The Question of Divorce

19 When Jesus had finished this instruction, x He departed from Galilee and went to the region of Judea across the Jordan. y 2 Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there. z 3 Some * Pharisees approached Him to test Him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?” a

4 “Haven’t you read,” He replied, “that He who created b them in the beginning made them male and female,” c d 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? e f

6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not 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 And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” h i

10 His disciples j said to Him, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry!”

11 But He told them, “Not everyone can accept this saying, but only those it has been given k to. 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. Let anyone accept this who can.”