Mark 9

The Transfiguration

(Matthew 17:1–13; Luke 9:28–36; 2 Peter 1:16–21)

1Then Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”

2After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. 3His clothes became radiantly white as snow,1 brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them. 4And Elijah and Moses appeared before them, talking with Jesus.

5Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters2— one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6For they were all so terrified that Peter did not know what else to say.

7Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud:3 “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!” 8Suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one with them except Jesus.

9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus admonished them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10So they kept this matter to themselves, discussing what it meant to rise from the dead. 11And they asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

12He replied, “Elijah does indeed come first, and he restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected? 13But I tell you that Elijah has indeed come, and they have done to him whatever they wished, just as it is written about him.”

The Boy with an Evil Spirit

(Matthew 17:14–18; Luke 9:37–42)

14When Jesus returned to the other disciples, He saw4 a large crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were filled with awe and ran to greet Him.

16“What are you disputing with them?” He asked the scribes.5

17Someone in the crowd replied, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute. 18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.6 I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.”

19“O unbelieving generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.”

20So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been with him?”

“From childhood,” he said. 22“It often throws him into the fire or into the water, trying to kill him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

23“If you can believe!” said Jesus.7“All things are possible to him who believes!”

24Immediately the boy’s father cried out with tears, “Lord, I do believe;8 help my unbelief!”

25When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the unclean spirit. “You mute and deaf9 spirit,” He said, “I command you to come out and never enter him again.”

26After shrieking and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

28After Jesus had gone into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

29Jesus answered, “This kind cannot come out, except by prayer and fasting.10”

The Second Prediction of the Passion

(Matthew 17:22–23; Luke 9:43–45)

30Going on from there, they passed through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know, 31because He was teaching His disciples. He told them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and on the third day11 He will rise.” 32But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

The Greatest in the Kingdom

(Matthew 18:1–5; Luke 9:46–50)

33Then Jesus came to Capernaum.12 While He was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing among yourselves13 on the way?” 34But they were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.

35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”

36Then He had a little child stand among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them, 37“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.”

38John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us14 driving out demons in Your name, and we forbade him,15 because he does not accompany us.”

39“Do not stop him,” Jesus replied. “For no one who performs a miracle in My name can turn around and speak evil of Me. 40For whoever is not against you is for you.16 41Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water in My name because you are Christ’s,17 truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.

Temptations and Trespasses

(Matthew 18:6–9; Luke 17:1–4)

42But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a millstone18 hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

43If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell,19 into the unquenchable fire, 44where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’20 45If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell, into the unquenchable fire,21 46where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’22 47And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown23 into the fire of hell,24 48where ‘their worm25 never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’26

Good Salt

(Matthew 5:13–16; Luke 14:34–35)

49For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.27

50Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”