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Setting aside marriages of couples from two different Christian denominations, what passages in the New Testament prohibit a Christian from marrying a non-Christian?

I believe that the Old Testament prohibits Jews from marrying non-Jews, but I am interested in answers relating to Christians specifically.

Beofett
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    The duplicate someone suggested in the close vote is a very different topic. Inter-racial != inter-faith. – Caleb Sep 01 '11 at 13:20
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    I looked at the inter-racial question before posting this, and yes, my focus is very different. – Beofett Sep 01 '11 at 13:21
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    Seems rather bizarre that almost 5 years later, this gets closed as "opinion based"... when it was, both before and after the edit, looking for sources from the bible. I guess the bible is now considered opinion? – Beofett Apr 25 '16 at 12:22
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    If you have questions or concerns about question closure you should raise them on meta. That being said your comment is on the wrong track and at least partially addressed in this meta post. Yes questions about the Bible are considered opinion based and yes a lot of questions from '11 before we figured that out are getting closed. That's fine and normal. – Caleb Apr 25 '16 at 12:29
  • A case might be made that this is not such a question, but your negative wording probably didn't help. Try [edit]ing to make this less about what the Bible says and more about a specific doctrinal position held by .... whatever the position is and whoever holds it. – Caleb Apr 25 '16 at 12:29
  • @Caleb Thanks for the clarification. I'm not sure I understand how my comment was on the "wrong track", though, if indeed questions about the bible are considered opinion based. Seems to me my comment was quite accurate, if not altogether positive in its tone. After reading your comments, and your meta post, I am unsure how my answer could be salvaged. By my negative wording, are you saying "what parts of the bible allow or support inter-faith marriage" would be more on-track? As for a specific doctrinal position, would saying "Lutheran" (my wife's church) be sufficiently specific? – Beofett Apr 25 '16 at 15:54
  • If adding "Lutheran" (or a more specific doctrinal subdivision of Lutheranism, as I understand that that might still be overly broad) fixes the question, does it then become valid to add multiple versions of this question for various other doctrines (e.g. "Roman Catholicism")? – Beofett Apr 25 '16 at 15:56
  • @Beofett Your most recent comment is on the right track – it would be valid to ask the same question for multiple traditions. Mr. Bultitude's edit would also make it on topic, since it asks for the biblical basis for one side of the argument. "What do opponents say the Bible teaches?" is different from "What does the Bible teach?" Thanks for your patience! – Nathaniel is protesting Apr 27 '16 at 00:41
  • @Nathaniel Ah, so the negative phrasing was intended to provide a stance as a basis for the answers to approach, rather than an open-ended list of relevant quotes? Am I understanding that correctly? Thanks for the help! – Beofett Apr 27 '16 at 00:43
  • @Beofett Correct. Biblical basis for/against a particular doctrine is typically considered on-topic here, because, generally speaking, the biblical passages used on behalf of particular beliefs are usually cited by most or all of those who hold that belief. Taking the "biblical basis against" approach would also allow most of the answers given to remain, as that's the view they tend to defend. Changing it to "What do Lutherans think about inter-faith marriage," which would be an on-topic question, would require quoting Lutheran theologians, but none of these answers do that. – Nathaniel is protesting Apr 27 '16 at 00:48
  • @Nathaniel I've rolled the question back to the edited version. I'm still not clear about Caleb's comment about my "negative wording" not helping the case for my question being open, but your comments make sense. I'm uncertain whether it is best to leave the question in Mr. Bultitude's version (in the hopes that it can be re-opened), or whether I should abandon this and ask a new, Lutheran-based version. Hopefully the community will provide clear guidelines for which direction I should take in my meta question. – Beofett Apr 27 '16 at 00:54
  • @Beofett Thanks. I've voted to reopen the question. I expect it to be reopened, but we'll see what other voters think. There's certainly no harm in asking the Lutheran-based version as well, if that interests you. – Nathaniel is protesting Apr 27 '16 at 00:59
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    I'm not sure why I didn't leave a little explanation in the edit summary, but at any rate, it's now been reopened. :) I could see a "what's the Lutheran stance on inter-faith marriages" question being successful too though. Could be a useful complement to this one. – Mr. Bultitude Apr 27 '16 at 16:54
  • @Beofett, what is the religion of the other party and can you say which gender has which religion? – Daisy Apr 30 '16 at 04:13

3 Answers3

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2 Corinthians 6:14-15 is often understood to prohibit the marriage of Christians with non-Christians:

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE
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A verse which is used widely is 1 Corinthians 7:39

A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.

This verse talks for a woman who wish to get married again but the principle is the same for anyone. "Belong to the Lord" means to be a Christian.

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2 Corinthians 6:14-18 is generally cited in such cases:

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,

"I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;
AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
"Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord.
"AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;
And I will welcome you.
"And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,"
Says the Lord Almighty.

If one member of an "interfaith" marriage were to be saved after getting married, then it would be that spouse's duty to continue to witness to their unbelieving mate:

1 Corinthians 7:12b-16:

that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

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