English Standard Version
Matthew 19:12
12For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it."
Matthew 19:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”
Context of Matthew 19:12
10The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." 11But he said to them, "Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it." 13Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
Read all of Matthew 19Matthew 19:12 word by word
εἰσὶν γὰρ εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς ἐγεννήθησαν οὕτως, καὶ εἰσὶν εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες εὐνουχίσθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ εἰσὶν εὐνοῦχοι οἵτινες εὐνούχισαν ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. ὁ δυνάμενος χωρεῖν χωρείτω.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- there areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- someὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- eunuchsεὐνοῦχοςeunouchos · eunuchG2135
- wereγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- mother’sμήτηρmētēr · motherG3384
- wombκοιλίαkoilia · belly/womb/stomachG2836
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- were made eunuchsεὐνουχίζωeunouchizō · to become a eunuchG2134
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- themselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
- of heaven’sοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- He that is ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- to receiveχωρέωchōreō · to make room forG5562
Cross-references for Matthew 19:12
- Isaiah 39:7And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."
- Isaiah 56:3Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, "The Lord will surely separate me from his people"; and let not the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."
- 1 Corinthians 7:32I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 9:5Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
Commentaries on Matthew 19:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Eunuchs - , from , to have the care of the bed or bedchamber; this being the principal employment of eunuchs in the eastern countries, particularly in the apartments of queens and princesses. These are they whom our Lord says are made eunuchs by men, merely for the above purpose. So born from their mother's womb - Such as are naturally incapable of marriage, and consequently should not contract any. For the kingdom of heaven's sake - I believe our Lord…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For there are some eunuchs - Jesus proceeds to state that there were some who were able to receive that saying and to remain in an unmarried state. Some were so born; some were made such by the cruelty of men; and there were some who voluntarily abstained from marriage for the kingdom of heaven‘s sake - that is, that they might devote themselves entirely to the proper business of religion. Perhaps he refers here to the Essenes, a sect of the Jews (see…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-12Verses 3-12 The Pharisees were desirous of drawing something from Jesus which they might represent as contrary to the law of Moses. Cases about marriage have been numerous, and sometimes perplexed; made so, not by the law of God, but by the lusts and follies of men; and often people fix what they will do, before they ask for advice. Jesus replied by asking whether they had not read the account of the creation, and the first example of marriage; thus…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Eunuchs are men who cannot physically have children, either because of a birth defect or because they were made unable through surgery (castration). Jesus also used the word in a figurative way for those who choose not to marry (see Luke 14:26; 18:29; 1 Corinthians 7:7–8). for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven: Jesus was not criticizing marriage. He meant that unmarried people often have more freedom for ministry (see 1 Corinthians 7:25–35).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. For there are some eunuchs which were so born from their mother's womb--persons constitutionally either incapable of or indisposed to marriage. and there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs of men--persons rendered incapable by others. and there be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake--persons who, to do God's work better, deliberately choose this state. Such was Paul (1Co 7:7). He that is able to receive…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 19:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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