OVERVIEW and COMMENTARY

for the Book of MARK

There remains a level of uncertainty as to who the actual writer of

this book was. While bearing the name of Mark, it is believed to
have been written by a certain John Mark, a close associate, and
an interpreter to the apostle Peter. This viewpoint is supported by
the fact that a great deal of internal detail is relates to the first-
hand knowledge about Jesus that Peter had as an apostle. The
book of Mark is believed to have been written between 50 and 66
C.E. for a gentile audience around the same time Matthew was
writing for a Jewish audience.

THE GOSPEL of MARK (Part 1.)

READING for this Week excerpted from MTFV R & S Edition

CONTENTS &TOPICAL INDEX

The GOSPEL of MARK pp. 01-14

This week’s Reading covers Mark 1:1 – 10: 52

Topics Covered in this Reading.

The Mission of John The Baptizer

p.3
GOD Validates his Messiah
p.3
The Temptation of Jesus and His Rebuttal
p.3
The First Disciples
p.4
Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit
p.4
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 Jesus Heals at Peter’s House p.4
Jesus Prays, Then Sets Off to Preach
p.5
A Leper Pleads with Jesus p.5
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man p.6
Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew). P.6
A Question About Fasting p.7
Patches and Wineskins p.7
Lord of the Sabbath p.7
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath p.8
Jesus Heals Multitudes p.8
Jesus Appoints Twelve Apostles p.9
A House Divided. p.9
The Unforgivable Sin
p.10
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
p.10
Kingdom Parable of a Farmer and His Sowing.
p.10
The Reason Jesus Spoke in Parables
p.11
The Parable of the Farmer Explained
p.11
The Lesson of the Lamp. P.12
The Kingdom Parable about the Seed
Growing Inexplicably
p.12

Begin your reading THE BOOK OF MARK at Mark 1:1

Scroll down

Readers Note: for deeper enlightenment and understanding, be

sure to look up bracketed and Parenthesized verses helping you to
apply the Two Witness rule

2
 [Bracketed verses] indicate links to an account containing
substantiated or related thoughts and ideas, in accord with the ‘Two
Witness ‘Rule found at 2 Corinthians 13:1
(Parenthesized verses) indicate a cross reference with confirming and
supplementary material in accord with The Two Witness Rule found at 2
Corinthians 13:1
The Two-Witness rule
2 Corinthians 13:1 (MTFV) “This will be the third time I
visit you. And remember, "Every matter must be
established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”.

Mark 1:1

The Mission of John the Baptizer

[Matthew 3:1–17; Luke 3:1–22. John 1:19–34]

1. This begins the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD 2 with what
the prophet Isaiah said would happen. When he wrote: "Listen! I will send my
messenger ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you." 3"There is someone
shouting in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord. Make the road straight for
him.'" (Isa. 40:3)

4 So John the Baptizer came and was baptizing people in the desert wilderness.
He urged them to be baptized to show that they wanted to change their lives,
and then their sins could be forgiven. 5 Many people came out from the
province of Judea and the city of Jerusalem and went out to hear John preach.
They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

6 John wore clothes made of camel's hair. He had a leather strap around his
waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 John preached, saying; “there is one
coming after me who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not
worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 While I baptize you with water, he will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"

GOD Validates his Messiah

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9 And it came to pass, in those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee to be
baptized by John in the Jordan river. 10 And when Jesus came up out of the
water, at once John saw the heavens open up and Holy Spirit in a form like a
dove came down to enter into Jesus. (John 1:32.) 11 And a voice came from
heaven; "This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I take delight!" (Matthew 3:17,
Luke 3:22)

The Temptation of Jesus and His Rebuttal.

[Matthew 4:1–17; Luke 4:1–15]

11 Immediately Holy Spirit (from within) drove Jesus out into the desert
wilderness, 12 and he was there alone in the wilderness forty days and forty
nights. 13 During all that time, he was with the wild beasts, tempted by Satan
and ministered to by angels.

14 Now after John was arrested and put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee,
preaching the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of GOD. 15 He said, "The
time has come, and the kingdom of GOD is near. Change the way you think and
act, and believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to) this Good News.

The First Disciples

[Matthew 4:18–22, Luke 5:1–11, John 1:35–51]

16 As Jesus was walking along the shore of the a Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon
and his brother Andrew. They were fishermen and were casting their nets into
the water. 17 Jesus said to them, "Come with me! I will teach you how to bring
in people instead of fish." 18 Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and
went with him.

19 Jesus walked further along the shore and soon saw James and John, the sons
of Zebedee. They were in a boat, mending their nets. 20 At once Jesus asked
them to come with him. They left their father in the boat with some hired
workers and went with him.

21 Jesus and his b disciples came to the town of Capernaum, and on the next
Sabbath Jesus went to the c synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people who
heard him were amazed at the way he taught, for he was not like their d scribes;
he taught as one who had authority (the power of one whose will, and
commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed).

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Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit
[Luke 4:33-37]

23 And there was in that synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried
out, 24 What do you have with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are You come to destroy
us? I know who You are, --"the Holy One of GOD”! 25 And Jesus cut him off,
saying, 'Be silenced, and come forth out of that man,' 26 The evil spirit caused
the man to have convulsions and came out of him with a loud shriek. 27 People
were amazed, and they asked each other, "What is happening here? This man is
teaching something new, and he teaches with authority! He even commands evil
spirits, and they obey him." 28 So news about Jesus quickly spread everywhere
throughout the province of Galilee.

Jesus Heals at Peter’s House

[Matthew 8:14–17, Luke 4:38–41]

29 Jesus and his disciples, including James and John, left the synagogue and
went straight to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 When they arrived,
someone told Jesus that Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever. 31
Jesus went to her, took her hand, helped her up and the fever went away. So,
then she prepared a meal for them.

32 That night, after the sun went down, the people brought many sick people to
Jesus. They also brought those who had demons inside them. 33 It seemed like
everyone in town gathered in front of the house. 34 Jesus healed many people
with all different kinds of sicknesses. He also expelled demons out of people.
But he would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was.

Jesus Prays, Then Sets Off to Preach

[Luke 4:42-44]

35 The next morning, Jesus got up very early and went to a place where he
could be alone and pray. 36 But Simon Peter and his companions went out
searching for him, 37 and they found Him and said to Him, “everybody is
looking for You”. 38 But Jesus answered, saying "We have to leave now and go
on to the other towns and villages around here. I have to preach in them also,
because that is the purpose for my being here." 39 So Jesus traveled everywhere
in Galilee, speaking in the synagogues, and expelling demons out of people.

A Leper Pleads with Jesus

[Matthew 8:1–4, Luke 5:12–16, Leviticus 14:1–32]

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40 A man with leprosy came to Jesus. He bowed on his knees and begged Jesus,
"You have the power to heal me if you want." 41 Jesus was filled with pity and
reached out and touched him. "I do want to," he answered. "Be clean!"

