New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Mark 9
1
Jesus said to them, "What I'm about to tell you is true. Some who are standing here will not die before they see God's kingdom coming with power."
Reference
Kingdom
Luke 9:27
Luke 22:30
Matthew 16:28
Luke 22:18
Parallel theme
Mark 13:30
Matthew 25:31
Mark 13:26
Matthew 24:30
Luke 2:26
References God
Hebrews 2:9
2
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him. He led them up a high mountain. They were all alone. There in front of them his appearance was changed.
Reference
3
His clothes became so white they shone. They were whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.
Reference
4
Elijah and Moses appeared in front of Jesus and his disciples. The two of them were talking with Jesus.
5
Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters. One will be for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
6
Peter didn't really know what to say, because they were so afraid.
7
Then a cloud appeared and surrounded them. A voice came from the cloud. It said, "This is my Son, and I love him. Listen to him!"
Reference
Love
2 Peter 1:17
Matthew 3:17
Mark 1:11
Parallel theme
Revelation 1:7
Hebrews 2:1
John 20:31
John 6:69
John 1:34
8
They looked around. Suddenly they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9
They came down the mountain. On the way down, Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen. He told them to wait until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Reference
10
So they kept the matter to themselves. But they asked each other what "rising from the dead" meant.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 17:18
11
Then they asked Jesus, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah has to come first?"
Reference
12
Jesus replied, "That's right. Elijah does come first. He makes all things new again. So why is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and not be accepted?
Reference
13
I tell you, Elijah has come. They have done to him everything they wanted to do. They did it just as it is written about him."
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 11:14
14
When Jesus and those who were with him came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them. The teachers of the law were arguing with them.
Reference
15
When all the people saw Jesus, they were filled with wonder. And they ran to greet him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 34:30
16
"What are you arguing with them about?" Jesus asked.
17
A man in the crowd answered. "Teacher," he said, "I brought you my son. He is controlled by a spirit. Because of this, my son can't speak anymore.
Reference
18
When the spirit takes hold of him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth. He grinds his teeth. And his body becomes stiff. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit. But they couldn't do it."
Reference
19
"You unbelieving people!" Jesus replied. "How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
Reference
20
So they brought him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a fit. He fell to the ground. He rolled around and foamed at the mouth.
Reference
21
Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "Since he was a child," he answered.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 9:33
22
"The spirit has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us. Please help us."
24
Right away the boy's father cried out, "I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!"
Reference
Faith
Luke 17:5
Hebrews 12:2
Ephesians 2:8
2 Thessalonians 1:11
2 Thessalonians 1:3
Philippians 1:29
Parallel theme
Psalm 126:5
25
Jesus saw that a crowd was running over to see what was happening. Then he ordered the evil spirit to leave the boy. "You spirit that makes him unable to hear and speak!" he said. "I command you, come out of him. Never enter him again."
Reference
26
The spirit screamed. It shook the boy wildly. Then it came out of him. The boy looked so lifeless that many people said, "He's dead."
Reference
28
Jesus went indoors. Then his disciples asked him in private, "Why couldn't we drive out the evil spirit?"
30
They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were.
31
That was because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men. They will kill him. After three days he will rise from the dead."
Reference
33
Jesus and his disciples came to a house in Capernaum. There he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?"
Reference
34
But they kept quiet. On the way, they had argued about which one of them was the most important person.
Reference
35
Jesus sat down and called for the Twelve to come to him. Then he said, "If you want to be first, you must be the very last. You must be the servant of everyone."
Reference
36
Jesus took a little child and had the child stand among them. Then he took the child in his arms. He said to them,
Reference
37
"Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me doesn't welcome only me but also the One who sent me."
Reference
38
"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name. We told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
Reference
Evil
Luke 11:19
39
"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me.
Reference
References Jesus
1 Corinthians 12:3
41
"What I'm about to tell you is true. Suppose someone gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to me. That one will certainly not go without a reward.
Reference
42
"What if someone leads one of these little ones who believe in me to sin? If he does, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.
Reference
43
"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter God's kingdom with only one hand than to go into hell with two hands. In hell the fire never goes out.
Reference
45
"If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter God's kingdom with only one foot than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.
Reference
47
"If your eye causes you to sin, poke it out. It would be better for you to enter God's kingdom with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.
Reference
Parallel theme
Mark 9:43
Matthew 18:9
Matthew 5:22
Psalm 119:37
Job 31:1
Genesis 3:6
Luke 14:26
Galatians 4:15
Summary of Mark 9
Mark 9 begins with Jesus promising that some of His disciples will witness the kingdom of God coming with power, and six days later Peter, James, and John experience a remarkable revelation when Jesus is transformed before them on a high mountain.
