Bible Verses About Remarriage show what Jesus, Paul, and the Old Testament law say about marrying again after divorce or the death of a spouse. These passages are some of the most carefully studied in Scripture, and reading them side by side helps you see both God’s high view of the marriage covenant and His mercy toward those whose marriages have ended.
When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;
Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 (KJV)
Moses’ law allowed a bill of divorcement and assumed the woman might remarry, while forbidding a return to the first husband afterward.
Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed.
Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 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.
Malachi 2:14-16 (KJV)
God calls the wife of one’s youth a covenant companion and says He hates the treachery of putting her away.
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Matthew 5:31-32 (KJV)
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tightens the teaching on divorce, calling remarriage adultery except for fornication.
And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
Matthew 19:9 (KJV)
Jesus repeats that whoever divorces for any reason other than fornication and marries another commits adultery.
But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Mark 10:6-9 (KJV)
Christ points back to creation, when God made male and female one flesh, as the reason marriage should not be broken.
And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
Mark 10:11-12 (KJV)
Mark records Jesus applying the same standard to both husband and wife who divorce and marry again.
Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.
Luke 16:18 (KJV)
Luke preserves a short, direct statement from Jesus on divorce and remarriage.
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
Romans 7:2-3 (KJV)
Paul uses marriage law to show that death ends the bond, leaving a widow free to marry another.
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.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 (KJV)
Paul passes on the Lord’s command that a wife not depart, and if she does, to remain unmarried or be reconciled.
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.
1 Corinthians 7:15 (KJV)
When an unbelieving spouse departs, Paul says the believer is not under bondage in such cases.
Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
1 Corinthians 7:27-28 (KJV)
Paul advises not seeking a change of status, yet says that one who marries has not sinned.
The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 7:39 (KJV)
A wife is bound while her husband lives, but after his death she may marry again in the Lord.
I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
1 Timothy 5:14 (KJV)
Younger widows are encouraged to marry and manage a household, showing remarriage after loss as good.
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
Matthew 22:28-30 (KJV)
Answering a question about a woman married seven times, Jesus teaches that marriage belongs to this life, not the resurrection.
So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.
Ruth 4:13 (KJV)
The widow Ruth marries Boaz, and the Lord gives them a son, a gentle Old Testament example of remarriage.
Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.
Hosea 3:1 (KJV)
God tells Hosea to love his unfaithful wife again, a picture of covenant love that seeks reconciliation.
The Old Testament law in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 allowed a man to give his wife a bill of divorcement, and it assumed she might marry another. When the Pharisees asked Jesus about this, He explained that Moses permitted divorce because of the hardness of their hearts, and He pointed back to creation, where God made male and female to become one flesh (Mark 10:6-9).
In Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9 Jesus teaches that divorcing and remarrying is adultery, except in the case of fornication. Paul adds guidance for believers in 1 Corinthians 7, urging a separated wife to remain unmarried or be reconciled, while also saying that a believer deserted by an unbelieving spouse is not under bondage. He states plainly that a widow is free to marry, only in the Lord.
Christians hold different views on how these passages apply to every situation, so it is wise to read them in context with a trusted pastor. What all agree on is that God takes marriage seriously and that His grace reaches every person who turns to Him.
Ruth and Boaz describe a second marriage built with genuine hope while carrying real prior loss, not pretending the past did not happen.
One common mistake is reading a single verse as if it were the whole teaching. Matthew 19:9, Romans 7:2-3 and 1 Corinthians 7:15 each address a different situation, and Bible verses about remarriage only come into focus when they are read together. Taking one line out of its setting can lead to either needless harshness or careless permission.
A second misunderstanding is assuming that divorce is an unforgivable sin that places someone outside God’s grace. Scripture is clear that God hates the treachery of putting away a covenant partner, yet it is equally clear that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). Jesus spoke tenderly with the Samaritan woman who had had five husbands (John 4:18), and He offered her living water rather than rejection.
A third mistake runs the other direction: treating remarriage as a private decision that has nothing to do with faith. Paul’s phrase “only in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39) reminds believers that a new marriage should be entered prayerfully, with a fellow believer, and with the counsel of the church. A pastor who knows your situation can help you apply these Bible verses about remarriage with both truth and tenderness, and can point you toward counseling if old wounds still need care.
These Bible verses about remarriage are best studied slowly, with honesty and humility. Whether you are working through them alone or in a small group, the questions below can help you listen to the text rather than bring your own conclusions to it. It may help to read each passage aloud and note who is speaking, who is being addressed and what question prompted the teaching. Be gentle with anyone whose story touches this subject personally.
