Study Desk

Then He said to them, "I assure you:^(a) There are some standing here who will not taste death^(b) until they see the kingdom of God come in power." ^(c)

After^(d) six days^(e) Jesus took Peter, James, and John^(f) and led them up on a high mountain^(g) by themselves to be alone. He was transformed^[a](h) in front of them,

and His clothes⁽ⁱ⁾ became dazzling—extremely white^(j) as no launderer on earth could whiten^(k) them.

Elijah^(l) appeared to them with Moses,^(m) and they were talking with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi,⁽ⁿ⁾ it's good^(o) for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles:^(p) one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—

because he did not know what he should say,^(q) since they were terrified.^(r)

A cloud^(s) appeared, overshadowing^(t) them, and a voice^(u) came from the cloud:^(v) This is My beloved^(w) Son;^(x) listen to Him!^(y)

Then suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone.

As^(z) they were coming down from the mountain,^(aa) He ordered them to tell no one what they had seen^(ab) until the Son of Man^(ac) had risen^(ad) from the dead.^(ae)

They kept this word^(af) to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant.

Then they began to question Him, "Why do the scribes^(ag) say that Elijah must come first?"^(ah)

"Elijah does come first and restores^(ai) everything," ^(aj) He replied. "How then is it written^(ak) about the Son of Man that He must suffer^(al) many things and be treated with contempt?^(am)

But I tell you that Elijah really has come, and they did whatever they pleased to him, just as it is written^(an) about him."

When^(ao) they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes disputing^(ap) with them.

All of a sudden, when the whole crowd saw Him, they were amazed^[b] and ran to greet Him.

Then He asked them, "What are you arguing with them about?"

Out of the crowd, one man answered Him, "Teacher,^(aq) I brought my son to You. He has a spirit^(ar) that makes him unable to speak.^(as)

Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't."

He replied to them, "You unbelieving^(at) generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to Me."

So they brought him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately convulsed the boy. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

"How long has this been happening to him?" Jesus asked his father. "From childhood," he said.

"And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy^(au) him. But if You can do anything, have compassion^(av) on us and help us."

Then Jesus said to him, "‘If You can'? ^[c][d] Everything is possible^(aw) to the one who believes." ^(ax)

Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief."

When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly coming together, He rebuked^(ay) the unclean^(az) spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf^(ba) spirit,^[e] I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!"

Then it came out, shrieking and convulsing^(bb) him^[f] violently. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, "He's dead."

But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him,^(bc) and he stood up.

After He went into a house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

And He told them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer^(bd) [and fasting]." ^[g](be)

Then^(bf) they left that place and made their way through Galilee, but He did not want anyone to know it.^(bg)

For He was teaching^(bh) His disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man^(bi) is being betrayed^[h] into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise^(bj) three days later." ^(bk)

But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.^(bl)

Then^(bm) they came to Capernaum.^(bn) When He was in the house,^(bo) He asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" ^(bp)

But they were silent,^(bq) because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.^(br)

Sitting down, He called the Twelve^(bs) and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." ^(bt)

Then He took a child,^(bu) had him stand among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them,

"Whoever welcomes^[i] one little child such as this in My name^(bv) welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me, but Him who sent^(bw) Me." ^(bx)

John^(by) said to Him, "Teacher,^(bz) we saw someone^[j] driving out demons^(ca) in Your name,^(cb) and we tried to stop him because he wasn't following us."^(cc)

"Don't stop him," said Jesus, "because there is no one who will perform a miracle^(cd) in My name who can soon afterward speak evil of Me.

For whoever is not against us is for us.^(ce)

And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink^(cf) because of My name,^[k] since you belong to the Messiah^(cg)—I assure you:^(ch) He will never lose his reward. ^(ci)

"But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me^(cj)—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone ^[l](ck) were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

And if your hand causes your downfall, cut it off.^(cl) It is better for you to enter life maimed^(cm) than to have two hands and go to hell—the unquenchable fire, ^(cn)

[where Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ] ^[m](co)[n]

And if your foot causes your downfall,^(cp) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame^(cq) than to have two feet and be thrown into hell— [the unquenchable fire,^(cr)

where Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ] ^[o](cs)[p]

And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God^(ct) with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown^(cu) into hell,^(cv)

where Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ^[q]

For everyone will be salted with fire. ^[r](cw)[s]

Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its flavor, how can you make it salty?^(cx) Have salt^(cy) among yourselves and be at peace^(cz) with one another."

He^(a) set out from there and went to the region of Judea^(b) and across the Jordan.^(c) Then crowds converged on Him again and, as He usually did, He began teaching^(d) them once more.

Some Pharisees^(e) approached Him to test^(f) Him. They asked, "Is it lawful^(g) for a man to divorce^(h) his wife?"⁽ⁱ⁾

He replied to them, "What did Moses^(j) command you?"

