Matthew 19 - Easy To Read Version

¹ After Jesus said all these things, he left Galilee. Jesus went into the area of Judea on the other side of the Jordan River.

² Many people followed Jesus. Jesus healed the sick people there.

³ Some Pharisees {\cf2\super [257]} came to Jesus. They tried to make Jesus say something wrong. They asked Jesus, “Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for any reason he chooses?”

⁴ Jesus answered, “Surely you have read this \{in the Scriptures {\cf2\super [258]} \}: When God made the world, ‘he made people male and female.’ {\cf2\super [259]}

⁵ And God said, ‘So a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. And the two people will become one.’ {\cf2\super [260]}

⁶ So the two people are not two, but one. God joined those two people together. So no person should separate them.”

⁷ The Pharisees {\cf2\super [261]} asked, “So why did Moses give a command allowing a man to divorce his wife by writing a certificate of divorce {\cf2\super [262]} ?”

⁸ Jesus answered, “Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because you refused to accept God’s teaching. But divorce was not allowed in the beginning.

⁹ I tell you that any person that divorces his wife and marries another woman is guilty of the sin of adultery. {\cf2\super [263]} The only reason for a person to divorce and marry again is if his first wife had sexual relations with another man.”

¹⁰ The followers said to Jesus, “If that is the only reason a man can divorce his wife, then it is better not to marry.”

¹¹ Jesus answered, “Not every person can accept this truth \{about marriage\}. But God has made some people able to accept it.

¹² There are different reasons why some men cannot marry. {\cf2\super [264]} Some men were born without the ability to make children. Other men were made that way later in life by other people. And other men have given up marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. But the person that can \{marry\} should accept this teaching \{about marriage\}. {\cf2\super [265]} ”

¹³ Then the people brought their little children to Jesus so that Jesus could put his hands on them {\cf2\super [266]} and pray for them. When the followers saw this, they told the people to stop bringing their children to Jesus.

¹⁴ But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people that are like these children.”

¹⁵ After Jesus put his hands on the children, he left there.

¹⁶ A man came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have life forever?”

¹⁷ Jesus answered, “Why do you ask me about what is good? Only God is good. But if you want to have life forever, obey the commands.”

¹⁸ The man asked, “Which commands?”

¹⁹ you must honor (respect) your father and mother,’ {\cf2\super [268]} and ‘you must love other people the same as you love yourself.’ {\cf2\super [269]} ”

²⁰ The young man said, “I have obeyed all these things. What else do I need?”

²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, then go and sell all the things you own. Give the money to the poor people. If you do this, you will have a rich treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me!”

²² But when the man heard this, he was very sad. The man was very rich \{and wanted to keep his money\}. So he left Jesus.

²³ Then Jesus said to his followers, “I tell you the truth. It will be very hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.

²⁴ Yes, I tell you that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁵ When the followers heard this, they were very surprised. They asked, “Then who can be saved?”

²⁶ Jesus looked at his followers and said, “This is something that people cannot do themselves. But God can do all things.”

²⁷ Peter said to Jesus, “We left everything we had and followed you. So what will we have?”

²⁸ Jesus said to the followers, “I tell you the truth. When the new world is made, the Son of Man {\cf2\super [270]} will sit on his great throne. And all of you that followed me will also sit on thrones. You will sit on twelve thrones and you will judge the twelve family groups of Israel. {\cf2\super [271]}

²⁹ And every person that has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or farms to follow me will get much more than he left. And that person will have life forever.

³⁰ Many people that have the highest place in life now will have the lowest place in the future. And many people that have the lowest place now will have the highest place in the future.