What does the Bible say about divorce?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible teaches that marriage is a lifelong covenant, and divorce is a grievous rupture permitted only in limited circumstances, never treated lightly or casually. Jesus grounds marriage in God’s joining of husband and wife, so that they should not be separated (Matthew 19:6), and explains that divorce arose because of human hardness of heart (Matthew 19:8). He identifies sexual immorality as grounds for divorce (Matthew 5:32; 19:9), while Paul teaches that a believer should seek reconciliation rather than separation (1 Corinthians 7:10-11). If an unbelieving spouse abandons the marriage, the believer is not bound to force its continuation (1 Corinthians 7:15). Malachi 2:16 warns against faithless dealing, calling God’s people to covenant faithfulness, mercy, repentance, and peace.

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

Luke 16:18
Everyone who divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.
Matthew 5:32
but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11
[10] But to the married I command--not I, but the Lord--that the wife not leave her husband [11] (but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.
1 Corinthians 7:15
Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.
Matthew 19:6
So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don't let man tear apart."
Matthew 19:9
I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery."
Malachi 2:16
For I hate divorce," says Yahweh, the God of Israel, "and him who covers his garment with violence!' says Yahweh of Hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you don't deal treacherously.
Matthew 19:8
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.
Romans 7:2
For the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband.
Matthew 5:31-32
[31] "It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,' [32] but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.

Study outline

Curated topical outlines from classic public-domain study works.

Nave's Topical Bible

General scriptures concerning Exodus 21:7-11; Deuteronomy 21:10-14; Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Ezra 10:1-16; Nehemiah 13:23-30; Jeremiah 3:1; Micah 2:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31; Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:3-12; Mark 10:2
Disobedience of the wife to the husband, a sufficient cause for, in the Persian empire Esther 1:10-22
See MARRIAGE
FIGURATIVE Isaiah 50:1; Isaiah 54:4; Jeremiah 3:8

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

Law of marriage against Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:6
Permitted
By the Mosaic law Deuteronomy 24:1
On account of hardness of heart Matthew 19:8
Often sought by the Jews Micah 2:9; Malachi 2:14
Sought on slight grounds Matthew 5:31; Matthew 19:3
Not allowed to those who falsely accused their wives Deuteronomy 22:18; Deuteronomy 22:19
Women
Could obtain Proverbs 2:17; Mark 10:12
Could marry after Deuteronomy 24:2
Responsible for vows after Numbers 30:9
Married after, could not return to first husband Deuteronomy 24:3; Deuteronomy 24:4; Jeremiah 3:1
Afflicted by Isaiah 54:4; Isaiah 54:6
Priests not to marry women after Leviticus 21:14
Of servants, regulated by law Exodus 21:7; Exodus 21:11
Of captives, regulated by law Deuteronomy 21:13; Deuteronomy 21:14
Forced on those who had idolatrous wives Ezra 10:2-17; Nehemiah 13:23; Nehemiah 13:30
Jews condemned for love of Malachi 2:14-16
Forbidden by Christ except for adultery Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9
Prohibition of, offended the Jews Matthew 19:10
Illustrative of God’s casting off of the Jewish church Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:8

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