⁷ Husbands,^(A) in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

²³ The man said,

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united^(D) to his wife, and they become one flesh.^(E)

³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife^(A) for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’^{[a](B) 5} 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’^[b]?^{(C) 6} So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”^(D)

⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”^(E)

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives,^(A) just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her^{(B) 26} to make her holy,^(C) cleansing^[a] her by the washing^(D) with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself^(E) as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.^{(F) 28} In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives^(G) as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife^(A) as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

¹⁴ You ask,^(A) “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness^(B) between you and the wife of your youth.^(C) You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.^(D)

¹⁵ Has not the one God made you?^(E) You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring.^[a](F) So be on your guard,^(G) and do not be unfaithful^(H) to the wife of your youth.

¹⁶ “The man who hates and divorces his wife,^(I)” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,”^[b](J) says the Lord Almighty.

So be on your guard,^(K) and do not be unfaithful.

³ The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife,^(A) and likewise the wife to her husband.

¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them^(A) by my Father in heaven.