Matthew 19
The Voice
19 After Jesus had finished His teaching about forgiveness, He left Galilee and He went to the section of Judea on the other side of the Jordan River. 2 Large crowds followed Him, and when He got to Judea, He set about healing them.
The religious leaders who are eyeing the crowds and watching the healings decide it is again time to try to trip up Jesus.
3 So some Pharisees approached Jesus and asked Him this tricky question about divorce:
Pharisees: Is it ever lawful for a man to divorce his wife?
Jesus: 4 Haven’t you read that in the beginning God created humanity male and female?[a] Don’t you remember what the story of our creation tells us about marriage? 5 “For this reason, a man will leave his mother and father and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”[b] 6 If a husband and wife are one flesh, how can they divorce? Divorce would be a bloody amputation, would it not? “What God has brought together, let no man separate.”
Pharisees: 7 Why did Moses explain that if a man leaves his wife, then he must give her a certificate of divorce and send her away, free and clear of him?
Jesus: 8 Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But divorce was an innovation, an accommodation to a fallen world. There was no divorce at creation. 9 Listen, friends: if you leave your wife, unless there is adultery, and then marry another woman, you yourself are committing adultery. Only if there is adultery can you divorce your wife.
Why? Because adultery itself is the divorce. Adultery is the thing that breaks the bond of marriage. Just as an excommunication merely recognizes the fact that someone has already been removed from the people, a divorce merely legalizes what harlotry has created. But should someone leave his wife for any other reason—because he has nothing to say to her, because she continually burns his food, because she is profligate with the household resources, because he simply cannot stand the sight of her—this is outside of the message Jesus offers here. If we behave as if a marriage has been undone—indeed, some may believe that a marriage has been undone—then we are deluding ourselves. In the eyes of God, the marriage bonds still hold a man to his wife.
Disciples: 10 If this is how it is, then it is better to avoid marrying in the first place.
Jesus: 11 Not everyone can hear this teaching, only those to whom it has been given. 12 Some people do not marry, of course. Some people are eunuchs because they are born that way, others have been made eunuchs by men, and others have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Anyone who can embrace that call should do so.
13 At this, some of Jesus’ followers brought their children before Jesus; they wanted Him to place His hands on the children and pray for them. Some of the disciples, mistakenly thinking that Jesus wouldn’t want to be bothered with the likes of children, began to rebuke the crowd.
Jesus: 14 Let the little children come to Me; do not get in their way. For the kingdom of heaven belongs to children like these.
15 He laid His hands on them, He prayed with them, and then He left that spot and went elsewhere. 16 Then a young man came up to Jesus.
Young Man: Teacher, what good deed can I do to assure myself eternal life?
Jesus: 17 Strange that you should ask Me what is good. There is only One who is good. If you want to participate in His divine life, obey the Commandments.
Young Man: 18 Which Commandments in particular?
Jesus: Well, to begin with, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.[c]
Young Man: 20 I’ve kept those Commandments faithfully. What else do I need to do?
Jesus can see the man wants to know how to participate in God’s reality, and He knows his shoulders will sag under the weight of the next hard instruction.
Jesus: 21 If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give all your money to the poor; then you will have treasure in heaven. And then come, follow Me.
22 The young man went away sad because he was very wealthy indeed.
Jesus: 23 This is the truth: it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Yes, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
25 The disciples, hearing this, were stunned.
Disciples: Who then can be saved?
Jesus: 26 People cannot save themselves. But with God, all things are possible.
Peter: 27 You just told that man to leave everything and follow You. Well, all of us have done just that. So what should we be expecting?
Jesus: 28 I tell you this. When creation is consummated and all things are renewed, when the Son of Man sits on His throne in glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on thrones. There will be twelve thrones, and you will sit and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 You who have left your house and your fields, or your brothers and sisters, or your father and mother, or even your children in order to follow Me, at that time when all is renewed, you will receive so much more: you will receive 100 times what you gave up. You will inherit eternal life. 30 Many of those who are the first will be last, and those who are the last will be first.
