Questions About Divorce

19:1 Now when1 Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River.2 19:2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

19:3 Then some Pharisees3 came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful4 to divorce a wife for any cause?”5 19:4 He answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female,6 19:5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?7 19:6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 19:7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?”8 19:8 Jesus9 said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts,10 but from the beginning it was not this way. 19:9 Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery.” 19:10 The11 disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!” 19:11 He12 said to them, “Not everyone can accept this statement, except those to whom it has been given. 19:12 For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth,13 and some who were made eunuchs14 by others,15 and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”