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Wednesday, July 16th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Mark 10:5

But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Heart;   Jesus, the Christ;   Marriage;   Polygamy;   The Topic Concordance - Divorce;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Heart, Character of the Unrenewed;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Adultery;   Divorce;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Command, Commandment;   Divorce;   Hardening, Hardness of Heart;   Marriage;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Conflagration;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Divorce;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Marriage;   Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Celibacy;   Divorce;   Hardness of the Heart;   Mark, the Gospel of;   Marriage;   Unity;   Woman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   Jesus Christ;   Mss;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Asceticism (2);   Celibacy (2);   Claim;   Commandments;   Commission;   Common Life;   Discourse;   Divorce (2);   Ethics (2);   Eunuch ;   Fall (2);   Hardening of Heart;   Hating, Hatred;   Home (2);   Law of God;   Matthew, Gospel According to;   Moses ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Divorce;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Divorce in New Testament;   Family;   Hard;   Inspiration;   Precept;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Marriage;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for September 29;   Every Day Light - Devotion for May 25;  

Parallel Translations

King James Version (1611)
And Iesus answered, and said vnto them, For the hardnesse of your heart, he wrote you this precept.
King James Version
And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
English Standard Version
And Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
New American Standard Bible
But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
New Century Version
Jesus said, "Moses wrote that command for you because you were stubborn.
Amplified Bible
But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of hearts [your callousness and insensitivity toward your wives and the provision of God] he wrote you this precept.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
Legacy Standard Bible
But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote for you this commandment.
Berean Standard Bible
But Jesus told them, "Moses wrote this commandment for you because your hearts were hard.
Contemporary English Version
Jesus replied, "Moses gave you this law because you are so heartless.
Complete Jewish Bible
But Yeshua said to them, "He wrote this commandment for you because of your hardheartedness.
Darby Translation
And Jesus answering said to them, In view of your hard-heartedness he wrote this commandment for you;
Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus said, "Moses wrote that command for you because you refused to accept God's teaching.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Iesus answered, & sayd vnto them, For the hardnes of your heart he wrote this precept vnto you.
George Lamsa Translation
Jesus answered and said to them, It was because of the hardness of your heart, that he wrote for you this particular law.
Good News Translation
Jesus said to them, "Moses wrote this law for you because you are so hard to teach.
Lexham English Bible
But Jesus said to them, "He wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart.
Literal Translation
And answering, Jesus said to them, With respect to your hardheartedness he wrote this command to you.
American Standard Version
But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
Bible in Basic English
But Jesus said to them, Because of your hard hearts he gave you this law.
Hebrew Names Version
But Yeshua said to them, "For your hardness of heart, he wrote you this mitzvah.
International Standard Version
But Jesus said to them, "It was because of your hardness of heart that he wrote this command for you.
Etheridge Translation
Jeshu answered and said to them, On account of the hardness of your heart he wrote for you this commandment.
Murdock Translation
Jesus answered and said to them: On account of the hardness of your heart, Moses wrote you this precept.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iesus aunswered, and sayde vnto the: For the hardnesse of your heart, he wrote this precept vnto you.
English Revised Version
But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
World English Bible
But Jesus said to them, "For your hardness of heart, he wrote you this commandment.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And Jesus answering said to them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this precept.
Weymouth's New Testament
"It was in consideration of your stubborn hearts," said Jesus, "that Moses enacted this law for you;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
`To whiche Jhesus answeride, and seide, For the hardnesse of youre herte Moises wroot to you this comaundement.
Update Bible Version
But Jesus said to them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Jesus answered and said to them, For the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this precept.
New English Translation
But Jesus said to them, "He wrote this commandment for you because of your hard hearts.
New King James Version
And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
New Living Translation
But Jesus responded, "He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts.
New Life Bible
Jesus said to them, "Because of your hard hearts, Moses gave you this Law.
New Revised Standard
But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, Jesus, said unto them - In view of your hardness of heart, wrote he for you this commandment;
Douay-Rheims Bible
To whom Jesus answering, said: Because of the hardness of your heart, he wrote you that precept.
Revised Standard Version
But Jesus said to them, "For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And Iesus answered and sayd vnto the: For ye hardnes of youre hertes he wrote this precept vnto you.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jesus answering said to them, `For the stiffness of your heart he wrote you this command,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Iesus answered, and sayde vnto them: Because of ye hardnesse of yor hert dyd Moses wryte you this commaundement.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but Jesus answered them, it was out of regard to your untractable temper, that Moses gave you this permission.
THE MESSAGE
Jesus said, "Moses wrote this command only as a concession to your hardhearted ways. In the original creation, God made male and female to be together. Because of this, a man leaves father and mother, and in marriage he becomes one flesh with a woman—no longer two individuals, but forming a new unity. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart."
Simplified Cowboy Version
But Jesus was already shaking his head. "Yeah, he said that, but only because you are weak and don't understand nothin'.

