A "yoke" was a farm implement that bound two animals together so that they could work together as a team.Modern translations remove the "yoke" and translate the intent of the verse, warning believers, "Do not be bound together with unbelievers." Does this apply to marriage?They were persecuted by the Western Church (early Roman Catholicism), abandoned by the Eastern Church, and eventually persecuted by the Muslims with heavy taxation, beatings, and martyrdom.

They come under heavy persecution and have had survive almost 1500 years of constant attack.Dating a non-Christian is also problematic, for similar reasons.Those who marry an unbeliever prior to converting to Christianity are encouraged to stay with the unbeliever unless they leave.Included in the list of idols are sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed. Likewise, the joining of a Christian and a non-Christian joins Christ to an unbeliever.The New Testament goes as far as to warn us not even to eat with idolaters (1 Corinthians ). Bad company corrupts good morals" ( The Bible is actually much more direct about marrying unbelievers than has been indicated to this point.