Mark 9
Easy-to-Read Version
9 Then Jesus said, “Believe me when I say that some of you people standing here will see God’s kingdom come with power before you die.”
Jesus Is Seen With Moses and Elijah(A)
2 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and went up on a high mountain. They were all alone there. While these followers watched him, Jesus was changed. 3 His clothes became shining white—whiter than anyone on earth could make them. 4 Then two men were there talking with Jesus. They were Elijah and Moses.
5 Peter said to Jesus, “Teacher, it is good that we are here. We will put three tents here—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 Peter did not know what to say, because he and the other two followers were so afraid.
7 Then a cloud came and covered them. A voice came from the cloud and said, “This is my Son, the one I love. Obey him!”
8 The followers looked, but they saw only Jesus there alone with them.
9 As Jesus and the followers were walking back down the mountain, he gave them these instructions: “Don’t tell anyone about what you saw on the mountain. Wait until after the Son of Man rises from death. Then you can tell people what you saw.”
10 So the followers waited to say anything about what they saw. But they discussed among themselves what Jesus meant about rising from death. 11 They asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come[a] first?”
12 Jesus answered, “They are right to say that Elijah must come first. Elijah makes all things the way they should be. But why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man will suffer much and that people will think he is worth nothing? 13 I tell you that Elijah has already come. And people did to him all the bad things they wanted to do. The Scriptures said this would happen to him.”
Jesus Frees a Boy From an Evil Spirit(B)
14 Then Jesus, Peter, James, and John went to the other followers. They saw many people around them. The teachers of the law were arguing with the followers. 15 When the people saw Jesus, they were very surprised and ran to welcome him.
16 Jesus asked, “What are you arguing about with the teachers of the law?”
17 A man answered, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He is controlled by an evil spirit that keeps him from talking. 18 The spirit attacks him and throws him on the ground. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes very stiff. I asked your followers to force the evil spirit out, but they could not.”
19 Jesus answered, “You people today don’t believe! How long must I stay with you? How long must I be patient with you? Bring the boy to me!”
20 So the followers brought the boy to Jesus. When the evil spirit saw Jesus, it attacked the boy. The boy fell down and rolled on the ground. He was foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been happening to him?”
The father answered, “Since he was very young. 22 The spirit often throws him into a fire or into water to kill him. If you can do anything, please have pity on us and help us.”
23 Jesus said to the father, “Why did you say ‘if you can’? All things are possible for the one who believes.”
24 Immediately the father shouted, “I do believe. Help me to believe more!”
25 Jesus saw that all the people were running there to see what was happening. So he spoke to the evil spirit. He said, “You evil spirit that makes this boy deaf and stops him from talking—I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!”
26 The evil spirit screamed. It caused the boy to fall on the ground again, and then it came out. The boy looked as if he was dead. Many people said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took hold of his hand and helped him stand up.
28 Then Jesus went into the house. His followers were alone with him there. They said, “Why weren’t we able to force that evil spirit out?”
29 Jesus answered, “That kind of spirit can be forced out only with prayer.[b]”
Jesus Talks About His Death(C)
30 Then Jesus and his followers left there and went through Galilee. Jesus did not want the people to know where they were. 31 He wanted to teach his followers alone. He said to them, “The Son of Man will be handed over to the control of other men, who will kill him. After three days, he will rise from death.” 32 But the followers did not understand what he meant, and they were afraid to ask him.
Who Is the Greatest?(D)
33 Jesus and his followers went to Capernaum. They went into a house, and Jesus said to them, “I heard you arguing on the way here today. What were you arguing about?” 34 But the followers did not answer, because their argument on the road was about which one of them was the greatest.
35 Jesus sat down and called the twelve apostles to him. He said, “Whoever wants to be the most important must make others more important than themselves. They must serve everyone else.”
36 Then Jesus took a small child and stood the child in front of the followers. He held the child in his arms and said, 37 “Whoever accepts children like these in my name is accepting me. And anyone who accepts me is also accepting the one who sent me.”
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is For Us(E)
38 Then John said, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of someone. He is not one of us. So we told him to stop, because he does not belong to our group.”
39 Jesus said, “Don’t stop him. Whoever uses my name to do powerful things will not soon say bad things about me. 40 Whoever is not against us is with us. 41 I can assure you that anyone who helps you by giving you a drink of water because you belong to the Messiah will definitely get a reward.
Jesus Warns About Causes of Sin(F)
42 “If one of these little children believes in me, and someone causes that child to sin, it will be very bad for that person. It would be better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and be drowned in the sea. 43 If your hand makes you sin, cut it off. It is better for you to lose part of your body and have eternal life than to have two hands and go to hell. There the fire never stops. 44 [c] 45 If your foot makes you sin, cut it off. It is better for you to lose part of your body and have eternal life than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 46 [d] 47 If your eye makes you sin, take it out. It is better for you to have only one eye and enter God’s kingdom than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. 48 The worms that eat the people in hell never die. The fire there is never stopped.
