Mark 5-10

Contemporary English Version

A Man with Evil Spirits

(Matthew 8.28-34; Luke 8.26-39)

5 Jesus and his disciples crossed Lake Galilee and came to shore near the town of Gerasa.^{[a] 2} When he was getting out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit quickly ran to him ³ from the graveyard^[b] where he had been living. No one was able to tie the man up anymore, not even with a chain. ⁴ He had often been put in chains and leg irons, but he broke the chains and smashed the leg irons. No one could control him. ⁵ Night and day he was in the graveyard or on the hills, yelling and cutting himself with stones.

⁶ When the man saw Jesus in the distance, he ran up to him and knelt down. ⁷ He shouted, “Jesus, Son of God in heaven, what do you want with me? Promise me in God's name that you won't torture me!” ⁸ The man said this because Jesus had already told the evil spirit to come out of him.

⁹ Jesus asked, “What is your name?”

The man answered, “My name is Lots, because I have ‘lots’ of evil spirits.” ¹⁰ He then begged Jesus not to send them away.

¹¹ Over on the hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. ¹² So the evil spirits begged Jesus, “Send us into those pigs! Let us go into them.” ¹³ Jesus let them go, and they went out of the man and into the pigs. The whole herd of about 2,000 pigs rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

¹⁴ The men taking care of the pigs ran to the town and the farms to spread the news. Then the people came out to see what had happened. ¹⁵ When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had once been full of demons. He was sitting there with his clothes on and in his right mind, and they were terrified.

¹⁶ Everyone who had seen what had happened told about the man and the pigs. ¹⁷ Then the people started begging Jesus to leave their part of the country.

¹⁸ When Jesus was getting into the boat, the man begged to go with him. ¹⁹ But Jesus would not let him. Instead, he said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how good he has been to you.”

²⁰ The man went away into the region near the ten cities known as Decapolis^[c] and began telling everyone how much Jesus had done for him. Everyone who heard what had happened was amazed.

A Dying Girl and a Sick Woman

(Matthew 9.18-26; Luke 8.40-56)

²¹ Once again Jesus got into the boat and crossed Lake Galilee.^[d] Then as he stood on the shore, a large crowd gathered around him. ²² The person in charge of the synagogue was also there. His name was Jairus, and when he saw Jesus, he went over to him. He knelt at Jesus' feet ²³ and started begging him for help. He said, “My little daughter is about to die! Please come and touch her, so she will get well and live.” ²⁴ Jesus went with Jairus. Many people followed along and kept crowding around.

²⁵ In the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. ^26 (A) She had gone to many doctors, and they had not done anything except cause her a lot of pain. She had paid them all the money she had. But instead of getting better, she only got worse.

²⁷ The woman had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him in the crowd and barely touched his clothes. ²⁸ She had said to herself, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹ As soon as she touched them, her bleeding stopped, and she knew she was healed.

³⁰ At that moment Jesus felt power go out from him. He turned to the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

³¹ His disciples said to him, “Look at all these people crowding around you! How can you ask who touched you?” ³² But Jesus turned to see who had touched him.

³³ The woman knew what had happened to her. So she came trembling with fear and knelt down in front of Jesus. Then she told him the whole story.

³⁴ Jesus said to the woman, “You are now well because of your faith. May God give you peace! You are healed, and you will no longer be in pain.”

³⁵ While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from Jairus' home and said, “Your daughter has died! Why bother the teacher anymore?”

³⁶ Jesus heard^[e] what they said, and he said to Jairus, “Don't worry. Just have faith!”

³⁷ Jesus did not let anyone go with him except Peter and the two brothers, James and John. ³⁸ They went home with Jairus and saw the people crying and making a lot of noise.^{[f] 39} Then Jesus went inside and said to them, “Why are you crying and carrying on like this? The child isn't dead. She is just asleep.” ⁴⁰ But the people laughed at him.

