Mark 10:2-16

English Standard Version

² And Pharisees came up and in order ^(A)to test him asked, ^(B)“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” ³ He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴ They said, ^(C)“Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” ⁵ And Jesus said to them, “Because of your ^(D)hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶ But ^(E)from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them ^(F)male and female.’ ^7 (G)‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,^{[a] 8} and ^(H)the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. ^9 (I)What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

¹⁰ And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ¹¹ And he said to them, ^(J)“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, ¹² and ^(K)if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Let the Children Come to Me

^13 (L)And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples ^(M)rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, ^(N)“Let the children come to me; ^(O)do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. ^15 (P)Truly, I say to you, whoever does not ^(Q)receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” ¹⁶ And ^(R)he took them in his arms and blessed them, ^(S)laying his hands on them.