"He who hasthe brideis the bridegroom;but the friendof the bridegroom,who standsand hearshim, rejoicesgreatlybecauseof the bridegroom'svoice.Sothisjoyof minehas been made full.
"I will betrothyou to Me forever;Yes, I will betrothyou to Me in righteousnessand in justice,In lovingkindnessand in compassion,
And Jesussaidto them, "The attendantsof the bridegroomcannotmournas longas the bridegroomis with them, can they? But the dayswill comewhenthe bridegroomis taken awayfrom them, and thenthey will fast.
"Then I passedby you and sawyou, and behold,you were at the timefor love;so I spreadMy skirtoveryou and coveredyour nakedness.I also sworeto you and enteredinto a covenantwith you so that you becameMine," declaresthe LordGOD.
"For your husbandis your Maker,Whose nameis the LORDof hosts;And your Redeemeris the HolyOneof Israel,Who is calledthe Godof allthe earth.
Thenoneof the sevenangelswho hadthe sevenbowlsfullof the sevenlastplaguescameand spokewith me, saying,"Come here,I will showyou the bride,the wifeof the Lamb."
makemy joycompleteby being of the samemind,maintainingthe samelove,united in spirit,intenton onepurpose.
"Untilnowyou have askedfor nothingin My name;askand you will receive,sothat your joymay be made full.
These thingswe write,sothat our joymay be made complete.
For I am jealousfor you with a godlyjealousy;for I betrothedyou to onehusband,so that to ChristI might presentyou [as] a purevirgin.
"And when he comeshome,he calls togetherhis friendsand his neighbors,sayingto them, 'Rejoicewith me, for I have foundmy sheepwhich was lost!'
"I have comeinto my garden,my sister,[my] bride;I have gatheredmy myrrhalongwith my balsam.I have eatenmy honeycomband my honey;I have drunkmy wineand my milk.Eat,friends;Drinkand imbibedeeply,O lovers."
"Thenthe kingdomof heavenwill be comparableto tenvirgins,whotooktheir lampsand wentout to meetthe bridegroom.
"Goand proclaimin the earsof Jerusalem,saying,'Thussaysthe LORD,"I rememberconcerning you the devotionof your youth,The loveof your betrothals,Your followingafterMe in the wilderness,Through a landnot sown.
That you may nurseand be satisfiedwith her comfortingbreasts,That you may suckand be delightedwith her bountifulbosom."
"Goforth,O daughtersof Zion,And gazeon KingSolomonwith the crownWith whichhis motherhas crownedhim On the dayof his wedding,And on the dayof his gladnessof heart."
Though I havemany thingsto writeto you, I do not wantto [do so] with paperand ink;but I hopeto cometo you and speakfaceto face,sothat your joymay be made full.
"But nowI cometo You; and these thingsI speakin the worldsothat they may haveMy joymade fullin themselves.
"The kingdomof heavenmay be comparedto a kingwhogavea wedding feastfor his son.
"He mustincrease,but I must decrease.
"These thingsI have spokento you sothat My joymay be in you, and [that] your joymay be made full.
