Bible verses about "courtship" | Rotherham

¹ Now, Abraham, was old, far gone in days,––and, Yahweh, had blessed Abraham, in all things. ² So Abraham said unto his servant, elder of his house, ruler of all that he had,––Place, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh; ³ that I may put thee on oath, by Yahweh God of the heavens, and God of the earth––That thou wilt not take a wife for my son, from among the daughters of the Canaanites, in the midst of whom, I, am dwelling: ⁴ but, unto my own land and unto my own kindred, wilt go,––So shalt thou take a wife, for my son––for Isaac. ⁵ And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman may not be willing to follow me into this land,––May I, take back, thy son, into the land from whence thou camest? ⁶ And Abraham said unto him,––Beware, that thou do not take back my son thither! ⁷ Yahweh, God of the heavens, and God of the earth, who took me out of the house of my father, and out of the land of my kindred, and who spake to me, and who sware to me, saying, To thy seed, will I give this land, he, will send his messenger, before thee, so shalt thou take a wife for my son, from thence. ⁸ But, if unwilling be the woman to follow thee, then shalt thou be clear, from this mine oath,––Only, my son, shalt thou not take back thither! ⁹ So the servant placed his hand, under the thigh of Abraham, his lord,––and sware to him, over this thing.
¹⁰ Then took the servant ten camels, from among the camels of his lord, and went his way,––all the goods of his master, being in his hand,––so be mounted, and went his way unto Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. ¹¹ And he made the camels kneel down outside the city, against the well of water,––at the time of evening, at the time of the coming forth of the women that drew water. ¹² Then he said, O Yahweh, God of my lord Abraham! I pray thee, cause it to fall out before me today,––that thou deal in lovingkindness, with my lord Abraham. ¹³ Here am, I, stationed by the fountain of water,––and, the daughters of the men of the city, are coming forth to draw water: ¹⁴ so it shall come to pass that, the young woman unto whom I shall say, Let down, pray, thy pitcher, that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink, and, to thy camels also, will I give to drink, that, her, hast thou appointed for thy servant, for Isaac, And, hereby, shall I get to know, that thou hast dealt in lovingkindness with my lord! ¹⁵ And it came to pass, ere yet, he, had done speaking, that lo! Rebekah, was coming forth, who had been born to Bethuel son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham,––with her pitcher upon her shoulder. ¹⁶ Now, the young woman, was of very pleasing appearance, a virgin whom, no man, had known,––and she went down unto the fountain, and filled her pitcher, and came up. ¹⁷ And the servant ran to meet her,––and said, I pray thee, let me drink a little water, out of thy pitcher. ¹⁸ And she said, Drink, my lord,––And she hastened, and lowered her pitcher on her hand, and let him drink. ¹⁹ And, when she had done giving him drink,––she said, For thy camels also, will I draw, until they have done drinking. ²⁰ So she hastened, and emptied her pitcher into the drinking–trough, and ran again unto the well, to draw,––and she drew for all his camels. ²¹ Now, the man, was eagerly watching her,––keeping silence, to see––whether Yahweh had prospered his way, or not. ²² And it came to pass, when the camels had done drinking, that the man took a ring of gold, half a shekel its weight,––and two bracelets, for her hands, ten of gold their weight; ²³ and said, Whose daughter art, thou? I pray thee, tell me. Is there, in the house of thy father, a place for us to tarry the night? ²⁴ And she said unto him, Daughter of Bethuel, am, I,––[Bethuel] son of Milcah, whom she bare to Nahor. ²⁵ And she said unto him, Both straw and fodder in plenty, have we,––also a place, to tarry the night. ²⁶ Then the man bowed his head, and bent himself down unto Yahweh; ²⁷ and said, Blessed be Yahweh, God of my lord Abraham, who hath not withdrawn his lovingkindness and his faithfulness, from my lord,––I––being in the way, Yahweh led me unto the house of the brethren of my lord! ²⁸ And the young woman ran, and told the household of her mother,––according to these words.
