MRK 9

1 Jesus was saying to them, "Truly, I say to you with certainty that there are some of those standing here who will never taste death until they see the kingdom of God when it has come with power."

The Transfiguration of Jesus

Matt. 17:1-13; Lk. 9:28-36

2 Six days after this conversation, Jesus took along Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves alone, away from everyone else. There He was transfigured before them—His appearance was dramatically transformed.

3 His garments became dazzling, glistening, and extremely white—so brilliant and radiant that no launderer on earth would be able to whiten them in this way. His glory shone through.

4 Suddenly Elijah appeared to them alongside Moses, and these two great figures from Israel's past were talking and conversing with Jesus.

5 Peter responded impulsively to Jesus, saying, "Rabbi, it is good and wonderful for us to be here. Let us make three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

6 Mark explains that Peter did not know what he should say or how to respond appropriately, for all three disciples were greatly terrified by what they were witnessing.

7 Then a cloud appeared, overshadowing them with God's presence. A voice came from the cloud, declaring, "This is My Son, the beloved One. Listen to Him!"

8 Suddenly, looking around them, the disciples saw no one with them anymore—Moses and Elijah had vanished. Only Jesus remained alone with them.

9 As they were descending from the mountain, Jesus issued strict instructions to them that they should tell no one what they had seen, except after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

10 So they kept the saying to themselves as Jesus had commanded, but they were puzzling over it and reasoning among themselves about what "rising from the dead" could mean.

11 They began asking Jesus for clarification, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first before the Messiah appears?"

12 Jesus was explaining to them, "Elijah indeed does come first and restores all things in preparation. But how is it written in Scripture concerning the Son of Man that He should suffer many things and be treated with contempt?

13 But I say to you that Elijah has indeed already come in the person of John the Baptist, and they did to him whatever they wanted, treating him cruelly and finally killing him, just as it is written prophetically of him."

The Healing of a Boy with a Mute and Deaf Spirit

Matt. 17:14-20; Lk. 9:37-43a

14 When Jesus and the three disciples came back down to where the other disciples were, they saw a large crowd gathered around them and scribes arguing with them.

15 Immediately when all the crowd saw Jesus approaching, they were greatly astonished. Running to Him eagerly, they greeted Him.

16 Jesus asked the disciples and scribes, "What matter are you disputing with them?"

17 One man from the crowd answered Him, "Teacher, I brought my son to You because he has a mute spirit that prevents him from speaking.

18 Whenever it seizes him violently, it throws him down to the ground. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth together, and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to cast it out, but they were not able to do so."

19 Jesus responded with frustration, saying to them all, "O unbelieving generation! How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with your lack of faith? Bring the boy to Me!"

20 So they brought the boy to Jesus. When the demon saw Jesus, it immediately seized the boy with violent convulsions. Falling on the ground, he began to roll around, foaming at the mouth.

21 Jesus inquired of the boy's father, "How long has this been happening to him?" The father said, "From early childhood.

22 The demon has often thrown him both into fire and into water, attempting to destroy and kill him. But if You are able to do anything at all, have compassion on us and help us!"

23 Jesus responded to his conditional statement, saying, "'If You are able'? Why do you say 'if'? All things are possible to the one who believes and has faith."

24 Immediately, the father of the child cried out in desperation and was saying with tears, "I believe! Help my unbelief and strengthen my weak faith!"

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly running together to see the spectacle, He rebuked the unclean spirit authoritatively, saying to it, "Mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!"

26 After crying out loudly and seizing the boy with violent convulsions one last time, the spirit came out. The boy became as if he were dead and lifeless, lying motionless, so that many bystanders said, "He is dead."

27 But Jesus took hold of him by the hand and lifted him up, and the boy stood up alive and well.

28 When Jesus had come into the house away from the crowd, His disciples began to ask Him privately, "Why were we not able to cast out this demon?"

29 Jesus said to them, "This particular kind of demon can come out by nothing but by prayer and dependence on God."

Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection

Matt. 17:22-23; Lk. 9:43b-45

30 From there, they went out and began to pass through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know their whereabouts,

31 for He was teaching His disciples privately and saying to them, "The Son of Man is being delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. But when He has been killed, after three days He will rise from the dead."

32 But the disciples did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask Him to explain what He meant.

Who is the Greatest?

Matt. 18:1-5; Lk. 9:46-48

33 They came to Capernaum. When Jesus was in the house with them, He began to ask them, "What were you arguing and discussing on the way here?"

34 But they kept silent and would not answer, for on the way they had been discussing and debating with one another about who among them was the greatest.

35 Jesus sat down deliberately, called the twelve to Himself, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first in rank, he must become last of all and servant of all."

36 Jesus took a little child and had him stand among them in their midst. Embracing the child tenderly, He said to them,

37 "Whoever accepts one of these children such as this in My name accepts Me. And whoever accepts Me does not accept Me only, but also accepts the One who sent Me—the Father."

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

Lk. 9:49-50

38 John spoke up and began to say to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we kept trying to prevent him from doing so because he was not following us as part of our group."

39 But Jesus said, "Do not prevent or stop him from ministering. No one who performs a mighty work and miracle in My name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of Me.

40 For whoever is not against us is for us. Those who honour My name are on our side.

41 For whoever gives you even a cup of water to drink in My name because you belong to Christ, truly I say to you that he will never lose his reward, no matter how small the act of kindness."

Temptations to Sin

Matt. 18:6-9; Lk. 17:1-2

42 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble into sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone used by a donkey were placed around his neck and he were thrown into the sea to drown.

43 If your hand causes you to sin and leads you into temptation, cut it off from your life. It is better for you to enter eternal life crippled and maimed, than to have both hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire of judgment.*

45 If your foot causes you to sin and leads you astray, cut it off from your life. It is better for you to enter eternal life limping, than to have both feet and be cast into hell.

47 If your eye causes you to sin by what you look at, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have both eyes and be cast into hell,

48 where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"

49 "For everyone will be salted with fire—tested and purified through trials, or judged by the fire of hell.

50 Salt is good and valuable, preserving and flavouring. But if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it and restore it? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another."

Notes

43 A variant reading in part of the manuscript tradition expands the passage to include verse 44, which states: " where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched."

Currently Selected:

MRK 9: AFINT

Highlight

Copy

Compare