Mark New Living Translation (NLT)

chapter 1

     John the Baptist Prepares the Way

     1Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.

     2In the book of the prophet Isaiah, God said,

         "Look, I am sending my messenger before you,

             and he will prepare your way.

     3

         He is a voice shouting in the wilderness:

         `Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming!

             Make a straight road for him!' "

     4This messenger was John the Baptist. He lived in the wilderness and was preaching that people should be

     baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 5People from

     Jerusalem and from all over Judea traveled out into the wilderness to see and hear John. And when they

     confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6His clothes were woven from camel hair, and he

     wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey. 7He announced: "Someone is coming soon who is

     far greater than I am--so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. 8I baptize you with water,

     but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"

     The Baptism of Jesus

     9One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and he was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 10And when

     Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove on

     him. 11And a voice came from heaven saying, "You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you."

     The Temptation of Jesus

     12Immediately the Holy Spirit compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness. 13He was there for forty days, being

     tempted by Satan. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.

     The First Disciples

     14Later on, after John was arrested by Herod Antipas, Jesus went to Galilee to preach God's Good News.

     15"At last the time has come!" he announced. "The Kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe

     this Good News!"

     16One day as Jesus was walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother,

     Andrew, fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen. 17Jesus called out to them, "Come, be my

     disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!" 18And they left their nets at once and went with him.

     19A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee's sons, James and John, in a boat mending their nets. 20He

     called them, too, and immediately they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men and went

     with him.

     Jesus Casts Out an Evil Spirit

     21Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum, and every Sabbath day he went into the

     synagogue and taught the people. 22They were amazed at his teaching, for he taught as one who had real

     authority--quite unlike the teachers of religious law.

     23A man possessed by an evil spirit was in the synagogue, 24and he began shouting, "Why are you bothering

     us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One sent from God!"

     25Jesus cut him short. "Be silent! Come out of the man." 26At that, the evil spirit screamed and threw the

     man into a convulsion, but then he left him.

     27Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. "What sort of new

     teaching is this?" they asked excitedly. "It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!" 28The news

     of what he had done spread quickly through that entire area of Galilee.

     Jesus Heals Many People

     29After Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, they went over to Simon and Andrew's home, and James

     and John were with them. 30Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about

     her right away. 31He went to her bedside, and as he took her by the hand and helped her to sit up, the fever

     suddenly left, and she got up and prepared a meal for them.

     32That evening at sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. 33And a huge

     crowd of people from all over Capernaum gathered outside the door to watch. 34So Jesus healed great

     numbers of sick people who had many different kinds of diseases, and he ordered many demons to come out

     of their victims. But because they knew who he was, he refused to allow the demons to speak.

     Jesus Preaches in Galilee

     35The next morning Jesus awoke long before daybreak and went out alone into the wilderness to pray.

     36Later Simon and the others went out to find him. 37They said, "Everyone is asking for you."

     38But he replied, "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too, because that is why

     I came." 39So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and expelling demons

     from many people.

     Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

     40A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. "If you want to, you can make

     me well again," he said.

     41Moved with pity, Jesus touched him. "I want to," he said. "Be healed!" 42Instantly the leprosy

     disappeared--the man was healed. 43Then Jesus sent him on his way and told him sternly, 44"Go right over to

     the priest and let him examine you. Don't talk to anyone along the way. Take along the offering required in

     the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy, so everyone will have proof of your healing."

     45But as the man went on his way, he spread the news, telling everyone what had happened to him. As a

     result, such crowds soon surrounded Jesus that he couldn't enter a town anywhere publicly. He had to stay

     out in the secluded places, and people from everywhere came to him there.

chapter 2

     Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

     1Several days later Jesus returned to Capernaum, and the news of his arrival spread quickly through the

     town. 2Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there wasn't room for one

     more person, not even outside the door. And he preached the word to them. 3Four men arrived carrying a

     paralyzed man on a mat. 4They couldn't get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof

     above his head. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5Seeing their faith,

     Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My son, your sins are forgiven."

     6But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there said to themselves, 7"What? This is

     blasphemy! Who but God can forgive sins!"

     8Jesus knew what they were discussing among themselves, so he said to them, "Why do you think this is

     blasphemy? 9Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man, `Your sins are forgiven' or `Get up, pick up your mat,

     and walk'? 10I will prove that I, the Son of Man, have the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus

     turned to the paralyzed man and said, 11"Stand up, take your mat, and go on home, because you are

     healed!"

     12The man jumped up, took the mat, and pushed his way through the stunned onlookers. Then they all

     praised God. "We've never seen anything like this before!" they exclaimed.

     Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)

     13Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that gathered around him. 14As he

     walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax-collection booth. "Come, be my disciple," Jesus

     said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.

     15That night Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to be his dinner guests, along with his fellow tax collectors

     and many other notorious sinners. (There were many people of this kind among the crowds that followed

     Jesus.) 16But when some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with people like

     that, they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?"

     17When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor--sick people do. I have come to

     call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough."

     A Discussion about Fasting

     18John's disciples and the Pharisees sometimes fasted. One day some people came to Jesus and asked, "Why

     do John's disciples and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?"

     19Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can't fast

     while they are with the groom. 20But someday he will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

     21And who would patch an old garment with unshrunk cloth? For the new patch shrinks and pulls away from

     the old cloth, leaving an even bigger hole than before. 22And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The

     wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine needs new wineskins."

     A Discussion about the Sabbath

     23One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of

     wheat. 24But the Pharisees said to Jesus, "They shouldn't be doing that! It's against the law to work by

     harvesting grain on the Sabbath."

     25But Jesus replied, "Haven't you ever read in the Scriptures what King David did when he and his companions

     were hungry? 26He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest), ate the

     special bread reserved for the priests alone, and then gave some to his companions. That was breaking the

     law, too." 27Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made to benefit people, and not people to benefit the

     Sabbath. 28And I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath!"

chapter 3

     Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

     1Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2Since it was the Sabbath,

     Jesus' enemies watched him closely. Would he heal the man's hand on the Sabbath? If he did, they planned to

     condemn him. 3Jesus said to the man, "Come and stand in front of everyone." 4Then he turned to his critics

     and asked, "Is it legal to do good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing harm? Is this a day to save

     life or to destroy it?" But they wouldn't answer him. 5He looked around at them angrily, because he was

     deeply disturbed by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, "Reach out your hand." The man reached out

     his hand, and it became normal again! 6At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of

     Herod to discuss plans for killing Jesus.

