Mark 10:1-31

1He set out from there and went to the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Then crowds converged on 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 replied to them, “What did Moses command you?”

4They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers and send her away.”

5But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.

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

7For this reason a man will leave his father and mother

8and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

9Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

10When they were in the house again, the disciples questioned him about this matter.

11He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.

12Also, if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

13People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.

14When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

15Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

16After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on them and blessed them.

17As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone.

19You know the commandments: Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; do not defraud; honor your father and mother.”

20He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth.”

21Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.

23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”

24The disciples were astonished at his words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

26They were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?”

27Looking at them, Jesus said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

28Peter began to tell him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”

29“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel,

30who will not receive a hundred times more, now at this time — houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions — and eternal life in the age to come.

31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”