Mark 3
New Life Version
Jesus Heals on the Day of Rest (A)
3 Jesus went into the Jewish place of worship again. A man was there with a dried-up hand. 2 The proud religious law-keepers watched Jesus to see if He would heal the man on the Day of Rest. They wanted to have something to say against Jesus. 3 Jesus said to the man with the dried-up hand, “Stand up.” 4 Then Jesus said to the proud religious law-keepers, “Does the Law say to do good on the Day of Rest or to do bad, to save life or to kill?” But they said nothing. 5 Jesus looked around at them with anger. He was sad because of their hard hearts. Then He said to the man, “Put out your hand.” He put it out and his hand was healed. It was as good as the other. 6 The proud religious law-keepers went out and made plans with the followers of King Herod how they might kill Jesus.
Jesus Heals by the Sea-Shore (B)
7 Jesus went with His followers to the sea. Many people followed Him from the countries of Galilee and Judea. 8 They followed from Jerusalem and from the country of Idumea. They came from the other side of the Jordan River and from the cities of Tyre and Sidon. Many people heard all that Jesus was doing and came to Him. 9 He told His followers to have a small boat ready for Him because so many people might push Him down. 10 He had healed so many that the sick people were pushing in on Him. They were trying to put their hands on Him. 11 When demons saw Him, they got down at His feet and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” 12 He spoke strong words that the demons should tell no one Who He was.
Jesus Calls His Twelve Followers (C)
13 He went up on a mountain and called those He wanted. They followed Him. 14 He picked out twelve followers to be with Him so He might send them out to preach. 15 They would have the right and the power to heal diseases and to put out demons. 16 Jesus gave Simon another name, Peter. 17 James and John were brothers. They were the sons of Zebedee. He named them Boanerges, which means, The Sons of Thunder. 18 The others were Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Canaanite, 19 and Judas Iscariot. Judas was the one who handed Jesus over to be killed.
The Family of Jesus Holds Him Back
20 When Jesus came into a house, many people gathered around Him again. Jesus and His followers could not even eat. 21 When His family heard of it, they went to take Him. They said, “He must be crazy.”
A Nation That Cannot Stand (D)
22 Teachers of the Law came down from Jerusalem. They said, “Jesus has Satan in Him. This Man puts out demons by the king of demons.” 23 Jesus called them to Him and spoke to them in picture-stories. He said, “How can the devil put out the devil? 24 A nation cannot last if it is divided against itself. 25 A family cannot last if it is divided against itself. 26 If the devil fights against himself and is divided, he cannot last. He will come to an end. 27 No man can go into a strong man’s house and take away his things, unless he ties up the strong man first. Only then can he take things from his house. 28 For sure, I tell you, all sins will be forgiven people, and bad things they speak against God. 29 But if anyone speaks bad things against the Holy Spirit, he will never be forgiven. He is guilty of a sin that lasts forever.” 30 Jesus told them this because they said, “He has a demon.”
The New Kind of Family (E)
31 Then His mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent for Jesus. 32 Many people were sitting around Him. They said, “See! Your mother and brothers are outside looking for You.” 33 He said to them, “Who is My mother or My brothers?” 34 He turned to those sitting around Him and said, “See! My mother and My brothers! 35 Whoever does what My Father wants is My brother and My sister and My mother.”
Mark 3
Common English Bible
Healing on the Sabbath
3 Jesus returned to the synagogue. A man with a withered hand was there. 2 Wanting to bring charges against Jesus, they were watching Jesus closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, “Step up where people can see you.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it legal on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they said nothing. 5 Looking around at them with anger, deeply grieved at their unyielding hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he did, and his hand was made healthy. 6 At that, the Pharisees got together with the supporters of Herod to plan how to destroy Jesus.
Healing and throwing demons out
7 Jesus left with his disciples and went to the lake. A large crowd followed him because they had heard what he was doing. They were from Galilee, 8 Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the area surrounding Tyre and Sidon. 9 Jesus told his disciples to get a small boat ready for him so the crowd wouldn’t crush him. 10 He had healed so many people that everyone who was sick pushed forward so that they could touch him. 11 Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down at his feet and shouted, “You are God’s Son!” 12 But he strictly ordered them not to reveal who he was.
Jesus appoints twelve apostles
13 Jesus went up on a mountain and called those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve and called them apostles. He appointed them to be with him, to be sent out to preach, 15 and to have authority to throw out demons. 16 He appointed twelve: Peter, a name he gave Simon; 17 James and John, Zebedee’s sons, whom he nicknamed Boanerges, which means “sons of Thunder”; 18 and Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, Alphaeus’ son; Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean;[a] 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
Misunderstandings about Jesus
20 Jesus entered a house. A crowd gathered again so that it was impossible for him and his followers even to eat. 21 When his family heard what was happening, they came to take control of him. They were saying, “He’s out of his mind!”
22 The legal experts came down from Jerusalem. Over and over they charged, “He’s possessed by Beelzebul. He throws out demons with the authority of the ruler of demons.”
23 When Jesus called them together he spoke to them in a parable: “How can Satan throw Satan out? 24 A kingdom involved in civil war will collapse. 25 And a house torn apart by divisions will collapse. 26 If Satan rebels against himself and is divided, then he can’t endure. He’s done for. 27 No one gets into the house of a strong person and steals anything without first tying up the strong person. Only then can the house be burglarized. 28 I assure you that human beings will be forgiven for everything, for all sins and insults of every kind. 29 But whoever insults the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. That person is guilty of a sin with consequences that last forever.” 30 He said this because the legal experts were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.”
31 His mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside and sent word to him, calling for him. 32 A crowd was seated around him, and those sent to him said, “Look, your mother, brothers, and sisters are outside looking for you.”
33 He replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 34 Looking around at those seated around him in a circle, he said, “Look, here are my mother and my brothers. 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother, sister, and mother.”
Footnotes
- Mark 3:18 Or zealot
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Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible