CHAPTER 9
Then
Jesus called
the
Twelve together
and gave
them
power
and
authority
over
all
demons,
and
power to cure
diseases.
“Take
nothing
for
the
journey,”
He told
them,
“no
staff,
no
bag,
no
bread,
no
money,
no
second
tunic.
If anyone
does not welcome
you,
shake
the
dust
off
your
feet
when you leave
that
town,
as
a testimony
against
them.”
So
they set out
and went
from
village to village,
preaching the gospel
and
healing people
everywhere.
When
Herod
the
Tetrarch
heard about
all
that
was happening,
he was perplexed.
For
some
were saying
that
John
had risen
from
the dead,
“I
beheaded
John,”
Herod
said,
“but
who
is
this man
I hear
such things
about?”
And
he kept trying
to see
Jesus.
Then
the
apostles
returned
and reported
to Jesus
all that
they had done.
Taking
them away
privately,
He withdrew
to
a town
called
Bethsaida.
But
the
crowds
found out
and followed
Him.
He welcomed
them
and spoke
to them
about
the
kingdom
of God,
and
He healed
those who
needed
healing.
As
the
day
neared its end,
the
Twelve
came
to Jesus
and said,
“Dismiss
the
crowd
so
they can go
to
the
surrounding
villages
and
countryside
for lodging
and
provisions.
For
we are
in
a desolate
place
here."
But
Jesus told
them,
“You
give
them
something to eat.”
“We have only
five
loaves of bread
and
two
fish,”
they answered,
“unless
we
go
and buy
food
for
all
these
people.”
(
There were
about
five thousand
men.)
He told
His
disciples,
“Have them sit down
in
groups
of about
fifty each.”
Taking
the
five
loaves
and
the
two
fish
and looking up
to
heaven,
Jesus spoke a blessing
and
broke
them.
Then
He gave them
to the
disciples
to set before
the
people.
They all ate
and
were satisfied,
and
the disciples
picked up
twelve
basketfuls
of broken pieces
that were left over.
One day
as
Jesus
was
praying
in
private
and the
disciples
were with
Him,
He questioned
them:
“Who
do the
people
say
I
am?"
“Some say John
the
Baptist,”
they answered,
“others say
Elijah,
and still
others
that
a prophet
of
old
has arisen.”
“The
Son
of Man
must
suffer
many things,”
He said.
“He must be rejected
by
the
elders,
chief priests,
and
scribes,
and
He must be killed
and
on the
third
day
be raised to life.”
Then
Jesus said
to
all of them,
“If
anyone
would
come
after
Me,
he must deny
himself
and
take up
his
cross
daily
and
follow
Me.
For
whoever
wants
to save
his
life
will lose
it,
but
whoever
loses
his
life
for My sake
will save
it.
If anyone
is ashamed of
Me
and
My
words,
the
Son
of Man
will be ashamed of
him
when
He comes
in
His
glory
and
in the glory of the
Father
and
of the
holy
angels.
But
I tell
you
truthfully,
some
who
are
standing
here
will not taste
death
until
they see
the
kingdom
of God.”
About
eight
days
after
Jesus had said
these things,
He took
Peter,
John,
and
James,
and went up
on
a mountain
to pray.
And
as
He
was praying,
the
appearance
of
His
face
changed,
and
His
clothes
became radiantly
white.
They
appeared
in
glory
and spoke about
His
departure,
which
He was about
to accomplish
at
Jerusalem.
Meanwhile
Peter
and
his companions
were
overcome
by sleep,
but
when they awoke,
they saw
Jesus’
glory
and
the
two
men
standing with
Him.
As
Moses and Elijah
were leaving,
Peter
said
to
Jesus,
“Master,
it is
good
for us
to be
here.
Let us put up
three
shelters:
one
for You,
one
for Moses,
and
one
for Elijah."
(
He did not know
what
he was saying.)
While
Peter
was speaking,
a cloud
appeared
and
enveloped
them,
and
they were afraid
as
they
entered
the
cloud.
After
the
voice
had spoken,
only
Jesus
was present with them.
The disciples
kept this to themselves,
and
in
those
days
they did not tell anyone
what
they had seen.
Suddenly
a man
in
the
crowd
cried out,
“Teacher,
I beg
You
to look
at
my
son,
for
he is
my
only child.
A spirit
keeps seizing
him,
and
he screams
abruptly.
It throws him into convulsions
so that
he foams at the mouth.
It keeps mauling
him
and rarely
departs
from
him.
“O
unbelieving
and
perverse
generation,”
Jesus
replied,
“How long
must I remain
with
you
and
put up with
you?
Bring
your
son
here.”
Even
while
the boy
was approaching,
the
demon
slammed him to the ground
in a convulsion.
But
Jesus
rebuked
the
unclean
spirit,
healed
the
boy,
and
gave him back
to
his
father.
And
they were all astonished
at
the
greatness
of God.
While
everyone
was marveling
at
all
that
Jesus was doing,
He said
to
His
disciples,
“Let
these
words
sink
into
your
ears:
The
Son
of Man
is about
to be delivered
into
the hands
of men.”
But
they did not understand
this
statement.
It was
veiled
from
them
so that
they could not comprehend
it,
and
they were afraid
to ask
Him
about
it.
And
He said
to them,
“Whoever
welcomes
this
little child
in
My
name
welcomes
Me,
and
whoever
welcomes
Me
welcomes
the One who
sent
Me.
For
whoever
is
the least
among
all
of you,
he
is
the greatest."
“Master,”
said
John,
“we saw
someone
driving out
demons
in
Your
name,
and
we tried to stop
him,
because
he does not accompany
us.”
He sent
messengers
on ahead,
who
went
into
a village
of the Samaritans
to
make arrangements
for Him.
When
the
disciples
James
and
John
saw this,
they asked,
“Lord,
do You want
us to call
down
fire
from
heaven
to consume
them?”
Jesus
replied,
“Foxes
have
dens
and
birds
of the
air
have nests,
but
the
Son
of Man
has
no place
to lay
His
head.”
Then
He said
to
another man,
“Follow
Me.”
“Lord,”
the man replied,
“first
let
me
go
and bury
my
father.”
But
Jesus told
him,
“Let
the
dead
bury
their own
dead.
You,
however,
go
and proclaim
the
kingdom
of God.”
Then
Jesus
declared,
“No one
who puts
his
hand
to
the plow
and then
looks
back
is
fit
for the
kingdom
of God.”