1 N ow when Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the part of Judea that is beyond the Jordan;

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.

2 A nd great throngs accompanied Him, and He cured them there.

And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.

3 A nd Pharisees came to Him and put Him to the test by asking, Is it lawful and right to dismiss and repudiate and divorce one’s wife for any and every cause?

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

4 H e replied, Have you never read that He Who made them from the beginning made them male and female,

And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’

5 A nd said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be united firmly (joined inseparably) to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?

and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?

6 S o they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder (separate).

So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

7 T hey said to Him, Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and thus to dismiss and repudiate a wife?

They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

8 H e said to them, Because of the hardness (stubbornness and perversity) of your hearts Moses permitted you to dismiss and repudiate and divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been so.

He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

9 I say to you: whoever dismisses (repudiates, divorces) his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

10 T he disciples said to Him, If the case of a man with his wife is like this, it is neither profitable nor advisable to marry.

His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” Jesus Teaches on Celibacy

11 B ut He said to them, Not all men can accept this saying, but it is for those to whom it has been given.

But He said to them, “All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:

12 F or there are eunuchs who have been born incapable of marriage; and there are eunuchs who have been made so by men; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves incapable of marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him who is able to accept this accept it.

For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.” Jesus Blesses Little Children

13 T hen little children were brought to Jesus, that He might put His hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.

14 B ut He said, Leave the children alone! Allow the little ones to come to Me, and do not forbid or restrain or hinder them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven composed.

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

15 A nd He put His hands upon them, and then went on His way.

And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler

16 A nd behold, there came a man up to Him, saying, Teacher, what excellent and perfectly and essentially good deed must I do to possess eternal life?

Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”

17 A nd He said to him, Why do you ask Me about the perfectly and essentially good? There is only One Who is good —God. If you would enter into the Life, you must continually keep the commandments.

So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

18 H e said to Him, What sort of commandments? And Jesus answered, You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,

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 H onor your father and your mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

20 T he young man said, I have observed all these from my youth; what still do I lack?

The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”

21 J esus answered him, If you would be perfect '> have that spiritual maturity which accompanies self-sacrificing character], go and sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; and come, be My disciple.

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 B ut when the young man heard this, he went away sad (grieved and in much distress), for he had great possessions.

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. With God All Things Are Possible

23 A nd Jesus said to His disciples, Truly I say to you, it will be difficult for a rich man to get into the kingdom of heaven.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

24 A gain I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go into the kingdom of heaven.

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 the kingdom of God.”

25 W hen the disciples heard this, they were utterly puzzled (astonished, bewildered), saying, Who then can be saved '> from eternal death]?

When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

26 B ut Jesus looked at them and said, With men this is impossible, but all things are possible with God.

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

27 T hen Peter answered Him, saying, Behold, we have left all and have become Your disciples. What then shall we receive?

Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”

28 J esus said to them, Truly I say to you, in the new age '> Messianic rebirth of the world], when the Son of Man shall sit down on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

29 A nd anyone and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for My name’s sake will receive many times more and will inherit eternal life.

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

30 B ut many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

But many who are first will be last, and the last first.