Instructions for the Twelve Apostles
(Matthew 10.5-15Mark 6.7-13)1 Jesus called together his twelve apostles and gave them complete power over all demons and diseases. 2 Then he sent them to tell about God's kingdom and to heal the sick. 3 He told them, “Don't take anything with you! Don't take a walking stick or a traveling bag or food or money or even a change of clothes. 4 When you are welcomed into a home, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people won't welcome you, leave the town and shake the dust from your feet as a warning to them.”
6 The apostles left and went from village to village, telling the good news and healing people everywhere.
Herod Is Worried
(Matthew 14.1-12Mark 6.14-29)7 Herod the ruler heard about all that was happening, and he was worried. Some people were saying John the Baptist had come back to life. 8 Others were saying Elijah had come or one of the prophets from long ago had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, “I had John's head cut off! Who is this I hear so much about?” Herod was eager to meet Jesus.
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
(Matthew 14.13-21Mark 6.30-44John 6.1-14)10 The apostles came back and told Jesus everything they had done. He then took them with him to the village of Bethsaida, where they could be alone. 11 But a lot of people found out about this and followed him. Jesus welcomed them. He spoke about God's kingdom and healed everyone who was sick.
12 Late in the afternoon the twelve apostles came to Jesus and said, “Send the crowd to the villages and farms around here. They need to find a place to stay and something to eat. There is nothing in this place. It's like a desert!”
13 Jesus answered, “You give them something to eat.”
But they replied, “We have only five small loaves of bread and two fish. If we are going to feed all these people, we will have to go and buy food.” 14 There were about 5,000 men in the crowd.
Jesus said to his disciples, “Tell the people to sit in groups of 50.” 15 They did this, and all the people sat down. 16 Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and fish and handed them to his disciples to give to the people.
17 Everyone ate all they wanted. What was left over filled twelve baskets.
Who Is Jesus?
(Matthew 16.13-19Mark 8.27-29)18 When Jesus was alone praying, his disciples came to him, and he asked them, “What do people say about me?”
19 They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist or Elijah or a prophet from long ago who has come back to life.”
20 Jesus then asked, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah sent from God.”
21 Jesus strictly warned his disciples not to tell anyone about this.
Jesus Speaks about His Suffering and Death
(Matthew 16.20-28Mark 8.30—9.1)22 Jesus told his disciples, “The nation's leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make the Son of Man suffer terribly. They will reject him and kill him, but three days later he will rise to life.”
23 Then Jesus said to all the people:
If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross every day and follow me. 24 If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will save it. 25 What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself or waste your life? 26 If you are ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his glory and in the glory of his Father and the holy angels. 27 You can be sure some of the people standing here will not die before they see God's kingdom.
The True Glory of Jesus
(Matthew 17.1-8Mark 9.2-8)28 About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up on a mountain to pray. 29 While he was praying, his face changed, and his clothes became shining white. 30 Suddenly Moses and Elijah were there speaking with him. 31 They appeared in heavenly glory and talked about all that Jesus' death in Jerusalem would mean.
32 Peter and the other two disciples had been sound asleep. All at once they woke up and saw how glorious Jesus was. They also saw the two men who were with him.
33 Moses and Elijah were about to leave, when Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But Peter did not know what he was talking about.
34 While Peter was still speaking, a shadow from a cloud passed over, and they were frightened as the cloud covered them. 35 From the cloud a voice spoke, “This is my chosen Son. Listen to what he says!”
36 After the voice had spoken, Peter, John, and James saw only Jesus. For some time they kept quiet and did not say anything about what they had seen.
Jesus Heals a Boy
(Matthew 17.14-18Mark 9.14-27)37 The next day Jesus and his three disciples came down from the mountain and were met by a large crowd. 38 Just then someone in the crowd shouted, “Teacher, please do something for my son! He is my only child! 39 A demon often attacks him and makes him scream. It shakes him until he foams at the mouth, and it won't leave him until it has completely worn the boy out. 40 I begged your disciples to force out the demon, but they couldn't do it.”
41 Jesus said to them, “You people are stubborn and don't have any faith! How much longer must I be with you? Why do I have to put up with you?”
Then Jesus said to the man, “Bring your son to me.” 42 While the boy was being brought, the demon attacked him and made him shake all over. Jesus ordered the demon to stop. Then he healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 Everyone was amazed at God's great power.
