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Matthew 19:1–8

Instruction About Divorce

Mark 10:1–16; Luke 18:15–17

19 Now it came to pass, awhen Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. bAnd great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

And He answered and said to them, Have you not read that He who 1made them at the beginning cmade them male and female,’ and said, dFor this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and ethe two shall become one flesh? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

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

He said to them, Moses, because of the ghardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your hwives, but from the beginning it was not so.

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Matthew 19:1–8 — The New International Version (NIV)

When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

Haven’t you read,” he replied, that at the beginning the Creatormade them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

“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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — English Standard Version (ESV)

Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” He answered, Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” He said to them, Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

Matthew 19:1–8 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan; And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there. The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — New Living Translation (NLT)

When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River. Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick.

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

Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. They record that from the beginningGod made them male and female.’ And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

“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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — New Century Version (NCV)

After Jesus said all these things, he left Galilee and went into the area of Judea on the other side of the Jordan River. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and tried to trick him. They asked, “Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for any reason he chooses?”

Jesus answered, Surely you have read in the Scriptures: When God made the world, ‘he made them male and female.’ And God said, ‘So a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one body.’ So there are not two, but one. God has joined the two together, so no one should separate them.”

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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — American Standard Version (ASV)

And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judaea beyond the Jordan; and great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these words, he withdrew from Galilee, and came to the coasts of Judaea beyond the Jordan; and great crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

And the Pharisees came to him tempting him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? But he answering said to them, Have ye not read that he who made them, from the beginning made them male and female, and said, On account of this a man shall leave father and mother, and shall be united to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh? so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. 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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

When Jesus finished speaking, he left Galilee and traveled along the other side of the Jordan River to the territory of Judea. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 

Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, “Can a man divorce his wife for any reason?” 

Jesus answered, “Haven’t you read that the Creator made them male and female in the beginning and that he said, ‘That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and will remain united with his wife, and the two will be one’? So they are no longer two but one. Therefore, don’t let anyone separate what God has joined together.” 

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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

When Jesus had finished this instruction, He departed from Galilee and went to the region of Judea across the Jordan. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there. Some Pharisees approached Him to test Him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?”

Haven’t you read,” He replied, that He who created them in the beginning made them male and female,” and He also said:

For this reason a man will leave

his father and mother

and be joined to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh?

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

“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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he cured them there.

Some Pharisees came to him, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?” He answered, Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginningmade them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

And it happened that when Jesus had finished these statements, he went away from Galilee and came into the region of Judea on the other side of the Jordan. And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. And Pharisees came up to him in order to test him, and asked if it was permitted for a man to divorce his wife for any cause. And he answered and said, “Have you not read that the one who created them from the beginning made them male and female and said, ‘On account of this a man will leave his father and his mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate.” 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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

When Jesus finished saying these things, he left Galilee. He went into the area of Judea on the other side of the Jordan River. Large crowds followed him. He healed them there.

Some Pharisees came to put him to the test. They asked, “Does the Law allow a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?”

Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read that in the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’? He said, ‘That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The two will become one.’ They are no longer two, but one. So a man must not separate what God has joined together.”

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.

Matthew 19:1–8 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

When Jesus had finished these words, He departed from Galilee and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan;

and large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there.

Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?”

And He answered and said, Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female,

and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

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.


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