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He said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Some people who are standing here will not die until they see God’s kingdom arrive with power.”

Moses and Elijah Appear with Jesus(A)

After six days Jesus took only Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone.

Jesus’ appearance changed in front of them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them and were talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good that we’re here. Let’s put up three tents—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (Peter didn’t know how to respond. He and the others were terrified.)

Then a cloud overshadowed them. A voice came out of the cloud and said, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

Suddenly, as they looked around, they saw no one with them but Jesus.

On their way down the mountain, Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen. They were to wait until the Son of Man had come back to life. 10 They kept in mind what he said but argued among themselves what he meant by “come back to life.” 11 So they asked him, “Don’t the experts in Moses’ Teachings say that Elijah must come first?”

12 Jesus said to them, “Elijah is coming first and will put everything in order again. But in what sense was it written that the Son of Man must suffer a lot and be treated shamefully? 13 Indeed, I can guarantee that Elijah has come. Yet, people treated him as they pleased, as Scripture says about him.”

Jesus Cures a Demon-Possessed Boy(B)

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them. Some experts in Moses’ Teachings were arguing with them. 15 All the people were very surprised to see Jesus and ran to welcome him.

16 Jesus asked the experts in Moses’ Teachings, “What are you arguing about with them?”

17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son. He is possessed by a spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 Whenever the spirit brings on a seizure, it throws him to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes exhausted. I asked your disciples to force the spirit out, but they didn’t have the power to do it.”

19 Jesus said to them, “You unbelieving generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me!”

20 They brought the boy to him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into convulsions. He fell on the ground, rolled around, and foamed at the mouth.

21 Jesus asked his father, “How long has he been like this?”

The father replied, “He has been this way since he was a child. 22 The demon has often thrown him into fire or into water to destroy him. If it’s possible for you, put yourself in our place, and help us!”

23 Jesus said to him, “As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes.”

24 The child’s father cried out at once, “I believe! Help my lack of faith.”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he gave an order to the evil spirit. He said, “You spirit that won’t let him talk, I command you to come out of him and never enter him again.”

26 The evil spirit screamed, shook the child violently, and came out. The boy looked as if he were dead, and everyone said, “He’s dead!”

27 Jesus took his hand and helped him to stand up.

28 When Jesus went into a house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we force the spirit out of the boy?”

29 He told them, “This kind of spirit can be forced out only by prayer.” [a]

Jesus Again Foretells That He Will Die and Come Back to Life(C)

30 They left that place and were passing through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where he was 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He taught them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over to people. They will kill him, but on the third day he will come back to life.”

32 The disciples didn’t understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him.

Greatness in the Kingdom(D)

33 Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was at home, he asked the disciples, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 They were silent. On the road they had argued about who was the greatest.

35 He sat down and called the twelve apostles. He told them, “Whoever wants to be the most important person must take the last place and be a servant to everyone else.” 36 Then he took a little child and had him stand among them. He put his arms around the child and said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me. Whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

Using the Name of Jesus(E)

38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone forcing demons out of a person by using the power and authority of your name. We tried to stop him because he was not one of us.”

39 Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! No one who works a miracle in my name can turn around and speak evil of me. 40 Whoever isn’t against us is for us. 41 I can guarantee this truth: Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.”

Causing Others to Lose Faith(F)

42 “These little ones believe in me. It would be best for the person who causes one of them to lose faith to be thrown into the sea with a large stone hung around his neck.

43 “So if your hand causes you to lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life disabled than to have two hands and go to hell, to the fire that cannot be put out.[b] 45 If your foot causes you to lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 If your eye causes you to lose your faith, tear it out! It is better for you to enter God’s kingdom with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. 48 In hell worms that eat the body never die, and the fire is never put out. 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor? Have salt within you, and live in peace with one another.”

Footnotes

  1. 9:29 Some manuscripts and translations add “and fasting.”
  2. 9:43 Some manuscripts and translations add verses 44 and 46, which both say: “In hell worms that eat the body never die, and the fire is never put out.”

And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come(A) with power.”(B)

The Transfiguration(C)(D)

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John(E) with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white,(F) whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,(G) it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud:(H) “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”(I)

Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone(J) what they had seen until the Son of Man(K) had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man(L) must suffer much(M) and be rejected?(N) 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come,(O) and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit(P)

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.(Q)

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

“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”(R)

24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene,(S) he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately,(T) “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.[a]

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time(U)

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man(V) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,(W) and after three days(X) he will rise.”(Y) 32 But they did not understand what he meant(Z) and were afraid to ask him about it.

33 They came to Capernaum.(AA) When he was in the house,(AB) he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.(AC)

35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”(AD)

36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,(AE) he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”(AF)

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us(AG)

38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”(AH)

39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.(AI) 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.(AJ)

Causing to Stumble

42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,(AK) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.(AL) 43 If your hand causes you to stumble,(AM) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,(AN) where the fire never goes out.(AO) [44] [b] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble,(AP) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.(AQ) [46] [c] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble,(AR) pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,(AS) 48 where

“‘the worms that eat them do not die,
    and the fire is not quenched.’[d](AT)

49 Everyone will be salted(AU) with fire.

50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?(AV) Have salt among yourselves,(AW) and be at peace with each other.”(AX)

Footnotes

  1. Mark 9:29 Some manuscripts prayer and fasting
  2. Mark 9:44 Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 48.
  3. Mark 9:46 Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 48.
  4. Mark 9:48 Isaiah 66:24