The Question of Divorce
1 He i set out from there and went to the region of Judea j and across the Jordan. k Then crowds converged on him again, and as was his custom he taught l them again.
2 Some Pharisees m came to test n him, asking, “Is it lawful o for a man to divorce p his wife? ” q
3 He replied to them, “What did Moses r command you? ”
4 They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers s and send her away.” t
5 But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts. u 6 But from the beginning v of creation w God B made them male and female. C,x 7 For this reason a man will leave y his father and mother D 8 and the two will become one flesh. E,z So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” a
10 When they were in the house again, the disciples questioned him about this matter. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife b and marries c another commits adultery d against her. 12 Also, if she divorces her husband e and marries another, she commits adultery.”
Blessing the Children
13 People f were bringing little children g to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked h them. 14 When Jesus saw it, he was indignant i and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. j Don’t stop k them, because the kingdom of God l belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, m whoever does not receive F,n the kingdom of God like a little child o will never enter it.” 16 After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on p them and blessed q them.
The Rich Young Ruler
17 As r he was setting out on a journey, s a man ran up, knelt down t before him, and asked him, “Good u teacher, v what must I do to inherit w eternal life? ” x
18 “Why do you call me good? ” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. y 19 You know the commandments: Do not murder; z do not commit adultery; a do not steal; b do not bear false witness; c do not defraud; d honor e your father and mother.” G,f
20 He said to him, “Teacher, g I have kept all these from my youth.”
21 Looking at him, Jesus loved him h and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, i and you will have treasure j in heaven. k Then come, H follow me.” l 22 But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving, m because he had many possessions. n
Possessions and the Kingdom
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth o to enter the kingdom of God! ” p
24 The disciples were astonished at his words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, q how hard it is I 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 r person to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 They were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved? ” s
27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With man it is impossible, t but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”
28 Peter u began to tell him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”
29 “Truly I tell you,” v Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father J or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, w 30 who will not receive a hundred times x more, now at this time y—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions z—and eternal life a in the age to come. b 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” c
The Third Prediction of His Death
32 They d were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, e and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were astonished, but those who followed him were afraid. f Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them the things that would happen to him. g 33 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man h will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, i and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles, j 34 and they will mock him, spit on him, flog K him, and kill him, and he will rise k after three days.” l
Suffering and Service
35 James m and John, n the sons of Zebedee, o approached him and said, “Teacher, p 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.” q
38 Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking. r Are you able to drink the cup s I drink or to be baptized with the baptism t I am baptized with? ” u
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. v 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. w 42 Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over x them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you. y On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, z 44 and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all. a 45 For even the Son of Man b did not come to be served, but to serve, c and to give his life d as a ransom e for many.” L,f
A Blind Man Healed
46 They g came to Jericho. h And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus), a blind i beggar, j was sitting by the road. k 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, l he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, m have mercy n on me! ” o 48 Many warned him to keep quiet, but he was crying out all the more, “Have mercy on me, p Son of David! ”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man and said to him, “Have courage! q Get up; he’s calling for you.” 50 He threw off his coat, r jumped up, and came to Jesus.
51 Then Jesus answered him, “What do you want s me to do for you? ”
“Rabboni,” M,t the blind man said to him, “I want to see.”
52 Jesus said to him, “Go, your faith has saved you.” u Immediately he could see and began to follow Jesus on the road.