‘Isa 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. 2Pharisees came to him testing him, and asked him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?“
3‘Isa answered, “What did Musa command you?“
4They said, “Musa allowed a certificate of divorce to be written, and to divorce her.“[1]
5But ‘Isa said to them, “For your hardness of heart, he wrote you this commandment. 6But from the beginning of the creation, Allah ‘made them male and female.'[2]7‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, and will join with his wife, 8and the two will become one flesh,'[3] so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9What therefore Allah has joined together, let no man separate.“
10In the house, his disciples asked him again about the same matter. 11He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery against her. 12If a woman herself divorces her husband, and marries another, she commits adultery.“
13They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them. 14But when ‘Isa saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Do not forbid them, for the Kingdom of Allah belongs to such as these. 15Most assuredly I tell you, whoever will not receive the Kingdom of Allah like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.“ 16He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
17As 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‘Isa said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one–Allah. 19You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honour your father and your mother.‘“[4]
20He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.“
21‘Isa 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.“
22But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions. 23‘Isa looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of Allah!“
24The disciples were amazed at his words. But ‘Isa answered again, “Children, how hard is it for those who trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom of Allah! 25It is easier for a camel to go through a[5] needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Allah.“
26They were very astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?“
27‘Isa, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with Allah, for all things are possible with Allah.“
28Peter began to tell him, “Look, we have left all, and have followed you.“
29‘Isa said, “Most assuredly 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 Injil’s sake, 30but 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. 31But many who are first will be last; and the last first.“
32They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and ‘Isa 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“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem. Ibn Adam will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to foreigners. 34They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.“
35James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came near to him, saying, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we will ask.“
36He said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?“
37They said to him, “Grant to us that we may sit, one at your right hand, and one at your left hand, in your glory.“
38But ‘Isa said to them, “You do not 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?“
39They said to him, “We are able.“
‘Isa 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; 40but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared.“
41When the ten heard it, they began to be indignant towards James and John.
42‘Isa 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. 43But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant. 44Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be slave of all. 45For Ibn Adam also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.“
46They 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. 47When he heard that it was ‘Isa the Nasrani[6], he began to cry out, and say, “‘Isa Ibn Dawud, have mercy on me!“ 48Many rebuked him, that he should be quiet, but he cried out much more, “Ibn Dawud, have mercy on me!“
49‘Isa stood still, and said, “Call him.“
They called the blind man, saying to him, “Cheer up! Get up. He is calling you!“
50He, casting away his cloak, sprang up, and came to ‘Isa.
51‘Isa asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?“
The blind man said to him, “Rhabboni,[7] that I may see again.“
52‘Isa said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.“ Immediately he received his sight, and followed ‘Isa in the way.
[1] 10:4 See the Taurat, Deuteronomy 24:1-3.
[2] 10:6 A quotation from the Taurat, Genesis 1:27 and 5:2.
[3] 10:7,8 Quotation from the Taurat, Genesis 2:24.
[4] 10:19 Quoting the Taurat, Exodus 20:12-16.
[5] 10:25 or, the
[6] 10:47 The Greek Injil says “Nazaranos,“ which means “inhabitant of Nazareth.“ Nazareth is an ancient city in the northern regions of Palestine.
[7] 10:51 Rhabboni is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “great teacher.“