WDYSTIA | Week 2 | Day 1

Reading

MARK 3:13–35

Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with

him. And they came to him. Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his

apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, giving

them authority to cast out demons. These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he

named Peter), James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons

of Thunder”, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus),

Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his

disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they

tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said. But the teachers of religious law

who had arrived from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by Satan, the prince of demons.

That’s where he gets the power to cast out demons.”

Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. “How can Satan cast out

Satan?” he asked. “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. Similarly, a family

splintered by feuding will fall apart. And if Satan is divided and fights against himself,

how can he stand? He would never survive. Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful

enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even

stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. “I tell you the truth,

all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will

never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.” He told them this because

they were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.”

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word

for him to come out and talk with them. There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and

someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.”

Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he looked at those

around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s

will is my brother and sister and mother.”