Can you go to jail for having two wives?

A man cannot have two wives because it would be considered adultery, and it is against the law. - From a Christian perspective.

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." ( Matthew 19 : 4 - 6 )

Alternate Christian Perspective.

Christians can cite both pro and anti text for polygamy. Some text limits monogamy to clergy:

• 1 Timothy: "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach"

And alternately makes monogamy the general rule:

• 1 Corinthians (chapter 7, verse 2): "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let everyman have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.[

With regard to serial mariages (having more than one wife in a series of wives separated by death or divorce) is generally supported by Christians

From an Islamic Perspective

A man cannot have more than 4 wives at a time, if the other wife/wives allow the man to do what he want with the other women than its halal. Certain conditions do apply however eg. All wives must receive equal treatment - no favoritism & he must be within means to look after all of them.

A Muslim man can have Four wives at a time provided he can do justice to them ach. Islam is based on nature. The permission of having four wives helps avoid adultory which is a great sin.

Jewish answer:

Jews were permitted more than one wife in ancient times, though they rarely did this. It was mostly the practice of kings. No Talmud-sage is reported as having had more than one wife.

One thousand years ago, Rabbi Gershom (960-1040) decreed a prohibition on this practice in the Ashkenazic Communities, which is why we no longer see it as a possibility among European Jews. Polygamy (especially bigamy) was still extant, although uncommon, among Mizrahi Jews into the 20th century. When most Mizrahi Jews moved to either Israel, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, or the United States, they were confronted with anti-polygamy laws in those countries. Since polygamy was only "acceptable", but not seen as a necessary, the legal prohibitions in these five countries effectively ended polygamy in the Mizrahi Jewish community.