Matthew 19:3-9

^{Tools
3} Some Pharisees approached Him to test Him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?”^(A)

^{Tools
4} “Haven’t you read,” He replied, “that He who created^(a) them in the beginning made them male and female,”^(B)^(b) ^{Tools
5} 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?^(C)^(c)

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

^{Tools
7} “Why then,” they asked Him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers^(D) and to send her away?”

^{Tools
8} 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. ^{Tools
9} And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”^(d)^(E)

Footnotes:

a. Matthew 19:4: Other mss read made

b. Matthew 19:4: Gn 1:27; 5:2

c. Matthew 19:5: Gn 2:24

d. Matthew 19:9: Other mss add Also whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery; Mt 5:32

Cross references:

A. Matthew 19:3: Matthew 5:31; John 8:6

B. Matthew 19:4: Genesis 2:18; Matthew 21:16

C. Matthew 19:5: Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:15; 1 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 5:31

D. Matthew 19:7: Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Matthew 5:31

E. Matthew 19:9: Matthew 5:32; Luke 16:18