Mark 3

Healing on the Sabbath

1 Jesus returned to the synagogue. A man with a withered hand was there.2 Wanting to bring charges against Jesus, they were watching Jesus closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.3 He said to the man with the withered hand, "Step up where people can see you."4 Then he said to them, "Is it legal on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they said nothing.5 Looking around at them with anger, deeply grieved at their unyielding hearts, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he did, and his hand was made healthy.

6 At that, the Pharisees got together with the supporters of Herod to plan how to destroy Jesus.

Healing and throwing demons out

7 Jesus left with his disciples and went to the lake. A large crowd followed him because they had heard what he was doing. They were from Galilee,8 Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the area surrounding Tyre and Sidon.9 Jesus told his disciples to get a small boat ready for him so the crowd wouldn’t crush him.10 He had healed so many people that everyone who was sick pushed forward so that they could touch him.11 Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down at his feet and shouted, "You are God’s Son!"

12 But he strictly ordered them not to reveal who he was.

Jesus appoints twelve apostles

13 Jesus went up on a mountain and called those he wanted, and they came to him.14 He appointed twelve and called them apostles. He appointed them to be with him, to be sent out to preach,15 and to have authority to throw out demons.16 He appointed twelve: Peter, a name he gave Simon;17 James and John, Zebedee’s sons, whom he nicknamed Boanerges, which means "sons of Thunder";18 and Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, Alphaeus’ son; Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean;t

19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

Misunderstandings about Jesus

20 Jesus entered a house. A crowd gathered again so that it was impossible for him and his followers even to eat.

21 When his family heard what was happening, they came to take control of him. They were saying, "He’s out of his mind!"

22 The legal experts came down from Jerusalem. Over and over they charged, "He’s possessed by Beelzebul. He throws out demons with the authority of the ruler of demons."
23 When Jesus called them together he spoke to them in a parable: "How can Satan throw Satan out?24 A kingdom involved in civil war will collapse.25 And a house torn apart by divisions will collapse.26 If Satan rebels against himself and is divided, then he can’t endure. He’s done for.27 No one gets into the house of a strong person and steals anything without first tying up the strong person. Only then can the house be burglarized.28 I assure you that human beings will be forgiven for everything, for all sins and insults of every kind.29 But whoever insults the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. That person is guilty of a sin with consequences that last forever."

30 He said this because the legal experts were saying, "He’s possessed by an evil spirit."
31 His mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside and sent word to him, calling for him.

32 A crowd was seated around him, and those sent to him said, "Look, your mother, brothers, and sisters are outside looking for you."
33 He replied, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"34 Looking around at those seated around him in a circle, he said, "Look, here are my mother and my brothers.

35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother, sister, and mother."

Mark 3

Healing a Withered Hand

1 Thent Jesust entered the synagogues again, and a man was there who had a withereds hand.2 They watcheds Jesust closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath,s so that they could accuse him.3 So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.”ts4 Thent he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent.5 After looking aroundt at them in anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts,t he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.s

6 Sot the Phariseess went out immediately and began plotting with the Herodians,ts as to how they could assassinatet him.

Crowds by the Sea

7 Thent Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him.t And from Judea,8 Jerusalem,s Idumea, beyond the Jordan River,t and around Tyres and Sidonss a great multitude came to him when they heard about the things he had done.9 Because of the crowd, he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so the crowdt would not press toward him.10 For he had healed many, so that all who were afflicted with diseases pressed toward him in order to touch him.11 And whenever the unclean spiritss saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”

12 Butt he sternly ordered them not to make him known.s

Appointing the Twelve Apostles

13 Nowt Jesus went up the mountaints and called for those he wanted, and they came to him.14 Het appointed twelve (whom he named apostless),s so that they would be with him and he could send them to preach15 and to have authority to cast out demons.16 He appointed twelve:s To Simons he gave the name Peter;17 to James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee,t he gave the name Boanerges (that is, “sons of thunder”);18 and Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,s Matthew, Thomas,s James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus,s Simon the Zealot,t

19 and Judas Iscariot,s who betrayed him.t

Jesus and Beelzebul

20 Nowt Jesust went home, and a crowd gathered so that they were not able to eat.21 When his familysts heard this they went out to restrain him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”22 The experts in the lawt who came down from Jerusalems said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,”ts and, “By the rulert of demons he casts out demons.”23 Sot he called them and spoke to them in parables:s “How can Satan cast out Satan?24 Ifs a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom will not be able to stand.25 If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.26 And if Satan rises against himself and is divided, he is not able to stand and his end has come.27 But no one is able to enter a strong man’ss house and steal his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can thoroughly plunder his house.s28 I tell you the truth,t people will be forgiven for all sins, even all the blasphemies they utter.t29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin”s

30 (because they said, “He has an unclean spirit”s).

Jesus’ True Family

31 Thent Jesus’t mother and his brotherss came. Standingt outside, they sent word to him, to summon him.32 A crowd was sitting around him and they said to him, “Look, your mother and your brotherss are outside looking for you.”33 He answered them and said, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”t34 And looking at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he said, “Heret are my mother and my brothers!

35 For whoever does the will of God ist my brother and sister and mother.”