Feasts of the Lord

23 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, (A)These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that you shall (B)proclaim as (C)holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts.

The Sabbath

(D)“Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.

The Passover

(E)“These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, the (F)holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. (G)In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight,[a] is the Lord's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. (H)On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. But you shall present a food offering to the Lord for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work.”

The Feast of Firstfruits

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, (I)When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of (J)the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, 11 and he shall (K)wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And on the day when you (L)wave the sheaf, you shall offer a (M)male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the Lord. 13 (N)And the grain offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah[b] of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the Lord with a pleasing aroma, (O)and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin.[c] 14 And you shall eat neither bread nor grain (P)parched or (Q)fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

The Feast of Weeks

15 (R)“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the (S)wave offering. 16 You shall count (T)fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of (U)new grain to the Lord. 17 You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as (V)firstfruits to the Lord. 18 And you shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, and one bull from the herd and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 19 And you shall offer one (W)male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of (X)peace offerings. 20 And the priest shall (Y)wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. (Z)They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. 21 And you shall make a proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.

22 “And (AA)when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”

The Feast of Trumpets

23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In (AB)the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, (AC)a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to the Lord.”

The Day of Atonement

26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “Now (AD)on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves[d] and present a food offering to the Lord. 28 And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For whoever is not afflicted[e] on that very day (AE)shall be cut off from his people. 30 And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32 It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.”

The Feast of Booths

33 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, (AF)On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths[f] to the Lord. 35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. 36 For seven days you shall present food offerings to the Lord. (AG)On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the Lord. It is a (AH)solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.

37 (AI)“These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the Lord food offerings, burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day, 38 (AJ)besides the Lord's Sabbaths and besides your gifts and besides all your vow offerings and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to the Lord.

39 “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have (AK)gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. 40 And (AL)you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and (AM)you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. 41 (AN)You shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 (AO)You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that (AP)your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

44 Thus Moses (AQ)declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of the Lord.

The Lamps

24 (AR)The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly. Outside the veil of the testimony, in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall arrange it from evening to morning before the Lord regularly. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. He shall arrange the lamps on the (AS)lampstand of pure gold[g] before the Lord regularly.

Bread for the Tabernacle

“You shall take fine flour and bake twelve (AT)loaves from it; two tenths of an ephah[h] shall be in each loaf. And you shall set them in two piles, six in a pile, (AU)on the table of pure gold[i] before the Lord. And you shall put pure frankincense on each pile, that it may go with the bread as a memorial portion as a food offering to the Lord. (AV)Every Sabbath day Aaron shall arrange it before the Lord regularly; it is from the people of Israel as a covenant forever. And (AW)it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and (AX)they shall eat it in a holy place, since it is for him a most holy portion out of the Lord's food offerings, a perpetual due.”

Punishment for Blasphemy

10 Now an Israelite woman's son, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the people of Israel. And the Israelite woman's son and a man of Israel fought in the camp, 11 and the Israelite woman's son (AY)blasphemed the (AZ)Name, and cursed. Then they (BA)brought him to Moses. His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. 12 And (BB)they put him in custody, (BC)till the will of the Lord should be clear to them.

13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 14 (BD)“Bring out of the camp the one who cursed, and let all who heard him (BE)lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 15 And speak to the people of Israel, saying, Whoever curses his God shall (BF)bear his sin. 16 Whoever (BG)blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

An Eye for an Eye

17 (BH)“Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. 18 (BI)Whoever takes an animal's life shall make it good, life for life. 19 If anyone injures his neighbor, (BJ)as he has done it shall be done to him, 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. 21 (BK)Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, (BL)and whoever kills a person shall be put to death. 22 You shall have the (BM)same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the Lord your God.” 23 So Moses spoke to the people of Israel, and (BN)they brought out of the camp the one who had cursed and stoned him with stones. Thus the people of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 23:5 Hebrew between the two evenings
  2. Leviticus 23:13 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
  3. Leviticus 23:13 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters
  4. Leviticus 23:27 Or shall fast; also verse 32
  5. Leviticus 23:29 Or is not fasting
  6. Leviticus 23:34 Or Tabernacles
  7. Leviticus 24:4 Hebrew the pure lampstand
  8. Leviticus 24:5 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
  9. Leviticus 24:6 Hebrew the pure table

The Appointed Festivals

23 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed festivals,(A) the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.(B)

The Sabbath

“‘There are six days when you may work,(C) but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest,(D) a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work;(E) wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.

The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread(F)

“‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times:(G) The Lord’s Passover(H) begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.(I) On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Festival of Unleavened Bread(J) begins; for seven days(K) you must eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly(L) and do no regular work. For seven days present a food offering to the Lord.(M) And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.’”

