The Twelve Are Sent Out
1He called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over 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 road: no staff, no bag, no bread, no silver — and do not carry a second tunic. 4Whatever house you enter, stay there, and set out again from there. 5Wherever people do not welcome you, leave that town and shake its dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6So they set out and went from village to village, announcing the good news and healing everywhere.
Herod’s Question
7Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was at a loss, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8others that Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the prophets of old had risen. 9Herod said, “John I beheaded myself. So who is this man I hear such things about?” And he kept trying to see him.
Bread for Five Thousand
10When the apostles returned they described to him what they had done. He took them with him and withdrew privately toward a town called Bethsaida. 11But the crowds found out and followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. 12The day was beginning to fade, and the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so they can go to the villages and farms nearby and find lodging and food, because here we are in a lonely place.” 13He answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have nothing but five loaves and two fish — unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” 14There were about five thousand men. He said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty.” 15They did so, and everyone sat down. 16Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to the sky, blessed them, broke them and kept giving them to the disciples to serve to the crowd. 17They all ate their fill, and what was left over was gathered up: twelve baskets of pieces.
Who Do You Say I Am
18Once, when he was praying by himself and only the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19They answered, “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20“And you,” he said, “who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” 21He warned them sternly to tell this to no one, 22and said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly, be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, be killed, and on the third day be raised.” 23To them all he said, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him say no to himself, take up his cross day after day, and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25What does a man gain by winning the whole world if he destroys or forfeits himself? 26If anyone is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
The Mountain and the Cloud
28About eight days after he said this, he took Peter and John and James along and went up the mountain to pray. 29As he prayed, the look of his face changed, and his clothing turned a blazing white. 30And two men were talking with him: they were Moses and Elijah, 31who appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem. 32Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they came fully awake and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us put up three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah” — not knowing what he was saying. 34While he was still speaking, a cloud formed and cast its shadow over them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35And a voice came out of the cloud: “This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.” 36When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silent, and in those days they told no one anything of what they had seen.
The Boy His Disciples Could Not Free
37The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38And a man in the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you, look at my son — he is my only child. 39A spirit takes hold of him, and all at once he screams; it throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth, and it will hardly leave him, breaking him to pieces. 40I begged your disciples to drive it out, and they were not able to.” 41Jesus answered, “You unbelieving and twisted generation, how long must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” 42Even as the boy was coming forward, the demon hurled him down and threw him into convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43And they were all overwhelmed by the greatness of God. While everyone was still marveling at all he was doing, he said to his disciples, 44“Let these words sink into your ears: the Son of Man is about to be handed over into human hands.” 45But they did not grasp what he said; its meaning was veiled from them so that they could not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
The Least Among You
46An argument started among them about which of them was the greatest. 47Jesus, knowing the argument in their hearts, took a small child and stood him at his side, 48and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the one who is least among you all — that is the one who is great.” 49John spoke up: “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of our company.” 50Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him. Whoever is not against you is for you.”
He Sets His Face for Jerusalem
51As the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52and he sent messengers ahead of him. They went and entered a Samaritan village to make preparations for him; 53but the people would not receive him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54When the disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from the sky to burn them up?” 55He turned and rebuked them, 56and they went on to another village.
The Cost of the Road
57As they traveled along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59To another he said, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Let me first go and bury my father.” 60Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; you go and announce the kingdom of God.” 61Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my household.” 62Jesus answered him, “No one who sets his hand to the plow and keeps looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
