⁷ They said to Him, ^(A)“Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

⁸ He said to them, “Moses, because of the ^(B)hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your ^(C)wives, but from the beginning it was not so. ^9 (D)And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for ^[a]sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

¹⁰ His disciples said to Him, ^(E)“If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”

Jesus Teaches on Celibacy

¹¹ But He said to them, ^(F)“All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: ¹² For there are ^[b]eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and ^(G)there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children^(H)

^13 (I)Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for ^(J)of such is the kingdom of heaven.” ¹⁵ And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.