I recently went to the wedding of a young Christian couple who had the best way to always have a Bible verse for marriage anniversary. For their guestbook, they had a brand-new Bible, the kind with extra lines in the margins for your notes.
Their intention was to have everyone at the wedding highlight their favorite verses and sign their name or leave a note in the margin. (I chose the beattitudes! Matthew 5:3-10.)
I thought this was a true testament to their commitment, and a way to have the spiritual support of all of their wedding guests commemorated in a meaningful way.
Wedding anniversaries are sacred milestones worth celebrating in a meaningful way. They are a perfect opportunity to pause, reflect, and give thanks for the journey of marriage. (The good, bad, and ugly.)
The Bible offers inspiring verses that shine a light on the importance of love, the bond of peace, and the guiding principle of faithfulness. They remind us that Christian marriage is not just a union of two, but a threefold cord bound together by god’s love, Christ Jesus, and the holy spirit.
As you look for anniversary bible verses or wedding anniversary messages, you’ll find that scripture speaks powerfully about the nature of love, the steadfast love of god, and the joy of a strong marriage.
On this special occasion, we can look to god’s grace for encouragement, romantic love, and spiritual growth.
How to Use a Bible Verse for Marriage Anniversary
Depending on what you’re using the Bible verse for, you may want to find your own way to work it into the anniversary celebration. There are so many great ways to use Bible verses to celebrate the kind of love that endures, and having the right verse for the application can perfect the message.
Recite at a Celebration or Vow Renewal
Anniversary parties and vow renewals are a beautiful place to use a Bible verse for marriage anniversary. In particular, verses about enduring commitment, God’s command to love, and the joy of one another are particularly applicable here. These can be recited as part of a service, printed on programs, or incorporated throughtout decor or favors.
Pray Over Your Marriage or the Marriage of a Loved One
Marriage isn’t always easy, but when the high seas of life together are rough, using a Bible verse for marriage anniversary can help calm the storm. Whether it’s your own marriage, or that of someone you love, using these verses to pray over a marriage can help strengthen the bond of the couple.
Write Them in a Card for Someone Else
There are people who never forget a date. And they always send a card to honor special dates. If you’re that person, it’s a nice touch to add a bible verse for marriage anniversary. This can cover any of the themes already mentioned, or it can simply convey that you feel their example of marriage is an inspiration to you. It can also be a commitment to pray for their marriage and their love for one another.
Write Them in a Card for Your Spouse
What better way to foster intimacy and long-term commitment than reflecting on the good times and setting your intention for the coming year of marriage than with a Bible verse and some kind words for your spouse? This can be a sweet message, loving your spouse and centering your relationship on the foundation of the Lord.
Add a Bible Verse for Marriage Anniversary to a Personalized Gift
Just like the young couple mentioned above, having Bible verses as part of an anniversary gift is a beautiful way to ground your union in God’s love. Here are some examples of anniversary gifts that you can incorporate your favorite verses into:
- Have a Bible that you study together. Each anniversary, choose a verse to highlight as your intention for your marriage for the coming year.
- If you’re more into giving different gifts based on the traditional themes for marriage anniversary gifts, order something personalized in that year’s material with a meaningful verse on it.
- Create a collage of photos of your best moments from the year and add a Bible verse to each one.
These are just a few of the ways you can incorporate the love of Christ in your anniversary gift-giving.
Bible Verse for Marriage Anniversary About Love
1 Corinthians 13:4–7
“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude…”
This is honestly known as “THE passage” for discussing love and the virtues of it. The chapter as a whole talks about agape love, the highest form of love, which God has for all of humanity. And yet, we are called to love as God does.
Song of Solomon 2:16
“My beloved is mine and I am his; he pastures his flock among the lilies.”
Truly, when you dig into the poetry of this book, it’s nothing short of dreamy. Rekindle some of the early “new relationship energy” with a read through Song of Solomon and bask in the poetry. Think about what you’d need to think or do to have such a relationship with your partner.