     Crowds Follow Jesus

     7Jesus and his disciples went out to the lake, followed by a huge crowd from all over Galilee, Judea,

     8Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far away as Tyre and Sidon. The news

     about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him for themselves.

     9Jesus instructed his disciples to bring around a boat and to have it ready in case he was crowded off the

     beach. 10There had been many healings that day. As a result, many sick people were crowding around him,

     trying to touch him. 11And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, they would fall down

     in front of him shrieking, "You are the Son of God!" 12But Jesus strictly warned them not to say who he was.

     Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

     13Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to

     him. 14Then he selected twelve of them to be his regular companions, calling them apostles. He sent them

     out to preach, 15and he gave them authority to cast out demons. 16These are the names of the twelve he

     chose:

         Simon (he renamed him Peter),

     17

         James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them "Sons of Thunder"),

     18

         Andrew,

         Philip,

         Bartholomew,

         Matthew,

         Thomas,

         James (son of Alphaeus),

         Thaddaeus,

         Simon (the Zealot),

     19

         Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

     Jesus and the Prince of Demons

     20When Jesus returned to the house where he was staying, the crowds began to gather again, and soon he

     and his disciples couldn't even find time to eat. 21When his family heard what was happening, they tried to

     take him home with them. "He's out of his mind," they said.

     22But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, "He's possessed by Satan, the prince

     of demons. That's where he gets the power to cast out demons."

     23Jesus called them over and said to them by way of illustration, "How can Satan cast out Satan? 24A

     kingdom at war with itself will collapse. 25A home divided against itself is doomed. 26And if Satan is fighting

     against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive. 27Let me illustrate this. You can't enter a strong

     man's house and rob him without first tying him up. Only then can his house be robbed!

     28"I assure you that any sin can be forgiven, including blasphemy; 29but anyone who blasphemes against the

     Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. It is an eternal sin." 30He told them this because they were saying he had

     an evil spirit.

     The True Family of Jesus

     31Jesus' mother and brothers arrived at the house where he was teaching. They stood outside and sent word

     for him to come out and talk with them. 32There was a crowd around Jesus, and someone said, "Your mother

     and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you."

     33Jesus replied, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 34Then he looked at those around him and said,

     "These are my mother and brothers. 35Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."

chapter 4

     Story of the Farmer Scattering Seed

     1Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. There was such a large crowd along the shore that he

     got into a boat and sat down and spoke from there. 2He began to teach the people by telling many stories

     such as this one:

     3"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a

     footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plant

     sprang up quickly, 6but it soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in

     the shallow soil. 7Other seed fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades so that it

     produced no grain. 8Still other seed fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a

     hundred times as much as had been planted." Then he said, 9"Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and

     understand!"

     10Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they

     asked him, "What do your stories mean?"

     11He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secret about the Kingdom of God. But I am using these

     stories to conceal everything about it from outsiders, 12so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:

         `They see what I do,

             but they don't perceive its meaning.

         They hear my words,

             but they don't understand.

         So they will not turn from their sins

             and be forgiven.'

         13"But if you can't understand this story, how will you understand all the others I am going to tell? 14The

     farmer I talked about is the one who brings God's message to others. 15The seed that fell on the hard path

     represents those who hear the message, but then Satan comes at once and takes it away from them. 16The

     rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy. 17But like young plants in such soil,

     their roots don't go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or

     are persecuted because they believe the word. 18The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept

     the Good News, 19but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life, the lure of wealth,

     and the desire for nice things, so no crop is produced. 20But the good soil represents those who hear and

     accept God's message and produce a huge harvest--thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had

     been planted."

     Illustration of the Lamp

     21Then Jesus asked them, "Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed to shut

     out the light? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.

     22"Everything that is now hidden or secret will eventually be brought to light. 23Anyone who is willing to hear

     should listen and understand! 24And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the

     more you will understand--and even more, besides. 25To those who are open to my teaching, more

     understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from

     them."

     Illustration of the Growing Seed

     26Jesus also said, "Here is another illustration of what the Kingdom of God is like: A farmer planted seeds in a

     field, 27and then he went on with his other activities. As the days went by, the seeds sprouted and grew

     without the farmer's help, 28because the earth produces crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through,

     then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. 29And as soon as the grain is ready, the

     farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle."

     Illustration of the Mustard Seed

     30Jesus asked, "How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? 31It is like a

     tiny mustard seed. Though this is one of the smallest of seeds, 32it grows to become one of the largest of

     plants, with long branches where birds can come and find shelter."

     33He used many such stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they were able to understand.

     34In fact, in his public teaching he taught only with parables, but afterward when he was alone with his

     disciples, he explained the meaning to them.

     Jesus Calms the Storm

     35As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." 36He was already in

     the boat, so they started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37But soon a fierce

     storm arose. High waves began to break into the boat until it was nearly full of water.

     38Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. Frantically they woke him up,

     shouting, "Teacher, don't you even care that we are going to drown?"

     39When he woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, "Quiet down!" Suddenly the wind stopped,

     and there was a great calm. 40And he asked them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?"

     41And they were filled with awe and said among themselves, "Who is this man, that even the wind and waves

     obey him?"

chapter 5

     Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man

     1So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the land of the Gerasenes. 2Just as Jesus was climbing from

     the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit ran out from a cemetery to meet him. 3This man lived among the

     tombs and could not be restrained, even with a chain. 4Whenever he was put into chains and shackles--as

     he often was--he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough

     to control him. 5All day long and throughout the night, he would wander among the tombs and in the hills,

     screaming and hitting himself with stones.

     6When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him. He ran to meet Jesus and fell down before him.

     7He gave a terrible scream, shrieking, "Why are you bothering me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? For God's

     sake, don't torture me!" 8For Jesus had already said to the spirit, "Come out of the man, you evil spirit."

     9Then Jesus asked, "What is your name?"

     And the spirit replied, "Legion, because there are many of us here inside this man." 10Then the spirits begged

     him again and again not to send them to some distant place. 11There happened to be a large herd of pigs

     feeding on the hillside nearby. 12"Send us into those pigs," the evil spirits begged. 13Jesus gave them

     permission. So the evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of two thousand

     pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake, where they drowned.

