1Jesusa entered the synagogueb again, and a man was there who had a shriveledc hand. 2In order to accusea him, they were watching him closelyb to see whether he would healc him on the Sabbath.d 3He told the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand before us.” 4Then he said to them, “Is it lawfula to do goodb on the Sabbath or to do evil,c to save lifed or to kill? ”e But they were silent.f 5After looking around at them with anger,a he was grieved at the hardnessb of their hearts and told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.c 6Immediately the Phariseesa went out and started plottingb with the Herodiansc against him, how they might killd him.

Ministering to the Multitude

7Jesusa departed with his disciples to the sea, and a large crowd followed from Galilee,b and a large crowd followed from Judea,c 8Jerusalem,a Idumea, beyond the Jordan,b and around Tyrec and Sidon.d The large crowd came to him because they heard about everything he was doing. 9Then he told his disciples to have a small boata ready for him, so that the crowd wouldn’t crush him. 10Since he had healeda many, all who had diseases were pressing toward him to touchb him. 11Whenever the uncleana spiritsb saw him, they fell downc before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God! ”d 12And he would strongly warna them not to make him known.b

The Twelve Apostles

13Jesusa went up the mountainb and summoned those he wanted, and they came to him. 14He appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles,a a to be with him, to send them out to preach,b 15and to have authority toA drive out demons. 16He appointed the Twelve:a a To Simon,b he gave the name Peter;c 17and to Jamesa the son of Zebedee,b and to his brother John,c he gave the name “Boanerges” (that is, “Sons of Thunder”d); 18Andrew;a Philipb and Bartholomew; Matthewc and Thomas;d James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, 19and Judas Iscariot,a who also betrayed him.

A House Divided

20Jesus entered a house, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat.A 21When his familya heard this, they set out to restrain him, because they said, “He’s out of his mind.”b

22The scribesa who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” b and, “He drives outc demonsd by the rulere of the demons.”f

23So he summoneda them and spoke to them in parables:b “How can Satanc drive out Satan?d 24If a kingdoma is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished. 27But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless he first ties upa the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.

28“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemiesa they utter. 29But whoever blasphemesa against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness,b but is guiltyc of an eternal sin”a d —  30because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”a

True Relationships

31Hisa motherb and his brothersc came, and standing outside, they sent word to him and called him. 32A crowd was sitting around him and told him, “Look, your mother, your brothers,a and your sistersA are outside asking for you.”

33He replied to them, “Who are my mother and my brothers? ” 34Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!a 35Whoever does the will of Goda is my brother and sister and mother.”