Jesus’ Teaching about Divorce
1 He arose from there and came into the borders of Judea and beyond the Jordan. Again, crowds of people gathered together to him, and as was his custom, he continued teaching them. 2 Some Pharisees came and asked him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” They were testing him.
3 He answered, “What did Moses command you?”
4 They said, “Moses permitted a certificate of divorce to be written and to send her away.”
5 But Jesus said to them, “It was because of the hardness of your heart that he wrote this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. 7 For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and will cleave to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate.”
10 In the house, his disciples asked him again about the same matter. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 12 If a woman herself divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
Jesus Blesses the Children
13 And they brought little children to him, that he might touch them, and his disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Do not hinder them, for indeed, the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 With certainty I tell you, whoever will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.” 16 He took them in his arms and laying his hands on them, he blessed them.
The Rich Young Man
17 As he was going forth on a journey, someone came running and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not give false testimony. Do not defraud. Honor your father and mother.’ ”
20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.”
21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up your cross and follow me.”
22 But at these words, he was sad, and he went away grieved, for he had great possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”
26 They were greatly perplexed, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but with God, all things are indeed possible.”
28 Peter began to tell him, “We have left everything and have followed you.”
29 Jesus said, “With certainty I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Gospel, 30 who will not receive 100 times more now in this time: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Third Prediction of Death, Resurrection
32 They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going in front of them, and they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He again took the twelve disciples and began to tell them the things that were going to happen to him.
33 “We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and will deliver him to the Gentiles. 34 They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came near to him, saying, “Teacher, we desire that whatever we might ask, you would do for us.
36 He said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
37 They said to him, “Grant to us that we may sit, one at your right hand, and one at your left hand, in your glory.”
38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
39 They said to him, “We are able.”
Jesus said to them, “You shall indeed drink the cup that I drink, and you shall be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; 40 but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared.”
41 When the ten heard it, they began to be indignant toward James and John.
42 Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that they who are recognized as rulers over the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 Whoever wants to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus Heals Bartimaeus
46 They came to Jericho. As he went out from Jericho, with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many rebuked him, that he should be quiet, but he cried out much more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stood still and said, “Call him.”
They called the blind man, saying to him, “Cheer up! Get up. He is calling you!”
50 Casting away his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
51 Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man said to him, “Rabbi, that I may see again.”
52 Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the way.