Jesus Speaks Sharp Words to the Leaders ^(A)

7 The proud religious law-keepers and some of the teachers of the Law had come from Jerusalem. They gathered around Jesus. ² They had seen some of His followers eat bread without washing their hands. ³ The proud religious law-keepers and all the Jews never eat until they wash their hands. They keep the teaching that was given to them by their early fathers. ⁴ When they come from the stores, they never eat until they wash. There are many other teachings they keep. Some are the washing of cups and pots and pans in a special way.

⁵ Then the proud religious law-keepers and the teachers of the Law asked Jesus, “Why do Your followers not obey the teaching given to them by their early fathers? They eat bread without washing their hands.” ⁶ He said to them, “Isaiah told about you who pretend to be someone you are not. Isaiah wrote, ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. ⁷ Their worship of Me is worth nothing. They teach what men say must be done.’ ^{(B) 8} You put away the Laws of God and obey the laws made by men.”

⁹ Jesus said to them, “You put away the Laws of God but keep your own teaching. ¹⁰ Moses said, ‘Respect your father and mother.’ ^(C) ‘He who curses his father and mother will be put to death!’ ^{(D) 11} But you say that it is right if a man does not help his father and mother because he says he has given to God what he could have given to them. ¹² You are not making him do anything for his father and mother. ¹³ You are putting away the Word of God to keep your own teaching. You are doing many other things like this.”

¹⁴ Jesus called the people to Him again. He said, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand this. ¹⁵ It is not what goes into a man’s mouth from the outside that makes his mind and heart sinful. It is what comes out from the inside that makes him sinful. ¹⁶ You have ears, then listen!”

¹⁷ He went into the house away from all the people. His followers began to ask about the picture-story. ¹⁸ He said to them, “Do you not understand yet? Do you not understand that whatever goes into a man cannot make him sinful? ¹⁹ It does not go into his heart, but into his stomach and then on out of his body.” In this way, He was saying that all food is clean. ²⁰ He said, “Whatever comes out of a man is what makes the man sinful. ²¹ From the inside, out of the heart of men come bad thoughts, sex sins of a married person, sex sins of a person not married, killing other people, ²² stealing, wanting something that belongs to someone else, doing wrong, lying, having a desire for sex sins, having a mind that is always looking for sin, speaking against God, thinking you are better than you are and doing foolish things. ²³ All these bad things come from the inside and make the man sinful.”

Jesus Puts a Demon out of a Girl ^(E)

²⁴ Jesus went from their towns and cities to the cities of Tyre and Sidon. He went into a house and wanted to stay there without people knowing where He was. But He could not hide Himself. ²⁵ A woman who had a daughter with a demon heard of Him. She came and got down at His feet. ²⁶ The woman was not a Jew. She was from the country of Syrophenicia. She asked Jesus if He would put the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷ Jesus said to her, “Let the children have what they want first. It is wrong to take children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁸ She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the pieces that fall from the children’s table.” ²⁹ He said to her, “Because of what you have said, go your way. The demon is gone out of your daughter.” ³⁰ So she went to her house and found the demon was gone and her daughter was lying on the bed.

Jesus Heals the Man Who Could Not Hear or Speak Well

³¹ Then Jesus left the cities of Tyre and Sidon. He came back to the Sea of Galilee by way of the land of Decapolis. ³² They took a man to Him who could not hear or speak well. They asked Jesus to put His hand on him. ³³ Jesus took him away from the other people. He put His fingers into the man’s ears. He spit and put His finger on the man’s tongue. ³⁴ Then Jesus looked up to heaven and breathed deep within. He said to the man, “Be opened!” ³⁵ At once his ears were opened. His tongue was made loose and he spoke as other people. ³⁶ Then Jesus told them they should tell no one. The more He told them this, the more they told what He had done. ³⁷ They were very much surprised and wondered about it. They said, “He has done all things well. He makes those who could not hear so they can hear. He makes those who could not speak so they can speak.”

The Feeding of the Four Thousand ^(F)

8 In those days many people were gathered together. They had nothing to eat. Jesus called His followers to Him and said, ² “I pity these people because they have been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them home without food, they may be too weak as they go. Many of them have come a long way.”

⁴ His followers said to Him, “Where can anyone get enough bread for them here in this desert?” ⁵ He asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?” They said, “Seven.” ⁶ Then He told the people to sit down on the ground. Jesus took the seven loaves of bread and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to His followers to give to the people. The followers gave the bread to them. ⁷ They had a few small fish also. He gave thanks to God and told the followers to give the fish to them. ⁸ They all ate and were filled. They picked up seven baskets full of pieces of bread and fish after the people were finished eating. ⁹ About four thousand ate. Then Jesus sent the people away.

