Mark 3
1 And he entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand.
[On another] ([Sabbath/Jewish day of rest]), Jesus entered (the synagogue/the Jewish meeting place) again. There was a man there whose hand was shriveled.
2 And they watched him whether he would heal on the sabbath days; that they might accuse him.
[Some men of the Pharisee sect] watched him carefully in order to see whether he would heal the man (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day). They did this in order that [if he healed the man], they would accuse him of disobeying [their Jewish laws, because he worked] ([on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day]).
3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand: Stand up in the midst.
Jesus said to the man whose hand was shriveled, “Stand up here in front of everyone!” [So the man stood up].
4 And he saith to them: Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy? But they held their peace.
Then Jesus said [to the Pharisees], “Do the laws [that God gave Moses] permit people to do good ([on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day]), or do they permit people to do evil? Specifically, do his laws permit us to save a person’s life (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day), or [do they permit us] to let him die [by refusing to help him]?” But they did not reply.
5 And looking round about on them with anger, being grieved for the blindness of their hearts, he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth: and his hand was restored unto him.
He looked around at them angrily. He was very distressed that they were stubbornly [not wanting to help the man]. So he said to the man, “Reach out your hand!” When the man reached out his withered hand, his hand became all right again!
6 And the Pharisees going out, immediately made a consultation with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
Then the Pharisees [decided to get rid of Jesus. So] after they left [the meeting house], they [immediately met with some of] the Jews who supported Herod [Antipas, who ruled Galilee district]. Together they planned how they could kill Jesus.
7 But Jesus retired with his disciples to the sea; and a great multitude followed him from Galilee and Judea,
Jesus and his disciples left [that] town and went to an area further along [Galilee Lake in order to get away from the people]. But a great crowd of people followed him. They were people who came from Galilee [district],
8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond the Jordan. And they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, hearing the things which he did, came to him.
from Jerusalem [city], from [other towns of] Judea [district], from Idumea [district], from [the region on] the [east] side of the Jordan [River], and from [the region] around Tyre and Sidon [cities]. This great crowd of people came to him because they heard about what he was doing.
9 And he spoke to his disciples that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.
Because he had healed many people, many [other] people who had various illnesses pushed forward in order that by touching him [they would come well]. So he told his disciples that they should get a small boat ready for him [to get in and teach from it]. He wanted to do this in order that the crowd would not crush him [when they pushed forward to touch him].
10 For he healed many, so that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had evils.
11 And the unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him: and they cried, saying:
Whenever the evil spirits saw Jesus, [they caused the people whom they controlled] to fall down in front of Jesus [in recognition of Jesus’ power]. Then they exclaimed, “You are (the Son of God/the man who is also God)!”
12 Thou art the Son of God. And he strictly charged them that they should not make him known.
He commanded the [evil spirits] strongly that they should not tell anyone who he was.
13 And going up into a mountain, he called unto him whom he would himself: and they came to him.
Jesus went [with many other people] up into the hills. After he picked out [from among them] the men whom he wanted [to accompany him], they came [close] to him.
14 And he made that twelve should be with him, and that he might send them to preach.
He appointed twelve men in order that they might be with him and in order that he might send them out to preach. He called them apostles.
15 And he gave them power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.
He also gave them power in order that they might expel evil spirits [from people].
16 And to Simon he gave the name Peter:
These were the twelve men he appointed: Simon, to whom he gave the [new] name Peter; his [younger] brother Andrew;
17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he named them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
James, [the son] of Zebedee, and John, the [younger] brother of James, to [both of] whom he added the [new] name, ‘Men who are like Thunder’. [because of their fiery zeal];
18 And Andrew and Philip, and Bartholomew and Matthew, and Thomas and James of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Cananean:
Philip; Bartholomew; Levi, whose other name was Matthew; Thomas; [another] James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus; [another] Simon, who was a [member of the party that wanted] to overthrow [the Roman government];
19 And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
and Judas Iscariot (OR, Judas, the man from Kerioth [Town]). He was the one who [later] (betrayed Jesus/helped Jesus’ enemies seize him).
20 And they come to a house, and the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
Jesus [along with his disciples] went to the house where he was staying [in Capernaum. Again a crowd gathered where he was]. There were many people crowding around him, so that he and his disciples had no time when they could eat or [when they could do anything else].
21 And when his friends had heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him. For they said: He is become mad.
After his relatives heard about this, they went to take him home [with them] because (some people/they) were saying that he was insane.
22 And the scribes who were come down from Jerusalem, said: He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of devils he casteth out devils.
[Around that time] some men who taught the [Jewish] laws came down from Jerusalem [city. They heard that Jesus was expelling demons]. So they were telling [people], “Beelzebub, who rules the evil spirits, controls him. He is the one who enables this man to expel evil spirits [from people]!”
23 And after he had called them together, he said to them in parables: How can Satan cast out Satan?
Jesus summoned those men. [Then he spoke to them] in parables [to enable them to realize that Satan would not oppose his own evil spirits. He also wanted them to realize that by expelling evil spirits, he was demonstrating that he was much more powerful than Satan]. So he said, “([It is ridiculous] to suggest that Satan would expel his own [evil spirits]!/Why would Satan expel his own [evil spirits]?) [RHQ]
24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
If [people who live in the same] country are fighting one another, they will cease to be a single group under one ruler.
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
And if [people who live in the same] house fight each other, they will certainly not remain [as one family].
26 And if Satan be risen up against himself, he is divided, and cannot stand, but hath an end.
Similarly, if Satan and his [evil spirits] were fighting one another, instead of remaining strong, he would become powerless.
27 No man can enter into the house of a strong man and rob him of his goods, unless he first bind the strong man, and then shall he plunder his house.
Contrary to [what you say about me], someone can enter the house of a strong man [like Satan] and carry off his possessions only if he first ties up the strong man. Then [and only then] will he [be able to] steal the things in that man’s house.”
28 Amen I say to you, that all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and the blasphemies wherewith they shall blaspheme:
[Jesus also said], “Consider this carefully! People may sin in many ways and they may speak evilly about God, but [if] they [then are sorry and ask God to] forgive [them], [God] will forgive them for doing that.
30 Because they said: He hath an unclean spirit.
[Jesus told them that] because [they refused to admit that the Holy Spirit was helping him to expel demons. Instead], they were saying, “An evil spirit is controlling him!”
31 And his mother and his brethren came; and standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
Jesus’ mother and [younger] siblings arrived. While they stood outside, they sent [someone inside] in order to call him [outside].
32 And the multitude sat about him; and they say to him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
A crowd was sitting around Jesus. One of them said to him, “Listen/Hey, your mother and your [younger] brothers and sisters are outside, and they are wanting (to see/to talk with) you!”
33 And answering them, he said: Who is my mother and my brethren?
Jesus replied to them, “([I will tell you something about] my mother and my brothers.[/Do you know whom I consider to be like] my mother and my brothers?)” [RHQ]
34 And looking round about on them who sat about him, he saith: Behold my mother and my brethren.
After he looked around at [the disciples] who were sitting around him [in a circle], he said, “Look here! I [love these men as much as] I [love] my mother and my brothers.
35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, he is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
Those who habitually do what God wants are [as dear to me] [MET] as my brother, my sister, or my mother!”
