Mark 10:1–31

The Question of Divorce

10He ^yset out from there and went to the region of Judea ^zand across the Jordan. ^aThen crowds converged on Him again and, as He usually did, He began teaching ^bthem once more. ²Some Pharisees ^capproached Him to test ^dHim. They asked, “Is it lawful ^efor a man to divorce ^fhis wife?” ^g

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

⁴They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers ⁱand send her away.” ^j

⁵But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts. ^k6But from the beginning ^lof creation ^mGod ⁿmade them male and female. ^op

⁷For this reason a man will leave ^q

his father and mother

[and be joined to his wife], ^r

⁸and the two will become one flesh. ^st

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate.” ^u

¹⁰Now in the house the disciples questioned Him again about this matter. ¹¹And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife ^vand marries ^wanother commits adultery ^xagainst her. ¹²Also, if she divorces her husband ^yand marries another, she commits adultery.”

Blessing the Children

¹³Some ^zpeople were bringing little children ^ato Him so He might touch them, but His disciples rebuked ^bthem. ¹⁴When Jesus saw it, He was indignant ^cand said to them, “Let the little children come to Me. ^dDon’t stop ^ethem, for the kingdom of God ^fbelongs to such as these. ^15•I assure you: ^gWhoever does not welcome ^hithe kingdom of God like a little child ^jwill never enter it.” ¹⁶After taking them in His arms, He laid His hands on ^kthem and blessed ^lthem.

The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁷As ^mHe was setting out on a journey, ⁿa man ran up, knelt down ^obefore Him, and asked Him, “Good ^pTeacher, ^qwhat must I do to inherit ^reternal life?” ^s

¹⁸“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good but One—God. ^t19You know the commandments:

Do not murder; ^u

do not commit adultery; ^v

do not steal; ^w

do not bear false witness; ^x

do not defraud; ^y

honor ^zyour father and mother.” ^ab

²⁰He said to Him, “Teacher, ^cI have kept all these from my youth.”

²¹Then, looking at him, Jesus loved him ^dand said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, ^eand you will have treasure ^fin heaven. ^gThen come, ^hfollow Me.” ⁱ²²But he was stunned ^jat this demand, and he went away grieving, ^kbecause he had many possessions. ^l

Possessions and the Kingdom

²³Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth ^mto enter the kingdom of God!” ⁿ²⁴But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, ^ohow hard it is ^pto enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich ^qperson to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶So they were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?” ^r

²⁷Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men it is impossible, ^sbut not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

²⁸Peter ^tbegan to tell Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”

²⁹“I assure you,” ^uJesus said, “there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father, ^vchildren, or fields because of Me and the gospel, ^w30who will not receive 100 times ^xmore, now at this time ^y—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions ^z—and eternal life ^ain the age to come. ^b31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” ^c