Marriage and Divorce^(A)

10 Then ^(B)He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan. And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.

^2 (C)The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him.

³ And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?”

⁴ They said, ^(D)“Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”

⁵ And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this ^[a]precept. ⁶ But from the beginning of the creation, God ^(E)‘made them male and female.’ ^7 (F)‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

¹⁰ In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter. ¹¹ So He said to them, ^(G)“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. ¹² And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children^(H)

^13 (I)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 ^(J)of such is the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Assuredly, I say to you, ^(K)whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will ^(L)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^(M)

^17 (N)Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I ^(O)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, ^(P)God. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ^(Q)‘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 ^(R)kept from my youth.”

²¹ Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, ^(S)sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have ^(T)treasure in heaven; and come, ^(U)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^(V)

^23 (W)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 ^[b]for those ^(X)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 ^(Y)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 ^(Z)with God; for with God all things are possible.”

^28 (AA)Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

²⁹ So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother ^[c]or wife or children or ^[d]lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, ^30 (AB)who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with ^(AC)persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. ^31 (AD)But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

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

^32 (AF)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. ^(AG)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 ^[e]scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

Greatness Is Serving^(AH)

^35 (AI)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 ^(AJ)cup that I drink, and be baptized with the ^(AK)baptism that I am baptized with?”

³⁹ They said to Him, “We are able.”

So Jesus said to them, ^(AL)“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 ^(AM)for whom it is prepared.”

^41 (AN)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, ^(AO)“You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ^43 (AP)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 ^(AQ)the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and ^(AR)to give His life a ransom for many.”

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus^(AS)

^46 (AT)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, ^(AU)Son of David, ^(AV)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, ^[f]“Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”

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

The Dead Church

3 “And to the ^[a]angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who ^(A)has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ² Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before ^[b]God. ^3 (B)Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and ^(C)repent. ^(D)Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you ^(E)as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. ^4 [c]You have ^(F)a few names ^[d]even in Sardis who have not ^(G)defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me ^(H)in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ He who overcomes ^(I)shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not ^(J)blot out his name from the ^(K)Book of Life; but ^(L)I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

^6 (M)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Faithful Church

⁷ “And to the ^[e]angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says ^(N)He who is holy, ^(O)He who is true, ^(P)“He who has the key of David, ^(Q)He who opens and no one shuts, and ^(R)shuts and no one opens”: ^8 (S)“I know your works. See, I have set before you ^(T)an open door, ^[f]and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ⁹ Indeed I will make ^(U)those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed ^(V)I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you have kept ^[g]My command to persevere, ^(W)I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon ^(X)the whole world, to test those who dwell ^(Y)on the earth. ^11 [h]Behold, ^(Z)I am coming quickly! ^(AA)Hold fast what you have, that no one may take ^(AB)your crown. ¹² He who overcomes, I will make him ^(AC)a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall ^(AD)go out no more. ^(AE)I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the ^(AF)New Jerusalem, which ^(AG)comes down out of heaven from My God. ^(AH)And I will write on him My new name.

^13 (AI)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Lukewarm Church

¹⁴ “And to the ^[i]angel of the church ^[j]of the Laodiceans write,

^(AJ)‘These things says the Amen, ^(AK)the Faithful and True Witness, ^(AL)the Beginning of the creation of God: ^15 (AM)“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither ^[k]cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, ^(AN)‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— ¹⁸ I counsel you ^(AO)to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and ^(AP)white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. ^19 (AQ)As many as I love, I rebuke and ^(AR)chasten.^[l] Therefore be ^[m]zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, ^(AS)I stand at the door and knock. ^(AT)If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, ^(AU)I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes ^(AV)I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

^22 (AW)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”