MarkChapter 10
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1Then Jesus left that place. He went into the area of Judea beyond the Jordan. Again crowds came to him. As usual, he taught them. 2Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, "Does the law allow a man to divorce his wife?" 3"What did Moses command you?" he answered. 4They said, "Moses allowed a man to write his wife a paper of divorce and send her away." 5Jesus told them, "Moses wrote this command for you because your hearts were hard. 6But at the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 7'That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. 8And the two will become one body.' So they are no longer two, but one body.a 9So no one should separate what God has joined together." 10Later, when they were back in the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11He told them, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery." 13People were bringing little children to Jesus so he could put his hands on them. But the disciples scolded the people who brought them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was angry. He told them, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them! The kingdom of God belongs to people like these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God 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. 17As Jesus was starting on his way, a man ran up to him. He got down on his knees in front of Jesus. "Good Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good except God alone. 19You know the commandments. 'Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Do not cheat. Honor your father and mother.'" 20"Teacher," the man said, "I have obeyed all these commands since I was a boy." 21Jesus looked at him and loved him. He said to him, "You are missing one thing. Go and sell everything you own. Give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. After that, come and follow me." 22When the man heard this, his face fell. He went away sad, because he was very rich. 23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for rich people to enter the kingdom of God!" 24The disciples were amazed at what he said. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." 26The disciples were even more amazed. They said to each other, "Then who can be saved?" 27Jesus looked at them and said, "For people, this is impossible. But not for God. For all things are possible with God." 28Then Peter spoke up. "Look," he said, "we have left everything to follow you." 29"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered. "Some people have left home for me and for the good news. They may have left brothers or sisters, mother or father, children or fields. 30Every one of them will receive 100 times as much in this life. They will receive homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields. They will also be persecuted. And in the world to come, they will receive eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last. And the last will be first." 32They were on the road going up to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, but those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside. He began to tell them what was going to happen to him. 33"Look, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes. They will sentence him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles. 34The Gentiles will make fun of him and spit on him. They will beat him with whips and kill him. After three days he will rise again." 35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." 36"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. 37They answered, "When you are in your glory, let one of us sit at your right hand. Let the other sit at your left." 38"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I will drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism I will go through?" 39"We can," the brothers answered. Jesus said, "You will drink the cup I drink. You will be baptized with the baptism I go through. 40But I am not the one who decides who will sit at my right or left. Those places belong to the ones they have been prepared for." 41The other ten disciples heard about this. They became angry with James and John. 42So Jesus called them together. He said, "You know about the rulers of the Gentiles. They act like bosses over their people. Their high officials use their power over them. 43It must not be like that with you. Instead, anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant. 44And anyone who wants to be first must be the slave of everyone. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others. He came to give his life as a ransom for many." 46Then they came to Jericho. Later Jesus and his disciples were leaving the city with a large crowd. A blind man named Bartimaeus was sitting by the road, begging. He was the son of Timaeus. 47He heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth. So he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48Many people scolded him and told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man. "Cheer up!" they said. "Get up! He is calling you." 50Bartimaeus threw off his cloak. He jumped up and came to Jesus. 51"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked. The blind man said, "Rabboni, I want to see again."b 52"Go," said Jesus. "Your faith has healed you." Right away he could see. And he followed Jesus along the road.