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Wednesday, July 30th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Matthew 19:9

Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman, commits adultery."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adultery;   Divorce;   Jesus, the Christ;   Marriage;   Scofield Reference Index - Kingdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Adultery;   Foes of the Home;   Home;   The Topic Concordance - Adultery;   Divorce;   Marriage;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Divorce;   Husbands;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Marriage;   Woman;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Adultery;   Divorce;   Ethics;   Government;   Marriage;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Divorce;   Homosexuality;   Immorality, Sexual;   Incest;   Marriage;   Sexuality, Human;   Woman;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Divorce;   Hutchinsonians;   Marriage;   Polygamy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Concubine;   Divorce;   Wife;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Divorce;   Marriage;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Divorce;   Fornication;   History;   Immorality;   Marriage;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Sex, Biblical Teaching on;   Torah;   Woman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Law;   Marriage;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Adam;   Adultery ;   Asceticism (2);   Celibacy (2);   Character;   Common Life;   Discourse;   Divorce (2);   Eunuch ;   Example;   Family (Jesus);   Gospel (2);   Harlot;   Home (2);   Judgment;   Marriage;   Matthew, Gospel According to;   Prophet;   Sermon on the Mount;   Supremacy;   Womanliness;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Divorce;   Fornication;   Marriage;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Concubine;   Lamech;   Marriage;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Divorce;   Marriage;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Pharisees;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Garden of Eden;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Adultery;   Authority in Religion;   Divorce in New Testament;   Family;   Harlot;   Law in the New Testament;   Marriage;   Purity;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Divorce;   Polygamy;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”
King James Version (1611)
And I say vnto you, Whosoeuer 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.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."
New American Standard Bible
"And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
New Century Version
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."
Amplified Bible
"I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
Geneva Bible (1587)
I say therefore vnto you, that whosoeuer shall put away his wife, except it be for whoredome, and marry another, committeth adulterie: and whosoeuer marieth her which is diuorced, doeth commit adulterie.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
Legacy Standard Bible
And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
Contemporary English Version
I say that if your wife has not committed some terrible sexual sin, you must not divorce her to marry someone else. If you do, you are unfaithful."
Complete Jewish Bible
Now what I say to you is that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery!"
Darby Translation
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.
Easy-to-Read Version
I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for the problem of sexual sin, and marries another woman is guilty of adultery."
George Lamsa Translation
But I say to you, Whoever leaves his wife without a charge of adultery and marries another commits adultery; and he who marries a woman thus separated commits adultery.
Good News Translation
I tell you, then, that any man who divorces his wife for any cause other than her unfaithfulness, commits adultery if he marries some other woman."
Lexham English Bible
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."
Literal Translation
And I say to you, Whoever shall put away his wife, if not for fornication, and shall marry another, that one commits adultery. And the one who marries her who was put away commits adultery.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And I say to you, Whoever puts away his wife for any other cause than the loss of her virtue, and takes another, is a false husband: and he who takes her as his wife when she is put away, is no true husband to her.
Hebrew Names Version
I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery."
International Standard Version
I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery">[fn]Matthew 5:32; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18; 1 Corinthians 7:10-11;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And I say to you that whosoever shall forsake his wife who is not adulterous, and take another, committeth adultery; and whosoever taketh the deserted one, committeth adultery.
Murdock Translation
And I say to you, That whoever leaveth his wife not being an adulteress, and taketh another, committeth adultery. And whoever taketh her that is divorced, committeth adultery.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I say vnto you: whosoeuer putteth away his wyfe, except it be for fornication, and maryeth another, committeth adulterie: And who so maryeth her which is diuorced, doth comit adulterie.
English Revised Version
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.
World English Bible
I tell you that whoever will put away his wife, except for sexual immorality, and will marry another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is put away commits adultery."
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And I say to you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except for whoredom, and marry another, committeth adultery, and whoso marrieth her that is put away, committeth adultery.
Weymouth's New Testament
And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y seie to you, that who euer leeueth his wijf, but for fornycacioun, and weddith another, doith letcherie; and he that weddith the forsakun wijf, doith letcherie.
Update Bible Version
And I say to you, Whoever divorces his wife, except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery.
Webster's Bible Translation
And I say to you, Whoever shall put away his wife, except for lewdness, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoever marrieth her who is put away, committeth adultery.
New English Translation
Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery."
New King James Version
And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, [fn] and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."
New Living Translation
And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful."
New Life Bible
And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sex sins, and marries another, is guilty of sex sins in marriage. Whoever marries her that is divorced is guilty of sex sins in marriage."
New Revised Standard
And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another commits adultery."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And I say unto you - Whosoever shall divorce his wife, saving for unfaithfulness, and shall marry another, committeth adultery.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.
Revised Standard Version
And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery."
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I saye therfore vnto you whosoever putteth awaye his wyfe (except it be for fornicacion) and maryeth another breaketh wedlocke. And whosoever maryeth her which is divorsed doeth commyt advoutry.
Young's Literal Translation
`And I say to you, that, whoever may put away his wife, if not for whoredom, and may marry another, doth commit adultery; and he who did marry her that hath been put away, doth commit adultery.'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But I saye vnto you: Whosoeuer putteth awaye his wife (excepte it be for fornicacion) and marieth another, breaketh wedlocke. And who so marieth her yt is deuorced, commytteth aduoutrye.
Mace New Testament (1729)
and I tell you, that whoever shall put away his wife, except it be for adultery, and shall marry another, he committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her that is put away, causeth her to commit adultery.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I'm tellin' you, if any cowboy sends his bride away for any reason besides cheatin' on him, and marries another gal, he has committed adultery."