His appearance becomes brilliantly radiant, while Moses and Elijah appear and speak with Him, connecting Jesus with Israel's Law and prophetic tradition while also showing that His identity cannot be reduced to either of them.
Peter suggests building three shelters, but a cloud covers them and a divine voice declares that Jesus is God's beloved Son and commands the disciples to listen to Him, making Jesus the central figure of the revelation.
As they descend the mountain, Jesus tells the three disciples not to speak about what they have witnessed until after His resurrection, because His glory cannot yet be fully understood apart from His coming suffering, death, and resurrection.
The disciples then ask about the expectation that Elijah must come first, and Jesus explains that Elijah has already come in the ministry of John the Baptist, who was rejected and mistreated just as Scripture had indicated.
When Jesus reaches the other disciples, He finds them surrounded by a crowd and teachers of the law who are arguing with them because they have been unable to help a boy suffering under the power of an unclean spirit.
The boy's father describes years of severe suffering and desperately asks Jesus to help, expressing the remarkable statement that he believes while simultaneously asking Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief.
Jesus commands the spirit to leave the boy, and after a violent final reaction, the boy is restored, demonstrating again that Jesus possesses authority over spiritual forces that His disciples cannot overcome by themselves.
When the disciples later ask privately why they were unable to drive the spirit out, Jesus explains that this kind of spiritual challenge requires prayer, emphasizing that ministry must depend upon God rather than confidence in human ability.
Jesus then continues through Galilee while deliberately avoiding public attention because He wants to prepare His disciples privately for what lies ahead.
He again teaches that the Son of Man will be betrayed, killed, and rise after three days, but the disciples still do not understand the teaching and are afraid to question Him further.
When they reach Capernaum, Jesus discovers that the disciples have been arguing about which of them is the greatest, exposing the contradiction between His teaching about suffering and their continuing desire for status.
Jesus responds by teaching that whoever wants to be first must become last and servant of all, completely reversing the world's normal definition of greatness.
He then places a child among them and explains that welcoming someone as insignificant as a child in His name is equivalent to welcoming Jesus Himself and the One who sent Him, demonstrating that greatness in God's kingdom is expressed through humble service rather than social importance.
John then reveals that the disciples tried to stop another person from driving out demons in Jesus' name simply because that person did not belong to their group.
Jesus corrects this narrow attitude and explains that those who are not working against His mission should not automatically be treated as enemies, teaching His disciples to avoid unnecessary competition and possessiveness regarding God's work.
Even a simple act such as giving a cup of water to someone because they belong to Christ matters to God, showing that faithful service does not have to be spectacular to have eternal significance.
Jesus then gives some of the strongest warnings in the chapter, explaining that anyone who causes vulnerable believers to stumble faces severe judgment and that disciples must deal decisively with whatever repeatedly leads them toward sin.
The repeated references to cutting off a hand or foot or removing an eye are deliberately extreme images designed to communicate that sin must be taken seriously and resisted radically, rather than literal instructions for self-harm.
Jesus contrasts the temporary cost of rejecting sinful behavior with the far greater value of entering eternal life, warning that no earthly pleasure or possession is worth sacrificing one's relationship with God.
The chapter concludes with Jesus telling His disciples to have salt in themselves and live at peace with one another, connecting personal holiness with peaceful relationships inside the community of believers.
Mark 9 therefore develops several interconnected themes: Jesus' divine glory, the disciples' incomplete understanding, faith in the face of doubt, dependence upon prayer, humility, servant leadership, openness toward other faithful workers, protection of vulnerable believers, resistance to sin, and peace within the community.
The Transfiguration reveals Jesus' glory, while the suffering predictions reveal the path through which that glory will be accomplished, and the disciples' repeated misunderstandings show that they must learn that God's kingdom operates according to very different values from ordinary human systems of power and status.
The healing of the boy demonstrates that genuine faith does not require pretending to have no doubts, because the father's honest confession shows that a person can bring both belief and weakness to Jesus and ask Him for help.
The central message is that following Jesus means learning to see Him clearly, trusting Him even when faith is mixed with uncertainty, depending upon God through prayer, choosing humble service over status, protecting others from spiritual harm, confronting personal sin seriously, and pursuing peace with fellow believers.
Mark 9 ultimately presents discipleship as a transformation of vision and character, because those who have seen Jesus' glory must also accept His path of suffering and learn to express His kingdom through faith, humility, service, spiritual discipline, compassion, and peace rather than through power, competition, or personal greatness.
