Matthew 19
1 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.
It came about that when Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came to the region of Judea that is beyond the Jordan River.
2 Great crowds followed him, and he cured them there.
Great crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 Presently some Pharisees came up to him, and, to test him, said, ‘Has a man the right to divorce his wife for every cause?’
Pharisees came to him, testing him, saying to him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?”
4 ‘Haven’t you read,’ replied Jesus, ‘that at the beginning the Creator “made them male and female,”
Jesus answered and said, “Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning 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 man and his wife will become one”?
He who made them also said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and join to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.'
6 So that they are no longer two, but one. What God himself, then, has yoked together people must not separate.’
So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one tear apart.”
7 ‘Why, then,’ they said, ‘did Moses direct that a man should serve his wife with a notice of separation and divorce her?’
They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of divorce and then to send her away?”
8 ‘Moses, owing to the hardness of your hearts,’ answered Jesus, ‘permitted you to divorce your wives, but that was not so at the beginning.
He said to them, “For your hardness of heart, Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not that way.
9 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.’
I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and the man who marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.”
10 ‘If that,’ said the disciples, ‘is the position of a man with regard to his wife, it is better not to marry.’
The disciples said to Jesus, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is not good to marry.”
11 ‘It is not everyone,’ replied Jesus, ‘who can accept this teaching, but only those who have been enabled to do so.
But Jesus said to them, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those who are allowed to accept it.
12 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.’
For there are eunuchs who were that way from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this teaching, let him receive it.”
13 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.
Then some little children were brought to him so that he would lay his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 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.’
But Jesus said, “Permit the little children, and do not forbid them to come to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such ones.”
15 So he placed his hands on them, and then went on his way.
He placed his hands on the children, and then he went away from there.
16 A man came up to Jesus, and said, ‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?’ (aiōnios g166)
Behold, a man came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do that I may have eternal life?” (aiōnios g166)
17 ‘Why ask me about goodness?’ answered Jesus. ‘There is only one who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.’
Jesus said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? Only one is good, but if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18 ‘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.
The man said to him, “Which commandments?” Jesus said, “Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness,
19 Honour your father and your mother.” And “You must love your neighbour as you love yourself.”’
honor your father and your mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.”
20 ‘I have observed all these,’ said the young man. ‘What is still wanting in me?’
The young man said to him, “All these things I have obeyed. What do I still need?”
21 ‘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.’
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
22 On hearing these words, the young man went away distressed, for he had great possessions.
But when the young man heard what Jesus said, he went away sorrowful, for he had many possessions.
23 At this, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you that a rich person will find it hard to enter the kingdom of heaven!
Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 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!’
Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
25 On hearing this, the disciples exclaimed in great astonishment, ‘Who then can possibly be saved?’
When the disciples heard it, they were very astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?”
26 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,
Jesus looked at them and said, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 ‘But we – we left everything, and followed you; what, then, will we have?’
Then Peter answered and said to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”
28 ‘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.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, in the new age when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 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)
Every one who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or land for my name's sake, will receive one hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
30 But many who are first now will then be last, and those who are last will be first.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
