Matthew 19
1 And it came to passe, that when Iesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galile, and came into ye coasts of Iudea beyond Iordan.
At the conclusion of this teaching, Jesus withdrew from Galilee, and went into that district of Judea which is on the other side of the Jordan.
2 And great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.
Great crowds followed him, and he cured them there.
3 Then came vnto him the Pharises tempting him, and saying to him, Is it lawfull for a man to put away his wife vpon euery occasion?
Presently some Pharisees came up to him, and, to test him, said, ‘Has a man the right to divorce his wife for every cause?’
4 And he answered and sayd vnto them, Haue ye not read, that hee which made them at the beginning, made them male and female,
‘Haven’t you read,’ replied Jesus, ‘that at the beginning the Creator “made them male and female,”
5 And sayd, For this cause, shall a man leaue father and mother, and cleaue vnto his wife, and they which were two shalbe one flesh.
and said – “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, and be united to his wife, and the man and his wife will become one”?
6 Wherefore they are no more twaine, but one flesh. Let not man therefore put asunder that, which God hath coupled together.
So that they are no longer two, but one. What God himself, then, has yoked together people must not separate.’
7 They said to him, Why did then Moses commaund to giue a bill of diuorcement, and to put her away?
‘Why, then,’ they said, ‘did Moses direct that a man should serve his wife with a notice of separation and divorce her?’
8 He sayd vnto them, Moses, because of the hardnesse of your heart, suffered you to put away your wiues: but from the beginning it was not so.
‘Moses, owing to the hardness of your hearts,’ answered Jesus, ‘permitted you to divorce your wives, but that was not so at the beginning.
9 I say therefore vnto you, that whosoeuer shall put away his wife, except it be for whoredome, and marry another, committeth adulterie: and whosoeuer marieth her which is diuorced, doeth commit adulterie.
But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of some serious sexual sin, and marries another woman, is guilty of adultery.’
10 Then sayd his disciples to him, If the matter be so betweene man and wife, it is not good to marry.
‘If that,’ said the disciples, ‘is the position of a man with regard to his wife, it is better not to marry.’
11 But he sayd vnto them, All men cannot receiue this thing, saue they to whom it is giuen.
‘It is not everyone,’ replied Jesus, ‘who can accept this teaching, but only those who have been enabled to do so.
12 For there are some eunuches, which were so borne of their mothers belly: and there be some eunuches, which be gelded by men: and there be some eunuches, which haue gelded them selues for the kingdome of heauen. He that is able to receiue this, let him receiue it.
Some men are incapable of marriage because they were born that way, or have been made so by other people, while there are others who stay single for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven. Accept this if you can.’
13 Then were brought to him litle children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
Then some little children were brought to Jesus, for him to place his hands on them, and pray; but the disciples found fault with those who had brought them.
14 But Iesus sayd, Suffer the litle children, and forbid them not to come to me: for of such is the kingdome of heauen.
Jesus, however, said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for it is to the childlike that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’
15 And when he had put his hands on them, he departed thence.
So he placed his hands on them, and then went on his way.
16 And beholde, one came and sayd vnto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I doe, that I may haue eternall life? (aiōnios g166)
A man came up to Jesus, and said, ‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?’ (aiōnios g166)
17 And he said vnto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, eue God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keepe ye commandemets.
‘Why ask me about goodness?’ answered Jesus. ‘There is but One who is good. If you want to enter the life, keep the commandments.’
18 He sayd to him, Which? And Iesus sayde, These, Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not commit adulterie: Thou shalt not steale: Thou shalt not beare false witnesse.
‘What commandments?’ asked the man. ‘These,’ answered Jesus, – ‘“You must not kill. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not say what is false about others.
19 Honour thy father and mother: and thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe.
Honour your father and your mother.” And “You must love your neighbour as you love yourself.”’
20 The yong man sayd vnto him, I haue obserued all these things from my youth: what lacke I yet?
‘I have observed all these,’ said the young man. ‘What is still wanting in me?’
21 Iesus sayd vnto him, If thou wilt be perfite, go, sell that thou hast, and giue it to the poore, and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen, and come, and follow me.
‘If you wish to be perfect,’ answered Jesus, ‘go and sell your property, and give to the poor, and you will have wealth in heaven; then come and follow me.’
22 And when the yong man heard that saying, he went away sorowfull: for he had great possessions.
On hearing these words, the young man went away distressed, for he had great possessions.
23 Then Iesus sayd vnto his disciples, Verely I say vnto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen.
At this, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you that a rich person will find it hard to enter the kingdom of heaven!
24 And againe I say vnto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into ye kingdome of God.
I say again, it is easier for a camel to get through a needle’s eye than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven!’
25 And whe his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amased, saying, Who then can be saued?
On hearing this, the disciples exclaimed in great astonishment, ‘Who then can possibly be saved?’
26 And Iesus behelde them, and sayde vnto them, With men this is vnpossible, but with God all things are possible.
But Jesus looked at them, and said, ‘With people this is impossible, but with God everything is possible.’ Then Peter turned and said to Jesus,
27 Then answered Peter, and said to him, Beholde, we haue forsaken all, and followed thee: what therefore shall we haue?
‘But we – we left everything, and followed you; what, then, will we have?’
28 And Iesus said vnto them, Verely I say to you, that when the Sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his maiestie, ye which folowed me in the regeneration, shall sit also vpon twelue thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel.
‘I tell you,’ answered Jesus, ‘that at the new creation, when the Son of Man takes his seat on his throne of glory, you who followed me will be seated on twelve thrones, as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And whosoeuer shall forsake houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my Names sake, he shall receiue an hundreth folde more, and shall inherite euerlasting life. (aiōnios g166)
Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or land, for my sake, will receive many times as much, and will gain eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
30 But many that are first, shalbe last, and the last shalbe first.
But many who are first now will then be last, and those who are last will be first.
