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Healing of the man with the withered hand

Once more Jesus went to the synagogue. There was a man there with a withered hand. People were watching to see if Jesus would heal him on the sabbath, so that they could frame a charge against him.

“Stand up,” said Jesus to the man with the withered hand, “and come out here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath, or to do evil? To save life or to kill?” They stayed quiet.

He was deeply upset at their hard-heartedness, and looked round at them angrily. Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out—and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out right away and began to plot with the Herodians against Jesus, trying to find a way to destroy him.

The Twelve are appointed

Jesus went off towards the sea with his disciples, and a large crowd from Galilee followed him. A great company, too, from Judaea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, Transjordan, and the region of Tyre and Sidon, heard what he was doing and came to him.

There was a real danger that he might be crushed by the crowd, so he told his disciples to get a boat ready for him. 10 He healed large numbers, and sick people were pushing towards him to touch him. 11 Whenever unclean spirits saw him, they fell down in front of him and yelled out, “You are the son of God!” 12 He gave them strict orders not to reveal his identity.

13 Jesus went up the mountain, and summoned the people he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve (naming them “apostles”) to be with him and to be sent out as heralds, 15 and to have authority to cast out demons. 16 In appointing the Twelve, he named Simon “Peter”; 17 James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John, he named “Boanerges,” which means “sons of thunder.” The others were 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot (the one who handed him over).

Jesus and Beelzebul

20 He went into the house. A crowd gathered again, so that they couldn’t even have a meal. 21 When his family heard it, they came to restrain him. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.

22 Experts who had come from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! He casts out demons by the prince of demons!”

23 Jesus summoned them and spoke to them in pictures. “How can the Accuser cast out the Accuser? 24 If a kingdom splits into two factions, it can’t last; 25 if a household splits into two factions, it can’t last. 26 So if the Accuser revolts against himself and splits into two, he can’t last—his time is up! 27 But remember: no one can get into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless first they tie up the strong man; then they can plunder his house.

28 “I’m telling you the truth: people will be forgiven all sins, and all blasphemies of whatever sort. 29 But people who blaspheme the holy spirit will never find forgiveness. They will be guilty of an eternal sin.” 30 That was his response to their claim that he had an unclean spirit.

Jesus’ family

31 Jesus’ mother and brothers appeared. They waited outside the house, and sent in a message, asking for him.

32 “Look!” said the crowd sitting around Jesus. “Your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside! They’re searching for you!”

33 “Who is my mother?” replied Jesus. “Who are my brothers?”

34 He looked around him at the people sitting there in a ring. “Here is my mother!” he said. “Here are my brothers! 35 Anybody who does God’s will is my brother! And my sister! And my mother!”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue,(A) and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely(B) to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.(C) Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians(D) how they might kill Jesus.(E)

Crowds Follow Jesus(F)

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.(G) When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.(H) Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many,(I) so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.(J) 11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”(K) 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.(L)

Jesus Appoints the Twelve(M)

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.(N) 14 He appointed twelve[a](O) that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.(P) 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter),(Q) 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law(R)(S)

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered,(T) so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.(U) 21 When his family[b] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”(V)

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem(W) said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul!(X) By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”(Y)

23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables:(Z) “How can Satan(AA) drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.(AB) 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”(AC)

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived.(AD) Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 3:14 Some manuscripts twelve—designating them apostles—
  2. Mark 3:21 Or his associates