Matthew 19
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he departed from Galilee and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
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 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
Great crowds followed him, and he cured them there.
3 Then the Pharisees came up to Jesus and tested him by asking him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
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 He answered them, “Have you not read that he who made them from 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 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’?
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 So then, they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
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 then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce and send 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 said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, 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 tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
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 His disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not 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 Jesus said to them, “Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it is given.
“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 eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever is able to accept this should accept 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 little children were brought to Jesus so that he might lay his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked those who brought 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 Yet Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
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 after laying his hands on them, he departed from there.
So he placed his hands on them, and then went on his way.
16 And behold, a man came and said to him, “Good Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal 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 Jesus said to him, “Why do yoʋ call me good? No one is good except God alone. But if yoʋ wish to enter life, keep the commandments.”
“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 The man said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “Yoʋ shall not murder, Yoʋ shall not commit adultery, Yoʋ shall not steal, Yoʋ shall not give false testimony,
“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 Honor yoʋr father and yoʋr mother, and, Yoʋ shall love yoʋr neighbor as yoʋrself.”
Honor your father and your mother.’ And ‘You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”
20 The young man said to him, “I have kept all these commandments from the time I was a young boy; what do I still lack?”
“I have observed all these,” said the young man. “What is still wanting in me?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If yoʋ wish to be perfect, go sell what yoʋ have and give to the poor, and yoʋ will have treasure in heaven; then come 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 But when the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had many possessions.
On hearing these words, the young man went away distressed, for he had great possessions.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven.
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 Again I say to 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.”
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 When his disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?”
On hearing this, the disciples exclaimed in great astonishment, “Who then can possibly be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men it is impossible, 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 Peter said to him in response, “Behold, we have left everything and followed yoʋ; what then will there be for us?”
“But we – we left everything, and followed you; what, then, will we have?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, when all things are made new and the Son of Man sits on his throne of glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve 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 everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, or fields for my name's sake, will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal 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 who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
But many who are first now will then be last, and those who are last will be first.