Jesus Again Speaks about His Death
(Matthew 17.22Matthew 23Mark 9.30-32)While everyone was still amazed at what Jesus was doing, he said to his disciples, 44 “Pay close attention to what I am telling you! The Son of Man will be handed over to his enemies.” 45 But the disciples did not know what he meant. The meaning was hidden from them. They could not understand it, and they were afraid to ask.
Who Is the Greatest?
(Matthew 18.1-5Mark 9.33-37)46 Jesus' disciples were arguing about which one of them was the greatest. 47 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he had a child stand there beside him. 48 Then he said to his disciples, “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me. Whichever one of you is the most humble is the greatest.”
For or against Jesus
(Mark 9.38-40)49 John said, “Master, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But we told him to stop, because he isn't one of us.”
50 “Don't stop him!” Jesus said. “Anyone who isn't against you is for you.”
A Samaritan Village Refuses To Receive Jesus
51 Not long before it was time for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem. 52 He sent some messengers on ahead to a Samaritan village to get things ready for him. 53 But he was on his way to Jerusalem, so the people there refused to welcome him. 54 When the disciples James and John saw what was happening, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy these people?”
55 But Jesus turned and corrected them for what they had said. 56 Then they all went on to another village.
Three People Who Wanted To Be Followers
(Matthew 8.19-22)57 Along the way someone said to Jesus, “I'll follow you anywhere!”
58 Jesus said, “Foxes have dens, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man doesn't have a place to call his own.”
59 Jesus told someone else to come with him. But the man said, “Lord, let me wait until I bury my father.”
60 Jesus answered, “Let the dead take care of the dead, while you go and tell about God's kingdom.”
61 Then someone said to Jesus, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first let me go back and take care of things at home.”
62 Jesus answered, “Anyone who starts plowing and keeps looking back isn't worth a thing to God's kingdom!”
1 Then called hee his twelue disciples together, and gaue them power and authoritie ouer all deuils, and to heale diseases. 2 And hee sent them foorth to preach the kingdome of God, and to cure the sicke. 3 And he sayd to them, Take nothing to your iourney, neither staues, nor scrip, neither bread, nor siluer, neither haue two coates apiece. 4 And whatsoeuer house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. 5 And howe many so euer will not receiue you, when ye goe out of that citie, shake off the very dust from your feete for a testimonie against them. 6 And they went out, and went through euery towne preaching the Gospel, and healing euery where. 7 Nowe Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he douted, because that it was sayd of some, that Iohn was risen againe from the dead: 8 And of some, that Elias had appeared: and of some, that one of the olde Prophets was risen againe. 9 Then Herod sayd, Iohn haue I beheaded: who then is this of whome I heare such things? and he desired to see him. 10 And when the Apostles returned, they tolde him what great things they had done. Then he tooke them to him, and went aside into a solitarie place, neere to the citie called Bethsaida. 11 But when the people knewe it, they followed him: and he receiued them, and spake vnto them of the kingdome of God, and healed them that had neede to be healed. 12 And when the day began to weare away, the twelue came, and sayd vnto him, Sende the people away, that they may goe into the townes and villages round about, and lodge, and get meate: for we are here in a desart place. 13 But he sayd vnto them, Giue ye them to eate. And they sayd, We haue no more but fiue loaues and two fishes, except we should go and buy meate for all this people. 14 For they were about fiue thousand men. Then he sayde to his disciples, Cause them to sit downe by fifties in a company. 15 And they did so, and caused all to sit downe. 16 Then he tooke the fiue loaues, and the two fishes, and looked vp to heauen, and blessed them, and brake, and gaue to the disciples, to set before the people. 17 So they did all eate, and were satisfied: and there was taken vp of that remained to them, twelue baskets full of broken meate. 18 And it came to passe, as hee was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? 19 They answered, and sayd, Iohn Baptist: and others say, Elias: and some say, that one of the olde Prophets is risen againe. 20 And he sayd vnto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answered, and sayd, That Christ of God. 21 And he warned and commanded them, that they should tell that to no man, 22 Saying, The Sonne of man must suffer many things and be reproued of the Elders, and of the hie Priests and Scribes, and be slaine, and the third day rise againe. 