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Miracles of Jesus

Read Jesus’ signs with attention to his identity and the people receiving care.

1. 1. Read and discover - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Mark 4:35-41

   ³⁵ On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.”

   ³⁶ Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him.

   ³⁷ A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.

   ³⁸ He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and asked him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?”

   ³⁹ He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm.

   ⁴⁰ He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”

   ⁴¹ They were greatly afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   The disciples face their fear and question Jesus’ identity; the account does not promise journeys without storms.

   Reflect

   • Which question remains after the sea becomes calm?

   Put it into practice

   Name a fear and seek companionship to face it responsibly.

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2. 2. The sign at Cana - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   John 2:1-11

   ¹ The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there.

   ² Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding.

   ³ When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.”

   ⁴ Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.”

   ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”

   ⁶ Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece.

   ⁷ Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim.

   ⁸ He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it.

   ⁹ When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom

   ¹⁰ and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!”

   ¹¹ This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   John presents the water’s transformation as a first sign revealing Jesus’ glory and directing the disciples’ faith.

   Reflect

   • What do the disciples discover about Jesus through this sign?

   Put it into practice

   Distinguish the narrated event from the meaning the author emphasizes.

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3. 3. Forgiveness and restoration - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Mark 2:1-12

   ¹ When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that he was at home.

   ² Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them.

   ³ Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him.

   ⁴ When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on.

   ⁵ Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

   ⁶ But there were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,

   ⁷ “Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

   ⁸ Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts?

   ⁹ Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk’?

   ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—

   ¹¹ “I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house.”

   ¹² He arose, and immediately took up the mat and went out in front of them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   A group makes a way to bring a man to Jesus; disagreement about forgiving sins raises questions of authority.

   Reflect

   • How do the companions contribute to the encounter?

   Put it into practice

   Help remove a barrier preventing someone from receiving care.

   Next lesson →

4. 4. Refusing to blame the sufferer - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   John 9:1-7

   ¹ As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.

   ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

   ³ Jesus answered, “This man didn’t sin, nor did his parents, but that the works of God might be revealed in him.

   ⁴ I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.

   ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

   ⁶ When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with the mud,

   ⁷ and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went away, washed, and came back seeing.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Jesus rejects the alternative blaming blindness on individual or family sin; the encounter turns toward action and care.

   Reflect

   • What idea about blindness does Jesus reject when answering his disciples?

   Put it into practice

   Avoid explaining another person’s illness through moral accusations.

   Next lesson →

5. 5. Jesus at the tomb - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   John 11:1-44

   ¹ Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha.

   ² It was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

   ³ The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, “Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick.”

   ⁴ But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God’s Son may be glorified by it.”

   ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

   ⁶ When therefore he heard that he was sick, he stayed two days in the place where he was.

   ⁷ Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let’s go into Judea again.”

   ⁸ The disciples asked him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you. Are you going there again?”

   ⁹ Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

   ¹⁰ But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn’t in him.”

   ¹¹ He said these things, and after that, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.”

   ¹² The disciples therefore said, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”

   ¹³ Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep.

   ¹⁴ So Jesus said to them plainly then, “Lazarus is dead.

   ¹⁵ I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let’s go to him.”

   ¹⁶ Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s also go, that we may die with him.”

   ¹⁷ So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.

   ¹⁸ Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away.

   ¹⁹ Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.

   ²⁰ Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house.

   ²¹ Therefore Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.

   ²² Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”

   ²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

   ²⁴ Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

   ²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.

   ²⁶ Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

   ²⁷ She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.”

   ²⁸ When she had said this, she went away and called Mary, her sister, secretly, saying, “The Teacher is here and is calling you.”

   ²⁹ When she heard this, she arose quickly and went to him.

   ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was in the place where Martha met him.

   ³¹ Then the Jews who were with her in the house and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”

   ³² Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”

   ³³ When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled,

   ³⁴ and said, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.”

   ³⁵ Jesus wept.

   ³⁶ The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection he had for him!”

   ³⁷ Some of them said, “Couldn’t this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from dying?”

   ³⁸ Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

   ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

   ⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see God’s glory?”

   ⁴¹ So they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you listened to me.

   ⁴² I know that you always listen to me, but because of the multitude standing around I said this, that they may believe that you sent me.”

   ⁴³ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

   ⁴⁴ He who was dead came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Free him, and let him go.”

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   The account joins dialogue, tears and the call to Lazarus; Jesus’ power does not erase attention to those grieving.

   Reflect

   • How does Jesus show care for Martha and Mary before calling Lazarus?

   Put it into practice

   Offer companionship in grief without promising an extraordinary outcome.