Mark 3:1-19

Jesus went to the synagogue again. A man was there who had a crippled hand. Some of those there were watching Jesus to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath, because they were looking for a reason to accuse him of breaking the law. Jesus told the man with the crippled hand, “Come and stand here in front of everyone.” “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? Should you save life, or should you kill?” he asked them. But they didn't say a word. He looked around at them in exasperation, very upset by their hard-hearted attitude. Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man held out his hand, and it was healed. The Pharisees left, and immediately began plotting with Herod's party as to how they might kill Jesus. Meanwhile Jesus returned to the Sea, and a large crowd followed him. They were from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, Transjordan, and from the regions of Tyre and Sidon. So many people came to see him because they'd heard about all he was doing. Jesus told his disciples to have a small boat ready in case the crowd crushed him, because he had healed so many that all the sick people kept on pressing towards him so they could touch him. Whenever the evil spirits saw him they would fall down in front of him and shout out, “You are the Son of God!” But he commanded them not to reveal who he was. Then Jesus went away to the hill country. He called those he wanted to be with him, and they came to him. He chose twelve to be with him, and called them apostles. They were to be with him, and he would send them out to announce the good news, and with the authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he called Peter), James the son of Zebedee and his brother John (who he called Boanerges, meaning “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Revolutionary, and Judas Iscariot (who betrayed him).