37
1On the nextday, when they camedown from the mountain, a largecrowdmet Him.
38
And a man from the crowdshouted, saying, "Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only boy,
39
and a spiritseizes him, and he suddenlyscreams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves.
40
"I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not."
41
And Jesusanswered and said, "You unbelieving and pervertedgeneration, howlong* shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your sonhere."
42
While he was stillapproaching, the demonslammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesusrebuked the uncleanspirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.
43
And they were allamazed at the 2greatness of God. 3But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples,
44
"Let thesewordssink into your ears; 4for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men."
45
But 5they did not understandthisstatement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him aboutthisstatement.
The Test of Greatness
466An argumentstartedamong them as to which of them might be the greatest.
47
But Jesus, 7knowingwhat they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side,
48
and said to them, "8Whoever*receivesthischild in My namereceives Me, and whoever*receives Me receives Him who sent Me; 9for the one who is leastamongall of you, this is the one who is great."
49
10Johnanswered and said, "11Master, we sawsomeonecasting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us."
50
But Jesussaid to him, "Do not hinder him; 12for he who is not against you is for you."
51
When the days were approaching for 13His ascension, He was determined14to go to Jerusalem;
52
and He sentmessengers on ahead* of Him, and they went and entered a village of the 15Samaritans to makearrangements for Him.
53
But they did not receive Him, 16because He was travelingtowardJerusalem.
54
When His disciples17James and Johnsaw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to 18commandfire to comedown from heaven and consume them?"
55
But He turned and rebuked them, [and said, "You do not knowwhatkind of spirit you are of;
56
for the Son of Man did not come to destroymen'slives, but to save them."] And they went on to anothervillage.
Exacting Discipleship
5719As they were goingalong the road, 20someonesaid to Him, "I will follow You wherever* You go."
58
And Jesussaid to him, "The foxeshaveholes and the birds of the air have nests, but 21the Son of Manhasnowhere* to lay His head."
59
And He said to another, "22Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."
60
But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their owndead; but as for you, go and 23proclaimeverywhere the kingdom of God."
61
Anotheralsosaid, "I will follow You, Lord; but 24firstpermit me to saygood-bye to those at home."
62
But Jesussaid to him, "25Noone, after putting his hand to the plow and lookingback, is fit for the kingdom of God."