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

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, and his clothes(I) became dazzling—extremely white(J) as no launderer on earth could whiten(K) them. Elijah(L) appeared to them with Moses,(M) and they were talking with Jesus. 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”— because he did not know what to say,(Q) since they were terrified.(R)

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)

Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

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

  1. 9:23 Other mss add believe
  2. 9:29 Other mss add and fasting
  3. 9:31 Or handed over
  4. 9:37 Or “Whoever receives
  5. 9:38 Other mss add who didn’t go along with us
  6. 9:43 Some mss include v. 44: Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
  7. 9:45 Some mss include v. 46: Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
  8. 9:48 Is 66:24
  9. 9:49 Other mss add and every sacrifice will be salted with salt
  10. 9:49 Lv 2:13; Ezk 43:24

And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come(A) with power.”(B)

The Transfiguration(C)(D)

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John(E) with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white,(F) whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,(G) it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud:(H) “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”(I)

Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone(J) what they had seen until the Son of Man(K) had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man(L) must suffer much(M) and be rejected?(N) 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come,(O) and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit(P)

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.(Q)

21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”(R)

24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene,(S) he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately,(T) “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.[a]

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time(U)

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man(V) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,(W) and after three days(X) he will rise.”(Y) 32 But they did not understand what he meant(Z) and were afraid to ask him about it.

33 They came to Capernaum.(AA) When he was in the house,(AB) he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.(AC)

35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”(AD)

36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,(AE) he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”(AF)

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us(AG)

38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”(AH)

39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.(AI) 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.(AJ)

Causing to Stumble

42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,(AK) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.(AL) 43 If your hand causes you to stumble,(AM) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,(AN) where the fire never goes out.(AO) [44] [b] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble,(AP) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.(AQ) [46] [c] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble,(AR) pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,(AS) 48 where

“‘the worms that eat them do not die,
    and the fire is not quenched.’[d](AT)

49 Everyone will be salted(AU) with fire.

50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?(AV) Have salt among yourselves,(AW) and be at peace with each other.”(AX)

Footnotes

  1. Mark 9:29 Some manuscripts prayer and fasting
  2. Mark 9:44 Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 48.
  3. Mark 9:46 Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 48.
  4. Mark 9:48 Isaiah 66:24