“If that’s the case with a husband and wife,

it would be better not to marry”?

Jesus’ disciples probably heard

Jesus’ conversation with the Pharisees

and said to him,

“If that’s the case with a husband and wife,

it would be better not to marry.”

Jesus said to them, “Not everyone can do this,

but only those to whom God has given permission.

Some men are born ungodly,

others are crippled and cannot marry,

 and others have voluntarily decided not to marry

for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

Let anyone who can accept this teaching accept it”

(Matthew 19:10-12).

I think that when I meditate on this word,

I too can think like Jesus’ disciples,

“It would be better not to marry” (v. 10).

Especially when I think of the words

of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:38,

“So then, whoever marries does well;

but whoever does not marry does better,”

I can think even more that it would be better not to marry.

So it seems that there are some who,

according to Jesus’ words,

“have voluntarily given up marriage

for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (v. 12).