Matthew 19:12

For there are eunuchs who were born that way; others were made that way by men; and still others live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples immediately after they respond to his teaching on divorce and marriage. He speaks to them about voluntary celibacy at the conclusion of his discourse on marital obligations.

The words — The text uses εὐνοῦχοι (eunouchoi), meaning eunuchs, and ἐγεννήθησαν (egennēthēsan), meaning were born. It lists three categories: those born from their mother's womb, those made by men, and those who make themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven.

The thread — The theme of undivided devotion for God's work appears in 1 Corinthians 7:32, where Paul contrasts the unmarried man's focus with married concerns. Isaiah 56:3 also references eunuchs, instructing them not to claim exclusion from God's people.

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to recognize celibacy as a specific calling rather than a universal mandate. It asks the reader to accept that remaining unmarried may be necessary for undistracted service to the kingdom of heaven.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

εἰσὶνeisinThere are γὰρgarfor εὐνοῦχοιeunouchoieunuchs οἵτινεςoitineswho ἐκekfrom [the]κοιλίαςkoiliaswomb μητρὸςmētrosof [their] mother ἐγεννήθησανegennēthēsanwere born οὕτως,houtōsthus,καὶkaiand εἰσὶνeisinthere are εὐνοῦχοιeunouchoieunuchs οἵτινεςoitineswho εὐνουχίσθησανeunouchisthēsanwere made eunuchs ὑπὸhupoby τῶνtōn<the>ἀνθρώπων,anthrōpōnmen,καὶkaiand εἰσὶνeisinthere are εὐνοῦχοιeunouchoieunuchs οἵτινεςoitineswho εὐνούχισανeunouchisanmade eunuchs of ἑαυτοὺςhe'autousthemselves διὰdiafor the sake of τὴνtēnthe βασιλείανbasileiankingdom τῶνtōnof the οὐρανῶν.ouranōnheavens.ὁhoThe [one]δυνάμενοςdunamenosbeing able χωρεῖνchōreinto receive [it]χωρείτω.¶chōreitōhe should receive [it].

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 7:32 I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.
1 Corinthians 9:5 Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
Isaiah 56:3 Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.”
Isaiah 39:7 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
1 Corinthians 9:15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that something be done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than let anyone nullify my boast.