Matthew 19
Teaching About Divorce
Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from aGalilee and bentered cthe region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And alarge crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 And Pharisees came up to him and atested him by asking, b“Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, a“Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, a‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and bthe two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. aWhat therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to him, a“Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your ahardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 aAnd I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”
10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But he said to them, a“Not everyone can receive this saying, but only bthose to cwhom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs afor the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”
Let the Children Come to Me
13 aThen children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples brebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, a“Let the little children bcome to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.
The Rich Young Man
16 aAnd behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to bhave ceternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. aIf you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, a“You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, aYou shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, a“All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be aperfect, go, bsell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have ctreasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 aWhen the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, aonly with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 aAgain I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter bthe kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus alooked at them and said, b“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, awe have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, awhen the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me bwill also sit on twelve thrones, cjudging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 aAnd everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will binherit eternal life. 30 But amany who are bfirst will be last, and the last first.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.