Mark 9:33-50

Then they came to Capernaum. And as soon as Jesus was inside the house, he asked his disciples, “What were you arguing about on the way here?” No one said a word, because they had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest. Jesus sat down, called the twelve disciples to come around him, and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be content to be last and become a servant to all.” Then he had a child come and stand among them. He wrapped the child in his arms and said to them, “Whoever welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes not only me, but the one who sent me.” John spoke up and said, “Teacher, we noticed someone was using your name to cast out demons, so we tried to stop him because he wasn’t one of our group.” “Don’t stop him!” Jesus replied. “For the one who does miracles in the power of my name proves he is not my enemy. And whoever is not against us is for us. Listen to the truth that I speak: Whoever gives you a cup of water because you carry the name of Christ will never lose his reward. But if anyone abuses one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a heavy boulder tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea than to face the punishment he deserves! “If your hand entices you to sin, let it go limp and useless! For it is better for you to enter into life maimed than to have your entire body thrown into hell, the place of unquenchable fire. This is where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out. And if your foot leads you into sin, cut it off! For it is better to enter life crawling than to have both feet and be flung into hell. This is where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out! For it is better to enter into life with one eye than to be thrown into hell with two. This is where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out! “Everyone will pass through the fire and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is excellent for seasoning. But if salt becomes tasteless, how can its flavor ever be restored? Your lives, like salt, are to season and preserve. So don’t lose your flavor, and preserve the peace in your union with one another.”