Jesus predicts his death
30 From there Jesus and his followers went through Galilee, but he didn't want anyone to know it.
31
This was because he was teaching his disciples, "
The Human One will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him. Three days after he is killed he will rise up."
32
But they didn't understand this kind of talk, and they were afraid to ask him.
33
They entered Capernaum. When they had come into a house, he asked them, "
What were you arguing about during the journey?"
34
They didn't respond, since on the way they had been debating with each other about who was the greatest.
35
He sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, "
Whoever wants to be first must be least of all and the servant of all."
36
Jesus reached for a little child, placed him among the Twelve, and embraced him. Then he said,
37
"
Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me isn't actually welcoming me but rather the one who sent me."
Recognize your allies
38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn't following us.”
39
Jesus replied, “
Don't stop him. No one who does powerful acts in my name can quickly turn around and curse me.
40
Whoever isn't against us is for us.
41
I assure you that whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly be rewarded.
42
"
As for whoever causes these little ones who believe in me to trip and fall into sin, it would be better for them to have a huge stone hung around their necks and to be thrown into the lake.
43
If your hand causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It's better for you to enter into life crippled than to go away with two hands into the fire of hell, which can't be put out.
45
If your foot causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It's better for you to enter life lame than to be thrown into hell with two feet.
47
If your eye causes you to fall into sin, tear it out. It's better for you to enter God's kingdom with one eye than to be thrown into hell with two.
48
That's a place where worms don't die and the fire never goes out.