| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. | 1Once again Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there. |
| 2Since 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. | 2In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath. |
| 3Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” | 3Then Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand up among us.” |
| 4Then 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. | 4And He asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” But they were silent. |
| 5He 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! | 5Jesus looked around at them with anger and sorrow at their hardness of heart. Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored. |
| 6At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus. Crowds Follow Jesus | 6At this, the Pharisees went out and began plotting with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. |
| 7Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, | 7So Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, accompanied by a large crowd from Galilee, Judea, |
| 8Jerusalem, 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. | 8Jerusalem, Idumea, the region beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. The large crowd came to Him when they heard what great things He was doing. |
| 9Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him. | 9Jesus asked His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that the crowd would not crush Him. |
| 10He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him. | 10For He had healed so many that all who had diseases were pressing forward to touch Him. |
| 11And 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!” | 11And when the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” |
| 12But Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who he was. Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles | 12But He warned them sternly not to make Him known. |
| 13Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. | 13Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him. |
| 14Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, | 14He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach, |
| 15giving them authority to cast out demons. | 15and to have authority to drive out demons. |
| 16These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he named Peter), | 16These are the twelve He appointed: Simon (whom He named Peter), |
| 17James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder” ), | 17James son of Zebedee and his brother John (whom He named Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”), |
| 18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot ), | 18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, |
| 19Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). Jesus and the Prince of Demons | 19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. |
| 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. | 20Then Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat. |
| 21When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said. | 21When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.” |
| 22But 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.” | 22And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.” |
| 23Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” he asked. | 23So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? |
| 24 “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. | 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand. |
| 25 Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart. | 25If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand. |
| 26 And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive. | 26And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come. |
| 27 Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. | 27Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. |
| 28 “I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, | 28Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter. |
| 29 but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.” | 29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.” |
| 30He told them this because they were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.” The True Family of Jesus | 30Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” |
| 31Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. | 31Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him, |
| 32There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.” | 32and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothers are outside, asking for You.” |
| 33Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” | 33But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” |
| 34Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. | 34Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! |
| 35 Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” | 35For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.” |
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