Mark Chapter 3

Healing a Man with a Paralyzed Hand

3^:1 Again he went into a synagogue. A man with a paralyzed hand was there. ² Pharisees were watching to see if he’d heal him on Sabbath so they could accuse him. ³ He told^p the man, “Stand up.” ⁴ He asked^p them, “Is it lawful to do good on Sabbath or to do bad, to save life or take life?”

They didn’t say anything.

⁵ He looked around at them angry, dismayed at their lack of compassion. He told^p the fellow, “Hold out your hand.” He did, and it was restored. ⁶ The Pharisees left right away to plot with the Herodians to destroy him.           

Mk 3:1-6

Jesus and the Multitudes

            ⁷ Jesus went with his disciples to the side of the lake. A huge crowd followed him from Galilee, Judaea, ⁸ Jerusalem, Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from around Tyre and Sidon. They came because they heard about the things he was doing.

⁹ He told his disciples to bring a boat up close so the crowd wouldn’t throng him. ¹⁰ He’d healed so many people that everybody with an ailment was crowding up to touch him. ¹¹ When unclean spirits would see him, they’d kneel down to him and cry out, “You’re God’s Son.” ¹² He’d strictly order them not to tell who he was.                                                                         

Mk 3:7-12

Calling the Twelve Apostles

¹³ He went up^p on a mountain and called the ones he wanted. ¹⁴ He appointed twelve and named them apostles.  He appointed them to be with him so he could “send” them out to preach ¹⁵ and have authority to cast out demons. ¹⁶ The Twelve were Simon, that he named Peter; ¹⁷ James and John, sons of Zebedee, that he nicknamed Boanerges (Sons of Thunder); ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas; James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed him.                  

Mk 3:13-19

The Pharisees’ Charge That

Jesus Was in League with the Devil

            ²⁰ He came^p home, and again such a crowd gathered^p that he and his disciples couldn’t even eat. ²¹ When his neighbors heard about it, they went out to rescue him because they said he was out of his mind. ²² Scribes, down from Jerusalem, started claiming he had Beelzebub—that he was casting out demons by the ruler of demons. ²³ He called them over and gave them an illustration:

“What sense does it make to say Satan casts out Satan? ²⁴ A kingdom at cross purposes with itself can’t stand. ²⁵ A family at cross purposes with itself can’t stand. ²⁶ If Satan opposes himself and is at cross purposes, he can’t stand. ²⁷ Nobody can go into a strong man’s house and seize his property unless he ties him up first. Then he can ransack his house.

²⁸ I tell you, any sin can be forgiven, including blasphemy; ²⁹ but anybody that blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they’re guilty of permanent sin” ( ³⁰ He gave that warning because they were saying he had an unclean spirit.)                    

Mk 3:20-30

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

Interrupt His Ministry

³¹ His mother and brothers came^p and stood outside and sent a message, calling him. ³² The crowd sitting around him said^p, “Your mother and brothers [and sisters] are outside, they want to talk to you.”

 ³³ He answered^p, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴ He looked all around at the ones, “My mother and my brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does God’s will, is my brother, my sister, my mother.”                                                            

Mk 3:31-35