Mark 9:2–50

The Transfiguration

9:2–8pp—Lk 9:28–36 9:2–13pp—Mt 17:1–13

²After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John^r with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³His clothes became dazzling white,^s whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,^t it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud:^u “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”^v

⁸Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone^w what they had seen until the Son of Man^x had risen from the dead. ¹⁰They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

¹¹And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

¹²Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man^y must suffer much^z and be rejected?^{a 13}But I tell you, Elijah has come,^b and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit

9:14–28; 30–32pp—Mt 17:14–19; 22,23; Lk 9:37–45

¹⁴When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

¹⁷A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

¹⁹“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.^c

²¹Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. ²²“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

²³“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”^d

²⁴Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

²⁵When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene,^e he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately,^f “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.^a”

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

9:33–37pp—Mt 18:1–5; Lk 9:46–48

³⁰They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man^g is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,^h and after three daysⁱ he will rise.”^{j 32}But they did not understand what he meant^k and were afraid to ask him about it.

³³They came to Capernaum.^l When he was in the house,^m he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” ³⁴But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.ⁿ

³⁵Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”^o

³⁶He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,^p he said to them, ³⁷“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”^q

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

9:38–40pp—Lk 9:49,50

³⁸“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”^r

³⁹“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰for whoever is not against us is for us.^{s 41}Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.^t

Causing to Stumble

⁴²“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,^u it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.^{v 43}If your hand causes you to stumble,^w cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,^x where the fire never goes out.^{y [44]b 45}And if your foot causes you to stumble,^z cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.^{a [46]c 47}And if your eye causes you to stumble,^b pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,^{c 48}where

“ ‘the worms that eat them do not die,

and the fire is not quenched.’^dd

⁴⁹Everyone will be salted^e with fire.

⁵⁰“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?^f Have salt among yourselves,^g and be at peace with each other.”^h