Close your time by asking where the Lord is inviting you to trust Him more. Some will need to forgive a former spouse, some will need to receive forgiveness, and others will simply need courage to wait on God’s timing. You may also find strength in the Bible verses about God’s grace, which remind us that no past is beyond His reach.
Bible verses about remarriage can stir up grief, hope, guilt or longing all at once. Prayer is the right place to bring those feelings. God invites us to cast all our care upon Him, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7), and He promises wisdom to anyone who asks in faith (James 1:5). Pray honestly, and let the words below be a starting point rather than a script.
Heavenly Father, You see my whole story, including the parts that still hurt. Thank You that Your mercy is new every morning. Where I have sinned, I confess it and receive Your forgiveness. Where I have been wounded, please bring healing. Give me a clear mind as I read Your Word, and guard me from deciding out of loneliness or fear. If You are leading me toward a new marriage, let it be only in the Lord, built on faithfulness and love. If You are asking me to wait, give me peace and patience. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you want a set of passages to pray through in the days ahead, the companion collection of Bible verses for remarriage gathers practical Scriptures for couples preparing to marry again. Reading those alongside these Bible verses about remarriage can help you move from understanding to wise, faithful action.
Matthew records more of Jesus’ teaching on this subject than any other Gospel, and it even opens with a man weighing divorce. Joseph, “being a just man,” was “minded to put her away privily” when he learned Mary was with child, until an angel explained what God was doing (Matthew 1:19-20). From the first chapter, Matthew shows that marriage decisions call for both righteousness and mercy.
In Matthew 19:3 the Pharisees ask whether a man may put away his wife “for every cause.” Jesus answers from creation rather than from the debates of His day. His disciples find the standard so high that they say “it is not good to marry” (Matthew 19:10), and Jesus replies that “all men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given” (Matthew 19:11). Reading Bible verses about remarriage within Matthew’s full story guards against quoting the exception clause without the conversation around it.
Hosea’s marriage is one of the most unusual in Scripture. God told him to marry Gomer, who later proved unfaithful, as a living parable of Israel’s unfaithfulness to the Lord (Hosea 1:2-3). Instead of seeking another wife, Hosea was told to love her again, and he bought her back “for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley” (Hosea 3:1-2).
His story is not a rule that every betrayed spouse must stay, and Jesus’ exception in Matthew 19:9 still stands. Yet among the Bible verses about remarriage, Hosea raises a searching question: has reconciliation been honestly considered before a new marriage is pursued? Paul’s words “or be reconciled to her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:11) point the same way. Where abuse or danger is involved, safety comes first, and a pastor or counselor should be part of the process.
Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 and then adds, “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:31-32). Every marriage, first or second, is meant to be a small picture of Christ’s faithful love. Seen this way, Bible verses about remarriage are not only rules about who may marry; they point to a Saviour who keeps His covenant even when we fail ours.
Romans 8:1 declares, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” Isaiah 1:18 promises that sins “as scarlet” shall be “as white as snow.” These promises do not remove the need for wisdom, and past choices may still carry consequences. But they remind every reader of Bible verses about remarriage that a believer’s standing before God rests on Christ’s faithfulness, not on a spotless marital history.
When a parent remarries, children and grandparents often have questions of their own. Keep answers simple, honest and suited to each child’s age. Deuteronomy 6:7 pictures parents talking of God’s words “when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way,” so ordinary moments are often the best time.
Older teens may want to study the harder passages themselves, so sit with them and read in context. Handled gently at home, Bible verses about remarriage can become a source of security rather than confusion. For support through the adjustment, these Bible verses about healing and Bible verses about wisdom can be read together as a family.
Matthew 19:3 sets the scene plainly: the Pharisees came to Him, “tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” Notice the shape of that question. It was a test, and it was built around a live argument among Jewish teachers of the day about how wide the grounds for divorce could stretch. Some read the law in Deuteronomy narrowly and some read it loosely, and every man in the crowd knew which camp he wanted Jesus to join.
Jesus did not step into their quarrel on its own terms. He took them back to the beginning, to the Creator who made them male and female, and then answered the matter of Moses by saying it was allowed because of the hardness of their hearts. That detail matters for anyone studying second weddings today. The law of Moses was handling a world where hearts were already broken and women were already vulnerable. It was setting limits on harm, not holding up an ideal.
