Mark 9:33–50

Who Is the Greatest?

³³And ^zthey came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house ^ahe asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” ³⁴But they kept silent, for on the way ^bthey had argued with one another about who was the greatest. ³⁵And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, ^c“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and ^dtaking him in his arms, he said to them, ^37e“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and ^ewhoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us

^38fJohn said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone ^gcasting out demons in your name,⁶ and ^hwe tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” ³⁹But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. ⁴⁰ⁱFor the one who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹For truly, I say to you, ^jwhoever gives you a cup of water to drink because⁷ you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

Temptations to Sin

^42k“Whoever causes one of ^lthese little ones who believe in me to sin,^{8 m}it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ⁿAnd if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to ^ohell,⁹ to ^pthe unquenchable fire.^{10 45q}And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into ^ohell. ^47rAnd if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into ^shell, ⁴⁸‘where ^ttheir worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ ⁴⁹For everyone will be salted with fire.^{11 50v}Salt is good, ^wbut if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? ^xHave salt in yourselves, and ^ybe at peace with one another.”