     14The herdsmen fled to the nearby city and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran.

     Everyone rushed out to see for themselves. 15A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, but they were frightened

     when they saw the man who had been demon possessed, for he was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly

     sane. 16Those who had seen what happened to the man and to the pigs told everyone about it, 17and the

     crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.

     18When Jesus got back into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go, too. 19But

     Jesus said, "No, go home to your friends, and tell them what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and

     how merciful he has been." 20So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to tell

     everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.

     Jesus Heals in Response to Faith

     21When Jesus went back across to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him on the

     shore. 22A leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, came and fell down before him, 23pleading

     with him to heal his little daughter. "She is about to die," he said in desperation. "Please come and place your

     hands on her; heal her so she can live."

     24Jesus went with him, and the crowd thronged behind. 25And there was a woman in the crowd who had had

     a hemorrhage for twelve years. 26She had suffered a great deal from many doctors through the years and

     had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she was worse. 27She had

     heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched the fringe of his robe. 28For

     she thought to herself, "If I can just touch his clothing, I will be healed." 29Immediately the bleeding stopped,

     and she could feel that she had been healed!

     30Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and

     asked, "Who touched my clothes?"

     31His disciples said to him, "All this crowd is pressing around you. How can you ask, `Who touched me?' "

     32But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the frightened woman, trembling at the

     realization of what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and told him what she had done. 34And he

     said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. You have been healed."

     35While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from Jairus's home with the message, "Your daughter

     is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now."

     36But Jesus ignored their comments and said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just trust me." 37Then Jesus stopped

     the crowd and wouldn't let anyone go with him except Peter and James and John. 38When they came to the

     home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw the commotion and the weeping and wailing. 39He went inside and

     spoke to the people. "Why all this weeping and commotion?" he asked. "The child isn't dead; she is only

     asleep."

     40The crowd laughed at him, but he told them all to go outside. Then he took the girl's father and mother and

     his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. 41Holding her hand, he said to her, "Get up, little

     girl!" 42And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! Her parents were

     absolutely overwhelmed. 43Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what had happened, and he told them

     to give her something to eat.

chapter 6

     Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

     1Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. 2The next

     Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They asked, "Where

     did he get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? 3He's just the carpenter, the son of Mary

     and brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us." They were deeply

     offended and refused to believe in him.

     4Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his

     relatives and his own family." 5And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any mighty miracles among them

     except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their unbelief.

     Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

     Then Jesus went out from village to village, teaching. 7And he called his twelve disciples together and sent

     them out two by two, with authority to cast out evil spirits. 8He told them to take nothing with them except

     a walking stick--no food, no traveler's bag, no money. 9He told them to wear sandals but not to take even an

     extra coat. 10"When you enter each village, be a guest in only one home," he said. 11"And if a village won't

     welcome you or listen to you, shake off its dust from your feet as you leave. It is a sign that you have

     abandoned that village to its fate."

     12So the disciples went out, telling all they met to turn from their sins. 13And they cast out many demons

     and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil.

     The Death of John the Baptist

     14Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because people everywhere were talking about him. Some

     were saying, "This must be John the Baptist come back to life again. That is why he can do such miracles."

     15Others thought Jesus was the ancient prophet Elijah. Still others thought he was a prophet like the other

     great prophets of the past. 16When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has come

     back from the dead." 17For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She

     had been his brother Philip's wife, but Herod had married her. 18John kept telling Herod, "It is illegal for you to

     marry your brother's wife." 19Herodias was enraged and wanted John killed in revenge, but without Herod's

     approval she was powerless. 20And Herod respected John, knowing that he was a good and holy man, so he

     kept him under his protection. Herod was disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to

     listen to him.

     21Herodias's chance finally came. It was Herod's birthday, and he gave a party for his palace aides, army

     officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed

     a dance that greatly pleased them all. "Ask me for anything you like," the king said to the girl, "and I will give

     it to you." 23Then he promised, "I will give you whatever you ask, up to half of my kingdom!"

     24She went out and asked her mother, "What should I ask for?"

     Her mother told her, "Ask for John the Baptist's head!"

     25So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, "I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a

     tray!"

     26Then the king was very sorry, but he was embarrassed to break his oath in front of his guests. 27So he

     sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John's head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the

     prison, 28brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29When John's

     disciples heard what had happened, they came for his body and buried it in a tomb.

     Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

     30The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and what they had

     taught. 31Then Jesus said, "Let's get away from the crowds for a while and rest." There were so many people

     coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat. 32They left by boat for a quieter

     spot. 33But many people saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and met

     them as they landed. 34A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on

     them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many things.

     35Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and it is getting late.

     36Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy themselves some food."

     37But Jesus said, "You feed them."

     "With what?" they asked. "It would take a small fortune to buy food for all this crowd!"

     38"How much food do you have?" he asked. "Go and find out."

     They came back and reported, "We have five loaves of bread and two fish." 39Then Jesus told the crowd to

     sit down in groups on the green grass. 40So they sat in groups of fifty or a hundred.

     41Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and asked God's blessing on the food.

     Breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples to give to the people.

     42They all ate as much as they wanted, 43and they picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish.

     44Five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves!

     Jesus Walks on Water

     45Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and head out across the lake to

     Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

     47During the night, the disciples were in their boat out in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land.

     48He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About

     three o'clock in the morning he came to them, walking on the water. He started to go past them, 49but when

     they saw him walking on the water, they screamed in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 50They were all

     terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. "It's all right," he said. "I am here! Don't be

     afraid." 51Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were astonished at what they saw.

     52They still didn't understand the significance of the miracle of the multiplied loaves, for their hearts were

     hard and they did not believe.

     53When they arrived at Gennesaret on the other side of the lake, they anchored the boat 54and climbed out.

     The people standing there recognized him at once, 55and they ran throughout the whole area and began

     carrying sick people to him on mats. 56Wherever he went--in villages and cities and out on the farms--they

     laid the sick in the market plazas and streets. The sick begged him to let them at least touch the fringe of his

     robe, and all who touched it were healed.

chapter 7

     Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity

     1One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to confront Jesus. 2They

     noticed that some of Jesus' disciples failed to follow the usual Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating.

