The Question of Divorce

10 He^(A) set out from there and went to the region of Judea^(B) and across the Jordan.^(C) Then crowds converged on him again, and as was his custom he taught^(D) them again.

² Some Pharisees^(E) came to test^(F) him, asking, “Is it lawful^(G) for a man to divorce^(H) his wife?” ^(I)

³ He replied to them, “What did Moses^(J) command you?”

⁴ They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers^(K) and send her away.”^(L)

⁵ But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts. ^{(M) 6} But from the beginning^(N) of creation^(O) God^[a] made them male and female.^{[b](P) 7} For this reason a man will leave ^(Q) his father and mother ^{[c] 8} and the two will become one flesh.^[d](R) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”^(S)

¹⁰ When they were in the house again, the disciples questioned him about this matter. ¹¹ He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife^(T) and marries^(U) another commits adultery^(V) against her. ¹² Also, if she divorces her husband^(W) and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Blessing the Children

¹³ People^(X) were bringing little children^(Y) to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked^(Z) them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw it, he was indignant^(AA) and said to them, “Let the little children come to me.^(AB) Don’t stop^(AC) them, because the kingdom of God^(AD) belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you,^(AE) whoever does not receive^[e](AF) the kingdom of God like a little child^(AG) will never enter it.” ¹⁶ After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on^(AH) them and blessed^(AI) them.

The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁷ As^(AJ) he was setting out on a journey,^(AK) a man ran up, knelt down^(AL) before him, and asked him, “Good^(AM) teacher,^(AN) what must I do to inherit^(AO) eternal life?” ^(AP)

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone.^{(AQ) 19} You know the commandments: Do not murder;^(AR) do not commit adultery;^(AS) do not steal;^(AT) do not bear false witness;^(AU) do not defraud;^(AV) honor^(AW) your father and mother.”^[f](AX)

²⁰ He said to him, “Teacher,^(AY) I have kept all these from my youth.”

²¹ Looking at him, Jesus loved him^(AZ) and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor,^(BA) and you will have treasure^(BB) in heaven.^(BC) Then come,^[g] follow me.”^{(BD) 22} But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving,^(BE) because he had many possessions.^(BF)

Possessions and the Kingdom

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth^(BG) to enter the kingdom of God!”^(BH)

²⁴ The disciples were astonished at his words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children,^(BI) how hard it is^[h] to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich^(BJ) person to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ They were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?” ^(BK)

²⁷ Looking at them, Jesus said, “With man it is impossible,^(BL) but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

²⁸ Peter^(BM) began to tell him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,”^(BN) Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father^[i] or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel,^{(BO) 30} who will not receive a hundred times^(BP) more, now at this time^(BQ) —houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions^(BR) —and eternal life^(BS) in the age to come.^{(BT) 31} But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”^(BU)

The Third Prediction of His Death

³² They^(BV) were on the road, going up to Jerusalem,^(BW) and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were astonished, but those who followed him were afraid.^(BX) Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them the things that would happen to him.^{(BY) 33} “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man^(BZ) will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,^(CA) and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles,^{(CB) 34} and they will mock him, spit on him, flog^[j] him, and kill him, and he will rise^(CC) after three days.”^(CD)

Suffering and Service

³⁵ James^(CE) and John,^(CF) the sons of Zebedee,^(CG) approached him and said, “Teacher,^(CH) we want you to do whatever we ask you.”

³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them.

³⁷ They answered him, “Allow us to sit at your right and at your left in your glory.”^(CI)

³⁸ Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking.^(CJ) Are you able to drink the cup^(CK) I drink or to be baptized with the baptism^(CL) I am baptized with?”^(CM)

³⁹ “We are able,” they told him.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.^{(CN) 40} But to sit at my right or left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

⁴¹ When the ten disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John.^{(CO) 42} Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over^(CP) them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. ⁴³ But it is not so among you.^(CQ) On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant,^{(CR) 44} and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all.^{(CS) 45} For even the Son of Man^(CT) did not come to be served, but to serve,^(CU) and to give his life^(CV) as a ransom^(CW) for many.”^[k](CX)

A Blind Man Healed

⁴⁶ They^(CY) came to Jericho.^(CZ) And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus), a blind^(DA) beggar,^(DB) was sitting by the road.^{(DC) 47} When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,^(DD) he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David,^(DE) have mercy^(DF) on me!” ^{(DG) 48} Many warned him to keep quiet, but he was crying out all the more, “Have mercy on me,^(DH) Son of David!”

⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called the blind man and said to him, “Have courage!^(DI) Get up; he’s calling for you.” ⁵⁰ He threw off his coat,^(DJ) jumped up, and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ Then Jesus answered him, “What do you want^(DK) me to do for you?”

“Rabboni,”^[l](DL) the blind man said to him, “I want to see.”

⁵² Jesus said to him, “Go, your faith has saved you.”^(DM) Immediately he could see and began to follow Jesus on the road.