Matthew 19:8
What does Matthew 19:8 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 19:8 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 19:8 means
Jesus explained that Moses permitted divorce not as an ideal, but as a concession to the people's 'hardness of heart.' This means that because of human sinfulness and stubbornness, God, through Moses, allowed for divorce to mitigate worse evils or injustices, but this was never His original design from creation. From the outset, God intended marriage to be a lifelong, unbroken union, highlighting His perfect standard versus human practicalities.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000He saith unto them, Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so.
KJV
King James Version · 1611He 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901He saith unto them, Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949He says to them, Moses, because of your hard hearts, let you put away your wives: but it has not been so from the first.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862He saith to them--`Moses for your stiffness of heart did suffer you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it hath not been so.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752He saith to them: Because Moses by reason of the hardness of your heart permitted you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890He says to them, Moses, in view of your hardheartedness, allowed you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not thus.
Context
This verse directly answers the Pharisees' challenge from verse 7, providing Jesus's crucial clarification on why Moses permitted divorce. Jesus distinguishes between God's original, perfect design and a later concession for human sinfulness, setting the stage for His own definitive statement on divorce in the next verse.
v.7They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away?
v.8This passage
v.9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Mark 10:5
But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
- Jeremiah 6:16
Thus saith Jehovah, 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.
- Zechariah 7:12
Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which Jehovah of hosts had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets: therefore there came great wrath from Jehovah of hosts.
- Malachi 2:13
And this again ye do: ye cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, neither receiveth it with good will at your hand.
- Genesis 2:24
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
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