     3(The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as

     required by their ancient traditions. 4Similarly, they eat nothing bought from the market unless they have

     immersed their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to--such as their ceremony

     of washing cups, pitchers, and kettles.) 5So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, "Why

     don't your disciples follow our age-old customs? For they eat without first performing the hand-washing

     ceremony."

     6Jesus replied, "You hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he said,

     7

         `These people honor me with their lips,

             but their hearts are far away.

         Their worship is a farce,

             for they replace God's commands with their own man-made teachings.'

     8For you ignore God's specific laws and substitute your own traditions."

     9Then he said, "You reject God's laws in order to hold on to your own traditions. 10For instance, Moses gave

     you this law from God: `Honor your father and mother,' and `Anyone who speaks evil of father or mother

     must be put to death.' 11But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, `Sorry, I can't help you.

     For I have vowed to give to God what I could have given to you.' 12You let them disregard their needy

     parents. 13As such, you break the law of God in order to protect your own tradition. And this is only one

     example. There are many, many others."

     14Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. "All of you listen," he said, "and try to understand.

     15You are not defiled by what you eat; you are defiled by what you say and do!"

     17Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowds, and his disciples asked him what he meant by

     the statement he had made. 18"Don't you understand either?" he asked. "Can't you see that what you eat

     won't defile you? 19Food doesn't come in contact with your heart, but only passes through the stomach and

     then comes out again." (By saying this, he showed that every kind of food is acceptable.)

     20And then he added, "It is the thought-life that defiles you. 21For from within, out of a person's heart, come

     evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful

     pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23All these vile things come from within; they are what defile

     you and make you unacceptable to God."

     The Faith of a Gentile Woman

     24Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He tried to keep it secret that he was there,

     but he couldn't. As usual, the news of his arrival spread fast. 25Right away a woman came to him whose little

     girl was possessed by an evil spirit. She had heard about Jesus, and now she came and fell at his feet. 26She

     begged him to release her child from the demon's control.

     Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, 27Jesus told her, "First I should help my own family, the

     Jews. It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs."

     28She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are given some crumbs from the

     children's plates."

     29"Good answer!" he said. "And because you have answered so well, I have healed your daughter." 30And

     when she arrived home, her little girl was lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

     Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man

     31Jesus left Tyre and went to Sidon, then back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. 32A

     deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the

     man to heal him. 33Jesus led him to a private place away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the man's

     ears. Then, spitting onto his own fingers, he touched the man's tongue with the spittle. 34And looking up to

     heaven, he sighed and commanded, "Be opened!" 35Instantly the man could hear perfectly and speak plainly!

     36Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news,

     37for they were completely amazed. Again and again they said, "Everything he does is wonderful. He even

     heals those who are deaf and mute."

chapter 8

     Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

     1About this time another great crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his

     disciples and told them, 2"I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and

     they have nothing left to eat. 3And if I send them home without feeding them, they will faint along the road.

     For some of them have come a long distance."

     4"How are we supposed to find enough food for them here in the wilderness?" his disciples asked.

     5"How many loaves of bread do you have?" he asked.

     "Seven," they replied. 6So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven

     loaves, thanked God for them, broke them into pieces, and gave them to his disciples, who distributed the

     bread to the crowd. 7A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to

     pass them out.

     8They ate until they were full, and when the scraps were picked up, there were seven large baskets of food

     left over! 9There were about four thousand people in the crowd that day, and he sent them home after they

     had eaten. 10Immediately after this, he got into a boat with his disciples and crossed over to the region of

     Dalmanutha.

     Pharisees Demand a Miraculous Sign

     11When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came to argue with him. Testing him to see if he

     was from God, they demanded, "Give us a miraculous sign from heaven to prove yourself."

     12When he heard this, he sighed deeply and said, "Why do you people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I

     assure you, I will not give this generation any such sign." 13So he got back into the boat and left them, and

     he crossed to the other side of the lake.

     Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

     14But the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any food, so there was only one loaf of bread with

     them in the boat. 15As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, "Beware of the yeast of the

     Pharisees and of Herod."

     16They decided he was saying this because they hadn't brought any bread. 17Jesus knew what they were

     thinking, so he said, "Why are you so worried about having no food? Won't you ever learn or understand? Are

     your hearts too hard to take it in? 18`You have eyes--can't you see? You have ears--can't you hear?' Don't

     you remember anything at all? 19What about the five thousand men I fed with five loaves of bread? How

     many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?"

     "Twelve," they said.

     20"And when I fed the four thousand with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick

     up?"

     "Seven," they said.

     21"Don't you understand even yet?" he asked them.

     Jesus Heals a Blind Man

     22When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch

     and heal the man. 23Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on

     the man's eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, "Can you see anything now?"

     24The man looked around. "Yes," he said, "I see people, but I can't see them very clearly. They look like trees

     walking around."

     25Then Jesus placed his hands over the man's eyes again. As the man stared intently, his sight was

     completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go back into

     the village on your way home."

     Peters Declaration about Jesus

     27Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking

     along, he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"

     28"Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other

     prophets."

     29Then Jesus asked, "Who do you say I am?"

     Peter replied, "You are the Messiah." 30But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

     Jesus Predicts His Death

     31Then Jesus began to tell them that he, the Son of Man, would suffer many terrible things and be rejected

     by the leaders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, and three days later

     he would rise again. 32As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and told him he

     shouldn't say things like that.

     33Jesus turned and looked at his disciples and then said to Peter very sternly, "Get away from me, Satan!

     You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."

     34Then he called his disciples and the crowds to come over and listen. "If any of you wants to be my

     follower," he told them, "you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. 35If

     you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake

     of the Good News, you will find true life. 36And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your

     own soul in the process? 37Is anything worth more than your soul? 38If a person is ashamed of me and my

     message in these adulterous and sinful days, I, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return

     in the glory of my Father with the holy angels."

chapter 9

     1 Jesus went on to say, "I assure you that some of you standing here right now will not die before you see

     the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!"

     The Transfiguration

     2Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain. No one else was there. As the

     men watched, Jesus' appearance changed, 3and his clothing became dazzling white, far whiter than any

     earthly process could ever make it. 4Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

     5"Teacher, this is wonderful!" Peter exclaimed. "We will make three shrines--one for you, one for Moses, and

     one for Elijah." 6He didn't really know what to say, for they were all terribly afraid.

     7Then a cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."

