Mark 9

The Transfiguration

Matt. 16:28–17:3; Luke 9:27–36

9And He said to them, ^a“Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see ^bthe kingdom of God ¹present with power.”

^2cNow after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. ³His clothes became shining, exceedingly ^dwhite, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. ⁴And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—⁶because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.

⁷And a ^ecloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is ^fMy beloved Son. ^gHear Him!” ⁸Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.

^9hNow as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰So they kept this word to themselves, questioning ⁱwhat the rising from the dead meant.

¹¹And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say ^jthat Elijah must come first?”

¹²Then He answered and told them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And ^khow is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and ^lbe treated with contempt? ¹³But I say to you that ^mElijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.”

Demon-Possessed Son is Delivered

Matt. 17:14–21; Luke 9:37–42

¹⁴ⁿAnd when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. ¹⁵Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. ¹⁶And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”

¹⁷Then ^oone of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. ¹⁸And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”

¹⁹He answered him and said, “O ^pfaithless ²generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I ³bear with you? Bring him to Me.” ²⁰Then they brought him to Him. And ^qwhen he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

²¹So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

And he said, “From childhood. ²²And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

²³Jesus said to him, ^r“If ⁴you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

²⁴Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; ^shelp my unbelief!”

²⁵When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He ^trebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” ²⁶Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

^28uAnd when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”

²⁹So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but ^vprayer ⁵and fasting.”

Jesus Foretells His Death

Matt. 17:22, 23; Luke 9:43–45

³⁰Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. ^31wFor He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will ^xkill Him. And after He is killed, He will ^yrise the third day.” ³²But they ^zdid not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

Attitude of Servanthood

Matt. 18:1–5; Luke 9:46–50

^33aThen He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you ⁶disputed among yourselves on the road?” ³⁴But they kept silent, for on the road they had ^bdisputed among themselves who would be the ^cgreatest. ³⁵And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ^d “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶Then ^eHe took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, ³⁷“Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and ^fwhoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

^38gNow John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”

³⁹But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, ^hfor no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. ⁴⁰For ⁱhe who is not against ⁷us is on ⁸our side. ^41jFor whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

Warning About Hell

Matt. 18:6–9

^42k“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me ⁹to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. ^43lIf your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life ¹maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to ²hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—⁴⁴³where

^m‘Their worm does not die

And the fire is not quenched.’

⁴⁵And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into ⁴hell, ⁵into the fire that shall never be quenched—⁴⁶where

ⁿ‘Their worm does not die

And the fire is not quenched.’

⁴⁷And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into ⁶hell fire—⁴⁸where

^o‘Their worm does not die

And the ^pfire is not quenched.’

Tasteless Salt is Worthless

⁴⁹“For everyone will be ^qseasoned with fire, ^rand ⁷every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. ^50sSalt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? ^tHave salt in yourselves, and ^uhave peace with one another.”