Jesus Glows in a Transfiguration
1Jesus said, “Some of you standing here right now will live to see the awesome arrival of God’s kingdom. True.”2Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John on a walk by themselves. They climbed a mountain. There, right in front of the three disciples, Jesus changed into another form. [1] 3His clothes beamed a dazzling white, beyond anything a good washing with elbow grease could do.
4Suddenly, Elijah appeared. Moses too. They started talking with Jesus. 5Peter couldn’t keep quiet. He said to Jesus, “Teacher, it’s wonderful that we’re here to see this. We’d like to set up three tents. One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” [2] 6He just blurted it out because he didn’t know what to say. They were all too scared to know what to do.
7A cloud rolled in and hovered above them. A voice inside the cloud said, “This is my Son. He is well loved. Listen to him.” 8In that moment, Moses and Elijah vanished. The disciples were alone again with Jesus.
9As they walked back down the hill, Jesus told the men not to tell anyone what they saw until after he rose from the dead. 10So the three disciples kept the secret. They had no idea what Jesus meant by rising from the dead. It made no sense at all.
11They asked Jesus, “Why do the scholars [3] say Elijah has to come before the Messiah comes?” [4]
12Jesus said, “They’re right. Elijah does come first. He gets everything ready. But what does the Bible say about the Son of Humans? It says he’s going to suffer a lot and people are going to treat him like someone they hate. 13But I’m telling you now, Elijah has already come. People mistreated him however they wanted, just as the Bible predicted.”
Jesus, Super Exorcist
14When they met back up with the other disciples, they saw that a large crowd had gathered around the disciples. Jewish religion scholars called scribes were arguing with the people. 15When the crowd caught sight of Jesus, they raced toward him. Excited as all get out, they welcomed him. 16He asked the folks, “What are you arguing about with those people?”17Someone in the crowd said, “Teacher, I brought my son here to you. He has a spirit in him that keeps him from talking. 18Whenever the spirit takes hold of him, it knocks him down. Then my son starts foaming at the mouth and grinding his teeth. His entire body gets stiff. I asked your disciples to order this spirit out of my son. But they couldn’t do it.”
19Jesus said, “My goodness, you people have so little faith. How much longer do I have to stay with you? How much longer do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy over here to me.” 20They brought the boy to Jesus. When the evil spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions, slamming him to the ground. The boy started rolling around and foaming at the mouth.
21Jesus asked the boy’s dad, “How long has this been going on?”
The dad said, “Since he was a little boy. 22I’m telling you, this spirit has even tried to kill him. It has thrown him into the fire. Sometimes it throws him into the water. Please, if there’s anything you can do to help us, have mercy on us.”
23Jesus said, “If there’s anything I can do? What’s with the ‘If’? Anything is possible when a person has faith.”
24Instantly, the boy’s dad pleaded, “I believe. Help me when I can’t.”
25Jesus saw the crowd was getting bigger faster. So he called out the demon. Jesus said, “Spirit that has turned this boy deaf and unable to speak, I’m ordering you to come out of him. And never come back.”
26The spirit screamed and threw the boy into violent convulsions as it came out of him. The boy stopped moving. He looked like a corpse. Many people watching said, “He’s dead.” 27Jesus took the boy by the hand and guided him up until the boy was standing beside him.
28Jesus and his disciples went into the house. [5] Finally alone with Jesus, his disciples asked, “Why couldn’t we order that evil spirit out?”
29Jesus said, “A spirit like this has to be prayed out of the person.”
Jesus: People Will Kill Me
30Jesus and the disciples left and traveled throughout Galilee. This was a private trip. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know about it. 31He wanted to spend this time teaching his disciples. He told them, “The Son of Humans is going to get arrested by people who will kill him. Three days after he dies, he will rise.” [6] 32The disciples had no idea what to make of this. They couldn’t figure it out, and they were too afraid to ask.A True Leader Is Last and Least
33Jesus and the disciples went back to Capernaum. When they were inside the house, Jesus asked them, “What were you talking about on the way here?” 34Everyone kept quiet. No one wanted to admit they were arguing about which one of them was most important.35Jesus sat down with the 12 disciples and said, “Anyone who wants to be first and foremost has to be last and least. They need to be someone willing to serve everyone.” 36Jesus brought a child into the meeting, took the child in his arms, turned to the disciples, and said, 37“If you welcome a little child like this because of me, you’re welcoming me. And if you welcome me, I’m not coming alone. I’m bringing the one who sent me.” [7]
If They’re Not against Us, They’re with Us
38John the disciple said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone performing exorcisms by using your name, as though he had your authority to do it. We tried to stop him because he’s not in our group that follows you.”39Jesus said, “Don’t stop him. No one who does a big and marvelous thing like that by invoking my name is going to say anything bad about me in the near future. 40If they’re not against us, they’re with us. 41Anyone who gives you a drink of water because you’re linked to the name Christ, that person has a reward coming. And that’s the truth.
If It Tempts You to Sin, Cut It out of Your Life
42“Take a look at these little kids who believe in me. I’ll tell you something about anyone who convinces little children like these to sin. People like that would be better off thrown into the sea with one of those grain-grinding millstones tied around their neck.43“If your hand is what makes you sin, cut that thing off. [8] It’s better to go one-handed into heaven [9] than two-fisted into hell. [10] There, the fire never stops. 44There, worms [11] don’t die and the fire won’t stop. [12] 45If your foot is what makes you sin, cut it off. It’s better to go crippled into heaven [13] than dancing into hell, which is where you’ll get tossed with both feet. 46There, worms don’t die and the fire won’t stop. [14]
47“If your eye makes you sin, pull it out and throw it away. It’s better to go into God’s kingdom with one eye than to see what hell is like with both eyes. 48There, worms don’t die and the fire won’t stop. [15] 49Everyone is going to get salted [16]—purified with fire. [17] 50Salt is good, until it becomes good for nothing. When it goes stale, how’s it going to get its flavor back? Keep yourself salted—pure and holy, devoted to God. [18] And live peacefully with each other.”
