Teachings about Divorce

¹ When Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there.

³ Then some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any^* reason?”^*

⁴ Jesus answered, “Have you not read that from 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 man not separate.”

⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses order a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality,^* and marries another woman commits adultery.”

¹⁰ His disciples said to Him, “If this is the case^* between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹ “Not everyone can accept this word,” He replied, “but only those to whom it has been given. ¹² For there are eunuchs who were born that way; others were made that way by men; and still others live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

Jesus Blesses the Children

¹³ Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. And the disciples rebuked those who brought them. ¹⁴ But 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 And after He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.

The Rich Young Man

¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and inquired, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain 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?” the man asked.

Jesus answered, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”

²⁰ “All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?”

²¹ Jesus told him, “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 in sorrow, because he had great wealth.

²³ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man 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 “Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?”

²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in 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 the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.