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Divorce
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left
Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side
of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed
them there.
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked,
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and
every reason?”
4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the
beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and
said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and
mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become
one flesh?’ 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore
what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a
man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her
away?”
8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your
wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way
from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces
his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another
woman commits adultery.”
10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the
situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to
marry.”
11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word,
but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are
eunuchs because they were born that way; others have been
made eunuchs; and others have renounced marriage because of
the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should
accept it.”
The Little Children and Jesus
13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for
him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the
disciples rebuked them.
14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me,
and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to
such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he
went on from there.
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked,
“Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus
replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to
enter life, keep the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You
shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall
not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your
father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What
do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go,
sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will
have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad,
because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell
you, it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom
of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly
astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With human beings
this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to
follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the
renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his
glorious throne, you who have followed me will also 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 wife or children or fields for my sake
will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit
eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and
many who are last will be first. |
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
