English 
Chinese 
Dutch 
Arabic 
Spanish 
Portuguese 
Russian 
French 
Italian 
German 
Japanese 
Continue reading with a subscription
Get unlimited access to all our premium content and exclusive features.
Enjoy unlimited access, cancel anytime.
Summary
- No passage of Scripture forbids dating a former partner’s friend, or a friend’s former partner, and dating itself does not appear in the Bible.
- The marriage prohibitions of Leviticus 18 all turn on blood or marriage, such as a brother’s wife (Leviticus 18:16); John the Baptist invoked that law against Herod (Mark 6:17–18).
- Paul’s test is not what is permitted but what helps: “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up (1 Corinthians 10:23–24; Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 8:9).
- Scripture asks for plain speech (Ephesians 4:25) and for advice before acting (Proverbs 15:22), and describes betrayal by a close friend in Psalm 55:13–14.
- The King James Version’s “all appearance of evil” at 1 Thessalonians 5:22 reads “every form of evil” in the English Standard Version.
- Catholic canon law’s impediments to marriage cover consanguinity, affinity, public propriety and adoption (canons 1091–1094); a friend’s former partner is not among them.
Bibliography (Click to show)
- Scripture quotations from the English Standard Version (Leviticus 18:16; Deuteronomy 25:5–6; Psalm 55:13–14; Proverbs 15:22; 17:17; 27:6; Mark 6:17–18; Luke 6:31; Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 8:9; 10:23–24; Ephesians 4:25; 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22) and the King James Version (1 Thessalonians 5:22). https://www.biblegateway.com/
- Code of Canon Law, Book IV, Title VII, Chapter III, “Specific Diriment Impediments,” canons 1091–1094. Vatican. https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib4-cann998-1165_en.html
Leave a Reply