1Jesus left that place and went into the area of Judea and across the River Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him. As usual, he taught them.2Some Pharisees came to test Jesus. They asked, ‘Does the Law allow a man to divorce his wife?’3‘What did Moses command you?’ he replied.4They said, ‘Moses allowed a man to write a letter of divorce and send her away.’5‘You were stubborn. That’s why Moses wrote you this law,’ Jesus replied.6‘But at the beginning of creation, God “made them male and female.” (Ge 1:27)7“That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.8The two of them will become one.” They are no longer two, but one. (Ge 2:24)9So no one should separate what God has joined together.’10When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this.11He answered, ‘What if a man divorces his wife and gets married to another woman? He commits adultery against her.12And what if she divorces her husband and gets married to another man? She commits adultery.’
Little children are brought to Jesus
13People were bringing little children to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on them to bless them. But the disciples told them to stop.14When Jesus saw this, he was angry. He said to his disciples, ‘Let the little children come to me. Don’t keep them away. God’s kingdom belongs to people like them.15What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God’s kingdom like a little child will never enter it.’16Then he took the children in his arms. He placed his hands on them to bless them.
Rich people and the kingdom of God
17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him. He fell on his knees before Jesus. ‘Good teacher’, he said, ‘what must I do to receive eternal life?’18‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good except God.19You know what the commandments say. “Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not be a false witness. Do not cheat. Honour your father and mother.” ’ (Ex 20:12; De 5:16)20‘Teacher’, he said, ‘I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy.’21Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘You are missing one thing,’ he said. ‘Go and sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.’22The man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he was very rich.23Jesus looked around. He said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom!’24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter God’s kingdom!25Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for someone who is rich to enter God’s kingdom!’26The disciples were even more amazed. They said to each other, ‘Then who can be saved?’27Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With people, this is impossible. But not with God. All things are possible with God.’28Then Peter spoke up, ‘We have left everything to follow you!’29‘What I’m about to tell you is true,’ Jesus replied. ‘Has anyone left home or family or fields for me and the good news?30They will receive 100 times as much in this world. They will have homes and families and fields. But they will also be treated badly by others. In the world to come they will live for ever.31But many who are first will be last. And the last will be first.’
Jesus speaks a third time about his coming death
32They were on their way up to Jerusalem. Jesus was leading the way. The disciples were amazed. Those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the 12 disciples to one side. He told them what was going to happen to him.33‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said. ‘The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will sentence him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles.34They will make fun of him and spit on him. They will whip him and kill him. Three days later he will rise from the dead!’
James and John ask Jesus for a favour
35James and John came to Jesus. They were the sons of Zebedee. ‘Teacher’, they said, ‘we would like to ask you for a favour.’36‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked.37They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right hand in your glorious kingdom. Let the other one sit at your left hand.’38‘You don’t know what you’re asking for,’ Jesus said. ‘Can you drink the cup of suffering I drink? Or can you go through the baptism of suffering I must go through?’39‘We can’, they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘You will drink the cup I drink. And you will go through the baptism I go through.40But it is not for me to say who will sit at my right or left hand. These places belong to those they are prepared for.’41The other ten disciples heard about it. They became angry at James and John.42Jesus called them together. He said, ‘You know about those who are rulers of the Gentiles. They hold power over their people. Their high officials order them around.43Don’t be like that. Instead, anyone who wants to be important among you must be your servant.44And anyone who wants to be first must be the slave of everyone.45Even the Son of Man did not come to be served. Instead, he came to serve others. He came to give his life as the price for setting many people free.’
Blind Bartimaeus receives his sight
46Jesus and his disciples came to Jericho. They were leaving the city. A large crowd was with them. A blind man was sitting by the side of the road begging. His name was Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus means Son of Timaeus.47He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. So he began to shout, ‘Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!’48Many people commanded him to stop. They told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, ‘Son of David! Have mercy on me!’49Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call for him.’ So they called out to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! Get up on your feet! Jesus is calling for you.’50He threw his coat to one side. Then he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.51‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him. The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to be able to see.’52‘Go’, said Jesus. ‘Your faith has healed you.’ Right away he could see. And he followed Jesus along the road.
