Mark 9:30-50 : Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus Talks About His Death
30Then Jesus and his followers left that place. They went through Galilee. Jesus did not want the people to know where they were. 31Jesus wanted to teach his followers alone. Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man* will be given to people that will kill him. After three days, he will rise from death." 32But the followers did not understand what Jesus meant. And they were afraid to ask him what he meant.
Jesus Tells Who Is the Greatest
33Jesus and his followers went to Capernaum.* They went into a house. Then Jesus said to his followers, "I heard you arguing on the road today. What were you arguing about?" 34But the followers did not answer, because their argument on the road was about which one of them was the greatest. 35Jesus sat down and called the twelve apostles* to him. Jesus said, "If any person wants to be the most important, then he must make all other people more important than himself. That person must serve all other people." 36Then Jesus took a small child. Jesus stood the child before the followers. Jesus held the child in his arms and said, 37"If a person accepts children like these in my name, then that person is also accepting me. And if a person accepts me, then that person is also accepting the One (God) that sent me."
Any Person Not Against Us Is for Us
38Then John said, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons* out of a person. He is not one of us. So we told him to stop, because he does not belong to our group." 39Jesus said, "Don't stop him. Any person that uses my name to do powerful things will not say bad things about me. 40The person that is not against us is with us. 41I tell you the truth. If a person helps you by giving you a drink of water because you belong to the Christ,* then that person will truly get his reward.
Jesus Warns About Causes of Sin
42"If one of these little children believes in me, and another person causes that child to sin, then it will be very bad for that person. It would be better for that person to have a millstone* tied around his neck and be drowned in the sea. 43If your hand makes you sin, cut it off. It is better for you to lose part of your body but have life forever. That is much better than to have two hands and go to hell. In that place the fire never stops. 44* 45If your foot makes you sin, cut it off. It is better for you to lose part of your body but have life forever. That is much better than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 46* 47If your eye makes you sin, take it out. It is better for you to have only one eye but have life forever. That is much better than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. 48The worms that eat the people in hell never die. In hell the fire is never stopped. 49Every person will be punished* with fire. 50"Salt is good. But if the salt loses its salty taste, then you can't make it salty again. So, be full of goodness. And have peace with each other."
Son of Man A name Jesus used for himself. In Dan. 7:13-14, this is the name for the Messiah, the one God chose to save his people. Capernaum A town in Galilee where Jesus taught. apostles The men Jesus chose to be his special helpers. demon(s) Demons are evil spirits from the devil. Christ The "anointed one" (Messiah) or chosen one of God. millstone A large, round stone used for grinding grain. Verse 44 Some Greek copies of Mark add verse 44, which is the same as verse 48. Verse 46 Some Greek copies of Mark add verse 46, which is the same as verse 48. punished Literally, "salted."