Offering the Firstfruits

The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you(N) and you reap its harvest,(O) bring to the priest a sheaf(P) of the first grain you harvest.(Q) 11 He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord(R) so it will be accepted(S) on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. 12 On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old(T) without defect,(U) 13 together with its grain offering(V) of two-tenths of an ephah[a](W) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering(X) of a quarter of a hin[b] of wine.(Y) 14 You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain,(Z) until the very day you bring this offering to your God.(AA) This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come,(AB) wherever you live.(AC)

The Festival of Weeks(AD)

15 “‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. 16 Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath,(AE) and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. 17 From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah(AF) of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits(AG) to the Lord. 18 Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings(AH)—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 19 Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering[c] and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. 20 The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering,(AI) together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest. 21 On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly(AJ) and do no regular work.(AK) This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

22 “‘When you reap the harvest(AL) of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.(AM) Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you.(AN) I am the Lord your God.’”

The Festival of Trumpets(AO)

23 The Lord said to Moses, 24 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly(AP) commemorated with trumpet blasts.(AQ) 25 Do no regular work,(AR) but present a food offering to the Lord.(AS)’”

The Day of Atonement(AT)

26 The Lord said to Moses, 27 “The tenth day of this seventh month(AU) is the Day of Atonement.(AV) Hold a sacred assembly(AW) and deny yourselves,[d] and present a food offering to the Lord. 28 Do not do any work(AX) on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God. 29 Those who do not deny themselves on that day must be cut off from their people.(AY) 30 I will destroy from among their people(AZ) anyone who does any work on that day. 31 You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance(BA) for the generations to come, wherever you live. 32 It is a day of sabbath rest(BB) for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath.”(BC)

The Festival of Tabernacles(BD)

33 The Lord said to Moses, 34 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh(BE) month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles(BF) begins, and it lasts for seven days. 35 The first day is a sacred assembly;(BG) do no regular work.(BH) 36 For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly(BI) and present a food offering to the Lord.(BJ) It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.

37 (“‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the Lord—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings(BK) required for each day. 38 These offerings(BL) are in addition to those for the Lord’s Sabbaths(BM) and[e] in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings(BN) you give to the Lord.)

39 “‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival(BO) to the Lord for seven days;(BP) the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. 40 On the first day you are to take branches(BQ) from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees(BR)—and rejoice(BS) before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in temporary shelters(BT) for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters 43 so your descendants will know(BU) that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”

44 So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the Lord.

Olive Oil and Bread Set Before the Lord(BV)

24 The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually. Outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, Aaron is to tend the lamps before the Lord from evening till morning, continually. This is to be a lasting ordinance(BW) for the generations to come. The lamps on the pure gold lampstand(BX) before the Lord must be tended continually.

“Take the finest flour and bake twelve loaves of bread,(BY) using two-tenths of an ephah[f](BZ) for each loaf. Arrange them in two stacks, six in each stack, on the table of pure gold(CA) before the Lord. By each stack put some pure incense(CB) as a memorial[g] portion(CC) to represent the bread and to be a food offering presented to the Lord. This bread is to be set out before the Lord regularly,(CD) Sabbath after Sabbath,(CE) on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. It belongs to Aaron and his sons,(CF) who are to eat it in the sanctuary area,(CG) because it is a most holy(CH) part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.”

A Blasphemer Put to Death

10 Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites, and a fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. 11 The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name(CI) with a curse;(CJ) so they brought him to Moses.(CK) (His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri the Danite.)(CL) 12 They put him in custody until the will of the Lord should be made clear to them.(CM)

13 Then the Lord said to Moses: 14 “Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him.(CN) 15 Say to the Israelites: ‘Anyone who curses their God(CO) will be held responsible;(CP) 16 anyone who blasphemes(CQ) the name of the Lord is to be put to death.(CR) The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.

17 “‘Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death.(CS) 18 Anyone who takes the life of someone’s animal must make restitution(CT)—life for life. 19 Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.(CU) The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury. 21 Whoever kills an animal must make restitution,(CV) but whoever kills a human being is to be put to death.(CW) 22 You are to have the same law for the foreigner(CX) and the native-born.(CY) I am the Lord your God.’”

23 Then Moses spoke to the Israelites, and they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him.(CZ) The Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 23:13 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms; also in verse 17
  2. Leviticus 23:13 That is, about 1 quart or about 1 liter
  3. Leviticus 23:19 Or purification offering
  4. Leviticus 23:27 Or and fast; similarly in verses 29 and 32
  5. Leviticus 23:38 Or These festivals are in addition to the Lord’s Sabbaths, and these offerings are
  6. Leviticus 24:5 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms
  7. Leviticus 24:7 Or representative

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

27 (A)And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, (B)“John the Baptist; and others say, (C)Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, (D)“You are (E)the Christ.” 30 (F)And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

31 (G)And he began to teach them that (H)the Son of Man must (I)suffer many things and (J)be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and (K)after three days rise again. 32 And he said this (L)plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, (M)“Get behind me, Satan! For you (N)are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him (O)deny himself and (P)take up his cross and follow me. 35 For (Q)whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake (R)and the gospel's will save it. 36 (S)For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For (T)what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For (U)whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this (V)adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed (W)when he comes in the glory of his Father with (X)the holy angels.”

