Mark 9:33-48

33 They came to Capernaum, and after going indoors Jesus asked his disciples, "What were you arguing about on the road?"
34 But they would not answer him, because on the road they had been arguing among themselves about who was the greatest. 1
35 Jesus sat down, called the twelve disciples, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must place himself last of all and be the servant of all." 2
36 Then he took a child and had him stand in front of them. He put his arms around him and said to them,
37 "Whoever welcomes in my name one of these children, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not only me but also the one who sent me." 3
38 John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man who was driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he doesn't belong to our group."
39 "Do not try to stop him," Jesus told them, "because no one who performs a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say evil things about me.
40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 4
41 I assure you that anyone who gives you a drink of water because you belong to me will certainly receive a reward. 5
42 "If anyone should cause one of these little ones to lose faith in me, it would be better for that person to have a large millstone tied around the neck and be thrown into the sea.
43 So if your hand makes you lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life without a hand than to keep both hands and go off to hell, to the fire that never goes out. 6
45 And if your foot makes you lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life without a foot than to keep both feet and be thrown into hell.
47 And if your eye makes you lose your faith, take it out! It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to keep both eyes and be thrown into hell. 7
48 There "the worms that eat them never die, and the fire that burns them is never put out.' 8

Cross References 8

  • 1. 9.34Luke 22.24.
  • 2. 9.35Matthew 20.26, 27; 23.11;Mark 10.43, 44;Luke 22.26.
  • 3. 9.37Matthew 10.40;Luke 10.16;John 13.20.
  • 4. 9.40Matthew 12.30;Luke 11.23.
  • 5. 9.41Matthew 10.42.
  • 6. 9.43Matthew 5.30.
  • 7. 9.47Matthew 5.29.
  • 8. 9.48Isaiah 66.24.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. [Some manuscripts add verse 44:] There "the worms that eat them never die, and the fire that burns them is never put out' [(see verse 48).]
  • [b]. [Some manuscripts add verse 46:] There "the worms that eat them never die, and the fire that burns them is never put out' [(see verse 48).]
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.