Demon Forced to Release Boy

Six days later, Jesus went up to a high mountain alone, taking only Peter, James and John with Him. There He was transformed right in front of them, and His clothing began to glow a brilliant white, like snow — a perfect whiteness that cannot be produced on earth. Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they talked with Jesus.

Peter responded by saying to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here. Let us make three tents: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But Peter didn’t even know what he was saying, the men were so terrified.

Then a cloud appeared, casting its shadow over them. And a voice spoke from the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, the One I love. Listen to Him.”

And suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus, alone, and themselves. Then, as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept what He said to themselves, and wondered what risen from the dead was supposed to mean.

Then they asked Him, “Don’t the Scribes say Elijah must come first?”

Answering them, He said, “Elijah does indeed come first, restoring all things. And was it not also written about the Son of Man, that He must suffer greatly, and be rejected? But I’ll also tell you that Elijah has come, and they did what they wanted to him, just as it was written about him.”

Now when they reached the other disciples, He saw many people crowding around them, and some Scribes were arguing with them. Then the whole crowd, seeing Him suddenly, were overwhelmed and rushed forward to welcome Him.

Then He asked the Scribes, “What are you discussing with My disciples?”

But someone out of the crowd spoke up, saying, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a mute spirit. And wherever it takes hold of him, it throws him down. And he foams at the mouth, grinding his teeth. And he becomes rigid. So I talked to your disciples, wanting them to drive the spirit out. But they couldn’t do it.”

Then Jesus said, “O generation of unbelievers, how long shall I remain with you? How long shall I endure you? Bring the boy to Me.”

So they brought him to Jesus. And when it saw Him, the spirit instantly threw the boy into convulsions. And he fell on the ground, writhing, and foaming at the mouth. And Jesus questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

And he said, “Since early childhood. And it has often thrown him into either the fire or the water, trying to destroy him. But if you can do anything, help us. Have pity on us.”

And Jesus said to him, “If you can? Believe! All things are possible for the one who believes.”

Immediately, the child’s father wept, crying out, “Lord, I do believe! Help me with my unbelief!”

Then Jesus, seeing that all the people were rushing in to crowd around them, commanded the unclean spirit, saying to it, “I command you, mute and deaf spirit, Come out of him! And never enter him again.”

Then, screaming, and twisting him terribly, it came out. And the boy lay still, as if dead. Many in the crowd even began to say that he was dead. But when Jesus took hold of his hand and lifted him, the boy stood up.

After He had gone into a house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” And He told them, “Nothing can drive out this kind but prayer and fasting.”

Swollen Egos Threaten Unity

Now when they left that place, they traveled across Galilee. And Jesus wanted no one to know because He was teaching His disciples. He was telling them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men. And they will kill Him. Then, after He is killed, He’ll rise up on the third day.” But they couldn’t grasp what He was saying, and they were afraid to ask Him.

When they reached Capernaum and were inside the house, He asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they all sat still and quiet, because they had argued on the way about who was the greatest disciple. So Jesus sat down and called the twelve to Him.

He said to them, “The one among you who wants to be the leader, will become last of all, and servant of all.” Then taking one of the children, He placed him in the middle of them. And putting His arms around the child, He said to them, “Whoever receives, in My name, a little child like this one, receives Me. And whoever receives Me, receives not Me, but the One who sent me.”

Then John spoke up, telling Him, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your Name. And we made him stop, because he doesn’t follow us.”

But Jesus said, “Don’t discourage him. No one who works wonders in My Name can be quick to discredit Me. For whoever does not oppose you is for you. And whoever quenches your thirst with a cup of water, in My Name, because you belong to Christ, I tell you the truth, there is no way that person will ever lose his reward.

“But whoever hurts the faith of one of these little ones who trust in Me, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a big grinding stone hanging on his neck!

“And if your own hand should hinder your faith, cut it off! It’s better for you to enter into life mutilated, than to keep both hands and be thrown into the pit, into the flames that can never be put out, where the worms never die, and where the fire burns forever.

“And if your own foot leads you astray? Cut it off! It’s better for you to hobble lame into life, than to keep both feet and be thrown into the pit, into the flames that will never be put out, where the worms never die, and where the fire burns forever.

“Even if your eye corrupts your faith, throw it out! It’s better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with only one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery pit, where the worms never die, and the flames are never quenched.

“For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.

“And salt is good. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how will you restore its flavor? Have salt in your own selves, and be at peace with each other.”

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