1And when Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee and went into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. [19:2] And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. [19:3] And Pharisees came to him, testing him and saying, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?" [19:4] He answered and said, "Have you not read that the one who created them from the beginning made them male and female, [19:5] and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will be cemented to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? [19:6] So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate." [19:7] They said to him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and to dismiss her?" [19:8] He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. [19:9] And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery." [19:10] The disciples said to him, "If the case of a man with his wife is like this, it is not advantageous to marry." [19:11] But he said to them, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. [19:12] For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to accept it accept it."
MAT 19:1-12
Teachings about Divorce
In the world it was spoken into
In 1st-century Jewish society, divorce was a contentious issue, with differing interpretations of Deuteronomy 24:1. The school of Hillel permitted divorce for 'any cause,' while Shammai restricted it to cases of sexual immorality . The Pharisees’ question to Jesus reflects this debate, aiming to trap Him into taking a side or contradicting the Law. Roman law, which governed Judea, allowed divorce with minimal formalities, often initiated by men, reflecting patriarchal norms. Jesus’ response, rooted in Genesis, emphasizes the permanence of marriage as God’s original design, challenging both Jewish and Roman practices. His exception for aligns with Shammai but reframes it within a broader theological context of covenant fidelity. This teaching would have unsettled listeners accustomed to flexible divorce practices, particularly men who held societal power in marital matters.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
MAT 19:1
- KJV
- And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;
- BSB
- When Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
- Koinōnos
- And when Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee and went into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
MAT 19:2
- KJV
- And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.
- BSB
- Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there.
- Koinōnos
- And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
MAT 19:3
- KJV
- The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
- BSB
- Then some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
- Koinōnos
- And Pharisees came to him, testing him and saying, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?
MAT 19:4
- KJV
- And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
- BSB
- Jesus answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’
- Koinōnos
- He answered and said, "Have you not read that the one who created them from the beginning made them male and female,
MAT 19:5
- KJV
- And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
- BSB
- 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’?
- Koinōnos
- and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will be cemented to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'?
MAT 19:6
- KJV
- Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
- BSB
- So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
- Koinōnos
- So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate.
MAT 19:7
- KJV
- They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
- BSB
- “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”
- Koinōnos
- They said to him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and to dismiss her?
MAT 19:8
- KJV
- He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
- BSB
- Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart. But it was not this way from the beginning.
- Koinōnos
- He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
MAT 19:9
- KJV
- And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
- BSB
- Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman, commits adultery.”
- Koinōnos
- And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.
MAT 19:10
- KJV
- His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
- BSB
- His disciples said to Him, “If this is the case between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry.”
- Koinōnos
- The disciples said to him, "If the case of a man with his wife is like this, it is not advantageous to marry.
MAT 19:11
- KJV
- But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
- BSB
- “Not everyone can accept this word,” He replied, “but only those to whom it has been given.
- Koinōnos
- But he said to them, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.
MAT 19:12
- KJV
- For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
- BSB
- For there are eunuchs who were born that way; others were made that way by men; and still others live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
- Koinōnos
- For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to accept it accept it.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MAT 19:3
- Pharisees:The word translated 'Pharisees' here is actually a verb meaning 'to test' or 'to tempt.' It describes the Pharisees' intention in asking Jesus the question.
- of him:The word translated 'of him' is a common term meaning 'all' or 'every.' In this context, it emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the command.
MAT 19:5
- will be joined with:The word translated 'will be joined with' literally means to be glued or cemented together. It implies a strong, inseparable bond, like two materials permanently fused.
MAT 19:9
- for:The term translated 'fornication' or 'sexual immorality' was a broad category in the ancient world, encompassing various illicit sexual acts beyond just premarital sex, including prostitution, adultery, and incest.