     8Suddenly they looked around, and Moses and Elijah were gone, and only Jesus was with them. 9As they

     descended the mountainside, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until he, the Son of Man,

     had risen from the dead. 10So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by

     "rising from the dead."

     11Now they began asking him, "Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the

     Messiah comes?"

     12Jesus responded, "Elijah is indeed coming first to set everything in order. Why then is it written in the

     Scriptures that the Son of Man must suffer and be treated with utter contempt? 13But I tell you, Elijah has

     already come, and he was badly mistreated, just as the Scriptures predicted."

     Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Evil Spirit

     14At the foot of the mountain they found a great crowd surrounding the other disciples, as some teachers of

     religious law were arguing with them. 15The crowd watched Jesus in awe as he came toward them, and then

     they ran to greet him. 16"What is all this arguing about?" he asked.

     17One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, "Teacher, I brought my son for you to heal him. He can't

     speak because he is possessed by an evil spirit that won't let him talk. 18And whenever this evil spirit seizes

     him, it throws him violently to the ground and makes him foam at the mouth and grind his teeth and become

     rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn't do it."

     19Jesus said to them, "You faithless people! How long must I be with you until you believe? How long must I

     put up with you? Bring the boy to me." 20So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it

     threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

     21"How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father.

     He replied, "Since he was very small. 22The evil spirit often makes him fall into the fire or into water, trying to

     kill him. Have mercy on us and help us. Do something if you can."

     23"What do you mean, `If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes."

     24The father instantly replied, "I do believe, but help me not to doubt!"

     25When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. "Spirit of deafness

     and muteness," he said, "I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!" 26Then the

     spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy lay there motionless,

     and he appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd, "He's dead." 27But Jesus took him by the hand

     and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

     28Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, "Why couldn't we cast

     out that evil spirit?"

     29Jesus replied, "This kind can be cast out only by prayer."

     Jesus Again Predicts His Death

     30Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus tried to avoid all publicity 31in order to spend

     more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed. He

     will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead." 32But they didn't understand what he was

     saying, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.

     The Greatest in the Kingdom

     33After they arrived at Capernaum, Jesus and his disciples settled in the house where they would be staying.

     Jesus asked them, "What were you discussing out on the road?" 34But they didn't answer, because they had

     been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 35He sat down and called the twelve disciples over to

     him. Then he said, "Anyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be the servant of everyone

     else."

     36Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37"Anyone who

     welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes my

     Father who sent me."

     Using the Name of Jesus

     38John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop

     because he isn't one of our group."

     39"Don't stop him!" Jesus said. "No one who performs miracles in my name will soon be able to speak evil of

     me. 40Anyone who is not against us is for us. 41If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong

     to the Messiah, I assure you, that person will be rewarded.

     42"But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that

     person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck. 43If your hand causes you to

     sin, cut it off. It is better to enter heaven with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell

     with two hands. 45If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better to enter heaven with only one foot

     than to be thrown into hell with two feet. 47And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It is better to

     enter the Kingdom of God half blind than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48`where the worm never

     dies and the fire never goes out.'

     49"For everyone will be purified with fire. 50Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you

     make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other."

chapter 10

     Discussion about Divorce and Marriage

     1Then Jesus left Capernaum and went southward to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan

     River. As always there were the crowds, and as usual he taught them.

     2Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: "Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?"

     3"What did Moses say about divorce?" Jesus asked them.

     4"Well, he permitted it," they replied. "He said a man merely has to write his wife an official letter of divorce

     and send her away."

     5But Jesus responded, "He wrote those instructions only as a concession to your hard-hearted wickedness.

     6But God's plan was seen from the beginning of creation, for `He made them male and female.' 7`This explains

     why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, 8and the two are united into one.' Since

     they are no longer two but one, 9let no one separate them, for God has joined them together."

     10Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again. 11He told

     them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. 12And if a woman

     divorces her husband and remarries, she commits adultery."

     Jesus Blesses the Children

     13One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them, but the

     disciples told them not to bother him. 14But when Jesus saw what was happening, he was very displeased

     with his disciples. He said to them, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God

     belongs to such as these. 15I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the

     Kingdom of God." 16Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed

     them.

     The Rich Man

     17As he was starting out on a trip, a man came running up to Jesus, knelt down, and asked, "Good Teacher,

     what should I do to get eternal life?"

     18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked. "Only God is truly good. 19But as for your question, you know the

     commandments: `Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not testify falsely. Do not cheat.

     Honor your father and mother.' "

     20"Teacher," the man replied, "I've obeyed all these commandments since I was a child."

     21Jesus felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him. "You lack only one thing," he told him. "Go and sell

     all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

     22At this, the man's face fell, and he went sadly away because he had many possessions.

     23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for rich people to get into the Kingdom of

     God!" 24This amazed them. But Jesus said again, "Dear children, it is very hard to get into the Kingdom of

     God. 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom

     of God!"

     26The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked.

     27Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is

     possible with God."

     28Then Peter began to mention all that he and the other disciples had left behind. "We've given up everything

     to follow you," he said.

     29And Jesus replied, "I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or

     father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30will receive now in return, a hundred

     times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property--with persecutions. And in the world to

     come they will have eternal life. 31But many who seem to be important now will be the least important then,

     and those who are considered least here will be the greatest then."

     Jesus Again Predicts His Death

     32They were now on the way to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled

     with dread and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside,

     Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him in Jerusalem. 33"When we

     get to Jerusalem," he told them, "the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of

     religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. 34They will mock him, spit on

     him, beat him with their whips, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again."

     Jesus Teaches about Serving Others

     35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want

     you to do us a favor."

     36"What is it?" he asked.

     37"In your glorious Kingdom, we want to sit in places of honor next to you," they said, "one at your right and

     the other at your left."

     38But Jesus answered, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of

     sorrow I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized

     with?"

     39"Oh yes," they said, "we are able!"

     And Jesus said, "You will indeed drink from my cup and be baptized with my baptism, 40but I have no right to

     say who will sit on the thrones next to mine. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."

     41When the ten other disciples discovered what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 42So Jesus

     called them together and said, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the

     people beneath them. 43But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you

     must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. 45For even I, the Son of

     Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

     Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

     46And so they reached Jericho. Later, as Jesus and his disciples left town, a great crowd was following. A

     blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road as Jesus was going by. 47When

     Bartimaeus heard that Jesus from Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout out, "Jesus, Son of David, have

     mercy on me!"

