Mark 10

And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.

1Jesus left that place and went into the area of Judea, on the other side of the Jordan River. Crowds came to him again. He taught them, just as he always did.

2And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.

2Some Pharisees came to him. The Pharisees were teachers who cared a lot about God's rules. They asked, "Is a man allowed to divorce his wife?" They asked this to try to trap him.

3And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?

3Jesus answered them with a question. "What did Moses tell you to do?"

4And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

4They said, "Moses let a man write a paper saying the marriage was over, and then send her away."

NoteIn the King James Bible this verse says Moses "suffered" a man to write the paper. Back then "suffered" meant "allowed," not "hurt."

5And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

5Jesus said to them, "Moses wrote that rule because your hearts were so stubborn.

6But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

6But at the very beginning, when God made the world, he made people male and female.

7For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;

7Because of this, a man will leave his father and mother and hold on to his wife.

8And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

8The two of them will become one. So they are not two people anymore. They are one.

9What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

9So no one should split apart what God has joined together."

10And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.

10Later, when they were back in the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this again. Disciples are students who follow a teacher.

11And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

11He told them, "If a man divorces his wife and marries someone else, he breaks his promise to her.

12And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

12And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she breaks her promise too."

13And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

13People were bringing little children to Jesus so he could put his hands on them. The disciples told them to stop.

14But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

14Jesus saw this and was upset. He said, "Let the little children come to me. Do not stop them. God's kingdom belongs to people like them.

NoteThe King James Bible says "suffer the little children to come unto me." Here "suffer" means "let" or "allow."

15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

15I tell you the truth. Anyone who does not welcome God's kingdom the way a small child does will never go in."

16And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

16Then he picked the children up in his arms. He put his hands on them and blessed them.

17And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

17As Jesus started down the road, a man ran up and knelt in front of him. He asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to have life forever?"

18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

18Jesus said, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

19Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

19You know the rules God gave. Do not kill. Do not break your marriage promise. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about people. Do not cheat anyone. Treat your father and mother well."

20And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

20The man answered, "Teacher, I have kept all of these since I was a boy."

21Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

21Jesus looked at him and loved him. He said, "You are missing one thing. Go and sell everything you own. Give the money to poor people. Then you will have riches with God. Then come and follow me."

22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

22The man's face fell when he heard this. He walked away feeling sad, because he owned a great deal.

23And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

23Jesus looked around at his disciples. He said, "It is so hard for rich people to enter God's kingdom!"

24And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

24The disciples were surprised by his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, it is very hard to enter God's kingdom!

25It 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.

25It is easier for a camel to go through the hole in a needle than for a rich man to enter God's kingdom."

26And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?

26They were more amazed than ever. They said to each other, "Then who can be saved?"

27And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

27Jesus looked at them and said, "People cannot do this on their own. But God can. God can do anything."

28Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

28Then Peter said to him, "Look, we left everything behind to follow you."

29And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,

29Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. Some people leave a home, or brothers, or sisters, or a mother, or a father, or children, or fields for me and for the good news.

30But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

30Every one of them will get back a hundred times as much right now. They will have homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields. Hard times will come with all of it. And in the world to come, they will have life forever.

31But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

31But many who are first now will be last. And many who are last now will be first."

32And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,

32They were walking up the road to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, and the people following were afraid. Jesus took the twelve disciples aside again. He began to tell them what was going to happen to him.

33Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:

33He said, "Listen. We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will say he must die. Then they will hand him over to people who are not Jews.

Note"Son of Man" is a name Jesus used for himself.

34And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

34Those people will make fun of him. They will spit on him. They will beat him with a whip, and they will kill him. Three days later he will rise again."

35And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.

35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus. They said, "Teacher, we want you to do whatever we ask."

36And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?

36He said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?"

37They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

37They said, "When you rule as king, let one of us sit at your right side and one at your left."

38But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

38Jesus said, "You do not know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink? Can you go through what I am going to go through?"

39And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:

39They said, "We can." Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup that I drink. You will go through what I go through.

40But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

40But I am not the one who picks who sits at my right or my left. Those places belong to the people they were made ready for."

41And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

41The other ten disciples heard about this. They got angry with James and John.

42But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.

42So Jesus called them all together. He said, "You know how it works with rulers of other nations. They boss their people around. Their leaders act like masters.

43But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:

43It will not be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great among you must serve the rest.

44And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

44And whoever wants to be first must be everyone's servant.

45For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

45Even the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve, and to give his life to set many people free."

46And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

46Next they came to the town of Jericho. Jesus and his disciples were leaving town with a big crowd. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road.

47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.

47He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was going by. He began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, please help me!"

Note"Son of David" means a person from the family of King David. People used it for the king God had promised to send.

48And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

48Many people told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, "Son of David, please help me!"

49And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.

49Jesus stopped and said, "Call him over." So they called the blind man. They told him, "Cheer up! Get up! He is calling you."

50And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.

50The man threw off his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

51And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

51Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said, "Teacher, I want to see again."

52And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

52Jesus said to him, "You may go. Your faith has healed you." Right away the man could see. He followed Jesus down the road.