9 And Jesus said to them, Truly and solemnly I say to you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death before they see the kingdom of God come in [its] power.
2 Six days after this, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves. And He was transfigured before them and became resplendent with divine brightness.
3 And His garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller (cloth dresser, launderer) on earth could bleach them.
4 And Elijah appeared [there] to them, accompanied by Moses, and they were holding [a protracted] conversation with Jesus.
5 And Peter took up the conversation, saying, Master, it is good and suitable and beautiful for us to be here. Let us make three booths (tents)—one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah.
6 For he did not [really] know what to say, for they were in a violent fright (aghast with dread).
7 And a cloud threw a shadow upon them, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My Son, the [most dearworthy] Beloved One. Be constantly listening to and obeying Him!
8 And looking around, they suddenly no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus only.
9 And as they were coming back down the mountain, He admonished and expressly ordered them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man should rise from among the dead.
10 So they carefully and faithfully kept the matter to themselves, questioning and disputing with one another about what rising from among the dead meant.
11 And they asked Him, Why do the scribes say that it is necessary for Elijah to come first?(A)
12 And He said to them, Elijah, it is true, does come first to restore all things and set them to rights. And how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be utterly despised and be treated with contempt and rejected?(B)
13 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and [people] did to him whatever they desired, as it is written of him.
14 And when they came to the [nine] disciples, they saw a great crowd around them and scribes questioning and disputing with them.
15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw Jesus [returning from the holy mount, His face and person yet glistening], they were greatly amazed and ran up to Him [and] greeted Him.
16 And He asked them, About what are you questioning and discussing with them?
17 And one of the throng replied to Him, Teacher, I brought my son to You, for he has a dumb spirit.
18 And wherever it lays hold of him [so as to make him its own], it dashes him down and convulses him, and he foams [at the mouth] and grinds his teeth, and he [falls into a motionless stupor and] is wasting away. And I asked Your disciples to drive it out, and they were not able [to do it].
19 And He answered them, O unbelieving generation [without any faith]! How long shall I [have to do] with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to Me.
20 So they brought [the boy] to Him, and when the spirit saw Him, at once it completely convulsed the boy, and he fell to the ground and kept rolling about, foaming [at the mouth].
21 And [Jesus] asked his father, How long has he had this? And he answered, From the time he was a little boy.
22 And it has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, do have pity on us and help us.
23 And Jesus said, [You say to Me], If You can do anything? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes!
24 At once the father of the boy gave [an eager, piercing, inarticulate] cry with tears, and he said, Lord, I believe! [Constantly] help my weakness of faith!
25 But when Jesus noticed that a crowd [of people] came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, You dumb and deaf spirit, I charge you to come out of him and never go into him again.
26 And after giving a [hoarse, clamoring, fear-stricken] shriek of anguish and convulsing him terribly, it came out; and the boy lay [pale and motionless] like a corpse, so that many of them said, He is dead.
27 But Jesus took [a strong grip of] his hand and began lifting him up, and he stood.
28 And when He had gone indoors, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could not we drive it out?
29 And He replied to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.
30 They went on from there and passed along through Galilee. And He did not wish to have anyone know it,
31 For He was [engaged for the time being in] teaching His disciples. He said to them, The Son of Man is being delivered into the hands of men, and they will put Him to death; and when He has been killed, after three days He will rise [from death].
32 But they did not comprehend what He was saying, and they were afraid to ask Him [what this statement meant].
33 And they arrived at Capernaum; and when [they were] in the house, He asked them, What were you discussing and arguing about on the road?
34 But they kept still, for on the road they had discussed and disputed with one another as to who was the greatest.
35 And He sat down and called the Twelve [apostles], and He said to them, If anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all.
36 And He took a little child and put him in the center of their group; and taking him in [His] arms, He said to them,
37 Whoever in My name and for My sake accepts and receives and welcomes one such child also accepts and receives and welcomes Me; and whoever so receives Me receives not only Me but Him Who sent Me.
38 John said to Him, Teacher, we saw a man who does not follow along with us driving out demons in Your name, and we forbade him to do it, because he is not one of our band [of Your disciples].
39 But Jesus said, Do not restrain or hinder or forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in My name will soon afterward be able to speak evil of Me.
40 For he who is not against us is for us.(C)
41 For I tell you truly, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to and bear the name of Christ will by no means fail to get his reward.
42 And whoever causes one of these little ones (these believers) who acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin, it would be better (more profitable and wholesome) for him if a [huge] millstone were hung about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.
43 And if your hand puts a stumbling block before you and causes you to sin, cut it off! It is more profitable and wholesome for you to go into life [that is really worthwhile] maimed than with two hands to go to hell (Gehenna), into the fire that cannot be put out.
45 And if your foot is a cause of stumbling and sin to you, cut it off! It is more profitable and wholesome for you to enter into life [that is really worthwhile] crippled than, having two feet, to be cast into hell (Gehenna).
47 And if your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out! It is more profitable and wholesome for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell (Gehenna),
48 Where their worm [which preys on the inhabitants and is a symbol of the wounds inflicted on the man himself by his sins] does not die, and the fire is not put out.(D)
49 For everyone shall be salted with fire.
50 Salt is good (beneficial), but if salt has lost its saltness, how will you restore [the saltness to] it? Have salt within yourselves, and be at peace and live in harmony with one another.
Footnotes
- Mark 9:4
- Mark 9:5
- Mark 9:6
- Mark 9:7
- Mark 9:7
- Mark 9:9
- Mark 9:12
- Mark 9:15
- Mark 9:18
- Mark 9:19
- Mark 9:24
- Mark 9:24
- Mark 9:24
- Mark 9:27
- Mark 9:29
- Mark 9:31
- Mark 9:38
- Mark 9:42
- Mark 9:43
- Mark 9:43
- Mark 9:45
- Mark 9:48
Cross references
- Mark 9:11 : Mal. 4:5, 6.
- Mark 9:12 : Isa. 53:3.
- Mark 9:40 : Num. 11:27-29.
- Mark 9:48 : Isa. 66:24.
