Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from
Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And
large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it
lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you
not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male
and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and
his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one
flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God
has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to him, “Why
then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to
send her away?” 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. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for
sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”
The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his
wife, it is better not to marry.” But he said to them, “Not
everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is
given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there
are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are
eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the
kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive
it.”
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on
them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said,
“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to
such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them
and went away.
And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good
deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do
you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If
you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him,
“Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not
commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false
witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have
kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be
perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you
will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young
man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great
possessions.
And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with
difficulty will a rich person 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 the kingdom of God.” When
the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying,
“Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With
man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then
Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed
you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to
you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious
throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 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 a hundredfold and will
inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the
last first.
