Mark

And he continued, saying:

“Truly I tell you, there are some here who will not die before they see the kingdom of God coming with power.”

Transfiguration of Jesus

Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him and led them up a high mountain. There, his appearance changed before their eyes.

 Even his clothes shone, becoming as white as any bleach in this world could make them. 

Elijah and Moses appeared to them; the two were talking with Jesus. 

Then Peter spoke and said to Jesus:

“Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

For he did not know what to say; they were overwhelmed with awe.

Then a cloud appeared, shading them, and from the cloud a voice came:

“This is my Son, the Beloved: listen to him!”

And suddenly, as they looked around, they no longer saw anyone except Jesus with them.

As they descended the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 

 So they kept this to themselves, although they discussed among themselves what ‘to rise from the dead’ might mean.

Then they asked him:

“Why, then, do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus answered them:

“Of course, Elijah will come first so that everything may be as it should be. But why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be despised?

I tell you that Elijah has already come; and they have treated him as they pleased, as the Scriptures say of him.” 

Heals an Epileptic Boy

When they arrived at the place where they had left the disciples, they saw many people gathered there and some teachers of the law arguing with them.

When the people saw Jesus, they were amazed and rushed to greet him.

He asked:

“What are you arguing about with them?”

A man answered him from the crowd:

“Teacher, I brought my son to you possessed by a mute spirit.

Whenever the spirit seizes him, it throws him down, causes him to foam at the mouth, grind his teeth, and become stiff all over. I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not.”

Jesus replied:

“You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.”

 And they brought the boy to him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it trembled and convulsed the boy, who fell to the ground and started rolling around, foaming at the mouth.

Then Jesus asked the father:

“How long has this been happening to him?”

He replied:

“Since childhood.

And it has often thrown him into the fire and water to destroy him. If you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.”

Jesus said to him:

“Why do you say, ‘If you can?’ All things are possible for one who believes.”

Immediately, the father of the boy cried out:

“I do believe, but help my little faith.”

Jesus saw that the crowd was growing quickly, so he told the evil spirit:

“Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you: Leave the boy and never enter him again.”

The evil spirit shook and convulsed the boy, and with a terrible shriek, it came out. The boy lay there like a corpse, and people said, ‘He is dead.’

 But Jesus took him by the hand, helped him up, and the boy stood.

After Jesus went inside, his disciples asked him privately:

“Why couldn’t we drive out the spirit?”

And he replied:

“Only prayer can drive out this kind; nothing else.”

Second Announcement of the Passion and Resurrection

After departing from that place, they traveled through Galilee, but Jesus did not want people to know where he was

because he was teaching his disciples. And he told them:

“The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, but three days after he has been killed, he will rise.”

The disciples, however, did not understand these words, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.

Who Is the Most Important?

They arrived at Capernaum and, once inside the house, Jesus asked them:

“What were you discussing on the way?”

 But they did not answer, because they had been arguing about who was the greatest.

Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them:

“If someone wants to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all.”

Then he took a small child, placed him in their midst, and wrapping his arms around him, he said to them: 

“Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not only welcome me but also the One who sent me.”

The Anonymous Exorcist

John said to him, “Master, we saw someone who drove out demons by calling upon your name, and we tried to forbid him because he does not belong to our group.”

Jesus answered, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in my name can soon after speak evil of me. 

For whoever is not against us is for us.

 If anyone gives you a drink of water because you belong to Christ and bear his name, truly, I say to you, he will not go without reward.

Radicalism in the Face of Sin

If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble and sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone around his neck.

 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It’s better for you to enter life missing a hand than to have two hands and be thrown into hell, to the fire that never goes out. [[44]] 

If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It’s better for you to enter life missing a foot than to have both feet and be thrown into hell. [[46]]

If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It’s better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to keep both eyes and be thrown into hell, 

where the worm that eats them never dies and the fire never goes out. 

Everyone will be salted with fire.

 Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.”