Mar 9 | ISV | STEP | Jesus’ Appearance Is Changed Then he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some people standing here will not experience death until they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”

Mark 9

1 Jesus’ Appearance Is Changed Matthew 17:1-13; Luke 9:28-36

Then he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some people standing here will not experience ^{▼▼Lit. taste} death until they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”Matt 16:28; 24:30; 25:31; Luke 9:27; 22:18

2 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain to be alone with him. His appearance was changed in front of them,Matt 17:1; Luke 9:28 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone ^{▼▼Lit. anyone who cleans} on earth could bleach them.Dan 7:9; Matt 28:3 4 Then Elijah appeared to them, accompanied by Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, ^{▼▼Rabbi is Heb. for Master and/or Teacher} it's good that we're here! Let's set up three shelters ^{▼▼Or tents}—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 (Peter ^{▼▼Lit. He} didn't know how to respond, for they were terrified.)

7 Then a cloud appeared and overshadowed them. A voice came out of the cloud and said, ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks and said} “This is my Son, whom I love. Keep on listening to him!” 8 Suddenly, as they looked around, they saw no one with them but Jesus alone.

9 On their way down the mountain, he ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.Matt 17:9 10 They kept the matter to themselves but argued about what “rising from the dead” meant. 11 So they asked him, “Don't the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”Mal 4:5; Matt 17:10

12 He told them, “Elijah is indeed coming first and will restore all things. Why, then, is it written that the Son of Man must suffer a great deal and be treated shamefully?Ps 22:6; Isa 53:2; Dan 9:26; Luke 23:11; Phil 2:7 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, yet people ^{▼▼Lit. they} treated him just as they pleased, as it is written about him.”Matt 11:14; 17:12; Luke 1:17

14 Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon Matthew 17:14-20As they approached the other ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks other} disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them.Matt 17:14; Luke 9:37 15 The whole crowd was very surprised to see Jesus ^{▼▼Lit. him} and ran to welcome him.

16 He asked the scribes, ^{▼▼Lit. them} “What are you arguing about with them?”

17 A man in the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that won't let him talk.Matt 17:14; Luke 9:38 18 Whenever it brings on a seizure, it throws him to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes stiff. So I asked your disciples to drive the spirit ^{▼▼Lit. it} out, but they didn't have the power.”

19 Jesus ^{▼▼Lit. He} said to them, “You unbelieving generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me!”

20 So they brought the boy ^{▼▼Lit. him} to him. When the spirit saw Jesus, ^{▼▼Lit. him} it immediately threw the boy ^{▼▼Lit. him} into convulsions. He fell on the ground and kept rolling around and foaming at the mouth.Mark 1:26; Luke 9:42 21 Then Jesus ^{▼▼Lit. he} asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He said, “Since he was a child. 22 The spirit ^{▼▼Lit. It} has often thrown him into fire and into water to destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us!”

23 Jesus said to him, “‘If you are able?’ Everything is possible for the person who believes!”Matt 17:20; Mark 11:23; Luke 17:6; John 11:40

24 With tears flowing, ^{▼▼Other mss. lack With tears flowing} the child's father at once cried out, “I do believe! Help my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that won't let him talk or hear—I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!” 26 The spirit ^{▼▼Lit. It} screamed, shook the child ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks the child} violently, and came out. The boy was like a corpse, and many said that he was dead. 27 But Jesus took his hand and helped him up, and he stood up.

28 When Jesus ^{▼▼Lit. he} came home, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn't we drive it out?”Matt 17:19

29 He told them, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.” ^{▼▼Other mss. lack and fasting}

30 Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection Matthew 17:22-23Then they left that place and were passing through Galilee. Jesus ^{▼▼Lit. He} didn't want anyone to know it, 31 for he was teaching his disciples and saying to them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into human hands. They will kill him, but after being dead for three days he will be raised.”Matt 17:22; Luke 9:44 32 They didn't understand what this statement meant, and were afraid to ask him. 33 True Greatness Matthew 18:1-5; Luke 9:46-48Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus ^{▼▼Lit. he} was at home, he asked the disciples, ^{▼▼Lit. them} “What were you arguing about on the road?”Matt 18:1; Luke 9:46; 22:24 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.

35 So he sat down and called the twelve. He told them, “If anyone wants to be first he must be last of all and servant of all.”Matt 20:26-27; Mark 10:43 36 Then he took a little child and had him stand among them. He took him in his arms and said to them,Matt 18:2; Mark 10:16 37 “Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”Matt 10:40; Luke 9:48

38 The True Follower of Jesus Luke 9:49-50John said to Jesus, ^{▼▼Lit. him} “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he wasn't a follower like us.”Num 11:28; Luke 9:49

39 But Jesus said, “Don't stop him! For no one who works a miracle in my name can slander me soon afterwards.1Cor 12:3 40 For whoever is not against us is for us.Matt 12:30 41 Truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ ^{▼▼I.e. the Messiah} will never lose his reward.”Matt 10:42

Causing Others to Sin Matthew 18:6-9; Luke 17:1-2

42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.Matt 18:6; Luke 17:1 43 So if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life injured than to have two hands and go to hell, ^{▼▼Gk. Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom} to the fire that cannot be put out.Deut 13:6; Matt 5:29; 18:8 44 In that place, worms never die, and the fire is never put out. ^{▼▼Other mss. lack this verse}Isa 66:24 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ^{▼▼Gk. Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom} 46 In that place, worms never die, and the fire is never put out. ^{▼▼Other mss. lack this verse} 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear 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. ^{▼▼Gk. Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom} 48 In that place, worms never die, and the fire is never put out. 49 For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with salt. ^{▼▼Other mss. lack and every sacrifice will be salted with salt}Lev 2:13; Ezek 43:24 50 Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how can you restore its flavor? Keep on having salt among yourselves, and live in peace with one another.”Matt 5:13; Luke 14:34; Rom 12:18; 14:19; 2Cor 13:11; Eph 4:29; Col 4:6; Heb 12:14