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Matthew 19:10
ESV The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry."
NIV The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
NASB The disciples *said to Him, 'If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.'
CSB His disciples said to him, "If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry."
NLT Jesus’ disciples then said to him, 'If this is the case, it is better not to marry!'
KJV His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
NKJV His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”

What does Matthew 19:10 mean?

The disciples have listened to Jesus' response to the Pharisees' question about the grounds for divorce. The Pharisees have asked for Jesus' perspective about what "indecency" means in Deuteronomy 24:1, where the law seems to allow a man to divorce his wife for this reason. Jesus has stated that divorce is never allowed except in cases of sexual immorality (Matthew 19:1–9).

The disciples respond to Jesus' declaration by saying that it's better not to get married at all. Most commentators agree that what the disciples mean by this is that, if divorce is not an option, it would be better not to marry than to be stuck for life in an unhappy marriage. The presumed right to divorce if things did not go well was held dearly by many Jewish men of the time, including many of the religious leaders. Divorce had become common in Israel. The disciples said, perhaps foolishly, that marriage is too big of a risk without the possibility of divorce.

Jesus will respond that though some can live without marriage, not everyone can.
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