Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
Matthew 19
Marriage and Divorce
When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Pharisees came to test him and asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?” He answered, “Have you not read that the Creator from the beginning ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no human separate.” They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of divorce and send her away?” He told them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”
Marriage, Singleness, and the Kingdom
The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by people, and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who can receive this receive it.”
Jesus Welcomes Children
Then children were brought to Jesus so that he might lay his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” He laid his hands on them and left there.
A Rich Man Asks About Life
And look—a man came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?” He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? One is good. But if you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” He asked, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother; and love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “I have kept all these. What do I still lack?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be complete, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving because he had many possessions.
Wealth and the Kingdom
Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God's kingdom.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With human beings this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Leaving and Receiving
Then Peter answered him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or fields because of my name will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.