His disciples said to Him, “If this is the case between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry.”
Parallel translations
- WEB His disciples said to him, “If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient 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.”
- NASB The disciples *said to Him, “If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.”
- NLT Jesus’ disciples then said to him, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry!”
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
The disciples react that if marriage is so binding, it is better not to marry. Jesus' high standard startles them.
Overview
Accustomed to easier divorce, the disciples find Jesus' teaching demanding and wonder whether marriage is worth the commitment. Their reaction reveals how counter-cultural his view of lifelong fidelity was. It opens the way for Jesus to speak about the calling of singleness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 1 Cor 7:32–35I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.
- 1 Tim 4:3They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
- Prov 21:9Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
- Prov 19:13–14A foolish son is his father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.
- 1 Cor 7:39–40A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.
- 1 Cor 7:1–2Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good to abstain from sexual relations.
- Prov 21:19Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.
- 1 Cor 7:8Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.
- Prov 5:15–19Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well.
- 1 Tim 5:11–15But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,
- Prov 18:22He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
- 1 Cor 7:26–28Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.
- Gen 2:18The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 19:10 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.