JESUS Is Transfigured.

       Six days later, JESUS took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And in their presence HE was transfigured; HIS clothes became dazzling white---whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. And Elijah with Moses appeared, conversing with JESUS.

       Then Peter said to JESUS, "RABBI, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents---one for YOU, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He did not know what to say, for they were so frightened. Then a cloud cast a shadow over them, and a voice came out of the cloud: "This is MY BELOVED SON. Listen to HIM." Suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only JESUS.

GOSPEL OF MARK: CHAPTER 9, VERSES 2 - 8

The Conditions of Discipleship.

       HE then called the people and HIS disciples to HIM and said to them, "Anyone who wishes to follow ME must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow ME. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for MY sake and the sake of the gospel will save it. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his very life{soul}? Indeed, what can he give in exchange for his life{soul}?

       "If anyone in this adulterous and sinful generation is ashamed of ME and of MY words, THE SON OF MAN will also be ashamed of him when HE comes in the glory of HIS FATHER with the holy angels."

       Then HE said to them, "Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that The Kingdom of GOD has come with power."

GOSPEL OF MARK: CHAPTER 8, VERSES 34 - 38 & CHAPTER 9, VERSE 1

JESUS Predicts HIS Passion.

       After that, HE began to teach them that THE SON OF MAN must endure great suffering, be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be put to death, and rise again after three days. HE told them these facts in plain words.

       Then Peter took HIM aside and began to rebuke HIM. At this, JESUS turned and, looking at HIS disciples, rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind ME, Satan! You are thinking not as GOD does, but as men do."

GOSPEL OF MARK: CHAPTER 8, VERSES 31 - 33

Peter's Confession That JESUS Is the Messiah.

       Then JESUS and HIS disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way HE asked HIS disciples, "Who do people say that I AM?" They responded, "[Some  say] John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." "But you," HE asked, "who do you say that I AM?" Peter answered HIM, "You are THE CHRIST." Then HE gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about HIM.

GOSPEL OF MARK: CHAPTER 8, VERSES 27 - 30

JESUS Heals a Blind Man.

       They arrived at Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man to JESUS and begged that HE touch him. HE took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Then, putting saliva on his eyes, HE laid HIS hands on him and asked, "Can you see anything?" Looking up, the man responded, "I can see people, but they look like trees walking around." JESUS placed HIS hands on the man's eyes again, and the man looked around intently. His sight was restored, and he was able to see everything clearly. Then HE sent him away to his home, saying, "Do not even go into the village."

GOSPEL OF MARK: CHAPTER 8, VERSES 22 - 26

The Yeast of the Pharisees.

       They had forgotten to bring any bread with them, and they had only one loaf in the boat. JESUS then gave them this warning, "Be careful, and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod." They talked about this to one another and concluded: "It is because we have no bread."

       Becoming aware of what they were discussing, HE said to them, "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and fail to see? Do you have ears and fail to hear?

       "And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets filled with fragments did you collect?" They answered, "Twelve." "When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets filled with fragments did you collect?" They answered, "Seven." HE said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

GOSPEL OF MARK: CHAPTER 8, VERSES 14 - 21

The Demand for a Sign.

       The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with HIM. To put HIM to the test they asked HIM to show them a sign from heaven. Sighing from the depths of HIS spirit, HE said, "Why does this generation ask for a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation." Then HE left them, got into the boat again, and sailed across to the other side.

GOSPEL OF MARK: CHAPTER 8, VERSES 11 - 13

JESUS Feeds Four Thousand.

       In those days, a great crowd had again assembled, and they had nothing to eat. JESUS called HIS disciples to HIM and said to them, "I am moved with compassion for these people, because they have been with ME now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way--and some of them have come from far off."

       HIS disciples replied, "How can anyone find enough bread here in this deserted place to feed these men?" HE asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They replied, "Seven."

       JESUS ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then HE took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks HE broke them and gave them to HIS disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the people. There were also a few small fish, and after blessing them HE commanded that these too should be distributed. They ate and were satisfied. Afterward, the disciples picked up the fragments left over--seven full baskets. The people there numbered about four thousand. And when HE had sent them away, HE immediately got into the boat with HIS disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

GOSPEL OF MARK: CHAPTER 8, VERSES 1 - 10

JESUS Heals a Deaf Man.

       Returning from the region of Tyre, JESUS traveled by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, and into the region of the Decapolis. Thereupon people brought to HIM a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged HIM to lay HIS hand on him. HE took him aside, away from the crowd, and put HIS fingers into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, HE sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha!" which means, "Be opened!" At once, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he spoke properly.

       Then HE ordered them not to tell anyone, but the more HE ordered them not to do so, the more widely they proclaimed it. Their astonishment was beyond measure. "HE has done all things well," they said. "HE even makes the deaf able to hear and the mute able to speak."

GOSPEL OF MARK: CHAPTER 7, VERSES 31 - 37

The Faith of Gentile Woman.

       HE moved on from that place to the region of Tyre. HE went into a house and did not want anyone to know HE was there, but HE was not able to avoid being recognized. Almost immediately, a woman whose daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard about HIM and hastened to fall down at HIS feet. The woman was a Gentile of Syrophoenician origin, and she begged HIM to drive the demon out of her daughter.

       JESUS said to her, "Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She replied, "Yes, LORD; but even the dogs under the table eat the scraps from the children." Then JESUS said to her, "For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter." And when she returned home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

GOSPEL OF MARK: CHAPTER 7, VERSES 24 - 30