"So the Lord God made him fall into a deep sleep, and he took out one of the man's ribs. Then after closing the man's side, the Lord made a woman (singular) out of the rib." CEV

"And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman (singular), and brought her (not them) unto the man." KJV

"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 (singular) from the rib (singular) he had taken out of the man, and brought her (not them) to the man." NIV

"Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. They came up to Him and asked, "Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" Jesus answered, "Don't you know that in the beginning the Creator made a man and a woman? That's why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together." "I say that if your wife has not committed some terrible sexual sin, you must not divorce her to marry someone else. If you do, you are unfaithful." CEV

"The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commiteth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." KJV

"Some Pharisees came to Him to test Him. They asked, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason? 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. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." NIV

"You have been taught that a man who divorces his wife must write out divorce papers for her. But I tell you not to divorce your wife unless she has committed some terrible sexual sin. If you divorce her, you will cause her to be unfaithful, just as any man who marries her is guilty of taking another man's wife." CEV

"It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commiteth adultery." KJV

"It has been said, Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfullness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery." NIV

"It is a terrible sin (margin says: The Greek text uses a word that means the sin of being unfaithful in marriage.) for a man to divorce his wife and marry another woman. It is also a terrible sin for a man to marry a divorced woman." CEV

"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, commiteth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband commiteth adultery. " KJV

"Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." NIV

"You should be faithful to your wife, just as you take water from your own well. And don't be like a stream from which just any woman may take a drink. Save yourself for your wife and don't have sex with other women. Be happy with the wife you married when you were young. She is beautiful and graceful, just like a deer; you should be attracted to her and stay deeply in love." CEV

"Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and no strangers' with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all time; and be thou ravished always with her love." KJV

"Drink water from your own cistern, running water from you own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer - may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love." NIV

"And what else are you doing? You cry noisily and flood the Lord's altar with your tears, because he isn't pleased with your offerings and refuses to accept them. And why isn't God pleased? It's because he knows that each of you men has been unfaithful to the wife you married when you were young. You promised that she would be your partner, but now you have broken that promise. Didn't God create you to become like one person with your wife? And why did he do this? It was so you would have children, and lead them to become God's people. Don't ever be unfaithful to your wife." CEV

"And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of they youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth." KJV

"Another thing you do: You flood the Lord's altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, "Why?" It is because the Lord is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant . Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth." NIV

"The Lord told Moses to tell the people of Israel: I am the Lord your God! So don't follow the customs of Egypt where you used to live or those of Canaan where I am bringing you. I am the Lord your God, and you must obey my teachings. Obey them and you will live. I am the Lord. As long as your wife is alive don't cause trouble for her by taking one of her sisters as a second wife." CEV

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the Lord your God. After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doing of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. Ye shall do my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister (margin says "one wife to another"), to vex her to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her lifetime." KJV

"The Lord said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites and say to them: I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them, I am the Lord. Do not take your wife's sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living." NIV

"It is true that anyone who desires to be a church official wants to be something worthwhile. That's why officials must have a good reputation and be faithful in marriage (margin says: Or "be the husband of only one wife" or "have never been divorced.")...." CEV

"This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,..." KJV

"Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife,...." NIV

Faithful One
(Words and Music by Brian Doerksen)

Faithful One, so unchanging
Ageless One, You're my rock of peace.
Lord of all, I depend on You.

I call out to You.
Again and again
I call out to You.
Again and again.

You are my rock in times of trouble.
You lift me up
when I fall down.
All through the storm
your love is the anchor
My hope is in you alone.

©1989 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (ASCAP)(Admin. by Music Services)
All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission CCLI #465840