Chapter 9

And having called together his twelve disciples, he gave them power and authority over all the demons, and to cure sicknesses,

and he sent them to proclaim the reign of God, and to heal the ailing.

And he said unto them, 'Take nothing for the way, neither staff, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats each;

and into whatever house ye may enter, there remain, and thence depart;

and as many as may not receive you, going forth from that city, even the dust from your feet shake off, for a testimony against them.'

And going forth they were going through the several villages, proclaiming good news, and healing everywhere.

And Herod the tetrarch heard of all the things being done by him, and was perplexed, because it was said by certain, that John hath been raised out of the dead;

and by certain, that Elijah did appear, and by others, that a prophet, one of the ancients, was risen;

and Herod said, 'John I did behead, but who is this concerning whom I hear such things?' and he was seeking to see him.

And the apostles having turned back, declared to him how great things they did, and having taken them, he withdrew by himself to a desert place of a city called Bethsaida,

and the multitudes having known did follow him, and having received them, he was speaking to them concerning the reign of God, and those having need of service he cured.

And the day began to decline, and the twelve having come near, said to him, 'Let away the multitude, that having gone to the villages and the fields round about, they may lodge and may find provision, because here we are in a desert place.'

And he said unto them, 'Give ye them to eat;' and they said, 'We have no more than five loaves, and two fishes: except, having gone, we may buy for all this people victuals;'

for they were about five thousand men. And he said unto his disciples, 'Cause them to recline in companies, in each fifty;'

and they did so, and made all to recline;

and having taken the five loaves, and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and was giving to the disciples to set before the multitude;

and they did eat, and were all filled, and there was taken up what was over to them of broken pieces, twelve baskets.

And it came to pass, as he is praying alone, the disciples were with him, and he questioned them, saying, 'Who do the multitudes say me to be?'

And they answering said, 'John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and others, that a prophet, one of the ancients, was risen;'

and he said to them, 'And ye -- who do ye say me to be?' and Peter answering said, 'The Christ of God.'

And having charged them, he commanded [them] to say this to no one,

saying -- 'It behoveth the Son of Man to suffer many things, and to be rejected by the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and the third day to be raised.'

And he said unto all, 'If any one doth will to come after me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me;

for whoever may will to save his life, shall lose it, and whoever may lose his life for my sake, he shall save it;

for what is a man profited, having gained the whole world, and having lost or having forfeited himself?

'For whoever may be ashamed of me, and of my words, of this one shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he may come in his glory, and the Father's, and the holy messengers';

and I say to you, truly, there are certain of those here standing, who shall not taste of death till they may see the reign of God.'

And it came to pass, after these words, as it were eight days, that having taken Peter, and John, and James, he went up to the mountain to pray,

and it came to pass, in his praying, the appearance of his face became altered, and his garment white -- sparkling.

And lo, two men were speaking together with him, who were Moses and Elijah,

who having appeared in glory, spake of his outgoing that he was about to fulfil in Jerusalem,

but Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep, and having waked, they saw his glory, and the two men standing with him.

And it came to pass, in their parting from him, Peter said unto Jesus, 'Master, it is good to us to be here; and we may make three booths, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah,' not knowing what he saith:

and as he was speaking these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them, and they feared in their entering into the cloud,

and a voice came out of the cloud saying, 'This is My Son -- the Beloved; hear ye him;'

and when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone; and they were silent, and declared to no one in those days anything of what they have seen.

And it came to pass on the next day, they having come down from the mount, there met him a great multitude,

and lo, a man from the multitude cried out, saying, 'Teacher, I beseech thee, look upon my son, because he is my only begotten;

and lo, a spirit doth take him, and suddenly he doth cry out, and it teareth him, with foaming, and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him,

and I besought thy disciples that they might cast it out, and they were not able.'

And Jesus answering said, 'O generation, unstedfast and perverse, till when shall I be with you, and suffer you? bring near hither thy son;'

and as he is yet coming near, the demon rent him, and tore [him] sore, and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the youth, and gave him back to his father.

And they were all amazed at the greatness of God, and while all are wondering at all things that Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,

'Lay ye to your ears these words, for the Son of Man is about to be delivered up to the hands of men.'

And they were not knowing this saying, and it was veiled from them, that they might not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

And there entered a reasoning among them, this, Who may be greater of them?

and Jesus having seen the reasoning of their heart, having taken hold of a child, set him beside himself,

and said to them, 'Whoever may receive this child in my name, doth receive me, and whoever may receive me, doth receive Him who sent me, for he who is least among you all -- he shall be great.'

And John answering said, 'Master, we saw a certain one in thy name casting forth the demons, and we forbade him, because he doth not follow with us;'

and Jesus said unto him, 'Forbid not, for he who is not against us, is for us.'

And it came to pass, in the completing of the days of his being taken up, that he fixed his face to go on to Jerusalem,

and he sent messengers before his face, and having gone on, they went into a village of Samaritans, to make ready for him,

and they did not receive him, because his face was going on to Jerusalem.

And his disciples James and John having seen, said, 'Sir, wilt thou [that] we may command fire to come down from the heaven, and to consume them, as also Elijah did?'

and having turned, he rebuked them, and said, 'Ye have not known of what spirit ye are;

for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save;' and they went on to another village.

And it came to pass, as they are going on in the way, a certain one said unto him, 'I will follow thee wherever thou mayest go, sir;'

and Jesus said to him, 'The foxes have holes, and the fowls of the heaven places of rest, but the Son of Man hath not where he may recline the head.'

And he said unto another, 'Be following me;' and he said, 'Sir, permit me, having gone away, first to bury my father;'

and Jesus said to him, 'Suffer the dead to bury their own dead, and thou, having gone away, publish the reign of God.'

And another also said, 'I will follow thee, sir, but first permit me to take leave of those in my house;'

and Jesus said unto him, 'No one having put his hand on a plough, and looking back, is fit for the reign of God.'