Divorce and Remarriage in the New Testament
(AI generated.)
Below is a comprehensive list of New Testament verses on divorce and remarriage. The early Church, many Reformers, and faithful expositors have affirmed that the marriage covenant is a life-long bond that only death dissolves, in accordance with God’s original design.This view takes seriously the whole counsel of Scripture, and sees the so-called "exception clauses" not as permissions to remarry, but as acknowledgments of sin and concessions to a fallen world—without dissolving the marriage bond.
1. Matthew 5:31–32
“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’
But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”Explanation:
Jesus upholds the permanence of marriage. Divorce leads to adultery, and remarriage while the first spouse lives is always adultery. The “exception clause” refers to the reason why one may separate—not a license to remarry. The union remains intact in God's sight.
2. Matthew 19:3–9
“…I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Explanation:
Jesus’ response to the Pharisees reaffirms God's creation design for marriage: “What God has joined together, let no one separate.” The "exception clause" here does not grant permission to remarry—it simply recognizes that sexual immorality may lead to separation, but it does not dissolve the marriage bond. Remarriage is still called adultery.
3. Mark 10:2–12
“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”Explanation:
Mark records no exception clause. Jesus explicitly states that remarriage after divorce is adultery, regardless of the cause of the divorce. The original covenant remains binding until death.
4. Luke 16:18
“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery,
and the man who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”Explanation:
Here, Jesus gives a universal statement—divorce does not dissolve the bond, so remarriage is always adultery. Even the one who marries a divorced woman is guilty of adultery, which rules out any idea that divorce morally frees a person to remarry.
5. Romans 7:2–3
“By law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive,
but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him.
So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive,
she is called an adulteress.”Explanation:
The marriage bond lasts as long as both spouses are alive. If she marries another while her husband lives, she is an adulteress, regardless of the circumstances of the divorce. Only death dissolves the one-flesh union.
6. 1 Corinthians 7:10–11
“To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord):
A wife must not separate from her husband.
But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.”Explanation:
Paul, echoing Jesus’ command, insists that even if separation happens (for serious reasons), remarriage is not an option. The only two biblical choices are: remain unmarried, or be reconciled. No allowance is given for remarriage while the spouse lives.
7. 1 Corinthians 7:12–15
“To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. ... But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.”
Explanation:
Even in cases of abandonment by an unbeliever, the believing spouse is “not bound” in terms of ongoing marital duty, but this does not imply freedom to remarry. The broader context (v. 10–11, v. 39) shows that remarriage is still not allowed while the spouse is living.
8. 1 Corinthians 7:39
“A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.”
Explanation:
This is the clearest positive statement on remarriage: only after death is remarriage allowed. While the spouse lives, the bond remains. This verse refutes any idea that divorce frees someone to remarry.
9. Matthew 14:3–4
“Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for John had been saying to him: ‘It is not lawful for you to have her.’”
10. Mark 6:17–18
“For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested... because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married.
For John had been saying to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’”Explanation:
John the Baptist publicly condemned Herod’s adulterous remarriage to Herodias while her first husband Philip was still alive. Even though Herod had married her legally by Roman law, it was unlawful in God’s sight. John’s rebuke (and eventual death) shows how serious this sin is. The original covenant still stood, and their union was called adultery, not marriage.
Summary: God's Design for Marriage
Passage
Summary Teaching
Matthew 5:31–32
Divorce results in adultery; remarriage is not permitted
Matthew 19:3–9
No remarriage after divorce—even in adultery
Mark 10:2–12
All remarriage after divorce is adultery
Luke 16:18
Universal prohibition on remarriage
Romans 7:2–3
Marriage bond lasts until death
1 Corinthians 7:10–11
Remain unmarried or reconcile—no remarriage
1 Corinthians 7:12–16
Abandonment does not free for remarriage
1 Corinthians 7:39
Only death permits remarriage
Matt 14:3–4 / Mark 6:17–18
Herod's remarriage condemned as unlawful adultery
Final Reflection
The consistent testimony of the New Testament is this:
Marriage is for life.
Divorce may happen due to sin—but it does not break the one-flesh covenant.
Remarriage while the spouse lives is adultery.
Only death dissolves the covenant and permits remarriage.This affirms the holiness of God, the sacredness of the marriage covenant, and our need for grace to live faithfully—even in the face of betrayal, abandonment, or loss. Obedience in this area is hard—but glorifying to God.