Matthäus 19,28 | New International Reader’s Version

Jesus teaches about divorce

1 When Jesus finished saying these things, he left Galilee. He went into the area of Judea on the other side of the River Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him. He healed them there. 3 Some Pharisees came to test Jesus. They asked, ‘Does the Law allow a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?’ 4 Jesus replied, ‘Haven’t you read that in the beginning the Creator “made them male and female”? 5 He said, “That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The two will become one.” 6 They are no longer two, but one. So no one should separate what God has joined together.’ 7 They asked, ‘Then why did Moses command that a man can give his wife a letter of divorce and send her away?’ 8 Jesus replied, ‘Moses let you divorce your wives because you were stubborn. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 Here is what I tell you. Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery. A man may divorce his wife only if she has not been faithful to him.’ 10 Here is what the disciples said to him. ‘If that’s the way it is between a husband and wife, it is better not to get married.’ 11 Jesus replied, ‘Not everyone can accept the idea of staying single. Only those who have been helped to live without getting married can accept it. 12 Some men are not able to have children because they were born that way. Some have been made that way by other people. Others have chosen to live that way in order to serve the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.’

Little children are brought to Jesus

13 Some people brought little children to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on the children and pray for them. But the disciples told them not to do it. 14 Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me. Don’t keep them away. The kingdom of heaven belongs to people like them.’ 15 Jesus placed his hands on them to bless them. Then he went on from there.

Rich people and the kingdom of God

16 Just then, a man came up to Jesus. He asked, ‘Teacher, what good thing must I do to receive eternal life?’ 17 ‘Why do you ask me about what is good?’ Jesus replied. ‘There is only one who is good. If you want to enter the kingdom, obey the commandments.’ 18 ‘Which ones?’ the man asked. Jesus said, ‘ “Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not be a false witness. 19 Honour your father and mother.” And “love your neighbour as you love yourself.” ’ 20 ‘I have obeyed all those commandments,’ the young man said. ‘What else do I need to do?’ 21 Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go and sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.’ 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad. He was very rich. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. It is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. But it is even harder for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ 25 When the disciples heard this, they were really amazed. They asked, ‘Then who can be saved?’ 26 Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With people, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible.’ 27 Peter answered him, ‘We have left everything to follow you! What reward will be given to us?’ 28 ‘What I’m about to tell you is true,’ Jesus said to them. ‘When all things are made new, the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne. Then you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones. You will judge the 12 tribes of Israel. 29 Suppose anyone has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, husband or wife, children or fields because of me. Anyone who has done that will receive 100 times as much. They will also receive eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last. And many who are last will be first.

English Standard Version

Teaching About Divorce

1 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 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’? 6 So 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 one 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 such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. 12 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.”

Let the Children Come to Me

13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.

The Rich Young Man

16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 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.” 18 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, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 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.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 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.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 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. 29 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. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Matthäus 19,28 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version