After Jesus had sent them all out of the house, he took the girl's father and mother and his three disciples and went to where she was. ^41-42 He took the twelve-year-old girl by the hand and said, “Talitha, koum!”^[g] which means, “Little girl, get up!” The girl got right up and started walking around.

Everyone was greatly surprised. ⁴³ But Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. Then he said, “Give her something to eat.”

The People of Nazareth Turn against Jesus

(Matthew 13.53-58; Luke 4.16-30)

6 Jesus left and returned to his hometown^[h] with his disciples. ² The next Sabbath he taught in the synagogue. Many of the people who heard him were amazed and asked, “How can he do all this? Where did he get such wisdom and the power to work these miracles? ³ Isn't he the carpenter,^[i] the son of Mary? Aren't James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon his brothers? Don't his sisters still live here in our town?” The people were upset because of what he was doing.

^4 (B) But Jesus said, “Prophets are honored by everyone, except the people of their hometown and their relatives and their own family.” ⁵ Jesus could not work any miracles there, except to heal a few sick people by placing his hands on them. ⁶ He was surprised that the people did not have any faith.

Instructions for the Twelve Apostles

(Matthew 10.5-15; Luke 9.1-6)

Jesus taught in all the neighboring villages. ⁷ Then he called together his twelve apostles and sent them out two by two with power over evil spirits. ^8 (C) He told them, “You may take along a walking stick. But don't carry food or a traveling bag or any money. ⁹ It's all right to wear sandals, but don't take along a change of clothes. ¹⁰ When you are welcomed into a home, stay there until you leave that town. ^11 (D) If any place won't welcome you or listen to your message, leave and shake the dust from your feet^[j] as a warning to them.”

¹² The apostles left and started telling everyone to turn to God. ^13 (E) They forced out many demons and healed a lot of sick people by putting olive oil^[k] on them.

The Death of John the Baptist

(Matthew 14.1-12; Luke 9.7-9)

^14 (F) Jesus became so well-known that Herod the ruler^[l] heard about him. Some people thought he was John the Baptist, who had come back to life with the power to work miracles. ¹⁵ Others thought he was Elijah^[m] or some other prophet who had lived long ago. ¹⁶ But when Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “This must be John! I had his head cut off, and now he has come back to life.”

^17-18 (G) Herod had earlier married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. But John had told him, “It isn't right for you to take your brother's wife!” So, in order to please Herodias, Herod arrested John and put him in prison.

¹⁹ Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she could not do it ²⁰ because Herod was afraid of John and protected him. He knew that John was a good and holy man. Even though Herod was confused by what John said,^[n] he was glad to listen to him. And he often did.

²¹ Finally, Herodias got her chance when Herod gave a great birthday celebration for himself and invited his officials, his army officers, and the leaders of Galilee. ²² The daughter of Herodias^[o] came in and danced for Herod and his guests. She pleased them so much that Herod said, “Ask for anything, and it's yours! ²³ I swear that I will give you as much as half of my kingdom, if you want it.”

²⁴ The girl left and asked her mother, “What do you think I should ask for?”

Her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist!”

²⁵ The girl hurried back and told Herod, “Here and now on a serving plate I want the head of John the Baptist!”

²⁶ Herod was very sorry for what he had said. But he did not want to break the promise he had made in front of his guests. ²⁷ At once he ordered a guard to cut off John's head there in prison. ²⁸ The guard put the head on a serving plate and took it to the girl. Then she gave it to her mother.

²⁹ When John's followers learned that he had been killed, they took his body and put it in a tomb.

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

(Matthew 14.13-21; Luke 9.10-17; John 6.1-14)

³⁰ After the apostles returned to Jesus,^[p] they told him everything they had done and taught. ³¹ But so many people were coming and going that Jesus and the apostles did not even have a chance to eat. Then Jesus said, “Let's go to a place^[q] where we can be alone and get some rest.” ³² They left in a boat for a place where they could be alone. ³³ But many people saw them leave and figured out where they were going. So people from every town ran on ahead and got there first.

