Matthew 19:3

Matthew 19:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
• New International Version (NIV)Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

Context of Matthew 19:3

1When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River. 2Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick. Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?” 4“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” 5And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’

Matthew 19:3 word by word

καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ Φαρισαῖοι πειράζοντες αὐτὸν καὶ λέγοντες εἰ ἔξεστιν ἀνθρώπῳ ἀπολῦσαι τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ κατὰ πᾶσαν αἰτίαν;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The Phariseesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• cameπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• temptingπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: testG3985
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Is itεἰei · if: is(QUESTION)G1487
• lawfulἔξεστι, ἐξόνexesti · be permittedG1832
• for a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• to put awayἀπολύωapoluō · to release: divorceG630
• wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• forκατάkata · according toG2596
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• causeαἰτίαaitia · cause/chargeG156

Cross-references for Matthew 19:3

• Matthew 16:1One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.
• Matthew 22:16They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.
• Mark 10:2Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?”
• Mark 12:13Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.
• Luke 11:53As Jesus was leaving, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees became hostile and tried to provoke him with many questions.
• John 8:6They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.
• Hebrews 3:9There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years.
• Matthew 5:31“You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’
• Malachi 2:14You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.

Commentaries on Matthew 19:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Tempting him - Trying what answer he would give to a question, which, however decided by him, would expose him to censure. Is it lawful - for every cause? - Instead of , fault, cause, reason, three MSS. and the Coptic version read , sin or transgression: this was probably the original reading - the first syllable being lost, alone would remain, which a subsequent transcriber would suppose to be a mistake for , and so wrote it; hence this various reading…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The Pharisees came - See the notes at Matthew 3:7. Tempting him - This means, to get him, if possible, to express an opinion that should involve him in difficulty. Is it lawful … - There was the more art in the captious question which they proposed, as at that time the people were very much divided on the subject. A part, following the opinions of Hillel, said that a man might divorce his wife for any offence, or any dislike he might have of her. See the…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. 3There were two different opinions on when a man could divorce his wife: One group of Pharisees, following Rabbi Shammai, believed divorce was only allowable for adultery or serious wrongdoing. The other group, following Rabbi Hillel, thought a man could divorce his wife for any reason, even if she burned his dinner.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?--Two rival schools (as we saw on Mt 5:31) were divided on this question--a delicate one, as De Wette pertinently remarks, in the dominions of Herod Antipas.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 19:3

• Divorce
• Jesus, the Christ
• Marriage
• Pharisees

In the dictionaries

• Divorce
• Eternal
• Impossible
• Join
• Marry
• Possession
• Rich
• Wife
• Divorce in the New Testament
• Family

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