Mark 9

Jesus Predicts His Death (8:27–9:1)

27 And Jesus and his disciples went out into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way, he was questioning his disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 And they told him, saying, “John the Baptizer, and others [say] Elijah, but others [say] one of the prophets.” 29 And he questioned them, “But [all of] you—who do you say I am?” Answering, Peter says to him, “You are the anointed one.” 30 And he rebuked them that they should tell no one about him.

31 And he began to teach them that it is necessary for the son of man to suffer many things and to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scriptorians and to be killed and after three days to rise again. 32 And he spoke the word openly. And Peter, having taken him aside, began to rebuke him. 33 And [Jesus] having turned and having seen his disciples, he rebuked Peter and says, “Follow me, Satan! For you are not on God’s side, but the side of people.”

34 And having called the crowd to him, along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to come follow me, they must deny themselves and take up their crosses and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their souls/lives will destroy them. But whoever destroys their souls/lives for me and for the good news will save them. 36 For what good does it do them to gain the entire world and to lose their souls/lives? 37 For what should they give in exchange for their souls/lives? 38 For if anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the son of man will be ashamed of him or her, when he shall come in the glory of his father, with the holy angels.” 9:1 And he was saying to them, “Amen, I say to you: there are some standing here who will not die before they see the kingdom of God having come in power.”

Jesus Is Transfigured (9:2–13)

2 And after six days, Jesus takes with him Peter and Jacob and John and leads them up apart into a high mountain themselves alone. And he was changed in appearance in their presence. 3 And his clothing became intensely, brilliantly white, as no launderer on the earth is able to whiten it. 4 And Elijah with Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And interjecting, Peter says to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. And let us make three shelters—one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what he should say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud came, covering them, and a voice came out of the cloud: “This is my son, the beloved one. Listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, having looked around, they no longer saw anyone except Jesus alone with them.

9 And as they were descending from the mountain, he instructed them that they should tell no one what they had seen, not until after the son of man had risen from the dead. 10 And they kept that matter to themselves, questioning what it is to rise from the dead. 11 And they were asking him, saying, “Why do the scriptorians say that it is necessary for Elijah to come first?” 12 And he was saying to them, “Does Elijah indeed, having come first, restore everything? And why is it written of the son of man that he should suffer many things and be scorned? 13 But I say to you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, as it has been written of him.”

The Disciples Fail to Heal (9:14–29)

14 And having come to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scriptorians arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, having seen him, were stunned and, running to him, greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And one out of the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And when it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams [at the mouth] and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. And I spoke to your disciples, if they might cast it out, and they did not have the power to do it.” 19 And answering them, he says, “You faithless generation! How long must I be with you? How much longer do I have to put up with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought him to him. And having seen him, the spirit immediately caused the boy to go into spasms. And having fallen upon the ground, he rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 And he asked his father, “How long has he been like this?” And he said, “From childhood, 22 and it often throws him into the fire and into the water, so that it might destroy him. But if you can do anything, help us and have compassion on us!” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can do anything’? All things can be done for one who trusts.” 24 Immediately having cried out, the father of the child was saying, “I trust you! Help my lack of trust!” 25 Jesus, having seen that a crowd was gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And having cried out and having caused many spasms, it came out, and he became as if dead, so that most were saying, “He is dead.” 27 And Jesus, having taken him by the hand, raised him, and he arose. 28 And having entered into a house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why were we not able to cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be cast out except by prayer.”

A Second Prediction of Death (9:30–37)

30 Having gone out from there, they passed through Galilee, and he did not want anyone to know it. 31 For he was teaching his disciples and was saying to them, “The son of man is delivered into the hands of humans, and they will kill him. And having been killed, after three days, he will arise.” 32 But they did not understand the statement, and they were afraid to ask him.

33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they were silent, for on the way they had been discussing with one another who was the greatest. 35 And having sat down, he called the Twelve, and he says to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he or she must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And having taken a child, he put him/her in the middle of them, and hugging him/her, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me. And whoever will welcome me does not welcome me, but the one having sent me.”

The Disciples Fail to Welcome (9:38–50)

38 John was saying to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name. And we tried to stop him because he was not following us.” 39 And Jesus said, “Do not stop him. For there is no one who will do a miracle in my name who will be able soon after to revile me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For whoever should give you a cup of water because you are the anointed one’s—amen, I say to you—that person will not destroy his/her reward. 42 And whoever causes one of these little ones who trusts me to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were put around their neck and they were cast into the sea. 43 And if your hand should cause you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed instead of going away into hell with two hands, into the unquenchable fire. [44] 45 And if your foot should cause you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed instead of having two feet [and] being cast into hell. [46] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye rather than having two eyes and having to be cast into hell, 48 where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt becomes unsalty, how could you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”