Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
1When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.
7Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
10When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.
12Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”
13He replied, “You give them something to eat.”
They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14(About five thousand men were there.)
But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
18Once when Jesus was praying in private and 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; and still others, 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 Predicts His Death
21Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
23Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
The Transfiguration
28About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31They spoke about his departure,9:31 Greek exodos which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
34While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
37The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”
41“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”
42Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time
While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
46An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 47Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”
49“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
50“Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”
Samaritan Opposition
51As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them9:54 Some manuscripts them, just as Elijah did?” 55But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56Then he and his disciples went to another village.
The Cost of Following Jesus
57As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
62Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
差遣十二使徒
1耶稣召集了十二个使徒，赐他们赶鬼医病的能力和权柄， 2又差遣他们出去宣讲上帝的国、医治病人。 3耶稣叮嘱他们：“出门的时候，什么也不要带，不要带手杖、背包、干粮、金钱，也不要带两件衣服。 4你们无论进到哪户人家，都要在那里住下来，一直到你们离开那地方。 5如果有人不欢迎你们，你们在离开那城的时候，就把脚上的尘土跺掉，作为对他们的警告。”
6使徒就出发，走遍各个乡村，到处宣扬福音，医治病人。
希律的困惑
7耶稣的事迹很快便传到分封王希律耳中，令他十分困惑，因为有人说：“约翰从死里复活了。” 8有人说：“以利亚显现了。”还有人说：“古代的某个先知复活了。” 9希律说：“约翰已经被我斩首，这个人是谁呢？我竟听到祂这样的事迹！”于是他想见耶稣。
五饼二鱼的神迹
10使徒回来后，向耶稣报告他们一切的工作。随后耶稣带着他们单独退到伯赛大城。 11但百姓知道了耶稣的行踪，就跟随祂。耶稣接待他们，向他们传讲上帝的国，医治有病的人。 12黄昏将近，十二个使徒过来对耶稣说：“请遣散众人，好让他们到周围的村庄去借宿找吃的，因为我们这地方很偏僻。”
13耶稣对他们说：“你们给他们吃的吧。”
他们说：“我们只有五个饼和两条鱼，除非我们去买食物才够这么一大群人吃。” 14当时那里约有五千男人。
耶稣便对门徒说：“让这些人分组坐下，每组大约五十人。” 15于是门徒安排众人都坐好。 16耶稣拿起那五个饼、两条鱼，举目望着天祝谢后，掰开递给门徒，让他们分给众人。 17大家都吃饱了，把剩下的零碎收拾起来，装满了十二个篮子。
彼得宣告耶稣是基督
18有一次，耶稣独自祷告的时候，门徒也在旁边。
耶稣问他们：“人们说我是谁？”
19他们答道：“有人说是施洗者约翰，有人说是以利亚，还有人说是一位复活的古代先知。”
20耶稣对他们说：“那么，你们说我是谁？”
彼得回答说：“上帝所立的基督。”
21耶稣郑重叮嘱他们不可泄露祂的身份， 22又说：“人子必须受许多苦，被长老、祭司长和律法教师弃绝，并且被杀害，但必在第三天复活。”
跟从主的代价
23耶稣又教导众人说：“人若想跟从我，就当舍己，天天背起他的十字架跟从我。 24因为想救自己生命的，必失去生命；但为了我失去生命的，必得到生命。 25人就算赚得全世界，却失去自己或丧掉自己，又有什么益处呢？ 26如果有人以我和我的道为耻，将来人子在自己、天父和圣天使的荣耀中降临时，也必以这人为耻。 27我实在告诉你们，有些站在这里的人会在有生之年看见上帝的国。”
登山变象
28讲完这些话后大约八天，耶稣带着彼得、约翰和雅各一同到山上祷告。 29耶稣在祷告的时候，容貌改变了，衣裳洁白发光。 30忽然，摩西和以利亚二人在跟耶稣谈话。 31二人在荣光中显现，谈论有关耶稣离世的事情，就是祂在耶路撒冷将要成就的事。 32彼得和两个同伴都困得睡着了，他们醒来后，看见了耶稣的荣光以及站在祂身边的两个人。 33当摩西和以利亚要离开时，彼得对耶稣说：“老师，我们在这里真好！我们搭三座帐篷吧，一座给你，一座给摩西，一座给以利亚。”其实彼得并不知道自己在说什么。 34他的话还没说完，有一朵云彩飘来，笼罩他们，他们进入云彩中，都很害怕。 35云彩中有声音说：“这是我的儿子，是我拣选的，你们要听从祂！” 36声音消逝了，门徒只见耶稣独自在那里。那些日子，他们对这事都绝口不提，没有告诉任何人。
山下赶鬼
37次日，他们来到山下，有一大群人迎接耶稣。 38人群中有一个人高声喊叫：“老师，求求你看看我的儿子吧！他是我的独生子， 39鬼控制着他，他常常突然狂喊乱叫、抽搐、口吐白沫，倍受折磨，无休无止。 40我求你的门徒把鬼赶出去，但他们却无能为力。”
41耶稣回答说：“唉！这又不信又败坏的世代啊！我要跟你们在一起容忍你们多久呢？把你的儿子带来吧。”
42那孩子走过来时，鬼又把他摔倒，使他抽搐，耶稣就斥责污鬼，把那孩子治好了，交给他父亲。 43众人看见了上帝的大能，都很惊奇。
再次预言受难
他们正为耶稣的一切作为惊讶不已时，耶稣对门徒说： 44“你们要牢记人子所说的话，因为祂将被交在人手中。” 45门徒却不明白这句话的意思，因为这番话的含意对他们是隐藏的，他们听不懂，又不敢问祂。
论地位
46门徒开始争论他们当中谁最伟大。 47耶稣知道他们的心思，就带来一个小孩子，让他站在自己身旁， 48然后对门徒说：“谁为了我的名接待这样一个小孩子，就是接待我；谁接待我，就是接待差我来的那位。你们当中最卑微的其实是最伟大的。”
49约翰说：“老师，我们看见有人奉你的名赶鬼，就阻止他，因为他不是和我们一起跟从你的。” 50耶稣却对他说：“你们不要阻止他，因为不反对你们的，就是支持你们的。”
不肯接待耶稣的村庄
51耶稣被接回天家的日子快到了，祂决定前往耶路撒冷。 52祂派人先到撒玛利亚的一个村庄去预备， 53但撒玛利亚人见祂是上耶路撒冷去的，不肯接待祂。 54祂的门徒雅各和约翰见状说：“主啊，你要我们9:54 有古卷加“像以利亚一样”。叫天上的火降下来烧死他们吗？” 55耶稣转过身来责备他们9:55 有古卷在“责备他们”之后有“说，‘你们的心如何，你们自己不知道，人子来是为了拯救人，不是为了毁灭人。’”。 56接着，一行人改道去另一个村子。
跟从主的代价
57在路上有人对耶稣说：“无论你往哪里去，我都要跟从你。”
58耶稣对他说：“狐狸有洞，飞鸟有窝，人子却没有安枕之处。”
59耶稣又对另一个人说：“跟从我！”但是那人说：“主啊，请让我先回去安葬我的父亲。”
60耶稣说：“让死人去埋葬他们的死人吧，你只管去传扬上帝的国。”
61又有一个人说：“主啊！我愿意跟从你，但请让我先回去向家人告别。”
62耶稣说：“手扶着犁向后看的人不配进上帝的国。”