²⁹ Now, Rebekah, had a brother, whose name, was Laban,––so Laban ran unto the man, outside, unto the fountain. ³⁰ And it came to pass, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister saying, Thus, did the man speak unto me, that he came unto the man, and lo! he was standing by the camels, near the fountain; ³¹ and he said, Come in, thou blessed of Yahweh,––Wherefore shouldst thou stand outside, when, I, have made ready the house and a place for the camels? ³² So the man came in towards the house, and ungirded the camels,––and there was given him straw and fodder for the camels, and water for bathing his own feet, and the feet of the men who were with him; ³³ and [food] was set before him to eat, But he said, I cannot eat, until I have spoken my words. And he said––Speak! ³⁴ Then said he,––Servant of Abraham, am I. ³⁵ Now, Yahweh, having blessed my lord exceedingly, and made him great,––and given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and men–servants and maid–servants, and camels, and asses, ³⁶ then did Sarah, wife of my lord, bear a son to my lord, after she had become old,––so he gave to him all that he had; ³⁷ And my lord put me on oath, saying,––Thou shalt not take a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land, I, am dwelling; ³⁸ but, unto the house of my father, shalt thou go, and unto my family,––and take a wife for my son. ³⁹ So I said unto my lord,––Peradventure the woman will not follow me. ⁴⁰ And he said unto me,––Yahweh, before whom I have walked to and fro, will send his messenger with thee, so shall he prosper thy way, and thou shalt take a wife for my son out of my kindred, and out of the house of my father. ⁴¹ Then, shalt thou clear thyself from mine oath, for thou shalt go in unto my kindred,––and, if they will not grant her unto thee, then shalt thou be clear from mine oath. ⁴² So I came in today, unto the fountain,––and I said, O Yahweh, God of my lord Abraham! if, I pray thee, thou art prospering my way whereon, I, am going, ⁴³ here am I, stationed by the fountain of water,––so then it shall come to pass that, the maiden that is coming forth to draw, and I shall say unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee, a little water out of thy pitcher; ⁴⁴ and she shall say unto me, Both, thou, drink, and, for thy camels also, will I draw, the same, shall be the woman whom Yahweh hath appointed for the son of my lord. ⁴⁵ Ere yet, I, could make an end of speaking unto mine own heart, lo! then, Rebekah, coming forth, with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the fountain, and drew,––and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee! ⁴⁶ So she hastened, and lowered her pitcher from off her, and said, Drink! and, to thy camels also, will I give to drink,––So I drank, and, the camels also, she let drink. ⁴⁷ Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter, art, thou? And she said, Daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, whom, Milcah, bare to him,––Then put I the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands; ⁴⁸ and bowed my head and bent myself down, unto Yahweh,––and I blessed Yahweh, God of my lord Abraham, who had led me, in a way of faithfulness, to take the daughter of the brother of my lord, for his son. ⁴⁹ Now, therefore, if ye are dealing in lovingkindness and faithfulness with my lord, tell me,––and, if not, tell me, that I may turn unto the right hand, or unto the left. ⁵⁰ Then answered Laban and Bethuel, and said, from Yahweh, hath come forth the word,––we cannot speak unto thee, ill or well. ⁵¹ Lo! Rebekah, is before thee, Take [her] and go thy way,––And let her become wife unto the son of thy lord, as Yahweh hath spoken. ⁵² And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he bowed himself down towards the earth unto Yahweh. ⁵³ Then the servant brought forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave unto Rebekah,––and, precious things, gave he to her brother, and to her mother.
⁵⁴ And they did eat and drink, he, and the men who were with him, and they tarried the night,––and when they arose in the morning, he said, Let me go unto my lord! ⁵⁵ Then said her brother and her mother, Let the young woman remain with us some days, or rather ten,––After that, she shall go. ⁵⁶ And he said unto them, Do not hinder me, when, Yahweh, hath prospered my journey,––Let me go, that I may take my journey unto my lord! ⁵⁷ Then said they, We must call the young woman, and ask at her mouth. ⁵⁸ So they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. ⁵⁹ So they let go Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men. ⁶⁰ And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, Our sister! become, thou, thousands of ten thousands,––And let thy seed take possession of the gate of them that hate them! ⁶¹ Then mounted Rebekah and her young woman, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man,––so the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
⁶² Now, Isaac, had come in at the entrance, of Beer–lahai–roi,––for, he, was dwelling in the land of the South: ⁶³ and Isaac came forth to meditate in the field, at the approach of evening,––so he lifted up his eyes, and looked, and lo! camels, coming in. ⁶⁴ And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac,––so she alighted with haste from off the camel; ⁶⁵ and said unto the servant, Who, is this man that is walking in the field, to meet us? And the servant said, That, is my lord. So she took the veil, and covered herself. ⁶⁶ And the servant recounted to Isaac,––all the things which he had done.