The Proud Religious Law-Keepers Ask for Something Special to See ^(G)

¹⁰ At once Jesus got in a boat with His followers and came to the country of Dalmanutha. ¹¹ The proud religious law-keepers came and began to ask Him for something special to see from heaven. They wanted to trap Jesus. ¹² He breathed deep within and said, “Why do the people of this day look for something special to see? For sure, I tell you, the people of this day will have nothing special to see from heaven.” ¹³ Then He left them. He got in the boat and went to the other side of the sea.

Jesus Shows That the Teaching of the Proud Religious Law-Keepers Is Wrong ^(H)

¹⁴ The followers had forgotten to take bread, only one loaf was in the boat. ¹⁵ He said to them, “Look out! Have nothing to do with the yeast of the proud religious law-keepers and of Herod.” ¹⁶ They talked about it among themselves. They said, “He said this because we forgot to bring bread.” ¹⁷ Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to them, “Why are you talking among yourselves about forgetting to bring bread? Do you not understand? Is it not plain to you? Are your hearts still hard? ¹⁸ You have eyes, do you not see? You have ears, do you not hear? Do you not remember? ¹⁹ When I divided the five loaves of bread among the five thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” They said, “Twelve.” ²⁰ “When I divided the seven loaves of bread among the four thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” They said, “Seven.” ²¹ Then He asked, “Why do you not understand yet?”

Jesus Heals a Blind Man

²² Then they came to the town of Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They asked if He would touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand out of town. Then He spit on the eyes of the blind man and put His hands on him. He asked, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ The blind man looked up and said, “I see some men. They look like trees, walking.” ²⁵ Jesus put His hands on the man’s eyes again and told him to look up. Then he was healed and saw everything well. ²⁶ Jesus sent him to his home and said, “Do not go into the town, *or tell it to anyone there.”

Peter Says Jesus Is the Christ ^(I)

²⁷ Jesus and His followers went from there to the towns of Caesarea Philippi. As they went, He asked His followers, “Who do people say that I am?” ²⁸ They answered, “Some say John the Baptist and some say Elijah and others say one of the early preachers.” ²⁹ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said, “You are the Christ.” ³⁰ He told them with strong words that they should tell no one about Him.

Jesus Tells of His Death for the First Time ^(J)

³¹ He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things. He told them that the leaders and the religious leaders of the Jews and the teachers of the Law would have nothing to do with Him. He told them He would be killed and three days later He would be raised from the dead.

³² He had said this in plain words. Peter took Him away from the others and began to speak sharp words to Him. ³³ Jesus turned around. He looked at His followers and spoke sharp words to Peter. He said, “Get behind Me, Satan! Your thoughts are not thoughts from God but from men.”

Giving Up Self and One’s Own Desires

³⁴ Jesus called the people and His followers to Him. He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must give up himself and his own desires. He must take up his cross and follow Me. ³⁵ If anyone wants to keep his own life safe, he will lose it. If anyone gives up his life because of Me and because of the Good News, he will save it. ³⁶ For what does a man have if he gets all the world and loses his own soul? ³⁷ What can a man give to buy back his soul? ³⁸ Whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words among the sinful people of this day, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in the shining-greatness of His Father and His holy angels.”

A Look at What Jesus Will Be Like ^(K)

9 Jesus said to them, “For sure I tell you, some standing here will not die until they see the holy nation of God come with power!”

² Six days later Jesus took Peter and James and John with Him. He led them up to a high mountain by themselves. Jesus was changed as they looked at Him. ³ His clothes did shine. They were as white as snow. No one on earth could clean them so white. ⁴ Moses and Elijah were seen talking to Jesus.

⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Teacher, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents to worship in. One will be for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ Peter did not know what to say. They were very much afraid.

⁷ A cloud came over them and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My much-loved Son. Listen to Him.” ⁸ At once they looked around but saw no one there but Jesus.

⁹ They came down from the mountain. Then Jesus said with strong words that they should tell no one what they had seen. They should wait until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ So they kept those words to themselves, talking to each other about what He meant by being raised from the dead.

¹¹ They asked Jesus, “Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah must come first?” ¹² He said to them, “For sure, Elijah will come first and get things ready. Is it not written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and that men will have nothing to do with Him? ^{(L) 13} But I say to you, Elijah has already come. They did to him whatever they wanted to do. It is written that they would.”

