17Later when they entered a house away from the crowds, the ones who walked the road with him asked the meaning of his wise saying.
18-19“Why do you also not understand?” he answered. “When food enters the mouth, it goes into the stomach, not the heart, and then out of the body.”
In saying this, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) declared that nothing you eat can make you impure.
20“It is what comes out of a person, from within, that makes one impure. 21From people’s bad hearts and broken ways come worthless plans, sexual impurity, stealing, killing, 22unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, evil doings, forked tongues, uncontrolled desires, selfish ways, speaking evil of others, boastful talk, and foolish ways. 23It is things like this that make a person impure, not failing to wash one’s hands.”
HE HEALS THE DAUGHTER OF AN OUTSIDER
24From there Creator Sets Free (Jesus) journeyed into the territory of Rock Land (Tyre) and Hunting Grounds (Sidon). He wanted to keep away from the crowds, so he found a house to stay out of sight but was unable to stay hidden.
25-26A woman came to him who had a daughter with an unclean spirit in her. As soon as she heard about Creator Sets Free (Jesus), she came and humbled herself before him. She was an Outsider12 from the territory along the coastline of the Great Middle Sea (Mediterranean).13 She begged Creator Sets Free (Jesus) to force the evil spirit out of her daughter.
27“The children should be fed first,” he said. “It is not right to take the children’s portion and throw it to the dogs.”
28“But Wisdomkeeper,” she answered back, “even the dogs under the table can eat the children’s crumbs.”
29“Because your words are well chosen,” he replied, “you may return home. You will find that the evil spirit has left your daughter.”
30The woman went home and found her daughter resting on her sleeping mat—the evil spirit had left her.
A POWERFUL HEALING
31From the territory of Rock Land (Tyre) Creator Sets Free (Jesus) went through Hunting Grounds (Sidon) to the Lake of Circle of Nations (Sea of Galilee) in the territory of the Ten Villages (Decapolis).
32The people who lived there brought a man who could not hear or speak right. They begged Creator Sets Free (Jesus) to lay his hands on him. 33So he took the man away from the crowd. When he was alone with him, he put his fingers into the man’s ears, and then spit and touched the man’s tongue.
34He then looked up into the spirit-world above, let out a deep breath, and said in his native language, “Ephphatha!” which means, “Be opened.”
35Right then the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released. He could now hear and speak clearly! 36Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then instructed the people to tell no one. But the more he told them not to, the more they told the story to others. 37The people were amazed beyond belief and full of wonder.
“He does all things well!” they told everyone. “He even heals the ones who cannot hear or speak!”
FOUR THOUSAND HUNGRY PEOPLE
1On another one of those days a great crowd had gathered, and, like the time before, they were hungry with nothing to eat.
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) called his followers to his side and said to them, 2“I am concerned for all these people, for they have been with us for three days with no food. 3Some of them have come from a great distance, and if I send them away hungry, they might lose their strength and faint.”
4“This is a desolate and out-of-the-way place,” they answered him. “Where could we find enough food to feed all these people?”
5“How much frybread do we have?” he asked.
“We have seven pieces of frybread,” they answered.
6Creator Sets Free (Jesus) instructed all the people to sit down on the ground. He then took the seven pieces of frybread, gave thanks, and broke them into smaller pieces. He gave them to his followers, and they gave them out to the people.
7They also had a few small fish, so he prayed a blessing over them and told them to give them out as well.
8Everyone ate as much as they wanted, and when they were done eating, his followers gathered up the leftovers—seven baskets full! 9They had fed about four thousand men and also women and children. He then sent the crowd on their way.
10Right away he climbed into the canoe with his twelve followers and went to the territory of Slow Burning Coals (Dalmanutha).
NO SIGN WILL BE GIVEN
11While they were there, the Separated Ones (Pharisees) came to argue with him. They asked from him a sign from the spirit-world above to prove who he was.
12“Why do the people of this generation need a sign?” he asked as he breathed out a sigh from his spirit. “I tell you from my heart, this generation will not be given a sign—not today!”
13He then climbed back into his canoe and launched out toward the other side of the lake.
THE YEAST OF THE SEPARATED ONES
14They had only one piece of frybread with them because his followers had forgotten to bring more.
15“Be on the lookout for the yeast of the Separated Ones (Pharisees),” he told them firmly, “and also of the Friends of Looks Brave (Herodians).”
16His followers tried to figure out why he said this. They said to each other, “Is it because we forgot to bring more frybread?”
17Creator Sets Free (Jesus) could hear what they were saying.
“Why are you thinking like this?” he said. “Why are you worried that you forgot to bring frybread? How is it that you do not understand? Are your hearts still hard? 18Have you no eyes to see with and no ears to hear with?”
His words were sharp, and frustration showed on his face as he tried to make things clear.
“Have you forgotten so soon?” he asked. 19“When I broke the five pieces of frybread to feed five thousand, how many baskets of broken pieces were left over?”
“Twelve,” they answered.
20“When I broke the seven pieces of frybread to feed four thousand, how many baskets of broken pieces did you gather?”
“Seven,” they said.
21“So, do you still not understand?” he said.
HE HEALS A MAN BORN BLIND
22They walked on to the village of House of Fishing (Bethsaida). The people there brought a blind man to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and begged him to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. He rubbed some of his spit into the man’s eyes and then laid his hands on him.
“What do you see?” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) asked the man.
24He looked around and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees walking around.”
25Creator Sets Free (Jesus) put his hands over the man’s eyes again. His sight returned, and he could see everything clearly.
26He then sent the man to his home and said to him, “Do not go back into the village.”
YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE
27They journeyed on and came into the villages of the territory of Ruler of the Horsemen (Caesarea Philippi).
“What are the people saying about me?” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) asked his followers as they walked along the road. “Who do they think I am?”
28“Some say you are Gift of Goodwill (John) who performed the purification ceremony,”14 they answered. “Others say you are Great Spirit Is Creator (Elijah) or one of the other prophets.”
29“But who do you say I am?” he asked.
“You are the Chosen One!” Stands on the Rock (Peter) answered.
30Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then sternly warned them not to tell this to anyone.
THE ROAD OF SUFFERING LIES AHEAD
31Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then began to instruct his followers that the True Human Being must suffer many things. The council of elders, the head holy men, and the scroll keepers would turn their faces from him. He would then be killed, and after three days he would return from the world of the dead. He said this openly to all his followers.
32Stands on the Rock (Peter) pulled him asid
e from the others and spoke sharply to him.
33Creator Sets Free (Jesus) turned and looked to his followers and then spoke sharply to Stands on the Rock (Peter), “Out of my way, Accuser (Satan)! These are not the thoughts of the Great Spirit, but of a weak human being.”
CARRYING THE CROSS
34He then gathered his followers and the crowd around him and said, “Any who want to walk the road with me must turn away from their own path and carry their own cross as they follow me to the place of ultimate sacrifice.
35“The ones who hold on to their lives will not find life, but the ones who are willing to let go of their lives, for me and for the good story I bring, will find the true life. 36How will it help you to get everything you want in this world but lose the true life? 37Is there anything in this world worth trading for it?
38“There are bad-hearted and unfaithful people living today, in this generation, who are ashamed of me and my message. So, when the True Human Being comes to show the power and shining-greatness of his Father along with his holy spirit-messengers, he will also be ashamed of these people.”
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.
11During 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.
17Before 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,15” 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:16 ‘Where their worm does not die and the fire cannot be put out.’17
49“All will be salted with fire,18 for all ceremonial offerings are salted before they are burned with fire.19 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.”
First Nations Version Page 15