Matthew 5:31-32

[RaphaelJ]

In certain discussions about the lawfulness of marriage, annulment, divorce and adultery this passage pops up. My NAB edition states that Divorce and remarriage (unless the marriage was unlawful) is adultery. However, other editions insert adultery or fornication into the parentheses. What is the correct translation?

 

[JerryZ]

In certain discussions about the lawfulness of marriage, annulment, divorce and adultery this passage pops up. My NAB edition states that Divorce and remarriage (unless the marriage was unlawful) is adultery. However, other editions insert adultery or fornication into the parentheses. What is the correct translation?

It has been explained that in the original, the word used describes a marriage that was invalid to begin with. An example would be marrying a sister, now in the Jewish law, this was forbidden, however many of the surrounding cultures allowed it.
And we know from the Old Testament that the Jews were eager to copy the customs of the neighboring countries.

So once someone is married validly without impediments there is no divorce and if someone “divorces” the partner is effectively incurring in adultery and fornication.

IF someone attempted to marry violating the rules that make a matrimony valid they are effectively voiding said marriage.
One of the primary rules is that someone needs to be free to enter into matrimony. And unless the previous marriage was “unlawful/invalid” he/she cannot enter into another one.

Now the civil authorities may try to convince you that their divorce can somehow trump GOD’s law but until the “civil authorities” can bring the Universe out of nothing I rather stick to GOD’s law.

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[Mystophilus]

In certain discussions about the lawfulness of marriage, annulment, divorce and adultery this passage pops up. My NAB edition states that Divorce and remarriage (unless the marriage was unlawful) is adultery. However, other editions insert adultery or fornication into the parentheses. What is the correct translation?

The NAB is paraphrasing fairly broadly, but not at all badly.

I would be tempted to render παρεκτος λογου πορνειας rather narrowly as “except for reason of unfaithfulness”, but that last term, πορνεια, does not translate terribly well into English. In the LXX for Genesis 38:24, it is used for prostitution, but in Numbers 14:33 for Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. Both usages show up elsewhere in the Greek Scriptures: sexual misconduct (including “adultery” or “fornication”), moral misconduct; unfaithfulness to one’s spouse or to God.

Thus, the Greek pretty much says, “unless there was some serious violation of the original marriage covenant”, which is what your NAB expresses.