A Boy with a Demon Is Healed ^(M)

¹⁴ When Jesus came back to His followers, He saw many people standing around them. The teachers of the Law were arguing with them. ¹⁵ The people saw Jesus and were surprised and ran to greet Him. ¹⁶ Jesus asked the teachers of the Law, “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷ One of the people said, “Teacher, I brought my son to You. He has a demon in him and cannot talk. ¹⁸ Wherever the demon takes him, it throws him down. Spit runs from his mouth. He grinds his teeth. He is getting weaker. I asked Your followers to put the demon out but they could not.”

¹⁹ He said, “You people of this day have no faith. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” ²⁰ They brought the boy to Jesus. The demon saw Jesus and at once held the boy in his power. The boy fell to the ground with spit running from his mouth. ²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” The father said, “From the time he was a child. ²² Many times it throws him into the fire and into the water to kill him. If You can do anything to help us, take pity on us!” ²³ Jesus said to him, “Why do you ask Me that? The one who has faith can do all things.” ²⁴ At once the father cried out. He said with tears in his eyes, “Lord, I have faith. Help my weak faith to be stronger!” ²⁵ Jesus saw that many people were gathering together in a hurry. He spoke sharp words to the demon. He said, “Demon! You who cannot speak or hear, I say to you, come out of him! Do not ever go into him again.” ²⁶ The demon gave a cry. It threw the boy down and came out of him. The boy was so much like a dead man that people said, “He is dead!” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him and he stood up.

²⁸ When Jesus went into the house, His followers asked Him when He was alone, “Why could we not put out the demon?” ²⁹ He said to them, “The only way this kind of demon is put out is by prayer and by going without food so you can pray better.”

Jesus Tells of His Death the Second Time ^(N)

³⁰ From there Jesus and His followers went through the country of Galilee. He did not want anyone to know where He was. ³¹ He taught His followers, saying, “The Son of Man will be handed over to men. They will kill Him. Three days after He is killed, He will be raised from the dead.” ³² They did not understand what He said and were afraid to ask Him.

Jesus Teaches about the Faith of a Child ^(O)

³³ They came to the city of Capernaum and were in the house. Jesus asked His followers, “What were you arguing about along the road?” ³⁴ They did not answer. They had been arguing along the road about who was the greatest. ³⁵ Jesus sat down and called the followers to Him. He said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all. He will be the one to care for all.”

³⁶ Jesus took a child and stood it among them. Then He took the child up in His arms and said to the followers, ³⁷ “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name, receives Me. Whoever will receive Me, receives not Me, but Him Who sent Me.”

Jesus Speaks Sharp Words against the Followers

³⁸ John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone putting out demons in Your name. We told him to stop because he was not following us.” ³⁹ Jesus said, “Do not stop him. No one who does a powerful work in My name can say anything bad about Me soon after. ⁴⁰ The person who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ For sure, I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name because you belong to Christ will not lose his reward from God. ⁴² Whoever is the reason for one of these little ones who believes in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large stone put around his neck and to be thrown into the sea. ⁴³ If your hand is the reason you fall into sin, cut it off. It is better to go into life without a hand, than to have two hands and go into the fire of hell that cannot be put out. ⁴⁴ *There is where their worm never dies and the fire cannot be put out. ⁴⁵ If your foot is the reason you fall into sin, cut it off. It is better to go into life with only one foot, than to have two feet and go into the fire of hell that cannot be put out. ⁴⁶ *There is where their worm never dies and the fire cannot be put out. ⁴⁷ If your eye is the reason you fall into sin, take it out. It is better to go into the holy nation of God with only one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. ⁴⁸ There is where their worm never dies and the fire is never put out.

⁴⁹ “Everyone will be made cleaner and stronger with fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how can it be made to taste like salt again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other.”

Jesus Teaches about Divorce ^(P)

10 Jesus went away from the city of Capernaum. He came to the country of Judea and to the other side of the Jordan River. Again the people gathered around Him. He began to teach them as He had been doing.

² The proud religious law-keepers came to Him. They tried to trap Him and asked, “Does the Law say a man can divorce his wife?” ³ He said to them, “What did the Law of Moses say?” ⁴ They said, “Moses allowed a man to divorce his wife, if he put it in writing and gave it to her.” ⁵ Jesus said to them, “Because of your hard hearts, Moses gave you this Law. ⁶ From the beginning of the world, God made them man and woman. ⁷ Because of this, a man is to leave his father and mother and is to live with his wife. ⁸ The two will become one. So they are no longer two, but one. ⁹ Let no man divide what God has put together.”

