Mark 8:27-10:45

New International Reader's Version

Peter Says That Jesus Is the Messiah

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. Still others say one of the prophets.”

²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

³⁰ Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Tells About His Coming Death

³¹ Jesus then began to teach his disciples. He taught them that the Son of Man must suffer many things. He taught them that the elders would not accept him. The chief priests and the teachers of the law would not accept him either. He must be killed and after three days rise again. ³² He spoke clearly about this. Peter took Jesus to one side and began to scold him.

³³ Jesus turned and looked at his disciples. He scolded Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You are not thinking about the things God cares about. Instead, you are thinking only about the things humans care about.”

You Must Pick Up Your Cross

³⁴ Jesus called the crowd to him along with his disciples. He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must say no to themselves. They must pick up their cross and follow me. ³⁵ Whoever wants to save their life will lose it. But whoever loses their life for me and for the good news will save it. ³⁶ What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone trade for their soul? ³⁸ Suppose anyone is ashamed of me and my words among these adulterous and sinful people. Then the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

9 Jesus said to them, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Some who are standing here will not die before they see that God’s kingdom has come with power.”

Jesus’ Appearance Is Changed

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him. He led them up a high mountain. They were all alone. There in front of them his appearance was changed. ³ His clothes became so white they shone. They were whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴ Elijah and Moses appeared in front of Jesus and his disciples. The two of them were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters. One will be for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶ Peter didn’t really know what to say, because they were so afraid.

⁷ Then a cloud appeared and covered them. A voice came from the cloud. It said, “This is my Son, and I love him. Listen to him!”

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

⁹ They came down the mountain. On the way down, Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen. He told them to wait until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ So they kept the matter to themselves. But they asked each other what “rising from the dead” meant.

¹¹ Then they asked Jesus, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah has to come first?”

¹² Jesus replied, “That’s right. Elijah does come first. He makes all things new again. So why is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and not be accepted? ¹³ I tell you, Elijah has come. They have done to him everything they wanted to do. They did it just as it is written about him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy Who Is Controlled by an Evil Spirit

¹⁴ When Jesus and those who were with him came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them. The teachers of the law were arguing with them. ¹⁵ When all the people saw Jesus, they were filled with wonder. And they ran to greet him.

¹⁶ “What are you arguing with them about?” Jesus asked.

¹⁷ A man in the crowd answered. “Teacher,” he said, “I brought you my son. He is controlled by an evil spirit. Because of this, my son can’t speak anymore. ¹⁸ When the spirit takes hold of him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth. He grinds his teeth. And his body becomes stiff. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit. But they couldn’t do it.”

¹⁹ “You unbelieving people!” Jesus replied. “How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰ So they brought him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a fit. He fell to the ground. He rolled around and foamed at the mouth.

²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“Since he was a child,” he answered. ²² “The spirit has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us. Please help us.”

²³ “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for the one who believes.”

²⁴ Right away the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!”

²⁵ Jesus saw that a crowd was running over to see what was happening. Then he ordered the evil spirit to leave the boy. “You spirit that makes him unable to hear and speak!” he said. “I command you, come out of him. Never enter him again.”

²⁶ The spirit screamed. It shook the boy wildly. Then it came out of him. The boy looked so lifeless that many people said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand. He lifted the boy to his feet, and the boy stood up.

²⁸ Jesus went indoors. Then his disciples asked him in private, “Why couldn’t we drive out the evil spirit?”

²⁹ He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

Jesus Speaks a Second Time About His Coming Death

³⁰ They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were. ³¹ That was because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men. They will kill him. After three days he will rise from the dead.” ³² But they didn’t understand what he meant. And they were afraid to ask him about it.

Who Is the Most Important Person?

³³ Jesus and his disciples came to a house in Capernaum. There he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” ³⁴ But they kept quiet. On the way, they had argued about which one of them was the most important person.

³⁵ Jesus sat down and called for the 12 disciples to come to him. Then he said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last. They must be the servant of everyone.”

³⁶ Jesus took a little child and had the child stand among them. Then he took the child in his arms. He said to them, ³⁷ “Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me also welcomes the one who sent me.”

