dating and relationships

⁴Charity is patient, is kind. Charity does not envy, does not act wrongly, is not inflated. ⁵Charity is not ambitious, does not seek for itself, is not provoked to anger, devises no evil. ⁶Charity does not rejoice over iniquity, but rejoices in truth. ⁷Charity suffers all, believes all, hopes all, endures all.

³³Do not be led astray. Evil communication corrupts good morals.

¹Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ²But, because of fornication, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. ³A husband should fulfill his obligation to his wife, and a wife should also act similarly toward her husband. ⁴It is not the wife, but the husband, who has power over her body. But, similarly also, it is not the husband, but the wife, who has power over his body. ⁵So, do not fail in your obligations to one another, except perhaps by consent, for a limited time, so that you may empty yourselves for prayer. And then, return together again, lest Satan tempt you by means of your abstinence. ⁶But I am saying this, neither as an indulgence, nor as a commandment.

¹⁸The Lord God also said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. Let us make a helper for him similar to himself.”

¹⁴Do not choose to bear the yoke with unbelievers. For how can justice be a participant with iniquity? Or how can the fellowship of light be a participant with darkness?

³Hope in the Lord and do good, and dwell in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches. ⁴Delight in the Lord, and he will grant to you the petitions of your heart.

⁹Therefore, it is better for two to be together, than for one to be alone. For they have the advantage of their companionship. ¹⁰If one falls, he shall be supported by the other. Woe to one who is alone. For when he falls, he has no one to lift him up. ¹¹And if two are sleeping, they warm one another. How can one person alone be warmed? ¹²And if a man can prevail against one, two may withstand him, and a threefold cord is broken with difficulty.

¹⁸Flee from fornication. Every sin whatsoever that a man commits is outside of the body, but whoever fornicates, sins against his own body.

⁸But, before all things, have a constant mutual charity among yourselves. For love covers a multitude of sins.

²⁴For this reason, a man shall leave behind his father and mother, and he shall cling to his wife; and the two shall be as one flesh.

⁵Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence. ⁶In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps. ⁷Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil.

²³Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.

⁹Let love be without falseness: hating evil, clinging to what is good, ¹⁰loving one another with fraternal charity, surpassing one another in honor:

¹⁰Who shall find a strong woman? Far away, and from the furthest parts, is her price.

⁷Groom to Chorus: I bind you by oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the does and the stags of the open field, not to disturb or awaken the beloved, even for as long as she wills.

⁶God is in its midst; it will not be shaken. God will assist it in the early morning.