Matthew 19:1-8 ▼

1 When Jesus had finished these discourses, he departed from Galilee, and came into the confines of Judea, on the other side Jordan:

2 where multitudes of people followed him, and he healed their sick.

3 The Pharisees likewise came to him, and maliciously propos'd this question, may a man lawfully put away his wife at discretion?

4 and he answered them, have ye not read, that when the creator, at the beginning, made male and female,

5 he said, "for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and be attach'd to his wife: and they two shall be one flesh?"

6 so that they are not now two, but one, what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

7 why then, said they, did Moses permit to give a writ of divorce to repudiate the wife?

8 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.