Mark 9:30-10:31

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Second Prediction of His Death

³⁰ Then^(A) they left that place and made their way through Galilee, but He did not want anyone to know it.^{(B) 31} For He was teaching^(C) His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man^(D) is being betrayed^[a] into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise^(E) three days later.”^{(F) 32} But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.^(G)

Who is the Greatest?

³³ Then^(H) they came to Capernaum.^(I) When He was in the house,^(J) He asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”^{(K) 34} But they were silent,^(L) because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.^{(M) 35} Sitting down, He called the Twelve^(N) and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”^{(O) 36} Then He took a child,^(P) had him stand among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes^[b] one little child such as this in My name^(Q) welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me, but Him who sent^(R) Me.”^(S)

In His Name

³⁸ John^(T) said to Him, “Teacher,^(U) we saw someone^[c] driving out demons^(V) in Your name,^(W) and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”^(X)

³⁹ “Don’t stop him,” said Jesus, “because there is no one who will perform a miracle^(Y) in My name who can soon afterward speak evil of Me. ⁴⁰ For whoever is not against us is for us.^{(Z) 41} And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink^(AA) because of My name,^[d] since you belong to the Messiah^(AB)—I assure you:^(AC) He will never lose his reward.^(AD)

Warnings from Jesus

⁴² “But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me^(AE)—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone^[e](AF) were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ And if your hand causes your downfall, cut it off.^(AG) It is better for you to enter life maimed^(AH) than to have two hands and go to hell—the unquenchable fire,^(AI) [⁴⁴ where

⁴⁵ And if your foot causes your downfall,^(AK) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame^(AL) than to have two feet and be thrown into hell— [the unquenchable fire,^{(AM) 46} where

⁴⁷ And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God^(AO) with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown^(AP) into hell,^{(AQ) 48} where

⁴⁹ For everyone will be salted with fire.^{[k](AR)[l] 50} Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its flavor, how can you make it salty?^(AS) Have salt^(AT) among yourselves and be at peace^(AU) with one another.”

The Question of Divorce

10 He^(AV) set out from there and went to the region of Judea^(AW) and across the Jordan.^(AX) Then crowds converged on Him again and, as He usually did, He began teaching^(AY) them once more. ² Some Pharisees^(AZ) approached Him to test^(BA) Him. They asked, “Is it lawful^(BB) for a man to divorce^(BC) his wife?”^(BD)

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

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

⁵ But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.^{(BH) 6} But from the beginning^(BI) of creation^(BJ) God^[m] made them male and female.^(BK)[n]

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate.”^(BN)

¹⁰ Now in the house the disciples questioned Him again about this matter. ¹¹ And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife^(BO) and marries^(BP) another commits adultery^(BQ) against her. ¹² Also, if she divorces her husband^(BR) and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Blessing the Children

¹³ Some^(BS) people were bringing little children^(BT) to Him so He might touch them, but His disciples rebuked^(BU) them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw it, He was indignant^(BV) and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me.^(BW) Don’t stop^(BX) them, for the kingdom of God^(BY) belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ I assure you:^(BZ) Whoever does not welcome^[q](CA) the kingdom of God like a little child^(CB) will never enter it.” ¹⁶ After taking them in His arms, He laid His hands on^(CC) them and blessed^(CD) them.

The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁷ As^(CE) He was setting out on a journey,^(CF) a man ran up, knelt down^(CG) before Him, and asked Him, “Good^(CH) Teacher,^(CI) what must I do to inherit^(CJ) eternal life?”^(CK)

¹⁸ “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good but One—God.^{(CL) 19} You know the commandments:

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

²¹ Then, looking at him, Jesus loved him^(CU) and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor,^(CV) and you will have treasure^(CW) in heaven.^(CX) Then come,^[s] follow Me.”^{(CY) 22} But he was stunned^[t] at this demand, and he went away grieving,^(CZ) because he had many possessions.^(DA)

Possessions and the Kingdom

²³ Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth^(DB) to enter the kingdom of God!”^{(DC) 24} But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children,^(DD) how hard it is^[u] 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^(DE) person to enter the kingdom of God.”

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

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

²⁸ Peter^(DH) began to tell Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”

²⁹ “I assure you,”^(DI) Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father,^[v] children, or fields because of Me and the gospel,^{(DJ) 30} who will not receive 100 times^(DK) more, now at this time^(DL)—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions^(DM)—and eternal life^(DN) in the age to come.^{(DO) 31} But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”^(DP)