Mark 3

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand.G2532G1525G3825G1519G4864G2532G2258G444G1563G2192G3583G54952Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus' enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.G2532G3906G846G1487G2323G846G4521G2443G2723G8463Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone."G2532G3004G444G2192G3583G5495G1453G1519G33194Then he turned to his critics and asked, "Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?" But they wouldn't answer him.G2532G3004G846G1832G15G4521G2228G2554G4982G5590G2228G615G1161G46235He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!G2532G4017G846G3326G3709G4818G1909G4457G846G2588G3004G444G1614G4675G5495G2532G1614G2532G846G5495G600G5199G5613G2436At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.G2532G5330G1831G2112G4160G4824G3326G2265G2596G846G3704G622G846

Crowds Follow Jesus

7Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea,G2532G2424G402G3326G846G3101G4314G2281G2532G4183G4128G575G1056G190G846G2532G575G24498Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him.G2532G575G2414G2532G575G2401G2532G4008G2446G2532G4012G5184G2532G4605G4183G4128G191G3745G4160G2064G4314G8469Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him.G2532G2036G846G3101G2443G4142G4342G846G1223G3793G3363G2346G84610He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him.G1063G2323G4183G5620G1968G846G2443G680G846G3745G2192G314811And whenever those possessed by evil

spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, "You are the Son of God!"G2532G169G4151G3752G2334G846G4363G846G2532G2896G3004G3754G4771G1488G5207G231612But Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who he was.G2532G4183G2008G846G3363G4160G3363G4160G846G5318

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

13Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him.G2532G305G1519G3735G2532G4341G3739G846G2309G2532G565G4314G84614Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles

. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach,G2532G4160G1427G2443G5600G3326G846G2532G2443G649G846G649G278415giving them authority to cast out demons.G2532G2192G1849G2323G3554G2532G1544G114016These are the twelve he chose: Simon

,G2532G4613G2007G3686G407417James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them "Sons of Thunder"

),G2532G2385G3588G2199G2532G2491G80G2385G2532G2007G3686G846G993G3603G5207G102718Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot

),G2532G406G2532G5376G2532G918G2532G3156G2532G2381G2532G2385G3588G256G2532G2280G2532G4613G258119Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).G2532G2455G2469G3739G2532G3860G846G2532G2064G1519G3624

Jesus and the Prince of Demons

20One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn't even find time to eat.G2532G3793G4905G3825G5620G846G1410G3361G3383G5315G74021When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. "He's out of his mind," they said.G2532G846G3844G191G1831G2902G846G1063G3004G3754G183922But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, "He's possessed by Satan

, the prince of demons. That's where he gets the power to cast out demons."G2532G1122G3588G2597G575G2414G3004G3754G2192G954G3754G2532G1722G758G1140G1544G114023Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. "How can Satan cast out Satan?" he asked.G2532G4341G846G3004G846G1722G3850G4459G1410G4567G1544G456724"A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse.G2532G1437G932G3307G1909G1438G1565G932G3756G1410G247625Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart.G2532G1437G3614G3307G1909G1438G1565G3614G3756G1410G247626And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive.G2532G1487G4567G450G1909G1438G2532G3307G3756G1410G2476G235G2192G505627Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.G3762G3756G1410G1525G1519G2478G3614G1283G846G4632G3362G1210G4412G1210G2478G2532G5119G1283G846G361428"I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven,G281G3004G5213G3754G3956G265G863G5207G444G2532G988G3745G302G98729but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences."G1161G3739G302G987G1519G40G4151G2192G3756G1519G165G859G235G2076G1777G166G292030He told them this because they were saying, "He's possessed by an evil spirit."G3754G3004G2192G169G4151

The True Family of Jesus

31Then Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them.G2064G3767G846G80G2532G3384G2532G2476G1854G649G4314G846G5455G84632There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, "Your mother and your brothers

are outside asking for you."G2532G3793G2521G4012G846G1161G2036G846G2400G4675G3384G2532G4675G80G1854G2212G457133Jesus replied, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"G2532G611G846G3004G5101G2076G3450G3384G2228G3450G8034Then he looked at those around him and said, "Look, these are my mother and brothers.G2532G4017G2945G3588G2521G4012G846G3004G2396G3450G3384G2532G3450G8035Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."G1063G3739G302G4160G2307G2316G3778G2076G3450G80G2532G3450G79G2532G3384