What are some Bible verses dealing with divorce?

[gigman7]

May be a touchy subject but it's next on my list.

[RigMedic]

Luke 16:18 NKJV

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

Matthew 19:8 NKJV

He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

I Corinthians 7:11 NKJV

But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.

I Corinthians 7:12-16 NKJV

But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

Matthew 5:32 NKJV

But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

[Jzyehoshua]

1 Corinthians 7 is the major chapter in the Bible on the issue of divorce, the entire chapter is about it. The KJV incorrectly translated the Greek word "parthenos" as virgin in the chapter but the word actually means divorced or widowed (which probably led to the faulty belief in priestly celibacy by Catholicism). Sexual immorality was the only basis Biblically for divorce, and Paul strictly forbade it otherwise, even if the spouse is not a believer.

 

1 Corinthians 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
 11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
 12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
 15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
 16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

 

To illustrate this, Paul used the analogy of abiding in the same calling we are saved in, to point out one should stay with their spouse regardless of whether that spouse likewise has become saved.

 

1 Corinthians 7:17 ¶ But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
 18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
 20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
 21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
 23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
 24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

 

Paul in verses 25-38 addresses those widowed and whether they are allowed to remarry (which again the KJV typically translates as virgin, wrongly). Paul states that it is permissible for one whose spouse has died to remarry since the marriage vows are nullified upon death, but that he considers it better to have just one spouse during one's lifetime.

 

1 Corinthians 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; only in the Lord.
 40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

 

I have by the way done a full study of the usage of parthenos in the Bible in drawing these conclusions. It cannot mean virgin or its usage in 1 Corinthians 7:25-26 and Revelation 14:4 would contradict multiple passages stating God blesses marriage. (Hebrews 13:4, Proverbs 18:22, 1 Timothy 4:1-3, Ephesians 5:22-33, etc.)

 

http://www.bereawiki.com/wiki/Virgin_Birth_and_Priestly_Celibacy#Revelation_14:4_and_Marriage

Edited July 26, 2014 by Jzyehoshua