Mark 9

1 And he said to them, Verily I say unto you, There are some of those standing here that shall not taste death until they shall have seen the kingdom of God come in power.

2 And after six days Jesus takes with [him] Peter and James and John, and takes them up on a high mountain by themselves apart. And he was transfigured before them:

3 and his garments became shining, exceeding white [as snow], such as fuller on earth could not whiten [them].

4 And there appeared to them Elias with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

5 And Peter answering says to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good that we should be here; and let us make three tabernacles, for thee one, and for Moses one, and for Elias one.

6 For he knew not what he should say, for they were filled with fear.

7 And there came a cloud overshadowing them, and there came a voice out of the cloud, *This* is my beloved Son: hear him.

8 And suddenly having looked around, they no longer saw any one, but Jesus alone with themselves.

9 And as they descended from the mountain, he charged them that they should relate to no one what they had seen, unless when the Son of man should be risen from among [the] dead.

10 And they kept that saying, questioning among themselves, what rising from among [the] dead was.

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

12 And he answering said to them, Elias indeed, having first come, restores all things; and how is it written of the Son of man that he must suffer much, and be set at nought:

13 but I say unto you that Elias also is come, and they have done to him whatever they would, as it is written of him.

14 And when he came to the disciples he saw a great crowd around them, and scribes disputing against them.

15 And immediately all the crowd seeing him were amazed, and running to [him], saluted him.

16 And he asked them, What do ye question with them about?

17 And one out of the crowd answered him, Teacher, I brought to thee my son, who has a dumb spirit;

18 and wheresoever it seizes him it tears him, and he foams and gnashes his teeth, and he is withering away. And I spoke to thy disciples, that they might cast him out, and they could not.

19 But he answering them says, O unbelieving generation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him to me.

20 And they brought him to him. And seeing him the spirit immediately tore him; and falling upon the earth he rolled foaming.

21 And he asked his father, How long a time is it that it has been like this with him? And he said, From childhood;

22 and often it has cast him both into fire and into waters that it might destroy him: but if thou couldst [do] anything, be moved with pity on us, and help us.

23 And Jesus said to him, The 'if thou couldst' is [if thou couldst] believe: all things are possible to him that believes.

24 And immediately the father of the young child crying out said [with tears], I believe, help mine unbelief.

25 But Jesus, seeing that [the] crowd was running up together, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, *I* command thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

26 And having cried out and torn [him] much, he came out; and he became as if dead, so that the most said, He is dead.

27 But Jesus, having taken hold of him by the hand, lifted him up, and he arose.

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

29 And he said to them, This kind can go out by nothing but by prayer and fasting.

30 And going forth from thence they went through Galilee; and he would not that any one knew it;

31 for he taught his disciples and said to them, The Son of man is delivered into men's hands, and they shall kill him; and having been killed, after three days he shall rise again.

32 But they understood not the saying, and feared to ask him.

33 And he came to Capernaum, and being in the house, he asked them, Of what were ye reasoning by the way?

34 And they remained silent, for by the way they had been reasoning with one another who [was] greatest.

35 And sitting down he called the twelve; and he says to them, If any one would be first, he shall be last of all, and minister of all.

36 And taking a little child he set it in their midst, and having taken it in his arms he said to them,

37 Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receives me; and whosoever shall receive me, does not receive me, but him who sent me.

38 And John answered him saying, Teacher, we saw some one casting out demons in thy name, who does not follow us, and we forbad him, because he does not follow us.

39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not; for there is no one who shall do a miracle in my name, and be able soon [after] to speak ill of me;

40 for he who is not against us is for us.

41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in [my] name, because ye are Christ's, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

42 And whosoever shall be a snare to one of the little ones who believe [in me], it were better for him if a millstone were hung about his neck, and he cast into the sea.

43 And if thy hand serve as a snare to thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having thy two hands to go away into hell, into the fire unquenchable;

44 [where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched].

45 And if thy foot serve as a snare to thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life lame, than having thy two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire unquenchable;

46 [where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched].

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

48 where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.

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

50 Salt [is] good, but if the salt is become saltless, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.

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Images for Mark 9

Mark 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

The transfiguration. (1-13) An evil spirit cast out. (14-29) The apostles reproved. (30-40) Pain to be preferred to sin. (41-50)

Verses 1-13 Here is a prediction of the near approach Christ's kingdom. A glimpse of that kingdom was given in the transfiguration of Christ. It is good to be away from the world, and alone with Christ: and how good to be with Christ glorified in heaven with all the saints! But when it is well with us, we are apt not to care for others, and in the fulness of our enjoyments, we forget the many wants of our brethren. God owns Jesus, and accepts him as his beloved Son, and is ready to accept us in him. Therefore we must own and accept him as our beloved Saviour, and must give up ourselves to be ruled by him. Christ does not leave the soul, when joys and comforts leave it. Jesus explained to the disciples the prophecy about Elias. This was very suitable to the ill usage of John Baptist.

Verses 14-29 The father of the suffering youth reflected on the want of power in the disciples; but Christ will have him reckon the disappointment to the want of faith. Very much is promised to our believing. If thou canst believe, it is possible that thy hard heart may be softened, thy spiritual diseases may be cured; and, weak as thou art, thou mayest be able to hold out to the end. Those that complain of unbelief, must look up to Christ for grace to help them against it, and his grace will be sufficient for them. Whom Christ cures, he cures effectually. But Satan is unwilling to be driven from those that have been long his slaves, and, when he cannot deceive or destroy the sinner, he will cause him all the terror that he can. The disciples must not think to do their work always with the same ease; some services call for more than ordinary pains.

Verses 30-40 The time of Christ's suffering drew nigh. Had he been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had done this, it had not been so strange; but that men should thus shamefully treat the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is wonderful. Still observe that when Christ spake of his death, he always spake of his resurrection, which took the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken the grief of it from his disciples. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to inquire. Alas! that while the Saviour teaches so plainly the things which belong to his love and grace, men are so blinded that they understand not his sayings. We shall be called to account about our discourses, and to account for our disputes, especially about being greater than others. Those who are most humble and self-denying, most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly owned by him. This Jesus taught them by a sign; whoever shall receive one like this child, receives me. Many have been like the disciples, ready to silence men who have success in preaching to sinners repentance in Christ's name, because they follow not with them. Our Lord blamed the apostles, reminding them that he who wrought miracles in his name would not be likely to hurt his cause. If sinners are brought to repent, to believe in the Saviour, and to live sober, righteous, and godly lives, we then see that the Lord works by the preacher.

Verses 41-50 It is repeatedly said of the wicked, Their worm dieth not, as well as, The fire is never quenched. Doubtless, remorse of conscience and keen self-reflection are this never-dying worm. Surely it is beyond compare better to undergo all possible pain, hardship, and self-denial here, and to be happy for ever hereafter, than to enjoy all kinds of worldly pleasure for a season, and to be miserable for ever. Like the sacrifices, we must be salted with salt; our corrupt affections must be subdued and mortified by the Holy Spirit. Those that have the salt of grace, must show they have a living principle of grace in their hearts, which works out corrupt dispositions in the soul that would offend God, or our own consciences.