Mark 10:4

4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

Mark 10:4 in Other Translations

4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

4 They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away."

4 “Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.”

4 They answered, "Moses gave permission to fill out a certificate of dismissal and divorce her."

4 They said, "Moses permitted us to write divorce papers and send her away."

Mark 10:4 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 10:4

And they said
By way of reply,

Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away,
Moses did not command them to divorce their wives, only suffered them to do so: and gave orders that if they could not bear that they should live with them, but would divorce them, that they should give them a bill, which should certify, they were so divorced, and then send them out of their houses, free to marry other men; this law, or permission, is in ( Deuteronomy 24:1 ) , of the form of a bill of divorcement, (See Gill on Matthew 5:31).

Mark 10:4 In-Context

2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

3 “What did Moses command you?” he replied.

4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied.

6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Matthew 5:31