The extent and even the existence of religious castration among Christians, with members of the early church castrating themselves for religious purposes,[23] is subject to debate.[24] The early theologian Origen found scriptural justification for the practice in Matthew 19:12,.[25] where Jesus says, "For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can." (NRSV)