42 At once the man's leprosy disappeared, and he was well. 43 Afterwards Jesus
strictly warned the man before sending him on his way. 44 He said, "Don't tell
anyone about this. Just go and show the priest that you are well. Then take a gift
to the temple as Moses commanded, and everyone will know that you have been
healed by GOD’s power."

45 However, the man talked about it so much and told so many people, that
Jesus could no longer go openly into towns because of the crowds that would
gather. He had to stay outside of the towns, but people still came to him from
everywhere.

FOOTNOTES for Mark Chapter 1.

a
Sea of Galilee = While it was known at the time as the Sea of Galilee it was
actually a large lake approximately 64 Square miles in size.
b
disciples = These disciples were the newly recruited ‘followers’ of Jesus. They
were also ‘learners’ who went everywhere with him, later becoming apostles.
d
scribes = Scribes, recognized as professors of Jewish Law, were opposed to
Jesus.

Mark 2:1

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

[Matthew 9:1–8, Luke 5:18–26]

Jesus went back to Capernaum, and a few days later people heard that he was at
Peter’s house. 2 A large crowd gathered to hear him speak. The house was so full
that there was no place to stand, not even outside the door. While Jesus was
teaching, 3 four men arrived, carrying a paralyzed man to Jesus.4 But because
the crowd was so thick, they could not get him to Jesus. So, they made a hole in
the roof above him and let the man down in front of everyone. 5 When Jesus
saw how much faith this act showed, he said to the crippled man, "My friend,
your sins are forgiven."

6 Some of the scribes who were sitting there, started asking themselves
questions in their own hearts; 7 "How can he talk like this? This is a blasphemy!
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GOD is the only one who can forgive sins!" 8 Jesus knew what their private
thoughts were so he asked them; "Why do you have these questions in your
minds? 9 What is easier to say to a paralyzed man? Your sins are forgiven and
put away, or to say: Rise, take up your sleeping pad or mat, and start walking
about and keep on walking?

10 I will show you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive
sins." So, he said to the paralyzed man, 11 "Get up! Pick up your mat and go
home." 12 The man got right up. He picked up his mat and went out while
everyone watched in amazement. Then they all praised GOD and said, "We have
never seen anything like this!"

Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew).

[Matthew 9:9–13, Luke 5:27–32]

13 Jesus went to the seashore again where large crowds came to him, and he
taught them. 14 As he walked along, he saw a tax collector, named Levi who was
the son of Alphaeus, sitting in his workplace. Jesus said to him, "Follow me."
Levi got up and followed him. 15 Later that day, Jesus and his followers ate at
Levi's house. There were also a number of tax collectors and others with bad
reputations eating with them. Many of these people were among those who
came to follow Jesus.

16 When some Pharisees who were also teachers of the law saw Jesus eating
with such bad people, they asked his followers, "Why does he eat with tax
collectors and sinners?" 17 When Jesus heard this, he said to them, "It is the
sick people who need a healer, not those who are healthy. I did not come to
invite good people. I came to invite sinners."

A Question About Fasting

[Matthew 9:14–15, Luke 5:33–35]
)
18 The followers of John and the Pharisees were known to practice b fasting. So,
one day some people came to Jesus and said, "John's followers fast, and the
followers of the Pharisees fast. But your followers do not fast. Why is that?"

19 Then Jesus said to them, does someone who is at a wedding feast fast while
the bridegroom is there with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with
them, they need not fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be
taken away from them. There will be time to fast in those days.

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Patches and Wineskins
[Matthew 9:16–17; Luke 5:36–39]

21 "When someone sews a patch over a hole in an old coat, they don’t use a
piece of cloth that is not yet shrunk. If they do, the patch will shrink and pull
away from the coat. Then the hole will be worse. 22 Also, no one ever pours new
wine into old wineskins. The wine would break them, and the wine would be
ruined along with the wineskins. You always put new wine into new wineskins."

Lord of the Sabbath

[Matthew 12:1–8, Luke 6:1–5, 1 Samuel 21:1–6]

23 One Sabbath Jesus and his c disciples were walking through some wheat
fields. His disciples were picking some grains of wheat as they went along. 24 So
the Pharisees said to Jesus, "Look, it is against our Law for your disciples to do
that on the Sabbath!" 25 Jesus answered, "Haven't you read what David did
when he and his followers were hungry and in need? 26 It was during the time
of Abiatha the high priest. David went into the house of GOD and ate the sacred
loaves of bread that only priests can eat. He also gave some to his followers."

27 Jesus finished by saying, ‘the sabbath came into being for man's sake, and
not man for the sabbath's sake’. 28 Therefore, the Son of Man is lord even over
the Sabbath."

FOOTNOTES for Mark Chapter 2

a
blasphemy = The act of dis-respecting God. It can constitute of falsely
claiming the authority of GOD or demeaning him in speech or actions.
b
fasting = The OT uses fasting and abstinence from food to point to something
even more necessary for life, communion with and dependence on God. Fasting
was supposed to be a means of attaining closeness with God
c
disciples = While literally meaning a “learner’ we find it used here for those
who were travelling with him as he taught people throughout the area.

Mark 3:1

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

[Matthew 12:9–14 Luke 6:6–11]

The next time that Jesus went into the synagogue, a man with a crippled hand
was there. 2 The Pharisees were looking for a pretense to accuse Jesus of doing
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something wrong, so they kept watching to see if Jesus would heal him on the
Sabbath.

3 Jesus told the man to stand up where everyone could see him. 4 Then he
asked, "On the Sabbath should we do good deeds or evil deeds? Should we save
someone's life or destroy it?" But not one person said a word. 5 He glanced
around at them, vexed and grieved at the hardness of their hearts. Then he said
to the man, Hold out your hand. He held it out, and his hand was completely
restored.

6 At that point the Pharisees left the synagogue and met at once with some of a

Herod's supporters, and they consulted on how they might destroy Jesus.

Jesus Heals Multitudes

[Matthew 4:23–24, Luke 6:17–19]

7 Jesus left with his disciples for the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd from Galilee,
Judea, 8 and Jerusalem came out to see him. People came from Idumea, as well
as other places east of the Jordan River. They also came from the region around
the cities of Tyre and Sidon. All these crowds came because of what they heard
Jesus was doing.

9 Jesus saw how many people there were, so he told his disciples to get a small
boat and make it ready for him. He wanted the boat so that the crowds of people
would not be able to push against him.10 He had healed many as he went along,
so all the sick people were pushing toward him to touch him.

11 There were some people who had evil spirits inside them. When the evil
spirits saw Jesus, they bowed before him and shouted, "You are the Son of
GOD!" 12 But Jesus sternly warned the spirits not to tell anyone who he was.

