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Pharisees came to him, testing him and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”

He answered, “Haven’t you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,Genesis 1:27 and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?’Genesis 2:24 So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.”

They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce and divorce her?”

He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so. I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.”

10 His disciples said to him, “If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.”

11 But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

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Some Pharisees came to [a]Jesus, testing Him and [b]asking, “(A)Is it lawful for a man to [c]divorce his wife for any reason at all?” And He answered and said, “Have you not read (B)that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘(C)For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and (D)the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no person is to separate.” They *said to Him, “(E)Why, then, did Moses command to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away?” He *said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to [d]divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. And I say to you, (F)whoever [e]divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman [f]commits adultery[g].”

10 The disciples *said to Him, “If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.” 11 But He said to them, (G)Not all men can accept this statement, but (H)only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by people; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this, let him accept it.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:3 Lit Him
  2. Matthew 19:3 Lit saying
  3. Matthew 19:3 Lit send away
  4. Matthew 19:8 Lit send away
  5. Matthew 19:9 Lit sends away
  6. Matthew 19:9 One early ms makes her commit adultery
  7. Matthew 19:9 One early ms adds and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery