Matthew 19:8
New International Version
Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.

New Living Translation
Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart. But it was not this way from the beginning.

Berean Literal Bible
He says to them, "In view of your hardness of heart, Moses allowed you to divorce your wives; but it was not this way from the beginning.

King James Bible
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 King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.

NASB 1995
He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.

NASB 1977
He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.

Legacy Standard Bible
He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.

Amplified Bible
He said to them, “Because your hearts were hard and stubborn Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.

Christian Standard Bible
He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not like that from the beginning.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts. But it was not like that from the beginning.

American Standard Version
He 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.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus replied, "You are so heartless! That's why Moses allowed you to divorce your wife. But from the beginning God did not intend it to be that way.

English Revised Version
He 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus answered them, "Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because you're heartless. It was never this way in the beginning.

Good News Translation
Jesus answered, "Moses gave you permission to divorce your wives because you are so hard to teach. But it was not like that at the time of creation.

International Standard Version
He told them, "It was because of your hardness of heart that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning it was not this way.

Majority Standard Bible
Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart; but it was not this way from the beginning.

NET Bible
Jesus said to them, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, but from the beginning it was not this way.

New Heart English Bible
He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so.

Webster's Bible Translation
He saith to them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

Weymouth New Testament
"Moses," He replied, "in consideration of the hardness of your nature permitted you to put away your wives, but it has not been so from the beginning.

World English Bible
He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
He says to them, “Moses for your stiffness of heart permitted you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so.

Berean Literal Bible
He says to them, "In view of your hardness of heart, Moses allowed you to divorce your wives; but it was not this way from the beginning.

Young's Literal Translation
He 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.

Smith's Literal Translation
He says to them that Moses for your hard heart permitted you to loose your wives: and from the beginning it was not so.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He 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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He said to them: “Although Moses permitted you to separate from your wives, due to the hardness of your heart, it was not that way from the beginning.

New American Bible
He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

New Revised Standard Version
He said to them, “It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He said to them, Moses, considering the hardness of your heart, gave you permission to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it was not so.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He said to them, “Moses, confronting the callousness of your heart, let you divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
He said to them: Moses, on account of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so.

Godbey New Testament
He says to them, Moses on account of the hardness of your heart permitted you to send away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

Haweis New Testament
He saith unto them, It was on account of the hardness of your hearts that Moses gave you permission to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not thus.

Mace New Testament
he answer'd them, 'twas because of your perverse temper that Moses suffered you to repudiate your wives: but from the beginning this was not in practice.

Weymouth New Testament
"Moses," He replied, "in consideration of the hardness of your nature permitted you to put away your wives, but it has not been so from the beginning.

Worrell New Testament
He saith to them, "Moses, in view of the hardness of your heart, permitted you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it has not been so.

Worsley New Testament
He answered them, Moses because of your hardheartedness, permitted you to put away your wives; but it was not so from the beginning:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Teachings about Divorce
7“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart; but it was not this way from the beginning. 9Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman, commits adultery.”…

Cross References
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.

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, ...

Mark 10:5-9
But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart. / However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ / ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to 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.

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.

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.

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

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.

1 Corinthians 6:16
Or don’t you know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”

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 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.

Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

1 Peter 3:1-7
Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives / when they see your pure and reverent demeanor. / Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, ...

Colossians 3:18-19
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. / Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.


Treasury of Scripture

He said to them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

because.

Psalm 95:8
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Zechariah 7:12
Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 2:13,14
And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD 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…

suffered.

Matthew 3:15
And 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 8:31
So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

1 Corinthians 7:6
But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

but.

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.

Genesis 7:7
And 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 6:16
Thus saith the LORD, 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.

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Allowed Beginning Consideration Divorce First Hard Hardness Heart Hearts Jesus Moses Nature Permitted Stiffness Suffer Suffered View Way Wives
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Allowed Beginning Consideration Divorce First Hard Hardness Heart Hearts Jesus Moses Nature Permitted Stiffness Suffer Suffered View Way Wives
Matthew 19
1. Jesus heals the sick;
3. answers the Pharisees concerning divorce;
10. shows when marriage is necessary;
13. receives the little children;
16. instructs the young man how to attain eternal life;
20. and how to be perfect;
23. tells his disciples how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God;
27. and promises reward to those who forsake all to follow him.














Jesus replied
In this phrase, we see the authority of Jesus as He addresses the Pharisees' question about divorce. The Greek word for "replied" is "ἀποκρίνομαι" (apokrinomai), which implies a response with authority and insight. Jesus, as the Son of God, provides divine clarification on the matter, emphasizing His role as the ultimate interpreter of the Law.

