Study Desk

^(ab)Some eight days after these sayings, He took along ^(ac)Peter and John and James, and ^(ad)went up on the mountain ^(ae)to pray.

And while He was ^(af)praying, the appearance of His face ^(ag)became different, and His clothing became white and ^[p]gleaming.

And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,

who, appearing in ^[q]glory, were speaking of His ^(ah)departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

Now Peter and his companions ^(ai)had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.

And as ^[r]these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, "^(aj)Master, it is good for us to be here; ^(ak)let us make three ^[s]tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—^(al)not realizing what he was saying.

While he was saying this, a cloud ^[t]formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.

Then ^(am)a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "^(an)This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!"

And when the voice ^[u]had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And ^(ao)they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

^(ap)On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him.

And a man from the crowd shouted, saying, "Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my ^[v]only boy,

and a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves.

I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not."

And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here."

While he was still approaching, the demon ^[w]slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.

And they were all amazed at the ^[x](aq)greatness of God. ^(ar)But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples,

"Let these words sink into your ears; ^(as)for the Son of Man is going to be ^[y]delivered into the hands of men."

But ^(at)they ^[z]did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.

^(au)An argument ^[aa]started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.

But Jesus, ^(av)knowing ^[ab]what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side,

and said to them, "^(aw)Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; ^(ax)for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great."

^(ay)John answered and said, "^(az)Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us."

But Jesus said to him, "Do not hinder him; ^(ba)for he who is not against you is ^[ac]for you."

When the days were approaching for ^(bb)His ^[ad]ascension, He ^[ae]was determined ^(bc)to go to Jerusalem;

and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the ^(bd)Samaritans to ^[af]make arrangements for Him.

But they did not receive Him, ^(be)because ^[ag]He was traveling toward Jerusalem.

When His disciples ^(bf)James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to ^(bg)command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"

But He turned and rebuked them, [^[ah]and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of;

for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." ] And they went on to another village.

^(bh)As they were going along the road, ^(bi)someone said to Him, "I will follow You wherever You go."

And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the ^[ai]air have ^[aj]nests, but ^(bj)the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

And He said to another, "^(bk)Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."

But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and ^(bl)proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God."

Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but ^(bm)first permit me to say good-bye to those at home."

But Jesus said to him, "^(bn)No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."