Jesus Appoints Twelve Apostles

[Matthew 10:1–4; Luke 6:12–16]

13 Then Jesus went up on a hill and invited those disciples who he wanted to go
with him. So, they joined him there. 14 Then he chose twelve of them to be
apostles, 15 so that they could be with him and so that he might send them out
to preach and expel demons.

16 Simon was one of the twelve, and Jesus named him Peter. 17 There were also
James and John, the two sons of Zebedee. Jesus called them Boanerges, which

9
means "Thunderbolts." 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas,
James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus were also apostles. The others were
Simon, known as the Eager One, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who would later betray
Jesus.

20 Then Jesus went home, but again a large crowd had gathered there. There
were so many people that he and his followers could not even eat. 21 And when
his family heard about what was going on, they came out and tried to take him
away by force, for they kept saying, He is out of His mind (beside Himself,
deranged)!

22 Some teachers of the Law of Moses who had come from Jerusalem said,
"This man is under the power of Beelzebub (Satan). "Beelzebub is living inside
him! He uses power from Beelzebub the ruler of demons to expel demons out of
people."

A House Divided.
[Matthew 12:22–30, Luke 11:14–23]

23 Jesus told the people to gather around him. Then he spoke to them in riddles
and said: How can Satan force himself out? 24 Any nation whose people fight
each other will not last very long. 25 And any family that fights won't last long
either. 26 So, If Satan is against himself and fighting against his own people, he
cannot last either. That would signal that the end of him is impending. 27
However, no one can go into a strong man's house and ransack his household
goods right and left and seize them as plunder unless he ties him up first; then
indeed he may carefully loot his house.

The Unforgivable Sin

[Matthew 12:31]

28 Truly and solemnly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and
whatever abusive and blasphemous things they utter; 29 but whosoever
commits b blasphemy against the c Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness but is
subject to eternal condemnation" 30 Jesus said this because the teachers of the
law had accused him of having an evil spirit inside him.

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

[Matthew 12:46–50, Luke 8:19–21]

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31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers came. They stood outside and sent
someone in to ask him to come out. 32 Many people were sitting in a circle
around Jesus. They said to him, "Your mother and brothers are waiting for you
outside." 33 Jesus asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"

34 Then he looked at the people sitting in a circle around him and said, Behold,
My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the things GOD wills is a
brother, sister and mother of mine!

FOOTNOTES for Mark Chapter 3

a
Herod = Herod the Great, who was king of Judea and under authority of
Rome, at the time of Jesus birth.
b
blasphemy = The act of dis-respecting God. It can constitute falsely claiming
the authority of GOD or demeaning him in speech or actions
c
Holy Spirit = The power of GOD, which he brings to bear in accomplishing
his

Mark 4:1

Kingdom Parable of a Farmer and His Sowing.

[Matthew 13:3–9, Luke 8:4–8]

1. Another time Jesus began teaching by the Sea of Galilee, a large crowd
gathered around him. So, he got into a boat so that he could sit and teach from
the water. All the people stayed on the shore at the edge of the water. 2 Then He
taught them many things in parables (illustrations or comparisons put beside
truths to explain them), and in His teaching He said to them:

3 Now listen! A certain farmer went out to scatter seed in his field. 4 While he
was scattering the seed, some of it fell along the road and was eaten by birds. 5
Other seeds fell on thin, rocky ground and quickly started growing, but because
the soil was not very deep, 6 when the sun came up, the plants were scorched
and dried up, because their roots were not deep enough. 7 Some other seeds fell
where thorn bushes grew up and choked out the plants. So, they did not
produce a crop.

8 But a small number of seeds did fall on good ground where the plants grew
and produced thirty or sixty or even a hundred times as much as was scattered.
9 Then Jesus said, "If you have ears, pay attention to what I just said."

11
10 Later when Jesus was alone with the twelve apostles and some others, they
asked him about these parables.

The Reason Jesus Spoke in Parables

[Matthew 13:10–17, Luke 8:9–10, Isaiah6:1–13]

11 He answered, in these parables I have explained secrets about GOD's

kingdom to you, but for others they are only stories.

12 The reason is, "These people will look and look, but never see. They will
listen and listen, but never understand. If they did, they would turn to GOD,
and he would forgive them." 13 Jesus told them: If you do not understand this
story, you won't understand any of the others.

The Parable of the Farmer Explained

[Matthew 13:18–23, Luke 8:11–15]

14 What the farmer is spreading is not actually seed. It is really the message
about the kingdom. 15 The seeds that fell along the road are people, who hear
the message. But Satan soon comes and snatches it away from them.

16 The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the
message and accept it right away.17 But they do not have any roots, and so, they
do not last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in
trouble, they give up.18 The seeds that fell among the thorn bushes are also
people who hear the message. 19 But they start worrying about the needs of this
life. They are fooled by the desire to get rich and to have all kinds of other
things. So, the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything.

20 The seeds that fell on good ground are the people who hear and welcome the
message. They produce thirty or sixty or even a hundred times as much as was
planted.

The Lesson of the Lamp.

[Mark 4:21–25]

21 Jesus also said: You do not light a lamp and put it under a clay pot or under a
bed. Don't we put a lamp on a lampstand, so its light will spread? 22 There is
nothing hidden that will not be exposed publicly. There is no secret that will not
become known. 23 If you have ears, just Listen carefully to what you hear and

12
pay attention to what you are hearing! 24 Knowledge will be measured out to
you according to the attention you give. This is the way knowledge increases.

25 Those who understand these mysteries will be given more knowledge.

However, some people do not understand these mysteries. For them, even what
they understand will be taken away from them."

The Kingdom Parable about the Seed Growing Inexplicably

26 Again Jesus said: God's kingdom is like what happens when a farmer scatters
seed in a field. 27 The farmer sleeps at night and is up and about during the day.
Meanwhile, the seeds keep sprouting and growing, and he does not really
understand how. 28 It is the rain, sunshine and soil that makes the seeds sprout
and grow into plants that produce grain. 29 Then when harvest time comes, and
the grain is ripe, the farmer cuts it with a sickle. 30 Then Jesus said, "What can
I say to show you more about what God's kingdom is like? What story can I use
to help explain it?

Some More Topics Covered beginning with Mark 4:3,

with a continued reading from the Book of Mark

The Kingdom Parable of the Mustard Seed

Jesus Calms the Weather
Demons and Pigs
The Healing Touch of Jesus Christ
His Own Town’s People Reject Jesus

Jesus Sends Out His Twelve Apostles

The Beheading of John the Baptizer
Jesus Feeds a Crowd of Five Thousand
Jesus Walks on the Water
Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret
Religious Leaders Question Jesus for Failing
to Observe Their Traditions
What Defiles a Man
Jesus helps a Gentile Woman
A Deaf and Mute Man Healed
Feeding a Crowd of the Four Thousand People
Religious Leaders Demand A Sign
The Leaven of the Religious Leaders and Government.
The Blind Man at Bethsaida

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Peter’s Revelation about Christ
Take Up Your Stauros
The Transfiguration
The Boy with an Evil Spirit
Jesus Announces a Second Prediction of His Death.
Prominence in GOD’s Kingdom
Temptations and Trespasses
A Parable About Salt
Jesus Teachings about Divorce.
Jesus Blesses the Children
The Wealthy Young Man
A Third Prediction of His Forthcoming Death.
An Improper Request by James and John.
Jesus Heals Bartimaeus.

