Mark 9

1 And he was saying to them, “Amen, I tell you, there are some of those standing here who will certainly not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power.”

2 And after six days Jesus takes Peter and James and John, and brings them up on a high mountain by themselves, alone. And he was transformed in front of them, [a] 3 and his clothes became dazzling, exceedingly white, such as no cloth-cleaner on earth is able to whiten them. [b] 4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

5 And Peter answered and says to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tents — one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” [c] † 6 For he did not know what to answer, for they had become terrified. 7 And a cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my Son, the beloved. Listen to him.” [d] 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

9 And as they were coming down from the mountain he ordered them to tell no one what they had seen, except when the Son of Man should rise from the dead. 10 And they kept the word to themselves, arguing among themselves about what rising from the dead is. 11 And they were asking him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah does come first and puts everything back in order. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated as nothing? [e] 13 But I tell you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, as it is written of him.”

14 And when they came to the disciples they saw a large crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And at once all the crowd, when they saw him, were amazed, and running up they greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about among yourselves?” [f] 17 And one out of the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you; he has a spirit that cannot speak. 18 And wherever it seizes him it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and goes rigid. And I told your disciples to throw it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them and says, “Faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I put up with you? Bring him to me.”

20 And they brought him to him. And when the spirit saw him it at once convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming. 21 And he asked his father, “How long is it since this happened to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often thrown him both into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, help us — have compassion on us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’ — all things are possible for the one who trusts.” 24 At once the father of the child cried out and was saying, “I trust; help my lack of trust.” [g]

25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd was running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Spirit that cannot speak and cannot hear, I command you: come out of him and enter him no more.” 26 And crying out and convulsing him violently, it came out; and he became like a corpse, so that most of them said that he had died. 27 But Jesus took hold of his hand and raised him, and he stood up.

28 And when he had gone into a house, his disciples were asking him privately, “Why were we not able to throw it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing except by prayer.” [h]

30 And they went out from there and were passing through Galilee, and he did not want anyone to know; 31 for he was teaching his disciples, and he said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he has been killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him.

33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you reasoning about on the road?” 34 But they were silent, for on the road they had debated with one another about who was greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve and says to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he will be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and stood it in the middle of them, and taking it in his arms he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of such children in my name receives me; and whoever receives me does not receive me but the one who sent me.”

38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone throwing out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him. For there is no one who will do a work of power in my name and be able soon after to speak evil of me; 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in the name that you belong to Christ — amen, I tell you, he will certainly not lose his reward.

42 “And whoever makes one of these little ones who trust in me stumble — it is better for him if a donkey’s millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea. [i] 43 And if your hand makes you stumble, cut it off. It is good for you to enter life crippled, rather than to have two hands and go off into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. [j] 45 And if your foot makes you stumble, cut it off. It is good for you to enter life lame, rather than to have two feet and be thrown into Gehenna. [l] 47 And if your eye makes you stumble, throw it out. It is good for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than to have two eyes and be thrown into Gehenna, 48 where their worm does not die and the fire is not extinguished. [m] †

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. [n] 50 Salt is good; but if the salt becomes saltless, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”