Montgomery - Mark - 9

9:1  "In solemn truth I tell you," he said, "there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God, come with power."

9:2  Six days later Jesus took with him Peter and Jamesand John, and brought them by themselves up a high mountain apart from the rest.

9:3  Here in their presence he was transfigured; and his clothes also became glistering with a radiant whiteness, such as no bleaching on earth could give.

9:4  Moreover there appeared to them Elijah, with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.

9:5  "Master," said Peter, addressing Jesus, "it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three tents one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

9:6  (For he did not know what to say, they were so awestruck.)

9:7  Then there came a cloud overshadowing them; and there came a voice out of the cloud. "This is my Son, my beloved. Listen to him."

9:8  And suddenly as they looked around, they saw no one any more beside them, but Jesus alone.

9:9  As they came down the mountain he strictly forbade them to narrate to any one what they had seen, until after the Son of man had risen from the dead.

9:10  This order they faithfully kept, questioning among themselves what "rising again from the dead" meant.

9:11  So they asked him, "How is it that the Scribes say that Elijah must first come?"

9:12  "Elijah does indeed first come," he said, "and restores all things, But how is it written about the Son of Man, that he will endure great suffering, and be rejected?

9:13  "Elijah indeed has already come," he added, "and they have done to him whatever they pleased, even as it is written of him."

9:14  When they rejoined the disciples they saw a great crowd surrounding them, and some Scribes disputing with them.

9:15  As soon as they saw him, all the people were astounded and ran up to greet him.

9:16  He asked them, "What are you discussing with them?"

9:17  "Master," answered one of the crowd, "I brought my son to you; he has a dumb spirit in him;

9:18  and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and is wasting away. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."

9:19  "O unbelieving generation!" replied Jesus; "how long must I be with you? How long must I be patient with you? Bring him to me."

9:20  So they brought the boy to him, and when he saw Jesus, the spirit at once convulsed him, and he fell to the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

9:21  Then Jesus asked the father, "How long has he been like this?"

9:22  "From childhood," he answered; "and often it has thrown him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

9:23  Jesus said to him. "‘If you can’!All things can be for one who believes."

9:24  The boy’s father with a cry said instantly. "I do believe; help my unbelief."

9:25  And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit. "You dumb and deaf spirit," he said, "come out of him, I command you, and never enter him again."

9:26  So with a loud shriek it came out, after throwing the boy into convulsion after convulsion. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead.

9:27  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he stood up.

9:28  When Jesus had gone into the house, his disciples asked him in private, "Why could not we cast it out?"

9:29  "This kind can only be cast out by prayer," he replied.

9:30  Jesus and his disciples, after leaving that place, passed through Galilee; but he was unwilling that any one should know it,

9:31  for he was explaining to his disciples that the Son of man was to be betrayed into the hands of men, and that they would put him to death, but that after he had been put to death, he would rise again after three days,

9:32  But they did not understand his words, and were afraid to ask him the meaning.

9:33  Then they came to Capernaum; and when he got into the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the road?"

9:34  But they were silent, for on the road they were disputing together which one was greatest.

9:35  So he sat down and called the Twelve, and said to them, "If any one wishes to be first, he must be last of all, and the servant of all."

9:36  Then Jesus took a little child, set it among them, and folding it in his arms, he said,

9:37  "Whoever in my name receives one such little child, receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me, but Him who sent me."

9:38  "Master," said John, "we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he did not follow us."

9:39  "Do not try to stop him," Jesus answered, "for there is no one who performs a miracle in my name who can soon speak evil of me.

9:40  He who is not against us is for us.

9:41  For whoever gives you even a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, in solemn truth I tell you, that he shall certainly not lose his reward.

9:42  "And if any one shall cause one of these little ones who believe on me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown out into the sea with a great millstone about his neck.

9:43  "If your hand cause you to stumble, cut it off! It is better to be maimed and to enter into life than to have two hands and go away into hell, into the fire that cannot be put out.

9:45  If your foot cause you to stumble, cut it off! It is better to enter into the life a cripple, than to have two feet and be cast into hell.

9:47  If your eye cause you to stumble, tear it out! It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God one-eyed that to keep both your eyes and be cast into hell,

9:48  where their worm never dies and the fire does not go out.

9:49  For by fire every one will be salted;

9:50  salt is excellent, but if the salt has lost its savor, what will you use to restore its saltness? Then have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."