49 “Everyone will be salted with fire.[e]
50 “Salt is good. But if it loses its salty taste, you can’t make it good again. So, don’t lose that good quality of salt you have. And live in peace with each other.”
Footnotes
- Mark 9:11 Elijah must come See Mal. 4:5-6.
- Mark 9:29 prayer Some Greek copies have “prayer and fasting.”
- Mark 9:44 Some Greek copies add verse 44, which is the same as verse 48.
- Mark 9:46 Some Greek copies add verse 46, which is the same as verse 48.
- Mark 9:49 Some Greek copies add, “and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.” In the Old Testament salt was put on sacrifices. This verse could mean that Jesus’ followers will be tested by suffering and that they must offer themselves to God as sacrifices.
Mark 9
Holman Christian Standard Bible
9 Then He said to them, “I assure 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 on a high mountain(G) by themselves to be alone. He was transformed[a](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 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,(N) it’s good(O) for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles:(P) one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what he should say,(Q) since they were terrified.(R)
7 A cloud(S) appeared, overshadowing(T) them, and a voice(U) came from the cloud:(V)
8 Then suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone.
9 As(Z) they were coming down from 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, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.
11 Then they began to question Him, “Why do the scribes(AG) say that Elijah must come first?”(AH)
12 “Elijah does come first and restores(AI) everything,”(AJ) He replied. “How then is it written(AK) about the Son of Man that He must suffer(AL) many things and be treated with contempt?(AM) 13 But I tell you that Elijah really 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 All of a sudden, when the whole crowd saw Him, they were amazed[b] and ran to greet Him. 16 Then He asked them, “What are you arguing with them about?”
17 Out of the crowd, one man answered Him, “Teacher,(AQ) I brought my son to You. He has a spirit(AR) that makes him unable to speak.(AS) 18 Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. So 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 him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately convulsed the boy. 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 Then Jesus said to him, “‘If You can’?[c][d] Everything is possible(AW) to 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 rapidly coming together, He rebuked(AY) the unclean(AZ) spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf(BA) spirit,[e] I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!”
26 Then it came out, shrieking and convulsing(BB) him[f] violently. 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 went into a 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(BD) [and fasting].”[g](BE)
The Second Prediction of His Death
30 Then(BF) they left that place and made their way through Galilee, but He did not want anyone to know it.(BG) 31 For He was teaching(BH) His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man(BI) is being betrayed[h] into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise(BJ) three days later.”(BK) 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.(BL)
Who is the Greatest?
33 Then(BM) they came to Capernaum.(BN) When He was in the house,(BO) He asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”(BP) 34 But they were silent,(BQ) because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.(BR) 35 Sitting down, He called the Twelve(BS) and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”(BT) 36 Then He took a child,(BU) had him stand among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes[i] one little child such as this in My name(BV) welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me, but Him who sent(BW) Me.”(BX)
In His Name
38 John(BY) said to Him, “Teacher,(BZ) we saw someone[j] driving out demons(CA) in Your name,(CB) and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”(CC)
39 “Don’t stop him,” said Jesus, “because there is no one who will perform a miracle(CD) in My name who can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us.(CE) 41 And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink(CF) because of My name,[k] since you belong to the Messiah(CG)—I assure you:(CH) He will never lose his reward.(CI)
Warnings from Jesus
42 “But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me(CJ)—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone[l](CK) were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes your downfall, cut it off.(CL) It is better for you to enter life maimed(CM) than to have two hands and go to hell—the unquenchable fire,(CN) [44 where
45 And if your foot causes your downfall,(CP) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame(CQ) than to have two feet and be thrown into hell— [the unquenchable fire,(CR) 46 where
47 And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God(CT) with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown(CU) into hell,(CV) 48 where
Their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.[q]
49 For everyone will be salted with fire.[r](CW)[s] 50 Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its flavor, how can you make it salty?(CX) Have salt(CY) among yourselves and be at peace(CZ) with one another.”
Footnotes
- Mark 9:2 Or transfigured
- Mark 9:15 Or surprised
- Mark 9:23 Other mss add believe
- Mark 9:23 Jesus appears to quote the father’s words in v. 22 and then comment on them.
- Mark 9:25 A spirit that caused the boy to be deaf and unable to speak
- Mark 9:26 Other mss omit him
- Mark 9:29 Other mss omit bracketed text
- Mark 9:31 Or handed over
- Mark 9:37 Or Whoever receives
- Mark 9:38 Other mss add who didn’t go along with us
- Mark 9:41 Lit drink in the name
- Mark 9:42 A millstone turned by a donkey
- Mark 9:44 Other mss omit bracketed text
- Mark 9:44 Is 66:24
- Mark 9:46 Other mss omit bracketed text
- Mark 9:46 Is 66:24
- Mark 9:48 Is 66:24
- Mark 9:49 Other mss add and every sacrifice will be salted with salt
- Mark 9:49 Lv 2:13; Ezk 43:24
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