When we read the later sayings in Mark and Luke, it helps to hear them against that background. A husband in that culture could discard a wife with a signed paper and leave her destitute. Jesus speaks with a seriousness that protects her. His words carry weight because real people were being hurt, and He cared about them more than He cared about winning the debate.
Honest teachers should say this out loud: believers who love the Bible and revere Christ have reached different conclusions about marrying again after a divorce. Some churches hold that it is never permitted while the first spouse lives. Others allow it where there was adultery, or desertion by an unbelieving partner as Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 7:15, where he says “a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.” Still others stress repentance and a fresh start, and welcome a second marriage as a gift.
None of this means Scripture is vague. It means these passages are short, they were spoken into particular situations, and they have to be fitted together with care. A person who tells you the matter is simple, and that anyone who sees it differently is dishonest, has probably not sat across the table from many hurting people.
So bring your own situation to a pastor or elder you trust, and tell them everything, including the parts that make you wince. Ask what their church teaches and why. Read the passages for yourself with a notebook open. It is wise to settle your conscience before a wedding, not afterward, because a marriage begun with a nagging doubt tends to carry that doubt into every argument.
In John 4 Jesus sits by a well in Samaria at midday and speaks to a woman who has come to draw water when no one else is around. Many readers suspect that is deliberate, since she was avoiding the stares of the town. He asks her to call her husband, and she answers that she has none. His reply is gentle but exact: “Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly” (John 4:17-18).
This passage does not hand us a rule about how many marriages are allowed, and it is unwise to pull one from it. What it does show is how Jesus treats a person whose relationships have been messy. He names her history without flinching, and He does not shame her, send her away or keep His distance. Then He offers her “living water” and tells her who He is, in one of the plainest statements He makes in any Gospel.
Someone who has been through a divorce or the loss of a spouse, and who carries that quiet embarrassment into church on Sunday, can find a lot here. The Lord already knows the whole account. He is not surprised by it. The woman left her water jar at the well and ran into town to tell everyone about Him, which says a good deal about how being truly seen can change a person.
There is something sobering about standing at the front of a room and promising lifelong faithfulness when you already know how fragile such promises can be. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 speaks to this: “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” It is a stern little passage, and it deserves to be taken seriously by anyone about to say I do again.
A second set of vows should not be a copy of the first, recited from habit. Both people usually know what failure or loss feels like. That knowledge can make the promise heavier, and also more honest. A couple might write their own words and include a line about forgiveness, or about how they intend to deal with conflict before it becomes a wall.
Malachi 2:14 describes marriage as a covenant made with a witness, and the Lord Himself is that witness. This is not meant to frighten anyone. It means the promise is made in a larger room than the one with the folding chairs. Many couples find that a pre-marriage class with their pastor, even a short one, helps them name the patterns they brought from before and decide what they will do differently.
Lamentations was written in the ruins of Jerusalem, by someone who had seen the worst. Right in the middle of it is a line that has steadied many a weary reader: “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). The writer does not deny the wreckage. He simply refuses to say it is the last word.
Isaiah 43:18-19 carries something similar: “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?” Those words were spoken to a people in exile, not to couples, and we should not twist them into a promise about weddings. Still, the God who speaks them is the same one who has patience with a person starting over after a divorce or a funeral.
If you are thinking about marrying again, give yourself room to be both hopeful and careful. Grief does not follow a schedule, and a counselor can help you tell the difference between loneliness and readiness. Ask God for wisdom, and for a spouse who will pray with you when things are hard. Then take the next small step in front of you, and let tomorrow’s mercies handle tomorrow.
More verse collections related to remarriage: Bible Verses About Comfort in Grief, Bible Verses About Baptism, Bible Verses For Humility, Bible Verses About Provision, Bible Verses For Protection from Evil, Bible Verses About Healing and Strength, Bible Verses About Family Unity, Bible Verses For Christian Living, Bible Verses About Worship, Bible Verses For Family Love and Bible Verses For Spiritual Growth.
If you want to dig further, Blue Letter Bible, Bible Gateway and Bible Hub are good places to start.
The Old Testament law in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 allowed a man to give his wife a bill of divorcement, and it assumed she might marry another.
This page brings together 25 King James Version references about remarriage, drawn from 15 different books of the Bible.
These remarriage verses are drawn from books including Deuteronomy, Mark, Matthew, Romans, 1 Corinthians, among others.
Yes. The verses about remarriage gathered here include passages from both the Old Testament and the New Testament, such as Deuteronomy 24:1 and Mark 10:6.
Deuteronomy 24:1 is one of the verses about remarriage referenced in this collection, alongside Mark 10:6.
