| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then Jesus left Capernaum and went down to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan River. Once again crowds gathered around him, and as usual he was teaching them. | 1Then Jesus left that place and went into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught them, as was His custom. |
| 2Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?” | 2Some Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” they inquired. |
| 3Jesus answered them with a question: “What did Moses say in the law about divorce?” | 3“What did Moses command you?” He replied. |
| 4“Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.” | 4They answered, “Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away.” |
| 5But Jesus responded, “He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts. | 5But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart. |
| 6 But ‘God made them male and female’ from the beginning of creation. | 6However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ |
| 7 ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, | 7‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, |
| 8 and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, | 8and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. |
| 9 let no one split apart what God has joined together.” | 9Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” |
| 10Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again. | 10When they were back inside the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter. |
| 11He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. | 11So He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. |
| 12 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.” Jesus Blesses the Children | 12And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” |
| 13One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. | 13Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them. |
| 14When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. | 14But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. |
| 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” | 15Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” |
| 16Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. The Rich Man | 16And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them. |
| 17As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” | 17As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” |
| 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. | 18“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone. |
| 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’ ” | 19You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat others, honor your father and mother.’ ” |
| 20“Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” | 20“Teacher,” he replied, “all these I have kept from my youth.” |
| 21Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” | 21Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” |
| 22At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. | 22But the man was saddened by these words and went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth. |
| 23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” | 23Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” |
| 24This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. | 24And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! |
| 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” | 25It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” |
| 26The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. | 26They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?” |
| 27Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” | 27Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” |
| 28Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. | 28Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.” |
| 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, | 29“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel |
| 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. | 30will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. |
| 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. ” Jesus Again Predicts His Death | 31But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” |
| 32They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. | 32As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, but those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him: |
| 33 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. | 33“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles, |
| 34 They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.” Jesus Teaches about Serving Others | 34who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again.” |
| 35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.” | 35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” |
| 36 “What is your request?” he asked. | 36“What do you want Me to do for you?” He inquired. |
| 37They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” | 37They answered, “Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the other at Your left in Your glory.” |
| 38But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?” | 38“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?” |
| 39“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. | 39“We can,” the brothers answered. “You will drink the cup that I drink,” Jesus said, “and you will be baptized with the baptism that I undergo. |
| 40 But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.” | 40But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” |
| 41When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. | 41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. |
| 42So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. | 42So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. |
| 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, | 43But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, |
| 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. | 44and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. |
| 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus | 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” |
| 46Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. | 46Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road. |
| 47When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” | 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” |
| 48“Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” | 48Many people admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” |
| 49When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” | 49Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man. “Take courage!” they said. “Get up! He is calling for you.” |
| 50Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. | 50Throwing off his cloak, Bartimaeus jumped up and came to Jesus. |
| 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi, ” the blind man said, “I want to see!” | 51“What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “Rabboni,” said the blind man, “let me see again.” |
| 52And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. | 52“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. |
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