Teachings about Divorce (Matthew 19:1–12)
1 UST After that, Jesus{ and his apprentices} left the town of Capernaum. They traveled to the region of Judea and to the east side of the Jordan River. Yet again, large groups of people assembled where Jesus was. Jesus instructed them, as he usually did. BSB BSB: Then Jesus left that place and went into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught them, as was His custom.
2 UST Then some Pharisees came to Jesus and asked him,“Does our law allow a husband to divorce his wife?”{ They asked that} in order to investigate him. BSB BSB: Some Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” they inquired.
3 UST Jesus replied,“What did Moses include in our Law{ about this issue}?” BSB BSB: “What did Moses command you?” He replied.
4 UST They answered,“Moses allowed each husband to give{ his wife} a document that states that he is divorcing her. Then, he could divorce her.” BSB BSB: They answered, “Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away.”
5 UST Jesus told them,“Moses knew that you were unwilling to obey. That is why he included{ in the Law} what you just said. BSB BSB: But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart.
6 UST However, when God first created everything,{ as you can read in the Scriptures}, he created people to be male and female. BSB BSB: However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’
7 UST { You can also read in the Scriptures} that is why men{, when they marry,} no longer live with their parents, BSB BSB: ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
8 UST and each husband and wife together become like one person. Consequently, each husband and wife are not like two different people any longer. Rather, they are like one person. BSB BSB: and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
9 UST Since that is true, no one should divide people whom God has united.” BSB BSB: Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
10 UST Later, when they were in a house again, the apprentices asked Jesus about what he had said. BSB BSB: When they were back inside the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter.
11 UST Jesus told them,“When a man divorces his wife and marries another woman, he sins against his first wife by disobeying what God commanded about being sexually faithful to one’ s spouse. BSB BSB: So He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
12 UST Also, when a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she disobeys what God commanded about being sexually faithful to one’ s spouse.” BSB BSB: And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
Jesus Blesses the Children (Matthew 19:13–15; Luke 18:15–17)
13 UST Sometime later, some people took young children to Jesus. They wanted him to bless the children by touching them. However, the apprentices told them to stop. BSB BSB: Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14 UST When Jesus noticed{ what they were doing}, he was very upset. He told his apprentices,“Allow the young children to come here. Do not stop them!{ I say that because} they and people like them are part of God’ s kingdom. BSB BSB: But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
15 UST You must be like young children when you welcome God’ s kingdom. That is the only way to participate in God’ s kingdom. What I have said is true.” BSB BSB: Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
16 UST Then Jesus hugged the young children. He blessed them by touching them. BSB BSB: And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.
The Rich Young Man (Matthew 19:16–30; Luke 18:18–30)
17 UST One day, Jesus was walking along{ with his disciples}. A certain person ran to where he was and bowed down before him. He said,“Instructor, you are a good person! What is something that I can do so that I will live with God forever?” BSB BSB: As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 UST Jesus replied,“You should not so quickly call me a good person! God is the only one who is good. BSB BSB: “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.
19 UST { But to answer your question,} you know what God commanded: Do not murder others. Do not be sexually unfaithful to your spouse. Do not steal things. Do not speak what is untrue. Do not cheat people. Treat your parents respectfully.” BSB BSB: You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat others, honor your father and mother.’”
20 UST The man replied,“Instructor, I have obeyed all those things that God commanded ever since I was young.” BSB BSB: “Teacher,” he replied, “all these I have kept from my youth.”
21 UST Then, Jesus looked at the man and cared for him. He said to the man,“There is one thing that you have not yet done. Go{ home} and sell what you own. Give{ that money} to poor people.{ If you do that,} God will reward you in heaven. Then, come with me as my apprentice.” BSB BSB: Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
22 UST However, the man was rich{ and did not want to lose what he owned}. So, he was upset by what Jesus said. He felt very sad and left. BSB BSB: But the man was saddened by these words and went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
23 UST Then Jesus looked at his apprentices. He told them,“It is very hard for rich people to participate in God’ s kingdom!” BSB BSB: Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 UST What Jesus said surprised the apprentices. Jesus responded by saying again,“My dear apprentices, it is very hard to participate in God’ s kingdom. BSB BSB: And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
25 UST Large animals like camels cannot fit into very small spaces. However, it is even harder for rich people to participate in God’ s kingdom.” BSB BSB: It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 UST That greatly surprised the apprentices. They told Jesus,“It must be that God does not actually rescue anyone!” BSB BSB: They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?”
