1 Corinthians 7:12-16

Principles for Marriage

¹² To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. ¹³ If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. _i Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you _{1 j} to peace. ¹⁶ For how do you know, wife, _k whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

1. Cross References
   Ezra 9:2
   For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost.
   Malachi 2:15
   Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.
   
2. Cross References
   Colossians 3:15
   And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
   Romans 14:19
   So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
   
3. Cross References
   1 Peter 3:1
   Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives.
   Romans 11:14
   In order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.