The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 From there he went to the area of Judea across the Jordan. A crowd of people, as was so often the case, went along, and he, as he so often did, taught them.
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And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.
2 Pharisees came up, intending to give him a hard time. They asked, "Is it legal for a man to divorce his wife?"
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And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
3 Jesus said, "What did Moses command?"
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And he answered and said unto them,What did Moses command you?
4 They answered, "Moses gave permission to fill out a certificate of dismissal and divorce her."
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And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
5 Jesus said, "Moses wrote this command only as a concession to your hardhearted ways.
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And Jesus answered and said unto them,For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
6 In the original creation, God made male and female to be together.
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But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
7 Because of this, a man leaves father and mother, and in marriage
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For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8 he becomes one flesh with a woman - no longer two individuals, but forming a new unity.
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And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
9 Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart."
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What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
10 When they were back home, the disciples brought it up again.
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And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
11 Jesus gave it to them straight: "A man who divorces his wife so he can marry someone else commits adultery against her.
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And he saith unto them,Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
12 And a woman who divorces her husband so she can marry someone else commits adultery."
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And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
13 The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them.
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And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom.
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But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them,Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in."
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Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.
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And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
17 As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?"
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And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 Jesus said, "Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God.
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And Jesus said unto him,Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 You know the commandments: Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, don't cheat, honor your father and mother."
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Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 He said, "Teacher, I have - from my youth - kept them all!"
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And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Jesus looked him hard in the eye - and loved him! He said, "There's one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me."
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Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him,One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 The man's face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.
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And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23 Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who 'have it all' to enter God's kingdom?"
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And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples,How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24 The disciples couldn't believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: "You can't imagine how difficult.
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And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them,Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25 I'd say it's easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for the rich to get into God's kingdom."
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It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 That set the disciples back on their heels. "Then who has any chance at all?" they asked.
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And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
27 Jesus was blunt: "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it."
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And Jesus looking upon them saith,With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
28 Peter tried another angle: "We left everything and followed you."
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Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
29 Jesus said, "Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land - whatever - because of me and the Message
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And Jesus answered and said,Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
30 will lose out. They'll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land - but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life!
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But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
31 This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first."
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But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
32 Back on the road, they set out for Jerusalem. Jesus had a head start on them, and they were following, puzzled and not just a little afraid. He took the Twelve and began again to go over what to expect next.
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And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,
33 "Listen to me carefully. We're on our way up to Jerusalem. When we get there, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the religious leaders and scholars. They will sentence him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Romans,
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Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:
34 who will mock and spit on him, give him the third degree, and kill him. After three days he will rise alive."
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And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
35 James and John, Zebedee's sons, came up to him. "Teacher, we have something we want you to do for us."
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And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
36 "What is it? I'll see what I can do."
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And he said unto them,What would ye that I should do for you?
37 "Arrange it," they said, "so that we will be awarded the highest places of honor in your glory - one of us at your right, the other at your left."
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They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
38 Jesus said, "You have no idea what you're asking. Are you capable of drinking the cup I drink, of being baptized in the baptism I'm about to be plunged into?"
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But Jesus said unto them,Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
39 "Sure," they said. "Why not?"
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And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them,Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
40 But as to awarding places of honor, that's not my business. There are other arrangements for that."
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But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
41 When the other ten heard of this conversation, they lost their tempers with James and John.
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And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.
42 Jesus got them together to settle things down. "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around," he said, "and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads.
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But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them,Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
43 It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.
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But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
44 Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.
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And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45 That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served - and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage."
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For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
46 They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road.
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And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
47 When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, "Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!"
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And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
48 Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, "Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!"
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And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
49 Jesus stopped in his tracks. "Call him over."
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And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
50 Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus.
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And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
51 Jesus said, "What can I do for you?" The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
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And Jesus answered and said unto him,What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
52 "On your way," said Jesus. "Your faith has saved and healed you." In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.
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And Jesus said unto him,Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The King James Version is in the public domain.