Devine Scripture

Matthew 19:3

What does Matthew 19:3 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 19:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 19:3 means

Pharisees approached Jesus, seeking to trap Him with a divisive question about divorce: whether a man could divorce his wife for 'every cause.' This inquiry was a direct challenge to His authority and an attempt to force Him into taking a side in a contemporary rabbinic debate, hoping to undermine His credibility or paint Him as radical. Their motive was not sincere inquiry but rather a malicious testing.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And certain Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, Is it right for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And the Pharisees came near to him, tempting him, and saying to him, `Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And there came to him the Pharisees tempting him, saying: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the Pharisees came to him tempting him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

Context

This verse introduces the first major conflict of the chapter, immediately following the description of Jesus's arrival and the crowds. The Pharisees' question about divorce directly challenges Jesus, setting up a theological and ethical debate that will occupy the subsequent verses and demonstrate Jesus's interpretation of Mosaic Law.

v.2and great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

v.3This passage

v.4And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Mark 12:15

    Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why make ye trial of me? bring me a denarius, that I may see it.

  • Luke 11:53

    And when he was come out from thence, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press upon him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things;

  • Matthew 16:1

    And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and trying him asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

  • Mark 10:2

    And there came unto him Pharisees, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? trying him.

  • John 8:6

    And this they said, trying him, that they might have whereof to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.

  • Mark 12:13

    And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch him in talk.

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