Continue Reading from the BOOK OF MARKstarting at Mark 4:31

The Kingdom Parable of the Mustard Seed.

Matthew 13:31–32, Luke 13:18–19]

31 GOD's Kingdom is like a mustard seed, which is smaller than any other seed
that you can plant. 32 But when you plant it, it grows and becomes the largest of
all the plants in your garden. It has branches that are big enough where birds
can come and make nests there and rest in their shade.

33 Jesus used many parables like these to teach people all they could
understand. 34 In fact, he always used parables to teach them. But when he was
alone with his followers, Jesus would explain everything to them.

Jesus Calms the Weather

[Matthew 8:23–27, Luke 8:22–25, Psalm 107:1–43]

35 That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, Now, "Let's cross over to the other
side." 36 So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the Sea (lake) of
Galilee with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along.

37 Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat,
and it was about to sink. 38 Jesus was in the back of the boat asleep. His
disciples woke him and said, "Teacher, don't you care that we're about to
drown?" 39 Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The

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wind stopped, and everything was calm. 40 Jesus asked his disciples, "Why
were you so afraid? Don't you have any faith?"

41 Now they were more afraid than ever and said to each other, "Who is this?
Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Mark 5:1

Demons and Pigs

[Matthew 8:28–34, Luke 8:26–39]

1. Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee and came to shore near the
town of Gerasa. 2 When he was getting out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit
quickly ran to him 3 from the graveyard where he had been living. No one was
able to restrain the man anymore, even with restraints

4 Often, he had been put in chains and leg irons, but he broke the chains and
smashed the leg irons. No one could control him. 5 Night and day he was in the
graveyard or on the hills, yelling and cutting himself with stones. 6 When the
man saw Jesus in the distance, he ran up to him and knelt. 7 He shouted,
"Jesus, Son of GOD in heaven, what do you want with me? Promise me in
GOD's name that you won't torture me!"

8 The man said this because Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to
come out of him. 9 Jesus asked, "What is your name?" The man answered, "My
name is Legion because there are many spirits inside me. 10 Then he begged
Jesus not to send them away and the spirits inside the man begged Jesus again
and again not to send them out of that area. 11.Over on a nearby hillside a huge
herd of pigs was feeding. 12 So the evil spirits begged Jesus, "Send us into those
pigs! Let us go into them."

13 Jesus allowed them to go, and they went out of the man and into the pigs.
Then the entire herd, about two thousand pigs rushed down the steep bank into
the lake and drowned. 14 The men who were in charge of taking care of the pigs
ran to the town and the farms nearby to spread the news. Then people from all
around came out to see what had happened.

15 When they got to where Jesus was, they were initially angered to see the man
who had once been full of demons just sitting there with his clothes on and in
his right mind, then they became terrified. 16 Everyone who had seen what

15
happened told the full story about the man and the pigs. 17 Then people started
begging Jesus to leave their part of the country.

18 When Jesus was about to get into a boat to leave, the man begged to go with
him. 19 But Jesus would not allow it. Instead, he said, "Go home to your family
and tell them how much YHWH has done for you and how good he has been to
you." 20 The man went away into the region near the ten cities known as
Decapolis and began telling everyone how much Jesus had done for him.
Everyone who heard what had happened was amazed.

The Healing Touch of Jesus Christ

[Matthew 9:18–26, Luke 8:40–56]

21 Then Jesus got into the boat again and crossed the Lake. As he got off the
boat and stood on the shore, a large crowd gathered around him.

22 The person in charge of the local synagogue was also there. His name was
Jairus, and when he saw Jesus, he went over to him. He knelt at Jesus' feet 23
and started begging him for help. He said, "My daughter is very ill and about to
die! Please come and touch her, so she will get well and live."

24 Jesus went with Jairus. A crowd of people followed along and kept gathering
around him. 25 Among the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for
twelve years. 26 She had been to many healers, who had done nothing except
cause her a lot of pain. She had gone through all the money she had. But instead
of getting better, she only got worse.

27 The woman had heard about Jesus, so she was in the crowd where she came
up behind him and barely touched his clothes. 28 She had told herself, "If I can
just touch his clothes, I will get well." 29 As soon as she touched them, her
bleeding stopped, and she knew she was well.

30 At that moment Jesus felt energy go out from him. He turned to the crowd
and asked, "Who touched my robe?" 31 His disciples said to him, "Look at all
these people crowding around you! How can you even ask who touched you?"

32 Jesus turned to see who had touched him. 33 The woman knowing what had
just happened came shaking with fear and knelt down before of Jesus. After she
told him the whole story. 34 Jesus said to the woman, "You are now healed
because of your faith. May GOD grant you peace! You are well, and you will no
longer be in discomfort."

16
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from Jairus' house and said,
"Your daughter has died! It is too late, why bother the teacher anymore?" 36
Jesus heard what they said, and he said to Jairus, "Don't worry. Just have
faith!" 37 Jesus did not let anyone go with him except Peter and the two
brothers, James and John.

38 They went home with Jairus and saw there was great commotion, and the
people were crying. 39 Then Jesus went inside and said to them, "Why are
people crying and carrying on like this? The child is not dead. She is just
asleep." 40 But they laughed at him. After Jesus had sent them all out of the
house, he took the girl's father and mother and his three disciples and went to
where she was. 41 Then He took the twelve-year-old girl by the hand and said,
"Talitha, koumi!" which means, "Little girl, get up!" 42 The girl got right up and
started walking around. Everyone who saw it was astounded 43 But Jesus
ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. Then he said, "Give the girl
something to eat."

MARK CHAPTER 6

His Own Town’s People Reject Jesus

[Matthew 13:53–58; Luke 4:16–30]

Mark 6:1 After that, Jesus left and went back to Nazareth, his hometown. His
disciples went with him. 2 On the Sabbath day Jesus taught in the synagogue,
and many people heard him. They were amazed and said, "Where did this man
get this teaching? How did he get such wisdom? Who gave it to him? And where
did he get the ability to do miracles? 3 Isn't he just the carpenter we know--
Mary's son, the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? And don't his
sisters still live here in town?" (cross ref. Matthew. 13:55, 56.) So, they had a
problem accepting him. 4 Then Jesus said to them; "People everywhere honor a
prophet, except for those in his own town, his own people, or in his home."

5 Jesus was somewhat chagrinned by the lack of faith by people in his own
town, so he chose not to do any miracles there except the healing of some sick
people by laying his hands on them.

