What does the Bible say about divorce?
The Bible treats marriage as a sacred and permanent covenant while also acknowledging the reality of human brokenness. Jesus upheld God's design for lifelong marriage but made provision for extreme circumstances, and Scripture consistently offers grace and restoration to those who have experienced divorce.
Key Verses
9
supporting KJV passages
How to use this page
Read the full explanation, then explore each verse with its context. The FAQs at the bottom answer the most common follow-up questions.
Summary Answer
The Bible treats marriage as a sacred and permanent covenant while also acknowledging the reality of human brokenness. Jesus upheld God's design for lifelong marriage but made provision for extreme circumstances, and Scripture consistently offers grace and restoration to those who have experienced divorce.
What does the Bible say about divorce?
Marriage, in the biblical vision, is a covenant, a binding, sacred promise made before God. From the very beginning, God's design was for one man and one woman to be joined together permanently: "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:6). This is not arbitrary rule-making; it reflects the nature of God's own covenant faithfulness to His people, which never fails even when they are unfaithful.
In the Old Testament, Moses permitted a certificate of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) as a concession to human hardness of heart, providing legal protection, especially for women, in a patriarchal culture where abandonment without formal divorce could leave a woman in an impossible social position. But this permission was never God's ideal.
When the Pharisees pressed Jesus on this issue, He pointed them back beyond the Mosaic permission to God's original design in Genesis: "from the beginning it was not so" (Matthew 19:8). Jesus affirmed that sexual immorality (Greek: porneia) provides grounds for divorce (Matthew 19:9). Paul adds a second exception, when an unbelieving spouse chooses to leave a believing one, "the brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases" (1 Corinthians 7:15).
What is equally clear in Scripture is that divorce is a grievous outcome, not a path to be taken lightly. Malachi 2:16 records God saying "he hateth putting away", divorce is something God takes no pleasure in because of the pain it causes. Yet God is also the God of the divorced. In John 4, Jesus had His longest recorded conversation with a woman who had been married five times, and He offered her living water, not condemnation.
Psalm 34:18 says the Lord is near to the broken-hearted. For those who have walked through the pain of divorce, whether their own or their parents', Scripture offers genuine comfort, restoration, and hope for wholeness. The goal of all biblical teaching on marriage is not to condemn, but to point toward the faithful love of Christ for His church.
Supporting Bible Verses
Key KJV passages that speak directly to what the Bible says about divorce.
Matthew 19:6
“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
Context
Jesus affirms the permanent, God-ordained nature of the marriage union, His design from creation was for lifelong covenant commitment.
Matthew 19:8-9
“He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery.”
Context
Jesus distinguishes between Moses's concession and God's original design, while acknowledging sexual immorality as grounds for divorce.
Malachi 2:16
“For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.”
Context
God's own words express His sorrow over divorce, it is the opposite of covenant faithfulness and reflects a treacherous spirit toward one's spouse.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11
“And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.”
Context
Paul conveys the Lord's instruction that married believers should remain together, with reconciliation as the goal if separation occurs.
1 Corinthians 7:15
“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.”
Context
Paul grants that when an unbelieving spouse insists on leaving, the believer is not bound, God's call is to peace, not to an unresolvable conflict.
Genesis 2:24
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
Context
The foundational statement of marriage, leaving, cleaving, and becoming one flesh, establishes the permanence and intimacy God designed.
Psalm 34:18
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Context
For those who have experienced divorce and carry the pain of a broken covenant, God draws especially near to the broken-hearted.
Isaiah 54:5
“For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.”
Context
God presents Himself as the faithful spouse to those who have been abandoned, a profound comfort to those whose marriages have ended.
Romans 8:1
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Context
The grace of the gospel means there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, including those who have experienced divorce and seek to walk in God's ways going forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is divorce a sin?
The Bible presents divorce as a departure from God's ideal of lifelong covenant marriage. However, Scripture acknowledges circumstances, including sexual immorality and desertion by an unbeliever, where divorce may occur. The Bible also makes clear there is grace and restoration for those who have experienced divorce.
What does Jesus say about divorce?
In Matthew 19:3-9, Jesus points back to God's original design of permanent marriage while acknowledging that Moses permitted divorce because of human hardness of heart. Jesus states that sexual immorality (porneia) is the exception that may permit divorce.
Can a Christian remarry after divorce?
This is a question sincere Christians have debated. Some hold that remarriage is only permitted after a divorce on biblical grounds (sexual immorality or abandonment by an unbeliever). Others believe God's grace extends to new beginnings after repentance. All agree that God is able to redeem any situation.
Does God forgive divorce?
Yes. Romans 8:1 declares "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." God's grace covers all sin and brokenness, including the pain and failures of a broken marriage. He is a God of restoration.
How does God view those who have been divorced against their will?
God sees and honours the faithfulness of those who tried to preserve their covenant. Isaiah 54:5 speaks of God as the faithful husband to those who have been abandoned. His heart is toward the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18), not in judgment but in compassion.