Mark 10:2-26

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.

The Rich Young Man

^17 (T)And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and ^(U)knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to ^(V)inherit eternal life?” ¹⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ^(W)‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” ²⁰ And he said to him, “Teacher, ^(X)all these I have kept from my youth.” ²¹ And Jesus, ^(Y)looking at him, ^(Z)loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, ^(AA)sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have ^(AB)treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” ^22 (AC)Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

²³ And Jesus ^(AD)looked around and said to his disciples, ^(AE)“How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter ^(AF)the kingdom of God!” ²⁴ And the disciples ^(AG)were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, ^(AH)“Children, ^(AI)how difficult it is^[b] to enter ^(AJ)the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter ^(AK)the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,^[c] “Then who can be saved?”