⁷ So he went down, and spake unto the woman,––and she was pleasant in the eyes of Samson.

⁵ Trust thou in Yahweh, with all thy heart, and, unto thine own understanding, do not lean: ⁶ In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and, he, will make straight thy paths.
⁷ Do not become wise in thine own eyes, revere Yahweh, and avoid evil:

¹ For the rest, brethren, we request and exhort you, in our Lord Jesus, [that], even as ye received from us, how ye must needs walk and please God,––even as ye also do walk, that ye would abound still more. ² For ye know what charges we gave you, through the Lord Jesus. ³ For, this, is a thing willed of God, your sanctification,––that ye should abstain from unchastity, ⁴ That ye should know, each one of you, how, of his own vessel, to possess himself in sanctification and honour: ⁵ Not with a passion of coveting,––just as even the nations who know not God,–– ⁶ Not over–reaching and defrauding, in the matter, his brother; because, an avenger, is the Lord, concerning all these things,––even as we before told you, and solemnly called you to witness. ⁷ For God did not call us, with a permission of impurity, but, in sanctification. ⁸ Therefore, indeed, he that disregardeth––it is, not a man, he disregardeth, but God,––Who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you.

¹² Here, is, the endurance of the saints,––they who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

²⁴ For this cause, will a man leave his father, and his mother,––and cleave unto his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

¹ Become imitators of me,––even as, I also, [am] of Christ. ² Now I praise you, that, in all things, ye have me in remembrance, and, even as I delivered unto you the instructions, ye hold them fast. ³ But I wish you to know––that, the head of every man, is, the Christ, and, the head of a woman, is, the man; and, the head of the Christ, is, God. ⁴ Every man, praying, or prophesying, having anything upon his head, putteth to shame his head; ⁵ But, every woman, praying, or prophesying, with her head, unveiled, putteth to shame her head,––for it is, one and the same, with her having been shaven. ⁶ For, if a woman doth not veil herself, let her also be shorn; but, if it were a shame in a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be veiled. ⁷ For, a man, indeed, ought not to be veiling his head, being, the image and glory of God,––but, the woman, is the glory of man; ⁸ For, man, is not, of woman, but, woman, of man; ⁹ For also man was not created, for the sake of the woman, but woman, for the sake of the man. ¹⁰ For this cause, ought the woman to have, permission, upon her head, because of the messengers. ¹¹ Howbeit, neither is woman apart from man, nor man apart from woman––in the Lord; ¹² For, just as the woman is of the man, so, also the man, is through means of the woman; ––but, all things, are of God. ¹³ Among your own selves, judge ye,––Is it becoming for a woman,––unveiled, to be praying unto God? ¹⁴ Doth not, even nature herself, teach you––that, if, a man, have long hair, it is a dishonour to him; ¹⁵ But, if, a woman, have long hair, it is a glory to her, for, her long hair, instead of a veil, hath been given to her. ¹⁶ But, if anyone thinketh to be contentious, we, have no such custom,––nor yet the assemblies of God.
¹⁷ But, in giving you the following charge, I praise you not,––in that, not for the better, but for the worse, ye come together.

²² But, from the youthful covetings, flee! and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, along with them who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.

²⁶ For, if, by choice, we be sinning, after the receiving of the full–knowledge of the truth, no longer, for sins, is there left over, a sacrifice,

