Mark 9
1 He also said to [his disciples], “Listen carefully! Some of you who are here now will see God ruling powerfully in [many ways]. You will see it before you die!”
‘I tell you,’ he added, ‘that some of those who are standing here will not know death until they have seen the kingdom of God come in power.’
2 A week later Jesus took Peter, James and [James’ younger brother] John and led them up a high mountain. [While they were] alone up there, he appeared very different to them.
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain alone by themselves. There his appearance was transformed before their eyes,
3 His clothes became dazzling white. They were whiter than anyone on earth could make them by bleaching them.
and his clothes became whiter than any launderer in the whole world could bleach them.
4 [Two prophets who had lived long ago], Moses and Elijah, appeared to them. Then the two of them began talking with Jesus.
And Elijah appeared to them, in company with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.
5 [After a short time], Peter [interrupted by] exclaiming, “Teacher, it is wonderful to be here! So allow us to make three shelters. One [will be] for you, one [will be] for Moses, and one [will be] for Elijah!”
‘Rabbi,’ said Peter, interposing, ‘it is good to be here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’
6 [He said this] because [he wanted to say something, but] he did not know what to say, because he and the other [two disciples] were very awestruck.
For he did not know what to say, because they were much afraid.
7 Then a [shining] cloud appeared that covered them. [God] [EUP] spoke to them from the cloud saying, “This is my Son. I love him. [Therefore], listen to him!”
Then a cloud came down and enveloped them; and from the cloud there came a voice – ‘This is my dearly loved son; listen to him.’
8 When [the three disciples] looked around, they saw that suddenly Jesus was alone with them, and that there was no longer anyone [else] there.
And suddenly, on looking round, they saw that there was now no one with them but Jesus alone.
9 While they were coming down the mountain, Jesus told them that they should not tell anyone [yet] what had just happened to him. He said, “You may tell them after I, the one who came from heaven, (rise from the dead/become alive again) after I die.”
As they were going down the mountainside, Jesus cautioned them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
10 So they did not tell others about it [for a long time]. But they discussed among themselves what it meant when he said that he would (rise from the dead/become alive again) after he died.
They seized on these words and discussed with one another what this “rising from the dead” meant.
11 [The three disciples had just seen Elijah, but Elijah had not done anything to prepare people to accept Jesus. So] they asked Jesus, “The men who teach the [Jewish] laws say that Elijah must come back to the earth before [the Messiah comes to earth. But you have been here a long time and Elijah came just today. So is what they are teaching wrong?]”
‘How is it,’ they asked Jesus, ‘that our teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?’
12 [Jesus wanted them to know that John the Baptizer was the one who represented Elijah. So] he answered them, “It is true that [God promised to send Elijah to come] first [so that people would be ready when I came]. Elijah’s representative has already come, and our leaders treated him very badly, just like they wanted to do, just like it was prophesied {[the prophets] prophesied} long ago. But, (I also want you to consider what is written {what [the prophets] wrote} in the Scriptures about me, the one who came from heaven./why have you not thought about what is written {what [the prophets] wrote} about me, the one who came from heaven?) [RHQ] It is written {They wrote} that I would suffer much and that I would be rejected {that [many people] would reject me}.”
‘Elijah does indeed come first,’ answered Jesus, ‘and re-establish everything; and does not scripture speak, with regard to the Son of Man, of his undergoing much suffering and being utterly despised?
But I tell you that Elijah has come, and people have treated him just as they pleased, as scripture says of him.’
14 [Jesus and those three disciples] returned to where the [other] disciples were. They saw a large crowd around the other disciples and [some] men who taught the [Jewish] laws arguing with them.
When they came to the other disciples, they saw a great crowd round them, and some teachers of the Law arguing with them.
15 As soon as the crowd saw Jesus, they were very surprised [to see him come]. So they ran to him and greeted him.
But, as soon as they saw Jesus, all the people, in great astonishment, ran up and greeted him.
16 He asked them, “What are you arguing about?”
‘What are you arguing about with them?’ Jesus asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son [here in order that] you [would heal him]. There is an evil spirit in him [that makes him] unable to talk.