Moses permitted
The word "permitted" comes from the Greek "ἐπέτρεψεν" (epetrepsen), indicating allowance rather than command. Moses, as the lawgiver, allowed divorce due to the people's circumstances, not as an ideal. This highlights the flexibility within the Mosaic Law to address human weakness, yet it was not God's original intention.

you to divorce your wives
The phrase "to divorce your wives" reflects the cultural and legal practices of the time. The Greek word for "divorce" is "ἀπολύω" (apolyō), meaning to release or send away. In the historical context, divorce was a legal action that primarily affected women, who were often left vulnerable. Jesus' teaching here challenges the casual approach to divorce prevalent in His time.

because of your hardness of heart
The term "hardness of heart" is translated from the Greek "σκληροκαρδία" (sklērōkardia), which denotes stubbornness or obstinacy. This phrase indicates a spiritual condition where individuals resist God's will. Jesus points out that the allowance for divorce was a concession to human sinfulness, not a reflection of God's perfect will.

But it was not this way from the beginning
Here, Jesus refers to the original design for marriage as established in Genesis. The phrase "from the beginning" underscores the divine intention for marriage to be a lifelong covenant. By pointing back to creation, Jesus reaffirms the sanctity and permanence of marriage as God intended, challenging His listeners to return to this foundational truth.

(8) Moses because of the hardness of your hearts.--The force of the answer lies (1) in emphasized substitution of "suffered" for "commanded." The scribes of the school of Hillel had almost turned divorce into a duty, even when there was no ground for it but incompatibility of temper or other lesser fault, as if Deuteronomy 24:1 had enjoined the writing of divorcement in such cases. (2) In the grounds assigned for the permission. Our Lord's position in the controversy between the two schools was analogous to that in which those who are true at once to principles and facts not seldom find themselves. He agreed, as we have seen, with the ideal of marriage maintained by the followers of Shammai. He accepted as a legitimate interpretation of the Law that of the followers of Hillel. But He proclaimed, with an authority greater than that of Moses, that his legislation on this point was a step backwards when compared with the primary law of nature, which had been "from the beginning," and only so far a step forward because the people had fallen into a yet lower state, in which the observance of the higher law was practically impossible. But for the possibility of divorce the wife would have been the victim of the husband's tyranny; and law, which has to deal with facts, was compelled to choose the least of two evils. Two important consequences, it will be obvious, flow from the reasoning thus enforced: (1) that the "hardness of heart" which made this concession necessary may be admitted as at least a partial explanation of whatever else in the Law of Moses strikes us as deviating from the standard of eternal righteousness embodied in the law of Christ--as, e.g., the tolerance of polygamy and slavery, and the severity of punishment for seeming trivial faults; (2) that the principle is one of wider application than the particular instance, and that where a nation calling itself Christian has sunk so low as to exhibit the "hardness of heart" of Jews or heathens, there also a concessive legislation may be forced upon the State even while the churches assert their witness of the higher truth.

Verse 8. - Moses because of (πρὸς, with a view to, to meet) the hardness of your hearts; your obstinacy, perverseness. You were not honest and pure enough to obey the primitive law. There was danger that you would ill treat your wives in order to get rid of them, or even murder them. The lesser evil was regular divorce. But the enactment is really a shame and reproach to you, and was occasioned by grave defects in your character and conduct. And it is not true to say that Moses commanded; he only suffered you to put away your wives. This was a temporary permission to meet your then circumstances. Divorce had been practised commonly and long; it was traditional; it was seen among all other Oriental peoples. Moses could not hope at once to eradicate the inveterate evil; he could only modify, mitigate, and regulate its practice. The rules which he introduced were intended, not to facilitate divorce, but to lead men better to realize the proper idea of marriage. And Christ was introducing a better law, a higher morality, for which Mosaic legislation paved the way (comp. Romans 5:20; Romans 8:3; Hebrews 9:10). From the beginning. The original institution of marriage contained no idea of divorce; it was no mere civil contract, made by man and dissoluble by man, but a union of God's own formation, with which no human power could interfere. However novel this view might seem, it was God's own design from the first. The first instance of polygamy occurs in Genesis 4:19, and is connected with murder and revenge.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Jesus answered,
Λέγει (Legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“[It was] because of
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

hardness of heart
σκληροκαρδίαν (sklērokardian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4641: Feminine of a compound of skleros and kardia; hard-heartedness, i.e., destitution of perception.

[that] 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.

you
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

to divorce
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.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

wives;
γυναῖκας (gynaikas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1135: A woman, wife, my lady. Probably from the base of ginomai; a woman; specially, a wife.

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

[it] was
γέγονεν (gegonen)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

this way
οὕτως (houtōs)
Adverb
Strong's 3779: Thus, so, in this manner. Or (referring to what precedes or follows).

from
ἀπ’ (ap’)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

[the] beginning.
ἀρχῆς (archēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 746: From archomai; a commencement, or chief.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 19:8 He said to them Moses because (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 19:7
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