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What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements?

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What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements? In the world today, a prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement (commonly referred to as prenup), is a written contract entered into by a couple prior to marriage or a civil union that enables them to select and control many of the legal rights they acquire upon marrying, and what happens when their marriage eventually ends by death or divorce. Couples enter into an explicitly written prenuptial agreement to supersede many of the default marital laws that would otherwise apply in the event of divorce, such as the laws that govern the division of property, savings, retirement benefits, and the right to seek alimony (spousal support) with agreed-upon terms that provide certainty and clarify their marital rights. In some countries, the prenuptial agreement not only provides for what happens in the event of a divorce but also to protect some property during the marriage, for instance in case of bankruptcy. Postnuptial agreements are similar to prenuptial agreements, except that they are entered into after a couple is married.

As a matter of fact, the Bible talks of prenuptial agreements, although not as the world does. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament contain elements of prenuptial agreements. It just wasn’t referred to as such—it was called a dowry, a misnomer as the Bible actually refers to a bride price or a dower; in Hebrew, a mohar (Genesis 34:12; Exodus 22:16; 1 Samuel 18:25). Whatever the term used, the money was paid by the groom to the bride’s father or closest male relative. Women didn’t have the authority to own property or money except in extraordinary circumstances (Numbers 27:1-11). Behold, women were supported by their husbands or, when their husbands died, by their sons—the reason Lots daughters (Genesis 19:30-38) and Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar (Genesis 38) were so desperate to have sons. Ideally, the bride price was more of a deposit of alimony, to be invested by the bride’s father and used to care for the bride should in case her husband divorced her or died without giving her sons.

What the Bible Says About Prenuptial Agreements

We also hear of the bride price in Exodus 22:16-17 – “If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.” Notice that the seduction part implies that the girl was not an unwilling participant in the activities. But the man had not gone to her father to ask for her hand in marriage. If her father agreed to the marriage, the man was obliged to pay the mohar. Even if the father of the girl was against the arrangement, the man was to still pay the full amount of the mohar probably or likely because the girl was practically unmarriable and would need financial support for the rest of her life.

During Biblical times, young men were often not able to afford the entire mohar at the time of the wedding. Rabbis then included the promise of a future mohar into the Ketubah—the prenuptial agreement explaining the husband’s responsibility to the wife both during the marriage and, if need be, upon their divorce. The prenuptial agreement we know today derived from the same idea. A married woman devoted her life to supporting and promoting her husband’s professional success. Just like the women in Bible times, she probably didn’t have a significant source of income for herself, nor had she taken the steps to be competitive in the job market. In this case, a prenuptial agreement acknowledged the part she played in her husband’s success and would ensure she was supported should her husband divorce her.

Definition and Meaning of Ketubah

A ketubah is a Jews marriage contract. It is considered an integral part of traditional Jewish marriage, and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom, in relation to the bride. According to the Babylonian Talmud, the ketubah was enacted by Simeon Ben Shetach so that it might not be a light thing for a man to divorce his wife. The enactment provides for a man’s wife to receive a fixed sum of money, usually accruing from his property, in the event of his divorcing her or his predeceasing her. Thirteenth-century rabbi, Aharon HaLavi, adds a different reason, writing: “Of the logic behind this one commandment, [we find] that the Torah has commanded us to perform an act before taking a wife, a matter that is intended to show that they are a couple united in wedlock before he lies down with her carnally, and that he not come upon her as one would do to a harlot, where there is no other act that precedes what goes on between them…”

The rabbis in ancient times insisted that those being joined in marriage should enter into the ketubah as a protection for the wife. It acted as the replacement of the biblical mohar – the price paid by the groom to the bride, or her parents, for the marriage (i.e., the bride price). The ketubah served as a contract, whereby the amount due to the wife (the bride price) came to be paid in the event of the cessation of marriage, either by the death of the husband or divorce. The biblical mohar created a major social problem: many young prospective husbands could not raise the mohar at the time they would normally be expected to marry. In order to enable these young men to marry, the rabbis, in effect, delayed the time that the amount would be payable, when they would be more likely to have the sum. The mechanism adopted was to provide for the mohar to be a part of the ketubah. Both the mohar and the ketubah amounts served the same purpose: the protection for the wife should her support by her husband (either by death or divorce) cease. The main difference between the two systems was the timing of the payment. A modern secular equivalent would be the entitlement to alimony in the event of divorce. The ketubah amount served as a disincentive for the husband contemplating divorcing his wife: he would need to have the amount to be able to pay his wife. This was paid in full from a man’s property in the event of his divorcing her during her lifetime, or of his pre-deceasing her.

