New English Translation

Matthew 19:4-15 New English Translation (NET)

4. He answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female,

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’?

6. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

7. They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?”

8. Jesus said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, but from the beginning it was not this way.

9. Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”

10. The disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!”

11. He said to them, “Not everyone can accept this statement, except those to whom it has been given.

12. For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth, and some who were made eunuchs by others, and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”

13. Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded those who brought them.

14. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

15. And he placed his hands on them and went on his way.