1Then He called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority to drive out all demons, and to cure diseases. 2And He sent them out to preach (proclaim) the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. 3And He told them, “Take nothing for your journey - no staff, bag, bread, money; nor even a change of clothes. 4And whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5And whoever will not welcome you, when you leave that city, shake the very dust from off your feet for a testimony against them.” 6And so they departed, and went from town to town, proclaiming the gospel, and healing everywhere.

7Now Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, heard of all that Jesus was doing; and he was perplexed, because some said that He was John the Baptist, risen from the dead; 8And yet others said that Elijah had appeared; while others held that one of the other old prophets was risen again. 9And Herod said, “I beheaded John; but who is This, of Whom I hear such things?” And he desired to see Him.

10And when the apostles had returned, they told Him all that they had done. Then He took them aside, privately, into a desolate place near the town of Bethsaida. 11And when the people knew it, they followed Him; and He welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those that had need of healing. 12And late in the day, the twelve came, and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, so that they can go into the surrounding towns and countryside to lodge and get provisions; for this is a desolate place.” 13But He told them, “Give them something to eat.” And they said, “We have nothing more than five loaves and two fish; unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14Because there were about five thousand men there. And Jesus told His disciples, “Have them sit down by groups of fifty.” 15And the disciples did so, and had them all sit down. 16Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke, and gave it to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17And they ate, and were all filled; and twelve baskets of the leftovers that remained were collected (taken up).

18At another time, when Jesus was praying in a solitary place with His disciples, He asked them, “Who do the people say that I am?” 19They answered, “John the Baptist; but others say, Elijah; and others say, ‘that one of the old prophets is risen again.’” 20Then He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “You are the Christ of God.” 21And He strictly ordered them to tell this to no one; 22And then He said, “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, chief priests and scribes, and must be slain, and then be raised to life on the third day.”

23And then He said to them all, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24For whoever will save his life shall lose it; but whoever will give up his life for My sake shall save it. 25For what benefit is it to a man, if he gains the entire world, but loses or forfeits his very self (soul)? 26For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words, the Son of man shall be ashamed of him, when He comes in His own glory, and in the glory of His Father, and of the holy angels. 27But truly I tell you, some are standing here who shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.”

28And about eight days after Jesus said this, He took Peter, John, and James, and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothing became a dazzling white and glistening. 30And, then two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, and talked with Him; 31They spoke of His departure (decease) which He should accomplish (be fulfilled) at Jerusalem. 32But Peter, and those who were with Him, were heavy with sleep; and when they awoke, they saw His glory, and the two men standing with Him. 33And as they were starting to leave Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three booths: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (not knowing what he said). 34While he was speaking, there came a cloud that overshadowed them; and they feared as the cloud covered them. 35And then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him.” 36And when the voice finished speaking, Jesus was found alone. And the disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time of what they had seen.

37And on the next day, when they came down from the mountain, many people met Him. 38And a man in the crowd called out, “Master, I beg You, look at my son; for he is my only child. 39And an evil spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams out; and it throws him into convulsions, bruising him, so that he foams at the mouth, and it rarely departs from him. 40And I begged Your disciples to drive him out; but they could not.” 41And Jesus answered, “O you faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and put up with you? Bring your son here.” 42And as he was coming, the demon threw him down, and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the demon, and healed the child, and returned him to his father. 43And they were all astonished at the mighty power of God. But while they marveled at all the things that Jesus did, He said to His45But they did not understand what this meant, and it was hidden from them, that they did not comprehend it; and were afraid to ask Him more about what He said.

46Then there arose a debate among the disciples about which of them would be the greatest. 47And Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, took a little child, and set him beside Him, 48And said to them, “Whoever shall receive (welcome) this child in My name receives (welcomes) Me; and whoever welcomes Me receives (welcomes) Him Who sent Me; for it is he that is least among you that shall be the greatest.”

49And John responded and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we told him to stop, because he is not one of us.” 50And Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him; for he that is not against us (you) is for us (you).”

51And as the time approached for Him to be received (taken) up (to heaven), He resolutely set out to go to Jerusalem, 52And He sent messengers on ahead, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for His arrival. 53But they did not welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem. 54And when His disciples, James, and John, saw this, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to call fire down from heaven, and consume them, like Elijah did?” 55But He turned, and rebuked them, and said, “You know not what kind of Spirit you are of; 56For the Son of man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.” And they went on to another village.

57And as they were walking along the road, a certain man said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” 58And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has no place to lay His head.” 59And He said to another man, “Follow Me.” But he replied, “Lord, allow me to first go and bury my father.” 60Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their dead; but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” 61And still another said, “Lord, I will follow You; but let me first go back and bid farewell to those who are at home at my house.” 62And Jesus said to him, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and then looks back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”