1Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!”

5Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials9:5 Greek three tabernacles.—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

6He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.

7Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.”

8Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.

9As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man9:9 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. had risen from the dead.

10So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by “rising from the dead.”

11Then they asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?9:11 Greek that Elijah must come first?”

12Jesus responded, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt?

16 “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.

17One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk.

18And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.9:18 Or becomes weak. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

19Jesus said to them,9:19 Or said to his disciples. “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.

22The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

24The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

25When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil9:25 Greek unclean. spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”

26Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.”

27But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

28Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”

29Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.9:29 Some manuscripts read by prayer and fasting.”

36Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,

37“Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf9:37 Greek in my name. welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

39 “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me.

40Anyone who is not against us is for us.

42 “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck.

43If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell9:43a Greek Gehenna; also in 9:45, 47. with two hands.9:43b Some manuscripts add verse 44, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’ See 9:48.

45If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet.9:45 Some manuscripts add verse 46, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’ See 9:48.

47And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,

49 “For everyone will be tested with fire. 9:49 Greek salted with fire; other manuscripts add and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.