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What does the Bible say about interfaith marriage?

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The Bible teaches that Christians should ordinarily marry fellow believers, yet those already married to an unbeliever are called to remain faithful, loving, and hopeful in witness if the spouse is willing to live with them. Deuteronomy 7:3-4, Genesis 24:3-4, 1 Kings 11:2, Ezra 10:2, and Malachi 2:11 warn that marriages drawing God’s people into idolatry compromise covenant faithfulness. 1 Corinthians 7:39 directs believers to marry “only in the Lord,” and 2 Corinthians 6:14 cautions against spiritually unequal partnerships. Still, 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 forbids abandoning an unbelieving spouse merely for unbelief, while 1 Peter 3:1 commends godly conduct that may win them to Christ.

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

  • 1 Corinthians 7:12-14

    [12] But to the rest I--not the Lord--say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her. [13] The woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he is content to live with her, let her not leave her husband. [14] For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now are they holy.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:14

    Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what communion has light with darkness?

  • Deuteronomy 7:3-4

    [3] neither shall you make marriages with them; your daughter you shall not give to his son, nor his daughter shall you take to your son. [4] For he will turn away your son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of Yahweh be kindled against you, and he will destroy you quickly.

  • Ezra 10:2

    Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.

  • 1 Peter 3:1

    In like manner, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any don't obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word;

  • 1 Corinthians 3:11

    For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:39

    A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whoever she desires, only in the Lord.

  • Genesis 24:3-4

    [3] I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live. [4] But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac."

  • 1 Kings 11:2

    of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon joined to these in love.

  • Malachi 2:11

    Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.

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