1Jesus left that place and went into the area of Judea and across the Jordan River. Crowds gathered around him again, and as was his custom, he taught them again.
2Some Pharisees came to test him, asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"
3He asked them, "What did Moses command you?"
4They replied, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."
5Jesus said to them, "Moses wrote you this command because your hearts were so hard.
6But in the beginning, at the time of creation, God made them male and female.
7That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife,
8and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
9Therefore what God has joined together, no one should separate."
10Later, in the house, his disciples asked him again about this.
11He told them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
12And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."
13People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to touch them, but the disciples told them off.
14When Jesus saw this, he was upset and said to them, "Let the little children come to me! Don't stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to people like these.
15I assure you, anyone who does not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child will never enter it.
16He took them in his arms, placed his hands on them, and blessed them.
17As Jesus was leaving, a man ran up, knelt down, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?”
18Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
19You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not lie,’ ‘Do not cheat anyone,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’”
20The man replied, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
21Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said, “You lack one thing. Go, sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me, even if it means suffering.”
22But the man looked sad when Jesus said this, and he went away grieving because he was very wealthy.
23Jesus looked around and said to his followers, “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s Kingdom!”
24His followers were shocked by his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, it is incredibly hard for those who trust in riches to enter God’s Kingdom!
25It is harder for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God's Kingdom.
26They were extremely surprised and asked him, "Then who can be saved?"
27Jesus looked at them and said, "For humans, it's impossible, but not for God. All things are possible with God."
28Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you."
29Jesus said, "I tell you for sure, there is no one who has left a house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land for my sake and for the sake of the Good News,
30who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this time—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—along with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life.
31But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."
32They were on their way, going up to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking ahead of them, and they were amazed, while those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve disciples aside again and began to tell them what was going to happen to him.
33"Look, 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 sentence him to death and hand him over to the non-Jews.
34They will mock him, spit on him, whip him, and kill him. But on the third day, he will rise again."
35James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask."
36He asked them, "What do you want me to do for you?"
37They replied, "Allow us to sit, one at your right side and one at your left side, in your glory."
38But Jesus told them, "You don't know what you're asking. Can you drink the cup I am about to drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?"
39They said to him, "We can." Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I will undergo.
40But to sit at my right or left is not mine to give; it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared."
41When the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with James and John.
42Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers by the nations show their power over them, and their leaders act as tyrants over them.
43But it should not be that way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.
44And whoever wants to be first among you should be a slave to everyone.
45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a rescue payment for many."
46They came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road.
47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48Many people told him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man, telling him, "Cheer up! Get up. He's calling you!"
50He threw off his cloak, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
51Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied, "Teacher, I want to see again."
52Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your faith has made you well." Instantly, he could see and followed Jesus on the road.