Mateo 19
Nueva Versión Internacional (Castilian)
El divorcio(A)
19 Cuando Jesús acabó de decir estas cosas, salió de Galilea y se fue a la región de Judea, al otro lado del Jordán. 2 Lo siguieron grandes multitudes, y sanó allí a los enfermos.
3 Algunos fariseos se le acercaron y, para ponerlo a prueba, le preguntaron:
―¿Está permitido que un hombre se divorcie de su esposa por cualquier motivo?
4 ―¿No habéis leído —replicó Jesús— que en el principio el Creador “los hizo hombre y mujer”,[a] 5 y dijo: “Por eso dejará el hombre a su padre y a su madre, y se unirá a su esposa, y los dos llegarán a ser un solo cuerpo”?[b] 6 Así que ya no son dos, sino uno solo. Por tanto, lo que Dios ha unido, que no lo separe el hombre.
7 Le replicaron:
―¿Por qué, entonces, mandó Moisés que un hombre le diera a su esposa un certificado de divorcio y la despidiera?
8 ―Moisés os permitió divorciaros de vuestras esposas por lo obstinados que sois[c] —respondió Jesús—. Pero no fue así desde el principio. 9 Os digo que, excepto en caso de infidelidad conyugal, el que se divorcia de su esposa, y se casa con otra, comete adulterio.
10 ―Si tal es la situación entre esposo y esposa —comentaron los discípulos—, es mejor no casarse.
11 ―No todos pueden comprender este asunto —respondió Jesús—, sino solo aquellos a quienes se les ha concedido entenderlo. 12 Pues algunos son eunucos porque nacieron así; a otros los hicieron así los hombres; y otros se han hecho así por causa del reino de los cielos. El que pueda aceptar esto, que lo acepte.
Jesús y los niños(B)
13 Llevaron unos niños a Jesús para que les impusiera las manos y orara por ellos, pero los discípulos reprendían a quienes los llevaban.
14 Jesús dijo: «Dejad que los niños vengan a mí, y no se lo impidáis, porque el reino de los cielos es de quienes son como ellos». 15 Después de poner las manos sobre ellos, se fue de allí.
El joven rico(C)
16 Sucedió que un hombre se acercó a Jesús y le preguntó:
―Maestro, ¿qué es lo bueno que debo hacer para obtener la vida eterna?
17 ―¿Por qué me preguntas sobre lo que es bueno?[d] —respondió Jesús—. Solamente hay uno que es bueno. Si quieres entrar en la vida, obedece los mandamientos.
18 ―¿Cuáles? —preguntó el hombre.
Contestó Jesús:
―“No mates, no cometas adulterio, no robes, no presentes falso testimonio, 19 honra a tu padre y a tu madre”,[e] y “ama a tu prójimo como a ti mismo”.[f]
20 ―Todos esos los he cumplido[g] —dijo el joven—. ¿Qué más me falta?
21 ―Si quieres ser perfecto, anda, vende lo que tienes y dáselo a los pobres, y tendrás tesoro en el cielo. Luego ven y sígueme.
22 Cuando el joven oyó esto, se fue triste, porque tenía muchas riquezas.
23 ―Os aseguro —comentó Jesús a sus discípulos— que es difícil para un rico entrar en el reino de los cielos. 24 De hecho, le resulta más fácil a un camello pasar por el ojo de una aguja que a un rico entrar en el reino de Dios.
25 Al oír esto, los discípulos quedaron desconcertados y decían:
―En ese caso, ¿quién podrá salvarse?
26 ―Para los hombres es imposible —aclaró Jesús, mirándolos fijamente—, mas para Dios todo es posible.
27 ―¡Mira, nosotros lo hemos dejado todo por seguirte! —le reclamó Pedro—. ¿Y qué ganamos con eso?