6.Then he went to other villages in that area and taught.

Jesus Sends Out His Twelve Apostles

17
.
7 Jesus called his twelve apostles together. He sent them out in groups of two
and gave them power over evil spirits. 8 This is what he told them: "Take
nothing for your trip except a stick for walking. Take no bread, no bag, and no
money. 9 You can wear sandals, but do not take extra clothes. 10 When you
enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 If any town refuses to
accept you or refuses to listen to you, then leave that town and shake the dust
off your feet as a warning to them."

12 The apostles left and went to other places. They preached to the people and
told them to change their hearts and lives.13They expelled demons out of people
and put olive oil on many who were sick and healed them.

The Beheading of John the Baptizer

[Matthew 14:1–1, Luke 9:7–9]

14 King a Herod was hearing about Jesus, because by now he had become well
known. Some people said, "He is John the Baptizer. He must have risen from
death, and that is why he can do these miracles." 15 Other people said, "He is
Elijah." And others said, "He is a prophet, one like the prophets who lived long
ago."

16 When Herod heard these things about Jesus. He said, "I killed John by
cutting off his head. Now he has been raised from death to haunt me!"

17 Herod himself had ordered his soldiers to arrest John and put him in prison.
Herod did this to please his wife Herodias. She had been married to Herod's
brother Philip, but then Herod married her. 18 John told Herod, "It is not right
for you to be married to your brother's wife." 19 So Herodias hated John. She
wanted him dead, but she was not able to persuade Herod to kill him. 20 Herod
was afraid to kill John, because he knew that he was a good and holy man. So,
he protected him. He liked listening to John, although what John said left him
with many questions.

21 Then the right time came for Herodias to facilitate John's death. It happened
on Herod's birthday. Herod gave a dinner party for the most important
government leaders, the commanders of his army, and the most important
people in Galilee. 22 The daughter of Herodias came to the party and danced.
When she danced, Herod and the people eating with him were very pleased. So,
King Herod said to the girl, "I will give you anything you want." 23 He promised
her, "Anything you ask for I will give to you--even half of my kingdom." 24 The

18
girl went to her mother and asked, "What should I ask King Herod to give me?"
Her mother answered, "Ask for the head of John the Baptizer." 25 So right then
the girl went back in, to the king. She said to him, "Please give me the head of
John the Baptizer. Bring it to me now on a plate." 26 King Herod was very sad,
but he didn't want to break the promise he had made to her in front of his
guests. 27 So he sent a soldier to cut off John's head and bring it to him. The
soldier went and cut off John's head in the prison. 28 Then he brought the head
back on a plate and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29
John's followers heard about what happened, so they came and got John's body
and put it in a tomb.

Jesus Feeds a Crowd of Five Thousand.

[Matthew 14:13–21, Luke 9:10–1, John 6:1–15]

30 The apostles Jesus had sent out came back to him. They gathered around
him and reported back to him all they had done and taught. 31 Jesus and his
disciples were in a very hectic and crowded place. There were so many people
pressing them that he and his disciples did not even have time to eat. He said to
them, "Come with me. We will go to a quiet place to be alone. There we will get
some rest." 32 So Jesus and his followers went away alone. They took a boat to
go to a place where no one lived.

33 But many people saw them leave and knew who they were. So, people from
every town ran ahead to the place where they were going and got there before
Jesus. 34 As Jesus stepped out of the boat, he saw a large crowd waiting. He felt
sorry for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd to care for
them. So, he taught the people in the crowd many things.

35 As it got to be late in the day. Jesus' followers came to him and said, "No one
lives around here, and it is already late. 36 So send the people away. They need
to go to the farms and towns around here to buy some food to eat." 37 But Jesus
answered, "You give them something to eat." They said to Jesus, "We can't buy
enough bread to feed all these people. We would all have to work a month to
earn enough to buy that much bread!"

38 Jesus asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have now? Go and
see." They counted their loaves of bread. They came to Jesus and said, "We have
five loaves of bread and two fish." 39 Then Jesus said to them, "Tell everyone to
sit in groups on the grass." 40 So all the people sat in groups of about 50 or 100
people.

19
41 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish. He looked up to heaven and thanked
GOD for the food. Then he broke the bread into pieces, which he gave to his
disciples to distribute to the people. And he divided the fish among everyone
there. 42 They all ate until they were full.

43 After they finished eating, the disciples filled twelve baskets with the pieces
of bread and fish that were left. 44 There were about 5,000 men there who ate.

Jesus Walks on the Water

[Matthew 14:22–33, John 6:16–21]

45 After that, Jesus told the disciples to get into the boat and go to the other
side of the lake to Bethsaida. He said he would come later. He stayed there to
tell everyone they could go home 46 and after he said goodbye to them, he went
up into the hills to pray by himself.

47 That night, the boat was still out in the middle of the lake and Jesus was
alone on the land. 48 He saw the boat far away on the lake, and the disciples
were having difficulty in rowing the boat. The wind was blowing against them.

Sometime between three and six o'clock in the morning, Jesus went out to the
boat, walking on the water. He continued walking until he was almost past the
boat.

49 When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought he was a
ghost, and they started screaming. 50 It scared them all to see him. But he
spoke to them and said, "Don't worry! It is me! Don't be afraid."

51 When he got into the boat with the followers, the wind stopped. The followers
were completely amazed. 52 They could not believe what happened. It was like
the miracle he did with the bread. They still did not understand what that
meant.

Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret

[Matthew 14:34–36]

53 Jesus and his followers continued across the lake and put ashore at
Gennesaret. They tied the boat there. 54 Later when they were out of the boat,
the people there saw Jesus. They knew who he was, 55 so they ran to tell others
throughout that area. They brought sick people on mats and followed Jesus
every place he went.

20
56 Jesus went into towns, cities, and farms all around that area. And every place
he went, the people brought sick people to him in the marketplaces. They
begged him to let them touch any part of his coat. And all those who touched
him were healed.

FOOTNOTE for Mark Chapter 6

a
Herod = A Judean king put in place by the Roman Empire. Judea was a client
state of the Roman Republic from 37 BCE, when Herod the Great was appointed
"King of the Jews" by the Roman Senate.

Mark 7:1

Religious Leaders Question Jesus for Failing to Observe Their

Traditions
[Matthew 15:1-9]

Now there gathered together near Jesus Pharisees and some of the scribes who
had come from Jerusalem. 2 They noticed that some of his disciples ate without
first washing their hands. 3 The Pharisees and all the other Jews never eat
before washing their hands in a special way. They do this to follow traditions
they have from their ancestors who lived long ago. 4 When they come from the
marketplace, they do not eat unless they have washed everything first. They
have been taught to follow this and many other rules. For example, they must
also wash their cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.

5 The Pharisees and teachers of the law said to Jesus, "Your followers don't obey
the traditions we have from our great leaders who lived long ago. They eat their
food with hands that are not clean. Why do they do this?"

