Although Scripture doesn’t establish an age-gap formula, it gives Christians numerous principles relevant to choosing a spouse and building a marriage. Shared faith receives significant attention. First Corinthians 7:39 says a believer should marry “in the Lord,” while 2 Corinthians 6:14 warns against being “unequally yoked” with unbelievers, a broader principle Christians have often applied to marriage.

Biblical descriptions of marriage also emphasize love, faithfulness and proper treatment of one’s spouse. Ephesians 5 calls husbands to love their wives sacrificially, while 1 Corinthians 13 describes love as patient, kind and not self-seeking. None of these principles changes according to whether spouses are two years or twenty years apart. Scripture repeatedly emphasizes wisdom, self-control, honesty and sound judgment as well.

There is no biblical passage establishing a maximum permissible age difference between adult spouses. That doesn’t mean age can never matter practically. A substantial age difference may place two people at different stages involving children, careers, health, retirement or long-term caregiving. Couples should also consider maturity, compatibility and genuine consent. An age difference should never be used to dismiss concerns about coercion, manipulation or exploitation.

Rather than asking only, “How many years apart are we?” Christians can consider whether they share fundamental beliefs and values, treat each other respectfully, handle disagreements maturely and understand the responsibilities of marriage. The Bible neither commands spouses to be close in age nor establishes an acceptable numerical gap. Scripture has considerably more to say about how spouses believe, love, behave and treat one another than about the number of years between them.