Teaching on Divorce

1. And it happened, when Jesus had finished these words, He went from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
2. And great crowds followed Him, and He healed them there.
3. And some Pharisees came to Him, testing Him, and said, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for every reason?”
4. And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who made them from the beginning, made them male and female,
5. and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
6. Therefore, they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
7. They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?”
8. He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart, Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
9. And I say to you: Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”
10. The disciples said to Him, “If the case of the man with his wife is so, it is not good to marry.”
11. He said to them, “Not all can receive this word, but those to whom it is given.
12. For there are eunuchs who were born so from the womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

Blessing the Little Children

13. Then children were brought to Him that He might lay His hands on them and pray, and the disciples rebuked them.
14. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
15. And He laid His hands on them and went on from there.

The Rich Young Man

16. And behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
17. And He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? There is only One who is good, that is God. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18. He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,
19. Honour your father and your mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
20. The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept. What am I still lacking?”
21. Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
22. But when the young man heard this word, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23. And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24. 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. When the disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
26. And Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

The Reward of Following Jesus

27. Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You. What then shall we have?”
28. And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon 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 shall be first.”