The Question of Divorce

19 When Jesus had finished this instruction,(A) He departed from Galilee and went to the region of Judea across the Jordan.(B) Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there.(C) Some Pharisees approached Him to test Him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?”(D)

“Haven’t you read,” He replied, “that He who created[a] them in the beginning made them male and female,”(E)[b] and He also said:

For this reason a man will leave
his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two will become one flesh?(F)[c]

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”

“Why then,” they asked Him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers(G) and to send her away?”

He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts. But it was not like that from the beginning. And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”[d](H)

10 His disciples(I) said to Him, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry!”

11 But He told them, “Not everyone can accept this saying, but only those it has been given(J) to. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs who were made by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way because of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

Blessing the Children

13 Then children were brought to Him so He might put His hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked them.(K) 14 Then Jesus said, “Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to Me, because the kingdom of heaven is made up of people like this.”[e](L) 15 After putting His hands on them, He went on from there.

The Rich Young Ruler

16 Just then someone came up and asked Him,(M) “Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?”(N)

17 “Why do you ask Me about what is good?”[f] He said to him. “There is only One who is good.[g] If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”(O)

18 “Which ones?” he asked Him. Jesus answered:

Do not murder;
do not commit adultery;
do not steal;
do not bear false witness;(P)
19 honor your father and your mother;
and love your neighbor as yourself.(Q)[h]

20 “I have kept all these,”[i] the young man told Him. “What do I still lack?”

21 “If you want to be perfect,”[j] Jesus said to him, “go, sell your belongings and give to the poor,(R) and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

22 When the young man heard that command, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.

Possessions and the Kingdom

23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “I assure you: It will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven!(S) 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”(T)

25 When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked, “Then who can be saved?”

26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(U)

27 Then Peter responded to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You. So what will there be for us?”

28 Jesus said to them, “I assure you: In the Messianic Age,[k](V) when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne,(W) you who have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother,[l] children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life.(X) 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.(Y)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:4 Other mss read made
  2. Matthew 19:4 Gn 1:27; 5:2
  3. Matthew 19:5 Gn 2:24
  4. Matthew 19:9 Other mss add Also whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery; Mt 5:32
  5. Matthew 19:14 Lit heaven is of such ones
  6. Matthew 19:17 Other mss read Why do you call Me good?
  7. Matthew 19:17 Other mss read No one is good but One—God
  8. Matthew 19:19 Ex 20:12-16; Lv 19:18; Dt 5:16-20
  9. Matthew 19:20 Other mss add from my youth
  10. Matthew 19:21 Or complete
  11. Matthew 19:28 Lit the regeneration
  12. Matthew 19:29 Other mss add or wife

Divorce(A)

19 When Jesus had finished saying these things,(B) he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them(C) there.

Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife(D) for any and every reason?”

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’[a](E) 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’[b]?(F) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”(G)

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”(H)

10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.(I) 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

The Little Children and Jesus(J)

13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them(K) and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs(L) to such as these.”(M) 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

The Rich and the Kingdom of God(N)

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life(O)?”(P)

17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”(Q)

18 “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery,(R) you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[c](S) and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[d](T)

20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,(U) go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,(V) and you will have treasure in heaven.(W) Then come, follow me.”

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich(X) to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(Y)

27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you!(Z) What then will there be for us?”

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne,(AA) you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(AB) 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[e] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.(AC) 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.(AD)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:4 Gen. 1:27
  2. Matthew 19:5 Gen. 2:24
  3. Matthew 19:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
  4. Matthew 19:19 Lev. 19:18
  5. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts do not have or wife.