Topical Bible

What Does the Bible Say About Divorce?

Here are 16 Bible verses about divorce, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.

  1. #1Luke 16:18

    Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

    BSBAnyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

  2. #2Matthew 5:32

    But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

    BSBBut 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.

  3. #3Mark 10:2

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

    BSBSome Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” they inquired.

  4. #41 Corinthians 7:10-11

    And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

    BSBTo 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.

  5. #51 Corinthians 7:15

    But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

    BSBBut if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.

  6. #6Matthew 19:6

    Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

    BSBSo they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

  7. #7Matthew 19:9

    And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

    BSBNow I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman, commits adultery.”

  8. #8Malachi 2:16

    For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

    BSB“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.

  9. #9Matthew 19:8

    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.

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

  10. #10Romans 7:2

    For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

    BSBFor 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.

  11. #11Matthew 5:31-32

    It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

    BSBIt 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.

  12. #12Mark 10:12

    And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

    BSBAnd if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

  13. #13Genesis 2:24

    Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

    BSBFor this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

  14. #14Matthew 19:3-9

    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? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 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. …

    BSBThen some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?” Jesus answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” “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. …

  15. #151 Corinthians 7:1-40

    Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. …

    BSBNow for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations. But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife. Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. …

  16. #16Hebrews 13:4

    Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

    BSBMarriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).

Divorce in Torrey's Topical Textbook

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