Mark 10 - Simple English

1Then he left that place and came into the region of Judaea, on the far side of the Jordan. Crowds came to him again, and he taught them again, as he always did.

2Some Pharisees came to him and asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" They asked this to test him.

3He answered them, "What did Moses command you?"

4They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a paper of divorce and send her away."

5Jesus answered them, "Moses wrote you that rule because your hearts were hard."

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

7"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,"

8"and the two of them will be one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh."

9"So what God has joined together, no one must separate."

10Later, in the house, his disciples asked him about this same matter again.

11He said to them, "Any man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her."

12"And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."

13People brought young children to him, so that he would touch them. But his disciples told them off.

14When Jesus saw it, he was very displeased. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me. Do not stop them. The kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

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

16Then he took them up in his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them.

17As he was setting out on the road, a man came running and knelt before him. He asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

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

19"You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not give false witness, Do not cheat anyone, Honour your father and mother."

20The man answered him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since I was young."

21Jesus looked at him and loved him. He said to him, "There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, take up the cross, and follow me."

22The man's face fell at these words, and he went away sad, because he owned a great deal.

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

24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!"

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

26They were amazed beyond measure, and said among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"

27Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God. With God all things are possible."

28Then Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you."

29Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my sake and for the gospel's sake,"

30"who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this present time - houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, along with persecutions - and in the world to come, eternal life."

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

32They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus walked ahead of them. They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was going to happen to him.

33He said, "Look, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles."

34"They will mock him, and whip him, and spit on him, and kill him. And on the third day he will rise again."

35James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask."

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

37They said to him, "Let us sit in your glory, one at your right hand and the other at your left."

38But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

39They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with."

40"But to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to give. It will be given to those for whom it is prepared."

41When the ten heard about it, they began to be very displeased with James and John.

42But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that those who are counted as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men use their authority over them."

43"It will not be like that among you. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,"

44"and whoever among you wants to be first must be the slave of all."

45"For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

46They came to Jericho. As he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, a blind man named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging.

47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me."

48Many people told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me."

49Jesus stood still and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man and said to him, "Take heart. Get up. He is calling you."

50He threw off his coat, got up, and came to Jesus.

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

52Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your faith has made you well." At once he could see, and he followed Jesus along the road.