A miniature of the Kingdom

1And He said to them, “I tell you assuredly: there are some standing here who will certainly not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God present with power.”

2After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up on a high mountain alone by themselves. Then He was transfigured in front of them;

3His clothing became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth is able to whiten.

4And Elijah appeared to them, along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.

5Well Peter reacted by saying to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three shelters: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

6(Because they were terrified, he didn't know what to say.) ¹⁶⁷

7With that a cloud was covering them and a Voice ¹⁶⁸came out of the cloud: “This is my Son, the beloved. Listen to Him!”

8And then, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

9Now as they were coming down from the mountain, ¹⁶⁹He ordered them not to recount to any one the things they had seen until the Son of the Man had risen from the dead.

10So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the ‘rising from the dead’ meant.

11And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

12So in answer He said to them: “Elijah indeed does come first, and restores all things; also how it is written concerning the Son of the Man that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt.

13Still, I say to you that ‘Elijah’ has also come, and they did to him as they wished, as it is written about him.” ¹⁷⁰

The nine couldn't do it

14Upon coming to the disciples, He saw a large crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them.

15Well as soon as the crowd saw Him they were excited and ran to greet Him.

16He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”

17In answer a man in the crowd said: “Teacher, I brought you my son, who has a mute spirit. ¹⁷¹

18And wherever it seizes him it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth and gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. Indeed, I spoke to your disciples, that they might cast it out, but they could not.”

19But He answered him by saying: “O unbelieving generation, ¹⁷²how long shall I be with you, how long shall I put up with you? Bring him to me!”

20So they brought him to Him. Upon seeing Him the spirit convulsed him, and falling to the ground he started wallowing, foaming at the mouth.

21Then He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said: “From childhood.

22Really, it has often thrown him both into fire and into water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

23Jesus said to him, “It's ‘if you can believe’; ¹⁷³all things are possible to the one who believes.”

24Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, with tears, “Lord, ¹⁷⁴I believe; help my unbelief!” ¹⁷⁵

25When Jesus saw that the crowd was running up, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, ¹⁷⁶I am commanding you, get out of him and never enter him again!” ¹⁷⁷

26Then it yelled, convulsed him violently, and came out. Well he looked to be dead; so much so that many said, “He's dead.”

27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he stayed on his feet.

28Well upon His entering a house His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn't we cast it out?”

29He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing except prayer and fasting.” ¹⁷⁸

Jesus predicts His death again

30Having gone out from there they were passing through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know;

31because He was teaching His disciples and saying to them, “The Son of the Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and once killed ¹⁷⁹he will rise on the third day.”

32But they were not understanding this information, yet were afraid to ask Him.

About humility

33Then He came to Capernaum; and once in the house He asked them, “What were you debating among yourselves on the road?”

34But they kept silent, because on the road they had debated among themselves who was greater.

35So He sat down, called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

36Then He took a child and stood him in their midst, and embracing him said to them,

37“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives not only me, but the One who sent me.”

Either for, or against

38So John answered Him saying, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, one who doesn't follow us; ¹⁸⁰and we forbade him, because he doesn't follow us.”

39But Jesus said: “Do not forbid him, because no one who works a miracle in my name can soon afterward speak evil of me.

40For he who is not against you is for you. ¹⁸¹

41Further, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ's, I tell you with certainty, he will by no means lose his reward. ¹⁸²

About offenses

42“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe into me to fall, ¹⁸³it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ¹⁸⁴

43Further, if your hand is causing you to fall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into the Life maimed than having both hands to go away into Gehenna, ¹⁸⁵into the unquenchable fire—

44where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ ¹⁸⁶

45And if your foot is causing you to fall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into the Life lame than having both feet to be thrown into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire—

46where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’

47And if your eye is causing you to fall, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than having both eyes to be thrown into the Gehenna of fire—

48where ‘the ¹⁸⁷worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’

49“Further, everyone will be seasoned with fire, ¹⁸⁸and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. ¹⁸⁹

50Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” ¹⁹⁰