Matthew 19
19
Teaching about divorce
1When Jesus finished saying these things, he left Galilee and came to the area of Judea on the east side of the Jordan. 2Large crowds followed him, and he healed them. 3Some Pharisees came to him. In order to test him, they said, “Does the Law allow a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
4Jesus answered, “Haven’t you read that at the beginning the creator made them male and female?#19.4 Gen 1:27; 5:2 5And God said, ‘Because of this a man should leave his father and mother and be joined together with his wife, and the two will be one flesh.’#19.5 Gen 2:24 6So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, humans must not pull apart what God has put together.”
7The Pharisees said to him, “Then why did Moses command us to give a divorce certificate and divorce her?”#19.7 Deut 24:1
8Jesus replied, “Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because your hearts are unyielding. But it wasn’t that way from the beginning. 9I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
10His disciples said to him, “If that’s the way things are between a man and his wife, then it’s better not to marry.”
11He replied, “Not everybody can accept this teaching, but only those who have received the ability to accept it. 12For there are eunuchs who have been eunuchs from birth. And there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by other people. And there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs because of the kingdom of heaven. Those who can accept it should accept it.”
Jesus blesses children
13Some people brought children to Jesus so that he would place his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded them. 14“Allow the children to come to me,” Jesus said. “Don’t forbid them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like these children.” 15Then he blessed the children and went away from there.
A rich man’s question
16A man approached him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?”
17Jesus said, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There’s only one who is good. If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.”
18The man said, “Which ones?”
Then Jesus said, “Don’t commit murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. 19Honor your father and mother,#19.19 Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20 and love your neighbor as you love yourself.”#19.19 Lev 19:18
20The young man replied, “I’ve kept all these. What am I still missing?”
21Jesus said, “If you want to be complete, go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come follow me.”
22But when the young man heard this, he went away saddened, because he had many possessions.
Teaching about giving up things
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I assure you that it will be very hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24In fact, it’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.”
25When his disciples heard this, they were stunned. “Then who can be saved?” they asked.
26Jesus looked at them carefully and said, “It’s impossible for human beings. But all things are possible for God.”
27Then Peter replied, “Look, we’ve left everything and followed you. What will we have?”
28Jesus said to them, “I assure you who have followed me that, when everything is made new, when the Human One#19.28 Or Son of Man sits on his magnificent throne, you also will sit on twelve thrones overseeing the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And all who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or farms because of my name will receive one hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last. And many who are last will be first.
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Matthew 19: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Matthew 19
19
1 NOW WHEN Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the part of Judea that is beyond the Jordan;
2 And great throngs accompanied Him, and He cured them there.
3 And Pharisees came to Him and put Him to the test by asking, Is it lawful and right to dismiss and repudiate and divorce one's wife for any and every cause?
4 He replied, Have you never read that He Who made them from the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be united firmly (joined inseparably) to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? [Gen. 1:27; 2:24.]
6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder (separate).
7 They said to Him, Why then did Moses command [us] to give a certificate of divorce and thus to dismiss and repudiate a wife? [Deut. 24:1-4.]
8 He said to them, Because of the hardness (stubbornness and perversity) of your hearts Moses permitted you to dismiss and repudiate and divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been so [ordained].
9 I say to you: whoever dismisses (repudiates, divorces) his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
10 The disciples said to Him, If the case of a man with his wife is like this, it is neither profitable nor advisable to marry.
11 But He said to them, Not all men can accept this saying, but it is for those to whom [the capacity to receive] it has been given.
12 For there are eunuchs who have been born incapable of marriage; and there are eunuchs who have been made so by men; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves incapable of marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him who is able to accept this accept it.
13 Then little children were brought to Jesus, that He might put His hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14 But He said, Leave the children alone! Allow the little ones to come to Me, and do not forbid or restrain or hinder them, for of such [as these] is the kingdom of heaven composed.
15 And He put His hands upon them, and then went on His way.
16 And behold, there came a man up to Him, saying, Teacher, what excellent and perfectly and essentially good deed must I do to possess eternal life? [Lev. 18:5.]
17 And He said to him, Why do you ask Me about the perfectly and essentially good? There is only One Who is good [perfectly and essentially]–God. If you would enter into the Life, you must continually keep the commandments.
18 He said to Him, What sort of commandments? [Or, which ones?] And Jesus answered, You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, [Exod. 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20.]
19 Honor your father and your mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. [Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39.]
20 The young man said, I have observed all these from my youth; what still do I lack?
21 Jesus answered him, If you would be perfect [that is, have that spiritual maturity which accompanies self-sacrificing character], go and sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; and come, be My disciple [side with My party and follow Me].
22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad (grieved and in much distress), for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus said to His disciples, Truly I say to you, it will be difficult for a rich man to get into 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 a rich man to go into the kingdom of heaven.
25 When the disciples heard this, they were utterly puzzled (astonished, bewildered), saying, Who then can be saved [from eternal death]?
26 But Jesus looked at them and said, With men this is impossible, but all things are possible with God. [Gen. 18:14; Job 42:2.]
27 Then Peter answered Him, saying, Behold, we have left [our] all and have become Your disciples [sided with Your party and followed You]. What then shall we receive?
28 Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, in the new age [the Messianic rebirth of the world], when the Son of Man shall sit down on the throne of His glory, you who have [become My disciples, sided with My party and] followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And anyone and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for My name's sake will receive many [even a hundred] times more and will inherit eternal life.
30 But many who [now] are first will be last [then], and many who [now] are last will be first [then].
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1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation