But He said to them, “All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:
Parallel translations
- WEB But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given.
- KJV But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
- BSB “Not everyone can accept this word,” He replied, “but only those to whom it has been given.
- NASB But He said to them, “Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it has been given.
- NLT “Not everyone can accept this statement,” Jesus said. “Only those whom God helps.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus says not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. Singleness, like marriage, is a particular calling and gift from God.
Overview
Jesus indicates that the capacity to remain unmarried for the kingdom is a divine gift granted to some, not a universal requirement. This frames celibacy not as superior or inferior but as a God-given vocation. It dignifies both the married and the single life as callings under God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Cor 7:17Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.
- 1 Cor 7:35This I say for your own profit; not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction.
- Matt 13:11He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
- 1 Cor 7:2But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
- 1 Cor 7:7–9Yet I wish that all men were like me. However each man has his own gift from God, one of this kind, and another of that kind.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 19:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.