Matthew 19:8

Jesus ¹  said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, ²  but from the beginning it was not this way.

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.

He *said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted divorce as a concession to your hard–hearted wickedness, but it was not what God had originally intended.

Jesus said, "Moses provided for divorce as a concession to your hardheartedness, but it is not part of God's original plan.

He says to them, Moses, because of your hard hearts, let you put away your wives: but it has not been so from the first.

He said to them, "It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

Jesus ¹  said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, ²  but from the beginning it was not this way.

¹ tc A few important mss (א Φ pc) have the name “Jesus” here, but it is probably not original. Nevertheless, this translation routinely specifies the referents of pronouns to improve clarity, so that has been done here.

tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Grk “heart” (a collective singular).