Luke 16:18 Meaning and Explanation
“Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus declares that a man who dismisses his wife to marry another commits adultery, as does the one who marries the woman so dismissed.
What Does Luke 16:18 Mean?
The saying stands between Jesus' words on the law's permanence and the parable of the rich man, aimed at hearts skilled in self-justification. In that day a husband could dismiss his wife over almost anything by leaning on a loose reading of Deuteronomy 24:1; a law meant to restrain hardness had become a loophole for it.
Jesus closes the loophole. Marriage is a covenant God Himself joins together (Matthew 19:6), not an arrangement to be traded at convenience, and He names the casual exchange of one wife for another what it is before God. The word defends the woman who could be discarded with a signature, and it searches everyone who keeps the letter of the law while emptying its intent. Behind it stands the covenant-keeping God, who calls His people to love with His own constancy.
Luke 16:18 in the Original Language
apolyo (ἀπολύω), 'putteth away' -- to release or send away, the term used for dismissing a wife by divorce.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 16:18
What does Luke 16:18 mean?
Jesus declares that a man who dismisses his wife to marry another commits adultery, as does the one who marries the woman so dismissed.