Mark 9
9
1Jesus continued, “I assure you that some standing here won’t die before they see God’s kingdom arrive in power.”
Jesus transformed
2Six 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, 3and his clothes were amazingly bright, brighter than if they had been bleached white. 4Elijah and Moses appeared and were talking with Jesus. 5Peter 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.” 6He said this because he didn’t know how to respond, for the three of them were terrified.
7Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice spoke from the cloud, “This is my Son, whom I dearly love. Listen to him!” 8Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Human One#9.9 Or Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10So they kept it to themselves, wondering, “What’s this ‘rising from the dead’?” 11They asked Jesus, “Why do the legal experts say that Elijah must come first?”
12He answered, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. Why was it written that the Human One#9.12 Or Son of Man would suffer many things and be rejected? 13In 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
14When Jesus, Peter, James, and John approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them and legal experts arguing with them. 15Suddenly the whole crowd caught sight of Jesus. They ran to greet him, overcome with excitement. 16Jesus asked them, “What are you arguing about?”
17Someone from the crowd responded, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, since he has a spirit that doesn’t allow him to speak. 18Wherever 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.”
19Jesus answered them, “You faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I put up with you? Bring him to me.”
20They 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. 21Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been going on?”
He said, “Since he was a child. 22It has often thrown him into a fire or into water trying to kill him. If you can do anything, help us! Show us compassion!”
23Jesus said to him, “‘If you can do anything’? All things are possible for the one who has faith.”
24At that the boy’s father cried out, “I have faith; help my lack of faith!”
25Noticing 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.” 26After 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. 27But Jesus took his hand, lifted him up, and he arose.
28After Jesus went into a house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we throw this spirit out?”
29Jesus answered, “Throwing this kind of spirit out requires prayer.”
Jesus predicts his death
30From there Jesus and his followers went through Galilee, but he didn’t want anyone to know it. 31This was because he was teaching his disciples, “The Human One#9.31 Or Son of Man will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him. Three days after he is killed he will rise up.” 32But they didn’t understand this kind of talk, and they were afraid to ask him.
33They entered Capernaum. When they had come into a house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about during the journey?” 34They didn’t respond, since on the way they had been debating with each other about who was the greatest. 35He sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be least of all and the servant of all.” 36Jesus 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
38John 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.”
39Jesus replied, “Don’t stop him. No one who does powerful acts in my name can quickly turn around and curse me. 40Whoever isn’t against us is for us. 41I 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. 43If 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.#9.43 9:44 is omitted in most critical editions of the Gk New Testament where worms don’t die and the fire never goes out. 45If 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.#9.45 9:46 is omitted in most critical editions of the Gk New Testament where worms don’t die and the fire never goes out. 47If 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. 48That’s a place where worms don’t die and the fire never goes out.#9.48 Isa 66:24 49Everyone will be salted with fire. 50Salt is good; but if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again? Maintain salt among yourselves and keep peace with each other.”
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Mark 9: CEB
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