Mark 10
The full text of Mark 10 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Greek. Free to read.
1 Leaving there, he went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Crowds gathered to him again, and as was his custom, he taught them again.
2 And they asked him, "Is it allowed for a man to divorce his wife?"—testing him.
3 He answered, "What did Moses command you?"
4 They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and divorce her."
5 Jesus said to them, "Moses wrote this commandment for you because your hearts are so hard.
6 But from the beginning of creation, 'he 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 will become one flesh — so they are no longer two, but one flesh.
9 So what God has joined together, let no human being separate.
10 Back in the house, the disciples asked him about this again.
11 And he says to them, "If a man divorces his wife and marries another, he commits adultery against her.
12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."
13 People were bringing little children to him so he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me. Don't keep them away, because the kingdom of God belongs to people like these.
15 Truly I tell you, whoever will not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.
16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
17 As he was starting out on the road, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to 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 bear false witness. Do not defraud. Honor your father and mother.'
20 He replied, "Teacher, I have kept all these since I was young."
21 Jesus looked straight at him and loved him, and said, "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."
22 His face fell at what Jesus said, and he went away grieving, because he owned much property.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those with money to enter the kingdom of God!"
24 The disciples were astonished at his words. Then Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is 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 person to enter the kingdom of God.
26 They were stunned beyond measure and said to each other, "Then who can be saved?"
27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With humans it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."
28 Peter began to say to him, "Look, we've left everything and followed you."
29 Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, no one has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the good news,
30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers, children, and fields, 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 road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was leading the way. They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Taking the Twelve with him again, he began to tell them what was about to happen to him.
33 "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and 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, spit on him, flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again."
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
36 He said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?"
37 They said to him, "Grant that one of us may sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."
38 But Jesus said to them, "You don't know what you're asking for. Can you drink the cup I drink, or undergo the baptism I am about to undergo?"
39 They said to him, "We are able." Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with;
40 but to sit at my right or my left is not mine to give; it is for those for whom it has been prepared."
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
42 Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones throw their weight around.
43 But it is not so among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44 And whoever among you wants to be first will be everyone's slave.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve — and to give his life as a ransom in place of many.
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.
47 When he heard it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out, "Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!"
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man, telling him, "Take heart! Get up—he's calling you."
50 Throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus.
51 Jesus replied, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "Rabboni, I want to see again."
52 And Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has saved you."a Immediately he could see again, and he followed him on the way.b
Translation notes (56)
- Mark 10:2a Some manuscripts (A, W, Θ, f1, f13, later Byzantine manuscripts) add "Pharisees came up and" before "asked him." The critical Greek text omits this phrase; the subject is inferred from Mark 10:1.
- Mark 10:2b This can also be translated as "husband... wife." The Greek words anēr and gynē can mean either "man/woman" or "husband/wife"; the marital sense is primary here.
- Mark 10:4a The phrase "certificate of divorce" (biblion apostasiou) refers to the written document required by Deuteronomy 24:1.
- Mark 10:4b The Pharisees say Moses "permitted" (epetrepsen) divorce, but Jesus had asked what Moses "commanded" (verse 3). This shift from command to permission is the central point of Jesus's reply in verse 5.
- Mark 10:5a The Greek phrase sklērokardia, translated as "hardness of heart," refers to a settled stubbornness of will, not emotional coldness.
- Mark 10:5b While "He" (Moses) is named explicitly here, the Greek text leaves the subject implicit, meaning it is understood from the previous verse, verse 4.
- Mark 10:6a Greek ἐποίησεν is third-person singular without an explicit subject; the subject 'God' is implied from the Genesis 1:27 quotation Jesus is invoking. The parallel in Matt 19:4 makes the Creator explicit; Mark does not.
- Mark 10:7a Some early manuscripts (ℵ B Ψ 892* syʳ) omit 'and hold fast to his wife,' while other manuscripts (A C D L W Θ f1 f13) and the majority of ancient texts include it. The critical Greek text (NA28) places this phrase in brackets; however, this translation follows the critical Greek text (SBLGNT) and the majority tradition, though the phrase may be a scribal addition to harmonize with Genesis 2:24.
- Mark 10:7b The Greek word προσκολληθήσεται is an intensive verb, meaning it emphasizes the action; it literally means 'be glued to.' This translation renders it 'hold fast' to preserve its strong sense of attachment. The same verb is used in Genesis 2:24 in the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, and in Ephesians 5:31.
