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THREE PEOPLE SAW JESUS REALLY SHINE. GOD SPOKE TO THEM FROM A CLOUD (9:2-10)
2 After three days Jesus picked out Peter and James and John, he took them to a big hill. They climbed up that hill. Only they went. There those three were seeing Jesus shining. 3 His clothes became white, they became bright for him. Truly a person can not make them really white like that. 4 After that those three saw two wise old leaders, they were God's two speakers from long ago, the name of one was Elijah, the other was Moses. Those two and Jesus were conversing. 5 Peter butting in spoke to Jesus, “Teacher, we are right here. That is good. We will make bough shelters for all of you, one for you, another for Moses, another for Elijah. 6 He and James and John were afraid, they were ignorant about right words. 7 At that time a cloud came and covered them. God said to them, from the cloud, “This is my own child, I love him, Listen to him.” 8 They quickly looked around, they did not see the two leaders from long ago. They saw only Jesus. 9 As they were descending (from the hill) Jesus told them sternly, “You have seen me, I was in the brightness, you saw Moses and Elijah, God spoke to you from the cloud. Do not tell the others. Later after I die I will get up alive. After that you can tell them.” 10 In response to his word they did not talk to the others. Only they discussed it secretly with each other. “Why did he tell us that word, 'After I die I will get up alive'?” They were puzzling.
JESUS HEALED A CHILD WHO WAS CONTROLLED BY A SPIRIT (9:14-29)
14 After they returned they came to Jesus' other men. They saw them in the middle of a crowd. A few of the Jews' teachers were there arguing with Jesus' men. 15 When the crowd looked they saw Jesus close, they were pleased, they ran to meet him. “We are happy! You have come!” 16 Jesus asked his men, “Why were you arguing with them?” 17 One man said to him, “Teacher, my child is controlled by an evil spirit, he can't talk. 18 The spirit grabs him, it throws him on the ground. Saliva froths from his mouth, he grinds his teeth, his body becomes very stiff. Therefore I brought him to you so you can make him well. I asked your men to send the demon right away. Nothing. They tried in vain to send it away.” 19 Then Jesus said to his men, “You truly have not believed in God. How is it? You are still unbelievers. How long shall I be with you? Shall I teach you for a long time? After that will you believe in God? Bring the child to me.” 20 They brought him to him. As soon as he saw Jesus the spirit grabbed that child, it made him thrash around. At that time the child fell on the ground, trembling he was rolling from side to side. Saliva was coming from his mouth. 21 Jesus asked his father, “When did he become like this?” He said to him, “When he was a child. 22 Many times the spirit has thrown him in the fire or in the water, it has been trying to kill him. Have pity on us. Perhaps you will make him well.” 23-24 Jesus replied, “Yes, I know how to heal him. Why did you say that word to me, 'Perhaps you will make him well.'? You must believe in God. Then you can ask God for anything. For that particular thing he knows how to do it. It is not a puzzle for God.” Right then the man called out loudly, “I believe in God. Teach me to believe properly!” 25 Jesus saw many people gathering together. Therefore he said sternly to the evil spirit, “You bad spirit, you made this child deaf, you made him unable to speak. Leave. Go away. Do not again control him.” 26 The spirit called out, it was making the child thrash around, it was very bad. Then it left, it went away permanently. That child was like a corpse. Many were saying, “He is truly dead.” 27 Jesus raised him up by the hand. After that the child stood up. He was well. 28 After Jesus entered the house his men asked him, “Why couldn't we expel that spirit?” In vain we tried to send it away.” 29 Jesus replied, “Only after praying to God will you expel a demon like that.”
JESUS TOLD THEM SOME PEOPLE WOULD KILL HIM (9:30-32)
30-31 Jesus and his men left that place, they were going around the country of Galilee. He wanted the people of the area not to recognise him. He was wanting to teach his men about himself, others would kill him. He was telling them, “You know about me, God sent me to people. Some people have been saying God did not send me. They want to kill me. Truly they will grab me, they will take me to other people. Those others will truly kill me. After that, after two nights, truly I will become alive again.” In that way Jesus talked to his men. 32 His men were very ignorant about that talk. They did not want to ask him in response, they were shy.
HOW TO BECOME IMPORTANT (9:33-37)
33 They went to that town Capernaum. After his men had entered the house Jesus asked them, “As we were coming why were you arguing with each other?” 34 They stayed silent. They didn't answer him. As they were going along they were arguing with each other. In this way they were saying to each other, “Who among us will be boss for us all?” 35 After sitting down Jesus called them to him. He said to them, “Maybe you want to be boss, make yourself small, do good to everyone.” 36 After that he called a child, after leading him he stood him in front of them. After hugging him he said to them, 37 “Maybe you will do good to someone like this child to please me. That good thing you did for the child, that same good thing you also did to me. God sent me. Because of that when you do good to me you will make me happy, you will make God happy also.”
SOMEONE WAS EXPELLING SPIRITS FROM PEOPLE (9:38-41)
38 John told Jesus, “Teacher, we saw a man, he was expelling demons from people in your name. That man does not belong to our mob. After that we told him not to do like that.” 39 Jesus replied, “Don't prevent him. Truly those who have done a good big thing in my name will not on another day say something bad about me to others. 40 Those who are not criticisers of us, they are (our) defenders. 41 I tell you this word truly, others who learn about you that you belong to me, and because of that will do a small good thing to you, truly in response God will do good to them.”