Mark 9:38-50

Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us

38 ¹John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone ²casting out demons in your name,^[a] and ³we tried to stop him, because he was not following us."

39 But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.

40 ⁴For the one who is not against us is for us.

41 For truly, I say to you, ⁵whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

Temptations to Sin

42 ⁶"Whoever causes one of ⁷these little ones who believe in me to sin,^[b]8it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

43 ⁹And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to ¹⁰hell,^[c] to ¹¹the unquenchable fire.^[d]

45 ¹²And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into ¹³hell.

47 ¹⁴And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into ¹⁵hell,

48 'where ¹⁶their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'

49 For everyone will be salted with fire.^[e]

50 ¹⁷Salt is good, ¹⁸but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? ¹⁹Have salt in yourselves, and ²⁰be at peace with one another."

Cross References

• 1. For ver. 38-40, see Luke 9:49, 50
• 2. Mark 16:17; Matthew 7:22; Luke 10:17; Acts 19:13; [Matthew 12:27]
• 3. [Numbers 11:28]
• 4. [Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23]
• 5. See Matthew 10:42
• 6. Matthew 18:6; Luke 17:2; [1 Corinthians 8:12]
• 7. [Zechariah 13:7]
• 8. [Mark 14:21]
• 9. Matthew 5:30; Matthew 18:8
• 10. See Matthew 5:22, 29
• 11. ver. 48; Matthew 3:12; See Matthew 25:41
• 12. Matthew 18:8
• 13. [See ver. 43 above]
• 14. Matthew 5:29; Matthew 18:9
• 15. See Matthew 5:22, 29
• 16. Isaiah 66:24
• 17. Luke 14:34
• 18. Matthew 5:13
• 19. Ezekiel 43:24; Colossians 4:6; [Ephesians 4:29]
• 20. Romans 12:18; 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:13; [ver. 34]; See Romans 14:19

Footnotes

• [a]. Some manuscripts add who does not follow us
• [b]. Greek to stumble; also verses 43, 45, 47
• [c]. Greek Gehenna; also verse 47
• [d]. Some manuscripts add verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48)
• [e]. Some manuscripts add and every sacrifice will be salted with salt