Life and Relationships

What Does the Bible Say About Divorce?

The Bible permits divorce in certain circumstances but presents marriage as a lifelong covenant and does not treat divorce as God's original ideal.

Published 2026-09-13 · Updated 2026-09-27

Written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team. Read our editorial policy.

0 views
Marriage and Family

Biblical explanation

Jesus said: “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (). When questioned about Moses' allowance for divorce, Jesus explained: “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so” (). Jesus then referred back to creation. identifies sexual immorality as a serious exception in Jesus' discussion. Paul also discusses situations involving abandonment by an unbelieving spouse in . The Bible treats marriage as a serious covenant and divorce as a tragic consequence of human sin. It also recognizes circumstances in which a marriage covenant has been severely violated or abandoned.

In brief

Jesus said: “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” ().

Bible references

Go deeper into this topic God's Design for Marriage and Family Start the study

Editorial note

This answer is written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team, and is presented with supporting references so you can examine each passage in context. If you notice an error or unclear statement, please suggest a correction.