Verse 12

To the rest I say– I, not the Lord– if a brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is happy to live with him, he should not divorce her.

Referenced Verses

• 2 Cor 11:17 : 17 What I am saying with this boastful confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.
• 1 Cor 7:6 : 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.
• 1 Cor 7:25 : 25 Remaining Unmarried With regard to the question about people who have never married, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one shown mercy by the Lord to be trustworthy.
• Ezra 10:2-3 : 2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra:“We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the local peoples. Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard. 3 Therefore let us enact a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, and that of those who respect the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.
• Ezra 10:11-19 : 11 Now give praise to the LORD God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the local residents and from these foreign wives.” 12 All the assembly replied in a loud voice:“We will do just as you have said! 13 However, the people are numerous and it is the rainy season. We are unable to stand here outside. Furthermore, this business cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly in this matter. 14 Let our leaders take steps on behalf of all the assembly. Let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at an appointed time, and with them the elders of each town and its judges, until the hot anger of our God is turned away from us in this matter.” 15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were against this, assisted by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite. 16 So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated out by name men who were leaders in their family groups. They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month, 17 and on the first day of the first month they finished considering all the men who had married foreign wives. 18 Those Who Had Taken Foreign Wives It was determined that from the descendants of the priests, the following had taken foreign wives: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 (They gave their word to send away their wives; their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt.)