· Translation: KJV

Mark 10:11He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery against her.

The setting

Private house in Capernaum, ~30 AD. Jesus explains to confused disciples that marriage creates such a deep bond that remarriage while the first spouse lives violates that original union.

The emotion here: heavy-hearted but resolute, knowing this truth would be difficult for many to accept

The original word

moichataī (μοιχᾶται) — commits adultery, present tense indicating ongoing state

Why it matters

Roman law allowed easy divorce but Jewish law was debated between schools

Read with care

What most readers miss in Mark 10:11

Jesus uses the present tense — it's not one act but an ongoing condition He's describing

Common misconceptionPeople think this condemns all divorced people to celibacy forever. Jesus is teaching about the sacred nature of the original bond, not creating impossible burdens for broken people seeking grace.

Bible Genome reading

Mark 10:11 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerJesus
Eragospel
Primary emotionanxious
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power20%
Quotability70%
Memorability70%
Crisis relevance80%
Standalone60%
Themes:divorceadultery

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Mark 10

Mark 10:11 comes from the book of Mark, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divorce, adultery. Notable phrases: divorces his wife; commits adultery.

Your reflection

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