Chapter XLIX

IMPORTUNATE WIDOW--MARRIAGE--CHILDREN BROUGHT TO JESUS.

And he spake a parable unto them _to this end_, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying,

There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither
regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came
unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would
not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though
I fear not God, nor regard man: yet because this widow
troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming
she weary me.

And the Lord said,

Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his
own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear
long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith
on the earth.

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee,
and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus
with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men
_are_, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this
publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that
I possess.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much
as _his_ eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying,
God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down
to his house justified _rather_ than the other: for every one
that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth
himself shall be exalted.

The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them,

What did Moses command you?

And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put _her_ away. And Jesus answered and said unto them,

For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. Have
ye not read, that from the beginning of the creation God made
them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man
leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and
they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more
twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together,
let not man put asunder.

They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? he saith unto them,

Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to
put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And
I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except _it
be_ for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth
adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit
adultery.

And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same _matter_. And he saith unto them,

Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another,
committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away
her husband and be married to another, she committeth
adultery.

His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with _his_ wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them,

All _men_ cannot receive this saying, save _they_ to whom it
is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from
_their_ mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were
made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made
themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that
is able to receive _it_, let him receive _it_.

Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put _his_ hands on them and pray: but when _his_ disciples saw _it_, they rebuked those that brought _them_. But when Jesus saw _it_, he was much displeased, and said unto them,

Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them
not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you,
Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little
child, he shall not enter therein.

And he took them up in his arms, put _his_ hands upon them, and blessed them, and departed thence.