^34 (H) When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw the large crowd that was like sheep without a shepherd. He felt sorry for the people and started teaching them many things.

³⁵ That evening the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This place is like a desert, and it's already late. ³⁶ Let the crowds leave, so they can go to the farms and villages near here and buy something to eat.”

³⁷ Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat.”

But they asked him, “Don't you know it would take almost a year's wages^[r] to buy all of these people something to eat?”

³⁸ Then Jesus said, “How much bread do you have? Go and see!”

They found out and answered, “We have five small loaves of bread^[s] and two fish.” ³⁹ Jesus told his disciples to tell the people to sit down on the green grass. ⁴⁰ They sat down in groups of 100 and groups of 50.

⁴¹ Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and handed it to his disciples to give to the people. He also divided the two fish, so everyone could have some.

⁴² After everyone had eaten all they wanted, ⁴³ Jesus' disciples picked up twelve large baskets of leftover bread and fish.

⁴⁴ There were 5,000 men who ate the food.

Jesus Walks on the Water

(Matthew 14.22-33; John 6.15-21)

⁴⁵ At once, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and start back across to Bethsaida. But he stayed until he had sent the crowds away. ⁴⁶ Then he told them goodbye and went up on the side of a mountain to pray.

⁴⁷ Later in the evening he was still there by himself, and the boat was somewhere in the middle of the lake. ⁴⁸ He could see that the disciples were struggling hard, because they were rowing against the wind. Not long before morning, Jesus came toward them. He was walking on the water and was about to pass the boat.

⁴⁹ When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought he was a ghost, and they started screaming. ⁵⁰ All of them saw him and were terrified. But at this same time he said, “Don't worry! I am Jesus. Don't be afraid.” ⁵¹ He then got into the boat with them, and the wind died down. The disciples were completely confused. ⁵² Their minds were closed, and they could not understand the true meaning of the loaves of bread.

Jesus Heals Sick People in Gennesaret

(Matthew 14.34-36)

⁵³ Jesus and his disciples crossed the lake and brought the boat to shore near the town of Gennesaret. ⁵⁴ As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus. ⁵⁵ So they ran all over that part of the country to bring their sick people to him on mats. They brought them each time they heard where he was. ⁵⁶ In every village or farm or marketplace where Jesus went, the people brought their sick to him. They begged him to let them just touch his clothes, and everyone who did was healed.

The Teaching of the Ancestors

(Matthew 15.1-9)

7 Some Pharisees and several teachers of the Law of Moses from Jerusalem came and gathered around Jesus. ² They noticed that some of his disciples ate without first washing their hands.^[t]

³ The Pharisees and many others obey the teachings of their ancestors. They always wash their hands in the proper way^[u] before eating. ⁴ None of them will eat anything they buy in the market until it is washed. They also follow a lot of other teachings, such as washing cups, pitchers, and bowls.^[v]

⁵ The Pharisees and teachers asked Jesus, “Why don't your disciples obey what our ancestors taught us to do? Why do they eat without washing their hands?”

^6 (I) Jesus replied:

You are nothing but show-offs! The prophet Isaiah was right when he wrote that God had said,

⁸ You disobey God's commands in order to obey what humans have taught. ⁹ You are good at rejecting God's commands so that you can follow your own teachings! ^10 (J) Didn't Moses command you to respect your father and mother? Didn't he tell you to put to death all who curse their parents? ¹¹ But you let people get by without helping their parents when they should. You let them say that what they own has been offered to God.^{[w] 12} You won't let those people help their parents. ¹³ And you ignore God's commands in order to follow your own teaching. You do a lot of other things just as bad.

