Matthew 5:31
What does Matthew 5:31 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 5:31 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 5:31 means
Jesus introduces His next point by referring to the existing Jewish law concerning divorce, as recorded in Deuteronomy 24:1. This law allowed a man to divorce his wife by giving her a certificate of divorcement for certain reasons. This common understanding and practice of divorce among the Jews forms the backdrop against which Jesus will present His more stringent and foundational teaching on marriage and divorce.
Matthew 5:31 in context
Matthew 5 — The Beatitudes
Jesus opens his Sermon on the Mount with eight pronouncements that turn the world's value system upside down. Blessing belongs not to the proud and self-sufficient but to the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the hungry for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. In a few sentences he sketches the character of the citizens of the kingdom of heaven, and then calls them salt of the earth and light of the world.
- Kingdom ethics
- Inner righteousness
- True blessedness
- Light and salt
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000It was said also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
KJV
King James Version · 1611It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901It was said also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Again, it was said, Whoever puts away his wife has to give her a statement in writing for this purpose:
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`And it was said, That whoever may put away his wife, let him give to her a writing of divorce;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And it hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890It has been said too, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a letter of divorce.
Context
This verse introduces another of Jesus' "You have heard... but I say unto you" contrasts, this time addressing the issue of divorce. It presents the common practice and legal understanding of divorce in His day, preparing the listener for Jesus' radical reinterpretation and stricter standards that follow in verse 32.
v.30And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell.
v.31This passage
v.32but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Jeremiah 3:1
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, will he return unto her again? will not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith Jehovah.
- 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.
- Deuteronomy 24:1
When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, then it shall be, if she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
- Matthew 19:7
They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put her away?
- Matthew 19:3
And there came unto him Pharisees, trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
Sermon ideas from Matthew 5:31
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What Matthew 5:31 teaches us about kingdom ethics
What Matthew 5:31 teaches us about inner righteousness
What Matthew 5:31 teaches us about true blessedness
What Matthew 5:31 teaches us about light and salt
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