The Message:
"Blessed are you, God of our fathers! Blessed be your name forever and ever! May the heavens and all your creatures bless you from age to age! You made Adam and gave him Eve. From both came the human race. you said, did you not, that it was not good for man to be alone? That he needed a helper, a look-alike? And so you provided. Now I take this woman, my cousin, as my lawful wedded wife, not to quiet my lust but to awaken my love. Keep our best interests at heart. We want to have children and grow old together." "Amen," he said, and "Amen," she said.
NRSV:
“Blessed
are you, O God of our ancestors, and blessed is your name in all generations
forever. Let the heavens and the whole creation bless
you forever. You made Adam, and for him you made his
wife Eve as a helper and support. From the two of them the human race has sprung. You said, ‘It is not
good that the man should be alone; let us make a helper
for him like himself.’ I now
am taking this kinswoman of mine, not because of lust,
but with sincerity. Grant that she and
I may find mercy and
that we may grow old together.” And
they both said, “Amen, Amen.”