Contextual Overview

3Then some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?" 4Jesus answered, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female' 5and 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'? 6So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." 7"Why then," they asked, "did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?" 8Jesus replied, "It was because of your hardness of heart that Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but it was not this way from the beginning. 9Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman, commits adultery."10His disciples said to Him, "If this is the case between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry." 11"Not everyone can accept this word," He replied, "but only those to whom it has been given. 12For there are eunuchs who were born that way; others were made that way by men; and still others live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Whosoever: Matthew 5:32, Mark 10:11, Mark 10:12, Luke 16:18, 1 Corinthians 7:10-13, 1 Corinthians 7:39

except: 2 Chronicles 21:11, Jeremiah 3:8, Ezekiel 16:8, Ezekiel 16:15, Ezekiel 16:29, 1 Corinthians 5:1

doth: Genesis 12:18, Genesis 12:19, Genesis 20:3, Jeremiah 3:1, Romans 7:2, Romans 7:3, 1 Corinthians 7:4, 1 Corinthians 7:11, 1 Corinthians 7:39

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 22:19 - he may not put

Cross-References

Genesis 11:6
And the LORD said, "If they have begun to do this as one people speaking the same language, then nothing they devise will be beyond them.
Genesis 13:12
Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
Genesis 19:7
"Please, my brothers," he pleaded, "don't do such a wicked thing!
Genesis 19:8
Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them to you, and you can do to them whatever you want. But do not do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof."
Genesis 19:19
Your servant has indeed found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness by sparing my life. But I cannot run to the mountains; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die.
Genesis 19:22
Hurry! Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you reach it." That is why the town was called Zoar.
Genesis 19:26
But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
Genesis 19:28
He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw the smoke rising from the land like smoke from a furnace.
Exodus 2:14
But the man replied, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "This thing I have done has surely become known."
1 Samuel 2:16
And if any man said to him, "The fat must be burned first; then you can take whatever you want," the servant would reply, "No, for you must give it to me right now. If you refuse, I will take it by force!"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I say unto you,.... To his disciples, when they were with him alone in the house, and asked him more particularly about the subject, concerning which he had been discoursing with the Pharisees, as Mark observes, Mark 10:10 when he said to them much the same things, he had delivered before in Matthew 5:32

whosoever shall put away in his wife; separate her from his person, house and bed, and dismiss her as his wife, no more to be considered in that relation to him,

except it be for fornication; or whoredom, for defiling his bed: for this is not to be understood of fornication committed before, but of uncleanness after marriage, which destroys their being one flesh:

and shall marry another woman, committeth adultery; Marks adds, "against her"; which may be understood either of the woman he marries, which not being lawfully done, she lives in adultery with the husband of another woman; or of his former wife, and who is still his wife, and to whose injury he has married another; and he not only commits adultery himself, but, as in Matthew 5:32 "causeth her to commit adultery also", by being the occasion of marrying another man, when she is still his lawful wife:

and whoso marrieth her which is put away, for any other cause than adultery,

doth commit adultery also; since he cohabits with the wife of another man; see Gill "Mt 5:32"

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I say unto you - Emphasis should be laid here on the word “I.” This was the opinion of Jesus - this he proclaimed to be the law of his kingdom this the command of God ever afterward. Indulgence had been given by the laws of Moses; but that indulgence was to cease, and the marriage relation to be brought back to its original intention. Only one offence was to make divorce lawful. This is the law of God; and by the same law, all marriages which take place after divorce, where adultery is not the cause of divorce, are adulterous. Legislatures have no right to say that people may put away their wives for any other cause; and where they do, and where there is marriage afterward, by the law of God such marriages are adulterous!

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 19:9. Except it be for fornication — See on Matthew 5:32. The decision of our Lord must be very unpleasant to these men: the reason why they wished to put away their wives was, that they might take others whom they liked better; but our Lord here declares that they could not be remarried while the divorced person was alive, and that those who did marry, during the life of the divorced, were adulterers; and heavy judgments were, denounced, in their law, against such: and as the question was not settled by the schools of Shammai and Hillel, so as to ground national practice on it therefore they were obliged to abide by the positive declaration of the law, as it was popularly understood, till these eminent schools had proved the word had another meaning. The grand subject of dispute between the two schools, mentioned above, was the word in Deuteronomy 24:1, When a man hath taken a wife-and she find no grace in his sight, because of some UNCLEANNESS, ערות eruath: - this the school of Shammai held to mean whoredom or adultery; but the school of Hillel maintained that it signified any corporeal defect, which rendered the person deformed, or any bad temper which made the husband's life uncomfortable. Any of the latter a good man might bear with; but it appears that Moses permitted the offended husband to put away the wife on these accounts, merely to save her from cruel usage.

In this discourse, our Lord shows that marriage, (except in one case,) is indissoluble, and should be so: -

1st, By Divine institution, Matthew 19:4.

2dly, By express commandment, Matthew 19:5.

3dly, Because the married couple become one and the same person, Matthew 19:6.

4thly, By the example of the first pair, Matthew 19:8; and

5thly, Because of the evil consequent on separation, Matthew 19:9. The importance of this subject will, I hope, vindicate or excuse, the length of these notes.


 
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