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.
Jesus went to the synagogue again. A man was there who had a crippled hand.
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]).
Some of those there were watching Jesus to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath, because they were looking for a reason to accuse him of breaking the law.
3 Jesus said to the man whose hand was shriveled, “Stand up here in front of everyone!” [So the man stood up].
Jesus told the man with the crippled hand, “Come and stand here in front of everyone.”
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.
“Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? Should you save life, or should you kill?” he asked them. But they didn't say a word.
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!
He looked around at them in exasperation, very upset by their hard-hearted attitude. Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man held out his hand, and it was healed.
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.
The Pharisees left, and immediately began plotting with Herod's party as to 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],
Meanwhile Jesus returned to the Sea, and a large crowd followed him. They were 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, Transjordan, and from the regions of Tyre and Sidon. So many people came to see him because they'd heard all 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 told his disciples to have a small boat ready in case the crowd crushed him,
because he had healed so many that all the sick people kept on pressing towards him so they could 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)!”
Whenever the evil spirits saw him they would fall down in front of him and shout 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 commanded them not to reveal who he was.
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 away to the hill country. He called those he wanted to be with him, 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 chose twelve to be with him, and called them apostles. They were to be with him, and he would send them out to announce the good news,
15 He also gave them power in order that they might expel evil spirits [from people].
and with the 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 chose: Simon (whom he called 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 the son of Zebedee and his brother John (who he called 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 the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Revolutionary,
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 him).
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].
Jesus went home, but such a large crowd gathered again that he and his disciples didn't even have time to 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 Jesus' family heard about it, they came to take him away, saying, “He's lost his senses!”
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]!”
But the religious leaders from Jerusalem said, “He's possessed by Beelzebub! It's by the ruler of demons that he's driving 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]
But Jesus called them over to him. Using illustrations he asked them, “How can Satan throw 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.
A kingdom fighting itself can't continue.
25 And if [people who live in the same] house fight each other, they will certainly not remain [as one family].
A household that's divided is doomed.
26 Similarly, if Satan and his [evil spirits] were fighting one another, instead of remaining strong, he would become powerless.
If Satan is divided and fights against himself, he won't last long—he'll soon come to an end.
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.”
Clearly, if someone breaks into the house of a strong man and tries to take his things, he won't get far in his theft unless he ties up the strong man first.”
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.
“I tell you the truth: all sins and blasphemies can be forgiven,
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 said this because they said, “He has an evil 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 arrived. They waited outside and sent him a message, asking him to come out.
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!”
The crowd that was sitting around him told him, “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]
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” he responded.
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 around at all those sitting there in a circle, he said, “Here is my mother! Here are my brothers!
35 Those who habitually do what God wants are [as dear to me] [MET] as my brother, my sister, or my mother!”
Whoever does what God wants, they are my brother, and sister, and mother.”
