Mark 3
1Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a shriveled hand.23In order to accuse him, they were watching him closely to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath.45He told the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand before us.”67Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.89After looking around at them with anger, he was grieved at the hardness of their hearts and told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.1011Immediately the Pharisees went out and started plotting with the Herodians against him, how they might kill him.12
43The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons.”44
45So he summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?4647If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.4849If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.5051And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished.5253But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.54
55“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they utter.5657But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” —5859because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”60
65He replied to them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”6667Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!6869Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”70
Ministering to the Multitude
13Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a large crowd followed from Galilee, and a large crowd followed from Judea,1415Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and around Tyre and Sidon. The large crowd came to him because they heard about everything he was doing.1617Then he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, so that the crowd wouldn’t crush him.1819Since he had healed many, all who had diseases were pressing toward him to touch him.2021Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!”2223And he would strongly warn them not to make him known.24The Twelve Apostles
25Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those he wanted, and they came to him.2627He appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, to send them out to preach,2829and to have authority to drive out demons.3031He appointed the Twelve: To Simon, he gave the name Peter;3233and to James the son of Zebedee, and to his brother John, he gave the name “Boanerges” (that is, “Sons of Thunder”);3435Andrew; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot,3637and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.38A House Divided
39Jesus entered a house, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat.4041When his family heard this, they set out to restrain him, because they said, “He’s out of his mind.”4243The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons.”44
45So he summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?4647If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.4849If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.5051And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished.5253But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.54
55“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they utter.5657But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” —5859because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”60
True Relationships
61His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent word to him and called him.6263A crowd was sitting around him and told him, “Look, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside asking for you.”6465He replied to them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”6667Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!6869Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”70