Matthew 19:9

Strongs #G3361. "μὴ" does not mean "except." In Greek, "μὴ" is an adverb that means "not" and is used primarily with non-indicative moods (such as subjunctive, imperative, and infinitive). The word for "except" in Greek would typically be "εἰ μή" "if not" or "πλὴν." So, the translation of "ὅτι ὃς ἂν ἀπολύσῃ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ μὴ" remains: "because whoever should not release his woman..."

In Ancient Greek, μὴ (meaning "not") can appear at the end of a sentence, although this placement is relatively rare compared to its usual position directly before the verb. When μὴ is placed at the end of a clause or sentence, it can function as a way of emphasizing negation or marking a special syntactical structure.

This phrase, "ὃς ἂν ἀπολύσῃ τὴν γυναῖκα μὴ ἐπὶ πορνείᾳ", has eluded translators because of word order and cases. The placement of μὴ at the end would typically imply a slightly more formal or emphatic negation. It can be used for stylistic reasons, perhaps to emphasize that the action of setting the woman free is being negated. "ἐπὶ πορνείᾳ" "upon prostitution" is in the dative case meaning "on account of prostitution."

Granted, this positioning is less common than placing μὴ immediately before the verb (e.g., "μὴ ἀπολύσῃ"). The placement at the end is still grammatically valid, and it's often seen in more complex or literary forms of Greek, especially when the author wants to focus the reader's attention on the negation itself. Considering the absence of "unless" or "except" within this clause, the negating adverb μὴ should be treated as such, i.e. as an adverb.

"καὶ ὁ ἀπολελυμένην γαμήσας μοιχᾶται" at the end is not a part of the original verse, per the earliest manuscripts.