New King James Version
Matthew 5:32
32But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Matthew 5:32 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
- New International Version (NIV)But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
Context of Matthew 5:32
30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 31“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. 33“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:32 word by word
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ἀπολύων τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ παρεκτὸς λόγου πορνείας ποιεῖ αὐτὴν μοιχευθῆναι· καὶ ὃς ἐὰν ἀπολελυμένην γαμήσῃ, μοιχᾶται.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- Thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- whosoeverὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- ·ἄνan · ifG302
- shall put awayἀπολύωapoluō · to release: releaseG630
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- wifeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
- savingπαρεκτόςparektos · exceptG3924
- for the causeλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- of fornicationπορνείαporneia · sexual sinG4202
- causethποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- to commit adulteryμοιχάωmoichaō · to commit adulteryG3429
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- ·ἐάνean · ifG1437
- shall marryγαμέωgameō · to marryG1060
Cross-references for Matthew 5:32
- Matthew 5:28But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- Luke 9:30And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,
- Matthew 19:8He 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.
- Malachi 2:14Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the Lord has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant.
- Mark 10:5And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
- Luke 16:18“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.
- Romans 7:3So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.
- 1 Corinthians 7:4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
Commentaries on Matthew 5:32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 32Saving for the cause of fornication - , on account of whoredom. As fornication signifies no more than the unlawful connection of unmarried persons, it cannot be used here with propriety, when speaking of those who are married. I have therefore translated , on account of whoredom. It does not appear that there is any other case in which Jesus Christ admits of divorce. A real Christian ought rather to beg of God the grace to bear patiently and quietly the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27-32Verses 27-32 Victory over the desires of the heart, must be attended with painful exertions. But it must be done. Every thing is bestowed to save us from our sins, not in them. All our senses and powers must be kept from those things which lead to transgression. Those who lead others into temptation to sin, by dress or in other ways, or leave them in it, or expose them to it, make themselves guilty of their sin, and will be accountable for it. If painful…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 32The exception clause allows, but does not require divorce if a spouse is unfaithful (see also Matthew 19:9). Importantly, Jesus does not require death for the guilty person (see Deuteronomy 22:21–22). The idea is that if a man divorces his wife for the wrong reasons, he forces her into adultery by making her remarry. This would violate the law. he who marries a divorced woman: It is unclear if Jesus means any divorced woman or only those divorced without…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3232. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery--that is, drives her into it in case she marries again. and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced--for anything short of conjugal infidelity. committeth adultery--for if the commandment is broken by the one party, it must be by the other also. But see on Mt 19:4-9. Whether the innocent party, after a just divorce, may…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:32
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 5
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries