When you stand at the altar and watch your bride walk down the aisle, you’re not thinking about the storms of life. You’re not focused on the suffering and the pain. Your mind is filled with “for better” and not “for worse.”

You’re certainly not expecting to need a lesson on Bible verses for broken marriages.

But we live in a sinful world. We’re imperfect people married to imperfect people, which means even the best of marriages are going to struggle. We all need some Scriptures on marriages to get us through the hard times.

Home improvement projects

I’ll be the first to say that I’m not a handyman. My wife would be the second. When we have home improvement projects, I immediately look for a professional to fix whatever is broken. Experience has taught me that trying to fix it myself just makes matters worse.

The same can be true with healing a home. When marriages are struggling, we rarely can zero in on an easy fix. We need help because trying to fix it with our own wisdom and strength tends to make things worse.

That’s where Scriptures about marriage come in. As Christians, God’s Word is our playbook for life. It’s where we turn when we have more questions than answers. So, it makes sense that we lean into Bible verses for broken marriages when we’re tempted to lose hope.

Shining Light in Darkness

Honestly, none of us can fix our marriages alone. And, thanks to God and the Scriptures on marriage He provides, we don’t have to try. Through His Word, we learn His wisdom. And, while it’s not easy, we can identify some positive ways to start rebuilding the walls that have cracked around us. We can shine light in a dark space.

Below are seven Bible verses for broken marriages. Some of them relate directly to husbands and wives, but others are general rules that apply to all relationships. That’s because your marriage is your most important human relationship. It’s a covenant that has to be protected and nurtured just like any other relationship. 

Again, this list isn’t exhaustive, and it certainly won’t be easy. Depending on how much damage has been done to this point, you’ll struggle to apply these principles to your life and marriage. You might even need to involve a counselor or therapist to help you navigate the path. But if you’ll put in the work, I believe you’ll see improvement. I believe these Scriptures for marriage will make a difference.

1. Then the Lord God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man. And the man said: This one, at last, is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called “woman,” for she was taken from man. This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. (Genesis 2:22-24). 

Genesis 2 provides a foundational Scripture for marriage. Before significant steps can be taken to open the lines of communication and rebuild any walls, you need to go back to square one. That’s what this passage does.

Before sin twisted human history, God brought a man and a woman together. He remedied the one thing He considered “not good” (Genesis 3:18) by giving Adam a partner for life. Your marriage is worth fighting for because marriage is God’s idea. You can’t afford to sit on the sidelines or throw in the towel. Too much is at stake!

2. Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them. (Colossians 3:19) 

Decades ago, the Beatles told us that all we need is love. And that’s true—as long as it’s the right kind of love. The media focuses a lot on physical love, what the Greeks called eros. But the kind of love that heals damaged marriages is a love of another kind. It’s agape love, which reflects the heart of God. 

Paul used a form of agape here, which makes it a great Bible verse for broken marriages. If you want to nurture healing in your marriage, love your wife like God loves her (see Ephesians 5:25). Serve her. Sacrifice for her. Fight for her. Jesus didn’t go halfway on the cross, and none of us should go halfway in our marriages.

3. Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. . . . if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12) 

I work for a company that promotes this core value: Better Together. The idea is simple. Employees and the company both thrive when everyone sticks together and provides a unified front. We won’t agree on every point of every program, but we can work together for the common good.

In Ecclesiastes 4, Solomon (the wisest man who ever lived) applied the same basic truth to relationships—including marriage. One person is easily overwhelmed by life’s hardships, but two people working together as one can make all the difference in the world. By the way, the reference to “three strands” implies God should be playing an active role in everything you do as husband and wife. 

4. Marriage is to be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled. (Hebrews 13:4). 

Admittedly, it’s easy to focus on the second half of this verse. The Ten Commandments tell us that adultery is bad (Exodus 20:14). But as we dig into this Scripture on marriage, I don’t want to miss the first part.

Here’s the question: Do you really honor your marriage? The Greek word translated “honor” here means to consider something precious. It’s the kind of word used to describe a priceless jewel or an irreplaceable heirloom. Its value cannot be measured. That’s how you’ve got to approach your marriage. If you don’t, who will?

5. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. (Ephesians 4:32) 

Grudges get you nowhere, especially in a marriage relationship. Instead of nurturing a spirit of healing, a lack of forgiveness erodes the very foundation of the marriage. I know it’s a tough ask, but you’ve got to be willing to forgive. And you’ve got to do it like Jesus did—completely and without reservation.

A few verses before this Scripture on marriage, Paul gave a solid tip for practicing forgiveness: “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger” (Ephesians 4:26). He didn’t say you could never be angry. He just said to resolve the anger quickly. And the first step to resolving anger is to forgive.

6. [Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:7-8a)

If you’re into sports, you’ve probably heard an athlete or coach talk about “leaving it all on the field.” In non-sports language, that means that everyone played as hard as they possibly could. They did their very best, so they can walk away without regrets.

That’s the spirit this verse for damaged marriages conveys. Regardless of the burden, you can bear it. No matter how intense your temptation toward skepticism, you will believe in your spouse. When things feel hopeless, you’ll embrace hope anyway. When you think you can’t take another step, you’ll endure and keep moving forward. You will not let love fail. 

If that’s how you treat your wife, she’ll notice the change, and she’ll meet you halfway. Leave it all on the field because she’s worth it!

7. Let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24)

Admittedly, this is one of those verses for broken marriages that isn’t technically about marriage. In context, the anonymous writer of Hebrews was talking about believers encouraging one another in the church. But, again, what’s good for any other relationship is even better for marriage. So, find ways to encourage your wife every chance you get.

A few years ago, I made a commitment to always think the best of my wife. Even when we argue or when I think she’s being unfair, I try to see the best in her. Sometimes I fall short, but I strive to be her biggest fan. If you’re struggling in a damaged marriage, you probably haven’t been an active cheerleader for you wife. If not, now is the time to start. Forgive the hurt (see above) and find reasons to support her. 

Why it matters so much

So, after examining these Scriptures on marriage, you still might be on the fence. You know these are true in theory, but you’re wondering why an all-out commitment to healing your marriage is necessary.

Well, you’ve already seen one reason: Marriage is God’s idea, so it’s worth fighting for. But here’s another. God designed the marriage relationship to show the world what it’s like to have a relationship with Him. In Ephesians 5:32, Paul wrote that “this mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church.” The mystery is marriage and how the selfless, sacrificial love between a husband and wife mirrors the selfless, sacrificial love God has for His people.

That’s also why the book of Revelation describes the church as Jesus’s bride (Revelation 19:7; 21:2,9). Your marriage is a witness to the love and salvation provided by Jesus. 

That’s why He takes it so seriously. . . . and why we should follow His lead.