War Club Tells the Good Story 9
9
1“I speak to you from my heart,” he said to his followers and the crowd who had gathered around him. “There are some of you standing here today who, before you cross over to death, will see the coming of Creator’s good road and all its power!”
THE ANCESTORS SPEAK WITH HIM
2-3Six days later Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took his three closest followers—Stands on the Rock (Peter), He Takes Over (James), and He Shows Goodwill (John)—and led them up a high mountain to be alone and pray.
Right before their eyes his appearance began to change. His clothes became shining white, whiter than anyone on earth could make them. 4Two ancestors appeared before them also, the prophet Great Spirit Is Creator (Elijah) and the ancient lawgiver Drawn from the Water (Moses). They were both talking with Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
His three followers rubbed their eyes and looked again. They were filled with wonder and trembled with fear and excitement!
5Stands on the Rock (Peter) spoke out, “Wisdomkeeper, this is a good place to be! We should set up three tipis—one for you, one for Drawn from the Water (Moses), and one for Great Spirit Is Creator (Elijah).”
6He said this without thinking because they were all afraid and did not know what to say.
7Then, from above, a bright cloud came down around them and a voice spoke out from the cloud, “This is my Son, my Much Loved One. He is the one who speaks for me now. Listen to him!”
8Right then the cloud lifted. They looked around to see their ancestors, but they were gone, and standing alone before them was Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
GREAT SPIRIT IS CREATOR
9As they walked down the mountainside, he instructed them to tell no one what they had seen until after the True Human Being had come back to life from the dead. 10So they told no one, but wondered what this “coming back to life from the dead” meant.
11 During the long walk down the mountain, they asked him, “Why do the scroll keepers say that Great Spirit Is Creator (Elijah) must be the first to come?”
12-13“It is true,” he answered, “Great Spirit Is Creator (Elijah) comes first to prepare the way for all things to be restored. And I tell you that he has already come—but none recognized him—and they did whatever they wanted to him, just as the Sacred Teachings foretold. But do you know that it has also been foretold that the True Human Being will suffer many things and be treated with scorn and disrespect?”
HIS FOLLOWERS FAIL TO FORCE OUT A SPIRIT
14When they had finished coming down the mountain to join with the other followers, they found a large crowd around them. The scroll keepers were there arguing with them about something. 15As soon as the crowd saw Creator Sets Free (Jesus), they were filled with awe and ran to greet him.
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) made his way through the crowd and came to the scroll keepers, who were arguing with his followers.
16“What are you arguing with my followers about?” he asked them.
17 Before they could answer, someone stepped out from the crowd and said to him, “Wisdomkeeper, I came and brought my son to you. He has a spirit that keeps him from speaking. 18The evil spirit will take hold of him and throw him to the ground. He then becomes stiff and grinds his teeth together, and foam comes from his mouth. I asked your followers to force out this spirit, and they tried but failed.”
19“This is a generation with no faith!” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to them all. “How much longer will I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20So they brought the boy to him, and right when the spirit saw Creator Sets Free (Jesus), it took hold of the boy, who then fell to the ground. He began to roll around on the ground, and foam came from his mouth.
21“How long has he been this way?” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) asked the father.
“From the time he was a child,” the father answered. 22“The evil spirit has many times thrown him into a fire to burn him or into water to drown him. If you are able to do anything, have pity and help us!”
23“What do you mean ‘If I am able’?” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered him. “Nothing is too hard for the one with faith!”
24“I do believe!” the father cried out right away. “Help my weak faith!”
25Creator Sets Free (Jesus) saw that the crowd was now pushing in closer to see, so he spoke sharply to the unclean spirit.
“Spirit that makes one unable to speak or hear,” he said firmly, “I order you now to leave this boy and never enter him again!”
26The spirit cried out, and the boy began to twist and turn upon the ground. The spirit then came out, and the boy became so still it looked as if he were dead.
“He must be dead!” the people said out loud.
27Then Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took hold of the boy’s hand and stood him on his feet.
28Later, when they were alone with him in the house, his followers asked him, “Why were we unable to force out the evil spirit?”
29“This kind of spirit can only be forced out by prayer,#9:29 Some ancient manuscripts add “and fasting.”” was his answer to them.
HE AGAIN FORETELLS HIS DEATH
30From there, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took his followers on through Circle of Nations (Galilee) but stayed away from the crowds 31so he could further instruct the ones who walked the road with him.
“The True Human Being will soon be taken and handed over to men who will kill him, but on the third day he will come back to life from the dead.”
32But his followers did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask.
WHO IS THE GREATEST?
33They returned again to Village of Comfort (Capernaum) and settled down into the house there.
“What were you talking about as we walked the road just now?” he asked them.
34None of them would answer him, because they had been arguing about who among themselves was the greatest. 35So Creator Sets Free (Jesus) sat down and gathered his twelve followers around him.
“The one who would be first must be the one who will serve all the others—and become last,” he told them.
36He then stood a small child in front of them.
“When you represent me and welcome a child like this one, you welcome me.”
37He then took the child into his arms and said, “When you welcome me, you do not welcome me alone, but also the one who sent me.”
THE ONES NOT AGAINST US ARE FOR US
38Then He Shows Goodwill (John) said to him, “Wisdomkeeper, we saw a man forcing out evil spirits using your name. We told him to stop, because he does not walk the road with us.”
39“Do not stop him,” he answered. “No one who can do works of power using my name will suddenly turn against me. 40The ones who are not against us are for us. 41I speak from my heart, anyone who brings the gift of even a drink of water to the ones who represent me will never lose the honor that has been gained.
STUMBLING STONES
42“But let no one cause one of these little ones who have put their trust in me to stumble away from the path. It would be better to have a great stone tied to one’s neck and to be thrown into the great waters. 43If what your hand does causes you to stumble off the path, then cut it off and throw it away! It would be better to live this life with only one hand than to go with two hands into the Valley of Smoldering Fire—a fire that cannot be put out. 45If where your foot walks causes you to stumble from the path, then cut it off and throw it away. It would be better to walk this life with only one foot than to walk with two feet right into the Valley of Smoldering Fire—a fire that cannot be put out.
VALLEY OF SMOLDERING FIRE
47“The same thing goes for your eye. If what it sees makes you stumble from the path, then pluck it out and throw it away. It would be better to walk Creator’s good road with only one eye than to see with two eyes and be thrown into the Valley of Smoldering Fire. 48This Valley of Smoldering Fire is the place spoken of in the Sacred Teachings:#9:48 Isaiah 66:24; Jeremiah 7:31-32 ‘Where their worm does not die and the fire cannot be put out.’#9:48 Some ancient manuscripts include this sentence in verse 44 or verse 46, which are omitted in this translation and in most other translations.
49“All will be salted with fire,#9:49 Most manuscripts omit the end of this verse. for all ceremonial offerings are salted before they are burned with fire.#9:49 Leviticus 2:13 50Salt is a good thing, for it purifies, heals, and makes things taste better, but if it becomes unsalty, what will make it salty again? So make sure that you, like salt, keep your true flavor by walking with each other in the way of peace.”
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War Club Tells the Good Story 9: FNVNT
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