23 And he sayd to them all, If any man will come after me, let him denie himselfe, and take vp his crosse dayly, and follow me. 24 For whosoeuer will saue his life, shall lose it: and whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall saue it. 25 For what auantageth it a man, if he win the whole worlde, and destroy himselfe, or lose himselfe? 26 For whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me, and of my wordes, of him shall the Sonne of man be ashamed, when hee shall come in his glorie, and in the glorie of the Father, and of the holy Angels. 27 And I tell you of a suretie, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they haue seene the kingdome of God. 28 And it came to passe about an eyght dayes after those wordes, that he tooke Peter and Iohn, and Iames, and went vp into a mountaine to pray. 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was changed, and his garment was white and glistered. 30 And beholde, two men talked with him, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Which appeared in glory, and tolde of his departing, which he shoulde accomplish at Hierusalem. 32 But Peter and they that were with him, were heauie with sleepe, and when they awoke, they saw his glorie, and the two men standing with him. 33 And it came to passe, as they departed from him, Peter said vnto Iesus, Master, it is good for vs to be here: let vs therefore make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias, and wist not what he said. 34 Whiles he thus spake, there came a cloude and ouershadowed them, and they feared when they were entring into the cloude. 35 And there came a voyce out of the cloud, saying, This is that my beloued Sonne, heare him. 36 And when the voyce was past, Iesus was found alone: and they kept it close, and tolde no man in those dayes any of those things which they had seene. 37 And it came to passe on the next day, as they came downe from the mountaine, much people met him. 38 And beholde, a man of the companie cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, beholde my sonne: for he is all that I haue. 39 And loe, a spirit taketh him, and suddenly he crieth, and he teareth him, that he fometh, and hardly departeth from him, when he hath bruised him. 40 Nowe I haue besought thy disciples to cast him out, but they could not. 41 Then Iesus answered, and said, O generation faithlesse, and crooked, howe long now shall I be with you, and suffer you? bring thy sonne hither. 42 And whiles he was yet comming, the deuill rent him, and tare him: and Iesus rebuked the vncleane spirite, and healed the childe, and deliuered him to his father. 43 And they were all amased at the mightie power of God: and while they all wondered at al things, which Iesus did, he said vnto his disciples, 44 Marke these wordes diligently: for it shall come to passe, that the Sonne of man shalbe deliuered into the handes of men. 45 But they vnderstood not that word: for it was hid from them, so that they could not perceiue it: and they feared to aske him of that worde. 46 Then there arose a disputation among them, which of them should be the greatest. 47 When Iesus sawe the thoughtes of their heartes, he tooke a litle childe, and set him by him, 48 And said vnto them, Whosoeuer receiueth this litle childe in my Name, receiueth me: and whosoeuer shall receiue me, receiueth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, he shall be great. 49 And Iohn answered and saide, Master, we sawe one casting out deuils in thy Name, and we forbad him, because he followeth thee not with vs. 50 Then Iesus saide vnto him, Forbid ye him not: for he that is not against vs, is with vs. 51 And it came to passe, when the dayes were accomplished, that he should be receiued vp, he setled himselfe fully to goe to Hierusalem, 52 And sent messengers before him: and they went and entred into a towne of the Samaritans, to prepare him lodging. 53 But they woulde not receiue him, because his behauiour was, as though he would go to Hierusalem. 54 And when his disciples, Iames and Iohn sawe it, they saide, Lord, wilt thou that we commaund, that fire come downe from heauen, and consume them, euen as Elias did? 55 But Iesus turned about, and rebuked them, and said, Ye knowe not of what spirit ye are. 56 For the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens liues, but to saue them. Then they went to another towne. 57 And it came to passe that as they went in the way, a certaine man said vnto him, I will follow thee, Lord, whithersoeuer thou goest. 58 And Iesus saide vnto him, The foxes haue holes, and the birdes of the heauen nestes, but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head. 59 But he said vnto another, Followe me. And the same said, Lord, suffer me first to goe and burie my father. 60 And Iesus said vnto him, Let the dead burie their dead: but go thou, and preache the kingdome of God. 61 Then another saide, I will follow thee, Lord: but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at mine house. 62 And Iesus saide vnto him, No man that putteth his hand to the plough, and looketh backe, is apt to the kingdome of God.