His appearance becomes brilliantly radiant, while Moses and Elijah appear and speak with Him, connecting Jesus with Israel's Law and prophetic tradition while also showing that His identity cannot be reduced to either of them.
Peter suggests building three shelters, but a cloud covers them and a divine voice declares that Jesus is God's beloved Son and commands the disciples to listen to Him, making Jesus the central figure of the revelation.
As they descend the mountain, Jesus tells the three disciples not to speak about what they have witnessed until after His resurrection, because His glory cannot yet be fully understood apart from His coming suffering, death, and resurrection.
The disciples then ask about the expectation that Elijah must come first, and Jesus explains that Elijah has already come in the ministry of John the Baptist, who was rejected and mistreated just as Scripture had indicated.
When Jesus reaches the other disciples, He finds them surrounded by a crowd and teachers of the law who are arguing with them because they have been unable to help a boy suffering under the power of an unclean spirit.
The boy's father describes years of severe suffering and desperately asks Jesus to help, expressing the remarkable statement that he believes while simultaneously asking Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief.
Jesus commands the spirit to leave the boy, and after a violent final reaction, the boy is restored, demonstrating again that Jesus possesses authority over spiritual forces that His disciples cannot overcome by themselves.
When the disciples later ask privately why they were unable to drive the spirit out, Jesus explains that this kind of spiritual challenge requires prayer, emphasizing that ministry must depend upon God rather than confidence in human ability.
Jesus then continues through Galilee while deliberately avoiding public attention because He wants to prepare His disciples privately for what lies ahead.
He again teaches that the Son of Man will be betrayed, killed, and rise after three days, but the disciples still do not understand the teaching and are afraid to question Him further.
When they reach Capernaum, Jesus discovers that the disciples have been arguing about which of them is the greatest, exposing the contradiction between His teaching about suffering and their continuing desire for status.
Jesus responds by teaching that whoever wants to be first must become last and servant of all, completely reversing the world's normal definition of greatness.
He then places a child among them and explains that welcoming someone as insignificant as a child in His name is equivalent to welcoming Jesus Himself and the One who sent Him, demonstrating that greatness in God's kingdom is expressed through humble service rather than social importance.
John then reveals that the disciples tried to stop another person from driving out demons in Jesus' name simply because that person did not belong to their group.
Jesus corrects this narrow attitude and explains that those who are not working against His mission should not automatically be treated as enemies, teaching His disciples to avoid unnecessary competition and possessiveness regarding God's work.
Even a simple act such as giving a cup of water to someone because they belong to Christ matters to God, showing that faithful service does not have to be spectacular to have eternal significance.
Jesus then gives some of the strongest warnings in the chapter, explaining that anyone who causes vulnerable believers to stumble faces severe judgment and that disciples must deal decisively with whatever repeatedly leads them toward sin.
The repeated references to cutting off a hand or foot or removing an eye are deliberately extreme images designed to communicate that sin must be taken seriously and resisted radically, rather than literal instructions for self-harm.
Jesus contrasts the temporary cost of rejecting sinful behavior with the far greater value of entering eternal life, warning that no earthly pleasure or possession is worth sacrificing one's relationship with God.
The chapter concludes with Jesus telling His disciples to have salt in themselves and live at peace with one another, connecting personal holiness with peaceful relationships inside the community of believers.
Mark 9 therefore develops several interconnected themes: Jesus' divine glory, the disciples' incomplete understanding, faith in the face of doubt, dependence upon prayer, humility, servant leadership, openness toward other faithful workers, protection of vulnerable believers, resistance to sin, and peace within the community.
The Transfiguration reveals Jesus' glory, while the suffering predictions reveal the path through which that glory will be accomplished, and the disciples' repeated misunderstandings show that they must learn that God's kingdom operates according to very different values from ordinary human systems of power and status.
The healing of the boy demonstrates that genuine faith does not require pretending to have no doubts, because the father's honest confession shows that a person can bring both belief and weakness to Jesus and ask Him for help.
The central message is that following Jesus means learning to see Him clearly, trusting Him even when faith is mixed with uncertainty, depending upon God through prayer, choosing humble service over status, protecting others from spiritual harm, confronting personal sin seriously, and pursuing peace with fellow believers.
Mark 9 ultimately presents discipleship as a transformation of vision and character, because those who have seen Jesus' glory must also accept His path of suffering and learn to express His kingdom through faith, humility, service, spiritual discipline, compassion, and peace rather than through power, competition, or personal greatness.