1Rising from there he came into the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again, and as was his custom he taught them again. [10:2] Pharisees approached and asked him whether it is lawful for a husband to divorce a wife — testing him. [10:3] He answered and said to them: What did Moses command you? [10:4] They said: Moses permitted a certificate of divorce to be written and to send her away. [10:5] Jesus said to them: Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. [10:6] But from the beginning of creation, male and female he made them. [10:7] For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, [10:8] and the two will become one flesh — so they are no longer two but one flesh. [10:9] Therefore what God has joined together, let no person separate. [10:10] In the house the disciples questioned him again about this. [10:11] He said to them: Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. [10:12] And if she, having divorced her husband, marries another, she commits adultery.
MRK 10:1-12
Teachings about Divorce
In the world it was spoken into
In 1st-century Judea, divorce was a socially and legally significant act, governed by Jewish law and Roman oversight. The Pharisees’ question about divorce reflects a debate within Second-Temple Judaism over the interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1, which allowed a man to divorce his wife if he found 'something indecent' in her. The schools of Hillel and Shammai differed on what constituted 'indecency,' with Hillel permitting divorce for trivial reasons and Shammai restricting it to serious moral failings. The (certificate of divorce) was a formal document that legally severed the marital bond, protecting the woman’s right to remarry. Jesus’ response challenges this framework by appealing to creation’s original intent, emphasizing the permanence of marriage as a divine institution. His mention of (hardness of heart) critiques the legalistic approach to divorce, framing it as a concession to human sinfulness rather than God’s ideal. The charge of (adultery) underscores the social and covenantal gravity of divorce, as remarriage after divorce was seen as violating the marital covenant.
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How other translations render this
MRK 10:1
- KJV
- And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.
- BSB
- Then Jesus left that place and went into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught them, as was His custom.
- Koinōnos
- Rising from there he came into the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again, and as was his custom he taught them again.
MRK 10:2
- KJV
- And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
- BSB
- Some Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” they inquired.
- Koinōnos
- Pharisees approached and asked him whether it is lawful for a husband to divorce a wife — testing him.
MRK 10:3
- KJV
- And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
- BSB
- “What did Moses command you?” He replied.
- Koinōnos
- He answered and said to them: What did Moses command you?
MRK 10:4
- KJV
- And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
- BSB
- They answered, “Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away.”
- Koinōnos
- They said: Moses permitted a certificate of divorce to be written and to send her away.
MRK 10:5
- KJV
- And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
- BSB
- But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart.
- Koinōnos
- Jesus said to them: Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
MRK 10:6
- KJV
- But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
- BSB
- However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’
- Koinōnos
- But from the beginning of creation, male and female he made them.
MRK 10:7
- KJV
- For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
- BSB
- ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
- Koinōnos
- For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
MRK 10:8
- KJV
- And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
- BSB
- and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
- Koinōnos
- and the two will become one flesh — so they are no longer two but one flesh.
MRK 10:9
- KJV
- What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
- BSB
- Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
- Koinōnos
- Therefore what God has joined together, let no person separate.
MRK 10:10
- KJV
- And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
- BSB
- When they were back inside the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter.
- Koinōnos
- In the house the disciples questioned him again about this.
MRK 10:11
- KJV
- And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
- BSB
- So He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
- Koinōnos
- He said to them: Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.
MRK 10:12
- KJV
- And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
- BSB
- And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
- Koinōnos
- And if she, having divorced her husband, marries another, she commits adultery.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MRK 10:2
- it is lawful:The word translated 'it is lawful' refers to what is permitted by custom or law, often with a sense of what is proper or right within a given social or legal framework.
MRK 10:4
- of divorce:The term translated 'of divorce' specifically refers to a written document or bill that formally dissolved a marriage, not just the act of divorcing itself.
MRK 10:5
- Because of:The word translated 'Because of' here is literally 'hardness of heart,' indicating a stubborn, unyielding disposition that resists God's will or moral truth.
MRK 10:11
- commits adultery:The word translated 'commits adultery' describes sexual infidelity within a marriage, specifically referring to a married person having sexual relations with someone other than their spouse.