Mark 10:2

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

Mark 10:2 in Other Translations

2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.

2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"

2 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?”

2 Pharisees came up, intending to give him a hard time. They asked, "Is it legal for a man to divorce his wife?"

2 And there came unto him Pharisees, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away [his] wife? trying him.

2 Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, "Can a husband divorce his wife?"

2 Some Pharisees approached Him to test Him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce [his] wife?"

2 Some Pharisees came to put him to the test. They asked, "Does the Law allow a man to divorce his wife?"

Mark 10:2 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 10:2

And the: Pharisees came unto him
As they every where did; not to be instructed by him, but to ensnare him;

and asked him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?
that is, as Matthew adds, "for every cause", (See Gill on Matthew 19:3): for, a divorce might be lawfully made for a cause, or reason, namely, adultery, but not for any, or every cause; which is the sense of this question of the Pharisees; and, which they put, not for information, but

tempting him;
trying to entangle him by opposing the authority of Moses, should he deny the lawfulness of divorces, or by objecting his former doctrine, ( Matthew 5:32 ) , and so expose him as an inconsistent preacher, should he allow them to be lawful for every reason. This clause is placed in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions before the question.

Mark 10:2 In-Context

1 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.

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.

Cross References

• 1. Mark 2:16