What Really Makes People Unclean

(Matthew 15.10-20)

¹⁴ Jesus called the crowd together again and said, “Pay attention and try to understand what I mean. ^15-16 The food that you put into your mouth doesn't make you unclean and unfit to worship God. The bad words that come out of your mouth are what make you unclean.”^[x]

¹⁷ After Jesus and his disciples had left the crowd and gone into the house, they asked him what these sayings meant. ¹⁸ He answered, “Don't you know what I am talking about by now? You surely know that the food you put into your mouth cannot make you unclean. ¹⁹ It doesn't go into your heart, but into your stomach, and then out of your body.” By saying this, Jesus meant that all foods were fit to eat.

²⁰ Then Jesus said:

What comes from your heart is what makes you unclean. ²¹ Out of your heart come evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, ²² unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, pride, and foolishness. ²³ All of these come from your heart, and they are what make you unfit to worship God.

A Woman's Faith

(Matthew 15.21-28)

²⁴ Jesus left and went to the region near the town of Tyre, where he stayed in someone's home. He did not want people to know he was there, but they found out anyway. ²⁵ A woman whose daughter had an evil spirit in her heard where Jesus was. And at once she came and knelt down at his feet. ²⁶ The woman was Greek and had been born in the part of Syria known as Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to force the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷ But Jesus said, “The children must first be fed! It isn't right to take away their food and feed it to dogs.”^[y]

²⁸ The woman replied, “Lord, even puppies eat the crumbs that children drop from the table.”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “That's true! You may go now. The demon has left your daughter.” ³⁰ When the woman got back home, she found her child lying on the bed. The demon had gone.

Jesus Heals a Man Who Was Deaf and Could Hardly Talk

³¹ Jesus left the region around Tyre and went by way of Sidon toward Lake Galilee. He went through the land near the ten cities known as Decapolis.^{[z] 32} Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk. They begged Jesus just to touch him.

³³ After Jesus had taken him aside from the crowd, he stuck his fingers in the man's ears. Then he spit and put it on the man's tongue. ³⁴ Jesus looked up toward heaven, and with a groan he said, “Effatha!”^[aa] which means “Open up!” ³⁵ At once the man could hear, and he had no more trouble talking clearly.

³⁶ Jesus told the people not to say anything about what he had done. But the more he told them, the more they talked about it. ³⁷ They were completely amazed and said, “Everything he does is good! He even heals people who cannot hear or talk.”

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

(Matthew 15.32-39)

8 One day another large crowd gathered around Jesus. They had not brought along anything to eat. So Jesus called his disciples together and said, ² “I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me for three days, and they don't have anything to eat. ³ Some of them live a long way from here. If I send them away hungry, they might faint on their way home.”

⁴ The disciples said, “This place is like a desert. Where can we find enough food to feed such a crowd?”

⁵ Jesus asked them how much food they had. They replied, “Seven small loaves of bread.”^[ab]

⁶ After Jesus told the crowd to sit down, he took the seven loaves and gave thanks. He then broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples, who passed them out to the crowd. ⁷ They also had a few little fish, and after Jesus had blessed these, he told the disciples to pass them around.

^8-9 The crowd of about 4,000 people ate all they wanted, and the leftovers filled seven large baskets.

As soon as Jesus had sent the people away, ¹⁰ he got into the boat with the disciples and crossed to the territory near Dalmanutha.^[ac]

A Sign from Heaven

(Matthew 16.1-4)

^11 (K) The Pharisees came out and started an argument with Jesus. They wanted to test him by asking for a sign from heaven. ^12 (L) Jesus groaned and said, “Why are you always looking for a sign? I can promise you that you will not be given one!” ¹³ Then he left them. He again got into a boat and crossed over to the other side of the lake.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod

(Matthew 16.5-12)

¹⁴ The disciples had forgotten to bring any bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. ^15 (M) Jesus warned them, “Watch out! Guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.”^[ad]

¹⁶ The disciples talked this over and said to each other, “He must be saying this because we don't have any bread.”

¹⁷ Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you talking about not having any bread? Don't you understand? Are your minds still closed? ^18 (N) Are your eyes blind and your ears deaf? Don't you remember ¹⁹ how many baskets of leftovers you picked up when I fed those 5,000 people with only five small loaves of bread?”

