Matthew 19:1-21
Questions About Divorce
19:1 Now when Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River.
19:2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
19:3 Then some Pharisees came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful to divorce a wife for any cause?”
19:4 He answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female,
19:5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?
19:6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
19:7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?”
19:8 Jesus said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, but from the beginning it was not this way.
19:9 Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”
19:10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!”
19:11 He said to them, “Not everyone can accept this statement, except those to whom it has been given.
19:12 For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth, and some who were made eunuchs by others, and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”
Jesus and Little Children
19:13 Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded those who brought them.
19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
19:15 And he placed his hands on them and went on his way.
The Rich Young Man
19:16 Now someone came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?”
19:17 He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
19:18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,
19:19 honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.”
19:20 The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws. What do I still lack?”
19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”