6 Jesus answered, "You are all hypocrites. Isaiah was right when he wrote these
words from YHWH God about you: 'These people honor me with their words,
but I am not really important to them. 7 Their worship is worthless to me. The
things they teach are only human traditions.' (cross reference. Isa 29:13)

8 You have stopped following the commands of GOD. You prefer instead the
man-made rules you get from others." 9 And, you have a fine way of rejecting
(thus thwarting and nullifying)and doing away with the commandment of
GOD in order to keep your tradition (your self-made human regulation)!

21
10 For example, didn't Moses command you to respect your father and mother?
Didn't he tell you to put to death all who curse their parents? 11 But you teach
that people can say to their father or mother, 'I have something I could use to
help you, but I will not be able to use it for you because I’m giving it to GOD.’12
You are giving people an excuse for not having to help their fathers and
mothers. 13 You invalidate the word of GOD with the traditions, which you have
established; and in many ways by the things you do.

What Defiles a Man

[Matthew 15:10–20]

14 Then Jesus called the crowd together again and said, "Pay attention and try
to understand the meaning of what I’m saying; 15 There is not a thing outside a
man which by going into him can pollute and defile him; Rather, it is what
comes out of you that will make you unclean." 16 If any man has ears to hear let
him perceive and comprehend what he just heard.

17 Then when Jesus left the people and went into the house. The disciples asked
about what he had spoken to the people. 18 He said, "Are you still having
trouble understanding? Surely you know that nothing that enters the mouth
from the outside can make people unacceptable to GOD. 19 Food does not go
into a person's mind. It goes into the stomach. Then it goes out of the body."
(When Jesus said this, he meant there is no food that is wrong for people to
eat.) 20 And Jesus said, "The things that make people wrong are the things that
come from the inside.21 All these bad things begin inside a person, in the mind:
bad thoughts, sexual sins, stealing, murder, 22 adultery, greed, doing bad things
to people, lying, doing things that are morally wrong, jealousy, insulting people,
proud talking, and foolish living.

23 These evil things come from inside a person. And these are the things that
make people unacceptable to GOD."

Jesus helps a Gentile Woman

[Matthew 15:21–28]

24 Then Jesus arose and went away from there to the regions of Tyre and Sidon.
And He went into a house and did not want people to know that He was there;
but it was impossible for him to avoid public notice.

25 There was a woman, a Greek who had been born in the part of Syria known
as Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to expel a demon out of her daughter. 26 But

22
Jesus answered, "Let us first feed the children. 27 It is not right to take the
children's food and give it to the dogs." 28 She answered, "That is true, lord. But
the dogs under the table can eat the pieces of food that the children do not eat."

29 So Jesus said to her, ‘Good answer’. "Because of it, go back home, where you
will find that the demon has gone out of your daughter!" 30 When she came to
her house, she found that the demon had gone out, and the daughter lay upon
her bed.

A Deaf and Mute Man Healed.

[Matthew 9:27–34]

31 Soon after this, Jesus, returning from the region of Tyre, passed through
Sidon on to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of Decapolis (the ten cities).
32 While he was there, some people brought a man to him who was deaf and
could not talk clearly. The people begged Jesus to put his hand on the man to
heal him. 33 Jesus led the man away from the people to be alone with him. He
put his fingers in the man's ears. Then he spit on a finger and put it on the
man's tongue.

34 Jesus looked up to the sky and with a loud sigh he said, "Ephphatha!" (This
means "Open!") 35 As soon as he did this, the man was able to hear. He was
able to use his tongue, and he began to speak clearly.

36 Jesus told the people not to tell anyone about this. But the more he told them
not to say anything, the more people they told. 37 Everyone was completely
amazed. They said, "Look at how good what he has done is. He makes deaf
people able to hear and gives a new voice to people who could not talk."

MARK CHAPTER 8

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Matthew 15:29–39)

Mark 8:1 In those days, once again, as before, there was a great crowd, and they
had nothing to eat; Jesus called his disciples and said unto them, 2 "I feel sorry
for these people. They have been with me for three days, and now they have
nothing to eat. 3 We should not send them home hungry; they will faint along
the way. 4 Jesus' disciples answered, "But we are so far away from any town.
How can we get enough bread to feed all these people?" 5 Then Jesus asked
them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They answered, "We only have
seven loaves of bread."

23
6 Jesus told the people to sit on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and
gave thanks to God. He broke the bread into pieces and gave them to his
followers. He told them to give the bread to the people, and they did as he said.
7 The followers also had a few small fish. Jesus gave thanks for the fish and told
them to give the fish to the people. 8 The crowd, numbering about four
thousand people ate all they wanted, and still, the leftovers filled seven large
baskets. 9 When they were finished Jesus bid the people farewell and sent them
away to their homes.

10 Immediately after that, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat and went to
the region of Dalmanutha.

Religious Leaders Demand A Sign

[Matthew 16:5–1, Luke 12:1–3]

11 There Pharisees came to Jesus and began to argue with him. They attempted
to test him by demanding that he perform a miraculous sign from heaven.

12 With a deep sigh he asked, "Why do these people demand a sign? I can
guarantee them this truth: If these people are given a sign, it will be far different
than what they want!"

13 Then he left them there. He got into a boat again and crossed to the other
side of the Sea of Galilee. 14 The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along
and had only one loaf with them in the boat.

The Leaven of the Religious Leaders and Government.

[Matthew 16:5–1, Luke 12:1–3]

15 Jesus warned them, "Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and
the yeast of Herod!" 16 They had been discussing with one another how they
hadn’t brought along any bread.

17 Jesus knew what they were saying and asked them, "Why are you discussing
the fact that you don't have any bread? Are you still lacking understanding?
Don't you get it? 18 Are your minds closed or, are you blind and deaf?

19 Don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how
many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?" They told him, "Twelve." 20
“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many large

24
baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?" They answered him, "Seven." 21 Then
he said to them, "You remember these things I did, but you still don't
understand?"

The Blind Man at Bethsaida

22 They came to Bethsaida, where some people brought a blind man to Jesus
and begged him to touch him. 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led
him out of the village. After spitting on the man's eyes, Jesus placed his hands
on him and asked him, "Can you see anything?" 24 The man looked up and said,
"Yes, I can see people, but they look like trees walking around."

25 Jesus again placed his hands on the man's eyes. This time the man looked
intently, his eyesight returned, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus then
sent him home with the admonition, "Don't go back into the village."

Peter’s Revelation about Christ

[Matthew 16:13–20, Luke 9:18–20, John 6:67–71]

27 Then Jesus and his disciples went away to the villages near Caesarea
Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Tell me, who do people say I am?" 28
"Some say that you are John the Baptist," they answered, others say that you are
Elijah, while still others say that you are one of the prophets."

