Read the Gospels in 40 Days
Questions About Divorce
19 Now when[a] Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River.[b] 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 Then some Pharisees[c] came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful[d] to divorce a wife for any cause?”[e] 4 He answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female,[f] 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’?[g] 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?”[h] 8 Jesus[i] said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts,[j] 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[k] disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!” 11 He[l] 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,[m] and some who were made eunuchs[n] by others,[o] and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”
Jesus and Little Children
13 Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray.[p] But the disciples scolded those who brought them.[q] 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.”[r] 15 And he placed his hands on them and went on his way.[s]
The Rich Young Man
16 Now[t] someone came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?”[u] 17 He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,[v] and love your neighbor as yourself.”[w] 20 The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed[x] all these laws.[y] What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money[z] to the poor, and you will have treasure[aa] in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.[ab]
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth,[ac] it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! 24 Again I say,[ad] it is easier for a camel[ae] to go through the eye of a needle[af] than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.” 25 The[ag] disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, “Then who can be saved?”[ah] 26 Jesus[ai] looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans,[aj] but for God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said[ak] to him, “Look,[al] we have left everything to follow you![am] What then will there be for us?” 28 Jesus[an] said to them, “I tell you the truth:[ao] In the age when all things are renewed,[ap] when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging[aq] the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much[ar] and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Workers in the Vineyard
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner[as] who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage,[at] he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When it was about nine o’clock in the morning,[au] he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace[av] without work. 4 He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went. When[aw] he went out again about noon and three o’clock that afternoon,[ax] he did the same thing. 6 And about five o’clock that afternoon[ay] he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day without work?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’ 8 When[az] it was evening[ba] the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages[bb] starting with the last hired until the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay.[bc] 10 And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. 11 When[bd] they received it, they began to complain[be] against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’ 13 And the landowner[bf] replied to one of them,[bg] ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage?[bh] 14 Take what is yours and go. I[bi] want to give to this last man[bj] the same as I gave to you. 15 Am I not[bk] permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’[bl] 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”
Third Prediction of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve[bm] aside privately and said to them on the way, 18 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law.[bn] They will condemn him to death, 19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely[bo] and crucified.[bp] Yet[bq] on the third day, he will be raised.”
A Request for James and John
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor.[br] 21 He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied,[bs] “Permit[bt] these two sons of mine to sit, one at your[bu] right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus[bv] answered, “You don’t know what you are asking![bw] Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?”[bx] They said to him, “We are able.”[by] 23 He told them, “You will drink my cup,[bz] but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
24 Now[ca] when the other ten[cb] heard this,[cc] they were angry with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 26 It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave[cd]— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom[ce] for many.”
Two Blind Men Healed
29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed them. 30 Two[cf] blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted,[cg] “Have mercy[ch] on us, Lord, Son of David!”[ci] 31 The[cj] crowd scolded[ck] them to get them to be quiet. But they shouted even more loudly, “Lord, have mercy on us,[cl] Son of David!” 32 Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
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