Matthew 19:8

Matthew 19:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

Context of Matthew 19:8

6So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” 7They 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. 9And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 10The disciples said to Him, “If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.”

Matthew 19:8 word by word

Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὅτι Μωϋσῆς πρὸς τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν ἐπέτρεψεν ὑμῖν ἀπολῦσαι τὰς γυναῖκας ὑμῶν· ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς δὲ οὐ γέγονεν οὕτως.¶Read the interlinear

• He saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• “Becauseπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• of your hardnessσκληροκαρδίαsklērokardia · hardness of heartG4641
• MosesΜωϋσῆς, ΜωσῆςMōseus Mōsēs Mōusēs · MosesG3475
• permittedἐπιτρέπωepitrepō · to permitG2010
• divorceἀπολύωapoluō · to release: divorceG630
• your wivesγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• but from the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• it has not beenγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• thisοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779

Cross-references for Matthew 19:8

• Psalms 95:8Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
• Zechariah 7:12They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.
• Malachi 2:13“This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand.
• Mark 10:5But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
• Matthew 3:15But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.
• Matthew 8:31The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
• 1 Corinthians 7:6But this I say by way of concession, not of command.
• Genesis 2:24For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
• Genesis 7:7Then Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him entered the ark because of the water of the flood.
• Jeremiah 6:16Thus says the Lord, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Commentaries on Matthew 19:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts - It is dangerous to tolerate the least evil, though prudence itself may require it: because toleration, in this case, raises itself insensibly into permission, and permission soon sets up for command. Moses perceived that if divorce were not permitted, in many cases, the women would be exposed to great hardships through the cruelty of their husbands: for so the word , is understood in this place by some…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8He saith unto them … - Jesus admits that this was allowed, but still he contends that this was not the original design of marriage. It was only a temporary expedient growing out of a special state of things, and not designed to be perpetual. It was on account of the hardness of their hearts. Moses found the custom in use. He found a hard-hearted and rebellious people. In this state of things he did not deem it prudent to forbid a practice so universal…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. 7-8Why … did Moses order: The Pharisees believed Jesus contradicted a command in the law (see Deuteronomy 24:1–4). But Moses allowed divorce only because of people's stubbornness. Jesus introduced the radical idea that what God permits is not always what he desires (see 1 Corinthians 6:12). Divorce is never what God desires (Malachi 2:14–16). It shows the brokenness of human sin.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. He saith unto them, Moses--as a civil lawgiver. because of--or "having respect to." the hardness of your hearts--looking to your low moral state, and your inability to endure the strictness of the original law. suffered you to put away your wives--tolerated a relaxation of the strictness of the marriage bond--not as approving of it, but to prevent still greater evils. But from the beginning it was not so--This is repeated, in order to impress upon His…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 19:8

• Divorce
• God Continued...
• Jesus, the Christ
• Marriage

In the dictionaries

• Moses
• Concubine
• Deuteronomy
• Divorce
• Eternal
• Impossible
• Join
• Marry
• Pentateuch
• Possession

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