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Teaching about Divorce(A)

19 When Jesus had finished saying these things,[a] he left Galilee and went to the territory of Judea on the other side[b] of the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

Some Pharisees came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man[c] to divorce his wife for any reason?”

He answered them, “Haven’t you read that the one who made[d] them at the beginning ‘made them male and female’[e] and said, ‘That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?[f] So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate.”

They asked him, “Why, then, did Moses order us ‘to give a certificate of divorce and divorce her’?”[g]

He told them, “It was because of your hardness of heart that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning it was not this way. I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”[h]

10 His disciples asked him, “If that is the relationship of a man with his wife, it’s not worth getting married!”

11 “Not everyone can accept this saying,” he replied, “except those to whom celibacy[i] has been granted, 12 because some men are celibate from birth,[j] while some are celibate because they have been made that way by others. Still others are celibate because they have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom from[k] heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

Jesus Blesses the Little Children(B)

13 Then some little children were brought to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked those who brought[l] them. 14 Jesus, however, said, “Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom from[m] heaven belongs to people like these.” 15 When he had laid his hands on them, he went on from there.

A Rich Man Comes to Jesus(C)

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus.[n] “Teacher,”[o] he asked, “what good deed should I do to have eternal life?”

17 Jesus[p] asked him, “Why ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.[q] If you want to get into that life, you must keep the commandments.”

18 The young man[r] asked him, “Which ones?”

Jesus said, “‘You must not murder,[s] you must not commit adultery,[t] you must not steal,[u] you must not give false testimony,[v] 19 honor your father and mother,’[w] and, ‘you must love your neighbor as yourself.’”[x]

20 The young man told him, “I have kept all of these.[y] What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money[z] to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this statement he went away sad, because he had many possessions.

Salvation and Reward(D)

23 Then Jesus told his disciples, “I tell all of you[aa] with certainty, it will be hard for a rich person to get into the kingdom from[ab] heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God.”

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

26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “For humans this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

27 “Look!” Peter replied. “We have left everything and followed you. So what will we get?”

28 Jesus told them, “I tell all of you[ac] with certainty, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne in the renewed creation, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, governing the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 In fact, everyone who has left his homes, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times as much[ad] and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:1 Lit. finished these sayings
  2. Matthew 19:1 I.e. the east side
  3. Matthew 19:3 Other mss. lack for a man
  4. Matthew 19:4 Other mss. read created
  5. Matthew 19:4 Cf. Gen 1:27; 5:2
  6. Matthew 19:5 Cf. Gen 2:24
  7. Matthew 19:7 Cf. Deut 24:1, 3
  8. Matthew 19:9 Other mss. read adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery
  9. Matthew 19:11 Lit. it
  10. Matthew 19:12 Lit. from the mother’s womb
  11. Matthew 19:12 Lit. of
  12. Matthew 19:13 The Gk. lacks those who brought
  13. Matthew 19:14 Lit. of
  14. Matthew 19:16 Lit. him
  15. Matthew 19:16 Other mss. read Good Teacher
  16. Matthew 19:17 Lit. He
  17. Matthew 19:17 Other mss. read Why do you call me good? No one is good except for one—God
  18. Matthew 19:18 Lit. He
  19. Matthew 19:18 Cf. Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17
  20. Matthew 19:18 Cf. Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18
  21. Matthew 19:18 Cf. Exod 20:15; Deut 5:19
  22. Matthew 19:18 Cf. Exod 20:16; Deut 5:20
  23. Matthew 19:19 Cf. Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16
  24. Matthew 19:19 Cf. Lev 19:18
  25. Matthew 19:20 Other mss. read kept all of these since I was a young man
  26. Matthew 19:21 The Gk. lacks the money
  27. Matthew 19:23 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
  28. Matthew 19:23 Lit. of
  29. Matthew 19:28 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
  30. Matthew 19:29 Other mss. read many times as much

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.