Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
Parallel translations
- WEB Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
- BSB Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly.
- NKJV Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
- NASB And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.
- NLT Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Joseph, a righteous man, plans to divorce Mary quietly rather than expose her. His character blends faithfulness to the law with mercy.
Overview
Assuming Mary had been unfaithful, Joseph could have shamed her publicly, but he sought to protect her with a private divorce. His righteousness is shown not in harsh legalism but in compassion, a portrait of mercy tempering justice. This foreshadows the grace that would mark the Savior whose earthly guardian he became.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Deut 22:21–24Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.
- Deut 24:1–4When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
- John 8:4–5They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
- Mark 6:20For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
- Luke 2:25And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
- Lev 20:10And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
- Gen 38:24And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
- Ps 112:4–5Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
- Mark 10:4And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
- Lev 19:20And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
- Acts 10:22And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
- Gen 6:9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 1:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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