Jesus Christ taught the descendants of Lehi in the Americas (who were of the house of Israel) many of the same gospel principles He taught to His Jewish disciples in the Old World. The teachings as recorded in the book of Matthew, found in the New Testament, known as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5) were again taught by the Savior when he visited Lehi’s descendants.
The passages below show the words from verses 31 and 32 of the King James version of Matthew and the comparable verses from 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon.
“It has 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)
“It hath been written, that whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whoso shall marry her who is divorced committeth adultery.” (3 Nephi 12:31-32)
Questions:
-Realizing that the above is a standard for a couple who are committed to be true disciples of Jesus Christ, would it have been helpful for Christ to start enumerating other marriage-breaking behaviors here (beyond adultery) such as physical abuse or other extremely harmful narcissistic behaviors?
Messages of the Book of Mormon 