Mark 10:4
New International Version
They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

New Living Translation
“Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.”

English Standard Version
They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.”

Berean Standard Bible
They answered, “Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

Berean Literal Bible
And they said, "Moses permitted to write a roll of divorce, and to send her away."

King James Bible
And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

New King James Version
They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.

New American Standard Bible
They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send his wife away.”

NASB 1995
They said, “Moses permitted a man TO WRITE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY.”

NASB 1977
And they said, “Moses permitted a man TO WRITE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And they said, “Moses permitted a man TO WRITE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY.”

Amplified Bible
They said, “Moses allowed a man TO WRITE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND TO SEND HER AWAY.”

Christian Standard Bible
They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers and send her away.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers and send her away.”

American Standard Version
And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

Contemporary English Version
They answered, "Moses allows a man to write out divorce papers and send his wife away."

English Revised Version
And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They said, "Moses allowed a man to give his wife a written notice to divorce her."

Good News Translation
Their answer was, "Moses gave permission for a man to write a divorce notice and send his wife away."

International Standard Version
They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to divorce her."

Majority Standard Bible
They answered, ?Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away.?

NET Bible
They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her."

New Heart English Bible
They said, "Moses allowed a certificate of divorce to be written, and to divorce her."

Webster's Bible Translation
And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

Weymouth New Testament
"Moses," they said, "permitted a man to draw up a written notice of divorce, and to send his wife away."

World English Bible
They said, “Moses allowed a certificate of divorce to be written, and to divorce her.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they said, “Moses permitted to write a bill of divorce, and to put away.”

Berean Literal Bible
And they said, "Moses permitted to write a roll of divorce, and to send her away."

Young's Literal Translation
and they said, 'Moses suffered to write a bill of divorce, and to put away.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And they said, Moses permitted to write a bill of divorce, and to loose.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who said: Moses permitted to write a bill of divorce, and to put her away.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they said, “Moses gave permission to write a bill of divorce and to dismiss her.”

New American Bible
They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.”

New Revised Standard Version
They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
They said, Moses gave us permission to write a letter of separation, and then to divorce.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But they said, “Moses allowed us to write a letter of divorce and we may get a divorce.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
They replied: Moses permitted us to write a bill of divorce, and put her away.

Godbey New Testament
And they said, Moses permitted to write a book of divorcement, and to send her away.

Haweis New Testament
They said, Moses permitted to write a bill of divorce, and to put her away.

Mace New Testament
Moses, said they, allowed a bill of divorce, and so to dismiss her.

Weymouth New Testament
"Moses," they said, "permitted a man to draw up a written notice of divorce, and to send his wife away."

Worrell New Testament
And they said, "Moses permitted to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away."

Worsley New Testament
And they said, Moses permitted a man to write a bill of divorce, and to put her away.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Teachings about Divorce
3“What did Moses command you?” He replied. 4 They answered, “Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart.…

Cross References
Matthew 19:7-8
“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” / Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart. But it was not this way from the beginning.

Deuteronomy 24:1-4
If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house. / If, after leaving his house, she goes and becomes another man’s wife, / and the second man hates her, writes her a certificate of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house, or if he dies, ...

Matthew 5:31-32
It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ / But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Luke 16:18
Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11
To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. / But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

Malachi 2:14-16
Yet you ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. / Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. / “For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith.

Genesis 2:24
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Romans 7:2-3
For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. / So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.

Ephesians 5:31-33
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” / This mystery is profound, but I am speaking about Christ and the church. / Nevertheless, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

1 Corinthians 7:39
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

Exodus 20:14
You shall not commit adultery.

Leviticus 21:7
A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.

Jeremiah 3:1
“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers—and you would return to Me?” declares the LORD.

Hosea 2:2
Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not My wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adultery from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts.

1 Timothy 4:1-3
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, / influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. / They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.


Treasury of Scripture

And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorce, and to put her away.

Deuteronomy 24:1-4
When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house…

Isaiah 50:1
Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

Jeremiah 3:1
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.

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Allowed Bill Certificate Divorce Divorcement Draw Moses Notice Permitted Statement Suffered Wife Write Writing Written
Mark 10
1. Jesus disputes with the Pharisees concerning divorce;
13. blesses the children that are brought unto him;
17. resolves a rich man how he may inherit everlasting life;
23. tells his disciples of the danger of riches;
28. promises rewards to those who forsake all for the gospel;
32. foretells his death and resurrection;
35. bids the two ambitious suitors to think rather of suffering with him;
46. and restores to Bartimaeus his sight.














They answered
This phrase indicates a response from the Pharisees to Jesus' question about the lawfulness of divorce. The Greek word used here is "ἀπεκρίθησαν" (apekrithēsan), which means "they answered" or "they replied." This response is significant as it reflects the Pharisees' reliance on the Mosaic Law as their authority. In the context of first-century Judaism, the Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to the Law, and their answer reveals their attempt to justify their practices by appealing to the authority of Moses.

Moses permitted
The reference to Moses is crucial, as Moses is a central figure in the Jewish faith, representing the Law given by God. The Greek word "ἐπέτρεψεν" (epetrepsen) means "permitted" or "allowed." This indicates that the provision for divorce was not a command but a concession. Historically, this reflects the understanding that the Law was given to manage human sinfulness and hardness of heart, rather than to endorse divorce as an ideal. Moses' permission is found in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, where regulations for divorce are outlined.

a man to write
The act of writing a certificate of divorce was a formal legal procedure. The Greek word "γράψαι" (grapsai) means "to write." This implies a deliberate and considered action, not a hasty decision. In the ancient Near Eastern context, writing was a skill that denoted authority and legality. The written certificate served as a legal document that protected the rights of the woman, allowing her to remarry and providing her with some measure of social security.

a certificate of divorce
The "certificate of divorce" is a critical element in the legal process of divorce. The Greek term "βιβλίον ἀποστασίου" (biblion apostasiou) refers to a "document of separation." This certificate was necessary to formalize the divorce and to ensure that the woman was free to marry another. In the historical context, this practice was intended to protect women from being unjustly abandoned and to provide them with a clear status in society.

and send her away
The phrase "send her away" translates the Greek "καὶ ἀπολῦσαι" (kai apolusai), which means "to release" or "to dismiss." This reflects the cultural practice of the husband initiating the divorce. In the patriarchal society of ancient Israel, the husband held the authority to dissolve the marriage. However, this phrase also underscores the gravity of divorce, as it involves the severing of a covenant relationship. The historical and scriptural context emphasizes that while divorce was permitted, it was not the original intention for marriage, which was designed to be a lifelong union.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
They answered,
εἶπαν (eipan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“Moses
Μωϋσῆς (Mōusēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3475: Or Moses, or Mouses of Hebrew origin; Moseus, Moses, or Mouses, the Hebrew lawgiver.

permitted
Ἐπέτρεψεν (Epetrepsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2010: To turn to, commit, entrust; I allow, yield, permit. From epi and the base of trope; to turn over, i.e. Allow.

[a man] to write [his wife]
γράψαι (grapsai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.

a certificate
βιβλίον (biblion)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 975: A papyrus roll. A diminutive of biblos; a roll.

of divorce
ἀποστασίου (apostasiou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 647: Neuter of a adjective from a derivative of aphistemi; properly, something separative, i.e. divorce.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

send [her] away.”
ἀπολῦσαι (apolysai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 630: From apo and luo; to free fully, i.e. relieve, release, dismiss, or let die, pardon or divorce.


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