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Chapter 20 - Marriage, Divorce, And Celibacy
1. It happened that after Jmmanuel had concluded these talks, he departed from Galilee and entered the land of Judea beyond the Jordan.
2. Many people followed him, and he healed the sick there.
3. The Pharisees approached him and tempted him by asking, "Is it right for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?"
4. He answered, saying, "Truly, I say to you, stars would sooner fall from the sky than for divorce to be permissible.
5. "Truly, a person will leave father and mother for the sake of marriage and will cling to their spouse, so as to become one flesh and blood.
6. "So they are now no longer two, but one flesh and blood, which is uniquely theirs.
7. "From one flesh and blood they bring forth offspring, who again are of the same flesh and blood as their father and mother.
8. "What has been joined together in this way, man shall not part, because it is against the laws of nature."
9. Then they asked, "Why did Moses command that a decree of annulment be issued in case of divorce?"
10. He spoke to them, "Moses gave you permission to divorce because of the hardness of your hearts and his dominion over you. But such has not been the case from the beginning of humankind, for Moses has broken a Law in this instance.
11. "But I say to you, whosoever divorces, except for fornication or the other stipulated transgressions, and marries someone else, commits adultery."
12. And the disciples said to him, "lf this is the way it is between a man and his spouse, then it is not good to marry.”
13. But he spoke to them, "Not everyone understands this message, except those to whom it is given.
14. "Some do not enter into marriage because from the time of their birth they are incapable of it; some do not enter marriage because other people have made them unsuited for it; and still others do not enter marriage because they renounce it for the sake of spiritual strength.
15. "Those who can grasp this, let them grasp it."
Blessing Of The Children
16. Then children were brought to him, so that he would lay his hands on them and bless them, but the disciples rebuked them.