Mark 3
Jesus healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, which led to the Pharisees and Herodians plotting against him. Jesus then withdrew to the sea with his disciples, where a large crowd followed him and he healed many people. He chose twelve apostles, including Peter, James, and John, and gave them authority to preach and cast out demons. Jesus' family thought he was mad and tried to intervene, but he said that those who do the will of God are his true family. The scribes from Jerusalem accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, but Jesus responded that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, and that he casts out demons by the power of God.
And again, he entered into the synagogue. And there was a man there who had a withered handAnd they observed him, to see if he would cure on the Sabbaths, so that they might accuse himAnd he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Stand up in the middle.And he said to them: "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbaths, or to do evil, to give health to a life, or to destroy?" But they remained silentAnd looking around at them with anger, being very saddened over the blindness of their hearts, he said to the man, "Extend your hand." And he extended it, and his hand was restored to himThen the Pharisees, going out, immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him, as to how they might destroy himBut Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea. And a great crowd followed him from Galilee and Judeaand from Jerusalem, and from Idumea and across the Jordan. And those around Tyre and Sidon, upon hearing what he was doing, came to him in a great multitudeAnd he told his disciples that a small boat would be useful to him, because of the crowd, lest they press upon himFor he healed so many, that as many of them as had wounds would rush toward him in order to touch himAnd the unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell prostrate before him. And they cried out, saying"You are the Son of God." And he strongly admonished them, lest they make him knownAnd ascending onto a mountain, he called to himself those whom he willed, and they came to himAnd he acted so that the twelve would be with him, and so that he might send them out to preachAnd he gave them authority to cure infirmities, and to cast out demonsand he imposed on Simon the name Peterand also he imposed on James of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, the name ‘Boanerges,’ that is, ‘Sons of Thunder;and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaaniteand Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed himAnd they went to a house, and the crowd gathered together again, so much so that they were not even able to eat breadAnd when his own had heard of it, they went out to take hold of him. For they said: "Because he has gone mad.And the scribes who had descended from Jerusalem said, "Because he has Beelzebub, and because by the prince of demons does he cast out demons.And having called them together, he spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan cast out SatanFor if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom is not able to standAnd if a house is divided against itself, that house is not able to standAnd if Satan has risen up against himself, he would be divided, and he would not be able to stand; instead he reaches the endNo one is able to plunder the goods of a strong man, having entered into the house, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he shall plunder his houseAmen I say to you, that all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and the blasphemies by which they will have blasphemedBut he who will have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit shall not have forgiveness in eternity; instead he shall be guilty of an eternal offense.For they said: "He has an unclean spirit.And his mother and brothers arrived. And standing outside, they sent to him, calling himAnd the crowd was sitting around him. And they said to him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.And responding to them, he said, "Who is my mother and my brothers?And looking around at those who were sitting all around him, he said: "Behold, my mother and my brothersFor whoever has done the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister and mother.
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