Mark 3
1 [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.
Once again Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there.
2 [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]).
In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
3 Jesus said to the man whose hand was shriveled, “Stand up here in front of everyone!” [So the man stood up].
Then Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand up among us.”
4 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.
And He asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” But they were silent.
5 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!
Jesus looked around at them with anger and sorrow at their hardness of heart. Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored.
6 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.
At this, the Pharisees went out and began plotting with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
7 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],
So Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, accompanied by a large crowd from Galilee, Judea,
8 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.
Jerusalem, Idumea, the region beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. The large crowd came to Him when they heard what great things He was doing.
9 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].
Jesus asked His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that the crowd would not crush Him.
For He had healed so many that all who had diseases were pressing forward to touch Him.
11 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)!”
And when the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!”
12 He commanded the [evil spirits] strongly that they should not tell anyone who he was.
But He warned them sternly not to make Him known.
13 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.
Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him.
14 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.
He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach,
15 He also gave them power in order that they might expel evil spirits [from people].
and to have authority to drive out demons.
16 These were the twelve men he appointed: Simon, to whom he gave the [new] name Peter; his [younger] brother Andrew;
These are the twelve He appointed: Simon (whom He named Peter),
17 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];
James son of Zebedee and his brother John (whom He named Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”),
18 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];
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,
19 and Judas Iscariot (OR, Judas, the man from Kerioth [Town]). He was the one who [later] (betrayed Jesus/helped Jesus’ enemies seize him).
and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
20 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].
Then Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat.
21 After his relatives heard about this, they went to take him home [with them] because (some people/they) were saying that he was insane.
When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
22 [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]!”
And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.”
23 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]
So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?
24 If [people who live in the same] country are fighting one another, they will cease to be a single group under one ruler.
If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand.
25 And if [people who live in the same] house fight each other, they will certainly not remain [as one family].
If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand.
26 Similarly, if Satan and his [evil spirits] were fighting one another, instead of remaining strong, he would become powerless.
And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come.
27 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.”
Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.
28 [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.
Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter.
30 [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!”
Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
31 Jesus’ mother and [younger] siblings arrived. While they stood outside, they sent [someone inside] in order to call him [outside].
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him,
32 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!”
and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothers are outside, asking for You.”
33 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]
But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”
34 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.
Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!
35 Those who habitually do what God wants are [as dear to me] [MET] as my brother, my sister, or my mother!”
For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”