Contextual Overview

1He set out from there and went to the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Then crowds converged on him again, and as was his custom he taught them again. 2Some Pharisees came to test him, asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3He replied to them, “What did Moses 4They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers and send her away.” 5But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.6But from the beginning 7For this reason a man will leave 8and the two will become one flesh. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 10When they were in the house again, the disciples questioned him about this matter.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

For: Deuteronomy 9:6, Deuteronomy 31:27, Nehemiah 9:16, Nehemiah 9:17, Nehemiah 9:26, Matthew 19:8, Acts 7:51, Hebrews 3:7-10

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 31:9 - Moses Matthew 5:32 - whosoever Matthew 19:5 - said

Cross-References

Genesis 10:1
These are the family records of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They also had sons after the flood.
Genesis 10:9
He was a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord. That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord.”
Genesis 10:20
These are Ham’s sons by their clans, according to their languages, in their lands and their nations.
Genesis 10:25
Eber had two sons. One was named Peleg, for during his days the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.
Psalms 72:10
May the kings of Tarshishand the coasts and islands bring tribute,the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
Isaiah 24:15
Therefore, in the east honor the Lord!In the coasts and islands of the westhonor the name of the Lord,the God of Israel.
Isaiah 40:15
Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;they are considered as a speck of dust on the scales;he lifts up the islands like fine dust.
Isaiah 41:5
The coasts and islands see and are afraid,the whole earth trembles.They approach and arrive.
Isaiah 42:4
He will not grow weak or be discourageduntil he has established justice on earth.The coasts and islands will wait for his instruction.”
Isaiah 42:10
Sing a new song to the Lord;sing his praise from the ends of the earth,you who go down to the sea with all that fills it,you coasts and islands with your inhabitants.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jesus answered and said unto them,.... With respect to this command, or sufferance of Moses, which they urged:

for the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept; it was, not because it was right in its own nature, or according to the original will of God; but, because the Jews were such cruel, and hard hearted men, that if this had not been permitted, some of them, that had wives not so agreeable to them, would have used them in a very inhuman manner, if not murdered them; and therefore to prevent further, and greater mischief, Moses indulged them with such a precept; :-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this question about divorce explained in the notes at Matthew 19:1-12.

Mark 10:12

And if a woman shall put away her husband - It would seem, from this, that a woman, among the Jews, had the power of separating herself from her husband, yet this right is not given her by the law of Moses. There is not, however, any positive evidence that females often claimed or exercised this right. Cases had occurred, indeed, in which it had been done. The wife of Herod had rejected her former husband and married Herod. And though instances of this kind “might” have been attempted to be defended by the example of Pagans, yet our Saviour was desirous of showing them that it did not free them from the charge of adultery. The apostles were going forth to teach Pagan nations, and it was proper for Christ to teach them how to act in such cases, and to show them that they were cases of real adultery.


 
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