Matthew 19:1-12 - On Divorce

Matthew 19:1-12

1 When Jesus had finished these discourses, He removed from Galilee and came into that part of Judaea which lay beyond the Jordan. 2 And a vast multitude followed him, and He cured them there. 3 Then came some of the Pharisees to Him to put Him to the proof by the question, "Has a man a right to divorce his wife whenever he chooses?"

4 "Have you not read," He replied, "that He who made them 'made them' from the beginning 'male and female, 5 and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall be one'?

6 Thus they are no longer two, but 'one'! What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."

7 "Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give her 'a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"

8 "Moses," He replied, "in consideration of the hardness of your nature permitted you to put away your wives, but it has not been so from the beginning. 9 And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery."

10 "If this is the case with a man in relation to his wife," said the disciples to Him, "it is better not to marry."

11 "It is not every man," He replied, "who can receive this teaching, but only those on whom the grace has been bestowed. 12 There are men who from their birth have been disabled from marriage, others who have been so disabled by men, and others who have disabled themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of the Heavens. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."

Mark 10:1-12

1 Soon on His feet once more, He enters the district of Judaea and crosses the Jordan: again the people flock to Him, and ere long, as was usual with Him, He was teaching them once more. 2 Presently a party of Pharisees come to Him with the question--seeking to entrap Him, "May a man divorce his wife?"

3 "What rule did Moses lay down for you?" He answered.

4 "Moses," they said, "permitted a man to draw up a written notice of divorce, and to send his wife away."

5 "It was in consideration of your stubborn hearts," said Jesus, "that Moses enacted this law for you; 6 but from the beginning of the creation the rule was, 'Male and female did God make them.

7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cling to his wife, 8 and the two shall be one'; so that they are two no longer, but 'one.' 9 What, therefore, God has joined together let not man separate."

10 Indoors the disciples began questioning Jesus again on the same subject. 11 He replied, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman, commits adultery against the first wife; 12 and if a woman puts away her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."

Luke 16:18-18

18 Every man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and he who marries her when so divorced from her husband commits adultery.