Mark 10:1–31

A Discussion about Divorce—Matthew 19:1–12

¹Jesus left there and went into the territory of Judea along the other side of the Jordan River. Crowds gathered around him again, and he taught them as he usually did. 

²Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, “Can a husband divorce his wife?” 

³Jesus answered them, “What command did Moses give you?” 

⁴They said, “Moses allowed a man to give his wife a written notice to divorce her.” 

⁵Jesus said to them, “He wrote this command for you because you’re heartless. ⁶But God made them male and female in the beginning, at creation. ⁷That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and will remain united with his wife, ⁸and the two will be one. So they are no longer two but one. ⁹Therefore, don’t let anyone separate what God has joined together.” 

¹⁰When they were in a house, the disciples asked him about this. ¹¹He answered them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman is committing adultery. ¹²If a wife divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.” 

Jesus Blesses Children—Matthew 19:13–15; Luke 18:15–17

¹³Some people brought little children to Jesus to have him hold them. But the disciples told the people not to do that. 

¹⁴When Jesus saw this, he became irritated. He told them, “Don’t stop the children from coming to me. Children like these are part of God’s kingdom. ¹⁵I can guarantee this truth: Whoever doesn’t receive God’s kingdom as a little child receives it will never enter it.” 

¹⁶Jesus put his arms around the children and blessed them by placing his hands on them. 

Eternal Life in the Kingdom—Matthew 19:16–30; Luke 18:18–30

¹⁷As Jesus was coming out to the road, a man came running to him and knelt in front of him. He asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” 

¹⁸Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. ¹⁹You know the commandments: Never murder. Never commit adultery. Never steal. Never give false testimony. Never cheat. Honor your father and mother.” 

²⁰The man replied, “Teacher, I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was a boy.” 

²¹Jesus looked at him and loved him. He told him, “You’re still missing one thing. Sell everything you have. Give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then follow me!” 

²²When the man heard that, he looked unhappy and went away sad, because he owned a lot of property. 

²³Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for rich people to enter God’s kingdom!” 

²⁴The disciples were stunned by his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter God’s kingdom! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.” 

²⁶This amazed his disciples more than ever. They asked each other, “Who, then, can be saved?” 

²⁷Jesus looked at them and said, “It’s impossible for people ⸤to save themselves⸥, but it’s not impossible for God to save them. Everything is possible for God.” 

²⁸Then Peter spoke up, “We’ve given up everything to follow you.” 

²⁹Jesus said, “I can guarantee this truth: Anyone who gave up his home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or fields because of me and the Good News ³⁰will certainly receive a hundred times as much here in this life. They will certainly receive homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields, along with persecutions. But in the world to come they will receive eternal life. ³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”