Matthew 19:9

Matthew 19:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

Context of Matthew 19:9

7Then the Pharisees said to Jesus, ‘Moses said that a man could write a letter to say that he and his wife are no longer married. Then the man can send the woman away. Why did Moses say this?’ 8Jesus answered them, ‘Moses said this because you people did not want to obey God. All these things were different at the start, when God made the world. But now I say to you: A man must not send his wife away and marry another woman. If he does that, it is the same as if he had sex with another man's wife. A man may only send his wife away if she has had sex with another man.’ 10Jesus' disciples said to him, ‘You say that this is what it is like for a man and his wife. Then maybe it is better if people do not marry.’ 11Jesus replied, ‘Not everyone can agree with this idea. But God has helped some people to agree with it.

Matthew 19:9 word by word

Λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν· ὅτι ὃς ἂν ἀπολύσῃ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐπὶ πορνείᾳ καὶ γαμήσῃ ἄλλην, μοιχᾶται.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• Whosoeverὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• Whosoeverὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• Whosoeverἄνan · ifG302
• shall put awayἀπολύωapoluō · to release: releaseG630
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• wifeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• exceptεἰei · ifG1487
• exceptμήmē · notG3361
• forἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• fornicationπορνείαporneia · sexual sinG4202
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• shall marryγαμέωgameō · to marryG1060
• anotherἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
• committeth adulteryμοιχάωmoichaō · to commit adulteryG3429

Cross-references for Matthew 19:9

• Matthew 5:32But what I tell you is this: A man must not send his wife away except for one reason. He may only send her away if she has had sex with another man. If he sends her away for any other reason, he has done a wrong thing. It is like he has caused her to have sex with another man. Also, if a woman has left her husband, another man must not marry her. That is the same as if he had sex with another man's wife.’
• Mark 10:11So Jesus said to them, ‘A man must not send his wife away and then marry another woman. If he does that, he has not been faithful to his wife. It is the same as if he had sex with another man's wife.
• Luke 16:18A man must not send his wife away and then marry another woman. If he does that, it is the same as if he had sex with another man's wife. Also, if a woman has left her husband, another man must not marry her. That is the same as if he had sex with another man's wife.’
• 1 Corinthians 7:10I will say this to people who have married. (This is not my rule. It is a rule that comes from the Lord himself.) A wife must not leave her husband.
• 2 Chronicles 21:11He also built altars on the hills of Judah. He caused the people of Judah and Jerusalem to turn away from the Lord and worship false gods.
• Jeremiah 3:8Israel was not faithful to me and she served other gods. So I sent her away, like a husband may send his wife away if she is not faithful to him. Judah saw what happened to Israel, but she was not afraid. Like a prostitute, she also went to find other gods that she could serve.
• Ezekiel 16:8Later, I saw you again as I went that way. I saw that you had become a woman who was old enough to marry. So I covered your bare body with my coat. I promised to marry you. I made a covenant with you so that you became my wife. That is what the Almighty Lord says.
• 1 Corinthians 5:1We have heard bad news about what is happening among you. Some of you are having sex in wrong ways. We have heard that one man is even having sex with his own father's wife! Even people who do not know God do not do things as bad as that!
• Genesis 12:18So Pharaoh called Abram to come to him. Pharaoh said, ‘You have done this bad thing to me! You did not tell me that Sarai is your wife! Why not?
• Genesis 20:3But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream. He said to Abimelech, ‘Now you will die! The woman that you have taken to be your wife is already a married woman.’
• Jeremiah 3:1The Lord says this: ‘If a man sends his wife away, she may leave him and marry another man. Then her first husband may not take her as his wife again. That would be a sin against the land where you live. But you have left me to live with other gods. You have lived like a prostitute, but you still think that you can return to me.
• Romans 7:2So think about this. A woman who has a husband must stay with him as long as he still lives. That is what the law says. But if her husband dies, she becomes free from that law about her marriage.
• 1 Corinthians 7:4The wife does not rule over her own body to decide when to have sex. She belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not rule over his own body. He belongs to his wife.

Commentaries on Matthew 19:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Except it be for fornication - See on Matthew 5:32; (note). 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-12Verses 3-12 The Pharisees were desirous of drawing something from Jesus which they might represent as contrary to the law of Moses. Cases about marriage have been numerous, and sometimes perplexed; made so, not by the law of God, but by the lusts and follies of men; and often people fix what they will do, before they ask for advice. Jesus replied by asking whether they had not read the account of the creation, and the first example of marriage; thus…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Jesus allows only one valid reason for a man to divorce: if his wife has been unfaithful (see Matthew 5:32). For those who thought divorce was easy, Jesus emphasizes God's created order. Marriage is meant to last forever (see Mark 10:11–12). commits adultery: This refers to a man who divorces his wife without a valid reason. If he remarries, it is the same as adultery. Jesus aims to reestablish that marriage is permanent.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except, &c.--See on Mt 5:32.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 19:9

• Adultery
• Divorce
• Jesus, the Christ
• Marriage

In the dictionaries

• Concubine
• Divorce
• Eternal
• Impossible
• Join
• Marry
• Possession
• Rich
• Wife
• Adultery

Commentaries on Matthew 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings