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Commissioning the Twelve

¹ Summoning the Twelve,^(C1) he gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases.^{(C2) 2} Then he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.^(C1)

³ “Take nothing for the road,”⁴ Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.⁵ If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”⁶ So they went out and traveled from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere.

Herod’s Desire to See Jesus

⁷ Herod the tetrarch^(C1) heard about everything that was going on.^(C2) He was perplexed, because some said that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸ some that Elijah had appeared,^(C1) and others that one of the ancient prophets had risen.^{(C2) 9} “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this I hear such things about?” And he wanted to see him.^(C1)

Feeding of the Five Thousand

¹⁰ When the apostles returned,^(C1) they reported to Jesus all that they had done.^(C2) He took them along and withdrew privately to a^(F1) town called Bethsaida.^{(C3) 11} When the crowds found out, they followed him. He welcomed them,^(C1) spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.

¹² Late in the day,^(C1) the Twelve approached and said to him, “Send the crowd away,^(C2) so that they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find food and lodging, because we are in a deserted place here.”

¹³ “You give them something to eat,”

“We have no more than five loaves^(C1) and two fish,” they said, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ (For about five thousand men were there.)

Then he told his disciples, “Have them sit down^(F1) in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ They did what he said, and had them all sit down. ¹⁶ Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,^(C1) he blessed and broke them.^(C2) He kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. ¹⁷ Everyone ate and was filled. They picked up twelve baskets of leftover pieces.

Peter’s Confession of the Messiah

¹⁸ While he was praying in private^(C1) and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

¹⁹ They answered, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back.”^(F1)(C1)

²⁰ “But you,”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”^(C1)

His Death and Resurrection Predicted

²¹ But he strictly warned and instructed them to tell this to no one,^{(C1) 22} saying,^(C1) “It is necessary that the Son of Man

Take Up Your Cross

²³ Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after²⁴ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it.²⁵ For what does it benefit someone if he gains the whole world, and yet loses or forfeits himself?²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of me and my words,²⁷ Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death

The Transfiguration

²⁸ About eight days after this conversation,^(C1) he took along Peter, John, and James^(C2) and went up on the mountain to pray.^{(C3) 29} As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed,^(C1) and his clothes became dazzling white.^{(C2) 30} Suddenly, two men were talking with him—Moses and Elijah. ³¹ They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.

³² Peter and those with him were in a deep sleep,^(F1)(C1) and when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who were standing with him. ³³ As the two men were departing from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master,^(C1) it’s good for us to be here. Let us set up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he was saying.^(C2)

³⁴ While he was saying this, a cloud appeared and overshadowed^(C1) them. They became afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ Then a voice came from the cloud,^(C1) saying: “This is my Son,^(C2) the Chosen One;^(F1)(C3) listen to him!” ^(C4)

³⁶ After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They kept silent, and at that time told no one what they had seen.

The Power of Jesus over a Demon

³⁷ The next day,^(C1) when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. ³⁸ Just then a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, because he’s my only child.^{(C1) 39} A spirit seizes him; suddenly he shrieks, and it throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; severely bruising him, it scarcely ever leaves him. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”^(C1)

⁴¹ Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverse

⁴² As the boy was still approaching, the demon knocked him down and threw him into severe convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy,^(C1) and gave him back to his father.^{(C2) 43} And they were all astonished at the greatness of God.^(C1)

The Second Prediction of His Death

While everyone was amazed at all the things he was doing,^(C2) he told his disciples, ⁴⁴ “Let these words sink in:

⁴⁵ But they did not understand this statement;^(C1) it was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it,^(C2) and they were afraid to ask him about it.

Who Is the Greatest?

⁴⁶ An argument started among them about who was the greatest of them.^{(C1) 47} But Jesus, knowing their inner thoughts,^(F1)(C1) took a little child and had him stand next to him. ⁴⁸ He told them, “Whoever welcomes

In His Name

⁴⁹ John responded,^(C1) “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,^(C2) and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us.”^(C3)

⁵⁰ “Don’t stop him,”

The Journey to Jerusalem

⁵¹ When the days were coming to a close for him to be taken up,^(C1) he determined^(F1)(C2) to journey to Jerusalem.^{(C3) 52} He sent messengers ahead of himself,^(C1) and on the way they entered a village of the Samaritans^(C2) to make preparations for him. ⁵³ But they did not welcome him, because he determined to journey to Jerusalem.^{(C1) 54} When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” ^(F1)(C1)

⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them,^{(F1) 56} and they went to another village.

Following Jesus

⁵⁷ As they were traveling on the road someone said to him,^(C1) “I will follow you wherever you go.”

⁵⁸ Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”⁵⁹ Then he said to another, “Follow me.”

“Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.”

⁶⁰ But he told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.”

⁶¹ Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house.”^(C1)

⁶² But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”