⁶ “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’^{[a](A) 7} ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,^{[b] 8} and the two will become one flesh.’^[c](B) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

The Little Children and Jesus^(A)

¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.^{(B) 15} Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”^{(C) 16} And he took the children in his arms,^(D) placed his hands on them and blessed them.