The Narrow Path Ministries

One of the question I was asked is that are cousins allowed to get married?

According to Leviticus 18:6-18 and Leviticus 20:17-21 cousins are not mentioned among the prohibited....

I know of no law against it. And I am familiar with instances of it.

Thanks, Paidion I agree with you....

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In the United States, second cousins are legally allowed to marry in every state. However, marriage between first cousins is legal in only about half of the American states. All in all, marrying your cousin or half-sibling will largely depend on the laws where you live and personal and/or cultural beliefs.Oct 16, 2019

There is a caution here. It's interesting that in the above information, marrying your cousin is put in the same category as marrying your half-sibling, which is condemned by scripture. Right or wrong, that's how some people and apparently some governments look at it. We know that Abraham married his half-sister, but we also know that that was before it was condemned in the law, and probably before he had made any commitment to the Lord. Of course, polygamy was also condemned, but many otherwise godly men engaged in that.

Also, marriage is never acceptable if some other violation of the God-given institution takes place. For example, cousins who are of the same sex, or when one cousin left a previous spouse, even though that spouse had done nothing wrong in God's eyes, etc. In other words, if either cousin has already committed adultery in a previous relationship.

Also it could be a slippery slope. If two cousins married, a man and a woman, and had children, I can see the children saying "Well, you married your cousin, so I guess it's okay for me to marry my sister."

"Cousin marriage — and marriage between a niece or nephew and their uncle or aunt — is legal in Canada, according to the federal Marriage (Prohibited Degrees) Act of 1990."

Check out the following site concerning marriage between cousins:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/repeal- ... s-1.752965

However, as you know, marriage between cousins is prohibited in United States.

Hi Dwight or Paidion,

The person who asked me the question is not concern about the government laws but his main concern is if there are specific verses in the scripture that prohibits marriage between first cousins. Dwight or Paidion can you quote any verses in the scripture that prohibits marriage between first cousins because I couldn't find any verses that specifically prohibits marriage between first cousins.

I have never encountered any such prohibition in my reading of the Bible.

Thanks Paidion...

The Greek word "ανεψιος" that occurs only once in the New Testament, is translated as "cousin" in at least 12 translations. For example:

Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him. (Colossians 4:10 NKJV).