‘Teacher,’ answered a man in the crowd, ‘I brought my son to see you, as he has a spirit in him that makes him mute;
18 Whenever the spirit attacks him, it throws him down. He foams at the mouth, he grinds his teeth together, and he becomes stiff. I asked your disciples to expel the spirit, but they were not able to do it.”
and, wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth, and he is pining away. I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they failed.’
19 Jesus replied by saying to those people, “(I am very disappointed that [although you] have observed how I help people, you do not believe [that you are able to do anything]!/Why is it that [although you] have observed how I help people, you do not believe [that you are able to do anything]?) [RHQ] (I have been with you a long time, [and you still cannot do what I do]!/How long do I have to be with you [before you can do what I do]?) [RHQ] Bring the boy to me!”
‘Faithless generation!’ exclaimed Jesus. ‘How long must I be with you? How long must I have patience with you? Bring the boy to me.’
20 So they brought the boy to Jesus. As soon as the evil spirit saw Jesus, it shook the boy severely, and [the boy] fell on the ground. He rolled around, and he foamed at the mouth.
They brought him to Jesus; but no sooner did the boy see him than the spirit threw him into convulsions; and he fell on the ground, and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” He replied, “[This started to happen] when he was a child.
‘How long has he been like this?’ Jesus asked the boy’s father.
22 [The spirit does not only do this], but he also often throws him into the fire or into the water in order to kill him. But, pity us and help us, if you can!”
‘From his childhood,’ he answered. ‘It has often thrown him into fire and into water to put an end to his life; but, if you can possibly do anything, take pity on us, and help us!’
23 Jesus exclaimed to him, “[Do not say] [RHQ] ‘If you can’, for [God/I] can do anything for people who believe [in him/me]!”
‘Why say “possibly”?’ Jesus replied. ‘Everything is possible for one who has faith.’
24 Immediately the child’s father shouted, “I believe [that you can help me, but I do not believe strongly]. Help me to believe more strongly!”
The boy’s father immediately cried out, ‘I have faith; help my want of faith!’
25 Because [Jesus wanted to heal the boy before] the crowd got bigger, he rebuked the evil spirit, saying, “You evil spirit, you who are [causing this boy to be] deaf and unable to talk! I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!”
But, when Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly collecting, he rebuked the foul spirit, ‘Deaf and dumb spirit, it is I who command you. Come out from him and never enter him again.’
26 The evil spirit shouted, it shook the boy violently, and then it left the boy. The boy did not move. He seemed like a dead body. So many of the people there said, “He is dead!”
With a loud cry the spirit threw the boy into repeated convulsions, and then came out from him. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead.
27 However, Jesus took him by the hand and helped him get up. Then the boy stood up. [He was healed]!
But Jesus took his hand, and lifted him; and he stood up.
28 Later, when Jesus and his disciples were alone in a house, one of them asked him, “Why were we not able to expel [the evil spirit]?”
When Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’
29 He said to them, “You can expel this kind [of evil spirit] only by your praying [that God will give you the power to do it]. There is no other way that you can expel them.”
‘A spirit of this kind,’ he said, ‘can be driven out only by prayer.’
30 After [Jesus and his disciples] left that [district], they traveled through Galilee [district]. Jesus did not want anyone [else] to know [that he was in their area]; he did not want
Leaving that place, Jesus and his disciples went on their way through Galilee; but he did not wish anyone to know it,
31 [anyone to interrupt him] as he taught his disciples. He was telling them, “[Some day my enemies] [SYN] will seize [MTY] me, the one who came from heaven, and I will be handed over [to other] men. Those men will kill me. But on the third day after I am killed {after they kill me}, I will become alive again!”
for he was instructing his disciples, and telling them – ‘The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of his fellow men, and they will put him to death, but, when he has been put to death, he will rise again after three days.’
32 But they did not understand what he was telling them. Also, they were afraid to ask him about what he had said.
But the disciples did not understand his meaning and were afraid to question him.
33 Jesus and his disciples returned to Capernaum [town]. When they were in the house, he asked them, “What were you discussing [while we were traveling] on the road?”
They came to Capernaum. When Jesus had gone into the house, he asked them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’
34 But they did not reply. [They were ashamed to reply] because, [while they were traveling], they had been arguing with each other about which one of them [would be] the most important [when Jesus became king].