Anyone Who Is Not Against Us Is for Us

³⁸ “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

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 Anyone who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ What I’m about to tell you is true. Suppose someone gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah. That person will certainly not go without a reward.

Leading People to Sin

⁴² “What if someone leads one of these little ones who believe in me to sin? If they do, it would be better if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. ^43-44 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter God’s kingdom with only one hand than to go into hell with two hands. In hell the fire never goes out. ^45-46 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It would be better to enter God’s kingdom with only one foot than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ⁴⁷ If your eye causes you to sin, poke it out. It would be better for you to enter God’s kingdom with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. ⁴⁸ In hell,

⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted with fire.

⁵⁰ “Salt is good. But suppose it loses its saltiness. How can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves. And be at peace with each other.”

Jesus Teaches About Divorce

10 Jesus left that place and went into the area of Judea and across the Jordan River. Again crowds of people came to him. As usual, he taught them.

² Some Pharisees came to test Jesus. They asked, “Does the Law allow a man to divorce his wife?”

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

⁴ They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a letter of divorce and send her away.”

⁵ “You were stubborn. That’s why Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. ⁶ “But at the beginning of creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ (Genesis 1:27) ⁷ ‘That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. ⁸ The two of them will become one.’ (Genesis 2:24) They are no longer two, but one. ⁹ So no one should separate what God has joined together.”

¹⁰ When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. ¹¹ He answered, “What if a man divorces his wife and gets married to another woman? He commits adultery against her. ¹² And what if she divorces her husband and gets married to another man? She commits adultery.”

Little Children Are Brought to Jesus

¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on them to bless them. But the disciples told them to stop. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was angry. He said to his disciples, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t keep them away. God’s kingdom belongs to people like them. ¹⁵ What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God’s kingdom like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ Then he took the children in his arms. He placed his hands on them to bless them.

Rich People and the Kingdom of God

¹⁷ As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him. He fell on his knees before Jesus. “Good teacher,” he said, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good except God. ¹⁹ You know what the commandments say. ‘Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not be a false witness. Do not cheat. Honor your father and mother.’ ” (Exodus 20:12–16; Deuteronomy 5:16–20)

²⁰ “Teacher,” he said, “I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “You are missing one thing,” he said. “Go and sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”

²² The man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he was very rich.

²³ Jesus looked around. He said to his disciples, “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom!”

²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter God’s kingdom! ²⁵ Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for someone who is rich to enter God’s kingdom!”

²⁶ The disciples were even more amazed. They said to each other, “Then who can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With people, this is impossible. But not with God. All things are possible with God.”

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

²⁹ “What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus replied. “Has anyone left home or family or fields for me and the good news? ³⁰ They will receive 100 times as much in this world. They will have homes and families and fields. But they will also be treated badly by others. In the world to come they will live forever. ³¹ But many who are first will be last. And the last will be first.”

Jesus Speaks a Third Time About His Coming Death

³² They were on their way up to Jerusalem. Jesus was leading the way. The disciples were amazed. Those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the 12 disciples to one side. He told them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said. “The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will sentence him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles. ³⁴ They will make fun of him and spit on him. They will whip him and kill him. Three days later he will rise from the dead!”

James and John Ask Jesus for a Favor

³⁵ James and John came to Jesus. They were the sons of Zebedee. “Teacher,” they said, “we would like to ask you for a favor.”

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

³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right hand in your glorious kingdom. Let the other one sit at your left hand.”

³⁸ “You don’t know what you’re asking for,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup of suffering I drink? Or can you go through the baptism of suffering I must go through?”

³⁹ “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink. And you will go through the baptism I go through. ⁴⁰ But it is not for me to say who will sit at my right or left hand. These places belong to those they are prepared for.”

⁴¹ The other ten disciples heard about it. They became angry at James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them together. He said, “You know about those who are rulers of the Gentiles. They hold power over their people. Their high officials order them around. ⁴³ Don’t be like that. Instead, anyone who wants to be important among you must be your servant. ⁴⁴ And anyone who wants to be first must be the slave of everyone. ⁴⁵ Even the Son of Man did not come to be served. Instead, he came to serve others. He came to give his life as the price for setting many people free.”