     48"Be quiet!" some of the people yelled at him.

     But he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

     49When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, "Tell him to come here."

     So they called the blind man. "Cheer up," they said. "Come on, he's calling you!" 50Bartimaeus threw aside his

     coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

     51"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked.

     "Teacher," the blind man said, "I want to see!"

     52And Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your faith has healed you." And instantly the blind man could see!

     Then he followed Jesus down the road.

chapter 11

     The Triumphal Entry

     1As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, on the

     Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2"Go into that village over there," he told them, "and as

     soon as you enter it, you will see a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3If

     anyone asks what you are doing, just say, `The Lord needs it and will return it soon.' "

     4The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside a house. 5As they were untying

     it, some bystanders demanded, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6They said what Jesus had told them

     to say, and they were permitted to take it. 7Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments

     over it, and he sat on it.

     8Many in the crowd spread their coats on the road ahead of Jesus, and others cut leafy branches in the fields

     and spread them along the way. 9He was in the center of the procession, and the crowds all around him were

     shouting,

         "Praise God!

             Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

     10

         Bless the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!

             Praise God in highest heaven!"

         11So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. He looked around carefully at everything, and

     then he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he went out to Bethany with the twelve disciples.

     Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

     12The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus felt hungry. 13He noticed a fig tree a little way off

     that was in full leaf, so he went over to see if he could find any figs on it. But there were only leaves

     because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14Then Jesus said to the tree, "May no one ever eat your

     fruit again!" And the disciples heard him say it.

     Jesus Clears the Temple

     15When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and

     their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves,

     16and he stopped everyone from bringing in merchandise. 17He taught them, "The Scriptures declare, `My

     Temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."

     18When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning

     how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so enthusiastic about Jesus' teaching.

     19That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city.

     20The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it was withered from

     the roots. 21Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, "Look,

     Teacher! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"

     22Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. 23I assure you that you can say to this mountain,

     `May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that

     you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. 24Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you

     believe, you will have it. 25But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against,

     so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too."

     The Authority of Jesus Challenged

     27By this time they had arrived in Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the

     leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders came up to him. They demanded, 28"By

     whose authority did you drive out the merchants from the Temple? Who gave you such authority?"

     29"I'll tell who gave me authority to do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied. 30"Did John's

     baptism come from heaven or was it merely human? Answer me!"

     31They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe

     him. 32But do we dare say it was merely human?" For they were afraid that the people would start a riot,

     since everyone thought that John was a prophet. 33So they finally replied, "We don't know."

     And Jesus responded, "Then I won't answer your question either."

chapter 12

     Story of the Evil Farmers

     1Then Jesus began telling them stories: "A man planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for

     pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and

     moved to another country. 2At grape-picking time he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the

     crop. 3But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.

     4"The owner then sent another servant, but they beat him over the head and treated him shamefully. 5The

     next servant he sent was killed. Others who were sent were either beaten or killed, 6until there was only one

     left--his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, `Surely they will respect my son.'

     7"But the farmers said to one another, `Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate

     for ourselves!' 8So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard.

     9"What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?" Jesus asked. "I'll tell you--he will come and kill

     them all and lease the vineyard to others. 10Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures?

         `The stone rejected by the builders

             has now become the cornerstone.

     11

         This is the Lord's doing,

             and it is marvelous to see.' "

         12The Jewish leaders wanted to arrest him for using this illustration because they realized he was pointing

     at them--they were the wicked farmers in his story. But they were afraid to touch him because of the

     crowds. So they left him and went away.

     Taxes for Caesar

     13The leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to try to trap Jesus into saying something for

     which he could be arrested. 14"Teacher," these men said, "we know how honest you are. You are impartial

     and don't play favorites. You sincerely teach the ways of God. Now tell us--is it right to pay taxes to the

     Roman government or not? 15Should we pay them, or should we not?"

     Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, "Whom are you trying to fool with your trick questions? Show me

     a Roman coin, and I'll tell you." 16When they handed it to him, he asked, "Whose picture and title are

     stamped on it?"

     "Caesar's," they replied.

     17"Well, then," Jesus said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be

     given to God." This reply completely amazed them.

     Discussion about Resurrection

     18Then the Sadducees stepped forward--a group of Jews who say there is no resurrection after death. They

     posed this question: 19"Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his

     brother should marry the widow and have a child who will be the brother's heir. 20Well, there were seven

     brothers. The oldest of them married and then died without children. 21So the second brother married the

     widow, but soon he too died and left no children. Then the next brother married her and died without children.

     22This continued until all the brothers had married her and died, and still there were no children. Last of all,

     the woman died, too. 23So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to

     her."

     24Jesus replied, "Your problem is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God.

     25For when the dead rise, they won't be married. They will be like the angels in heaven. 26But now, as to

     whether the dead will be raised--haven't you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the

     burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, `I am the God of Abraham,

     the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' 27So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a

     serious error."

     The Most Important Commandment

     28One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus

     had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

     29Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: `Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and

     only Lord. 30And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your

     strength.' 31The second is equally important: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is

     greater than these."

     32The teacher of religious law replied, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is

     only one God and no other. 33And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my

     understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbors as myself. This is more important than to offer

     all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law."

     34Realizing this man's understanding, Jesus said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." And after

     that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

     Whose Son Is the Messiah?

     35Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, "Why do the teachers of religious law

     claim that the Messiah will be the son of David? 36For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the

     Holy Spirit, said,

         `The LORD said to my Lord,

         Sit in honor at my right hand

             until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.'

     37Since David himself called him Lord, how can he be his son at the same time?" And the crowd listened to

     him with great interest.

     38Here are some of the other things he taught them at this time: "Beware of these teachers of religious law!

     For they love to parade in flowing robes and to have everyone bow to them as they walk in the marketplaces.

     39And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and at banquets. 40But they shamelessly cheat

     widows out of their property, and then, to cover up the kind of people they really are, they make long prayers

     in public. Because of this, their punishment will be the greater."

     The Widows Offering

     41Jesus went over to the collection box in the Temple and sat and watched as the crowds dropped in their

     money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42Then a poor widow came and dropped in two pennies. 43He

     called his disciples to him and said, "I assure you, this poor widow has given more than all the others have

     given. 44For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has."

chapter 13

     Jesus Foretells the Future

     1As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, "Teacher, look at these tremendous

     buildings! Look at the massive stones in the walls!"

     2Jesus replied, "These magnificent buildings will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on

     top of another."

     3Later, Jesus sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John,

     and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4"When will all this take place? And will there be any sign

     ahead of time to show us when all this will be fulfilled?"

     5Jesus replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you, 6because many will come in my name, claiming to be the

     Messiah. They will lead many astray. 7And wars will break out near and far, but don't panic. Yes, these things

     must come, but the end won't follow immediately. 8Nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other,

     and there will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, and famines. But all this will be only the beginning of

     the horrors to come. 9But when these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the

     courts and beaten in the synagogues. You will be accused before governors and kings of being my followers.

     This will be your opportunity to tell them about me. 10And the Good News must first be preached to every

     nation. 11But when you are arrested and stand trial, don't worry about what to say in your defense. Just say

     what God tells you to. Then it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

     12"Brother will betray brother to death, fathers will betray their own children, and children will rise against

     their parents and cause them to be killed. 13And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me.

     But those who endure to the end will be saved.

     14"The time will come when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where it

     should not be"--reader, pay attention! "Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 15A person outside the

     house must not go back into the house to pack. 16A person in the field must not return even to get a coat.

     17How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for mothers nursing their babies in those days. 18And pray

     that your flight will not be in winter. 19For those will be days of greater horror than at any time since God

     created the world. And it will never happen again. 20In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity,

     the entire human race will be destroyed. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.

     21"And then if anyone tells you, `Look, here is the Messiah,' or, `There he is,' don't pay any attention. 22For

     false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform miraculous signs and wonders so as to deceive, if

     possible, even God's chosen ones. 23Watch out! I have warned you!

     24"At that time, after those horrible days end,

         the sun will be darkened,

             the moon will not give light,

     25

         the stars will fall from the sky,

             and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

     26Then everyone will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds with great power and glory. 27And he will send

     forth his angels to gather together his chosen ones from all over the world--from the farthest ends of the

     earth and heaven.

     28"Now, learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its buds become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you

     know without being told that summer is near. 29Just so, when you see the events I've described beginning to

     happen, you can be sure that his return is very near, right at the door. 30I assure you, this generation will

     not pass from the scene until all these events have taken place. 31Heaven and earth will disappear, but my

     words will remain forever.

     32"However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or

     the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 33And since you don't know when they will happen, stay alert and

     keep watch.

     34"The coming of the Son of Man can be compared with that of a man who left home to go on a trip. He gave

     each of his employees instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for

     his return. 35So keep a sharp lookout! For you do not know when the homeowner will return--at evening,

     midnight, early dawn, or late daybreak. 36Don't let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning.

     37What I say to you I say to everyone: Watch for his return!"

chapter 14

     Jesus Anointed at Bethany

     1It was now two days before the Passover celebration and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading

     priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and put

     him to death. 2"But not during the Passover," they agreed, "or there will be a riot."

     3Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had leprosy. During supper, a woman

     came in with a beautiful jar of expensive perfume. She broke the seal and poured the perfume over his head.

     4Some of those at the table were indignant. "Why was this expensive perfume wasted?" they asked. 5"She

     could have sold it for a small fortune and given the money to the poor!" And they scolded her harshly.

     6But Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me? 7You will always

     have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But I will not be here with you

     much longer. 8She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. 9I assure

     you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be talked about in her

     memory."

     Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

     10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to

     them. 11The leading priests were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised him a

     reward. So he began looking for the right time and place to betray Jesus.

     The Last Supper

     12On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread (the day the Passover lambs were sacrificed), Jesus'

     disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover supper?"

     13So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem to make the arrangements. "As you go into the city," he told

     them, "a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14At the house he enters, say to the

     owner, `The Teacher asks, Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?'

     15He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is the place; go ahead and prepare

     our supper there." 16So the two disciples went on ahead into the city and found everything just as Jesus had

     said, and they prepared the Passover supper there.

     17In the evening Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples. 18As they were sitting around the table eating,

     Jesus said, "The truth is, one of you will betray me, one of you who is here eating with me."

     19Greatly distressed, one by one they began to ask him, "I'm not the one, am I?"

     20He replied, "It is one of you twelve, one who is eating with me now. 21For I, the Son of Man, must die, as

     the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for my betrayer. Far better for him if he had never

     been born!"

     22As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked God's blessing on it. Then he broke it in pieces

     and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take it, for this is my body."

     23And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

     24And he said to them, "This is my blood, poured out for many, sealing the covenant between God and his

     people. 25I solemnly declare that I will not drink wine again until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom

     of God." 26Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

     Jesus Predicts Peters Denial

     27"All of you will desert me," Jesus told them. "For the Scriptures say,

         `God will strike the Shepherd,

             and the sheep will be scattered.'

     28But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there."

     29Peter said to him, "Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will."

     30"Peter," Jesus replied, "the truth is, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three

     times."

     31"No!" Peter insisted. "Not even if I have to die with you! I will never deny you!" And all the others vowed

     the same.

     Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

     32And they came to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, "Sit here while I go and pray." 33He

     took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be filled with horror and deep distress. 34He told

     them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me."

     35He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful

     hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36"Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Please take

     this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine."

     37Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. "Simon!" he said to Peter. "Are you asleep? Couldn't you

     stay awake and watch with me even one hour? 38Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower

     you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak."

     39Then Jesus left them again and prayed, repeating his pleadings. 40Again he returned to them and found

     them sleeping, for they just couldn't keep their eyes open. And they didn't know what to say.

     41When he returned to them the third time, he said, "Still sleeping? Still resting? Enough! The time has come.

     I, the Son of Man, am betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Up, let's be going. See, my betrayer is here!"

     Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested

     43And immediately, as he said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a mob that was armed

     with swords and clubs. They had been sent out by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the

     other leaders. 44Judas had given them a prearranged signal: "You will know which one to arrest when I go

     over and give him the kiss of greeting. Then you can take him away under guard."

     45As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. "Teacher!" he exclaimed, and gave him the kiss. 46Then

     the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47But someone pulled out a sword and slashed off an ear of the

     high priest's servant.

     48Jesus asked them, "Am I some dangerous criminal, that you come armed with swords and clubs to arrest

     me? 49Why didn't you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. But these things are

     happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me."

     50Meanwhile, all his disciples deserted him and ran away. 51There was a young man following along behind,

     clothed only in a linen nightshirt. When the mob tried to grab him, 52they tore off his clothes, but he escaped

     and ran away naked.

     Jesus before the Council

     53Jesus was led to the high priest's home where the leading priests, other leaders, and teachers of religious

     law had gathered. 54Meanwhile, Peter followed far behind and then slipped inside the gates of the high

     priest's courtyard. For a while he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.

     55Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find witnesses who would testify

     against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But their efforts were in vain. 56Many false witnesses spoke

     against him, but they contradicted each other. 57Finally, some men stood up to testify against him with this

     lie: 58"We heard him say, `I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build

     another, made without human hands.' " 59But even then they didn't get their stories straight!

     60Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, "Well, aren't you going to answer these

     charges? What do you have to say for yourself?" 61Jesus made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, "Are

     you the Messiah, the Son of the blessed God?"

     62Jesus said, "I am, and you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God's right hand in the place of power

     and coming back on the clouds of heaven."

     63Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, "Why do we need other witnesses?

     64You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?" And they all condemned him to death.

     65Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and hit his face with their fists. "Who hit

     you that time, you prophet?" they jeered. And even the guards were hitting him as they led him away.

     Peter Denies Jesus

     66Meanwhile, Peter was below in the courtyard. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest

     67noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and then said, "You were one of those

     with Jesus, the Nazarene."

     68Peter denied it. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just

     then, a rooster crowed.

     69The servant girl saw him standing there and began telling the others, "That man is definitely one of them!"

     70Peter denied it again.

     A little later some other bystanders began saying to Peter, "You must be one of them because you are from

     Galilee."

     71Peter said, "I swear by God, I don't know this man you're talking about." 72And immediately the rooster

     crowed the second time. Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows

     twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and cried.

chapter 15

     Jesus Trial before Pilate

     1Very early in the morning the leading priests, other leaders, and teachers of religious law--the entire high

     council--met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

     2Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?"

     Jesus replied, "Yes, it is as you say."

     3Then the leading priests accused him of many crimes, 4and Pilate asked him, "Aren't you going to say

     something? What about all these charges against you?" 5But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate's surprise.

     6Now it was the governor's custom to release one prisoner each year at Passover time--anyone the people

     requested. 7One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, convicted along with others for murder during an

     insurrection. 8The mob began to crowd in toward Pilate, asking him to release a prisoner as usual. 9"Should I

     give you the King of the Jews?" Pilate asked. 10(For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested

     Jesus out of envy.) 11But at this point the leading priests stirred up the mob to demand the release of

     Barabbas instead of Jesus. 12"But if I release Barabbas," Pilate asked them, "what should I do with this man

     you call the King of the Jews?"

     13They shouted back, "Crucify him!"

     14"Why?" Pilate demanded. "What crime has he committed?"

     But the crowd only roared the louder, "Crucify him!"

     15So Pilate, anxious to please the crowd, released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a

     lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him.

     The Soldiers Mock Jesus

     16The soldiers took him into their headquarters and called out the entire battalion. 17They dressed him in a

     purple robe and made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on his head. 18Then they saluted, yelling,

     "Hail! King of the Jews!" 19And they beat him on the head with a stick, spit on him, and dropped to their

     knees in mock worship. 20When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put

     his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

     The Crucifixion

     21A man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the country just then, and they forced him

     to carry Jesus' cross. (Simon is the father of Alexander and Rufus.) 22And they brought Jesus to a place

     called Golgotha (which means Skull Hill). 23They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it.

     24Then they nailed him to the cross. They gambled for his clothes, throwing dice to decide who would get

     them.

     25It was nine o'clock in the morning when the crucifixion took place. 26A signboard was fastened to the cross

     above Jesus' head, announcing the charge against him. It read: "The King of the Jews." 27Two criminals were

     crucified with him, their crosses on either side of his. 29And the people passing by shouted abuse, shaking

     their heads in mockery. "Ha! Look at you now!" they yelled at him. "You can destroy the Temple and rebuild it

     in three days, can you? 30Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!"

     31The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. "He saved others," they scoffed, "but

     he can't save himself! 32Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and

     believe him!" Even the two criminals who were being crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.

     The Death of Jesus

     33At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. 34Then, at that time Jesus called out with

     a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

     35Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 36One of them

     ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a stick so he could drink. "Leave him alone.

     Let's see whether Elijah will come and take him down!" he said.

     37Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38And the curtain in the Temple was torn in

     two, from top to bottom. 39When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he

     exclaimed, "Truly, this was the Son of God!"

     40Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James

     the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. 41They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he

     was in Galilee. Then they and many other women had come with him to Jerusalem.

     The Burial of Jesus

     42This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached,

     43an honored member of the high council, Joseph from Arimathea (who was waiting for the Kingdom of God to

     come), gathered his courage and went to Pilate to ask for Jesus' body. 44Pilate couldn't believe that Jesus

     was already dead, so he called for the Roman military officer in charge and asked him. 45The officer confirmed

     the fact, and Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. 46Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth, and

     taking Jesus' body down from the cross, he wrapped it in the cloth and laid it in a tomb that had been carved

     out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. 47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of

     Joseph saw where Jesus' body was laid.

chapter 16

     The Resurrection

     1The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene and Salome and Mary the mother of James

     went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus' body. 2Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise,

     they came to the tomb. 3On the way they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance

     to the tomb. 4But when they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone--a very large one--had already

     been rolled aside. 5So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white

     robe. The women were startled, 6but the angel said, "Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the

     Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid

     his body. 7Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to

     Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died!" 8The women fled from the tomb, trembling

     and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to talk.

     [Shorter Ending of Mark]

         Then they reported all these instructions briefly to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent

     them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen.

     [Longer Ending of Mark]

         9It was early on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead, and the first person who saw him was

     Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10She went and found the disciples,

     who were grieving and weeping. 11But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they

     didn't believe her.

     12Afterward he appeared to two who were walking from Jerusalem into the country, but they didn't recognize

     him at first because he had changed his appearance. 13When they realized who he was, they rushed back to

     tell the others, but no one believed them.

     14Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their

     unbelief--their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

     15And then he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere.

     16Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.

     17These signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak

     new languages. 18They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it

     won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them."

     19When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the

     place of honor at God's right hand. 20And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked

     with them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.