Matthew 19

1When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.

2Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

3Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?”

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

5and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?

6So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

7They said to him, “Why then did Moses command a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

8He said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But from the beginning it was not this way.

9I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

10His disciples said to him, “If this is how things are between a husband and his wife, it is better not to marry.”

11He said to them, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it has been given.

12For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this should accept it.”

13Then little children were brought to him so that he would lay his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

14But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like these.”

15After laying his hands on them, he went on from there.

16Just then a man came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?”

17He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

18“Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus said, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,

19honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.”

20The young man said to him, “I have kept all these. What do I still lack?”

21Jesus told him, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.

24Again 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.”

25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Then who can be saved?”

26Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

27Then Peter answered him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will there be for us?”

28Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, 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.

29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.