Christ is transfigured. He casts out the dumb spirit. He teaches humility and to avoid scandal.

¹ And after six days, Jesus took with him Peter, and James, and John; and he led them separately to a lofty mountain alone; and he was transfigured before them.

² And his vestments became radiant and exceedingly white like snow, with such a brilliance as no fuller on earth is able to achieve.

³ And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were speaking with Jesus.

⁴ And in response, Peter said to Jesus: “Master, it is good for us to be here. And so let us make three tabernacles, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

⁵ For he did not know what he was saying. For they were overwhelmed by fear.¹

1. 9:5The phrase ‘timore exterriti’ is somewhat redundant; this type of redundancy indicates an intensification of the verb or noun. Therefore, they were not merely afraid, they were overwhelmed by fear (or dread).(Conte)

⁶ And there was a cloud overshadowing them. And a voice came from the cloud, saying: “This is my most beloved Son. Listen to him.”

⁷ And immediately, looking around, they no longer saw anyone, except Jesus alone with them.

⁸ And as they were descending from the mountain, he instructed them not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until after the Son of man will have risen again from the dead.

⁹ And they kept the word to themselves, arguing about what “after he will have risen from the dead” might mean.

¹⁰ And they questioned him, saying: “Then why do the Pharisees and the scribes say that Elijah must arrive first?”

¹¹ And in response, he said to them: “Elijah, when he will arrive first, shall restore all things. And in the manner that it has been written about the Son of man, so must he suffer many things and be condemned.

¹² But I say to you, that Elijah also has arrived, (and they have done to him whatever they wanted) just as it has been written about him.”

¹³ And approaching his disciples, he saw a great crowd surrounding them, and the scribes were arguing with them.

¹⁴ And soon all the people, seeing Jesus, were astonished and struck with fear, and hurrying to him, they greeted him.¹

1. 9:14They were astonished and struck with fear because he still had some of the radiance from His transfiguration, just as Moses had a radiance about him after seeing God.(Conte)

¹⁵ And he questioned them, “What are you arguing about among yourselves?”

¹⁶ And one from the crowd responded by saying: “Teacher, I have brought to you my son, who has a mute spirit.¹

1. 9:16In this case, mute does not mean silent, but rather that he makes noises that are incomprehensible, as happens in epilepsy.(Conte)

¹⁷ And whenever it takes hold of him, it throws him down, and he foams and gnashes with his teeth, and he becomes unconscious. And I asked your disciples to cast him out, and they could not.”

¹⁸ And answering them, he said: “O unbelieving generation, how long must I be with you? How long shall I endure you? Bring him to me.”

¹⁹ And they brought him. And when he had seen him, immediately the spirit disturbed him. And having been thrown to the ground, he rolled around foaming.

²⁰ And he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” But he said: “From infancy.

²¹ And often it casts him into fire or into water, in order to destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, help us and take pity on us.”

²² But Jesus said to him, “If you are able to believe: all things are possible to one who believes.”

²³ And immediately the father of the boy, crying out with tears, said: “I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.”

²⁴ And when Jesus saw the crowd rushing together, he admonished the unclean spirit, saying to him, “Deaf and mute spirit, I command you, leave him; and do not enter into him anymore.”

²⁵ And crying out, and convulsing him greatly, he departed from him. And he became like one who is dead, so much so that many said, “He is dead.”

²⁶ But Jesus, taking him by the hand, lifted him up. And he arose.

²⁷ And when he had entered into the house, his disciples questioned him privately, “Why were we unable to cast him out?”

²⁸ And he said to them, “This kind is able to be expelled by nothing other than prayer and fasting.”

²⁹ And setting out from there, they passed through Galilee. And he intended that no one know about it.

³⁰ Then he taught his disciples, and he said to them, “For the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and having been killed, on the third day he will rise again.”

³¹ But they did not understand the word. And they were afraid to question him.

³² And they went to Capernaum. And when they were in the house, he questioned them, “What did you discuss on the way?”

³³ But they were silent. For indeed, on the way, they had disputed among themselves as to which of them was greater.

³⁴ And sitting down, he called the twelve, and he said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be the last of all and the minister of all.”

³⁵ And taking a child, he set him in their midst. And when he had embraced him, he said to them:

³⁶ “Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives not me, but him who sent me.”

³⁷ John responded to him by saying, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name; he does not follow us, and so we prohibited him.”

³⁸ But Jesus said: “Do not prohibit him. For there is no one who can act with virtue in my name and soon speak evil about me.

³⁹ For whoever is not against you is for you.

⁴⁰ For whoever, in my name, will give you a cup of water to drink, because you belong to Christ: Amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.

⁴¹ And whoever will have scandalized one of these little ones who believe in me: it would be better for him if a great millstone were placed around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

⁴² And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life disabled, than having two hands to go into Hell, into the unquenchable fire,

⁴³ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished.

⁴⁴ But if your foot causes you to sin, chop it off: it is better for you to enter into eternal life lame, than having two feet to be cast into the Hell of unquenchable fire,

⁴⁵ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished.

⁴⁶ But if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into the Hell of fire,

⁴⁷ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished.

⁴⁸ For all shall be salted with fire, and every victim shall be salted with salt.

⁴⁹ Salt is good: but if the salt has become bland, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace among yourselves.”