The Question of Divorce

10 He y set out from there and went to the region of Judea z and across the Jordan. a Then crowds converged on Him again and, as He usually did, He began teaching b them once more. 2 Some * Pharisees c approached Him to test d Him. They asked, “Is it lawful e for a man to divorce f his wife?” g

3 He replied to them, “What did Moses h command you?”

4 They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers i and send her away.” j

5 But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts. k 6 But from the beginning l of creation m God n made them male and female. o p

7 For this reason a man will leave q

his father and mother

[and be joined to his wife], r

8 and the two will become one flesh. s t

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate.” u

10 Now in the house the disciples questioned Him again about this matter. 11 And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife v and marries w another commits adultery x against her. 12 Also, if she divorces her husband y and marries another, she commits adultery.”