Jesus’ Teaching about Divorce

10 (A)Setting out from there, Jesus *went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds *gathered to Him again, and, (B)as He was accustomed, He once more began to teach them.

And some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began questioning Him whether it was lawful for a man to [a]divorce his wife. And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “(C)Moses permitted a man to write a [b]certificate of divorce and [c]send his wife away.” But Jesus said to them, [d](D)Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But (E)from the beginning of creation, God (F)created them male and female. (G)For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother[e], (H)and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no person is to separate.”

10 And in the house the disciples again began questioning Him about this. 11 And He *said to them, (I)Whoever [f]divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and (J)if she herself [g]divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

13 (K)And they were bringing children to Him so that He would touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Allow the children to come to Me; do not [h]forbid them, (L)for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I say to you, (M)whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” 16 And He (N)took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

The Rich Young Ruler

17 (O)As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and (P)knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may (Q)inherit eternal life?” 18 But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘(R)Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept (S)all these things from my youth.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have (T)treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But he [i]was deeply dismayed by [j]these words, and he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.

23 And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, (U)How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples (V)were amazed at His words. But Jesus responded again and *said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 (W)It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were even more astonished, and said to Him, “[k]Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus *said, (X)With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

28 (Y)Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and have followed You.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, (Z)there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30 [l]but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in [m]the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in (AA)the age to come, eternal life. 31 But (AB)many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”

Jesus’ Sufferings Foretold

32 (AC)Now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they (AD)were amazed, and those who followed were fearful. And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him, 33 saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and (AE)the Son of Man will be [n]handed over to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will [o]hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock Him and (AF)spit on Him, and flog Him and kill Him; and three days later He will rise from the dead.”

35 [p](AG)James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to [q]Jesus, saying to Him, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “[r]Grant that we (AH)may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able (AI)to drink the cup that I drink, or (AJ)to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink (AK)you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40 But to sit on My right or on My left is not Mine to give; (AL)but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

41 (AM)Hearing this, the other ten began to feel indignant with [s]James and John. 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them; and their [t]people in high position exercise authority over them. 43 But it is not this way among you; (AN)rather, whoever wants to become [u]prominent among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wants to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man (AO)did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His [v]life as a ransom for many.”

Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

46 (AP)Then they *came to Jericho. And later, (AQ)as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a beggar who was blind named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus the (AR)Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, (AS)Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “(AT)Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they *called the man who was blind, saying to him, “(AU)Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And replying to him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the man who was blind said to Him, “[w](AV)Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; (AW)your faith has [x]made you well.” And immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 10:2 Lit send away, the Heb term for divorce
  2. Mark 10:4 Permitting her to remarry
  3. Mark 10:4 Or divorce her
  4. Mark 10:5 Or With reference to
  5. Mark 10:7 Many late mss add and shall cling to his wife
  6. Mark 10:11 Or sends away
  7. Mark 10:12 Or sends away
  8. Mark 10:14 Or prevent
  9. Mark 10:22 Or became gloomy at; or was shocked by
  10. Mark 10:22 Lit the word
  11. Mark 10:26 Lit And
  12. Mark 10:30 Lit if he does not
  13. Mark 10:30 Lit this time
  14. Mark 10:33 Or betrayed
  15. Mark 10:33 Or betray
  16. Mark 10:35 Or Jacob
  17. Mark 10:35 Lit Him
  18. Mark 10:37 Lit Give to us
  19. Mark 10:41 Or Jacob
  20. Mark 10:42 Lit great ones
  21. Mark 10:43 Lit great
  22. Mark 10:45 Or soul
  23. Mark 10:51 I.e., My Master
  24. Mark 10:52 Lit saved you

Divorce(A)

10 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan.(B) Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.(C)

Some Pharisees(D) came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

“What did Moses command you?” he replied.

They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”(E)

“It was because your hearts were hard(F) that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’[a](G) ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[b] and the two will become one flesh.’[c](H) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.(I) 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”(J)

The Little Children and Jesus(K)

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.(L) 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”(M) 16 And he took the children in his arms,(N) placed his hands on them and blessed them.

The Rich and the Kingdom of God(O)

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees(P) before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”(Q)

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[d](R)

20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,(S) and you will have treasure in heaven.(T) Then come, follow me.”(U)

22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich(V) to enter the kingdom of God!”

24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[e] to enter the kingdom of God!(W) 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”(X)

26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”(Y)

28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”(Z)

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much(AA) in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come(AB) eternal life.(AC) 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”(AD)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time(AE)

32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve(AF) aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,”(AG) he said, “and the Son of Man(AH) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.(AI) They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him(AJ) and kill him.(AK) Three days later(AL) he will rise.”(AM)

The Request of James and John(AN)

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”(AO)

38 “You don’t know what you are asking,”(AP) Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup(AQ) I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”(AR)

39 “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,(AS) 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(AT) 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,(AU) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(AV)

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight(AW)

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,(AX) he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David,(AY) have mercy on me!”

48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, 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,(AZ) I want to see.”

52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.”(BA) Immediately he received his sight and followed(BB) Jesus along the road.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 10:6 Gen. 1:27
  2. Mark 10:7 Some early manuscripts do not have and be united to his wife.
  3. Mark 10:8 Gen. 2:24
  4. Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
  5. Mark 10:24 Some manuscripts is for those who trust in riches