Divorce
1When
Jesus had
finished
saying
these
things, he
left
Galilee
and went
into the
region of
Judea to
the other
side of
the
Jordan.
2 Large
crowds
followed
him, and
he healed
them
there.
3 Some
Pharisees
came to
him to
test him.
They
asked, “Is
it lawful
for a man
to divorce
his wife
for any
and every
reason?”
4 “Haven’t
you read,” he
replied,
“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 united
to his
wife, and
the two
will
become one
flesh’?
6 So
they are
no longer
two, but
one flesh.
Therefore
what God
has joined
together,
let no one
separate.”
7 “Why
then,”
they
asked,
“did Moses
command
that a man
give his
wife a
certificate
of divorce
and send
her away?”
8 Jesus
replied,
“Moses
permitted
you to
divorce
your wives
because
your
hearts
were hard.
But it was
not this
way from
the
beginning.
9 I
tell you
that
anyone who
divorces
his wife,
except for
sexual
immorality,
and
marries
another
woman
commits
adultery.”
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.
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
13 Then people brought little children to
Jesus for
him to
place his
hands on
them 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 to
such as
these.”
15 When
he had
placed his
hands on
them, he
went on
from
there.
The Rich and the Kingdom of
God
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and
asked,
“Teacher,
what good
thing must
I do to
get
eternal
life?”
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.”
18 “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied,
“‘You
shall not
murder,
you shall
not commit
adultery,
you shall
not steal,
you shall
not give
false
testimony,
19 honor
your
father and
mother,’
and ‘love
your
neighbor
as
yourself.’”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man
said.
“What do I
still
lack?”
21 Jesus answered,
“If you
want to be
perfect,
go, sell
your
possessions
and give
to the
poor, and
you will
have
treasure
in heaven.
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 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.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left
everything
to follow
you! 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,
you who
have
followed
me will
also sit
on twelve
thrones,
judging
the twelve
tribes of
Israel.
29 And
everyone
who has
left
houses or
brothers
or sisters
or father
or mother
or wife or
children
or fields
for my
sake will
receive a
hundred
times as
much and
will
inherit
eternal
life.
30 But
many who
are first
will be
last, and
many who
are last
will be
first.