Whoever Is Not against Us Is for Us^(A)

³⁸ John said to him, “Teacher, we saw a man who was driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he doesn't belong to our group.”

³⁹ “Do not try to stop him,” Jesus told them, “because no one who performs a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say evil things about me. ^40 (B)For whoever is not against us is for us. ^41 (C)I assure you that anyone who gives you a drink of water because you belong to me will certainly receive a reward.

Temptations to Sin^(D)

⁴² “If anyone should cause one of these little ones to lose faith in me, it would be better for that person to have a large millstone tied around the neck and be thrown into the sea. ^43 (E)So if your hand makes you lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life without a hand than to keep both hands and go off to hell, to the fire that never goes out.

⁴⁵ And if your foot makes you lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life without a foot than to keep both feet and be thrown into hell.

^47 (A)And if your eye makes you lose your faith, take it out! It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to keep both eyes and be thrown into hell. ^48 (B)There ‘the worms that eat them never die, and the fire that burns them is never put out.’