Bible Verses About Divorce & Remarriage
Let me start by saying that this topic is really confusing and complex with lots of factors to consider. For example:
Were Old Testament verses on the topic exclusively for ancient Israel? Or do they still apply to us today?
Sometimes its unclear as to what certain terms mean. (For example: lots of things can be classified as “sexually immorality,” and it’s not always clear what each verse means by it.)
There are a lot of unique situations that the verses don’t touch on. (For example, is getting raped classified adultery?)
Some verses seem to give “exceptions” to certain laws, but it’s not always clear how the exceptions fit in with the more generalized verses.
My purpose for writing this article isn’t to offer instruction—just to compile a list of relevant verses about divorce and remarriage organized by topic. I hope you find it useful.
The Sacred & Binding Nature of Sex
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to be his wife.”
—Exodus 22:16
“If a man finds a girl who is a virgin, who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her and they are discovered, then the man who lay with her shall give to the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall become his wife because he has violated her; he cannot divorce her all his days.
—Deuteronomy 22:28–29
Both of these verses indicate that if a man had sex with a woman who had never been married, God instructed the couple to get married for life. I think God’s heart behind this was to make sure the woman would be provided for. These verses might also show how sacred and binding sex is in God’s mind.
Adultery Punishable by Death
“If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife—one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife—the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”
—Leviticus 20:10
“If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.”
—Deuteronomy 22:22–24
When ancient Israelites cheated on their spouses, God ordered them to be put to death. Because this was a law for the nation of ancient Israel, it doesn’t seem like we should practice it today, since we live under nations with different laws. One thing we can take away from these verses is how serious adultery is.
Neglected Wife “Free to Go”
“If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish [the first wife’s] food, her clothing, or her conjugal love. If he does not provide her with those three things, she is free to go, without payment of money.”
—Exodus 21:10–11
This is an interesting verse that allowed ancient Israelite wives to leave their husbands if they were being neglected.
New Marriage Defiles Old Marriage
Let’s say a man takes a wife and marries her. Then it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency [shame] in her. He writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out from his house. Let’s say she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man's wife.
“If the second husband hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house—or if the new husband dies—then the first husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled. That would be an abomination before the LORD.
—Deuteronomy 24:1–4
This verse is strange to me. The point it seems to be making is that the newest marriage bond defiles any old marriage bonds. I don’t understand why the wife in this scenario can’t return to the first husband even if the second husband dies.
God “Divorced” Israel for Unfaithfulness
“I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.”
—Jeremiah 3:8
Marriage Binds for Life
A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
—1 Corinthians 7:39
For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.
—Romans 7:2
These verses show that God designed marriage to be life-long and make it sound like the only way a married person could get remarried is if their spouse dies.
Divorce and/or Remarriage is Adultery
“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”
—Mark 10:11–12
This verse seems to say that the formula of divorcing one person and marrying another is adultery.
“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and whoever marries a divorced person commits adultery.”
—Luke 16:18
This verse seems to say the same thing as the first one, but adds that whoever marries a divorced person ALSO commits adultery.
“It has been said that ‘Whoever sends his wife away should give her a certificate of divorce’; but I say that whoever divorces his wife makes her commit adultery, unless she cheated on him sexually. Also, whoever marries a divorced person commits adultery.”
—Matthew 5:31–32
This verse seems to say the same thing as the first two, except it seems to say that both people involved in a divorce are committing adultery (even if one is innocent). The man divorcing the woman “makes” her commit adultery, even if she is committed to the marriage. The only way that he wouldn’t be making her commit adultery is if she had cheated on him (in which case, she would have made herself commit adultery). This verse also seems to say that divorce is adultery even if there is no remarriage.
If Spouse Cheats, Divorce & Remarriage isn’t Adultery
“Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him, asking, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause at all?’
And He answered and said, ‘From the beginning, their Creator made them male and female. saying, “That’s why a man leaves his parents and cleaves to his wife; the two become one flesh.” So they aren’t two any more—they’re one flesh. People shouldn’t separate what God has joined together.’
They responded, ‘Then why did Moses instruct to give her a certificate and divorce her?’
He said to them, ‘Divorcing your wives was something that Moses yielded to you because of how hard your hearts were—but since the beginning that wasn’t how it was supposed to be. And I’d like to add that a man commits adultery when he divorces his wife and marries someone else, unless his wife had been sexually immoral.’
Then the disciples said, ‘If that’s how the marriage relationship is, then it‘s better to stay single.’”
—Matthew 19:3–10
There’s a lot of relevant stuff in this passage, but the biggest one is that Jesus says divorce and remarriage aren’t adultery if your spouse has been sexually immoral.
Remaining Unmarried
“To the married I give the Lord’s instructions, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.”
—1 Corinthians 7:10–11
Paul seems to be sharing his understanding of Jesus’s teachings here, and he seems to saying that divorced people should refrain from marrying someone new. I see a lot of gray area in this verse.
Let the Non-Christian Divorcer Leave
To the rest… Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage [enslaved] in such cases, but God has called us to peace.
—1 Corinthians 7:15
This seems to mean that a Christian should let their un-believing spouse leave the marriage if the spouse wants out. I see a lot of gray area in this verse.
