First Must Be Last
25 But, when Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly collecting, he rebuked the foul spirit: “Deaf and dumb spirit, it is I who command you. Come out from him and never enter him again.” 26 With a loud cry the spirit threw the boy into repeated convulsions, and then came out from him. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead. 27 But Jesus took his hand, and lifted him; and he stood up. 28 When Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately: “Why could not we drive it out?” 29 “A spirit of this kind,” he said, “can be driven out only by prayer.”
30 Leaving that place, Jesus and his disciples went on their way through Galilee; but he did not wish anyone to know it, 31 for he was instructing his disciples, and telling them: “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of his community, and they will put him to death, but, when he has been put to death, he will rise again after three days.” 32 But the disciples did not understand his meaning and were afraid to question him.
33 They came to Capernaum. When Jesus had gone into the house, he asked them: “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they were silent; for on the way they had been arguing with one another which was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the twelve and said: “If anyone wishes to be first, the first must be last of all, and servant of all.”
36 Then Jesus took a little child, and placed it in the middle of them. Folding it in his arms, he said to them: 37 “Anyone who, for the sake of my name, welcomes even a little child like this is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming not me, but him who sent me as his messenger.”
38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he did not follow us.” 39 “None of you must prevent the man,” answered Jesus, “for no one will use my name in working a miracle, and yet find it easy to speak evil of me. 40 He who is not against us is for us.”
41 “If anyone gives you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell you, he shall assuredly not lose his reward. 42 And, if anyone puts a snare in the way of one of these lowly ones who believe in me, it would be far better for him if he had been thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. 43 If your hand proves a snare to you, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter the life maimed, than to have both your hands and go into the pit, into the inextinguishable fire: 44 Where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.”
45 “If your foot proves a snare to you, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter the Life lame, than to have both your feet and be thrown into the pit: 46 Where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. 47 If your eye proves a snare to you, tear it out. It would be better for you to enter the kingdom of God with only one eye, than to have both eyes and be thrown into the pit: 48 Where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. 49 For it is by fire that everyone will be salted. 50 Salt is good, but, if the salt should lose its saltiness, what will you use to season it? You must have salt in yourselves, and live at peace with one another.”
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To read the Chapter 10 of the Book of Mark, please go to: Why Do You Call Me Good?
Browse the entire Book of Mark here: Gospel of Mark
