept an accusation
against a presbyter unless it is supported by two or three
witnesses. Reprimand publicly those who do sin, so that the rest
also will be afraid. I charge you before God and Christ Jesus and
the elect angels to keep these rules without prejudice, doing
nothing out of favoritism. Do not lay hands too readily on anyone,
and do not share in another's sins. Keep yourself pure. [1TM
5:17-22]
For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of
God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did
not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and
self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,
nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of
hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.
[2TM 1:6-8]
For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right
what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I
directed you [Taken from TI 1:5]
For a bishop as God's steward must be blameless, not arrogant,
not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive, not greedy for
sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, temperate, just,
holy, and self-controlled, holding fast to the true message as
taught so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine
and to refute opponents. [TI 1:7-9]
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you
realize that we will be judged more strictly [Taken from JMS 3:1]
Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of
the church, and they should pray over him and anoint (him) with
oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the
sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed
any sins, he will be forgiven. [JMS 5:14-15]
The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its
foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb. [RV 21:14]
Also try:
priest
/ priestly / priesthood [P15a]
shepherd
(of people) / sheep (people as) [S14]
pope
(chief bishop, successor to Peter) [P9]
Melchizedek
[M]
authority
[A5]
judge
/ judges / judged [J2]
celibacy
/ chastity / chaste [C1]
Other
resources:
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(Topic Page)
Holy
Orders [Sacraments Section]
Sacraments
Priests
& Vocations
Vatican
View
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Matrimony
The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be
alone. I will make a suitable partner for him." So the LORD
God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various
birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he
would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its
name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the
air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable
partner for the man. So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man,
and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up
its place with flesh. The LORD God then built up into a woman the
rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the
man, the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called 'woman,' for out
of 'her man' this one has been taken." That is why a man
leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two
of them become one body. The man and his wife were both naked, yet
they felt no shame. [GEN 2:18-25]
"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give
her a bill of divorce.' But I say to you, whoever divorces his
wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit
adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits
adultery." [MT 5:31-32]
When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to
the district of Judea across the Jordan. Great crowds followed
him, and he cured them there. Some Pharisees approached him, and
tested him, saying, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his
wife for any cause whatever?" He said in reply, "Have
you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male
and female' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his
father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall
become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must
separate." They said to him, "Then why did Moses command
that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss
(her)?" He said to them, "Because of the hardness of
your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the
beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife
(unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits
adultery." (His) disciples said to him, "If that is the
case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." He
answered, "Not all can accept (this) word, but only those to
whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they
were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some,
because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom
of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it." [MT
19:1-12]
The Pharisees approached and asked, "Is it lawful for a
husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said
to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They
replied, "Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and
dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the
hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from
the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female. For
this reason a man shall leave his father and mother (and be joined
to his wife), and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no
longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate." In the house the disciples
again questioned him about this. He said to them, "Whoever
divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against
her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she
commits adultery." [MK 10:2-12]
"Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from
her husband commits adultery." [LK 16:18]
"It is my judgment, therefore, that we ought to stop
troubling the Gentiles who turn to God, but tell them by letter to
avoid... unlawful marriage..." [ACTS 15:19-20]
"Since we have heard that some of our number (who went
out) without any mandate from us have upset you with their
teachings and disturbed your peace of mind, we have with one
accord decided to choose representatives and to send them to you
along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have dedicated their
lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we are sending
Judas and Silas who will also convey this same message by word of
mouth: 'It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to
place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to
abstain...from unlawful marriage...'" [ACTS 15:24-29]
Thus a married woman is bound by law to her living husband; but
if her husband dies, she is released from the law in respect to
her husband. [ROM 7:2]
Now in regard to the matters about which you wrote: "It is
a good thing for a man not to touch a woman," but because of
cases of immorality every man should have his own wife, and every
woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his duty toward
his wife, and likewise the wife toward her husband. A wife does
not have authority over her own body, but rather her husband, and
similarly a husband does not have authority over his own body, but
rather his wife. Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by
mutual consent for a time, to be free for prayer, but then return
to one another, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack
of self-control. This I say by way of concession, however, not as
a command. Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am, but each has a
particular gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. Now
to the unmarried and to widows, I say: it is a good thing for them
to remain as they are, as I do, but if they cannot exercise
self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to
be on fire. To the married, however, I give this instruction (not
I, but the Lord): a wife should not separate from her husband -
and if she does separate she must either remain single or become
reconciled to her husband - and a husband should not divorce his
wife. To the rest I say (not the Lord): if any brother has a wife
who is an unbeliever, and she is willing to go on living with him,
he should not divorce her; and if any woman has a husband who is
an unbeliever, and he is willing to go on living with her, she
should not divorce her husband. For the unbelieving husband is
made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy
through the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean,
whereas in fact they are holy. If the unbeliever separates,
however, let him separate. The brother or sister is not bound in
such cases; God has called you to peace. For how do you know,
wife, whether you will save your husband; or how do you know,
husband, whether you will save your wife? [1COR 7:1-16]
Now in regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord,
but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is
trustworthy. So this is what I think best because of the present
distress: that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is.
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation. Are you free of
a wife? Then do not look for a wife. If you marry, however, you do
not sin, nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries; but such
people will experience affliction in their earthly life, and I
would like to spare you that. I tell you, brothers, the time is
running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having
them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not
rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as
not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing
away. I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man
is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the
Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world,
how he may please his wife, and he is divided. An unmarried woman
or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she
may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other
hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please
her husband. I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to
impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and
adherence to the Lord without distraction. If anyone thinks he is
behaving improperly toward his virgin, and if a critical moment
has come and so it has to be, let him do as he wishes. He is
committing no sin; let them get married. The one who stands firm
in his resolve, however, who is not under compulsion but has power
over his own will, and has made up his mind to keep his virgin,
will be doing well. So then, the one who marries his virgin does
well; the one who does not marry her will do better. A wife is
bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies,
she is free to be married to whomever she wishes, provided that it
be in the Lord. She is more blessed, though, in my opinion, if she
remains as she is, and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
[1COR 7:25-40]
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For
the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the
church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is
subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their
husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ
loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might
present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle
or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So
(also) husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He
who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the
church, because we are members of his body. "For this reason
a man shall leave (his) father and (his) mother and be joined to
his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This is a
great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.
In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and
the wife should respect her husband. [EPH 5:22-33]
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the
Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward
them. [COL 3:18-19]
Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior,
not slanderers, not addicted to drink, teaching what is good, so
that they may train younger women to love their husbands and
children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers, under
the control of their husbands, so that the word of God may not be
discredited. [TI 2:3-5]
Let marriage be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept
undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterers. [HEB
13:4]
Likewise, you wives should be subordinate to your husbands so
that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won over without
a word by their wives' conduct when they observe your reverent and
chaste behavior. Your adornment should not be an external one:
braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or dressing in fine
clothes, but rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed
in the imperishable beauty of a gentle and calm disposition, which
is precious in the sight of God. For this is also how the holy
women who hoped in God once used to adorn themselves and were
subordinate to their husbands; thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling
him "lord." You are her children when you do what is
good and fear no intimidation. Likewise, you husbands should live
with your wives in understanding, showing honor to the weaker
female sex, since we are joint heirs of the gift of life, so that
your prayers may not be hindered. [1PT 3:1-7]
Also try:
wedding
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bride
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