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。”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue,(A) and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely(B) to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.(C) Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians(D) how they might kill Jesus.(E)

Crowds Follow Jesus(F)

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.(G) When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.(H) Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many,(I) so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.(J) 11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”(K) 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.(L)

Jesus Appoints the Twelve(M)

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.(N) 14 He appointed twelve[a](O) that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.(P) 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter),(Q) 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law(R)(S)

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered,(T) so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.(U) 21 When his family[b] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”(V)

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem(W) said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul!(X) By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”(Y)

23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables:(Z) “How can Satan(AA) drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.(AB) 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”(AC)

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived.(AD) Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 3:14 Some manuscripts twelve—designating them apostles—
  2. Mark 3:21 Or his associates

Jesus makes a man well

Another time, Jesus went into the Jewish meeting place. A man was there. His hand was very small and weak, so he could not use it. Some Pharisees were watching Jesus carefully. They wanted to find a reason to say that Jesus was doing wrong things. It was the Jewish day of rest. So the Pharisees watched Jesus to see if he would make the man well on this day. Jesus said to the man, ‘Stand here in front of everyone.’

Then Jesus said to the Pharisees, ‘Is it right for us to do good things on our day of rest? Or should we do bad things? Should we save a person's life? Or should we kill people?’

Nobody said anything.

Jesus looked round at everybody. He felt angry with them. He also felt sad because they did not want to learn. Then he said to the man, ‘Lift up your hand.’ The man lifted his hand and it became well. He could use it again. The Pharisees left the meeting place immediately. They went to meet with some other people who were friends with the ruler, Herod.[a] The Pharisees talked with them about how they could kill Jesus.

Crowds follow Jesus

Jesus left that place and he went away to Lake Galilee with his disciples. A large crowd of people from Galilee followed them. Many people also came to him from Judea, from Jerusalem and from a region of Israel called Idumea. They also came from places on the other side of the Jordan River, and from the towns called Tyre and Sidon. Many people had heard about the things that Jesus was doing. That is why all these people came to him. The crowd was very large. So Jesus asked his disciples to prepare a small boat for him. They did this so that the people would not push against him. 10 Sick people were pushing to the front, because they were trying to touch him. They knew that he had made many people well. 11 Often, a person with a bad spirit saw Jesus. Then, the spirit caused the person to fall down on the ground in front of Jesus. The spirit caused that person to shout out, ‘You are the Son of God.’ 12 Jesus often had to say to the bad spirits, ‘You must not tell anyone who I am.’

Jesus chooses 12 apostles

13 Jesus went up a mountain. He chose some men and he asked them to go there with him. So they met together with him there. 14 He chose a group of 12 men. He called them his apostles.[b] He wanted them to be with him. And he would send them to teach people about God. 15 He gave these men authority to cause bad spirits to leave people. 16 These are the names of the 12 apostles:

Simon, (Jesus called him Peter).

17 James and John who were the sons of Zebedee. Jesus called them ‘Boanerges’. It means ‘men who are like thunder’.

18 Andrew,

Philip,

Bartholomew,

Matthew,[c]

Thomas,

James, who was the son of Alphaeus,

Thaddaeus,[d]

Simon the Zealot

19 and Judas Iscariot, who later gave Jesus to his enemies.

Jesus talks about Satan

20 Then Jesus went into a house. A crowd of people came together there again. There were so many people that Jesus and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 People told his family what was happening. So they went to take him away with them. They thought that Jesus was crazy.[e]

22 Some teachers of God's Law came from Jerusalem. They said, ‘Jesus has a bad spirit called Beelzebul in him. That is Satan, the one who rules all the bad spirits. This man can send bad spirits out of people because Satan gives him authority.’[f]

23 So Jesus spoke to the teachers of God's Law. He said, ‘Come here and listen to me.’ He used stories to explain to them, ‘Satan would not fight against himself! 24 If armies in the same country start to fight each other, then they will destroy their own country. 25 And if the people in one family start to fight against each other, they will destroy their own family. 26 So Satan would not attack himself. If he did that, he would destroy his own power. That would be the end of him. 27 Nobody can easily go into the house of a strong man to rob him. To do that, he must first tie up the strong man. Then he can take away all that man's valuable things. 28 I tell you this: God can forgive all the wrong things that people do. He can also forgive people who say bad things against him. 29 But God will never forgive people who say bad things against the Holy Spirit. Those people will always be guilty of a terrible sin.’

30 Jesus said that to the teachers of God's Law, because they had said, ‘Jesus has a bad spirit in him.’

Jesus' mother and his brothers come to look for him

31 Then, Jesus' mother and his brothers arrived and they stood outside the house. They sent someone into the house with a message. They wanted Jesus to come out to speak to them. 32 A crowd of people was sitting around Jesus. Somebody said to him, ‘Look! Your mother and brothers are outside. They are looking for you.’

33 Jesus replied, ‘I will tell you who my mother and brothers really are.’

34 Then he looked at the people who were sitting around him. He said, ‘Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 My brothers and sisters and my mother are the people who do what God wants.’[g]

Footnotes

  1. 3:6 The people who were friends with Herod were important Jews. Herod ruled part of Israel on behalf of the Romans. His friends were happy because the Romans had authority in Israel. They did not like Jesus. They thought that he would cause problems for Herod.
  2. 3:14 Jesus had many disciples. He chose 12 of them to be with him, so that he could teach them. He also called these 12 men apostles. The word apostle means that someone has sent the person out to do a job. Their job was to tell other people about Jesus.
  3. 3:18 Matthew is another name for Levi.
  4. 3:18 In Luke 6:16, Thaddaeus is called Judas, the son of James.
  5. 3:21 Jesus' family lived in Nazareth, which was 40 kilometres away from Capernaum.
  6. 3:22 Beelzebul is another name for Satan. They are both names for God's greatest enemy.
  7. 3:35 People who believe in Jesus become part of the family of God.

And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,

And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.

And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.

11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.

14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

16 And Simon he surnamed Peter;

17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,

19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.

30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.