Marriage and Divorce. 1He set out from there and went into the district of Judea [and] across the Jordan. Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom, he again taught them. 2^* The Pharisees approached and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him.^a 3He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” 4They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.”^b 5But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 6But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.^c 7For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and be joined to his wife],^d 8and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” 10In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. 11^e He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Blessing of the Children. 13^f And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.^g 14When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child^* will not enter it.”^h 16Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

18Indeed someone may say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. 19You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. 20Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?^k 22You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works. 23Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called “the friend of God.”^l 24See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route?^m 26For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

13No servant can serve two masters.^* He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”^d

A Saying Against the Pharisees. 14^* The Pharisees, who loved money,^* heard all these things and sneered at him. 15And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.^e

Sayings About the Law. 16“The law and the prophets lasted until John;^* but from then on the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone who enters does so with violence.^f 17It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest part of a letter of the law to become invalid.^g

Sayings About Divorce. 18“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.^h