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19 And it was done, when Jesus had ended these words, he passed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea over Jordan.

And much people followed him [And many companies followed him], and he healed them there.

And the Pharisees came to him, tempting him, and said, Whether it be leaveful to a man to leave his wife, for any cause?[a]

Which answered, and said to them, Have ye not read, for he that made men at the beginning, made them male and female?

And he said, For this thing a man shall leave father and mother, and he shall draw to his wife [and he shall cleave, or draw, to his wife]; and they shall be twain in one flesh.

And so they be not now twain, but one flesh. Therefore man separate not that thing that God hath joined [together]. [Therefore they be not two, but one flesh. Therefore a man part not that thing that God enjoined, or knit together.]

They say to him, What then commanded Moses, to give a libel of forsaking, and to leave of. [They say to him, What then commanded Moses, to give a little book of forsaking, and to forsake.]

And he said to them, For Moses, for the hardness of your heart, suffered you to leave your wives [And he saith to them, For Moses, at the hardness of your heart, suffered you to forsake your wives]; but from the beginning it was not so.

And I say to you, that whoever leaveth his wife, but for fornication, and weddeth another, doeth lechery [doeth adultery]; and he that weddeth the forsaken wife, doeth lechery [doeth adultery].

10 His disciples say to him, If the cause of a man with his wife is so, it speedeth not to be wedded [it speedeth not to wed].

11 And he said to them, Not all men take this word; but they to which it is given [but to whom it is given].

12 For there be geldings, which be so born of the mother's womb [which be thus born of their mother's womb]; and there be geldings, that be made of men; and there be geldings, that have gelded themselves, for the kingdom of heavens. He that may take, take he.

13 Then little children were brought to him, that he should put [his] hands to them, and pray. And the disciples blamed them.

14 But Jesus said to them, Suffer ye that little children come to me, and do not ye forbid them [But Jesus said to them, Suffer ye little children come to me, and do not ye forbid them to come to me]; for of such is the kingdom of heavens.

15 And when he had put to them hands, he went from thence. [And when he had put to them hands, he went thence.]

16 And lo! one came, and said to him, Good master, what good [thing] shall I do, that I have everlasting life?

17 Which saith to him, What askest thou me of good thing? There is one good God [Which said to him, What askest thou me of good thing? One is good God]. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

18 He saith to him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shalt not do manslaying, thou shalt not do adultery, thou shalt not do theft, thou shalt not say false witnessing;

19 worship thy father and thy mother [honour thou thy father and thy mother], and, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

20 The young man saith to him, I have kept all these things from my youth, what yet faileth to me?

21 Jesus saith to him, If thou wilt be perfect, go, and sell all things that thou hast, and give to poor men, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, and follow me.

22 And when the young man had heard these words, he went away sorrowful, for he had many possessions.

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, I say to you truth, for a rich man of hard shall enter into the kingdom of heavens. [Forsooth Jesus said to his disciples, Truly I say to you, for of hard a rich man shall enter into the realm of heavens.]

24 And again I say to you, it is lighter a camel to pass through a needle's eye[b], than a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heavens.

25 When these things were heard, the disciples wondered greatly, and said [Truly these words heard, the disciples wondered greatly, saying], Who then may be safe?

26 Jesus beheld, and said to them, With men this thing is impossible; but with God all things be possible.

27 Then Peter answered, and said to him, Lo! we have forsaken all things, and we have followed thee; what then shall be to us [what therefore shall be to us]?

28 And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, that ye that have forsaken all things, and have followed me, in the regeneration when man's Son shall sit in the seat of his majesty, [also] ye shall sit on twelve seats [and ye shall sit on twelve seats, or sieges], deeming the twelve kindreds of Israel.

29 And every man that forsaketh house, [or] brethren or sisters [or brethren, or sistren], [or] father or mother, [or] wife or children, or fields, for my name, he shall take an hundredfold, and shall wield everlasting life.

30 But many shall be, the first the last, and the last the first.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:3 And Pharisees came nigh to him, tempting him, and saying, Whether it is leaveful for a man to leave, or forsake, his wife, for whatever cause?
  2. Matthew 19:24 And again I say to you, it is easier a camel for to pass through the hole of a needle

Divorce(A)

19 When Jesus had finished saying these things,(B) he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them(C) there.

Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife(D) for any and every reason?”

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’[a](E) 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’[b]?(F) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”(G)

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”(H)

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.(I) 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(J)

13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them(K) 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(L) to such as these.”(M) 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

The Rich and the Kingdom of God(N)

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life(O)?”(P)

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.”(Q)

18 “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery,(R) you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[c](S) and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[d](T)

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

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,(U) go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,(V) and you will have treasure in heaven.(W) 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(X) 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.”(Y)

27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you!(Z) 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,(AA) you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(AB) 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[e] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.(AC) 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.(AD)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:4 Gen. 1:27
  2. Matthew 19:5 Gen. 2:24
  3. Matthew 19:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
  4. Matthew 19:19 Lev. 19:18
  5. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts do not have or wife.