Colossians 3:14
“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
This passage (and the prior verses) list the virtues that we ought to embody, not just as partners, but also as Christians. Ultimately, however, love is the one that covers them all. Our lives, our marriages, and our homes will be more harmonious when we begin first with love.
Romans 12:10
“Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.”
This entire chapter is a manual on Christian living, and verses 9-13 are specifically about the Christian family, or, perhaps, more broadly, the body of Christ. However, this verse, in particular, serves as a great example of how partners should conduct themselves for a fulfilling and lasting marriage. The more you strive to be a gift to one another, the more you will see the other as a gift.
Proverbs 10:12
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.”
Boy, does there seem to be any number of offenses that a partner can commit… From loading the dishwasher incorrectly to missing the laundry basket AGAIN to leaving toothpaste in the sink… But love reminds us that these are so small in the grand scheme of things.
Song of Solomon 8:7
“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If one offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned.”
I cannot reiterate fully enough the beauty and poetry of this book. In this passage, the maiden compares love to a fire that cannot be put out. And like a fire, our love should be tended so it burns strong.
Bible Verse for Marriage Anniversary About Commitment
Ruth 1:16
“Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge…”
There so many examples of commitment in the Bible, even outside of marriage. In this passage, Naomi is declaring to Ruth that she will not abandon her. When we are thinking about
Ecclesiastes 4:9–10
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other…”
It’s good to have someone in your corner, and during anniversary celebrations, this verse can highlight the commitment to lifting one another in your shared life.
Proverbs 18:22
“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.”
I think this pretty much speaks for itself. That’s one thing I love about the Proverbs, is that they’re just that…a proverb in the dictionary sense.
Hebrews 13:4
“Let marriage be held in honor by all…”
All of Hebrews acts as an instruction on Christian living, and this verse is no different. (What’s not shown here is that the verse goes on to say, “and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers,” which, while valid, I would recommend AGAINST putting in an anniversary card…)
Bible Verse for Marriage Anniversary About Joy
Psalm 118:24
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
This verse is part of Psalm 118 (obviously), which is a celebratory Psalm. It’s a reminder that anniversaries are a great time to celebrate. However, on tough days we can lean upon verses like this.
John 15:11–12
“I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
Even though love isn’t always joyous, we are commanded to do it. Love doesn’t always look like having romantic feelings. Sometimes it’s more about deeper commitment to one another, offering support, and being present. But when we do these things, and tides turn for the better, we will get to experience Christ’s divine love and joy, as stated here.
Proverbs 5:18
“Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth.”
This section of the book of Proverbs has to do with what happens when we are faithful in marriage. (Verses 15-20 as a whole.) This inspiring Bible verse is especially lovely for wedding anniversary wishes for those who married young and have endured together.
Romans 15:13
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing…”
In the beginning of Romans 15, Paul talks about working to please others. As any married person can attest, cultivating years of love means that sometimes you will please your spouse and not just yourself. While it’s important to fill your spiritual and emotional cup as well, when two loving people are both pouring into one another, this becomes so much easier. As stated in this verse, when your marriage is centered on the Lord in your daily life, the God of hope will also fill you up with joy.
Psalm 126:3
“The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.”
In this harvest celebration Psalm, the hard work and the joy of the harvest are both highlighted. Marriage won’t always be easy, but living in the way of the heavenly Father and loving on each other will provide a harvest of joy.
The Right Bible Verse for Marriage Anniversary is a Special Touch
Marriage anniversaries are meant for celebration. Whether celebrating the second month, seventh year, or, if you’re like my great-grandparents, the 70th year, centering your marriage on the Lord will see you through all the seasons that marriage has to offer.
There’s so much in the Bible that can be an example of how Christians should approach their marriages.
Song of Songs reveals the deep connection of romance, while Proverbs and Ecclesiastes remind us that two receive a good reward when they walk in unity of the spirit. These passages show a powerful reminder of God in marriage. They’re a model of unconditional love, for which we all should strive.
Through meaningful verses, sacred milestones, and the fruit of the spirit, you’ll find encouragement to keep building a strong marriage. This is one rooted in the love of god and sustained by the holy spirit.