Open English Translation MARK Chapter 9

2 [ref]Six days later Yeshua took Peter and Yacob and Yohan, and just the four of them went up onto a high hill. Then he was changed right in front of their eyes 3 and his clothes turned incredibly shining white—whiter than any bleach could make them. 4 And Eliyah and Moses appeared beside Yeshua and started talking with him. 5 Peter said to Yeshua, “Teacher, it’s good that we’re here. Maybe we could make three shelters up here: one for you and one for Moses and one for Eliyah?” 6 He said that because they were terrified and didn’t know what to say.

7 [ref]Then a cloud came over the sun and a voice came out of the cloud saying, “This is my dear son. Listen to him.” 8 When they looked around, they couldn’t see anyone else there any more, except for Yeshua himself.

9 As they descended again, Yeshua told them to tell no one what had happened up there until after humanity’s child came back to life.

10 They remembered that, although between all three of them they couldn’t understand the bit about coming back to life. 11 [ref]They asked Yeshua, “Isn’t it written that Eliyah will be the first to return?”

12 He answered, “Yes, Eliyah is indeed the one to come first to start the restoration. But isn’t it also written that humanity’s child will suffer a lot and be scorned? 13 You see, Eliyah has come already, and they treated him just however they liked, just like it was written that it would happen.”

14 When they got back to his other followers, Yeshua saw that they were surrounded by a large crowd and the religious teachers were debating with them. 15 The crowd were very surprised when they noticed Yeshua and came running to greet him. 16 He asked them, “What were you all talking about?”

17 One of the people answered, “Teacher, I brought my son here—he has a demon that prevents him from speaking. 18 Whenever it takes hold of him, it attacks him and he starts foaming at the mouth and grating his teeth and his joints lock up. I tried to get your followers to command it to leave but they couldn’t.”

19 Yeshua replied, “You are a faithless generation. How much longer will I have to be here? How much longer can I tolerate you all? Bring him here.” 20 So they brought the boy to him. When he saw Yeshua, the demon immediately caused him to have convulsions and fall on the ground—rolling over and foaming at the mouth.

21 Yeshua asked his father, “How long has this been happening?”

“Since he was small,” he replied, 22 “and often it throws him into the fire or into water to try to destroy him. But if you feel sorry for us and can do it, please help us.”

23 Yeshua asked him, “If I can? A person who believes can do anything.”

24 The boys father cried out, “I do believe—help me to fight unbelief.”

25 Then Yeshua noticing that a big crowd was quickly forming, scolded the evil spirit, “You spirit who causes muteness and deafness. Leave this boy now and never return to him.”

26 There was yelling and strong convulsions, and then the demon left him and the boy lay still as if dead, and many people thought he was. 27 But Yeshua took his hand and lifted it, and the boy got up.

28 When Yeshua and his apprentices had gone into the house by themselves, they asked him, “How come we couldn’t drive it out?”

29 He replied, “This kind will only leave after prayer and fasting.”

30 Then they left that place and were moving around Galilee, because Yeshua didn’t want people to know where he was 31 while he was teaching his apprentices. He told them, “Humanity’s child will be arrested and executed, but after three days he’ll come back to life.”

32 But they didn’t know what that meant, and they were too scared to ask him.

33 Then they went Capernaum and when they arrived at the house, Yeshua asked them what they were discussing on the way.

34 [ref]But they didn’t reply because while they were walking, they had been talking about which of them is the best. 35 [ref]So Yeshua sat down and called the twelve of them and explained, “Anyone who wants to be at the top, has to be at the bottom and help all the others.” 36 Then Yeshua called a young boy and stood him in the middle of them, and giving him a hug said, 37 [ref]“Whoever welcomes young children on my behalf, welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me is not actually welcoming me, but welcoming the one who sent me here.”

38 Yohan checked with Yeshua, “Teacher, we saw someone using your authority to command demons to leave, but we told him off because he wasn’t one of us.”

39 Yeshua responded, “No, don’t stop him because anyone who does a miracle using my name won’t just quickly turn around and slander me. 40 [ref]Anyone who’s not against us is for us. 41 [ref]Anyone who gives you water to drink because you are followers of God’s chosen one and who does it because they are working for me, I can assure you that they’ll receive their reward.

42 “But anyone who causes a young person to falter from their trust in me, it would be better if they were thrown into the sea with a heavy weight tied around their neck. 43 [ref]If your hand causes you to disobey God, cut it off—it’s better to enter eternal life being maimed, than to have two hands but to be thrown into the fire that never goes out. 44 ◘ 45 And if your foot causes you to disobey God, cut it off—it’s better to enter eternal life being maimed, than to have two feet but to be thrown into hell. 46 ◘ 47 [ref]And if your eye causes you to disobey God, gouge it out—it’s better to enter God’s kingdom one-eyed, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell 48 where the worms never die and the fire never goes out.

49 “Everyone will be salted with fire.

50 [ref]“Now salt is good, but if it were to go bad, what would you season your food with then? So keep yourselves like salt, and strive to get on well with each other.”