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Mark 10:29
ESV Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,
NIV Truly I tell you,' Jesus replied, 'no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel
NASB Jesus said, 'Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake,
CSB "Truly I tell you," Jesus said, "there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel,
NLT Yes,' Jesus replied, 'and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News,
KJV 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,

What does Mark 10:29 mean?

Jesus has already established that His followers' true family consists of other Christ-followers (Mark 3:31–35). This means God may call us to leave our earthly families for His work. Jesus also says His followers may find themselves at odds with their birth-families, and they should love Him more than their parents (Matthew 10:35–37). Despite what some take these words to mean, Jesus categorically does not say…

  • …that we should divorce an unbelieving spouse (1 Corinthians 7:12–16).
  • …that following God's will is an excuse to abandon older parents with no support (Mark 7:1–13; John 19:26–27).
  • …that we can be cruel to those who are angry with us for following Jesus (Matthew 5:42–48).
  • …that we can abandon our children if they choose not to follow Christ (1 Corinthians 7:14).

Interestingly, Mark does not quote Jesus telling them they must be willing to leave their wives as Luke does (Luke 18:29). Paul later mentions that Peter takes his wife with him (1 Corinthians 9:5), and tradition states that she was crucified next to him.

Jesus will call us to abandon something, however. At the very least, we're called to abandon our old way of life, and the selfish thinking which comes with it. We might be asked, in addition, to give up something malevolent like a sinful habit, neutral like wealth, or beneficial like a good job or church. Different believers may be called on to make different changes, or sacrifice different things. Whatever it is, the temptation arises due to those things coming between our desires and God's will for our lives. The measure of our trust in God will determine how tightly we hold on to what God asks us to let go.
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