¹⁰ In the house the followers asked Jesus about this again. ¹¹ He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another is not faithful to her and is guilty of a sex sin. ¹² If a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she is not faithful to her husband and is guilty of a sex sin.”

Jesus Gives Thanks for Little Children ^(Q)

¹³ They brought little children to Jesus that He might put His hand on them. The followers spoke sharp words to those who brought them. ¹⁴ Jesus saw this and was angry with the followers. He said, “Let the little children come to Me. Do not stop them. The holy nation of God is made up of ones like these. ¹⁵ For sure, I tell you, whoever does not receive the holy nation of God as a little child does not go into it.” ¹⁶ He took the children in His arms. He put His hands on them and prayed that good would come to them.

Jesus Teaches about Keeping the Law ^(R)

¹⁷ Jesus was going on His way. A man ran to Him and got down on his knees. He said, “Good Teacher, what must I do to have life that lasts forever?” ¹⁸ Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? There is only One Who is good. That is God. ¹⁹ You know the Laws, ‘Do not be guilty of sex sins in marriage. Do not kill another person. Do not take things from people in wrong ways. Do not steal. Do not lie. Respect your father and mother.’” ²⁰ The man said to Jesus, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these Laws since I was a boy.” ²¹ Jesus looked at him with love and said, “There is one thing for you to do yet. Go and sell everything you have and give the money to poor people. You will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow Me.” ²² When the man heard these words, he was sad. He walked away with sorrow because he had many riches here on earth.

The Danger of Riches

²³ Jesus looked around Him. He said to His followers, “How hard it is for rich people to get into the holy nation of God!” ²⁴ The followers were surprised and wondered about His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children! How hard it is for those who put their trust in riches to get into the holy nation of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to heaven.”

²⁶ They were very surprised and wondered, saying to themselves, “Then who can be saved from the punishment of sin?” ²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “This cannot be done by men but God can do anything.”

²⁸ Then Peter began to say to Him, “We have given up everything we had and have followed You.” ²⁹ Jesus said, “For sure, I tell you, there are those who have given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands because of Me, and the Good News. ³⁰ They will get back one hundred times as much now at this time in houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands. Along with this, they will have very much trouble. And they will have life that lasts forever in the world to come. ³¹ Many who are first will be last. Many who are last will be first.”

Jesus Tells of His Death the Third Time ^(S)

³² They were on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus walked in front of them. Those who followed were surprised and afraid. Then Jesus took the twelve followers by themselves. He told them what would happen to Him. ³³ He said, “Listen, we are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the religious leaders of the Jews and to the teachers of the Law. They will say that He must be put to death. They will hand Him over to the people who are not Jews. ³⁴ They will make fun of Him and will beat Him. They will spit on Him and will kill Him. But three days later He will be raised from the dead.”

James and John Ask Jesus Something Hard ^(T)

³⁵ James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus. They said, “Teacher, we would like to have You do for us whatever we ask You.” ³⁶ He said to them, “What would you like to have Me do for you?” ³⁷ They said to Him, “Let one of us sit by Your right side and the other by Your left side when You receive Your great honor in heaven.” ³⁸ Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Can you take the suffering I am about to take? Can you be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” ³⁹ They said to Him, “Yes, we can.” Jesus said to them, “You will, for sure, suffer the way I will suffer. You will be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. ⁴⁰ But to sit on My right side or on My left side is not for Me to give. It will be given to those for whom it has been made ready.” ⁴¹ The other ten followers heard it. They were angry with James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them to Him and said, “You know that those who are made leaders over the nations show their power to the people. Important leaders use their power over the people. ⁴³ It must not be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great among you, let him care for you. ⁴⁴ Whoever wants to be first among you, must be the one who is owned and cares for all. ⁴⁵ For the Son of Man did not come to be cared for. He came to care for others. He came to give His life so that many could be bought by His blood and be made free from sin.”

Healing of the Blind Man ^(U)

⁴⁶ Then they came to the city of Jericho. When He was leaving the city with His followers and many people, a blind man was sitting by the road. He was asking people for food or money as they passed by. His name was Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus. ⁴⁷ He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. He began to speak with a loud voice, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me!” ⁴⁸ Many people spoke sharp words to the blind man telling him not to call out like that. But he spoke all the more. He said, “Son of David, take pity on me.” ⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and told them to call the blind man. They called to him and said, “Take hope! Stand up, He is calling for you!” ⁵⁰ As he jumped up, he threw off his coat and came to Jesus. ⁵¹ Jesus said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Lord, I want to see!” ⁵² Jesus said, “Go! Your faith has healed you.” At once he could see and he followed Jesus down the road.