Mark 9-13

New International Version

9 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)

² 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. ³ His clothes became dazzling white,^(F) whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵ 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.” ⁶ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷ 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)

⁸ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹ 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

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)

Divorce^(AY)

10 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan.^(AZ) Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.^(BA)

² Some Pharisees^(BB) came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

³ “What did Moses command you?” he replied.

⁴ They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”^(BC)

⁵ “It was because your hearts were hard^(BD) that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. ⁶ “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’^{[e](BE) 7} ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,^{[f] 8} and the two will become one flesh.’^[g](BF) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

¹⁰ When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. ¹¹ He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.^{(BG) 12} And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”^(BH)

The Little Children and Jesus^(BI)

¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.^{(BJ) 15} Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”^{(BK) 16} And he took the children in his arms,^(BL) placed his hands on them and blessed them.

The Rich and the Kingdom of God^(BM)

¹⁷ As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees^(BN) before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^(BO)

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’^[h]”^(BP)

²⁰ “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,^(BQ) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(BR) Then come, follow me.”^(BS)

²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich^(BT) to enter the kingdom of God!”

²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is^[i] to enter the kingdom of God!^{(BU) 25} It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”^(BV)

²⁶ The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”^(BW)

²⁸ Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”^(BX)

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much^(BY) in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come^(BZ) eternal life.^{(CA) 31} But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”^(CB)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time^(CC)

³² They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve^(CD) aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “We are going up to Jerusalem,”^(CE) he said, “and the Son of Man^(CF) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.^(CG) They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, ³⁴ who will mock him and spit on him, flog him^(CH) and kill him.^(CI) Three days later^(CJ) he will rise.”^(CK)

The Request of James and John^(CL)

³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”^(CM)

³⁸ “You don’t know what you are asking,”^(CN) Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup^(CO) I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”^(CP)

³⁹ “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,^{(CQ) 40} but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

⁴¹ When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{(CR) 44} and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,^(CS) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”^(CT)

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight^(CU)

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,^(CV) he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David,^(CW) have mercy on me!”

⁴⁸ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” ⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi,^(CX) I want to see.”

⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.”^(CY) Immediately he received his sight and followed^(CZ) Jesus along the road.

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King^(DA)(DB)

11 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany^(DC) at the Mount of Olives,^(DD) Jesus sent two of his disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden.^(DE) Untie it and bring it here. ³ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

⁴ They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway.^(DF) As they untied it, ⁵ some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” ⁶ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. ⁷ When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ⁹ Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

¹¹ Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.^(DI)

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts^(DJ)(DK)(DL)

¹² The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.^{(DM) 14} Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

¹⁵ On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. ¹⁷ And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’^[l]?^(DN) But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^[m]”^(DO)

¹⁸ The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him,^(DP) because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.^(DQ)

¹⁹ When evening came, Jesus and his disciples^[n] went out of the city.^(DR)

²⁰ In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. ²¹ Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi,^(DS) look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

²² “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. ²³ “Truly^[o] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.^{(DT) 24} Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.^{(DU) 25} And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”^{(DV) [26] [p]}

The Authority of Jesus Questioned^(DW)

²⁷ They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. ²⁸ “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

²⁹ Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ³⁰ John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”

³¹ They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)^(DX)

³³ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

The Parable of the Tenants^(DY)

12 Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard.^(DZ) He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. ² At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. ³ But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. ⁵ He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

⁶ “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all,^(EA) saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

⁷ “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

⁹ “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

¹² Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd;^(ED) so they left him and went away.^(EE)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar^(EF)

¹³ Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians^(EG) to Jesus to catch him^(EH) in his words. ¹⁴ They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax^[r] to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” ¹⁶ They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”^(EI)

And they were amazed at him.

Marriage at the Resurrection^(EJ)

¹⁸ Then the Sadducees,^(EK) who say there is no resurrection,^(EL) came to him with a question. ¹⁹ “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.^{(EM) 20} Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. ²¹ The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. ²² In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. ²³ At the resurrection^[s] whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

²⁴ Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures^(EN) or the power of God? ²⁵ When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.^{(EO) 26} Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’^[t]?^{(EP) 27} He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

The Greatest Commandment^(EQ)

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law^(ER) came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[u] 30} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{[v](ES) 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[w](ET) There is no commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.^{(EU) 33} To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”^(EV)

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”^(EW) And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.^(EX)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?^(EY)(EZ)

³⁵ While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts,^(FA) he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?^{(FB) 36} David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit,^(FC) declared:

³⁷ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

The large crowd^(FE) listened to him with delight.

Warning Against the Teachers of the Law

³⁸ As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹ and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.^{(FF) 40} They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Widow’s Offering^(FG)

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put^(FH) and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”^(FI)

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times^(FJ)

13 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

² “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”^(FK)

³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives^(FL) opposite the temple, Peter, James, John^(FM) and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

⁵ Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you.^{(FN) 6} Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁸ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

⁹ “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues.^(FO) On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ¹¹ Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.^(FP)

¹² “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.^{(FQ) 13} Everyone will hate you because of me,^(FR) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^(FS)

¹⁴ “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’^[y](FT) standing where it^[z] does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. ¹⁶ Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁷ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!^{(FU) 18} Pray that this will not take place in winter, ¹⁹ because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world,^(FV) until now—and never to be equaled again.^(FW)

²⁰ “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. ²¹ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.^{(FX) 22} For false messiahs and false prophets^(FY) will appear and perform signs and wonders^(FZ) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²³ So be on your guard;^(GA) I have told you everything ahead of time.

²⁴ “But in those days, following that distress,

²⁶ “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds^(GC) with great power and glory. ²⁷ And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.^(GD)

²⁸ “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it^[ab] is near, right at the door. ³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation^(GE) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.^{(GF) 31} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(GG)

The Day and Hour Unknown

³² “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.^{(GH) 33} Be on guard! Be alert^[ac]!^(GI) You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants^(GJ) in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”^(GK)