And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.

And there came unto him Pharisees, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? trying him.

And the Pharisees coming to him asked him: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.

And Pharisees coming to him asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? (tempting him).

And there came unto him Pharisees, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.

And the Pharisees, having come near, questioned him, if it is lawful for a husband to put away a wife, tempting him,

Presently a party of Pharisees come to Him with the question - seeking to entrap Him, "May a man divorce his wife?"

And Pharisees came to him, testing him with the question, Is it right for a man to put away his wife?

And approaching, the Pharisees questioned him, testing him: "Is it lawful for a man to dismiss his wife?"

Presently some Pharisees came up and, to test him, asked, "Has a husband the right to divorce his wife?"

Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? - See this question about divorce largely explained on Matthew 19:3-12 (note).

And the: Pharisees came unto him,.... As they every where did; not to be instructed by him, but to ensnare him;
and asked him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? that is, as Matthew adds, "for every cause"; see Gill on Matthew 19:3, for, a divorce might be lawfully made for a cause, or reason, namely, adultery, but not for any, or every cause; which is the sense of this question of the Pharisees; and, which they put, not for information, but
tempting him; trying to entangle him by opposing the authority of Moses, should he deny the lawfulness of divorces, or by objecting his former doctrine, Matthew 5:32, and so expose him as an inconsistent preacher, should he allow them to be lawful for every reason. This clause is placed in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions before the question.

The Pharisees came to him. Somewhere on the east of the Jordan, while on his way. For notes on this conversation about marriage and divorce, see Matthew 19:3-13. Compare Luke 16:18.

Matthew 5:31; Matthew 19:7; Luke 16:18.