Mark - Chapter 9

Passage

And after six days Jesus takes Peter and James and John with him, and leads them up a high mountain by themselves, and he was transfigured before them. And his garments became shining and exceedingly white like snow, whiter than any bleacher on earth could make them. And Elias appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus: Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tabernacles, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he did not know what he was saying, for they were struck with fear. And a cloud overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying: This is my most beloved Son. Listen to him. And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus alone. And as they came down from the mountain, he ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of man had risen again from the dead. And they kept the matter to themselves, asking one another what it could mean: when he shall have risen from the dead. And they asked him: Why then do the Pharisees and scribes say that Elias must come first? He answered them: Elias, when he comes first, shall restore all things; and as it is written of the Son of man, he must suffer many things and be despised. But I say to you that Elias has also come (and they did to him whatever they wanted), as it is written of him. And coming to his disciples, he saw a great crowd around them and the scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the people, seeing Jesus, were astonished and struck with fear; and running to him, they greeted him. And he asked them: What are you arguing about among yourselves? And one of the crowd answered: Master, I have brought my son to you; he has a mute spirit. Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and wastes away. And I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they could not. He answered them: O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to me. And they brought him. And when the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming. And he asked his father: How long has this been happening to him? And he said: Since he was a small child. And it has often thrown him into fire and into water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. And Jesus says to him: If you can believe, all things are possible to the one who believes. And immediately the father of the boy cried out with tears: I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. And when Jesus saw the crowd running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: Deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again. And crying out and shaking him violently, it came out of him. And he became like one dead, so that many said: He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he stood up. And when he had gone into the house, his disciples asked him privately: Why could we not cast it out? And he said to them: This kind can go out by nothing but by prayer and fasting. And leaving there, they passed through Galilee, and he did not want anyone to know it. For he was teaching his disciples and saying to them: The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after he is killed, he shall rise again on the third day. But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him. And they came to Capernaum. And when they were in the house, he asked them: What were you discussing on the way? But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued among themselves about which of them was the greatest. And sitting down, he called the twelve and says to them: If anyone wants to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all. And taking a child, he set him in the midst of them; and when he had embraced him, he says to them: Whoever receives one such child as this in my name receives me. And whoever receives me receives not me but the one who sent me. John said to him: Master, we saw someone casting out devils in your name who does not follow us, and we forbade him. But Jesus said: Do not forbid him. For no one who does a miracle in my name can soon afterward speak ill of me. For whoever is not against you is for you. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name because you belong to Christ, amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. And whoever scandalizes one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, into unquenchable fire, Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter lame into life everlasting than with two feet to be cast into the hell of unquenchable fire, Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire, Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished. For everyone shall be salted with fire, and every victim shall be salted with salt. Salt is good. But if the salt loses its taste, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.