Mark 9:33–50

WHO IS THE GREATEST?

³³They^r came to Capernaum.^s When he was in the house,^t he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”^{u 34}But they were silent,^v because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.^{w 35}Sitting down, he called the Twelve^x and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and servant of all.”^{y 36}He took a child,^z had him stand among them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷“Whoever welcomes^A one little child such as this in my name^aa welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but him who sent^ab me.”^ac

IN HIS NAME

³⁸John^ad said to him, “Teacher,^ae we saw someone^B driving out demons^af in your name,^ag and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”^ah

³⁹“Don’t stop him,” said Jesus, “because there is no one who will perform a miracle^ai in my name who can soon afterward speak evil of me. ⁴⁰For whoever is not against us is for us.^{aj 41}And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink^ak in my name, because you belong to Christ^al—truly I tell you,^am he will never lose his reward.^an

WARNINGS FROM JESUS

⁴²“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away^ao—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone^ap were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

⁴³“And if your hand causes you to fall away, cut it off.^aq It is better for you to enter life maimed^ar than to have two hands and go to hell, the unquenchable fire.^{as 45}And if your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame^at than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ⁴⁷And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God^au with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown^av into hell,^{aw 48}where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.^{E 49}For everyone will be salted with fire.^{FGax 50}Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its flavor, how can you season it?^ay Have salt^az among yourselves, and be at peace^ba with one another.”