- Mark 10:8a This can also be translated as a continuous result: 'so that they are no longer two but one flesh.' The original Greek text is unpunctuated. The change in verb tense from the future ἔσονται to the present εἰσίν may indicate Jesus' conclusion or simply describe the resulting state.
- Mark 10:8b 'Become one flesh' renders ἔσονται εἰς σάρκα μίαν, a Semitism (εἰς + accusative = 'become') carried from Gen 2:24 LXX.
- Mark 10:9a This can also be translated 'what God has yoked together.' The Greek word συνέζευξεν comes from συζεύγνυμι, which means 'to yoke together,' evoking the image of two animals harnessed under a single yoke.
- Mark 10:9b The Greek word anthrōpos, meaning 'human being,' is used here in deliberate contrast to 'God,' emphasizing that what God has joined together, no human should undo.
- Mark 10:11a The Greek word ἀπολύσῃ means 'divorces' or 'sends away.' In the first-century context, this refers to a husband's unilateral act of dismissal, not a symmetrical legal procedure involving both parties.
- Mark 10:11b The Greek phrase ἐπ' αὐτήν has a disputed antecedent, meaning it's unclear what 'her' refers to: either 'against her' (the wife he divorced) or 'with her' (the woman he marries). Both interpretations are defended, as the Greek text leaves it open.
- Mark 10:11c Mark's wording does not include the clause 'except for sexual immorality'; that exception appears only in Matthew 19:9 and 5:32. The absence of this clause here is firmly established by textual criticism, meaning it is not a textual variant or a scribal error.
- Mark 10:12a Some manuscripts (A D W Θ f1 f13 𝔐) read γαμηθῇ ἄλλῳ, meaning 'is married to another,' which uses a passive construction and shifts the focus from the woman's active role. However, the critical Greek text (NA28) reads the active form γαμήσῃ ἄλλον, meaning 'marries another,' following manuscripts B C* L Δ Ψ.
- Mark 10:14a This can also be translated 'to such as these.' The Greek word τοιούτων can refer to the children themselves, or it can refer to those who are like them in character or attitude.
- Mark 10:15a This can also be translated 'as a little child.' The Greek phrase ὡς παιδίον is grammatically ambiguous, meaning it can be understood in two ways: one may receive the kingdom in the same way a child receives, or one may receive it as if welcoming a child (compare verse 16). Most interpreters understand it in the first sense.
- Mark 10:17a The Greek literally says 'onto the road' (εἰς ὁδόν). Mark uses 'the road' as a recurring theme throughout chapter 10, representing both the physical journey to Jerusalem and the spiritual path of discipleship (compare 10:32, 10:46, 10:52).
- Mark 10:17b The address 'Good Teacher' (διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ) is pointedly challenged by Jesus in the very next verse when he asks, 'Why do you call me good?'
- Mark 10:18a Greek εἷς ὁ θεός: 'one—God.' The cardinal 'one' (εἷς) echoes the Shema (Deut 6:4) and the monotheistic confession (1 Cor 8:6; Jas 2:19).
- Mark 10:19a 'Do not defraud' (μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς) is unique to Mark among the Synoptic parallels. The verb has a broad range: defraud, rob, deprive, or withhold what is owed (esp. wages; cf. Sir 4:1; Jas 5:4).
- Mark 10:19b The phrase 'Do not defraud' is omitted in some manuscripts.
- Mark 10:21a A few later manuscripts (for example, A and C) add the phrase 'taking up the cross' at the end, likely influenced by Mark 8:34. However, this phrase is not found in the critical Greek text, which follows earlier manuscripts like ℵ and B.
- Mark 10:21b The Greek phrase ὅσα ἔχεις means 'whatever you have.' Mark's Gospel, unlike Luke 18:22 (which uses πάντα ὅσα, meaning 'everything whatever'), does not specify 'everything.'
- Mark 10:22a Or 'his face darkened'; στυγνάσας connotes a gloomy, sullen look (cf. Matt 16:3 of stormy sky).
- Mark 10:22b The Greek word ktēmata specifically refers to landed property or estates, not movable wealth (compare Acts 5:1).
- Mark 10:23a The Greek word chrēmata specifically leans towards 'money' or 'funds,' though a broader translation of 'wealth' or 'riches' is also possible (compare Acts 4:37; 8:18,20).
- Mark 10:24a Some of the earliest manuscripts (Aleph, B, Delta, Psi) read simply 'how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God.' The majority of later manuscripts (A, C, D, Theta, M, followed by the King James Version) add 'for those who trust in riches,' which was likely an early attempt to soften the original, unqualified statement. A third manuscript (W) reads 'a rich man.' The shorter reading is preferred because it is the more difficult one.
