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NASB | Matthew 19:12 "For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 19:12 "For there are eunuchs who have been born that way from their mother's womb [making them incapable of consummating a marriage]; and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men [for royal service]; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it." |
Bible Question: By man - surgical intervention of health issue - does that make a difference? I know he could adopt to have a family, but the verse addresses mariage, not kids. He is unmarried; must he remain single to obey this verse? Are there supporting verses? |
Bible Answer: Hi, this verse has nothing to say about whether eunuchs can marry. Jesus is illustrating the example of a person who like He did Himself remains single in order better to further the work of Christ, and He does it by comparison with genuine eunuchs who were either born that way or were made that way by men. These 'eunuchs by choice' are not strictly speaking eunuchs at all. They are men who remain single for Christ's sake. There is nothing in the Bible which actually says that eunuchs cannot marry, although clearly there might be problems in consummating the marriage. Under the new covenant God says, 'to the eunuchs which keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please Me, and hold fast My covenant, I will give in My house and within My walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters, I will give them an everlasting name which shall not be cut off' (Isaiah 56.4-5). In other words they are accepted on the same level as anyone else. I cannot doubt that such a eunuch who marries and adopts children in order that he might bring them up to know the Lord is as pleasing to God as an ordinary husband. The exclusion in Deuteronomy 23.1 probably refers to those who had been made eunuchs for religious reasons by following Canannite ideas. Best wishes Jonp |