TCNT MARK Chapter 9

The Transfiguration

2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His garments became radiant and extremely white, [fn]like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Then Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 So Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters, one for yoʋ, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 (For they were terrified, and he did not know [fn]what to say.) 7 Then a cloud came and overshadowed them, and a voice came from the [fn]cloud: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him!” 8 And suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus.

9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus ordered them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, discussing what this rising from the dead could mean. 11 Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 He [fn]answered them, “Elijah does indeed come first to restore all things. How then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

14 When [fn]Jesus came back to the other disciples, he saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. 15 When the whole crowd saw him, they were greatly amazed and immediately ran up and greeted him. 16 Then he asked [fn]the scribes, “What are you arguing [fn]with them about?” 17 One man from among the crowd [fn]answered, “Teacher, I brought yoʋ my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked yoʋr disciples to cast it out, but they were not able to do so.” 19 Jesus answered [fn]him, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Then Jesus asked the boy's father, “How long has this been happening to him?” The father said, “From childhood. 22 It often throws him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him. But if yoʋ are able to do anything, help us and have compassion on us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “[fn]The question is whether yoʋ are able to believe. All things are possible for the one who believes.” 24 Immediately the child's father cried out and said [fn]with tears, “I [fn]believe, Lord; help my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that [fn]a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, “Yoʋ spirit that makes this boy mute and deaf, I command yoʋ, come out of him and never enter him again!” 26 After crying out, the spirit convulsed the boy greatly and came out, and the boy became as though he were dead, so that many said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up, and the boy arose. 28 Now when Jesus came into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything except prayer [fn]and fasting.”

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Second Time

30 Then they went away from there and [fn]passed through Galilee, but Jesus did not want anyone to know it. 31 For he was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered up into the hands of men, and they will kill him. Yet [fn]after he has been killed, he will rise on the third day.” 32 But they did not understand what this meant, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

True Greatness

33 Then [fn]Jesus came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house, he asked the disciples, “What were you discussing [fn]among yourselves on the way?” 34 But they were silent, because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was greater. 35 So Jesus sat down, called the twelve over, and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and a servant to all.” 36 Then he took a child and placed him before them. And taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me, but him who sent me.”

Whoever Is Not Against You Is for You

38 John said to him [fn]in response, “Teacher, we saw [fn]someone who does not follow us casting out demons in yoʋr name, and we told him to stop because he does not follow us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a miracle in my name will be able to speak evil of me soon afterward. 40 For whoever is not against [fn]you is for you. 41 Truly I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink [fn]in my name, because you belong to Christ, will certainly not lose his reward.

Temptations to Sin

42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe [fn]in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a [fn]millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If yoʋr hand causes yoʋ to stumble, cut it off. It is better for yoʋ to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable [fn]fire, 44 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 45 And if yoʋr foot causes yoʋ to stumble, cut it off. It is better for yoʋ to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into [fn]hell, into the unquenchable fire, 46 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 47 And if yoʋr eye causes yoʋ to stumble, tear it out. It is better for yoʋ to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and [fn]be thrown into [fn]the fires of hell, 48 ‘where [fn]their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with [fn]fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 50 Salt is good, but if it becomes unsalty, with what shall you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”