Marriage and Divorce
1 Now it came to pass,when Jesus had finished these sayings,thatHe departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
2 And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.
3 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife forjustany reason?”
4 And He answered and said to them,“Have you not read that He whomadethemat the beginning‘made them male and female,’
5 and said,‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, andthe two shall become one flesh’?
6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
7 They said to Him,“Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”
8 He said to them,“Moses, because of thehardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce yourwives, but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except forsexual immorality,and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to Him,“If such is the case of the man withhiswife, it is better not to marry.”
Jesus Teaches on Celibacy
11 But He said to them,“All cannot accept this saying, but onlythoseto whom it has been given:
12 For there areeunuchs who were born thus fromtheirmother’s womb, andthere are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to acceptit,let him acceptit.”
Jesus Blesses Little Children
13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might putHishands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said,“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; forof such is the kingdom of heaven.”
15 And He laidHishands on them and departed from there.
Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him,“Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
17 So He said to him,“Why do you call Me good?No oneisgood but One,that is,God.But if you want to enter into life,keep the commandments.”
18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”
# Jesus said,“‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’
19 ‘Honor your father andyourmother,’and,‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I havekept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him,“If you want 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 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
With God All Things Are Possible
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples,“Assuredly, I say to you thatit is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 And 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 the kingdom of God.”
25 When His disciples heardit,they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
26 But Jesus looked atthemand said to them,“With men this is impossible, butwith God all things are possible.”
27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See,we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”
28 So Jesus said to them,“Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory,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 motheror wifeor children orlands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
30 But manywho arefirst will be last, and the last first.