- Mark 10:25a The Greek literally means 'the hole of the needle' (trymalias tēs raphidos); 'eye of a needle' is the traditional English idiom.
- Mark 10:25b A few late manuscripts read kamilon ('rope, cable') instead of kamēlon ('camel'); the reading 'camel' is the original one. The idea of a 'Needle Gate' as a folk explanation has no historical basis.
- Mark 10:26a Some manuscripts read 'to him' (pros auton); the critical Greek text reads pros heautous ('to each other'), which is the better-attested reading.
- Mark 10:29a Some manuscripts (A, C, and most later Byzantine manuscripts) add 'or wife' after 'children'; this phrase is omitted in the critical Greek text, following manuscripts Aleph, B, and D.
- Mark 10:30a 'With persecutions' (μετὰ διωγμῶν) modifies the present-age list: the hundredfold comes bundled with hardship. Mark alone includes this phrase; Luke 18:30 and Matt 19:29 omit it.
- Mark 10:30b The list of things received omits 'fathers,' even though verse 29's list of things left includes 'father'—this difference is deliberate.
- Mark 10:32a This can also be translated 'astonished.' The Greek verb thambeō conveys a sense of awestruck wonder, often with a hint of dread.
- Mark 10:32b The Greek text does not specify who 'were amazed'; it could refer to the Twelve disciples, to a wider group of followers, or to both.
- Mark 10:33a The same verb (paradidōmi, 'hand over' or 'deliver up') is used twice — first of the handover to the Jewish leaders, then of the handover to the Gentiles. Paul echoes this verb in Rom 4:25; 8:32.
- Mark 10:33b Here, 'Gentiles' (ethnē) specifically refers to the Roman authorities; compare Mark 15:1, where Jesus is handed over to Pilate.
- Mark 10:34a The Greek reads 'after three days' (meta treis hēmeras); the parallel accounts in Matthew and Luke read 'on the third day.'
- Mark 10:38a Here, 'the cup' and 'the baptism' are metaphors Jesus uses for his coming suffering and death; compare Luke 12:50.
- Mark 10:39a Here, 'cup' and 'baptism' are metaphors for the suffering Jesus is about to undergo.
- Mark 10:40a "has been prepared" renders a divine passive; cf. Matt 20:23, which makes the agent explicit ("by my Father"), and Matt 25:34 ("prepared from the foundation of the world").
- Mark 10:42a The Greek phrase tōn ethnōn means 'the nations' or 'the Gentiles'; in Jesus' voice as a Jewish teacher, this contrasts with pagan power structures.
- Mark 10:42b The Greek phrase dokountes archein can be understood neutrally as 'recognized as rulers' or with a critical tone as 'those who suppose they rule.'
- Mark 10:42c The Greek word katexousiazousin conveys the force of heavy-handed authority; the idiom 'throw their weight around' captures the intensifying meaning of the prefix kat-.
- Mark 10:44a The Greek word doulos means "slave" or "bondservant."
- Mark 10:45a The Greek word psychē literally means "soul," but here it refers to one's life or very self, reflecting a Semitic understanding. This echoes Mark 8:35–37, where Jesus uses the same word.
- Mark 10:45b The Greek phrase anti pollōn means "in place of" or "in exchange for many." The word "many" echoes Isaiah 53:11–12 and carries the Semitic sense of "the multitude," meaning "all" rather than "many but not all."
- Mark 10:46a The Greek reads "the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus." The name Bartimaeus already means "son of Timaeus" in Aramaic; Mark explains this for Greek readers.
- Mark 10:47a The Greek word order emphasizes the messianic title, reading "Son of David, Jesus." Some manuscripts read Nazōraios ("Nazorean") instead of Nazarēnos ("Nazarene").
- Mark 10:51a The Greek word Rabbouni is an Aramaic form of address that signals heightened reverence. It appears in the New Testament only here and in John 20:16, where Mary recognizes the risen Jesus.
- Mark 10:51b This can also be translated "let me look up" or "let me recover my sight." The Greek verb anablepō can mean either "look up" or "see again." Mark uses it in Mark 10:52 to describe the result of the healing.
- Mark 10:52a This can also be translated "or has made you well." The Greek verb sōzō means both "save" and "heal"; Mark uses it deliberately to convey both meanings (compare Mark 5:34).
- Mark 10:52b The Greek phrase "on the way" is Mark's specific term for the path of discipleship (Mark 8:27; Mark 9:33; Mark 10:32).
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