Arguments For and Against Modern Prenuptial Agreements

Arguments For Prenuptial Agreements

  • A prenuptial agreement could protect and provide for the innocent spouse whose marriage breaks up because of biblical reasons, such as abandonment or adultery.
  • A prenuptial agreement may protect a spouse’s assets if his or her mate has a business or practice that is likely to be sued or go bankrupt.
  • A poorer spouse who signs away his or her rights to the richer spouse’s assets proves that the motivation for the marriage is love and not money.
    • If children are brought into the marriage, the prenuptial agreement can protect their inheritance given by the extended family.
    • A prenuptial agreement awarding the poorer spouse a significant settlement might make the richer partner more willing to work on the marriage for fear of losing money (although rarely the case in real life).

Arguments Against Prenuptial Agreements

  • The existence of a prenuptial agreement indicates that the couple contemplated and prepared for divorce before they were even married; this does not reflect a solid, Bible-based commitment.
  • Financial situations can change during a marriage, and the prenuptial agreement may not allow for the change.
  • Most prenuptial agreements aren’t designed to provide for the poorer spouse but to protect the assets of the richer spouse, which is selfish and not in line with the unity of marriage.
  • Prenuptial agreements cannot, by Law, decide the fate of existing or potential children and, therefore, cannot adequately determine their needs should a divorce occur.

Irrespective of the arguments for and against, God entered the cultural mohar into the Mosaic Law. It is simply to ensure the well-being of the partner who has dedicated his or her life to the personal support and professional advancement of the more financially-successful spouse. As Christians, we should be just in our ways as the Lord our God is just.
Isaiah 61:8 – “For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.”
Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?“
Amos 5:24 – “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.“
Romans 12:19 – Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Biblical Facts About Agreements Before Marriage

Brethren, as idealistic as it is to say that the Bible does not mention, reject, or is against prenuptial agreements, it simply isn’t true. God is a realist and intensely concerned with the rights and protection of the vulnerable (Isaiah 1:17). As long as a prenuptial agreement is used to promote and maintain justice (Isaiah 61:8), protect, and support the innocent, it cannot be referred to as unbiblical. Nevertheless, God tells us how we are to view marriage, and from that, we can equally figure out how prenuptial agreements or “prenups” would be viewed. First, God intended marriage to be permanent, lasting as long as both spouses are alive. As such, when two Christians go into a marriage, it should be with the strong belief that divorce is not an option. Having a prenuptial agreement allows for the possibility of divorce. When the Lord God formed Eve from Adam’s rib, He was signifying the purpose of a husband-and-wife relationship. Behold, the woman is the man’s helper, taken from under his protective arm and formed from the same flesh. Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Being “one flesh” clearly means that a husband and wife should not even consider separating. The only reason the Law ever allowed divorce was the people’s hard-hearted insistence as a right (Matthew 19:8). God never changes, and He despises divorce (Malachi 2:16).

The characteristics of genuine love in 1 Corinthians 13 are likely to obviate the need for prenuptial agreements especially when they are motivated by selfish interests. Notice that Biblical love is a conscious decision that we are going to do what is best for others the way God always does what is best for us. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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.” Brethren, we should be characterized by this kind of love, especially within a Christian marriage. If love “endures through every circumstance” (NLT), then we are more likely not to see the need for prenuptial agreements.

Ephesians 5 reveals a lot about the roles of a husband and wife in marriage. Husbands are called to love their wives with the same love that Christ showed the church (Ephesians 5:25)—a love that did not shrink from sacrifice. Wives are to honor their husbands and submit to their leadership (Ephesians 5:22). Just as Christ will never leave us, a husband should never leave his wife. Husbands should love their wives as they love themselves (Ephesians 5:28), and wives should respect their husbands (Ephesians 5:33). Notice that the biblical model of marriage clearly teaches the permanence of the union and the necessity of selflessness; prenuptial agreements, by their very nature, cast doubt on the permanence of the union and foster selfishness. As such we are more likely not to see the need for a prenuptial agreement between two mature and sincere Christian people, committed to God and each other. Of course, both the husband and wife will sin, but “love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). God calls us to forgive each other just as He has forgiven us, but a prenup is likely to be seen as a plan to not forgive. Brethren, if two truly become one, shouldn’t the distinction between “yours” and “mine” be eradicated—or at least highly blurred? Irrespective of how today’s society perceives, defines, or promotes prenuptial agreements, God’s ways contradict the world’s (Luke 16:15; Romans 12:2). And as such, let love lead in our decisions concerning prenuptial agreements (Colossians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements?