“Yes,” the disciples answered. “There were twelve baskets.”

²⁰ Jesus then asked, “And how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up when I broke seven small loaves of bread for those 4,000 people?”

“Seven,” they answered.

²¹ “Don't you know what I am talking about by now?” Jesus asked.

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

²² As Jesus and his disciples were going into Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch the man. ²³ Jesus took him by the hand and led him out of the village, where he spit into the man's eyes. He placed his hands on the blind man and asked him if he could see anything. ²⁴ The man looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees walking around.”

²⁵ Once again Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes, and this time the man stared. His eyes were healed, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ Jesus said to him, “You may return home now, but don't go into the village.”

Who Is Jesus?

(Matthew 16.13-20; Luke 9.18-21)

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples went to the villages near the town of Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “What do people say about me?”

^28 (O) The disciples answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist or maybe Elijah.^[ae] Others say you are one of the prophets.”

^29 (P) Then Jesus asked, “But who do you say I am?”

“You are the Messiah!” Peter replied.

³⁰ Jesus warned the disciples not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Speaks about His Suffering and Death

(Matthew 16.21-28; Luke 9.22-27)

³¹ Jesus began telling his disciples what would happen to him. He said, “The nation's leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make the Son of Man suffer terribly. He will be rejected and killed, but three days later he will rise to life.” ³² Then Jesus explained clearly what he meant.

Peter took Jesus aside and told him to stop talking like that. ³³ But when Jesus turned and saw the disciples, he corrected Peter. He said to him, “Satan, get away from me! You are thinking like everyone else and not like God.”

^34 (Q) Jesus then told the crowd and the disciples to come closer, and he said:

If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. ^35 (R) If you want to save your life,^[af] you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me and for the good news, you will save it. ³⁶ What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself? ³⁷ What could you give to get back your soul?

³⁸ Don't be ashamed of me and my message among these unfaithful and sinful people! If you are, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

9 I can assure you that some of the people standing here will not die before they see God's kingdom come with power.

The True Glory of Jesus

(Matthew 17.1-13; Luke 9.28-36)

^2 (S) Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him. They went up on a high mountain, where they could be alone. There in front of the disciples, Jesus was completely changed. ³ And his clothes became much whiter than any bleach on earth could make them. ⁴ Then Elijah and Moses appeared and were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Teacher, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶ But Peter and the others were terribly frightened, and he did not know what he was talking about.

^7 (T) The shadow of a cloud passed over and covered them. From the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, and I love him. Listen to what he says!” ⁸ At once the disciples looked around, but they saw only Jesus.

⁹ As Jesus and his disciples were coming down the mountain, he told them not to say a word about what they had seen, until the Son of Man had been raised from death. ¹⁰ So they kept it to themselves. But they wondered what he meant by the words “raised from death.”

^11 (U) The disciples asked Jesus, “Don't the teachers of the Law of Moses say that Elijah must come before the Messiah does?”

^12 (V) Jesus answered:

Elijah certainly will come^[ag] to get everything ready. But don't the Scriptures also say that the Son of Man must suffer terribly and be rejected? ¹³ I can assure you that Elijah has already come. And people treated him just as they wanted to, as the Scriptures say they would.

Jesus Heals a Boy

(Matthew 17.14-20; Luke 9.37-43a)

¹⁴ When Jesus and his three disciples came back down, they saw a large crowd around the other disciples. The teachers of the Law of Moses were arguing with them.

¹⁵ The crowd was really surprised to see Jesus, and everyone hurried over to greet him.

¹⁶ Jesus asked, “What are you arguing about?”

¹⁷ Someone from the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. A demon keeps him from talking. ¹⁸ Whenever the demon attacks my son, it throws him to the ground and makes him foam at the mouth and grit his teeth in pain. Then he becomes stiff. I asked your disciples to force out the demon, but they couldn't do it.”

