Matthew 19
19
Teaching about Divorce
(Mark 10.1-12)
1When Jesus finished teaching, he left Galilee and went to the part of Judea east of the Jordan River. 2Large crowds followed him, and he healed their sick.
3Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. They came up to him and asked, “Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
4 #
Gn 1.27; 5.1,2. Jesus answered, “Don't you know in the beginning the Creator made a man and a woman? 5#Gn 2.24. That's why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. He becomes like one person with his wife. 6Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple God has joined together.”
7 #
Dt 24.1-4; Mt 5.31. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Why did Moses say a man could write out divorce papers and send his wife away?”
8Jesus replied, “You are so heartless! That's why Moses allowed you to divorce your wife. But from the beginning God did not intend it to be that way. 9#Mt 5.32; 1 Co 7.10,11. I say if your wife has not committed some terrible sexual sin,#19.9 some terrible sexual sin: See the note at 5.32. you must not divorce her to marry someone else. If you do, you are unfaithful.”
10The disciples said, “If that's how it is between a man and a woman, it's better not to get married.”
11Jesus told them, “Only those people who have been given the gift of staying single can accept this teaching. 12Some people are unable to marry because of birth defects or because of what someone has done to their bodies. Others stay single in order to serve God better. Anyone who can accept this teaching should do so.”
Jesus Blesses Little Children
(Mark 10.13-16; Luke 18.15-17)
13Some people brought their children to Jesus, so he could place his hands on them and pray for them. His disciples told the people to stop bothering him. 14But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and don't try to stop them! People who are like these children belong to God's kingdom.”#19.14 People who are like these children belong to God's kingdom: Or “God's kingdom belongs to people who are like these children.” 15After Jesus had placed his hands on the children, he left.
A Rich Young Man
(Mark 10.17-31; Luke 18.18-30)
16A man came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?”
17Jesus said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? Only God is good. If you want to have eternal life, you must obey his commandments.”
18 #
Ex 20.13; Dt 5.17;
Ex 20.14; Dt 5.18;
Ex 20.15; Dt 5.19;
Ex 20.16; Dt 5.20. “Which ones?” the man asked.
Jesus answered, “Do not murder. Be faithful in marriage. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. 19#Ex 20.12; Dt 5.16; Lv 19.18. Respect your father and mother. And love others as much as you love yourself.” 20The young man said, “I have obeyed all of these. What else must I do?”
21Jesus replied, “If you want to be perfect, go sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.” 22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was very rich.
23Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you, it's terribly hard for rich people to get into the kingdom of heaven! 24In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom.”
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly surprised and asked, “How can anyone ever be saved?”
26Jesus looked straight at them and said, “There are some things people cannot do, but God can do anything.”
27Peter replied, “Remember, we have left everything to be your followers! What will we get?”
28 #
Mt 25.31;
Lk 22.30. Jesus answered:
Yes, all of you have become my followers. And so in the future world, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, I promise you will sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. 29All who have given up home or brothers and sisters or father and mother or children or land for me will be given 100 times as much. They will also have eternal life. 30#Mt 20.16; Lk 13.30. But many who are now first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Matthew 19
19
Divorce
1-2When Jesus had completed these teachings, he left Galilee and crossed the region of Judea on the other side of the Jordan. Great crowds followed him there, and he healed them.
3One day the Pharisees were badgering him: “Is it legal for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
4-6He answered, “Haven’t you read in your Bible that the Creator originally made man and woman for each other, male and female? And because of this, a man leaves father and mother and is firmly bonded to his wife, becoming one flesh—no longer two bodies but one. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart.”
7They shot back in rebuttal, “If that’s so, why did Moses give instructions for divorce papers and divorce procedures?”
8-9Jesus said, “Moses provided for divorce as a concession to your hard heartedness, but it is not part of God’s original plan. I’m holding you to the original plan, and holding you liable for adultery if you divorce your faithful wife and then marry someone else. I make an exception in cases where the spouse has committed adultery.”
10Jesus’ disciples objected, “If those are the terms of marriage, we haven’t got a chance. Why get married?”
11-12But Jesus said, “Not everyone is mature enough to live a married life. It requires a certain aptitude and grace. Marriage isn’t for everyone. Some, from birth seemingly, never give marriage a thought. Others never get asked—or accepted. And some decide not to get married for kingdom reasons. But if you’re capable of growing into the largeness of marriage, do it.”
To Enter God’s Kingdom
13-15One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.” After laying hands on them, he left.
16Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17Jesus said, “Why do you question me about what’s good? God is the One who is good. If you want to enter the life of God, just do what he tells you.”
18-19The man asked, “What in particular?”
Jesus said, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself.”
20The young man said, “I’ve done all that. What’s left?”
21“If you want to give it all you’ve got,” Jesus replied, “go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me.”
22That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crestfallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go.
23-24As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God’s kingdom? Let me tell you, it’s easier to gallop a camel through a needle’s eye than for the rich to enter God’s kingdom.”
25The disciples were staggered. “Then who has any chance at all?”
26Jesus looked hard at them and said, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”
27Then Peter chimed in, “We left everything and followed you. What do we get out of it?”
28-30Jesus replied, “Yes, you have followed me. In the re-creation of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, starting with the twelve tribes of Israel. And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields—whatever—because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life. This is the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.