Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
Mark 9
Jesus Is Transfigured
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, some standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God having come with power.” Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him and led them up a high mountain by themselves. He was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say because they were terrified. Then a cloud came and overshadowed them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone.
Elijah and the Son of Man
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” might mean. They asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said to them, “Elijah does come first and restores all things. Yet how is it written about the Son of Man that he must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written about him.”
“I Trust; Help My Unbelief”
When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. As soon as the whole crowd saw Jesus, they were greatly amazed. They ran to him and greeted him. He asked them, “What are you arguing with them about?” Someone from the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down. He foams, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I put up with you? Bring him to me.” They brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately convulsed the boy. He fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming. Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” The father said, “From childhood. It has often thrown him into fire and water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who trusts.” Immediately the child’s father cried out, “I trust; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw a crowd running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit: “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” After crying out and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him up, and he stood. When Jesus entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” He told them, “This kind cannot come out by anything except prayer.”
The Son of Man Will Be Handed Over
They left there and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know, because he was teaching his disciples: “The Son of Man is being handed over into human hands. They will kill him, and after he is killed, three days later he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying and were afraid to ask him.
Who Is Greatest?
They came to Capernaum. When Jesus was in the house, he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they were silent because on the way they had argued with one another about who was greatest. Jesus sat down, called the twelve, and said, “If anyone wants to be first, that person must be last of all and servant of all.” He took a child, placed the child among them, and then took the child in his arms. He said, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes not only me but the one who sent me.”
Belonging and Stumbling
John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.” Jesus said, “Do not stop him. No one who does a work of power in my name can soon afterward speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose their reward. But whoever causes one of these little ones who trust in me to stumble, it would be better for that person if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into Gehenna. If your eye causes you to stumble, 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 Gehenna, where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt loses its saltiness, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.”