< Matthew 19 >
1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these words, he withdrew from Galilee, and came to the coasts of Judaea beyond the Jordan;
2 and great crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 And the Pharisees came to him tempting him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 But he answering said [to them], Have ye not read that he who made [them], from the beginning made them male and female,
5 and said, On account of this a man shall leave father and mother, and shall be united to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh?
6 so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.
7 They say to him, Why then did Moses command to give a letter of divorce and to send [her] away?
8 He says to them, Moses, in view of your hardheartedness, allowed you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not thus.
9 But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, not for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery; and he who marries one put away commits adultery.
10 His disciples say to him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11 And he said to them, All cannot receive this word, but those to whom it has been given;
12 for there are eunuchs which have been born thus from [their] mother's womb; and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs of men; and there are eunuchs who have made eunuchs of themselves for the sake of the kingdom of the heavens. He that is able to receive [it], let him receive [it].
13 Then there were brought to him little children that he might lay his hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and do not hinder them from coming to me; for the kingdom of the heavens is of such:
15 and having laid his hands upon them, he departed thence.
16 And lo, one coming up said to him, Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have life eternal? (aiōnios )
17 And he said to him, What askest thou me concerning goodness? one is good. But if thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He says to him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother, and Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man says to him, All these have I kept; what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said to him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell what thou hast and give to [the] poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.
22 But the young man, having heard the word, went away grieved, for he had large possessions.
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, Verily I say unto you, A rich man shall with difficulty enter into the kingdom of the heavens;
24 and again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to enter a needle's eye than a rich man into the kingdom of God.
25 And when the disciples heard [it] they were exceedingly astonished, saying, Who then can be saved?
26 But Jesus, looking on [them], said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
27 Then Peter answering said to him, Behold, we have left all things and have followed thee; what then shall happen to us?
28 And Jesus said to them, Verily I say unto you, That ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit down upon his throne of glory, ye also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one who has left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit life eternal. (aiōnios )
30 But many first shall be last, and last first.