GUIDE TO THE SCRIPTURES
Marriage, Marry
See also Divorce; Family

A lawful covenant or contract between a man and a woman that makes them husband and wife. God ordained marriage (D&C 49: 15).

It is not good that man should be alone, Gen. 2: 18 (Moses 3: 18). A man shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh, Gen. 2: 24 (Matt. 19: 5; Abr. 5: 18). What God has joined together, let not man put asunder, Matt. 19: 6 (Mark 10: 9). In the latter days some shall depart from the faith, forbidding to marry, 1 Tim. 4: 1-3. Marriage is honorable, Heb. 13: 4. The Lord commanded Lehi's sons to marry the daughters of Ishmael, 1 Ne. 7: 1, 5 (1 Ne. 16: 7-8). God created Adam and Eve to be man and wife, Moses 3: 7, 18, 21-25.

New and everlasting covenant of marriage: Marriage performed under the law of the gospel and the holy priesthood is for mortal life and for eternity. Worthy men and women thus sealed in the temple in marriage may continue as husband and wife throughout eternity.

Jesus taught the law of marriage, Luke 20: 27-36. Neither is the man without the woman in the Lord, 1 Cor. 11: 11. Husband and wife are heirs together of the grace of life, 1 Pet. 3: 7. Whatsoever you shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven, Hel. 10: 7 (Matt. 16: 19). To obtain the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, a man must enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, D&C 131: 1-4. If a man marry a wife not by me, their covenant and marriage is not of force when they are dead, D&C 132: 15. If a man marry a wife by my word and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, it shall be of full force when they are out of the world, D&C 132: 19.

Interfaith marriage: Marriage between a man and a woman of different religious beliefs and practices.

You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, Gen. 24: 3. If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, what good shall my life do me? Gen. 27: 46 (Gen. 28: 1-2). Israel shall not marry the Canaanites, Deut. 7: 3-4. Israel intermarried with the Canaanites, worshiped false gods, and was cursed, Judg. 3: 1-8. Solomon's wives turned his heart to the worship of false gods, 1 Kgs. 11: 1-6. We would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons, Neh. 10: 30. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, 2 Cor. 6: 14. The Lord set a mark on the Lamanites so that the Nephites might not mix and believe in incorrect traditions, Alma 3: 6-10. If a man marry a wife not by me, their covenant and marriage is not of force when they are dead, D&C 132: 15. The sons of men took them wives even as they chose, Moses 8: 13-15.

Plural marriage: The marriage of a husband to two or more living wives. It is lawful for a man to have only one wife, unless the Lord commands otherwise by revelation (Jacob 2: 27-30). By revelation, plural marriage was practiced in Old Testament times and in the early days of the restored Church by the direction of the prophet who held the priesthood keys (D&C 132: 34-40, 45). It is no longer practiced in the Church (D&C OD-1); today, having more than one wife is incompatible with membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Sarai gave Hagar to Abram as his wife, Gen. 16: 1-11. Jacob received Leah and Rachel and their handmaidens as wives, Gen. 29: 21-28 (Gen. 30: 4, 9, 26). If a man take another wife, he shall not diminish the first wife's possessions, Ex. 21: 10. David and his two wives went up to Hebron, 2 Sam. 2: 1-2. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did that which they were commanded in receiving plural wives, D&C 132: 37. David and Solomon did not sin in anything except those things which they did not receive from the Lord, D&C 132: 38-39.