Gospel according to Matthew 19

¹ Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and he left Galilee and came into the part of Judaea which is on the far side of the Jordan.

² Large crowds followed him and he healed them there.

³ Some Pharisees approached him, and to test him they said, ‘Is it against the Law for a man to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?’

⁴ He answered, ‘Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female

⁵ and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body?

⁶ They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide’.

⁷ They said to him, ‘Then why did Moses command that a writ of dismissal should be given in cases of divorce?’

⁸ ‘It was because you were so unteachable’ he said ‘that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning.

⁹ Now I say this to you: the man who divorces his wife – I am not speaking of fornication – and marries another, is guilty of adultery.’

¹⁰ The disciples said to him, ‘If that is how things are between husband and wife, it is not advisable to marry’.

¹¹ But he replied, ‘It is not everyone who can accept what I have said, but only those to whom it is granted.

¹² There are eunuchs born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs made so by men and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.’

¹³ People brought little children to him, for him to lay his hands on them and say a prayer. The disciples turned them away,

¹⁴ but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children alone, and do not stop them coming to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs’.

¹⁵ Then he laid his hands on them and went on his way.

¹⁶ And there was a man who came to him and asked, ‘Master, what good deed must I do to possess eternal life?’

¹⁷ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is one alone who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’

¹⁸ He said, ‘Which?’ ‘These:’ Jesus replied ‘You must not kill. You must not commit adultery. You must not bring false witness.

¹⁹ Honour your father and mother, and: you must love your neighbour as yourself'[*a]

²⁰ The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these. What more do I need to do?’

²¹ Jesus said, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me’.

²² But when the young man heard these words he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you solemnly, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

²⁴ Yes, I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.’

²⁵ When the disciples heard this they were astonished. ‘Who can be saved, then?’ they said.

²⁶ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he told them ‘this is impossible; for God everything is possible.’

²⁷ Then Peter spoke. ‘What about us?’ he said to him ‘We have left everything and followed you. What are we to have, then?’

²⁸ Jesus said to him, ‘I tell you solemnly, when all is made new and the Son of Man sits on his throne of glory, you will yourselves sit on twelve thrones to judge[*b] the twelve tribes of Israel.

²⁹ And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or land for the sake of my name will be repaid a hundred times over, and also inherit eternal life.

³⁰ ‘Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.