³ The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

⁴ And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who ^[a]made them at the beginning ^(A)‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ^(B)‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and ^(C)the two shall become one flesh’? ⁶ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

⁷ They said to Him, ^(D)“Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

⁸ He said to them, “Moses, because of the ^(E)hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your ^(F)wives, but from the beginning it was not so. ^9 (G)And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for ^[b]sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

¹⁰ His disciples said to Him, ^(H)“If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”

Jesus Teaches on Celibacy

¹¹ But He said to them, ^(I)“All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: ¹² For there are ^[c]eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and ^(J)there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children^(A)

^13 (B)Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for ^(C)of such is the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Assuredly, I say to you, ^(D)whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will ^(E)by no means enter it.” ¹⁶ And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler^(F)

^17 (G)Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I ^(H)do that I may inherit eternal life?”

¹⁸ So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, ^(I)God. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ^(J)‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”

²⁰ And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have ^(K)kept from my youth.”

²¹ Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, ^(L)sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have ^(M)treasure in heaven; and come, ^(N)take up the cross, and follow Me.”

²² But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

With God All Things Are Possible^(O)

^23 (P)Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” ²⁴ And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is ^[a]for those ^(Q)who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a ^(R)rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not ^(S)with God; for with God all things are possible.”

²⁷ Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, ^(A)we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”

²⁸ So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, ^(B)you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ^29 (C)And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother ^[a]or wife or children or ^[b]lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. ^30 (D)But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection^(A)

^32 (B)Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. ^(C)Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: ³³ “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; ³⁴ and they will mock Him, and ^[a]scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection^(A)

^31 (B)Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things ^(C)that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be ^[a]accomplished. ³² For ^(D)He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. ³³ They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

^34 (E)But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

Greatness Is Serving^(A)

^35 (B)Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”

³⁶ And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

³⁷ They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”

³⁸ But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the ^(C)cup that I drink, and be baptized with the ^(D)baptism that I am baptized with?”

³⁹ They said to Him, “We are able.”

So Jesus said to them, ^(E)“You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; ⁴⁰ but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those ^(F)for whom it is prepared.”

^41 (G)And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. ⁴² But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, ^(H)“You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ^43 (I)Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. ⁴⁴ And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even ^(J)the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and ^(K)to give His life a ransom for many.”

Jesus Comes to Zacchaeus’ House

19 Then Jesus entered and passed through ^(A)Jericho. ² Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. ³ And he sought to ^(B)see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. ⁵ And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up ^[a]and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, ^[b]make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” ⁶ So he ^[c]made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. ⁷ But when they saw it, they all ^[d]complained, saying, ^(C)“He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

⁸ Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the ^(D)poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by ^(E)false accusation, ^(F)I restore fourfold.”

⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because ^(G)he also is ^(H)a son of Abraham; ^10 (I)for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus^(A)

^46 (B)Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. ⁴⁷ And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, ^(C)Son of David, ^(D)have mercy on me!”

⁴⁸ Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁹ So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.

Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”

⁵⁰ And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

The blind man said to Him, ^[a]“Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”

⁵² Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; ^(E)your faith has ^[b]made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

A Blind Man Receives His Sight^(A)

^35 (B)Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. ³⁶ And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. ³⁷ So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. ³⁸ And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, ^(C)Son of David, have mercy on me!”

³⁹ Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰ So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, ⁴¹ saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

⁴² Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; ^(D)your faith has made you well.” ⁴³ And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, ^(E)glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.