AUV(i)
1 And so when Jesus had finished speaking He left Galilee and came to the region of Judea, on the east side of the Jordan River.
2 Large crowds followed Him there and were healed by Him.
3 Some Pharisees came to Him, [attempting] to put Him to a test. They said, “Is it permissible by the law of Moses for a man to divorce his wife for any reason [he chooses]?”
4 And He answered them, “Have you not read [Gen. 1:27; 5:2] that when God created [mankind as] male and female,
5 He said [Gen. 2:24], ‘For this reason [i.e., since He made one woman for one man], a man will leave [the home of] his father and mother and will cling to his wife, [so that] the two of them will [then] become one flesh [i.e., united in such a close relationship as to constitute one body]?’
6 So, [upon becoming husband and wife] they no longer function [entirely] as two persons, but [as] one body. Therefore, those whom God [so] joins together [in the marriage bond], no person must [ever] separate.”
7 They replied, “Why then did Moses order [a man] to provide a legal divorce decree [Deut. 24:1], and then divorce his wife?”
8 Jesus said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives [only] because of the rebellious spirits you [Jews] had. But this was not how it was [intended to be] from the beginning [i.e., when God created one woman for one man].
9 And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits sexual unfaithfulness [toward her], unless the reason for the divorce was sexual unfaithfulness [on his wife’s part]. And the person who marries a woman who has been divorced commits sexual sin with her [i.e., because she is still rightfully married to her first husband].”