Will there be marriage in heaven?
Question 10107
For those who have enjoyed a loving marriage, or who long for one, the question of whether marriage continues in heaven is deeply personal. Jesus addressed this question directly when the Sadducees tried to trap Him with a hypothetical scenario. His answer is clear, though it raises further questions about what relationships in eternity will look like.
Jesus’ Teaching on Marriage and the Resurrection
In Matthew 22:23-33 (with parallels in Mark 12:18-27 and Luke 20:27-40), the Sadducees—who did not believe in resurrection—posed a riddle to Jesus. A woman had been married successively to seven brothers, each of whom died. “In the resurrection, whose wife will she be?” they asked, thinking they had exposed the absurdity of resurrection belief.
Jesus’ response was direct: “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Matthew 22:29-30). Jesus does not say we become angels, but that we will be “like angels” in this respect—we will not enter into marriage relationships in the resurrection.
This might initially sound like a loss, especially to those who treasure their marriages. But Jesus is not describing a diminished existence; He is describing a different and greater one. Marriage, as beautiful as it is, was designed for this present age. It addresses needs and purposes—companionship, procreation, and a picture of Jesus and the Church (Ephesians 5:31-32)—that will be fulfilled in other ways in eternity.
Why No Marriage in Heaven?
Several reasons help us understand why marriage does not continue in the resurrection.
First, marriage was instituted before the Fall to address human aloneness (Genesis 2:18) and to fill the earth with image-bearers (Genesis 1:28). In the eternal state, the community of the redeemed will be complete. There will be no loneliness, no need for procreation, and no lack of intimate fellowship. The purposes marriage serves will be fulfilled in ways that surpass even the best earthly marriages.
Second, marriage in Scripture is a picture of something greater—the union between Jesus and His Church. Ephesians 5:31-32 quotes Genesis 2:24 (“the two shall become one flesh”) and then adds, “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” Earthly marriage points to the ultimate marriage: the wedding of the Lamb and His Bride (Revelation 19:7-9). When the reality comes, the picture is no longer needed. We will not lose the intimacy marriage represents; we will gain its fulfilment.
Third, the resurrection transforms our bodies and our relationships. We will still know and love those who were our spouses on earth—indeed, we will love them more perfectly than we ever could in this life. But the exclusive, covenantal bond of marriage gives way to a deeper and broader fellowship with all the redeemed and, supremely, with Jesus Himself.
Will We Know Our Loved Ones?
Some worry that if marriage does not continue, our relationships will be diminished or erased. This is not what Jesus teaches. Recognition and relationship continue in the resurrection. The disciples recognised the risen Jesus. Moses and Elijah appeared at the Transfiguration and were known (Matthew 17:3). David expected to be reunited with his deceased child (2 Samuel 12:23). We will know one another and love one another—not less than we do now, but more.
The love you have for your spouse will not disappear; it will be purified, expanded, and set in the context of a community where everyone is loved perfectly. There will be no jealousy, no exclusion, no “mine and not yours.” The particular history and bond you shared will remain part of who you are, but it will be subsumed into something greater.
What About Those Who Long for Marriage?
For those who are single, widowed, or have experienced painful marriages, Jesus’ teaching is good news. Eternal life does not depend on having found a spouse. The deepest longings of the human heart—for intimacy, belonging, and love—will be fully satisfied in the presence of Jesus and the fellowship of the saints. No one in heaven will feel they missed out on anything essential. Every lack will be filled, every longing satisfied.
Conclusion
Marriage, as good and God-given as it is, belongs to this present age. In the resurrection, we will neither marry nor be given in marriage. But this is not loss—it is gain. The intimacy and love that marriage points to will be ours in fullness as we are united with Jesus and with one another forever. If your marriage has been a blessing, give thanks, and know that what is coming is even better. If marriage has been a source of pain or absence, take heart—your deepest needs will be met in ways that exceed anything this life can offer.
“For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” Matthew 22:30