Mark 10:11 kjv
And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
Mark 10:11 nkjv
So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.
Mark 10:11 niv
He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
Mark 10:11 esv
And he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her,
Mark 10:11 nlt
He told them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her.
Mark 10 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 10:12 | "And if a woman shall put away her husband..." | Extends the principle to wives initiating divorce. |
| Matt 19:9 | "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery..." | Jesus' teaching on remarriage, with the "porneia" clause. |
| Matt 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..." | Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, divorce leads to adultery. |
| Lk 16:18 | "Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband doth commit adultery." | Similar strong prohibition, expands on marrying a divorced woman. |
| Gen 2:24 | "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." | Foundation of marriage as one-flesh union. |
| Matt 19:4-6 | "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female...They are no more twain, but one flesh..." | Jesus affirms creation ordinance for marriage. |
| Mal 2:14-16 | "For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away..." | God's abhorrence of divorce, linked to covenant unfaithfulness. |
| Rom 7:2-3 | "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..." | Marital bond defined by law until death. |
| 1 Cor 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..." | Pauline instruction on separation and remarriage. |
| 1 Cor 7:39 | "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will..." | Emphasizes marriage bond lasting until death. |
| Ex 20:14 | "Thou shalt not commit adultery." | The seventh commandment against adultery. |
| Lev 20:10 | "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife...the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death." | OT penalty for adultery. |
| Deut 24:1-4 | "When a man hath taken a wife, and married her...if she find no favour...then let him write her a bill of divorcement..." | Mosaic allowance for divorce, but not re-marriage back to original partner. |
| Eph 5:28 | "So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself." | Analogy of Christ and the Church, emphasizing love in marriage. |
| Heb 13:4 | "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." | Sanctity and judgment against defiling marriage. |
| Prov 2:16-17 | "To deliver thee from the strange woman...which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God." | Warnings against marital unfaithfulness. |
| 1 Pet 3:7 | "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel..." | Husbands' responsibility in marriage. |
| Jer 3:8 | "And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce..." | God divorcing Israel due to unfaithfulness (figurative). |
| Jas 4:4 | "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?" | Figurative adultery, highlighting unfaithfulness to God. |
| Gal 5:19-21 | "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness...of the which I tell you before...they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." | Adultery listed as a grave sin with spiritual consequences. |
Mark 10 verses
Mark 10 11 Meaning
Mark 10:11 presents Jesus' authoritative declaration regarding marriage and divorce. He states that if a man divorces his wife and then marries another woman, he commits adultery against his original wife. This teaching elevates God's original design for marriage, where two become one flesh, to an indissoluble covenant. It identifies the act of remarriage after such a divorce, while the first spouse is still living, as a violation of that original marital bond, defining it as an act of sexual unfaithfulness against the first wife.
Mark 10 11 Context
Mark 10:11 is part of Jesus' teaching on divorce and marriage (Mark 10:2-12), following a public confrontation with Pharisees. The Pharisees, seeking to test Jesus, ask if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife. They were operating under the Mosaic Law (Deut 24:1-4), which permitted a bill of divorcement, but different Rabbinic schools (Hillel and Shammai) debated the acceptable grounds for it. Jesus shifts the discussion from permissible divorce under Moses' law to God's original creation intent (Gen 1-2). He highlights that Moses' allowance was a concession "for the hardness of your heart" (Mk 10:5). After the public debate, in verses 10-12, Jesus reiterates and strengthens His teaching to His disciples privately, clarifying the profound implication of remarriage. This private instruction signifies that it's a critical teaching for those within the Kingdom of God, reflecting a higher standard than contemporary legalistic interpretations or common practices. Jesus' teaching here directly challenges the prevailing lax divorce customs among the Jews and Gentiles.
Mark 10 11 Word analysis
And he saith (Καὶ λέγει – Kai legei): Indicates a continuation of discourse, here specifically to His disciples after the public exchange. This signifies an authoritative, direct teaching meant for those who follow Him, often setting a higher standard for the Kingdom of God.
unto them (αὐτοῖς – autois): Refers specifically to His disciples (as seen in Mark 10:10). This teaching is not just for public debate but for the conduct of His followers.
