差遣十二使徒
1耶穌召集了十二個使徒，賜他們能力和權柄可以醫病趕鬼， 2又差遣他們出去宣講上帝國的福音、醫治病人。 3耶穌叮囑他們：「出門的時候，什麼也不要帶，不要帶手杖、背包、乾糧、金錢，也不要帶兩件衣服。 4有人家接待你們，就住下來，一直住到你們離開。 5如果有人不歡迎你們，你們在離開那城的時候，就把腳上的塵土跺掉，作為對他們的警告。」
6使徒領命出發，走遍各個鄉村，到處宣揚福音，替人治病。
希律的困惑
7耶穌的事蹟很快便傳到希律耳中，令他十分困惑，因為有人說：「約翰死而復活了」， 8有人說：「以利亞顯現了」，還有人說：「古代的某個先知復活了」。 9希律說：「約翰已經被我斬首，這個行奇事的人到底是誰呢？」於是他想見耶穌。
五餅二魚的神蹟
10使徒回來後，向耶穌報告了他們所行的事。隨後耶穌帶著他們悄悄地來到伯賽大城。 11但百姓發現了耶穌的行蹤，隨即也趕來了。耶穌接待他們，向他們宣講天國的福音，醫好了有病的人。 12黃昏將近，十二個使徒過來對耶穌說：「請遣散眾人，好讓他們到附近的村莊去借宿找吃的，因為這地方很偏僻。」
13耶穌對他們說：「你們給他們吃的吧。」
使徒們說：「我們只有五個餅和兩條魚，除非我們去買食物才夠這麼一大群人吃。」 14當時那裡約有五千男人。
耶穌便對使徒說：「讓這些人分組坐下，每組大約五十人。」 15於是使徒安排眾人都坐好。 16耶穌拿起那五個餅、兩條魚，舉目望著天祝謝後，掰開遞給門徒，讓他們分給眾人。 17大家都吃飽了，把剩下的零碎收拾起來，竟裝滿了十二個籃子。
彼得宣告耶穌是基督
18有一次，耶穌獨自禱告的時候，門徒也在旁邊。
耶穌問他們：「人們說我是誰？」
19他們答道：「有人說你是施洗者約翰，也有人說你是以利亞，或是一位復活的古代先知。」
20耶穌對他們說：「那麼，你們說我是誰？」
彼得回答說：「你是上帝所立的基督。」
21耶穌鄭重地吩咐他們不許洩露祂的身分， 22又說：「人子必須受許多苦，被長老、祭司長和律法教師棄絕，殺害，但必在第三天復活。」
跟從主的代價
23耶穌又教導眾人說：「如果有人要跟從我，就應當捨己，天天背起他的十字架跟從我。 24因為想救自己生命的，必失去生命；但為了我而失去生命的，必得到生命。 25人若賺得全世界，卻失去自己或喪掉自己，又有什麼益處呢？ 26如果有人以我和我的道為恥，將來人子在自己、天父和聖天使的榮耀中降臨時，也必以這人為恥。 27我實在告訴你們，有些站在這裡的人在有生之年就必看見上帝的國。」
登山變象
28講完這些話後大約八天，耶穌帶著彼得、約翰和雅各一同到山上禱告。 29耶穌在禱告的時候，容貌改變了，衣裳潔白發光。 30忽然，摩西和以利亞二人在跟耶穌交談。 31二人在榮光中顯現，談論有關耶穌離世的事情，就是祂在耶路撒冷將要成就的事。 32彼得和兩個同伴都睏得睡著了，他們醒來後，看見了耶穌的榮光以及站在祂身邊的兩個人。 33當摩西和以利亞要離開時，彼得對耶穌說：「老師，我們在這裡真好！讓我們搭三座帳篷，一座給你，一座給摩西，一座給以利亞。」其實彼得並不知道自己在說什麼。 34他的話還沒說完，有一朵雲彩飄來，籠罩他們，他們進入雲彩中，都很害怕。 35雲彩中有聲音說：「這是我的兒子，是我揀選的，你們要聽從祂！」 36聲音消逝了，門徒只見耶穌獨自在那裡。那些日子，他們對這事都絕口不提，沒有告訴任何人。
山下趕鬼
37次日，他們來到山下，有一大群人迎接耶穌。 38人群中有一個人高聲喊叫：「老師，求求你看看我的兒子吧！他是我的獨生子， 39鬼控制著他，他常常突然狂喊亂叫、抽搐、口吐白沫，倍受折磨，無休無止。 40我曾求過你的門徒把鬼趕出去，但他們都無能為力。」
41耶穌回答說：「唉！這又不信又敗壞的世代啊！我要跟你們在一起容忍你們多久呢？把你的兒子帶來吧。」
42那孩子走過來時，鬼又把他摔倒，使他抽搐，耶穌立刻斥責污鬼，把那孩子治好了，交給他父親。 43大家看見了上帝的大能，都很驚奇。
再次預言受難
他們正為耶穌所做的一切驚訝不已時，耶穌對門徒說： 44「你們要牢記人子所說的話，因為祂將要被交到人的手裡。」 45但門徒不明白這句話的意思，因為還沒有向他們顯明，他們聽不懂，又不敢追問耶穌。
論地位
46門徒開始議論他們當中誰最偉大。 47耶穌知道他們的心思，就叫了一個小孩子來，讓他站在自己身旁， 48然後對門徒說：「任何人為了我的緣故接待這樣一個小孩子，就是接待我；接待我，就是接待差我來的那位。你們當中最卑微的其實是最偉大的。」
49約翰說：「老師，我們看見有人奉你的名趕鬼，就阻止他，因為他不是和我們一起跟從你的。」 50耶穌卻對他說：「你不要阻止他，因為不反對你們的，就是支持你們的。」
