Matthew 19:1-9

Concerning Divorce

1 1When Jesus had finished these words, He departed from Galilee and 2came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan;
2 and large crowds followed Him, and 3He healed them there.
3 Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, "4Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?"
4 And He answered and said, "Have you not read 5that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE,
5 and said, '6FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND 7THE TWO SHALL BECOME * ONE FLESH '?
6 "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."
7 They said to Him, "8Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?"
8 He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.
9 "And I say to you, 9whoever * divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery ."

Cross References 9

  • 1. Matthew 7:28
  • 2. Matthew 19:1-9: {Mark 10:1-12}
  • 3. Matthew 4:23
  • 4. Matthew 5:31
  • 5. Genesis 1:27; Genesis 5:2
  • 6. Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:31
  • 7. 1 Corinthians 6:16
  • 8. Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Matthew 5:31
  • 9. Matthew 5:32

Footnotes 8

  • [a]. Lit "many"
  • [b]. Lit "Him"
  • [c]. Or "send away"
  • [d]. Or "send away"
  • [e]. Or "sends away"
  • [f]. Lit "fornication"
  • [g]. Some early mss read "makes her commit adultery"
  • [h]. Some early mss add "and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery"
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.