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Matthew 19:7–9

They said to him, x“Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” He said to them, Because of your yhardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. zAnd I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”1

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Matthew 19:7–9 — The New International Version (NIV)

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

Jesus replied, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

Matthew 19:7–9 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 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. 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.

Matthew 19:7–9 — New Living Translation (NLT)

“Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked.

Jesus replied, Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adulteryunless his wife has been unfaithful.

Matthew 19:7–9 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

He said to them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

Matthew 19:7–9 — New Century Version (NCV)

The Pharisees asked, “Why then did Moses give a command for a man to divorce his wife by giving her divorce papers?”

Jesus answered, Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because you refused to accept God’s teaching, but divorce was not allowed in the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman is guilty of adultery. The only reason for a man to divorce his wife is if his wife has sexual relations with another man.”

Matthew 19:7–9 — American Standard Version (ASV)

They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery.

Matthew 19:7–9 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

They say to him, Why then did Moses command to give a letter of divorce and to send her away? He says to them, Moses, in view of your hardheartedness, allowed you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not thus. But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, not for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery; and he who marries one put away commits adultery.

Matthew 19:7–9 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

The Pharisees asked him, “Why, then, did Moses order a man to give his wife a written notice to divorce her?” 

Jesus answered them, “Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because you’re heartless. It was never this way in the beginning. I can guarantee that whoever divorces his wife for any reason other than her unfaithfulness is committing adultery if he marries another woman.” 

Matthew 19:7–9 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

“Why then,” they asked Him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers and to send her away?”

He told them, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts. But it was not like that from the beginning. And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

Matthew 19:7–9 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?” He said to them, It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another commits adultery.”

Matthew 19:7–9 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a document—a certificate of divorce—and to divorce her?” He said to them, “Moses, with reference to your hardness of heart, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not like this. Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on the basis of sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

Matthew 19:7–9 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

They asked, “Then why did Moses command that a man can give his wife a letter of divorce and send her away?”

Jesus replied, “Moses let you divorce your wives because you were stubborn. But it was not this way from the beginning. Here is what I tell you. Anyone who divorces his wife and gets married to another woman commits adultery. A man may divorce his wife only if she has not been faithful to him.”

Matthew 19:7–9 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

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.

And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”


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