TheSacredScripture.org: Matthew 19

1 And it came··to··pass, when Jesus had finished these^◦ words, He departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judea, across the Jordan.

2 And many crowds followed Him; and He cured them there.

3 And the Pharisees came to Him, tempting Him, and saying to Him, Is it permitted^▵ for a man to send away his wife for every cause?

4 And^◦ He answering said^◦ to them, Have you not read that He who made them from the beginning made them male and female,¹

5 and said^◦, On this account shall a man leave^◦ father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one^◦ flesh?²

6 So they are no··longer two, but one^◦ flesh. What, therefore, God has joined··together³, let not^◦ man put··asunder⁴.

7 They say unto Him, Why then^◦ did Moses command to give a document of divorce, and to send· her ·away?⁵

8 He says to them, Moses, because of your hard-heartedness, permitted you to send away your wives; but^◦ from the beginning it was not so.

9 And^◦ I say unto you that whoever shall send··away his wife, except over scortation, and shall marry another, commits··adultery; and he who marries her who is sent··away commits··adultery.

10 His disciples say to Him, If the case of the man be so with the wife, it··is· not ·expedient to wed.

11 But^◦ He said^◦ to them, All do not take··in^◦ this word, but they⁶ to whom it is given.

12 For there are eunuchs who were so born from the mother’s womb^◦; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of the heavens. He who is able to take· it ·in^◦, let him take· it ·in^◦.

13 Then were there brought··to Him little··children, that^◦ He should lay· His hands ·on them, and pray; but^◦ the disciples rebuked them.

14 But^◦ Jesus said, Let the little children come to Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of the heavens.

15 And laying· hands ·on them, He went thence.

16 And behold^◦, one coming said to Him, Good^◦ Teacher, what good shall I do that I may have eternal life?

17 And^◦ He said to him, Why callest thou Me good? None is good except One, God; but^◦ if thou willest to enter into the life, keep the commandments.

18 He says to Him, Which? And^◦ Jesus said, This, that thou shalt not murder, thou shalt not commit··adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness,

19 honor thy father and mother⁷; and, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself⁸.

20 The young man says to Him, All these things have I guarded from my youth; in what am I yet lacking?

21 Jesus declared^◦ to him, If thou willest to be perfect, go^◦, sell thy belongings, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come^▵, follow Me.

22 But^◦ when the young··man heard the word, he went··away^◦ sorrowful; for^◦ he had many possessions.

23 And^◦ Jesus said to His disciples, Amen I say to you that with··difficulty shall a rich man enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

24 And^◦ again, I say to you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich··man to enter into the kingdom of God.

25 And^◦ when His disciples heard it, they wondered greatly^◦, saying, Who^◦ then can be saved?

26 But^◦ Jesus looking··at them said to them, With men this is impossible; but^◦ with God all things are possible.

27 Then Peter answering said to Him, Behold^◦, we have left all and followed Thee; what then^◦ shall we have?

28 And^◦ Jesus said^◦ to them, Amen I say to you, that you who have followed Me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

29 And everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life.

30 But^◦ many who are first shall be last, and the last first.

¹Genesis 1:27

²Genesis 2:24

³literally, “yoked”; the Latin word for marriage, conjugium, also means “yoked together.”

⁴The Greek word for “put asunder” is related to the word “chasm,” thus a complete break and not just a separation (see CL 234-270, 276).

⁵Deuteronomy 24:1-4

⁶as in AC 2740

⁷Exodus 20:12-16

⁸Leviticus 19:18

The Sacred Scripture

Matthew 19