And Jesus said to them, “aI assure you and most solemnly say to you, there are 1some of those who are standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”Probably a reference to Peter, John, and James who were to witness the transfiguration a few days later.Matt 16:28; Mark 13:26; Luke 9:27
2 aSix days later, Jesus took with Him bPeter and James and John, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them and began to shine brightly with divine and regal glory; Matt 17:1-8; Luke 9:28-36Mark 9:2-8: <IT>Matt 17:1-8; Luke 9:28-36</IT>Mark 5:37 3 and aHis clothes became radiant and dazzling, intensely white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them.Matt 28:3 4 Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were having a conversation with Jesus. 5 Peter responded and said to Jesus, “aRabbi , it is good for us to be here; blet us make three sacred tents—one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”Matt 23:7Matt 17:4; Luke 9:33 6 For he did not really know what to say because they were terrified and stunned by the miraculous sight. 7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and 1aa voice came out of the cloud, “bThis is My beloved Son. Listen to Him and obey Him!”See note Matt 3:17.2 Pet 1:17fMatt 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22 8 Suddenly they looked around and no longer saw anyone with them, except Jesus alone.
9 aAs they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus bexpressly ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.Mark 9:9-13: <IT>Matt 17:9-13</IT>Matt 8:4; Mark 5:43; 7:36; 8:30 10 So they carefully and faithfully kept the matter to themselves, 1discussing and questioning with one another what it meant to rise from the dead.The doctrine of the resurrection was a well-known teaching of the Pharisees, so much so that Paul, an educated man, used it to turn the religious leaders against themselves (Acts 23:6-10). The three fishermen were, however, familiar with some of the prophetic Scriptures, but were confused by Jesus’ statements regarding His death and resurrection. 11 They asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that aElijah must come first before the Messiah comes?” Mal 4:5, 6Mal 4:5; Matt 11:14 12 He answered them, “Elijah does come first and restores and reestablishes all things. And yet how is it written of athe Son of Man that bHe will suffer many things grief and physical distress and be treated with contempt utterly despised and rejected? Is 53:3Mark 9:31Matt 16:21; 26:24 13 But I say to you that Elijah has in fact come already, and they 1did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written in Scripture of him.”This is a reference to Herod’s imprisoning and beheading John the Baptist (6:17-28).
14 aWhen they came back to the other nine disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and scribes questioning and arguing with them. Matt 17:14-18; Luke 9:37-42Mark 9:14-28: <IT>Matt 17:14-19; Luke 9:37-42</IT> 15 Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Jesus, they were astartled and began running up to greet Him.Mark 14:33; 16:5, 6 16 He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” 17 One of the crowd replied to Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him unable to speak; 18 and whenever it seizes him intending to do harm, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and becomes stiff. I told Your disciples to drive it out, and they could not do it.” 19 He replied, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” 20 They brought the boy to Him. When the demonic spirit saw Him, immediately it threw the boy into a convulsion, and falling to the ground he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he answered, “Since childhood. 22 The demon has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” 23 Jesus said to him, “ You say to Me, ‘If You can?’ aAll things are possible for the one who believes and trusts in Me!”Matt 17:20; John 11:40 24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out with a desperate, piercing cry, saying, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.” 25 When Jesus saw that aa crowd was rapidly gathering around them, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again!”Mark 9:15 26 After screaming out and throwing him into a terrible convulsion, it came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse so still and pale that many of the spectators said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he stood up. 28 When He had gone aindoors, His disciples began asking Him privately, “Why were we unable to drive it out?”Mark 2:1; 7:17 29 He replied to them, “This kind of unclean spirit cannot come out by anything but prayer to the Father.”
30 aThey went on from there and began to go through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know it,Mark 9:30-32: <IT>Matt 17:22, 23; Luke 9:43-45</IT> 31 because He was teaching His disciples and preparing them for the future. He told them, “aThe Son of Man is to be betrayed and handed over to men who are His enemies, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise from the dead three days later.”Matt 16:21; Mark 8:31; 9:12 32 But 1athey did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him what He meant.Cf v 10.Luke 2:50; 9:45; 18:34; John 12:16
33 aThey arrived at Capernaum; and when He was in bthe 1house, He asked them, “What were you discussing and arguing about on the road?” Matt 18:1-5; Luke 9:46-48Probably Peter’s home.Mark 9:33-37: <IT>Matt 18:1-5; Luke 9:46-48</IT>Mark 3:19 34 But they kept quiet, because on the road athey had discussed and debated with one another which one of them was the greatest.Matt 18:4; Mark 9:50; Luke 22:24 35 Sitting down to teach, He called the twelve disciples and said to them, “aIf anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all in importance and a servant of all.”Matt 20:26; 23:11; Mark 10:43, 44; Luke 22:26 36 Taking a child, He set him before them; and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “aWhoever receives and welcomes one child such as this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives not only Me, but Him who sent Me.” Matt 10:40; Luke 10:16; John 13:20Matt 10:40; Luke 10:16; John 13:20
38 aJohn said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and bwe tried to stop him because he was not accompanying us as Your disciple.” Luke 9:49, 50Mark 9:38-40: <IT>Luke 9:49, 50</IT>Num 11:27-29 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40 aFor he who is not against us is for us. Num 11:27-29Matt 12:30; Luke 11:23 41 For awhoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he will not lose his reward.Matt 10:42
42 “But awhoever causes one of these little ones who believe and trust in Me to stumble that is, to sin or lose faith, it would be better for him if a heavy millstone one requiring a donkey’s strength to turn it were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. Matt 18:6; Luke 17:2Matt 18:6; Luke 17:2; 1 Cor 8:12 43 aIf your hand causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation! It is better for you to enter life crippled, than to have two hands and go into 1bhell, into the cunquenchable fire,See note Matt 5:22.Matt 5:30; 18:8Matt 5:22Matt 3:12; 25:41 44 [1where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT PUT OUT.] Is 66:24Vv 44 and 46 are not found in early mss. 45 If your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation! It would be better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into ahell,Matt 5:22 46 [1where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT PUT OUT.] Is 66:24Vv 44 and 46 are not found in early mss. 47 aIf your eye causes you to stumble and sin, throw it out that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation! It would be better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into bhell,Matt 5:29; 18:9Matt 5:22 48 awhere THEIR WORM that feeds on the dead DOES NOT DIE, AND bTHE FIRE IS NOT PUT OUT. Is 66:24Is 66:24Matt 3:12; 25:41
49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good and useful; but aif salt has lost its saltiness , how will you make it salty? bHave salt within yourselves continually, and cbe at peace with one another.”Matt 5:13; Luke 14:34fCol 4:6Mark 9:34; Rom 12:18; 2 Cor 13:11; 1 Thess 5:13