不肯接待耶穌的村莊
51耶穌被接回天家的日子快到了，祂決定前往耶路撒冷。 52祂先派人到撒瑪利亞的一個村莊去預備食宿， 53但撒瑪利亞人見他們是上耶路撒冷去的，不肯接待他們。 54祂的門徒雅各和約翰見狀，說：「主啊，你要我們9·54 有古卷加「像以利亞一樣」。叫天上的火降下來燒死他們嗎？」 55耶穌轉過身來責備他們9·55 有古卷在「責備他們」之後有「說，『你們的心如何，你們自己不知道，人子來是為了拯救人，不是為了毀滅人。』」。 56接著，一行人改道去另一個村子。
跟從主的代價
57在路上有人對耶穌說：「無論你往哪裡去，我都要跟從你。」
58耶穌對他說：「狐狸有洞，飛鳥有窩，人子卻沒有安枕之處。」
59耶穌又對另一個人說：「跟從我！」但是那人說：「主啊，請讓我先回去安葬我的父親。」
60耶穌說：「讓死人去埋葬他們的死人吧，你只管去傳揚上帝國的福音。」
61又有一個人說：「主啊！我願意跟從你，但請讓我先回去向家人告別。」
62耶穌說：「手扶著犁向後看的人不配進上帝的國。」
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples
1Jesus called together the 12 disciples. He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to heal sicknesses. 2Then he sent them out to announce God’s kingdom and to heal those who were sick. 3He told them, “Don’t take anything for the journey. Do not take a walking stick or a bag. Do not take any bread, money or extra clothes. 4When you are invited into a house, stay there until you leave town. 5Some people may not welcome you. If they don’t, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet. This will be a witness against the people living there.” 6So the 12 disciples left. They went from village to village. They announced the good news and healed people everywhere.
7Now Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything that was going on. He was bewildered, because some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. 8Others were saying that Elijah had appeared. Still others were saying that a prophet of long ago had come back to life. 9But Herod said, “I had John’s head cut off. So who is it that I hear such things about?” And he tried to see Jesus.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
10The disciples returned. They told Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him. They went off by themselves to a town called Bethsaida. 11But the crowds learned about it and followed Jesus. He welcomed them and spoke to them about God’s kingdom. He also healed those who needed to be healed.
