Matthew 19:1-12
Contemporary English Version
Teaching about Divorce
(Mark 10.1-12)
19 When Jesus finished teaching, he left Galilee and went to the part of Judea east of the Jordan River. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed their sick.
3 Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. They came up to him and asked, “Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
4 (A) Jesus answered, “Don't you know in the beginning the Creator made a man and a woman? 5 (B) That's why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. 6 Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple God has joined together.”
7 (C) The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Why did Moses say a man could write out divorce papers and send his wife away?”
8 Jesus replied, “You are so heartless! That's why Moses allowed you to divorce your wife. But from the beginning God did not intend it to be that way. 9 (D) I say if your wife has not committed some terrible sexual sin,[a] you must not divorce her to marry someone else. If you do, you are unfaithful.”
10 The disciples said, “If that's how it is between a man and a woman, it's better not to get married.”
11 Jesus told them, “Only those people who have been given the gift of staying single can accept this teaching. 12 Some people are unable to marry because of birth defects or because of what someone has done to their bodies. Others stay single in order to serve God better. Anyone who can accept this teaching should do so.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 19.9 some terrible sexual sin: See the note at 5.32.
Matthew 19:1-12
New International Version
Divorce(A)
19 When Jesus had finished saying these things,(B) he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them(C) there.
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife(D) for any and every reason?”
4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’[a](E) 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’[b]?(F) 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”(G)
8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”(H)
10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”
11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.(I) 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 19:4 Gen. 1:27
- Matthew 19:5 Gen. 2:24
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