Mark 9
Christian Standard Bible
9 Then he said to them, “Truly I tell you,(A) there are some standing here who will not taste death(B) until they see the kingdom of God come in power.”(C)
The Transfiguration
2 After(D) six days(E) Jesus took Peter, James, and John(F) and led them up a high mountain(G) by themselves to be alone. He was transfigured(H) in front of them, 3 and his clothes(I) became dazzling—extremely white(J) as no launderer on earth could whiten(K) them. 4 Elijah(L) appeared to them with Moses,(M) and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,(N) it’s good(O) for us to be here. Let’s set up three shelters:(P) one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say,(Q) since they were terrified.(R)
7 A cloud(S) appeared, overshadowing(T) them, and a voice(U) came from the cloud:(V) “This is my beloved(W) Son;(X) listen to him!” (Y)
8 Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As(Z) they were coming down the mountain,(AA) he ordered them to tell no one what they had seen(AB) until the Son of Man(AC) had risen(AD) from the dead.(AE) 10 They kept this word(AF) to themselves, questioning what “rising from the dead” meant.
11 Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes(AG) say that Elijah must come first?” (AH)
12 “Elijah does come first and restores(AI) all things,”(AJ) he replied. “Why then is it written(AK) that the Son of Man must suffer(AL) many things and be treated with contempt?(AM) 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did whatever they pleased to him, just as it is written(AN) about him.”
The Power of Faith over a Demon
14 When(AO) they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes disputing(AP) with them. 15 When the whole crowd saw him, they were amazed and ran to greet him. 16 He asked them, “What are you arguing with them about?”
17 Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher,(AQ) I brought my son to you. He has a spirit(AR) that makes him unable to speak.(AS) 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”
19 He replied to them, “You unbelieving(AT) generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” 20 So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father.
“From childhood,” he said. 22 “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy(AU) him. But if you can do anything, have compassion(AV) on us and help us.”
23 Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’?[a] Everything is possible(AW) for the one who believes.”(AX)
24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he rebuked(AY) the unclean(AZ) spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf(BA) spirit, I command you: Come out of him and never enter him again.”
26 Then it came out, shrieking and throwing him into terrible convulsions.(BB) The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him,(BC) and he stood up.
28 After he had gone into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29 And he told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer.”[b](BD)
The Second Prediction of His Death
30 Then(BE) they left that place and made their way through Galilee, but he did not want anyone to know it.(BF) 31 For he was teaching(BG) his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man(BH) is going to be betrayed[c] into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after he is killed, he will rise(BI) three days later.”(BJ) 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask him.(BK)
Who Is the Greatest?
33 They(BL) came to Capernaum.(BM) When he was in the house,(BN) he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”(BO) 34 But they were silent,(BP) because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.(BQ) 35 Sitting down, he called the Twelve(BR) and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and servant of all.”(BS) 36 He took a child,(BT) had him stand among them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes[d] one little child such as this in my name(BU) welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but him who sent(BV) me.”(BW)
In His Name
38 John(BX) said to him, “Teacher,(BY) we saw someone[e] driving out demons(BZ) in your name,(CA) and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”(CB)
39 “Don’t stop him,” said Jesus, “because there is no one who will perform a miracle(CC) in my name who can soon afterward speak evil of me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us.(CD) 41 And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink(CE) in my name, because you belong to Christ(CF) —truly I tell you,(CG) he will never lose his reward.(CH)
Warnings from Jesus
42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away(CI) —it would be better for him if a heavy millstone(CJ) were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
43 “And if your hand causes you to fall away, cut it off.(CK) It is better for you to enter life maimed(CL) than to have two hands and go to hell, the unquenchable fire.[f](CM) 45 And if your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame(CN) than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.[g] 47 And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God(CO) with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown(CP) into hell,(CQ) 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.[h] 49 For everyone will be salted with fire.[i][j](CR) 50 Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its flavor, how can you season it?(CS) Have salt(CT) among yourselves, and be at peace(CU) with one another.”
Footnotes
- 9:23 Other mss add believe
- 9:29 Other mss add and fasting
- 9:31 Or handed over
- 9:37 Or “Whoever receives
- 9:38 Other mss add who didn’t go along with us
- 9:43 Some mss include v. 44: Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
- 9:45 Some mss include v. 46: Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
- 9:48 Is 66:24
- 9:49 Other mss add and every sacrifice will be salted with salt
- 9:49 Lv 2:13; Ezk 43:24
Mark 9
New Living Translation
9 Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!”
The Transfiguration
2 Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. 4 Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.
5 Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials[a]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.
7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.
9 As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man[b] had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by “rising from the dead.”
11 Then they asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?[c]”
12 Jesus responded, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the Scriptures predicted.”
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
14 When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15 When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.
16 “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.
17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.[d] So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”
19 Jesus said to them,[e] “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.
21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.
He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”
23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil[f] spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”
26 Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”
29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.[g]”
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
30 Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there, 31 for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.” 32 They didn’t understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.
The Greatest in the Kingdom
33 After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” 34 But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
36 Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf[h] welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”
Using the Name of Jesus
38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.”
39 “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 40 Anyone who is not against us is for us. 41 If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.
42 “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell[i] with two hands.[j] 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet.[k] 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’[l]
49 “For everyone will be tested with fire.[m] 50 Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.”
Footnotes
- 9:5 Greek three tabernacles.
- 9:9 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 9:11 Greek that Elijah must come first?
- 9:18 Or becomes weak.
- 9:19 Or said to his disciples.
- 9:25 Greek unclean.
- 9:29 Some manuscripts read by prayer and fasting.
- 9:37 Greek in my name.
- 9:43a Greek Gehenna; also in 9:45, 47.
- 9:43b Some manuscripts add verse 44, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’ See 9:48.
- 9:45 Some manuscripts add verse 46, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’ See 9:48.
- 9:48 Isa 66:24.
- 9:49 Greek salted with fire; other manuscripts add and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