Whosoever (Ὅς ἄν – Hos an): "Whoever," "anyone who." This indefinite relative pronoun makes the principle universal and applies to any person, not just a specific case or a Jewish context. It demonstrates a radical and encompassing statement.
shall put away (ἀπολύσῃ – apolysē): From apolyo, meaning "to loose from, dismiss, release, send away, divorce." It refers to the legal act of formally divorcing or sending one's wife away. The aorist subjunctive tense indicates a completed action in a future context.
his wife (τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ – tēn gynaika autou): Refers to a legally bound spouse. The traditional marriage bond.
and marry another (καὶ γαμήσῃ ἄλλην – kai gamēsē allēn): The conjunction "and" is crucial. The offense is not merely the act of divorce itself, but the subsequent marriage while the former spouse is living. This act creates the adultery. Gamēsei (from gameō) means "to marry." Allēn means "another (female one)."
committeth adultery (μοιχᾶται – moichatai): From moichaō, meaning "to commit adultery, to have unlawful intercourse." The present tense suggests an ongoing state or act. It means that the new marriage in fact constitutes continuous adultery with respect to the former, still valid, marriage. This reveals the divine view that the first marriage covenant remains unbroken in God's eyes until death (except perhaps in cases like Matthew's exception clause).
against her (ἐπ’ αὐτήν – ep’ autēn): "Upon her," "against her." This specific phrase is significant to Mark's account and particularly powerful. While adultery is often seen as a sin against God (Ps 51:4) or against the second party's spouse, Jesus emphasizes that this particular act of remarriage is a direct offense against the original wife. It highlights the damage, betrayal, and violation inflicted upon the one whose covenant union with the husband is deemed by God to still exist.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another": This phrase precisely defines the act that incurs judgment. It’s the combination of dissolving the initial marriage (without valid, biblically defined grounds in God's eyes) and then entering into a new marital union. The focus is on the action leading to a new "marriage."
- "committeth adultery against her": This declaration underscores the severe nature of the offense. It clarifies that this "new marriage" is, in God’s sight, not a legitimate new beginning, but a continuous act of adultery, deeply violating the original wife and the covenant established with her. It points to the spiritual reality that the one-flesh bond, as God ordained, is still considered binding.
Mark 10 11 Bonus section
The teaching in Mark 10:11 stands in stark contrast to the common Jewish practice during Jesus' time, particularly the permissive view of the school of Hillel, which allowed divorce for almost any reason. Jesus sides more closely with the stricter school of Shammai, though even more fundamentally, He transcends both by appealing directly to the pre-Mosaic divine institution of marriage. This verse, along with verse 12 which applies the same principle to women, also indirectly serves as a polemic against the often lax divorce and remarriage practices prevalent in the Roman world where divorce was readily accessible for both sexes without social stigma, further highlighting the radical nature of Jesus' ethical demands for His followers. It reveals God's continuous regard for the sanctity of marriage vows and the lasting nature of the covenant established between a man and a woman before Him.
Mark 10 11 Commentary
Mark 10:11 presents Jesus' uncompromising standard for marriage, rooted in the foundational creation narrative of Genesis. Unlike the Pharisees' focus on Mosaic permission for divorce due to human failing, Jesus reaffirms God's original, perfect design: two becoming one flesh (Mark 10:6-9). This "one flesh" union is intended by God to be indissoluble. Therefore, when a man "puts away his wife" and "marries another," Jesus declares this subsequent union as an act of adultery. The emphasis is not merely on the act of separation but crucially on the re-marriage while the original spouse lives, which fundamentally violates the sacred, God-ordained covenant. The phrase "against her" underscores the specific injury inflicted upon the original wife, highlighting the deep personal betrayal and injustice within this context. Jesus thus elevates the sanctity and permanence of marriage far above the common cultural or even some religious allowances of His time, setting a high moral standard for His disciples that aligns with the righteous demands of the Kingdom of God. It's a call to fidelity, not just in actions but in recognizing the unbreakable nature of the marriage covenant.