Mark 10

Chapter 10

Discussion about Divorce and Marriage

1 Then Jesus left Capernaum and went down to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan River. Once again crowds gathered around him, and as usual he was teaching them.

2 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?”

3 Jesus answered them with a question: “What did Moses say in the law about divorce?”

4 “Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.”t
5 But Jesus responded, “He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts.6 But ‘God made them male and female’t from the beginning of creation.7 ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife,t8 and the two are united into one.’t Since they are no longer two but one,

9 let no one split apart what God has joined together.”
10 Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again.11 He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her.

12 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.”

Jesus Blesses the Children

13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

The Rich Man

17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.

19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’t”

20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hardt to enter the Kingdom of God.

25 In fact, 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 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.
29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News,30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.

31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.t”

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

32 They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him.33 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Mant will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans.t

34 They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”

Jesus Teaches about Serving Others

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.”

36 “What is your request?” he asked.

37 They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

39 “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering.

40 But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
41 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.

45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.

47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.
But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!”

50 Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“My rabbi,t” the blind man said, “I want to see!”

52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.t

MARK 10

Teaching about Divorce

(Matthew 19.1-12; Luke 16.18)

1 After Jesus left, he went to Judea and then on to the other side of the Jordan River. Once again large crowds came to him, and as usual, he taught them.
2 Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. So they came up to him and asked if it was right for a man to divorce his wife.

3 Jesus asked them, “What does the Law of Moses say about this?”

4  t They answered, “Moses allows a man to write out divorce papers and send his wife away.”
5 Jesus replied, “Moses gave you this law because you are so heartless. 6 t But in the beginning God made a man and a woman. 7 t That's why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. 8 He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one.

9 And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together.”
10 When Jesus and his disciples were back in the house, they asked him about what he had said. 11 t He told them, “A man who divorces his wife and marries someone else is unfaithful to his wife.

12 A woman who divorces her husbandt and marries again is also unfaithful.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

(Matthew 19.13-15; Luke 18.15-17)

13 Some people brought their children to Jesus so he could bless them by placing his hands on them. But his disciples told the people to stop bothering him.
14 When Jesus saw this, he became angry and said, “Let the children come to me! Don't try to stop them. People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God.t 15 t I promise you that you cannot get into God's kingdom, unless you accept it the way a child does.”

16 Then Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them by placing his hands on them.

A Rich Man

(Matthew 19.16-30; Luke 18.18-30)

17 As Jesus was walking down a road, a man ran up to him. He knelt down, and asked, “Good teacher, what can I do to have eternal life?”
18 Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good.

19 t You know the commandments. ‘Do not murder. Be faithful in marriage. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Do not cheat. Respect your father and mother.’ ”

20 The man answered, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these commandments since I was a young man.”

21 Jesus looked closely at the man. He liked him and said, “There's one thing you still need to do. Go sell everything you own. Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come with me.”

22 When the man heard Jesus say this, he went away gloomy and sad because he was very rich.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “It's hard for rich people to get into God's kingdom!” 24 The disciples were shocked to hear this. So Jesus told them again, “It's terribly hardt to get into God's kingdom!

25 In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom.”

26 Jesus' disciples were even more amazed. They asked each other, “How can anyone ever be saved?”

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything.”

28 Peter replied, “Remember, we left everything to be your followers!”

29 Jesus told him:
You can be sure that anyone who gives up home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or land for me and for the good news 30 will be rewarded. In this world they will be given 100 times as many houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and pieces of land, though they will also be mistreated. And in the world to come, they will have eternal life.

31 t But many who are now first will be last, and many who are now last will be first.

Jesus Again //Tells about His Death

(Matthew 20.17-19; Luke 18.31-34)

32 The disciples were confused as Jesus led them toward Jerusalem, and his other followers were afraid. Once again, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and told them what was going to happen to him. He said:
33 We are now on our way to Jerusalem where the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses. They will sentence him to death and hand him over to foreigners, t

34 who will make fun of him and spit on him. They will beat him and kill him. But three days later he will rise to life.

The Request of James //and John

(Matthew 20.20-28)

35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, will you do us a favor?”
36 Jesus asked them what they wanted,

37 and they answered, “When you come into your glory, please let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left.”t

38  t Jesus told them, “You don't really know what you're asking! Are you able to drink from the cupt that I must soon drink from or be baptized as I must be baptized?”t

39 “Yes, we are!” James and John answered.
Then Jesus replied, “You certainly will drink from the cup from which I must drink. And you will be baptized just as I must!

40 But it isn't for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. This is for God to decide.”
41 When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John.

42 t But Jesus called the disciples together and said:
You know that those foreigners who call themselves kings like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over the people they rule. 43 t But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. 44 And if you want to be first, you must be everyone's slave.

45 t The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescuet many people.

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

(Matthew 20.29-34; Luke 18.35-43)

48 Many people told the man to stop, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him over!”
They called out to the blind man and said, “Don't be afraid! Come on! He is calling for you.”

50 The man threw off his coat as he jumped up and ran to Jesus.

51 Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man answered, “Master, t I want to see!”

52 Jesus told him, “You may go. Your eyes are healed because of your faith.”
At once the man could see, and he went down the road with Jesus.