Mark 10
English Standard Version
Teaching About Divorce
1And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them. (Mt 4:25; Mt 19:1; Lu 9:51; Lu 17:11; Joh 10:40)2And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” (Mt 5:31; Joh 8:6)3He answered them, “What did Moses command you?”4They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” (De 24:1)5And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. (Mr 3:5; Mr 6:52; Mr 16:14; Heb 3:8)6But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ (Ge 1:27; Ge 5:2; Mr 13:19; Ro 1:20; 2Pe 3:4)7‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,[1] (Ge 2:24; Eph 5:31)8and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. (Mal 2:15; 1Co 6:16)9What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (1Co 7:10)10And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter.11And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, (Mt 5:32)12and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” (1Co 7:11; 1Co 7:13)
Let the Children Come to Me
13And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. (Mt 19:13; Mr 10:48; Lu 18:15)14But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. (Mt 18:3; Mr 9:39)15Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Lu 8:13; Joh 3:3; Joh 3:5; Jas 1:21)16And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. (Mr 9:36; Re 1:17)
The Rich Young Man
17And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mt 19:16; Mt 25:34; Mr 1:40; Lu 10:25; Lu 18:18)18And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.19You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” (Ex 20:12; De 5:16; Mt 5:21; Mt 5:27; Ro 13:9)20And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” (Php 3:6)21And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Mt 6:19; Mr 3:5; Mr 10:27; Lu 12:33; Lu 16:9; Lu 19:8; Lu 22:61; Joh 1:42; Joh 11:5; Joh 13:23; Ac 2:45; Ac 4:34; 1Ti 6:18)22Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Eze 33:31)23And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mt 12:28; Mt 13:22; Mr 3:5; 1Co 1:26)24And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is[2] to enter the kingdom of God! (Job 31:24; Ps 49:6; Ps 52:7; Pr 11:28; Mr 2:5; Mr 10:23; Mr 10:32; Joh 13:33; Joh 21:5; 1Ti 6:17)25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mr 10:23)26And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,[3] “Then who can be saved?”27Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Ge 18:14; Job 42:2; Jer 32:17; Jer 32:27; Mr 10:23; Mr 14:36; Lu 1:37)28Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” (Mt 4:20; Mt 4:22; Mr 1:18; Mr 1:20)29Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, (Mr 8:35; Lu 14:26)30who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. (Mt 6:33; Mt 12:32; Lu 20:35; Joh 15:20; Ac 14:22; 2Co 12:10; Eph 1:21; 2Th 1:4; 2Ti 3:11)31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mt 19:30)
Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time
32And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, (Mt 20:17; Mr 10:24; Lu 9:51; Lu 18:31; Lu 19:28)33saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. (Mt 16:21; Mt 26:66; Mt 27:2; Joh 18:30; Joh 19:7; Ac 2:23; Ac 3:13; Ac 4:27; Ac 21:11)34And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” (Mt 26:67; Mt 27:26; Mr 8:31; Mr 14:65; Mr 15:19)
The Request of James and John
35And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” (Mt 18:19; Mt 20:20; Mr 1:19)36And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mr 10:51)37And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” (Mt 19:28; Lu 9:26)38Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” (Isa 51:22; Mt 26:29; Mt 26:42; Mr 14:36; Lu 9:33; Lu 12:50; Lu 22:42; Lu 23:34; Joh 18:11)39And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, (Ac 12:2; Ro 6:3; Ro 8:17; Php 3:10; Re 1:9)40but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” (Mt 19:11; Mt 25:34)41And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.42And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. (Mr 9:33; Lu 22:25; 1Pe 5:3)43But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,[4] (Mt 23:11; Lu 9:48)44and whoever would be first among you must be slave[5] of all. (2Co 4:5)45For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Isa 53:10; Isa 53:11; Da 9:26; Mr 14:24; Joh 10:15; Joh 11:51; Joh 13:4; Joh 13:13; Ro 4:25; Ro 5:15; 2Co 8:9; Ga 1:4; Ga 2:20; Php 2:7; 1Ti 2:6; Tit 2:14; Heb 2:10; Heb 9:28; 1Pe 1:18; Re 5:9)
Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
46And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. (Mt 20:29; Lu 18:35; Lu 19:1; Joh 9:1; Joh 9:8)47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mr 1:24)48And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mt 19:13)49And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” (Joh 16:33)50And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. (Mr 13:16)51And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” (Mr 10:36; Joh 20:16)52And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (Mt 9:22; Mr 5:23; Mr 5:28; Mr 5:34; Mr 6:56; Lu 7:50; Lu 8:48; Lu 17:19)