Mark 9–10

9And he said to them, “Truly I say to you, that there are some of those standing here who will never experience death until they see the kingdom of God having come with power.”

The Transfiguration

²And after six days, Jesus took along Peter and James and John, and led them to a high mountain by themselves alone. And he was transfigured before them, ³and his clothing became radiant—extremely white, like no cloth refiner on earth can make so white.^{a 4}And Elijah appeared to them together with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵And Peter answered and^* said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! And let us make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶(For he did not know what he should answer, because they were terrified.) ⁷And a cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!” ⁸And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus alone.

⁹And as^* they were coming down from the mountain, he ordered them that they should tell no one the things that they had seen, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰And they kept the matter to themselves, discussing what this rising from the dead meant.^{b 11}And they asked him, saying, “Why do^c the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹²And he said to them, “Elijah indeed does come first and^* restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? ¹³But I tell you that indeed Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written about him.”

A Demon-possessed Boy Healed

¹⁴And when they^* came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵And immediately the whole crowd, when they^* saw him, were amazed, and ran up to him^* and^* greeted him. ¹⁶And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷And one individual from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought to you my son who has a spirit that makes him mute.^{d 18}And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down and he foams at the mouth and grinds his^e teeth and becomes paralyzed. And I told your disciples that they should expel it, and they were not able to do so.^{* 19}And he answered them and^* said, “O unbelieving generation! How long^f will I be with you? How long^g must I put up with you? Bring him to me!” ²⁰And they brought him to him. And when he^* saw him, the spirit immediately convulsed him, and falling on the ground, he began to roll around, foaming at the mouth. ²¹And he asked his father how long it was since this had been happening to him. And he said, “From childhood. ²²And often it has thrown him both into fire and into water, in order that it could destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and^* help us!” ²³But Jesus said to him, “If you are able! All things are possible for the one who believes!” ²⁴Immediately the father of the child cried out and^* said, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” ²⁵Now when^* Jesus saw that a crowd was running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and enter into him no more!” ²⁶And it came out, screaming and convulsing him^* greatly, and he became as if he were dead, so that most of them said, “He has died!” ²⁷But Jesus took hold of his hand and^* raised him up, and he stood up. ²⁸And after^* he had entered into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why were we not able to expel it?” ²⁹And he said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing except by prayer.”^h

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Second Time

³⁰And from there they went out and^* passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, ³¹for he was teaching his disciples and was telling them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he^* is killed, after three days he will rise.” ³²But they did not understand the statement, and they were afraid to ask him.

The Question About Who Is Greatest

³³And they came to Capernaum. And after he^* was in the house, he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” ³⁴But they were silent, because they had argued with one another on the way about who was greatest. ³⁵And he sat down and^* called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he will be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶And he took a young child and^* had him stand among them.ⁱ And taking him in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷“Whoever welcomes one of the young children such as these in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but the one who sent me.”

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

³⁸John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone expelling demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” ³⁹But Jesus said, “Do not prevent him, because there is no one who does a miracle in my name and will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. ⁴⁰For whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, truly I say to you that he will never lose his reward.

Temptations to Sin

⁴²“And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it is better for him if instead a large millstone^j is placed around his neck and he is thrown into the sea. ⁴³And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than, having two hands, to go into hell—into the unquenchable fire!^{k 45}And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life lame than, having two feet, to be thrown into hell!^{l 47}And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than, having two eyes, to be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not extinguished.’^{m 49}For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰Salt is good, but if the salt becomes deprived of its salt content, by what can you make it salty? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

On Divorce

10And from there he set out and^* came to the region of Judea and the other side of the Jordan, and again crowds came together to him. And again, as he was accustomed to do,^* he began to teach^a them. ²And they asked^b him if it was permitted for a man to divorce his^c wife, in order to^* test him. ³And he answered and^* said to them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴So they said, “Moses permitted a man^* to write a certificate of divorce and to send her^* away.” ⁵But Jesus said to them, “He wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart. ⁶But from the beginning of creation ‘he made them male and female.^{d 7}Because of this a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife,^{e 8}and the two will become one flesh,’^f so that they are no longer two but one flesh. ⁹Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate.”

¹⁰And in the house again the disciples began to ask^g him about this. ¹¹And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. ¹²And if she divorces her husband and^* marries another, she commits adultery.”

Little Children Brought to Jesus

¹³And they were bringing young children to him so that he could touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴But when^* Jesus saw it,^* he was indignant, and said to them, “Let the young children come to me. Do not forbid them, for to such belongs^h the kingdom of God. ¹⁵Truly I say to you, whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a young child will never enter into it.” ¹⁶And after^* taking them^* into his arms, he blessed them, placing hisⁱ hands on them.

A Rich Young Man

¹⁷And as^* he was setting out on his way, one individual ran up and knelt down before him and^* asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do so that I will inherit eternal life?” ¹⁸So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. ¹⁹You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ”^{j 20}And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth.” ²¹And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all that you have, and give the proceeds^* to the poor—and you will have treasure in heaven—and come, follow me.” ²²But he looked gloomy at the statement and^* went away sorrowful, because he had^k many possessions.

²³And Jesus looked around and^* said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for^l those who possess wealth to enter into the kingdom of God!” ²⁴And the disciples were astounded at his words. But Jesus answered and^* said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter into the kingdom of God! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.” ²⁶And they were very astounded, saying to one another, “And who can be saved?” ²⁷Jesus looked at them and^* said, “With human beings it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” ²⁸Peter began to say to him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you.” ²⁹Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields on account of me and on account of the gospel ³⁰who will not^m receive a hundred times as much now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, together with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. ³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Third Time

³²Now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going on ahead of them. And they were astounded, but those who were following him^* were afraid.…