¹⁸ For, first of all,––when ye come together in assembly, I hear that divisions among you exist,––and, in part, I believe it; ¹⁹ For there must needs be, even parties among you, that, the approved, [themselves] may become manifest among you. ²⁰ When, therefore, ye come together into one place, it is not to eat, a supper unto the Lord; ²¹ For, each one, taketh beforehand, his own supper, in your eating, and, one, indeed, is hungry, whereas, another, is drinking to excess. ²² What! have ye not houses for your eating and drinking? or, the assembly of God, do ye despise, and, put to shame them who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall I praise you? In this, I praise you not.
²³ For, I myself, received from the Lord––that which I also delivered unto you,––how that, the Lord Jesus, in the night in which he was being delivered up, took a loaf, ²⁴ And, giving thanks, brake it, and said––This, is my body, which is for you,––this, do ye, in remembrance of me; ²⁵ In the same manner, the cup also, after they had taken supper, saying––This cup, is, the new covenant in my blood, this, do ye, as often soever as ye may be drinking it, in remembrance of me. ²⁶ For, as often as ye may be eating this loaf, and, the cup, may be drinking, The death of the Lord, do ye announce, until he come. ²⁷ So that, whosoever may be eating the loaf, or drinking the cup of the Lord, in an unworthy manner, shall be responsible for the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But let a man be proving himself,––and, so, of the loaf, let him eat, and, of the cup, let him drink; ²⁹ For, he that is eating and drinking,––judgment unto himself, doth eat and drink,––if he be not setting apart the body. ³⁰ For this cause, many among you are weak and sickly; and, not a few, are falling asleep. ³¹ If, however, we had been setting, ourselves, apart, we had not, in that case, been coming under judgment; ³² But, being brought under judgment, by the Lord, are we being disciplined, lest, with the world, we should be condemned. ³³ So then, my brethren,––when ye come together for the eating, unto one another, be giving welcome:–– ³⁴ If anyone be hungry, at home, let him eat, lest, unto judgment, ye be coming together. And, the remaining things, whensoever I come, I will set in order.

¹¹ For, I, know the plans which I, am planning for you, Declareth Yahweh,––Plans of welfare, and not of calamity, To give you a future and a hope.

²⁷ Ye have heard, that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery: ²⁸ But, I, say unto you, that, Every one who looketh on a woman so as to covet her, already, hath committed adultery with her, in his heart. ²⁹ And, if, thy right eye, is causing thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee,––for it profiteth thee, that, one of thy members, should perish, and not, thy whole body, be cast into gehenna. ³⁰ And, if, thy right hand, is causing thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee,––for it profiteth thee, that, one of thy members, should perish, and not, thy whole body, into gehenna, depart.

¹ Now, concerning the things whereof ye wrote, it were, good, for a man, not to touch, a woman;

⁹ And he said, Who art, thou? And she said, I, am Ruth, thy handmaid, spread, therefore, thy wing over thy handmaid, for, a kinsman, thou art. ¹⁰ And he said––Blessed, be thou of Yahweh, my daughter, for thou hast made thy last lovingkindness better than the first,––in not following after young men, whether poor, or rich. ¹¹ Now, therefore, my daughter, do not fear, whatsoever thou shalt say, I will do for thee,––for all the gate of my people doth know, that, a virtuous woman, thou art. ¹² And, now, although it is true that, a kinsman, am I, yet is there a kinsman nearer than I. ¹³ Tarry the night, and it shall be, in the morning, if he will act as kinsman to thee, well, let him so act, but, if he inclineth not to act as kinsman to thee, then will, I, so act to thee––by the life of Yahweh,––Lie still, until the morning.

⁵ and said––For this cause, will a man leave his father and his mother, and be united to his wife,––and, the two, will become, one flesh;

² But, on account of fornications, let, each man, have, his own wife, and, each woman, have, her own husband:

¹⁸ Flee fornication! Every sin, whatsoever a man shall commit, is, outside his body, but, he that committeth fornication, bringeth sin into his own body.

²² Who hath found a wife, hath found a blessing, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh.