27 UST Jesus looked directly at his apprentices. He said,“God can do anything! So, people cannot{ rescue themselves}, but God can{ rescue them}.” BSB BSB: Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
28 UST Peter started to tell Jesus,“We left behind everything we had and went with you as your apprentices!” BSB BSB: Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”
29 UST Jesus replied,“What I am about to say is true. Some people leave behind houses, siblings, parents, children, or fields. They do that because they are my apprentices and because they believe the good news. BSB BSB: “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel
30 UST God will give those people many times{ what they left behind} right now before he renews everything that he has made.{ He will give them} houses, siblings, mothers, children, and fields. Also, people will hurt them. Further, God will enable them to live with him forever after he renews everything that he has made. BSB BSB: will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
31 UST { At that time,} many people who are important right now will become unimportant. Many people who are unimportant right now will become important.” BSB BSB: But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
The Third Prediction of the Passion (Matthew 20:17–19; Luke 18:31–34)
32 UST Sometime later, Jesus and his apprentices were walking toward the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was walking ahead of them, which impressed them. However, the rest of the people with them were afraid. Then Jesus again spoke to his 12 representatives privately. He started to tell them about what people were going to do to him. BSB BSB: As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, but those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him:
33 UST He said,“We are walking toward the city of Jerusalem! There, somebody will help the ruling priests and the teachers of the Jewish law arrest me, the Son of Man. They will decide that I am guilty and that someone should kill me. They will bring me to the non- Jewish authorities. BSB BSB: “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles,
34 UST Those people will make fun of me, spit on me{ to insult me}, beat me, and execute me. Then, three days after I die, I will live again.” BSB BSB: who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again.”
The Request of James and John (Matthew 20:20–28)
35 UST After that, Zebedee’ s sons, James and John, came to Jesus. They said,“Instructor, we want you to do for us what we are about to request.” BSB BSB: Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 UST Jesus replied,“What do you want me to do for you?” BSB BSB: “What do you want Me to do for you?” He inquired.
37 UST They answered,“Please promise us that, when you are very great, you will honor us by having one of us sit at your right side and the other one sit at your left side.” BSB BSB: They answered, “Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the other at Your left in Your glory.”
38 UST Jesus replied,“You do not realize what you have actually requested. Are you willing to suffer as I will soon suffer? Are you willing for people to hurt you as they will soon hurt me?” BSB BSB: “You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?”
39 UST They told Jesus,“Yes, we are willing{ to do those things}.” Then Jesus told them,“You will certainly suffer as I will soon suffer. People will certainly hurt you as they will soon hurt me. BSB BSB: “We can,” the brothers answered. “You will drink the cup that I drink,” Jesus said, “and you will be baptized with the baptism that I undergo.
40 UST However, I am not the one who chooses whom to honor by having them sit at my right side or at my left side. Rather, God has already chosen who{ will sit in those places}.” BSB BSB: But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
41 UST When the ten other apprentices learned{ what James and John had requested}, they started to be very upset with them. BSB BSB: When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
42 UST So, Jesus told his apprentices to come to him. He said to them,“You understand that the people whom the non- Jews allow to govern them dominate them. Further, important people among them control everyone else. BSB BSB: So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.
43 UST You must not behave like that. Rather, when one of you wants to be important, that person must serve the others. BSB BSB: But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44 UST Likewise, when one of you wants to be most important, that person must work for all the others. BSB BSB: and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.
Jesus Heals Bartimaeus (Matthew 20:29–34; Luke 18:35–43)
46 UST Then, Jesus and his apprentices arrived at the city of Jericho. When they were leaving the city of Jericho along with a very large group of people, a man who could not see and who often asked others for money was sitting down next to the path. His name was Bartimaeus, and his father’ s name was Timaeus. BSB BSB: Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road.
47 UST He learned that Jesus from the town of Nazareth was there. So he started to shout,“Jesus, you who are a descendant of King David, please help me!” BSB BSB: When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 UST Many people were scolding him to keep him quiet. However, he shouted even more loudly,“You who are a descendant of King David, please help me!” BSB BSB: Many people admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 UST Then, Jesus stopped walking. He told people,“Tell him to come over here!” Those people spoke to{ Bartimaeus,} the man who could not see. They said,“Do not worry! Jesus wants you to come to him. So, stand up{ and go to him}!” BSB BSB: Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man. “Take courage!” they said. “Get up! He is calling for you.”
50 UST So Bartimaeus took off his outer garment and jumped up. Then, he hurried to Jesus. BSB BSB: Throwing off his cloak, Bartimaeus jumped up and came to Jesus.
51 UST Jesus asked him,“How would you like me to help you?”{ Bartimaeus,} the man who could not see, replied,“Teacher, I want to be able to see again!” BSB BSB: “What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “Rabboni,” said the blind man, “let me see again.”
52 UST Jesus told him,“You can go on your way. Because you believed{ that I could heal you}, you are now well.” As soon as{ Jesus said that}, Bartimaeus could see again. Then, he began to walk with Jesus. BSB BSB: “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.