治好手枯的人

耶稣又进了会堂,那里有个人一只手是萎缩的。 当时有好些人密切地监视耶稣,看祂是否会在安息日医治这个人,好找借口控告祂。

耶稣对那一只手萎缩的人说:“起来,站在中间。” 然后问众人:“在安息日应该行善还是作恶?救人还是害人?”他们都不吭声。

耶稣生气地看着四周这些人,为他们的心刚硬而感到极其难过。祂对那人说:“把手伸出来!”那人一伸手,手就立刻复原了。 法利赛人离开后,立刻和希律党的人策划怎样除掉耶稣。

群众跟随耶稣

耶稣和门徒退到湖边,有一大群人从加利利来跟随祂。 还有很多人听见耶稣所做的一切,就从犹太、耶路撒冷、以土买、约旦河东,甚至泰尔和西顿一带来找祂。 耶稣见人多,就吩咐门徒为祂预备一条小船,以免人群拥挤祂。 10 因为祂医好了很多人,凡有疾病的人都想挤过来摸祂。 11 每当污鬼看见祂,就俯伏在祂面前,大喊:“你是上帝的儿子!” 12 耶稣却严厉地吩咐它们不要泄露祂的身份。

选立十二使徒

13 耶稣上了山,把合自己心意的人召集到跟前, 14 从中选出十二个人,设立他们为使徒,让他们跟随自己,并且差遣他们出去传道, 15 赐他们赶鬼的权柄。

16 这十二位使徒是:西门——耶稣给他取名叫彼得、 17 西庇太的儿子雅各和雅各的兄弟约翰——耶稣给他们取名叫“半尼其”,就是“雷霆之子”的意思、 18 安得烈、腓力、巴多罗买、马太、多马、亚勒腓的儿子雅各、达太、激进党人西门、 19 及后来出卖耶稣的加略人犹大。

耶稣和别西卜

20 耶稣刚进家门,人群又聚集起来,以致祂和门徒连吃饭的时间也没有。 21 祂的亲属听见这个消息,就出来要拉住祂,因为人们说祂疯了。

22 从耶路撒冷下来的律法教师说:“祂被别西卜附体。”又说:“祂是靠鬼王赶鬼。”

23 耶稣叫他们来,用比喻对他们说:“撒旦怎能驱逐撒旦呢? 24 一个国内部自相纷争,必然崩溃。 25 一个家内部自相纷争,必然破裂。 26 同样,撒旦如果与自己为敌,自相纷争,就站立不住,必然灭亡。 27 没有人能进入壮汉家里抢夺他的财物,除非先把那壮汉捆绑起来,才有可能抢劫他的家。

28 “我实在告诉你们,世人一切的罪和亵渎的话都可以得到赦免, 29 唯有亵渎圣灵的人永远得不到赦免,他们要永远担罪。” 30 耶稣这样说是因为他们诬蔑祂被污鬼附身。

谁是耶稣的亲人

31 这时候,耶稣的母亲和弟兄来了,他们站在外面,托人叫耶稣。 32 有许多人围坐在耶稣身边,他们告诉祂说:“看啊!你的母亲和兄弟在外面找你。”

33 耶稣说:“谁是我的母亲?谁是我的弟兄?” 34 然后祂望着周围坐着的人说:“看啊!我的母亲、我的弟兄在这里。 35 凡遵行上帝旨意的人就是我的弟兄、姊妹和母亲。”

On the Sabbath, Jesus had come into a synagogue where He saw a man with a withered hand.

The Pharisees held their breath: would Jesus cure this man on the Sabbath, right there in front of everyone? If so, they could charge Him with breaking the Sabbath law. Jesus knew their hearts. He called to the man with the withered hand.

Jesus: Come to Me.

Then He turned to the Pharisees with a question.

Jesus: Do our laws tell us to do good or evil on the Sabbath? To save life, or to snuff it out?

They remained silent.

Jesus was furious as He looked out over the crowd, and He was grieved by their hard hearts.

How can anyone care so much about the words of the law and so little about the spirit of it?

