Mark 9

1 Jesus continued, "I assure you that some standing here won’t die before they see God’s kingdom arrive in power."

Jesus transformed

2 Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and brought them to the top of a very high mountain where they were alone. He was transformed in front of them,3 and his clothes were amazingly bright, brighter than if they had been bleached white.4 Elijah and Moses appeared and were talking with Jesus.5 Peter reacted to all of this by saying to Jesus, "Rabbi, it’s good that we’re here. Let’s make three shrines—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

6 He said this because he didn’t know how to respond, for the three of them were terrified.
7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice spoke from the cloud, "This is my Son, whom I dearly love. Listen to him!"

8 Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Human Onet had risen from the dead.10 So they kept it to themselves, wondering, "What’s this ‘rising from the dead’?"

11 They asked Jesus, "Why do the legal experts say that Elijah must come first?"
12 He answered, "Elijah does come first to restore all things. Why was it written that the Human Onet would suffer many things and be rejected?

13 In fact, I tell you that Elijah has come, but they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it was written about him."

A demon-possessed boy

14 When Jesus, Peter, James, and John approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them and legal experts arguing with them.15 Suddenly the whole crowd caught sight of Jesus. They ran to greet him, overcome with excitement.

16 Jesus asked them, "What are you arguing about?"
17 Someone from the crowd responded, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, since he has a spirit that doesn’t allow him to speak.

18 Wherever it overpowers him, it throws him into a fit. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and stiffens up. So I spoke to your disciples to see if they could throw it out, but they couldn’t."

19 Jesus answered them, "You faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I put up with you? Bring him to me."
20 They brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a fit. He fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21 Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been going on?"
He said, "Since he was a child.

22 It has often thrown him into a fire or into water trying to kill him. If you can do anything, help us! Show us compassion!"

23 Jesus said to him, "‘If you can do anything’? All things are possible for the one who has faith."

24 At that the boy’s father cried out, "I have faith; help my lack of faith!"
25 Noticing that the crowd had surged together, Jesus spoke harshly to the unclean spirit, "Mute and deaf spirit, I command you to come out of him and never enter him again."26 After screaming and shaking the boy horribly, the spirit came out. The boy seemed to be dead; in fact, several people said that he had died.

27 But Jesus took his hand, lifted him up, and he arose.

28 After Jesus went into a house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn’t we throw this spirit out?"

29 Jesus answered, "Throwing this kind of spirit out requires prayer."

Jesus predicts his death

30 From there Jesus and his followers went through Galilee, but he didn’t want anyone to know it.31 This was because he was teaching his disciples, "the Human Onet will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him. Three days after he is killed he will rise up."

32 But they didn’t understand this kind of talk, and they were afraid to ask him.
33 They entered Capernaum. When they had come into a house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about during the journey?"34 They didn’t respond, since on the way they had been debating with each other about who was the greatest.35 He sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be least of all and the servant of all."36 Jesus reached for a little child, placed him among the Twelve, and embraced him. Then he said,

37 "Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me isn’t actually welcoming me but rather the one who sent me."

Recognize your allies

38 John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us."
39 Jesus replied, "Don’t stop him. No one who does powerful acts in my name can quickly turn around and curse me."40 Whoever isn’t against us is for us.

41 I assure you that whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly be rewarded.
42 "As for whoever causes these little ones who believe in me to trip and fall into sin, it would be better for them to have a huge stone hung around their necks and to be thrown into the lake.43 If your hand causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It’s better for you to enter into life crippled than to go away with two hands into the fire of hell, which can’t be put out.t45 If your foot causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It’s better for you to enter life lame than to be thrown into hell with two feet.t47 If your eye causes you to fall into sin, tear it out. It’s better for you to enter God’s kingdom with one eye than to be thrown into hell with two.48 That’s a place where worms don’t die and the fire never goes out .t49 Everyone will be salted with fire.

50 Salt is good; but if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again? Maintain salt among yourselves and keep peace with each other."

Mark 9

Following Jesus

1 And he said to them, “I tell you the truth,t there are some standing here who will nott experiencet death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.”s

The Transfiguration

2 Six days latert Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John and led them alone up a high mountain privately. And he was transfigured before them,s3 and his clothes became radiantly white, more so than any launderer in the world could bleach them.4 Then Elijah appeared before them along with Moses,s and they were talking with Jesus.5 Sot Peter said to Jesus,t “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three sheltersts – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”6 (For they were afraid, and he did not know what to say.)s7 Thent a clouds overshadowed them,t and a voice came from the cloud, “This is my one dear Son.t Listen to him!”s

8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down from the mountain, he gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

10 They kept this statement to themselves, discussing what this rising from the dead meant.
11 Thent they asked him,t “Why do the experts in the lawt say that Elijah must come first?”12 He said to them, “Elijah does indeed come first, and restores all things. And why is it written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be despised?

13 But I tell you that Elijah has certainly come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written about him.”

The Disciples’ Failure to Heal

14 When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and experts in the lawt arguing with them.15 When the whole crowd saw him, they were amazed and rant at once and greeted him.16 He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”17 A member of the crowd said to him, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that makes him mute.18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to cast it out, butt they were not able to do so.”t19 He answered them,t “Yout unbelievingts generation! How much longert must I be with you? How much longer must I enduret you?s Bring him to me.”20 So they brought the boyt to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. Het fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.21 Jesust asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.22 It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”23 Then Jesus said to him, “‘If you are able?’s All things are possible for the one who believes.”

24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
25 Now when Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he rebukedt the unclean spirit,s saying to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”26 It shrieked, threw him into terrible convulsions, and came out. The boyt looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He is dead!”

27 But Jesus gently took his hand and raised him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 Then,t after he went into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?”

29 He told them, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”s

Second Prediction of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection

30 They went out from there and passed through Galilee. Butt Jesust did not want anyone to know,31 for he was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men.t Theyt will kill him,t and after three days he will rise.”s

32 But they did not understand this statement and were afraid to ask him.

Questions About the Greatest

33 Thent they came to Capernaum.s After Jesust was inside the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?”34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.35 After he sat down, he called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,

37 “Whoever welcomest one of these little childrens in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

On Jesus’ Side

38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.”39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say anything bad about me.40 For whoever is not against us is for us.

41 For I tell you the truth,t whoever gives you a cup of water becauset you bear Christ’sts name will never lose his reward.
42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstonets tied around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than to havet two hands and go into hell,s to the unquenchable fire.sss45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter life lame than to havet two feet and be thrown into hell.ss47 If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out!t It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to havet two eyes and be thrown into hell,48 where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.49 Everyone will be salted with fire.ss

50 Salts is good, but if it loses its saltiness,s how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”