28 ―Os aseguro —respondió Jesús— que, en la renovación de todas las cosas, cuando el Hijo del hombre se siente en su trono glorioso, vosotros que me habéis seguido os sentaréis también en doce tronos para gobernar a las doce tribus de Israel. 29 Y todo el que por mi causa haya dejado casas, hermanos, hermanas, padre, madre,[h] hijos o terrenos recibirá cien veces más y heredará la vida eterna. 30 Pero muchos de los primeros serán últimos, y muchos de los últimos serán primeros.
Footnotes
- 19:4 Gn 1:27
- 19:5 Gn 2:24
- 19:8 por lo obstinados que sois. Lit. por vuestra dureza de corazón.
- 19:17 ¿Por qué me preguntas sobre lo que es bueno? Var. ¿Por qué me llamas bueno?
- 19:19 Éx 20:12-16; Dt 5:16-20
- 19:19 Lv 19:18
- 19:20 cumplido. Var. cumplido desde mi juventud.
- 19:29 madre. Var. madre, esposa.
Matthew 19
New Catholic Bible
The Coming of the Son of Man[a]
The Ministry in Judea and Jerusalem
Chapter 19
Marriage and Celibacy.[b] 1 When Jesus had finished this discourse, he left Galilee and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 Some Pharisees came forward and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason whatsoever?” 4 He replied, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ 5 and said: ‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two become one flesh’? 6 And 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 that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 He replied, “It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. 9 Now I say to you: if a man divorces his wife for any reason except if the marriage was unlawful and marries another, he commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to him, “If that is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 He replied, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been made so from birth and eunuchs who were made so by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let those accept this who can do so.”[c]
13 Jesus Receives Little Children.[d] Then people brought children to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. For it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” 15 And after he had laid his hands on them he proceeded on his way.
16 The Rich Young Man.[e] Then a man came forward and asked him, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to achieve eternal life?” 17 He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said, “Which ones?” And Jesus answered, “You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. 19 Honor your father and your mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.”
20 The young man said to him, “I have observed all these. Is there anything more I must do?” 21 Jesus replied, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away grieving, for he possessed great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, I say to you, it will be difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were astonished, and they asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”
27 Reward for Following Jesus.[f] Then Peter said in reply, “We have given up everything to follow you. What then will there be for us?” 28 Jesus replied, “Amen, I say to you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
Footnotes
- Matthew 19:1 A new series of incidents, followed by a great discourse on the end of the world, make up the fifth part of the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus now goes to Judea, location of the official religion.
- Matthew 19:1 The interpreters of the Law thought up many subtle ways of making divorce easy; they lacked understanding of the essential point. Jesus’ purpose is to recover the purity of the original state and the will of the Creator himself for the human race. He could not allow the unity of the couple to be at the mercy of circumstances, since this unity had been asserted by God as a call inherent in the very condition of man and woman (see Gen 2:24).
Did the rule admit exceptions? The phrase in v. 9: “except if the marriage was unlawful,” has been the subject of much debate (on this point see what was said at Mt 5:32). In the Judaism of that age, not to marry seemed something repugnant and almost a crime; not to have a posterity seemed a punishment; however, some religious sects did practice voluntary continence. John and Jesus had renounced marriage in order to live solely for their mission of proclaiming the kingdom of God. - Matthew 19:12 The virginity recommended by Jesus manifests the new creation of the New Covenant and is the prelude to the kingdom (see Mt 22:30). However, the renunciation of marriage out of love for the kingdom is possible only through the medium of a charism, a special gift of God (see 1 Cor 7:7).
- Matthew 19:13 The Gospel has retained this spontaneous and true gesture because it is also a sign. To enter into the kingdom, i.e., into intimacy with God, one must be free of all pretense and become poor and little for humans are always weak and needy before God.
- Matthew 19:16 To follow Jesus means to be as poor and free as he is. But how can people detach themselves from what they are? Nothing would seem more impossible. Yet to be a Christian is to believe in the impossible things that God can accomplish in human beings.
- Matthew 19:27 Communion of life with Jesus is worth far more than all the things of the earth abandoned by the disciples, for they will reign with him in his eschatological kingdom.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
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