They said, "Moses permitted us to write divorce papers^(k) and send her away."^(l)

But Jesus told them, "He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.^(m)

But from the beginning⁽ⁿ⁾ of creation^(o) God ^[a] made them male and female. ^(p)[b]

For this reason a man will leave ^(q) his father and mother [ and be joined to his wife ] , ^[c]

and the two will become one flesh. ^(r)[d] So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate." ^(s)

Now in the house the disciples questioned Him again about this matter.

And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife^(t) and marries^(u) another commits adultery^(v) against her.

Also, if she divorces her husband^(w) and marries another, she commits adultery."

Some^(x) people were bringing little children^(y) to Him so He might touch them, but His disciples rebuked^(z) them.

When Jesus saw it, He was indignant^(aa) and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me.^(ab) Don't stop^(ac) them, for the kingdom of God^(ad) belongs to such as these.

I assure you:^(ae) Whoever does not welcome ^[e](af) the kingdom of God like a little child^(ag) will never enter it."

After taking them in His arms, He laid His hands on^(ah) them and blessed^(ai) them.

As^(aj) He was setting out on a journey,^(ak) a man ran up, knelt down^(al) before Him, and asked Him, "Good^(am) Teacher,^(an) what must I do to inherit^(ao) eternal life?"^(ap)

"Why do you call Me good?" Jesus asked him. "No one is good but One—God.^(aq)

You know the commandments: Do not murder; ^(ar) do not commit adultery; ^(as) do not steal; ^(at) do not bear false witness; ^(au) do not defraud; ^(av) honor ^(aw) your father and mother. " ^(ax)[f]

He said to Him, "Teacher,^(ay) I have kept all these from my youth."

Then, looking at him, Jesus loved him^(az) and said to him, "You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor,^(ba) and you will have treasure^(bb) in heaven.^(bc) Then come,^[g] follow Me." ^(bd)

But he was stunned^[h] at this demand, and he went away grieving,^(be) because he had many possessions.^(bf)

Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth^(bg) to enter the kingdom of God!" ^(bh)

But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, "Children,^(bi) how hard it is^[i] to enter the kingdom of God!

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich^(bj) person to enter the kingdom of God."

So they were even more astonished, saying to one another, "Then who can be saved?"^(bk)

Looking at them, Jesus said, "With men it is impossible,^(bl) but not with God, because all things are possible with God."

Peter^(bm) began to tell Him, "Look, we have left everything and followed You."

"I assure you," ^(bn) Jesus said, "there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father,^[j] children, or fields because of Me and the gospel,^(bo)

who will not receive 100 times^(bp) more, now at this time^(bq)—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions^(br)—and eternal life^(bs) in the age to come.^(bt)

But many who are first will be last, and the last first." ^(bu)

They^(bv) were on the road, going up to Jerusalem,^(bw) and Jesus was walking ahead of them. They were astonished, but those who followed Him were afraid.^(bx) Taking the Twelve aside again, He began to tell them the things that would happen to Him.^(by)

"Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man^(bz) will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,^(ca) and they will condemn Him to death. Then they will hand Him over to the Gentiles,^(cb)

and they will mock Him, spit on Him, flog^[k] Him, and kill Him, and He will rise^(cc) after three days." ^(cd)

Then^(ce) James^(cf) and John,^(cg) the sons of Zebedee,^(ch) approached Him and said, "Teacher,^(ci) we want You to do something for us if we ask You."

"What do you want Me to do for you?" He asked them.

They answered Him, "Allow us to sit at Your right and at Your left in Your glory."^(cj)

But Jesus said to them, "You don't know what you're asking.^(ck) Are you able to drink the cup^(cl) I drink or to be baptized with the baptism^(cm) I am baptized with?" ^(cn)

"We are able," they told Him. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.^(co)

But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to give; instead, it is for those it has been prepared for."

When the other 10 disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John.^(cp)

Jesus called them over and said to them, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles dominate^(cq) them, and their men of high positions exercise power over them.

But it must not be like that among you.^(cr) On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^(cs)

and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave^(ct) to all.

For even the Son of Man^(cu) did not come to be served, but to serve,^(cv) and to give His life^(cw)—a ransom^(cx) for many." ^[l](cy)

They^(cz) came to Jericho.^(da) And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus), a blind^(db) beggar,^(dc) was sitting by the road.^(dd)

When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene,^(de) he began to cry out, "Son of David,^(df) Jesus, have mercy^(dg) on me!"^(dh)

Many people told him to keep quiet, but he was crying out all the more, "Have mercy on me,^(di) Son of David!"

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man and said to him, "Have courage!^(dj) Get up; He's calling for you."

He threw off his coat,^(dk) jumped up, and came to Jesus.

Then Jesus answered him, "What do you want^(dl) Me to do for you?" "Rabbouni,"^[m](dm) the blind man told Him, "I want to see!"

"Go your way," Jesus told him. "Your faith has healed you." ^(dn) Immediately he could see and began to follow Him on the road.