Mark 3
New Testament for Everyone
Healing of the man with the withered hand
3 Once more Jesus went to the synagogue. There was a man there with a withered hand. 2 People were watching to see if Jesus would heal him on the sabbath, so that they could frame a charge against him.
3 “Stand up,” said Jesus to the man with the withered hand, “and come out here.” And he said to them, 4 “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath, or to do evil? To save life or to kill?” They stayed quiet.
5 He was deeply upset at their hard-heartedness, and looked round at them angrily. Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out—and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out right away and began to plot with the Herodians against Jesus, trying to find a way to destroy him.
The Twelve are appointed
7 Jesus went off towards the sea with his disciples, and a large crowd from Galilee followed him. A great company, too, from Judaea, 8 Jerusalem, Idumaea, Transjordan, and the region of Tyre and Sidon, heard what he was doing and came to him.
9 There was a real danger that he might be crushed by the crowd, so he told his disciples to get a boat ready for him. 10 He healed large numbers, and sick people were pushing towards him to touch him. 11 Whenever unclean spirits saw him, they fell down in front of him and yelled out, “You are the son of God!” 12 He gave them strict orders not to reveal his identity.
13 Jesus went up the mountain, and summoned the people he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve (naming them “apostles”) to be with him and to be sent out as heralds, 15 and to have authority to cast out demons. 16 In appointing the Twelve, he named Simon “Peter”; 17 James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John, he named “Boanerges,” which means “sons of thunder.” The others were 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot (the one who handed him over).
Jesus and Beelzebul
20 He went into the house. A crowd gathered again, so that they couldn’t even have a meal. 21 When his family heard it, they came to restrain him. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.
22 Experts who had come from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! He casts out demons by the prince of demons!”
23 Jesus summoned them and spoke to them in pictures. “How can the Accuser cast out the Accuser? 24 If a kingdom splits into two factions, it can’t last; 25 if a household splits into two factions, it can’t last. 26 So if the Accuser revolts against himself and splits into two, he can’t last—his time is up! 27 But remember: no one can get into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless first they tie up the strong man; then they can plunder his house.
28 “I’m telling you the truth: people will be forgiven all sins, and all blasphemies of whatever sort. 29 But people who blaspheme the holy spirit will never find forgiveness. They will be guilty of an eternal sin.” 30 That was his response to their claim that he had an unclean spirit.
Jesus’ family
31 Jesus’ mother and brothers appeared. They waited outside the house, and sent in a message, asking for him.
32 “Look!” said the crowd sitting around Jesus. “Your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside! They’re searching for you!”
33 “Who is my mother?” replied Jesus. “Who are my brothers?”
34 He looked around him at the people sitting there in a ring. “Here is my mother!” he said. “Here are my brothers! 35 Anybody who does God’s will is my brother! And my sister! And my mother!”
Mark 3
Modern English Version
The Man With a Withered Hand(A)
3 Again, He entered the synagogue, and there was a man who had a withered hand. 2 They watched Him to see whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up.”
4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent.
5 When He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch your hand forward.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how to kill Him.
The Crowd at the Seaside
7 Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great crowd followed Him from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem, and Idumea, and from beyond the Jordan. And those from Tyre and Sidon, a great crowd, when they heard what great things He did, came to Him. 9 He told the disciples to have a small boat ready for Him because of the crowd, lest they should crush Him. 10 For He had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed on Him to touch Him. 11 When unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him, crying out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But He sternly ordered them not to make Him known.
The Choosing of the Twelve Apostles(B)
13 He went up into the mountain and called to Him those whom He desired, and they came to Him. 14 He ordained twelve to be with Him, and to be sent out to preach, 15 and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 16 Simon, whom He named Peter; 17 James, the son of Zebedee, and John, the brother of James, whom he surnamed Boanerges (meaning Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas; and James the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.
Jesus and Beelzebub(C)
20 Then they entered a house, and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat bread. 21 When His family heard of it, they went out to seize Him, for they said, “He is beside Himself.”
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub, and by the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”
23 So He called them to Him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rises up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then he will plunder his house. 28 Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they speak. 29 But he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal condemnation.”
30 For they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
The Mother and Brothers of Jesus(D)
31 Then His mother and His brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 The crowd sat around Him and said to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are outside asking for You.”
33 He answered, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”
34 Then He looked around at those who sat around Him and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother, and My sister, and My mother.”
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.