12Late in the afternoon the 12 disciples came to him. They said, “Send the crowd away. They can go to the nearby villages and countryside. There they can find food and a place to stay. There is nothing here.”
13Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat.”
The disciples answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish. We would have to go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14About 5,000 men were there.
But Jesus said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about 50 each.” 15The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke them into pieces. Then he gave them to the disciples to give to the people. 17All of them ate and were satisfied. The disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftover pieces.
Peter Says That Jesus Is the Messiah
18One day Jesus was praying alone. Only his disciples were with him. He asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
19They replied, “Some say John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. Still others say that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”
20“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”
Jesus Speaks About His Coming Death
21Jesus strongly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22He said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. The elders will not accept him. The chief priests and the teachers of the law will not accept him either. He must be killed and on the third day rise from the dead.”
23Then he said to all of them, “Whoever wants to follow me must say no to themselves. They must pick up their cross every day and follow me. 24Whoever wants to save their life will lose it. But whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses or gives up their very self? 26Suppose someone is ashamed of me and my words. The Son of Man will come in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. Then he will be ashamed of that person.
27“What I’m about to tell you is true. Some who are standing here will not die before they see God’s kingdom.”
Jesus’ Appearance Is Changed
28About eight days after Jesus said this, he went up on a mountain to pray. He took Peter, John and James with him. 29As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed. His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in shining glory. Jesus and the two of them talked together. 31They talked about how he would be leaving them soon. This was going to happen in Jerusalem. 32Peter and his companions had been very sleepy. But then they became completely awake. They saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. 33As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter spoke up. “Master,” he said to him, “it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters. One will be for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter didn’t really know what he was saying.
34While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them. The disciples were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35A voice came from the cloud. It said, “This is my Son, and I have chosen him. Listen to him.” 36When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept quiet about this. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
Jesus Heals a Boy Who Is Controlled by an Evil Spirit
37The next day Jesus and those who were with him came down from the mountain. A large crowd met Jesus. 38A man in the crowd called out. “Teacher,” he said, “I beg you to look at my son. He is my only child. 39A spirit takes hold of him, and he suddenly screams. It throws him into fits so that he foams at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him. It is destroying him. 40I begged your disciples to drive it out. But they couldn’t do it.”
41“You unbelieving and evil people!” Jesus replied. “How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”
42Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him into a fit. The boy fell to the ground. But Jesus ordered the evil spirit to leave the boy. Then Jesus healed him and gave him back to his father. 43They were all amazed at God’s greatness.
Jesus Speaks a Second Time About His Coming Death
Everyone was wondering about all that Jesus did. Then Jesus said to his disciples, 44“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men.” 45But they didn’t understand what this meant. That was because it was hidden from them. And they were afraid to ask Jesus about it.
Who Is the Most Important Person?
46The disciples began to argue about which one of them would be the most important person. 47Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he took a little child and had the child stand beside him. 48Then he spoke to them. “Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me,” he said. “And anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. The one considered least important among all of you is really the most important.”
49“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
50“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “Anyone who is not against you is for you.”
The Samaritans Do Not Welcome Jesus
51The time grew near for Jesus to be taken up to heaven. So he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem. 52He sent messengers on ahead. They went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him. 53But the people there did not welcome Jesus. That was because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54The disciples James and John saw this. They asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?” 55But Jesus turned and commanded them not to do it. 56Then Jesus and his disciples went on to another village.
The Cost of Following Jesus
57Once Jesus and those who were with him were walking along the road. A man said to Jesus, “I will follow you no matter where you go.”
58Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens. Birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60Jesus said to him, “Let dead people bury their own dead. You go and tell others about God’s kingdom.”
61Still another person said, “I will follow you, Lord. But first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
62Jesus replied, “Suppose someone starts to plow and then looks back. That person is not fit for service in God’s kingdom.”