But they were silent; for on the way they had been arguing with one another which was the greatest.
35 He sat down, he summoned the twelve disciples [to come close to him], and then he said to them, “If anyone wants [God to consider him] to be the most important person of all, he must [consider himself] to be the least important person of all, and he must serve everyone [else].”
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wishes to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all.’
36 Then he took a child and placed him among them. He took the child in his arms and then he said to them,
Then Jesus took a little child, and placed it in the middle of them. Taking it in his arms, he said to them,
37 “Those who, [because they love] me, welcome a child like this one, [God considers that] they are welcoming me. So [it is as though] they are also welcoming [God], who sent me.”
‘Anyone who, for the sake of my name, welcomes even a little child like this is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming not me, but him who sent me as his messenger.’
38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone who was expelling demons, ([claiming he had] authority from you [to do that/while telling people] that you [have told him to do it]). So we told him to stop doing it because he was not one of us [disciples].”
‘Teacher,’ said John, ‘we saw a man driving out demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he did not follow us.’
39 Jesus said, “Do not tell him [not to do that]! For no one will speak evilly about me just after he performs a miracle while saying that I [have told him to do it].
‘None of you must prevent the man,’ answered Jesus, ‘for no one will use my name in working a miracle, and yet find it easy to speak evil of me.
40 Furthermore, those who are not opposing us are trying to [achieve the same goals that] we are.
He who is not against us is for us.
41 Also think about this: Those [who belong to me who help you in any way, even] if they [just] give you a cup of water to drink because you follow [me], the Messiah, will certainly be rewarded [by God]!”
If anyone gives you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell you, he will assuredly not lose his reward.
42 [Jesus also said], “But if you cause someone who believes in me to sin, [God will severely punish you], even if that person is [socially unimportant like] this little child. If someone tied a heavy stone around your neck and you were thrown {and threw you} into the sea, [you would consider that was a severe punishment. But God will punish you more severely] than that [if you cause a person who believes in me to sin].
‘And, if anyone puts temptation in the way of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be far better for him if he had been thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck.
43 [So], if you are [wanting to use one of] [MTY, PRS] [your hands to sin, stop using your hand! Even if you have to] cut your hand off and throw it away [to avoid sinning, do it] [HYP]! It is good that you not sin and that you live eternally, [even though you lack one of] your hands [while you are here on earth]. But it is not good that you sin and as a result God throws your whole body into hell. There the fires never go out! (Geenna g1067)
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter the life maimed, than to have both your hands and go into Gehenna, into the fire that cannot be put out. (Geenna g1067)
45 If you are [wanting to use] one of [PRS] your feet to sin, [stop using your foot! Even if you have to] cut off your foot [to avoid sinning, do it] [HYP]! It is good that you not sin and live eternally, [even though] you lack one of your feet [while you are here on earth]. But it is not good that you sin and go to hell. (Geenna g1067)
If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter the life lame, than to have both your feet and be thrown into Gehenna. (Geenna g1067)
47 If because of what you see [MTY, PRS] you are tempted to sin, [stop looking at those things]! Even if you have to gouge out your eye and throw it away [HYP] [to avoid sinning, do it! It is good that you not sin and live eternally, even though you lack one of] your eyes [while you are here on earth]. But it is not good that you sin and, as a result, God puts your whole body in hell. (Geenna g1067)
If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It would be better for you to enter the kingdom of God with only one eye, than to have both eyes and be thrown into Gehenna, (Geenna g1067)
48 In that place people suffer forever and the fires are never put out {never go out}.”
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not put out.
49 “[You must endure difficulties in order that God will be pleased with you. Your difficulties are like] a fire [that makes things pure] [MET]. [Your enduring is also like] [MET] salt being put [on] {people putting salt on their} [sacrifices to make them pure].
For it is by fire that everyone will be salted.
50 Salt is useful [to put on food], but you cannot [RHQ] make salt to taste salty again if it becomes flavorless [MET]. Similarly, you must remain useful to God, [because no one can make you useful to God again if you become useless]. You must also live peacefully with each other.”
Salt is good, but, if the salt should lose its saltiness, what will you use to season it? You must have salt in yourselves, and live at peace with one another.’