¹⁹ Jesus said, “You people don't have any faith! How much longer must I be with you? Why do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰ They brought the boy, and as soon as the demon saw Jesus, it made the boy shake all over. He fell down and began rolling on the ground and foaming at the mouth.

²¹ Jesus asked the boy's father, “How long has he been like this?”

The man answered, “Ever since he was a child. ²² The demon has often tried to kill him by throwing him into a fire or into water. Please have pity and help us if you can!”

²³ Jesus replied, “Why do you say ‘if you can’? Anything is possible for someone who has faith!”

²⁴ At once the boy's father shouted, “I do have faith! Please help me to have even more.”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was gathering fast, he spoke sternly to the evil spirit that had kept the boy from speaking or hearing. He said, “I order you to come out of the boy! Don't ever bother him again.”

²⁶ The spirit screamed and made the boy shake all over. Then it went out of him. The boy looked dead, and almost everyone said he was. ²⁷ But Jesus took hold of his hand and helped him stand up.

²⁸ After Jesus and the disciples had gone back home and were alone, they asked him, “Why couldn't we force out that demon?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “Only prayer can force out this kind of demon.”

Jesus Again Speaks about His Death

(Matthew 17.22,23; Luke 9.43b-45)

³⁰ Jesus left with his disciples and started through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know about it, ³¹ because he was teaching the disciples that the Son of Man would be handed over to people who would kill him. But three days later he would rise to life. ³² The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant, and they were afraid to ask.

Who Is the Greatest?

(Matthew 18.1-5; Luke 9.46-48)

³³ Jesus and his disciples went to his home in Capernaum. After they were inside the house, Jesus asked them, “What were you arguing about along the way?” ^34 (W) They had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest, and so they did not answer.

^35 (X) After Jesus sat down and told the twelve disciples to gather around him, he said, “If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave and serve others!”

³⁶ Then Jesus asked a child to stand near him. He put his arm around the child and said, ^37 (Y) “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me.”

For or against Jesus

(Luke 9.49,50)

³⁸ John said, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But he wasn't one of us, and we told him to stop.”

³⁹ Jesus said to his disciples:

Don't stop him! No one who works miracles in my name will soon turn and say something bad about me. ^40 (Z) Anyone who isn't against us is for us. ^41 (AA) And anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded.

Temptations To Sin

(Matthew 18.6-9; Luke 17.1,2)

⁴² It will be terrible for people who cause even one of my little followers to sin. Those people would be better off thrown into the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their necks. ^43-44 (AB) So if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! You would be better off to go into life paralyzed than to have two hands and be thrown into the fires of hell that never go out.^{[ah] 45-46} If your foot causes you to sin, chop it off. You would be better off to go into life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.^{[ai] 47 (AC)} If your eye causes you to sin, get rid of it. You would be better off to go into God's kingdom with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. ^48 (AD) The worms there never die, and the fire never stops burning.

⁴⁹ Everyone must be salted with fire.^[aj]

^50 (AE) Salt is good. But if it no longer tastes like salt, how can it be made salty again? Have salt among you and live at peace with each other.^[ak]

Teaching about Divorce

(Matthew 19.1-12; Luke 16.18)

10 After Jesus left, he went to Judea and then on to the other side of the Jordan River. Once again large crowds came to him, and as usual, he taught them.

² Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. So they came up to him and asked if it was right for a man to divorce his wife. ³ Jesus asked them, “What does the Law of Moses say about this?”

^4 (AF) They answered, “Moses allows a man to write out divorce papers and send his wife away.”

⁵ Jesus replied, “Moses gave you this law because you are so heartless. ^6 (AG) But in the beginning God made a man and a woman. ^7 (AH) That's why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. ⁸ He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one. ⁹ And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together.”