Jesus (to the man with the withered hand): So be it. Stretch out your hand.

The man stretched forth his hand; and as he did, it was completely healed. The Pharisees went directly from the synagogue to consult with the supporters of Herod, the Romans’ puppet ruler, about how they could get rid of this dangerous dreamer.

Meanwhile Jesus and His followers traveled to the shore of the Sea of Galilee; as always, a huge crowd from Galilee and Judea gathered. People had come from miles to see this man they were hearing so much about. They came from the big cities, including Jerusalem of Judea, Tyre and Sidon of Phoenicia, and from the region of Idumea, south of Judea. 9-10 Since Jesus had healed so many, the sick and the infirm pushed forward constantly to touch Him, to be healed, and to ask His blessing. The crowd pressed so closely around Jesus that He asked His disciples to get a boat He could board if the crush became too great.

11 Most wanted to be near Him, except for those possessed by unclean spirits. Those people fell down before Him.

Unclean Spirits: You are the Son of God.

12 But He ordered them not to reveal His true identity.

13 Jesus called together a select group of His followers and led them up onto a mountain. 14 There He commissioned them the twelve. [Later He calls them His emissaries.][a] He wanted them to be with Him. He sent them out to spread the good news 15 and to cast out evil spirits [and heal diseases].[b] 16 Here are the names of the original twelve: Simon (whom Jesus called Peter, meaning “the rock”), 17 James and John (the sons of Zebedee, whom Jesus called “the Sons of Thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew (the tax collector, also called Levi), Thomas, James (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon of Canaan (who was also called “the Zealot”), 19 and Judas Iscariot (who one day would betray Jesus to the authorities in Jerusalem so God’s purpose could be fulfilled).

20 Jesus and His disciples went into a house to eat, but so many people pressed in to see Jesus that they could not be served. 21 When Jesus’ family heard about this craziness, they went to drag Him out of that place.

Jesus’ Family (to one another): Jesus has lost His mind.

22 The scribes, for their part, came down from Jerusalem and spread the slander that Jesus was in league with the devil.

Scribes: That’s how He casts out demons. He’s casting them out by the power of Beelzebul—the ancient Philistine god—the prince of demons.

23 When Jesus heard this, He tried to reason with them using parables.

Jesus: Listen. How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 A kingdom that makes war against itself will collapse. 25 A household divided against itself cannot stand. 26 If Satan opposes himself, he cannot stand and is finished.

27 If you want to break into the house of a strong man and plunder it, you have to bind him first. Then you can do whatever you want with his possessions. 28 Listen, the truth is that people can be forgiven of almost anything. God has been known to forgive many things, even blasphemy. 29 But speaking evil of the Spirit of God is an unforgivable sin that will follow you into eternity.

30 He said this because the scribes were telling people that Jesus got His power from dark forces instead of from God.

Popularity is often a dangerous thing, particularly in a land occupied by Roman soldiers. As Jesus’ ministry grows, some of His friends and family start to get nervous: they wonder if He has “lost His mind” entirely. They just can’t understand what is happening and why He is so important. It doesn’t seem right—the boy next door from Nazareth receiving so much attention. In fact, they are so uncomfortable with it that they decide to intervene and take Him home.

But Jesus’ family isn’t the only group concerned about Him. The Pharisees are doing their best to spread doubt about His authority with the worst accusations possible: His power to heal comes from the devil himself. They are attacking Him publicly and questioning His identity as the Anointed One.

31 When Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived, they couldn’t break through the crowd, so they sent word in to Jesus that He should come out to them. 32 The crowd was pressed in tight around Him when He received the message, “Your mother and brothers [and sisters][c] are waiting outside for You.”

33 Jesus looked around.

Jesus (answering them): Who are My mother and brothers?

He called into the silence. No one spoke.

34 At last His gaze swept across those gathered close, and Jesus smiled.

Jesus: You, here, are My mother and My brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is My true family.

Footnotes

  1. 3:14 Most manuscripts omit this portion.
  2. 3:15 Most manuscripts omit this portion.
  3. 3:32 Some manuscripts omit this portion.