29 "What about you?" he asked them. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered,
"You are the Messiah." 30 Then Jesus told the followers, "Don't tell anyone else
who I am."

Christ’s Death Foretold

[Matthew 16:21–23, Luke 9:21–22)

31 And He began to expound to them that the Son of Man must of necessity
suffer many things and be tested and disapproved and rejected by the elders
and the chief priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and after three days
rise again from death.

32 Jesus told them in advance, everything that would happen. He did not keep
anything secret. Peter took Jesus away from the other followers to talk to him
alone and tried to dissuade him from saying these things. 33 But turning His
back on Peter and seeing His other disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get

25
behind Me, Satan! For your mind is not intent on promoting what GOD wills,
but what pleases men.

Take Up Your Stauros

[Matthew 16:24–28, Luke 9:23–27]

34 Then Jesus called his disciples and also the crowd to him. He said, “If any
one of you who wants to be my follower, you must stop thinking about yourself
and what you want. You must be willing to carry the stauros that is given to you
for following me. 35 Any of you who try to preserve the life you have will lose it.
But you who give up your life for me and for the Good News will save it. 36 It is
worth nothing for you to have the whole world if you have lost your life. 37 You
could never pay enough to buy back your life.

38 People today are very sinful. They have not been faithful to GOD. As you live
among them, do not you be ashamed of me and my teaching. If that happens, I
will be ashamed of you when I come with holy angels in the glory (splendor and
majesty) of my Father’s kingdom.

Mark CHAPTER 9

The Transfiguration
[Matthew 17:1–13, Luke 9:28–36, Peter1:16–21]

Mark 9:1 Then Jesus said, "Believe me when I say that some of you people
standing here will see the power of GOD's kingdom before you die." 2 Six days
later Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him. They went up on a high
mountain, where they could be alone. There in front of the disciples, Jesus was
completely changed in appearance. 3 And his clothes became much whiter than
any bleach on earth could make them. 4 Moses and Elijah were there with him
talking with Jesus.

5 Peter said to Jesus, "Teacher, it is so good for us to be here! Let us make three
shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6 Peter and the others
were very frightened, and he did not know what he was talking about.

7 Then a cloud passed over head and its shadow covered them. From the cloud a
voice thundered, "This is my Son, whom I love greatly. Listen to what he says!"
8 At once the disciples looked all around, but they saw only Jesus 9 As Jesus
was coming down the mountain, with Peter, James and John, he told them not

26
to say a word about what they had seen, until the Son of Man had been raised
from death. 10 So they kept it to themselves. But they wondered what he meant
by the words "raised from death”.

11 The disciples asked Jesus, "Don't the teachers of the Law of Moses say that
Elijah must come before the Messiah does?" 12 Jesus answered: Elijah certainly
will come to get everything ready. But don't the Scriptures also say that the Son
of Man must suffer terribly and be rejected? 13 I can assure you that Elijah has
already come. And people treated him just as they wanted to, as the Scriptures
say they would.

The Boy with an Evil Spirit

[Matthew 17:14–18, Luke 9:37–42]

14 As Jesus and his three disciples came back down, they saw a crowd of people
around the other disciples. Jewish Scribes were arguing with them. 15 When
Jesus appeared the crowd was surprised to see him, and everyone hurried over
to greet him. 16 Jesus asked, "What are you arguing about?" 17 Someone from
the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought my son to you. A demon keeps him
from speaking. 18 and when the demon attacks my son, it throws him to the
ground and makes him foam at the mouth and grit his teeth in pain. Then he
becomes stiff. I asked your disciples to expel the demon, but they couldn't do it."

19 Jesus answered him and said, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with
you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring the boy to Me! 20 They brought the
boy, and as soon as the demon saw Jesus, it made the boy shake all over. He fell
to the ground and began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has the boy had been like this?" The
man answered, "Ever since he was a child. 22 The demon has often tried to kill
him by throwing him into a fire or into water. Please have pity and help us if you
can!"

23 Jesus replied, why did you say, 'if you can'? All things are possible for the one
who believes." 24 Right away the boy's father shouted, "I do have faith! Please
help me to have even more."

25 When Jesus saw that the crowd was growing fast, he spoke sternly to the evil
spirit that had kept the boy from speaking or hearing. He said, "I order you to
come out of the boy! Don't ever bother him again." 26 The spirit screamed and
made the boy shake all over. Then it went out of him. The boy just lay there. He

27
looked dead, and almost everyone there said he was. 27 But when Jesus took
hold of his hand and helped him, he stood up. 28 After Jesus and the disciples
had gone back home and were alone, they asked him, "Why couldn't we expel
that demon?" 29 Jesus answered, "Only prayer can drive this kind of spirit out,"
answered Jesus; "nothing else can."

Jesus Announces a Second Prediction of His Death.

[Matthew 17:22–23, Luke 9:43–45]

30 Jesus left with his disciples and started a journey through Galilee. He did not
want notoriety about what he had done for the boy, neither did he want people
to know his intended route, 31 because he was teaching the disciples that the
Son of Man would be handed over to people who would kill him. But three days
later he would rise to life. 32 While the disciples did not understand exactly
what Jesus meant by this, they did not ask because they were afraid.

33 Jesus and his disciples went to a house in Capernaum. There Jesus said to
them, "I heard you arguing on the way here today. What were you arguing
about?" 34 But the disciples did not answer him, because their argument on the
road was about which one of them was the most important one.

Prominence in GOD’s Kingdom.

Matthew 18:1–5, Luke 9:46–50]

35 Jesus sat down and called the twelve apostles to him. He said, "whoever
wants to first in the Kingdom of GOD, needs to make others more important
than themselves. They must serve as slaves to the others."

Then Jesus took a small child and stood the child in front of the disciples. He
held the child in his arms and said, 37 "Whoever accepts a child like this in my
name is accepting me. And anyone who accepts me is also accepting the one
who sent me."

38 Then John said, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to expel demons
out of someone. So, we told him to stop because he is not one of us. 39 Jesus
said, "Don't stop him. Whoever uses my name to do powerful things will not be
quick to say bad things about me. 40 "For he who is not against us is on our
side. 41 I can assure you that anyone who helps you by giving you a drink of
water because you belong to the Messiah will certainly get a reward.

Temptations and Trespasses

28
[Matthew 18:6–9, Luke 17:1–4)

42 "If one of these little children believes in me, and someone causes that child
to sin, it will be very bad for that person. It would be better for them to have a
millstone tied around their neck and be drowned in the sea. 43 If your hand
makes you sin, cut it off. It is better for you to lose part of your body and have
eternal life than to have two hands and go to Gehenna. There, the fire never
stops.

