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

6Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 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. 9And 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. 10His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good 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 saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• MosesΜωϋσῆς, ΜωσῆςMōseus Mōsēs Mōusēs · MosesG3475
• becauseπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• of the hardness ofὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• of the hardness ofσκληροκαρδίαsklērokardia · hardness of heartG4641
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• sufferedἐπιτρέπωepitrepō · to permitG2010
• to put awayἀπολύωapoluō · to release: divorceG630
• wivesγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• butδέde · thenG1161
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• it wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• notοὐou · noG3756
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779

Cross-references for Matthew 19:8

• Psalms 95:8Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
• Zechariah 7:12Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Yhwh of Armies hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from Yhwh of Armies.
• Malachi 2:13And this have ye done again, covering the altar of Yhwh with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.
• Mark 10:5And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
• Matthew 3:15And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
• Matthew 8:31So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
• 1 Corinthians 7:6But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
• Genesis 2:24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
• Genesis 7:7And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
• Jeremiah 6:16Thus saith Yhwh, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

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