Matthew 1:19

Because Joseph, her husband to be, ¹  was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her ²  privately.

Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

Joseph, her fianc‚, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.

Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.

And Joseph, her husband, being an upright man, and not desiring to make her a public example, had a mind to put her away privately.

Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man , and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.

Because Joseph, her husband to be, ¹  was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her ²  privately.

¹ tn Grk “husband.” See following note for discussion.

² tn Or “send her away.”

sn In the Jewish context, “full betrothal was so binding that its breaking required a certificate of divorce, and the death of one party made the other a widow or widower (m. Ketub. 1:2; m. Sota 1:5; m. Git. passim…)” (R. H. Gundry, Matthew: A Commentary on his Literary and Theological Art, 21).