Matthew 19: Marriage, the children, and the rich young man
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Greek. How to read a study
What happens?
Jesus leaves Galilee, and Pharisees test him with a question about divorce, which he answers from "the beginning" and from Moses. He speaks about eunuchs, welcomes little children, and answers a young man who asks how to have eternal life. After the man goes away sad, Jesus speaks about the rich and the Kingdom, and answers Peter's question about what the disciples will have.
Who is speaking?
No verse is in gold. The narrator tells the story. The Pharisees speak in verses 3 and 7, and the disciples in verses 10 and 25. A young man speaks in verses 16, 18 and 20, and Peter in verse 27. Jesus speaks in verses 4 to 6, 8 to 9, 11 to 12, 14, 17 to 19, 21, 23 to 24, 26 and 28 to 30. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1When Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan.
In plain English: When Jesus had finished these words, he left Galilee and came into the borders of Judea, beyond the Jordan.
Good to know: The words "beyond the Jordan" stand right after "Judea" with no word between them. They can be read as saying where in Judea he came (the part across the Jordan), or as a second place he came to. reads "into the borders of Judea and beyond the Jordan".
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2Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.
In plain English: Great crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
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3Pharisees came to him, testing him and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
In plain English: Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?"
The Greek word: "Reason" is aitia. The dictionary gives "a cause (as if asked for), i.e. (logical) reason (motive, matter), (legal) crime (alleged or proved)".
How it is translated: It is in 3 verses of Matthew: this one, verse 10 (where the World English Bible prints "case") and . The World English Bible prints "reason" in this verse.
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4He answered, “Haven’t you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,
In plain English: He answered, "Have you not read that the one who made them from the beginning made them male and female,
Good to know: Jesus's words "made them male and female" are close to : "male and female he created them."
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5and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh’?
In plain English: and 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'?
Good to know: These words are close to : "Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh." In Genesis these words are in the story itself. In Matthew, Jesus says that the one who made them "said" them.
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6So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.”
In plain English: So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What God has joined together, let no one (literally: man) separate."
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7They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce and divorce her?”
In plain English: They said to him, "Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?"
Good to know: is about a man who writes his wife "a certificate of divorce, put it in her hand, and send her out of his house". The Pharisees say Moses "commanded" this, and in verse 8 Jesus says Moses "allowed" it.
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8He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so.
In plain English: He said to them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
The Greek word: "Hardness of your hearts" is sklerokardia, "hard-heartedness". It is in 3 verses of the New Testament: this one, and . The World English Bible prints "hardness" in all 3.
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9I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.”
In plain English: I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery. And whoever marries a woman who has been divorced commits adultery."
The Greek word: "Sexual immorality" is porneia. The dictionary gives "harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry". "Commits adultery" is a different word, moichao, "to commit adultery".
How it is translated: Porneia is in 3 verses of Matthew (, and this one), and in 25 verses of the New Testament. The World English Bible prints a word beginning "sexual" in every one. In 15:19 the two words are in one list: "adulteries, sexual sins".
Good to know: The word porneia covers a range, and the verse does not say which part of it Jesus means. It names it as the one exception.
Church tradition: Churches read this verse in different ways. The text says what is in the verse. has a close saying with the same exception. and have the saying without the words "except for sexual immorality".
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10His disciples said to him, “If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.”
In plain English: His disciples said to him, "If this is how it is between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry."
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11But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given.
In plain English: But he said to them, "Not everyone can receive this saying, only those to whom it has been given.
Good to know: "This saying" can point back to the disciples' words in verse 10, or to what Jesus said in verses 4 to 9, or forward to verse 12. The text does not say which.
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12For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”
In plain English: For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by people, and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let the one who is able to receive it receive it."
The Greek word: "Eunuchs" is eunouchos. The dictionary gives "a castrated person (such being employed in Oriental bed-chambers); by extension an impotent or unmarried man; by implication, a chamberlain (state-officer)". It is in 1 verse of Matthew, this one, and in 6 verses of the New Testament. The World English Bible prints "eunuch*" in all 6.
What changes: Read as men who cannot father children, the third kind are men who made themselves so for the Kingdom of Heaven. Read as men who do not marry, they are men who chose not to marry for the Kingdom. The word covers both, and the verse does not say which.
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13Then little children were brought to him that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.
In plain English: Then little children were brought to him so that he would lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them.
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14But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.”
In plain English: But Jesus said, "Let the little children be, and do not stop them from coming to me, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these."
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15He laid his hands on them, and departed from there.
In plain English: He laid his hands on them and went on from there.
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16Behold, one came to him and said, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”
In plain English: A man came to him and said, "Good teacher, what good thing shall I do so that I may have eternal life?"
Good to know: Matthew's man asks "what good thing shall I do". and have him ask "what shall I do".
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17He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
In plain English: He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."
Good to know: and have Jesus say "Why do you call me good?" and "No one is good except one", with God named as that one.
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18He said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not offer false testimony.’
In plain English: The man said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder.' 'You shall not commit adultery.' 'You shall not steal.' 'You shall not give false testimony.'
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19‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
In plain English: 'Honor your father and your mother.' And, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Good to know: The commandments Jesus names are in ("You shall not murder"), (adultery), (steal), (false testimony) and ("Honor your father and your mother"). "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" is in . Matthew lists the honoring of father and mother after the others.
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20The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?”
In plain English: The young man said to him, "I have kept all these things from my youth. What do I still lack?"
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21Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
In plain English: Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect (or: complete), go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
The Greek word: "Perfect" is teleios, which the dictionary gives as "complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.)".
How it is translated: It is in 2 verses of Matthew, and the World English Bible prints "perfect" in both: this one and .
What changes: Read as "perfect", Jesus names a standard. Read as "complete", he names what the man still lacks, which is what the man asked in verse 20.
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22But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.
In plain English: When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had many possessions.
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23Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty.
In plain English: Jesus said to his disciples, "Most certainly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
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24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”
In plain English: Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into God's Kingdom."
Good to know: In verse 23 Jesus says "the Kingdom of Heaven", and in this verse, in the saying that follows, "God's Kingdom".
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25When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
In plain English: When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished, and said, "Who then can be saved?"
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26Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
In plain English: Jesus looked at them and said, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
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27Then Peter answered, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”
In plain English: Then Peter answered him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?"
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28Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
In plain English: Jesus said to them, "Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration (a word for new birth or renewal), when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Greek word: "Regeneration" is palingenesia. The dictionary gives "(spiritual) rebirth (the state or the act), i.e. (figuratively) spiritual renovation; specially, Messianic restoration".
How it is translated: It is in 2 verses of the New Testament, this one and . The World English Bible prints "regeneration" in both.
What changes: The words "in the regeneration" can go with "you who have followed me" (those who followed him in that time) or with what comes after ("in the regeneration ... you also will sit on twelve thrones"). The text does not say which. The verse also does not say when the Son of Man sits on his throne.
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29Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life.
In plain English: Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundred times as much, and will inherit eternal life.
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30But many will be last who are first, and first who are last.
In plain English: But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."
Good to know: has a like saying, "So the last will be first, and the first last."
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