Study Desk

And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come^(a) with power."^(b)

The Transfiguration^(c)(d)

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John^(e) with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.

His clothes became dazzling white,^(f) whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.

And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi,^(g) it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud:^(h) "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"⁽ⁱ⁾

Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone^(j) what they had seen until the Son of Man^(k) had risen from the dead.

They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant.

And they asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man^(l) must suffer much^(m) and be rejected?⁽ⁿ⁾

But I tell you, Elijah has come,^(o) and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him."

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.

As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

"What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.

A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.

Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."

"You unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.^(q)

Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered.

"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

"‘If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."^(r)

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene,^(s) he rebuked the impure spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead."

But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately,^(t) "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer.^[a]"

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were,

because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man^(v) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,^(w) and after three days^(x) he will rise."^(y)

But they did not understand what he meant^(z) and were afraid to ask him about it.

They came to Capernaum.^(aa) When he was in the house,^(ab) he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?"

But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.^(ac)

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all."^(ad)

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,^(ae) he said to them,

"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."^(af)

"Teacher," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."^(ah)

"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,

for whoever is not against us is for us.^(ai)

Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.^(aj)

"If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,^(ak) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.^(al)

If your hand causes you to stumble,^(am) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,^(an) where the fire never goes out.^(ao)

^[44][b]

And if your foot causes you to stumble,^(ap) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.^(aq)

^[46][c]

And if your eye causes you to stumble,^(ar) pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,^(as)

where "‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.'^[d](at)

Everyone will be salted^(au) with fire.

"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?^(av) Have salt among yourselves,^(aw) and be at peace with each other."^(ax)

Divorce^(a)

Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan.^(b) Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.^(c)

Some Pharisees^(d) came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"

"What did Moses command you?" he replied.

They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."^(e)

"It was because your hearts were hard^(f) that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied.

"But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.'^[a](g)

‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,^[b]

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

Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this.

He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.⁽ⁱ⁾

And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."^(j)

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.

When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.^(l)

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."^(m)

And he took the children in his arms,⁽ⁿ⁾ placed his hands on them and blessed them.

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees^(p) before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"^(q)

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.

You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.'^[d]"^(r)

"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,^(s) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(t) Then come, follow me."^(u)

At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich^(v) to enter the kingdom of God!"

The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is^[e] to enter the kingdom of God!^(w)

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

The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."^(y)

Then Peter spoke up, "We have left everything to follow you!"^(z)

"Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel

will fail to receive a hundred times as much^(aa) in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come^(ab) eternal life.^(ac)

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

They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve^(af) aside and told them what was going to happen to him.

"We are going up to Jerusalem,"^(ag) he said, "and the Son of Man^(ah) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.^(ai) They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles,

who will mock him and spit on him, flog him^(aj) and kill him.^(ak) Three days later^(al) he will rise."^(am)

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."

"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.

They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."^(ao)

"You don't know what you are asking,"^(ap) Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup^(aq) I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"^(ar)

"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,^(as)

but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.

Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^(at)

and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,^(au) and to give his life as a ransom for many."^(av)

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means "son of Timaeus"), was sitting by the roadside begging.

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,^(ax) he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David,^(ay) have mercy on me!"

Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you."

Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi,^(az) I want to see."

"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you."^(ba) Immediately he received his sight and followed^(bb) Jesus along the road.