Matthew 19

¹And it happened that when Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee and came into the regions of Judea across the Jordan. ²And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

³And some Pharisees approached him to test him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to release his wife for any cause at all?”

⁴But he answered and said, “Have you not read that the Creator from the beginning ‘made them male and female’ ⁵and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined fast to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? ⁶So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has yoked together, let no human separate.”

⁷They said to him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of abandonment and release her?”

⁸He said to them, “Moses allowed you to release your wives because of your hardheartedness, but it has not been this way from the beginning. ⁹And I tell you: whoever releases his wife—except for sexual unfaithfulness—and marries another, commits adultery.”

¹⁰The disciples said to him, “If such is the legal case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹But he said to them, “Not everyone can make room for this word, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹²For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by people, and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of the heavens. Let the one who is able to make room for this, make room for it.”

¹³Then little children were brought to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. ¹⁴But Jesus said, “Let the little children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to me, for the kingdom of the heavens belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵And after laying his hands on them, he went on from there.

¹⁶And look, a certain man approached him and said, “Teacher, what good thing should I do so that I may have eternal life?”

¹⁷And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? One is the good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

¹⁸He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “These: ‘You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

²⁰The young man said to him, “I have kept all these things. What do I still lack?”

²¹Jesus said to him, “If you want to be complete, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in the heavens; then come, follow me.”

²²When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many estates.

²³Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, I tell you: it is with difficulty that a rich person will enter the kingdom of the heavens. ²⁴Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁵When the disciples heard this, they were utterly secondary-shocked, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁶But Jesus looked straight at them and said, “With humans this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

²⁷Then Peter answered and said to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will there be for us?”

²⁸Jesus said to them, “Amen, I tell you: in the Great Restoration, when the Son of Man sits on his throne of glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”