Matthew 19:3-9
New Century Version
3 Some Pharisees came to Jesus and tried to trick him. They asked, “Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for any reason he chooses?”
4 Jesus answered, “Surely you have read in the Scriptures: When God made the world, ‘he made them male and female.’[a] 5 And God said, ‘So a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one body.’[b] 6 So there are not two, but one. God has joined the two together, so no one should separate them.”
7 The Pharisees asked, “Why then did Moses give a command for a man to divorce his wife by giving her divorce papers?”
8 Jesus answered, “Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because you refused to accept God’s teaching, but divorce was not allowed in the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman is guilty of adultery.[c] The only reason for a man to divorce his wife is if his wife has sexual relations with another man.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 19:4 ‘he made . . . female’ Quotation from Genesis 1:27 or 5:2.
- 19:5 ‘So . . . body.’ Quotation from Genesis 2:24.
- 19:9 adultery Some Greek copies continue, “And anyone who marries a divorced woman is guilty of adultery.” Compare Matthew 5:32.
Matthew 19:3-9
New International Version
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife(A) for any and every reason?”
4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’[a](B) 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]?(C) 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?”(D)
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.”(E)
Footnotes
- Matthew 19:4 Gen. 1:27
- Matthew 19:5 Gen. 2:24
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