Matthew 19:8 – He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.”

Matthew 19:4-6 – He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘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.”

1 Corinthians 6:1-8 – “When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, …“

Malachi 2:16 – “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.“

John 5:30 – “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.“

Group 1 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Malachi 2:16 – For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong and violence,” says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore keep watch on your spirit, so that you do not deal treacherously [with your wife].

Proverbs 16:25 – “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

1 Corinthians 7:15 – “But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.“

Proverbs 22:24-25 – “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”

1 Peter 3:7 – “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.”

Colossians 3:19 – “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.“

Proverbs 21:9 – “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.“

Proverbs 15:1-33 – “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. …“

Group 2 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Ephesians 5:25 – “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,“

1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Luke 4:18-19 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Matthew 18:15-17 – “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.“

Titus 3:2 – “To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.“

Group 3 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

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

Isaiah 43:1-28 – “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. …“

1 Timothy 3:2 – “Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,“

Proverbs 15:1 – “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Titus 3:10-11 – “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”

Group 4 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Matthew 5:29 – “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.“

Proverbs 16:25 – “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“

1 Corinthians 5:11 – “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.”

1 Thessalonians 5:21 – “But test everything; hold fast what is good.”

Matthew 5:31-32 – “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.“

Group 5 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

1 Corinthians 15:33 – Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Titus 3:1 – “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,“

Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.“

Proverbs 20:22 – “Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.“

James 1:26 – “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.”

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 – “To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.“

Matthew 19:9 – “And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

Group 6 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

James 1:26 – “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.”

Proverbs 21:2 – “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.”

1 Corinthians 7:12-16 – “To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. 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?“

Proverbs 19:11 – “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.“

Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.“

Matthew 18:15 – “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”

Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Group 7 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Proverbs 1:1-33 – “The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, …“

James 3:10 – “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”

Matthew 18:15 – “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.“

Proverbs 10:6 – “Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.“

1 Corinthians 14:1-40 – “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. …“

Romans 12:18 – “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

Group 8 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Psalm 37:3-4 – “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.“

Psalm 140:12 – “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.”

Psalm 37:3-6 – “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”

Job 19:25 – “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.“

James 5:19-20 – “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.“

Ephesians 4:31 – “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”

Group 9 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

Psalm 11:5 – “The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.“

Galatians 6:1 – “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”

1 Corinthians 7:12 – “To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.“

James 1:19-20 – “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

Colossians 3:12-13 – “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.”

Group 10 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 – “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; …“

Matthew 5:32 – “But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.“

Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.“

Matthew 19:3-9 – “And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘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.” They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” …“

Group 11 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Malachi 2:16 – “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

Zephaniah 1:9 – “On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master’s house with violence and fraud.”

Psalm 72:14 – “From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.“

Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.“

James 3:6 – “And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.“

James 4:8 – “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

James 3:2 – “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.”

James 3:17 – “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.“

Group 12 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Ephesians 5:22 – “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.”

Luke 16:18 – “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.“

Proverbs 13:20 – “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.“

Hebrews 10:24 – “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,“

2 Thessalonians 3:15 – “Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.“

Hebrews 13:3 – “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

Ephesians 5:21 – “Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.“

2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Group 13 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 – “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”“

Psalm 146:7 – “Who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;“

Psalm 146:7 – “Who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;“

Psalm 9:9 – “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”

2 Samuel 22:28 – “You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.”

1 John 3:18 – “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

Group 14 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,“

1 Peter 3:1 – “Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,“

2 Peter 1:7 – “And godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.“

Hebrews 12:12 – “Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,“

1 Peter 3:1-6 – “Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, …“

Group 15 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

1 Thessalonians 5:14 – “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.“

Galatians 6:2 – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 13:11 – “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 – “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.“

1 Corinthians 7:4 – “For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.”

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 – “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?“

Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

Group 16 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Ephesians 6:1-3 – Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Romans 15:14 – “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.“

2 Thessalonians 3:6 – “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.”

1 Corinthians 6:1-3 – “When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!“

Group 17 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Proverbs 10:11 – “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.“

1 Peter 3:8 – “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”

Ephesians 5:3-5 – “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.“

1 Corinthians 7:1-40 – “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. …“

Group 18 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.“

Matthew 19:1-30 – “Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? …“

1 Corinthians 7:1-40 – “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. …“

Group 19 – What Does the Bible Say About Prenuptial Agreements

Matthew 19:4 – He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female,”

1 Corinthians 7:8-9 – “To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”

Matthew 6:1-34 – “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. …“

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