Some Pharisees approached him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?” (A)

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that he who created[a] them in the beginning made them male and female,[b](B) 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](C) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

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

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. I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”[d](E)

10 His disciples(F) 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.(G) 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.”

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Footnotes

  1. 19:4 Other mss read made
  2. 19:4 Gn 1:27; 5:2
  3. 19:5 Gn 2:24
  4. 19:9 Other mss add Also whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery; Mt 5:32

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