The Father Reveals His Son
On the mountain his clothes blaze white and his Father's voice names him the beloved Son. Below, a father whose son the disciples could not help says he believes and asks help for his unbelief. The Twelve argue about greatness; Jesus sets a child among them.
9 1He said to them, "Truly I tell you: some standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of our Father come with power."
2Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain alone, and he was transfigured before them. 3His clothes became radiant, dazzling white—whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. 4And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.
5Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it's good that we're here. Let's make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.
7A cloud appeared and overshadowed them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!"
8Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9Coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one what they'd seen until the Son of Man rose from the dead. 10So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead could mean. 11And they asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
12He said, "Elijah does come first and restores everything. Then why is it written the Son of Man must suffer much and be treated with contempt? 13But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him." a a v13 Jesus is referring to John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah.
A Father's Desperate Faith
14Coming to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around the disciples, and scribes arguing with them. 15As soon as the whole crowd saw Jesus, they were astonished and ran to greet him.
16He asked them, "What are you arguing about with the scribes?"
17Someone in the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you; he has a spirit that won't let him speak. 18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and stiffens. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't."
19He replied, "You unbelieving generation, how long must I stay with you? How long must I endure you? Bring him to me."
20They brought the boy to him. Seeing Jesus, the spirit instantly convulsed him; he fell to the ground, thrashing and foaming at the mouth.
21Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has this been happening to him?" "From childhood," he said.
22"It has often thrown him into fire and water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, pity us and help us."
23Jesus said to him, "'If you can'? Everything is possible for the one who believes."
24Immediately the boy's father cried, "I believe; help my unbelief!"
25Seeing a crowd running together, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit: "Mute and deaf spirit, I command you—come out of him and never enter him again!"
26Crying out and convulsing him hard, it came out. He looked like a corpse, so many said, "He's dead." 27But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up, and he stood.
28When Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
29He told them, "This kind can come out only by prayer."
The Son of Man Must Die
30They left there and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were,
31because he was teaching his disciples, telling them, "The Son of Man is being handed into human hands. They will kill him, and three days later he will rise."
32But they did not understand what he meant, and they were afraid to ask him.
The Least Shall Be Greatest
33They came to Capernaum. In the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?"
34But they were silent, since they had argued along the way about who was greatest.
35He sat down, called the Twelve, and told them, "Anyone who wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all."
36He took a little child, stood him among them, took the child in his arms, and said to them:
37"Whoever accepts one of these little children in my name accepts me; whoever accepts me accepts not me but the one who sent me."
For Us, Not Against Us
38John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name and tried to stop him, since he doesn't follow us."
39But Jesus said, "Don't stop him—no one who does a miracle in my name can soon speak evil of me. 40For whoever is not against us is for us. 41Truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will never lose his reward.
Do Not Lead the Little Ones Astray
42Whoever trips up one of these little ones who believe in me—better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and be thrown into the sea. 43If your hand trips you up, cut it off. Better to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. b b v43 The earliest manuscripts do not have a verse 44 here; later copies add: "where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched."
45If your foot trips you up, cut it off. Better to enter life lame than be thrown into hell with two feet. c c v45 The earliest manuscripts do not have a verse 46 here; later copies add: "where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched."
47If your eye trips you up, throw it out. Better to enter the kingdom of our Father with one eye than be thrown into hell with two, 48where 'their worm never dies and the fire never goes out.'
49For everyone will be salted with fire. 50Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you season it again? Keep salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other."