45 If your foot makes you sin, cut it off. It is better for you to lose part of your
body and have eternal life than to have two feet and be thrown into a grave. 47
If your eye makes you sin, take it out. It is better for you to have only one eye
and enter God's kingdom than to have two eyes and be thrown into Gehenna, 48
where their worm (which preys on the inhabitants and is a symbol of the
wounds inflicted on the man himself by his sins) does not die, and the fire is not
put out. (Isa. 66:24)]

A Parable About Salt

[Matthew5:13–16, Luke 14:34–35]

49 "Everyone will be purified with fire just as a sacrifice is purified by salt. 50

"Salt is good. But if it loses its salty taste, you cannot make it good again. So, do
not lose that good quality of salt you have. And live-in peace with each other."

Mark 10 :1

Jesus Teachings about Divorce.

[Matthew19:1–12]

1. And Jesus left Capernaum and went to the region of Judea and beyond (east
of the Jordan); and crowds gathered wherever he went. And as was his custom,
He began to teach all who gathered. 2 Some Pharisees came to him, trying to
trap him said, "Tell us’, does our Law allow a man to divorce his wife?"

3 Jesus answered, "What did Moses command you to do?" 4 The Pharisees said,
"Moses allowed a man to divorce his wife by writing a certificate of divorce."

5 Jesus replied, "Moses wrote that command for you because you refused to
accept GOD's teaching. 6 But from the beginning of creation when Elohim made
us, 'he made people male and female.' 7 'That is why a man will leave his father
and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two people will become one.' So,

29
they are no longer two, but one. 9 What GOD has joined together, no one should
separate."

10 Later, when the followers and Jesus were in the house, they asked further
about the question of divorce. 11 He said, "Whoever divorces a wife who is
faithful and marries another woman has sinned against his wife. He is guilty of
adultery. 12 And the woman who divorces her faithful husband and marries
another man is also guilty of adultery."

Jesus Blesses the Children

[Matthew 19:13–15, Luke 18:15–17]

13 When some people brought their children to Jesus so that he could bless
them by placing his hands on them, his disciples told them to stop bothering
him. 14 When Jesus saw this, he became angry and said, "Don’t try to stop
children from coming to me. People who are like these little children belong in
the kingdom of God. 15 I can guarantee this truth: Whoever does not receive the
kingdom of GOD as a little child receives it, will never enter it 16 Then Jesus
took the children in his arms and blessed them by placing his hands on them.

The Wealthy Young Man

[Matthew 19:16–30, Luke 18:18–30]

17 As Jesus was starting on his way again, a young man ran up, knelt before
him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?"

18 Jesus answered saying, why do you call Me (perfectly morally) good? There
is no one (perfectly morally) good, except GOD alone. 19 Also, you know the
commandments: Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear
false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.

20 And the man replied to Him, Teacher, I have carefully observed and guarded
all these and taken care not to violate them from my boyhood till now.

21 Then, Jesus, looking upon him with love, said; you lack one thing; go and sell
all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven; and come follow me, taking up your stauros as I must carry mine. 22
When the man heard this, gloom spread over his face, and he went away sad,
because he was very rich.

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23 Jesus looked around at his disciples and said to them, "It will be exceedingly
difficult for a rich person to enter GOD's kingdom!"

24 The disciples were stunned at these words, but Jesus went on to say, "My
children, it is hard enough for anyone to enter the Kingdom of GOD! 25 For a
rich person It is much harder to enter the Kingdom of GOD then it would be for
a rope to go through the eye of a needle."

26 The disciples were completely amazed at what he said and asked one
another, "Who, then, can be saved?" 27 Jesus glanced around at each of them
and said; With men it is impossible, but not with GOD; for all things are
possible with GOD.

28 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, we left everything to follow you!" 29 Jesus replied
for all to hear, "I can promise that everyone who has left their home, brothers,
sisters, mother, father, children, or farm for me and for the Good News about
me 30 will get a hundred times more than they left. Here in this world when
they get more homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and farms, with these
things they will have maltreatments. But in the world that is coming, in addition
to all these things, they will also get the reward of eternal life. 31 Many people
who have the highest place now will have the lowest place in the future. And
people who have the lowest place now will have the highest place then."

A Third Prediction of His Forthcoming Death.

[Matthew20:17–19, Luke 18:31–34]

32 Jesus and his disciples were on the way to Jerusalem with Jesus walking
ahead of them. His disciples were shocked that he was even going to Jerusalem.
The others who followed them were much afraid.

Once again, he took the twelve apostles aside. He began to tell them what was
going to happen to him. 33 "We're going to Jerusalem where the Son of Man
will be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to
death and hand him over to gentiles, 34 who will make fun of him, spit on him,
whip him, and kill him. But after three days he will come back to life."

An Improper Request by James and John.

[Matthew 20:20–28]

35 James and John, sons of Zebedee, went to Jesus. They said to him, "Master,
we would like you to do us a favor." 36 "What do you want me to do for you?" he

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asked them. 37 They said to him, "When you come into your glory, please let
one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left."

38 Jesus told them, "You don't really understand what you're asking! Are you
able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism (of affliction)
with which I must be baptized? 39 "Yes, we are!" James and John answered.

Then Jesus replied, "You certainly will drink from the cup which I must drink.
And you will be baptized just as I must! 40 But it is not for me to say who will sit
at my right side and at my left. That is for GOD to decide."

41 When the other ten disciples heard this, they were irritated with James and
John. 42 So, Jesus called all of them together. He said, "You know that the
acknowledged rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their
important officials have absolute authority over people.

43 But it should not be that way with you. Whoever wants to be your leader
must be your servant. 44 Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you
like a slave serves. 45 The Son of Man did not come to be a slave driver, but a
slave himself who would give his life to rescue many people.

Jesus Heals Bartimaeus.

[Matthew 20:29–34, Luke 18:35–43]

46 Jesus and his disciples went through Jericho. And as they were leaving, they
were followed by a large crowd. A blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus son
of Timaeus was sitting beside the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus from
Nazareth, he shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!"

48 Many voices told the man to stop, but he shouted again, even louder, "Son of
David, have pity on me!"

49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him over!" They called out to the blind man
and said, Come on! "Don't be afraid! He is calling for you." 50 So the man threw
off his coat as he jumped up and ran to Jesus. 51 Jesus asked, "What do you
want me to do for you?" The blind man answered, "Teacher, I want to see!" 52
Jesus told him, " Go! Your faith has healed your eyes” Right away the man could
see, and he accompanied Jesus on the road.

Readers Note:

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For deeper enlightenment and understanding, be sure to
look up bracketed and Parenthesized verses helping you to
apply the Two Witness rule

[Bracketed verses] indicate links to an account containing

substantiated or related thoughts and ideas, in accord with the ‘Two
Witness ‘Rule found at 2 Corinthians 13:1
(Parenthesized verses) indicate a cross reference with confirming and
supplementary material in accord with The Two Witness Rule found at 2
Corinthians 13:1
The Two-Witness rule
2 Corinthians 13:1 (MTFV) “This will be the third time I
visit you. And remember, "Every matter must be
established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”.

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