aWhen Jesus
had finished
these
words
, He departed
from Galilee
and bcame
into the region
of Judea
beyond
the Jordan
;
and 1large crowds
followed
Him, and aHe healed
them there
.
Some Pharisees came
to 1Jesus, testing
Him and asking
, " aIs it lawful
for a man to 2divorce
his wife
for any
reason
at all
?"
And He answered and said
, "Have you not read
athat He who created
them from the beginning
MADE
THEM MALE
AND FEMALE
,
and said, ` aFOR THIS
REASON
A MAN
SHALL LEAVE
HIS FATHER
AND MOTHER
AND BE JOINED
TO HIS WIFE
, AND bTHE TWO
SHALL BECOME
ONE
FLESH
'?
"So they are no
longer
two
, but one
flesh
. What
therefore
God
has joined
together
, let no
man
separate
."
They *said to Him, " aWhy
then
did Moses
command
to GIVE
HER A CERTIFICATE
OF DIVORCE
AND SEND
her AWAY
?"
He *said to them, "Because
of your hardness
of heart
Moses
permitted
you to 1divorce
your wives
; but from the beginning
it has not been
this
way
.
"And I say to you, awhoever
1divorces
his wife
, except
for 2immorality
, and marries
another
woman
3commits
adultery
4."
The disciples *said
to Him, "If
the relationship
of the man
with his wife
is like
this
, it is better
not to marry
."
But He said to them, " aNot all
men
can accept
this
statement
, but bonly those to whom
it has been given
.
"For there are eunuchs who
were born
that way
from their mother's
womb
; and there are eunuchs
who
were made
eunuchs
by men
; and there are also eunuchs
who
made
themselves
eunuchs
for the sake
of the kingdom
of heaven
. He who is able
to accept
this, let him accept
it."
aThen some children
were brought
to Him so
that He might lay
His hands
on them and pray
; and the disciples
rebuked
them.
But Jesus said
, " 1 aLet
the children
alone
, and do not hinder
them from coming
to Me; for bthe kingdom
of heaven
belongs
to such
as these
."
After laying His hands
on them, He departed
from there
.
aAnd someone came
to Him and said
, "Teacher
, what
good
thing
shall I do
that I may obtain
beternal
life
?"
And He said to him, "Why
are you asking
Me about
what
is good
? There is only One
who is good
; but aif
you wish
to enter
into life
, keep
the commandments
."
Then he *said to Him, "Which
ones
?" And Jesus
said
, " aYOU SHALL NOT COMMIT
MURDER
; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT
ADULTERY
; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL
; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR
FALSE
WITNESS
;
aHONOR YOUR FATHER
AND MOTHER
; and bYOU SHALL LOVE
YOUR NEIGHBOR
AS YOURSELF
."
The young man
*said
to Him, "All
these
things
I have kept
; what
am
I still
lacking
?"
Jesus said
to him, "If
you wish
to be 1complete
, go
and asell
your possessions
and give
to the poor
, and you will have
btreasure
in heaven
; and come
, follow
Me."
But when the young man
heard
this
statement
, he went
away
grieving
; for he was one who owned
much
property
.
And Jesus said
to His disciples
, "Truly
I say
to you, ait is hard
for a rich
man
to enter
the kingdom
of heaven
.
"Again I say
to you, ait is easier
for a camel
to go through
the eye
of a needle
, than
for a rich
man
to enter
the kingdom
of God
."
When the disciples heard
this, they were very
astonished
and said
, "Then
who
can
be saved
?"
And looking at them Jesus
said
to them, " aWith people
this
is impossible
, but with God
all
things
are possible
."
Then Peter
said
to Him, "Behold
, we have left
everything
and followed
You; what
then
will there be for us?"
And Jesus said
to them, "Truly
I say
to you, that you who have followed
Me, in the regeneration
when
athe Son
of Man
will sit
on 1His glorious
throne
, byou also
shall sit
upon twelve
thrones
, judging
the twelve
tribes
of Israel
.
"And aeveryone who
has left
houses
or
brothers
or
sisters
or
father
or
mother
1or
children
or
farms
for My name's
sake
, will receive
2many
times
as much
, and will inherit
eternal
life
.
" aBut many who are first
will be last
; and the last
, first
.