9. Jesus saw the crowds. So he told his followers to get a boat ready for him. He wanted the boat so that the many people would not crowd themselves against him.
10. He had healed many people. So all the sick were pushing toward him to touch him.
11. Some had evil spirits in them. When the evil spirits saw Jesus, they fell down before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!”
12. But Jesus strongly commanded the spirits not to tell who he was.
13. Then Jesus went up on a hill and called some men to come to him. These were the men Jesus wanted, and they went up to him.
14. Jesus chose 12 men and called them apostles. He wanted these 12 to be with him, and he wanted to send them to other places to preach.
15. He also wanted them to have the power to force demons out of people.
16. These are the 12 men he chose: Simon (Jesus gave him the name Peter);