Mark 10 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~AD 30
Location
Judea and Perea (east of the Jordan), en route to Jerusalem
Audience
Jesus' disciples, Pharisees, crowds, and individuals
Situation
Jesus journeys southward from Galilee, teaching on marriage, children, wealth, and true greatness while predicting his death and resurrection.
Key Background
First-century Jewish debates on divorce, influenced by Deuteronomy 24, pitted schools like Hillel (permissive) against Shammai (strict), with Pharisees testing Jesus' stance. Cultural views marginalized children and exalted wealth/status, which Jesus subverts by blessing kids and challenging the rich young ruler. As Passover neared, Messianic hopes ran high, but Jesus reframes discipleship around suffering servanthood, not earthly power.
Jesus left that place and went into the region of and across the Crowds gathered around him again, and as he usually did, he them.
Some came up and him by asking, "Is it for a man to divorce his wife?"
He answered them, "What did command you?"
They said, "Moses a man to write a of and send her away."
Jesus said to them, "He wrote you that command because your were
"But from the very of God made them male and female."
"That's why a man will leave his father and mother and be to his wife,"
"and the two will become So they are no longer two, but
"So what God has no one should
Back in the house, the brought this up with him again.
He told them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else
"And if she and marries someone else, she commits adultery."
People were bringing to Jesus so he could them, but the disciples them for it.
When Jesus saw this, he was He said to them, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them! belongs to people like these."
"I'm you the anyone who doesn't God's kingdom like a little child will never enter it."
Then he the children up in placed hands on them, and them
As Jesus was heading out on the road, a man ran up, dropped to his knees before him, and asked, Teacher, what do I need to do to
Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me No one is except God alone."
"You know the murder. commit adultery. steal. give false testimony. Honor your father and mother."
"Teacher," the man said, "I've kept all of these I was a
Jesus looked at and He said, "There's one thing you're missing. Go sell everything you own and give the money to the poor -- you'll have in Then come me."
The man's and he walked away because he had a lot of
Jesus at his disciples and said, "How hard it is for rich people to enter God's kingdom!"
The disciples were by his words. But Jesus said again, how hard it is to enter God's kingdom!"
"It's easier for a to squeeze through the of a than for a rich person to enter God's kingdom."
They were and said to each other, "Then who can possibly be
Jesus looked at them and said, "For people, it's But not for God -- everything is for God."
spoke up, "Look, we've left everything behind to follow you."
Jesus said, "I'm you the no one who has left home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or property for my sake and for the
will fail to receive a as in this present age -- homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property, with -- and in the age to come,
"But many who are will be and the
They were on the road up to and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were and those following behind were afraid. He took the aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him.
"Listen, we're going up to Jerusalem, and the of will be handed over to the and the They'll condemn him to death and hand him over to the
"They'll him, spit on him, him, and kill him. But after three days, he'll
and Zebedee's sons, came up to him and said, "Teacher, we you to do we
"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
They answered, "When you come into your let one of us sit at your and the other at your
Jesus said to them, "You don't know what you're asking. Can you drink the I'm about to drink? Can you be the be
"We can," they said. Jesus told them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be submerged in the way I'll be submerged."
"But sitting at my right or left isn't mine to give. Those places belong to the ones they've been for."
When the other ten heard about this, they were with James and John.
Jesus called them together and said, "You know how it works in the world -- the recognized as rulers it everyone, and their
"But that's not how it works with you. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your
"And whoever wants to be first among you must be the of everyone."
"Because even the Son of Man didn't come to be served but to and to give his life as a to
They came to As Jesus was leaving the city with his disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named (son of Timaeus) was sitting by the road.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he started shouting, "Jesus, of have on me!"
Many people to be but he "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Jesus and said, "Call him over." So they called out to the blind man, up! Get up -- he's calling for you!"
He to and came to Jesus.