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not (Y)taste death (Z)until they see the kingdom of God after it has come (AA)with power.”

The Transfiguration

(AB)And after six days Jesus took with him (AC)Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was (AD)transfigured before them, and (AE)his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one[b] on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, (AF)“Rabbi,[c] it is good that we are here. Let us make three (AG)tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For (AH)he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And (AI)a cloud overshadowed them, and (AJ)a voice came out of the cloud, (AK)“This is my beloved Son;[d] (AL)listen to him.” And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

(AM)And as they were coming down the mountain, (AN)he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, (AO)until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 (AP)So they kept the matter to themselves, (AQ)questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say (AR)that first Elijah must come?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah does come first (AS)to restore all things. And (AT)how is it written of the Son of Man that he should (AU)suffer many things and (AV)be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and (AW)they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

14 (AX)And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, (AY)were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has (AZ)a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and (BA)they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O (BB)faithless generation, (BC)how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it (BD)convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But (BE)if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, (BF)“‘If you can’! (BG)All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out[e] and said, “I believe; (BH)help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that (BI)a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, (BJ)“You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and (BK)convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus (BL)took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had (BM)entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”[f]

Footnotes

  1. Mark 8:35 The same Greek word can mean either soul or life, depending on the context; twice in this verse and once in verse 36 and once in verse 37
  2. Mark 9:3 Greek launderer (gnapheus)
  3. Mark 9:5 Rabbi means my teacher, or my master
  4. Mark 9:7 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
  5. Mark 9:24 Some manuscripts add with tears
  6. Mark 9:29 Some manuscripts add and fasting

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah(A)

27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;(B) others say Elijah;(C) and still others, one of the prophets.”

29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”(D)

30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.(E)

Jesus Predicts His Death(F)

31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man(G) must suffer many things(H) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,(I) and that he must be killed(J) and after three days(K) rise again.(L) 32 He spoke plainly(M) about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!”(N) he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Way of the Cross

34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.(O) 35 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.(P) 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man(Q) will be ashamed of them(R) when he comes(S) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

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(T) with power.”(U)

The Transfiguration(V)(W)

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John(X) 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,(Y) 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,(Z) 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:(AA) “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”(AB)

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(AC) what they had seen until the Son of Man(AD) 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(AE) must suffer much(AF) and be rejected?(AG) 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come,(AH) 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(AI)

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.(AJ)

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.”(AK)

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,(AL) 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,(AM) “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

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

Footnotes

  1. Mark 8:35 The Greek word means either life or soul; also in verses 36 and 37.
  2. Mark 9:29 Some manuscripts prayer and fasting

God Who Judges the Earth

To the choirmaster: according to (A)Do Not Destroy. A (B)Miktam[a] of David.

58 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?[b]
    Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;
    your hands (C)deal out violence on earth.

The wicked are (D)estranged from the womb;
    they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
(E)They have venom like the venom of a serpent,
    like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
so that it (F)does not hear the voice of charmers
    or of the cunning enchanter.

O God, (G)break the teeth in their mouths;
    tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
Let them (H)vanish like water that runs away;
    when he (I)aims his arrows, let them be blunted.
Let them be like the snail (J)that dissolves into slime,
    like (K)the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of (L)thorns,
    whether green or ablaze, may he (M)sweep them away![c]

10 (N)The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
    he will (O)bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is (P)a reward for the righteous;
    surely there is a God who (Q)judges on earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 58:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  2. Psalm 58:1 Or you mighty lords (by revocalization; Hebrew in silence)
  3. Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain

Psalm 58[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b]

Do you rulers indeed speak justly?(A)
    Do you judge people with equity?
No, in your heart you devise injustice,(B)
    and your hands mete out violence on the earth.(C)

Even from birth the wicked go astray;
    from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
Their venom is like the venom of a snake,(D)
    like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
that will not heed(E) the tune of the charmer,(F)
    however skillful the enchanter may be.

Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;(G)
    Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!(H)
Let them vanish like water that flows away;(I)
    when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.(J)
May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,(K)
    like a stillborn child(L) that never sees the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns(M)
    whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.[c](N)
10 The righteous will be glad(O) when they are avenged,(P)
    when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.(Q)
11 Then people will say,
    “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;(R)
    surely there is a God who judges the earth.”(S)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
  2. Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.

16 (A)A gracious woman gets honor,
    and (B)violent men get riches.
17 (C)A man who is kind benefits himself,
    but a cruel man hurts himself.

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16 A kindhearted woman gains honor,(A)
    but ruthless men gain only wealth.

17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
    but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

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