¹ Now, concerning the things whereof ye wrote, it were, good, for a man, not to touch, a woman; ² But, on account of fornications, let, each man, have, his own wife, and, each woman, have, her own husband: ³ Unto the wife, let the husband render what is her due, and, in like manner, the wife also, unto the husband,–– ⁴ The wife, over her own body, hath not authority, but the husband, and, in like manner, the husband also, over his own body, hath not authority, but the wife. ⁵ Be not depriving one another––unless perhaps by consent for a season, that ye may have leisure for prayer, and, again, may be together,––lest Satan be tempting you by reason of your want of self–control. ⁶ This, however I am saying, by way of concession, not of injunction; ⁷ Besides, I desire all men to be, even as myself,––but, each one, hath his, personal, gift from God, one, after this manner, and, another, after that. ⁸ But I say, to the unmarried, and to the widows, good, were it for them, that they should abide, even as I; ⁹ But, if they have not self–control, let them marry, for, better, is it, to marry than to burn.
¹⁰ To the married, however, I give charge––not, I, but the Lord,––that, a wife, from her husband, do not depart,–– ¹¹ But, if she should even depart, let her remain unmarried, or, to her husband, be reconciled; and let not, a husband, leave, his wife. ¹² But, unto the rest, say, I––not the Lord,––if, any brother, hath, a wife that believeth not, and, she, is well pleased to dwell with him, let him not leave her; ¹³ And, a woman who hath a husband that believeth not, and, he, is well pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband; –– ¹⁴ For the husband that believeth not is hallowed in the wife, and the wife that believeth not is hallowed in the brother: else were, your children, impure, but, now, are they, pure. ¹⁵ But, if, the unbelieving, departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister hath not come into bondage, in such cases, but, in peace, hath God called us. ¹⁶ For how knowest thou, O woman, whether, thy husband, thou shalt save? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether, thy wife, thou shalt save?
¹⁷ If not––as the Lord hath distributed––unto each one, as God hath called, each one, so, let him be walking; ––and, so, in all the assemblies, I ordain. ¹⁸ After being circumcised, was any called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision, hath any been called? let him not be circumcised: ¹⁹ The circumcision, is, nothing, and, the uncircumcision, is, nothing,––but keeping the commandments of God. ²⁰ Each one, in the calling wherein he was called, in the same, let him abide: ²¹ A bond–servant, wast thou called? let it not cause thee concern; but, if thou canst even become, free, rather use it. ²² For, he who in the Lord was called, being a bond–servant, is, a freed–man of the Lord: in like manner, he that was called being, a freeman, is Christ’s bond–servant:–– ²³ With a price, have ye been bought,––do not become bond–servants of men: ²⁴ Each one, wherein he was called, brethren, in the same, let him abide with God.
²⁵ But, concerning them who are virgin, injunction of the Lord, have I none; yet, a judgment, do I give, as one who hath obtained mercy from the Lord to be, faithful: ²⁶ I consider this, then, to be, good, in the circumstances, by reason of the existing distress,––that it is, good for a man, so, to be: ²⁷ Hast thou become bound to a wife? do not seek to be loosed; hast thou become loosed from a wife? do not seek a wife. ²⁸ If, however, thou shouldst even marry, thou hast not sinned; and, if one who is virgin should marry, that one hath not sinned; ––but, tribulation of the flesh, shall, such, have:––howbeit, I, spare you. ²⁹ But, this, I say––the opportunity is, contracted for what remaineth––in order that, they who have wives, may be, as though they had none, ³⁰ And, they who weep, as though they wept not, and, they who rejoice, as though they rejoiced not, and, they who buy, as though they possessed not, ³¹ And, they who use the world, as though they used it not to the full,––for the fashion of this world passeth away; ³² And I desire you to be, without anxiety:––the unmarried man, is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; ³³ But, he that hath married, is anxious for the things of the world, how may please his wife–– ³⁴ And he is divided; and, the unmarried woman, or the virgin, is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy [both] in her body and in her spirit; but, she that hath married, is anxious for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. ³⁵ This, however, with a view to your own profit, am I saying,––not that, a snare, upon you, I may cast, but with a view to what is comely, and devoted unto the Lord, without distraction.
³⁶ If however anyone considereth it behaving unseemly towards his virginity, if he should be beyond the bloom of life,––and, thus, it ought to come about, what he chooseth, let him do,––he sinneth not: let them marry: ³⁷ But, he that standeth in his heart, steadfast, having no necessity, but hath authority concerning his own will, and, this, hath determined in his own heart,––to preserve his own virginity, well shall he do. ³⁸ So that, he that giveth in marriage his own virginity, doeth, well; and, he that giveth it not, shall do, better.
³⁹ A wife, is bound for as long a time as her husband is living; but, if the husband have fallen asleep, she is, free, to be married unto whom she pleaseth,––only, in the Lord; ⁴⁰ But, happier, is she, if, so, she remain,––in my judgment; for I think, I also, have the Spirit of God.

¹² Let, no one, despise, thy youth, but, an ensample, become thou of the faithful,––in discourse, in behaviour, in love, in faith, in chastity.