Mark 3
The Message (MSG)
Doing Good on the
Sabbath
3 1-3
Then he went back in the meeting place where he found a man with a
crippled hand. The Pharisees had their eyes on Jesus to see if he would heal
him, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction. He said to the man with the
crippled hand, “Stand here where we can see you.”
4 Then he spoke to the people: “What kind of action suits
the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them
helpless?” No one said a word.
5-6 He looked them in the eye, one
after another, angry now, furious at their hard-nosed religion. He said to the
man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out—it was as good as new! The Pharisees
got out as fast as they could, sputtering about how they would join forces with
Herod’s followers and ruin him.
The Twelve
Apostles
7-10 Jesus went off with his disciples to the sea to get
away. But a huge crowd from Galilee trailed after them—also from Judea,
Jerusalem, Idumea, across the Jordan, and around Tyre and Sidon—swarms of people
who had heard the reports and had come to see for themselves. He told his
disciples to get a boat ready so he wouldn’t be trampled by the crowd. He had
healed many people, and now everyone who had something wrong was pushing and
shoving to get near and touch him.
11-12 Evil spirits, when they recognized him, fell down
and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus would have none of it. He
shut them up, forbidding them to identify him in public.
13-19 He climbed a mountain and invited those he wanted
with him. They climbed together. He settled on twelve, and designated them
apostles. The plan was that they would be with him, and he would send them out
to proclaim the Word and give them authority to banish demons. These are the
Twelve:
Simon (Jesus later named him Peter, meaning “Rock”),James, son of Zebedee, John,
brother of James (Jesus nicknamed the Zebedee brothers Boanerges, meaning “Sons
of Thunder”),Andrew,Philip,Bartholomew,Matthew,Thomas,James, son of Alphaeus,Thaddaeus,Simon the Canaanite,Judas Iscariot (who betrayed him).
Satan Fighting
Satan?
20-21 Jesus came home and, as usual, a crowd gathered—so
many making demands on him that there wasn’t even time to eat. His friends heard
what was going on and went to rescue him, by force if necessary. They suspected
he was getting carried away with himself.
22-27 The religion scholars from Jerusalem came down
spreading rumors that he was working black magic, using devil tricks to impress
them with spiritual power. Jesus confronted their slander with a story: “Does it
make sense to send a devil to catch a devil, to use Satan to get rid of Satan? A
constantly squabbling family disintegrates. If Satan were fighting Satan, there
soon wouldn’t be any Satan left. Do you think it’s possible in broad daylight to
enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man, and walk off with his possessions
unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him
out.
28-30 “Listen to this carefully. I’m warning you. There’s
nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you persist in your slanders
against God’s Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives, sawing
off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all
connection with the One who forgives.” He gave this warning because they were
accusing him of being in league with Evil.
Jesus’ Mother and
Brothers
31-32 Just then his mother and brothers showed up.
Standing outside, they relayed a message that they wanted a word with him. He
was surrounded by the crowd when he was given the message, “Your mother and
brothers and sisters are outside looking for you.”
33-35 Jesus responded, “Who do you think are my mother and
brothers?” Looking around, taking in everyone seated around him, he said, “Right
here, right in front of you—my mother and my brothers. Obedience is thicker than
blood. The person who obeys God’s will is my brother and sister and
mother.”
The Message (MSG)
Doing Good on the
Sabbath
3 1-3
Then he went back in the meeting place where he found a man with a
crippled hand. The Pharisees had their eyes on Jesus to see if he would heal
him, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction. He said to the man with the
crippled hand, “Stand here where we can see you.”
4 Then he spoke to the people: “What kind of action suits
the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them
helpless?” No one said a word.
5-6 He looked them in the eye, one
after another, angry now, furious at their hard-nosed religion. He said to the
man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out—it was as good as new! The Pharisees
got out as fast as they could, sputtering about how they would join forces with
Herod’s followers and ruin him.
The Twelve
Apostles
7-10 Jesus went off with his disciples to the sea to get
away. But a huge crowd from Galilee trailed after them—also from Judea,
Jerusalem, Idumea, across the Jordan, and around Tyre and Sidon—swarms of people
who had heard the reports and had come to see for themselves. He told his
disciples to get a boat ready so he wouldn’t be trampled by the crowd. He had
healed many people, and now everyone who had something wrong was pushing and
shoving to get near and touch him.
11-12 Evil spirits, when they recognized him, fell down
and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus would have none of it. He
shut them up, forbidding them to identify him in public.
13-19 He climbed a mountain and invited those he wanted
with him. They climbed together. He settled on twelve, and designated them
apostles. The plan was that they would be with him, and he would send them out
to proclaim the Word and give them authority to banish demons. These are the
Twelve:
Simon (Jesus later named him Peter, meaning “Rock”),James, son of Zebedee, John,
brother of James (Jesus nicknamed the Zebedee brothers Boanerges, meaning “Sons
of Thunder”),Andrew,Philip,Bartholomew,Matthew,Thomas,James, son of Alphaeus,Thaddaeus,Simon the Canaanite,Judas Iscariot (who betrayed him).
Satan Fighting
Satan?
20-21 Jesus came home and, as usual, a crowd gathered—so
many making demands on him that there wasn’t even time to eat. His friends heard
what was going on and went to rescue him, by force if necessary. They suspected
he was getting carried away with himself.
22-27 The religion scholars from Jerusalem came down
spreading rumors that he was working black magic, using devil tricks to impress
them with spiritual power. Jesus confronted their slander with a story: “Does it
make sense to send a devil to catch a devil, to use Satan to get rid of Satan? A
constantly squabbling family disintegrates. If Satan were fighting Satan, there
soon wouldn’t be any Satan left. Do you think it’s possible in broad daylight to
enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man, and walk off with his possessions
unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him
out.
28-30 “Listen to this carefully. I’m warning you. There’s
nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you persist in your slanders
against God’s Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives, sawing
off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all
connection with the One who forgives.” He gave this warning because they were
accusing him of being in league with Evil.
Jesus’ Mother and
Brothers
31-32 Just then his mother and brothers showed up.
Standing outside, they relayed a message that they wanted a word with him. He
was surrounded by the crowd when he was given the message, “Your mother and
brothers and sisters are outside looking for you.”
33-35 Jesus responded, “Who do you think are my mother and
brothers?” Looking around, taking in everyone seated around him, he said, “Right
here, right in front of you—my mother and my brothers. Obedience is thicker than
blood. The person who obeys God’s will is my brother and sister and
mother.”