The Question of Divorce

19 When Jesus had finished this instruction,(A) He departed from Galilee and went to the region of Judea across the Jordan.(B) Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there.(C) Some Pharisees approached Him to test Him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?”(D)

“Haven’t you read,” He replied, “that He who created[a] them in the beginning made them male and female,”(E)[b] and He also said:

For this reason a man will leave
his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two will become one flesh?(F)[c]

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”

“Why then,” they asked Him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers(G) and to send her away?”

He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts. But it was not like that from the beginning. And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”[d](H)

10 His disciples(I) said to Him, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry!”

11 But He told them, “Not everyone can accept this saying, but only those it has been given(J) to.

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Notas al pie

  1. Matthew 19:4 Other mss read made
  2. Matthew 19:4 Gn 1:27; 5:2
  3. Matthew 19:5 Gn 2:24
  4. Matthew 19:9 Other mss add Also whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery; Mt 5:32

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. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them(C) there.

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?”

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’[a](E) 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) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”(G)

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 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)

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Notas al pie

  1. Matthew 19:4 Gen. 1:27
  2. Matthew 19:5 Gen. 2:24