¹⁰ When Jesus and his disciples were back in the house, they asked him about what he had said. ^11 (AI) He told them, “A man who divorces his wife and marries someone else is unfaithful to his wife. ¹² A woman who divorces her husband^[al] and marries again is also unfaithful.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

(Matthew 19.13-15; Luke 18.15-17)

¹³ Some people brought their children to Jesus so he could bless them by placing his hands on them. But his disciples told the people to stop bothering him.

¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he became angry and said, “Let the children come to me! Don't try to stop them. People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God.^{[am] 15 (AJ)} I promise you that you cannot get into God's kingdom, unless you accept it the way a child does.” ¹⁶ Then Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them by placing his hands on them.

A Rich Man

(Matthew 19.16-30; Luke 18.18-30)

¹⁷ As Jesus was walking down a road, a man ran up to him. He knelt down, and asked, “Good teacher, what can I do to have eternal life?”

¹⁸ Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good. ^19 (AK) You know the commandments. ‘Do not murder. Be faithful in marriage. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Do not cheat. Respect your father and mother.’ ”

²⁰ The man answered, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these commandments since I was a young man.”

²¹ Jesus looked closely at the man. He liked him and said, “There's one thing you still need to do. Go sell everything you own. Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come with me.”

²² When the man heard Jesus say this, he went away gloomy and sad because he was very rich.

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “It's hard for rich people to get into God's kingdom!” ²⁴ The disciples were shocked to hear this. So Jesus told them again, “It's terribly hard^[an] to get into God's kingdom! ²⁵ In fact, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God's kingdom.”

²⁶ Jesus' disciples were even more amazed. They asked each other, “How can anyone ever be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything.”

²⁸ Peter replied, “Remember, we left everything to be your followers!”

²⁹ Jesus told him:

You can be sure that anyone who gives up home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or land for me and for the good news ³⁰ will be rewarded. In this world they will be given 100 times as many houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and pieces of land, though they will also be mistreated. And in the world to come, they will have eternal life. ^31 (AL) But many who are now first will be last, and many who are now last will be first.

Jesus Again Tells about His Death

(Matthew 20.17-19; Luke 18.31-34)

³² The disciples were confused as Jesus led them toward Jerusalem, and his other followers were afraid. Once again, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and told them what was going to happen to him. He said:

³³ We are now on our way to Jerusalem where the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses. They will sentence him to death and hand him over to foreigners,^{[ao] 34} who will make fun of him and spit on him. They will beat him and kill him. But three days later he will rise to life.

The Request of James and John

(Matthew 20.20-28)

³⁵ James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, will you do us a favor?”

³⁶ Jesus asked them what they wanted, ³⁷ and they answered, “When you come into your glory, please let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left.”^[ap]

^38 (AM) Jesus told them, “You don't really know what you're asking! Are you able to drink from the cup^[aq] that I must soon drink from or be baptized as I must be baptized?”^[ar]

³⁹ “Yes, we are!” James and John answered.

Then Jesus replied, “You certainly will drink from the cup from which I must drink. And you will be baptized just as I must! ⁴⁰ But it isn't for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. This is for God to decide.”

⁴¹ When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John. ^42 (AN) But Jesus called the disciples together and said:

You know that those foreigners who call themselves kings like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over the people they rule. ^43 (AO) But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. ⁴⁴ And if you want to be first, you must be everyone's slave. ^45 (AP) The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue^[as] many people.

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

(Matthew 20.29-34; Luke 18.35-43)

⁴⁶ Jesus and his disciples went to Jericho. And as they were leaving, they were followed by a large crowd. A blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus son of Timaeus was sitting beside the road. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus from Nazareth, he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David,^[at] have pity on me!” ⁴⁸ Many people told the man to stop, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!”

⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him over!”

They called out to the blind man and said, “Don't be afraid! Come on! He is calling for you.” ⁵⁰ The man threw off his coat as he jumped up and ran to Jesus.

⁵¹ Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The blind man answered, “Master,^[au] I want to see!”

⁵² Jesus told him, “You may go. Your eyes are healed because of your faith.”

At once the man could see, and he went down the road with Jesus.