²⁴ Then God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. ²⁵ So God made the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that crawl on the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us^(A) make man^[a] in^[b] our image, according to our likeness.^(B) They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl^[c] on the earth.”^(C)

²⁸ God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth,^(E) and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”

The Line of Seth

5 This is the document containing the family^[a] records^(A) of Adam.^[b] On the day that God created man,^[c] he made him in the likeness of God; ² he created them male and female. When they were created, he blessed them and called them mankind.^[d]

³ Adam was 130 years old when he fathered a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. ⁴ Adam lived 800 years after he fathered Seth, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ⁵ So Adam’s life lasted 930 years; then he died.

¹⁸ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding^(A) to him.” ¹⁹ The Lord God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it.^(B) And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man^[a] no helper was found corresponding to him. ²¹ So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man,^(C) and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. ²² Then the Lord God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.^{(D) 23} And the man said:

²⁴ This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh.^{(F) 25} Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

The Question of Divorce

19 When Jesus had finished saying these things,^(A) he departed from Galilee and went to the region of Judea across the Jordan.^{(B) 2} Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.^{(C) 3} Some Pharisees approached him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?” ^(D)

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that he who created^[a] them in the beginning made them male and female,^{[b](E) 5} and he also said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?^{[c](F) 6} So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

⁷ “Why then,” they asked him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers^(G) and to send her away?”

⁸ He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not like that from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”^[d](H)

¹⁰ His disciples^(I) said to him, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry.”

¹¹ He responded, “Not everyone can accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given.^{(J) 12} For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs who were made by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept it should accept it.”

The Question of Divorce

10 He^(A) set out from there and went to the region of Judea^(B) and across the Jordan.^(C) Then crowds converged on him again, and as was his custom he taught^(D) them again.

² Some Pharisees^(E) came to test^(F) him, asking, “Is it lawful^(G) for a man to divorce^(H) his wife?” ^(I)

³ He replied to them, “What did Moses^(J) command you?”

⁴ They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers^(K) and send her away.”^(L)

⁵ But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts. ^{(M) 6} But from the beginning^(N) of creation^(O) God^[a] made them male and female.^{[b](P) 7} For this reason a man will leave ^(Q) his father and mother ^{[c] 8} and the two will become one flesh.^[d](R) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”^(S)

¹⁰ When they were in the house again, the disciples questioned him about this matter. ¹¹ He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife^(T) and marries^(U) another commits adultery^(V) against her. ¹² Also, if she divorces her husband^(W) and marries another, she commits adultery.”