Mark 10

1 He arose from there and came into the borders of Judea and beyond the Jordan. Multitudes came together to him again. As he usually did, he was again teaching them.

2 Pharisees came to him testing him, and asked him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

3 He answered, “What did Moses command you?”

4 They said, “Moses allowed a certificate of divorce to be written, and to divorce her.”

5 But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart, he wrote you this commandment.

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

7 For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will join to his wife,

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

9 What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

10 In the house, his disciples asked him again about the same matter.

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

12 If a woman herself divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

13 They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these.

15 Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”

16 He took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

17 As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

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

19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’”

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

21 Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”

22 But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!”

24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!

25 It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

26 They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?”

27 Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”

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

29 Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left 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,

30 but he will receive one hundred times more now in this time: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life.

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

32 They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going in front of them, and they were amazed; and those who followed were afraid. He again took the twelve, and began to tell them the things that were going to happen to him.

33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the Gentiles.

34 They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”

35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came near to him, saying, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we will ask.”

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

37 They said to him, “Grant to us that we may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left hand, in your glory.”

38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

39 They said to him, “We are able.” Jesus said to them, “You shall indeed drink the cup that I drink, and you shall be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with;

40 but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared.”

41 When the ten heard it, they began to be indignant toward James and John.

42 Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that they who are recognized as rulers over the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

43 But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant.

44 Whoever of you wants to become first among you shall be bondservant of all.

45 For the Son of Man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

46 They came to Jericho. As he went out from Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.

47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 Many rebuked him, that he should be quiet, but he cried out much more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 Jesus stood still and said, “Call him.” They called the blind man, saying to him, “Cheer up! Get up. He is calling you!”

50 He, casting away his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.

51 Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “Rabboni, that I may see again.”

52 Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the way.

Around Mark 10

Book context

MarkEditorial draft

Mark opens with “The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (1:1) and moves quickly from scene to scene, starting with Jesus announcing that God’s Kingdom is at hand (1:14 to 15). It explains Jewish terms such as “Corban” for its readers (7:11), which suggests an audience not all familiar with Jewish practice. A central saying is that the Son of Man came “to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (10:45). The text does not name its author; early tradition links it to John Mark and the preaching of Peter, and Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897) places it in Rome around AD 63. Many scholars today regard Mark as the earliest Gospel.

Why we say this

HisFullGlory editorial · common interpretation · not yet reviewed by a theological reader

From the text itself

Sources

Notes summarise their sources in our own words. Where Christians or scholars disagree, the note says so. Notes are not original-language evidence and do not replace the text.

AI explanation

Mark 10 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

Pharisees come to test him: is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? Jesus points them back to creation, when God made them male and female, and says, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” The disciples turn away parents bringing children, and Jesus is moved with indignation: the Kingdom belongs to such as these.

A man kneels and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus lists commandments, and the man says he has kept them all. Jesus looks at him with love and says, “One thing you lack.” He is to sell what he has, give to the poor and follow. He goes away sorrowful, for he has great possessions. Jesus says it is hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom, yet all things are possible with God.

On the road up to Jerusalem he says a third time that he will be killed and rise. James and John ask for places of honor, and he teaches that greatness is serving. At Jericho a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, cries out, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!” and sees.

Background

Divorce was debated among Jewish teachers of the time. Moses’s allowance refers to Deuteronomy 24:1 to 4. Christians differ today on how these words apply to divorce and remarriage, and the passage gives no legal or counseling advice. The needle’s eye saying is a vivid exaggeration, though some later writers tried to soften it. Verse 45 is a key verse for many Christians on the meaning of Jesus’s death, and traditions explain ransom in different ways. Jericho is on the road up to Jerusalem.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 26 October 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes