Mark 9

And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

1Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth. Some people standing here will not die yet. First they will see God's kingdom come with power. God's kingdom means God ruling as king."

2And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

2Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him. He led them up a high mountain, away from everyone. There his whole look changed in front of them.

3And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

3His clothes turned bright and shining white, whiter than snow. No one on earth could wash clothes that white.

4And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

4Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them. The two men were talking with Jesus.

Note"Elias" is the old English spelling of the name Elijah. He was a prophet, someone who told people what God said.

5And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

5Peter said to Jesus, "Teacher, it is good for us to be here. Let us build three shelters. One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

6For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

6Peter did not know what to say. All of them were very afraid.

7And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

7Then a cloud came and covered them. A voice came out of the cloud. It said, "This is my Son, and I love him. Listen to him."

8And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

8They looked all around them. Suddenly they saw no one else. Only Jesus was there with them.

9And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

9They walked back down the mountain. Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they had seen. They could tell it after the Son of Man rose from the dead. "Son of Man" was the name Jesus used for himself.

10And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

10So they kept it to themselves. But they asked each other what "rising from the dead" meant.

11And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?

11They asked Jesus, "Why do the scribes say Elijah must come first?" Scribes were teachers who knew God's law well.

12And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

12Jesus answered, "Yes, Elijah comes first and puts everything right. But God's book also says the Son of Man must suffer much. It says people will treat him as worth nothing."

13But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

13"But I tell you, Elijah has already come. People did whatever they wanted to him. That is just what God's book said would happen."

14And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.

14Jesus came back to his other disciples. His disciples were the friends who followed him and learned from him. A big crowd stood around them, and scribes were arguing with them.

15And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.

15As soon as the people saw Jesus, they were filled with wonder. They ran over to greet him.

16And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?

16Jesus asked the scribes, "What are you arguing about with them?"

17And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

17A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought my son to you. An evil spirit is in him, and it keeps him from talking."

NoteIn old English, "dumb" means not able to speak. It does not mean silly.

18And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

18"When the spirit grabs him, it throws him down. He foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth. Then he goes stiff. I asked your disciples to send the spirit out. They could not do it."

19He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

19Jesus answered, "You people will not believe! How long must I stay with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

20And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

20So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it shook the boy hard. He fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

21Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has this been happening to him?" The father said, "Since he was a little child."

22And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

22"Many times it has thrown him into fire or into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, please feel sorry for us. Please help us."

23Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

23Jesus said to him, "You say, 'If you can'? Everything is possible for the person who believes."

24And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

24Right away the boy's father cried out. With tears he said, "Lord, I believe. Help me where I still do not believe!"

25When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

25Jesus saw the crowd running toward them. He spoke firmly to the evil spirit. He said, "You spirit that stops him from hearing and talking, I command you. Come out of him and never go into him again."

26And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

26The spirit screamed and shook the boy hard. Then it came out of him. The boy lay still, like someone dead. Many people said, "He is dead."

27But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up. The boy stood up.

28And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

28Later Jesus went into a house. His disciples asked him quietly, "Why could we not send that spirit out?"

29And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

29Jesus said to them, "This kind only comes out by praying and fasting. Fasting means going without food for a time."

30And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.

30They left that place and traveled through the area called Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know he was there.

31For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

31He was busy teaching his disciples. He told them, "The Son of Man will be handed over to men. They will kill him. Three days after he is killed, he will rise again."

32But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

32But they did not understand what he said. And they were afraid to ask him about it.

33And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

33They came to the town of Capernaum. Inside the house Jesus asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?"

34But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

34They stayed quiet. On the road they had argued about which of them was the greatest.

35And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

35Jesus sat down and called his twelve closest followers. He said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all. He must be the servant of everyone."

36And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

36Then he took a child and stood him in front of them all. He held the child in his arms and said to them,

37Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

37"If you welcome a child like this because of me, you welcome me. And if you welcome me, you welcome the One who sent me too."

38And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

38John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man sending out evil spirits using your name. He does not go around with us, so we told him to stop."

39But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

39But Jesus said, "Do not stop him. No one who does a wonder in my name will then say bad things about me."

40For he that is not against us is on our part.

40"Anyone who is not against us is on our side."

41For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

41"Someone may give you even a cup of water because you belong to Christ. Christ means God's chosen King. I tell you the truth, that person will get his reward."

42And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

42"Some people who believe in me seem small and weak. If anyone makes one of them sin, it is very bad for him. It would be better to have a millstone tied around his neck. It would be better to be thrown into the sea."

NoteA millstone is a huge round stone used to crush grain into flour. It is far too heavy for a person to lift.

43And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

43"If your hand makes you sin, cut it off. It is better to enter life with only one hand. That is better than keeping both hands and going to hell, into the fire that never goes out."

NoteIn old English here, "offend" means to make you sin. It does not mean to hurt your feelings.

44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

44"In that place their worm does not die, and the fire is never put out."

ManuscriptsMost modern translations leave this verse out. It is in the Greek text the King James translators worked from, but not in the older manuscripts found since, so scholars generally take it as a copyist’s addition rather than part of the original.

45And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

45"If your foot makes you sin, cut it off. It is better to enter life with only one foot. That is better than keeping both feet and being thrown into hell, into the fire that never goes out."

46Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

46"In that place their worm does not die, and the fire is never put out."

ManuscriptsMost modern translations leave this verse out. It is in the Greek text the King James translators worked from, but not in the older manuscripts found since, so scholars generally take it as a copyist’s addition rather than part of the original.

47And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

47"If your eye makes you sin, pull it out. It is better to enter God's kingdom with one eye. That is better than keeping both eyes and being thrown into the fire of hell."

48Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

48"In that place their worm does not die, and the fire is never put out."

49For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

49"Everyone will be salted with fire. And every gift offered to God will be salted with salt."

50Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

50"Salt is good. But if salt loses its salty taste, how can you make it salty again? Keep salt inside yourselves. And live in peace with each other."