Mark 10:1–31

Jesus Teaches About Divorce

10Jesus left that place and went into the area of Judea and across the Jordan River. Again crowds of people came to him. As usual, he taught them.

²Some Pharisees came to put him to the test. They asked, “Does the Law allow a man to divorce his wife?”

³“What did Moses command you?” he replied.

⁴They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a letter of divorce and send her away.”

⁵“You were stubborn. That’s why Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. ⁶“But at the beginning of creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ ⁷‘That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. ⁸The two of them will become one.’ They are no longer two, but one. ⁹So a man must not separate what God has joined together.”

¹⁰When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this.

¹¹He answered, “What if a man divorces his wife and gets married to another woman? He commits adultery against her. ¹²And what if she divorces her husband and gets married to another man? She commits adultery.”

Little Children Are Brought to Jesus

¹³People were bringing little children to Jesus. They wanted him to touch them. But the disciples told the people to stop.

¹⁴When Jesus saw this, he was angry. He said to his disciples, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t keep them away. God’s kingdom belongs to people like them. ¹⁵What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God’s kingdom like a little child will never enter it.”

¹⁶Then he took the children in his arms. He put his hands on them and blessed them.

Jesus and the Rich Young Man

¹⁷As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him. He fell on his knees before Jesus. “Good teacher,” he said, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”

¹⁸“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good except God. ¹⁹You know what the commandments say. ‘Do not commit murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not give false witness. Do not cheat. Honor your father and mother.’ ”

²⁰“Teacher,” he said, “I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy.”

²¹Jesus looked at him and loved him. “You are missing one thing,” he said. “Go and sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”

²²The man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he was very rich.

²³Jesus looked around. He said to his disciples, “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom!”

²⁴The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter God’s kingdom! ²⁵Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for the rich to enter God’s kingdom!”

²⁶The disciples were even more amazed. They said to each other, “Then who can be saved?”

²⁷Jesus looked at them and said, “With man, that is impossible. But not with God. All things are possible with God.”

²⁸Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!”

²⁹“What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus replied. “Has anyone left home or family or fields for me and the good news? ³⁰They will receive 100 times as much in this world. They will have homes and families and fields. But they will also be treated badly by others. In the world to come they will live forever. ³¹But many who are first will be last. And the last will be first.”