Mark 10:1–16

THE QUESTION OF DIVORCE

10He^bb set out from there and went to the region of Judea^bc and across the Jordan.^bd Then crowds converged on him again, and as was his custom he taught^be them again.

²Some Pharisees^a came to test^b him, asking, “Is it lawful^c for a man to divorce^d his wife?”^e

³He replied to them, “What did Moses^f command you?”

⁴They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers^g and send her away.”^h

⁵But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.^{i 6}But from the beginning^j of creation^k God^H made them male and female.^{Il 7}For this reason a man will leave^m his father and mother^{J 8}and the two will become one flesh.^Kn So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”^o

¹⁰When they were in the house again, the disciples questioned him about this matter. ¹¹He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife^p and marries^q another commits adultery^r against her. ¹²Also, if she divorces her husband^s and marries another, she commits adultery.”

BLESSING THE CHILDREN

¹³People^t were bringing little children^u to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked^v them. ¹⁴When Jesus saw it, he was indignant^w and said to them, “Let the little children come to me.^x Don’t stop^y them, because the kingdom of God^z belongs to such as these. ¹⁵Truly I tell you,^aa whoever does not receive^Aab the kingdom of God like a little child^ac will never enter it.” ¹⁶After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on^ad them and blessed^ae them.