Marcus: Chapter 9

After six days Yoshua takes Petros and Yaakov and Yohanan, and brings them up to a high mountain, alone by themselves.

He is transformed before them, and his cloak becomes glistening, very white, as no launderer on earth could whiten.

Elias and Moshe appear to them, and they speak with Yoshua.

In response Petros says to Yoshua — Great one, it is good for us to be here. We could make three tents, one for you, one for Moshe, and one for Elias. He does not know how to respond, for they are terrified.

Comes a cloud overshadowing them, and a voice from the cloud — This is my beloved son; listen to him.

Suddenly, looking around, they see no one any longer, except Yoshua by himself.

[When] they come down from the mountain, he admonishes them to describe to no one what they have seen, until the Human One rises from [among] the dead. They seize on [this] idea, discussing with each other what rising from [among] the dead is.

They ask him, saying — The scholars say that Elias must come first.

But he says to them — Indeed Elias, coming first, arranges all [things], but how is it written about the Human one, since he endures much, and is despised? I say to you that Elias has [indeed] come, and they did to him what they wished, as it was written about him.

Coming near the students, he sees a great crowd around them, and scholars debating with them. Then all the crowd, seeing him, are amazed, and running toward [him] welcome him. He asks them — What are you debating with them?

One of the crowd answers him — Teacher, I brought you my son, [who] has an unspeaking æther; wherever it seizes him it rends him, and he froths and clashes his teeth, and is wasting away. I spoke to your students, [asking] them to cast it out, but they were not able.

— O distrusting kindred, he responds. How long [must] I be with you? How long [must] I support you? — Bring him to me.

They bring him to him. Then seeing him, the æther tears at him, and falling to the ground he writhes, frothing.

He asks his father — How long is it since this came to him?

And he says — From childhood. Many times also it throws him into fire and into water to destroy him. But if you are able [to do] something, and sympathize with us, help us.

— ‘If you are able?’ Yoshua says to him. All abilities [are] for the trusting.

Then the father of the child groans, saying — I do trust! Help my distrust.

Yoshua, seeing that the crowd is running closer, admonishes the the foul æther, saying — Unspeaking, speechless æther, I command you: come out of him and never enter him [again]. And groaning, much tearing at him, it comes out. He becomes like a corpse, so that many say that he died.

But Yoshua, seizing his hands, awakens him, and he rises up. [When] he enters a house, his students by themselves ask him — Why were we unable to cast it out?

He says to them — This kind is able to come out by nothing except prayer.

Leaving that place, he goes through Galilaia, and does not wish that anyone know. For he is teaching his students, and says to them — The Human One is being rendered into the hands of humans, and they will kill him, and being killed, after three days he will rise up. But they do not understand this idea, and they are afraid to ask him.

He goes into Kapernaoum. Coming into the house, he asks them — What were you discussing on the way? But they are silent, for they have been disputing amongst themselves who is the greatest. Sitting, he hails the Twelve, and says to them — If anyone wishes to be first, they will be the last of all and the servant of all.

He grasps a child, and sets him in the middle of them, and embraces him. He says to them — Whoever receives one of these children in my name receives me, and whoever receives me does not receive me but the one who sent me.

Yohanan says to him — Teacher, we saw someone dispelling influences in your name, and we stpopped him, because he was not following us.

But Yoshua says — Do not forbid him, for no one who uses abilities in my name is able to quickly speak ill of me. Who is not against us supports us.

— Whoever serves you a cup of water in [my] name, because you are the Chosen One’s, Amen I tell you that their recompense will indeed not be destroyed.

— Whoever offends one of these small [ones] loyal to me, it is better for them to [have] a millstone put around their neck and be thrown into the lake.

— If your hand offends you, cut it off; is it good for you to go [on] in life maimed, or, having two hands, to go into Gai Hinnom, into the unquenchable fire?

If your foot offends you, cut it off; is it good for you to go [on] in life crippled, or having two feet be thrown into Gai Hinnom?

If your eye offends you, throw it away; is it good for you to enter the kingdom of God one-eyed, or having two eyes, to be thrown into Gai Hinnom, where the worms never starve, and the fire is not quenched?

For all will be salted together in fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes unsalty, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace amongst one another.

Chapter 10