1 THE ancestral line of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac; Isaac was the father of Jacob; Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers;
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah Tamar was their mother; Perez was the father of Hezron; Hezron was the father of Ram;
4 Ram was the father of Amminadab; Amminadab was the father of Nahshon; Nahshon was the father of Salmon;
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz Rahab was his mother; Boaz was the father of Obed Ruth was his mother;
6 Jesse was the father of David the King. David was the father of Solomon his mother had been Uriah's wife;
7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam; Rehoboam was the father of Abijah; Abijah was the father of Asa;
8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat; Jehoshaphat was the father of Joram; Joram was the father of Uzziah;
9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham; Jotham was the father of Ahaz; Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah;
10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh; Manasseh was the father of Amon; Amon was the father of Josiah;
11 Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.
12 After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel; Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel;
13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud; Abiud was the father of Eliakim; Eliakim was the father of Azor;
14 Azor was the father of Sadoc; Sadoc was the father of Achim; Achim was the father of Eliud;
15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar; Eleazar was the father of Matthan; Matthan was the father of Jacob;
16 Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17 So there were in all fourteen generations from Abraham to David, and fourteen generations from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen generations from the Babylonian exile to the Christ.
18 The birth of Jesus was in this way: His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
19 Joseph, her husband, being an upright man, and yet not willing to make her a public example, resolved to dismiss her privately.
20 But while he was thinking this over, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for what has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21 She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
22 All this happened in fulfillment of what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:
23 "Behold the virgin will conceive and will bear a son, and they will call his name Immanuel" which means, God is with us.
24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took his wife to his home.
25 But he did not live with her as a husband until she had borne a son. He called his name Jesus.
1 AFTER Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, in Judaea, in the days of Herod the King, wise men from the East arrived at Jerusalem,
2 saying, "Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the East and have come to do homage to him."
3 When King Herod heard it, he was disturbed, and so was all Jerusalem.
4 Then he called together all the high priests and scribes of the people and inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 They said to him, "In Bethlehem, in Juda. For so it was written by the prophet,
6 'And thou, Bethlehem, land of Judah, art by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for from thee will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.' "
7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and learned from them exactly the time of the star's appearance,
8 and as he sent them to Bethlehem he said, "Go and make careful inquiries about the child, and when you have found him bring me word, so that I too may come and do homage to him."
9 After hearing the king, they journeyed on, and the star which they had seen in the East went before them until it came and stood over where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were very joyful.
11 They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and presented to him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 After this they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and so went by another mad back to their own country.
13 After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, "Rise up, and take the child and his mother and flee into Egypt, and be there until I tell you, for Herod will search for the child in order to kill him."
14 So Joseph rose up, and took the child and his mother in the night and went away to Egypt,
15 and was there until the death of Herod, in order that the word of the Lord spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called my Son."
16 Then Herod, seeing that he had been outwitted by the wise men, became furious, and sent out and killed all the boy babies two years old and under in Bethlehem and all its neighborhood, guided by the date which he had carefully learned from the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet when he said,
18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and bitter lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be comforted because they are not."
19 But after Herod had died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
20 and said, "Arise, and take the child and his mother and go into the land of Israel, for they are dead who sought the child's life."
21 So he arose, and took the child and his mother and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judaea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being directed in a dream he went away to the region of Galilee
23 and settled in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazarene."
1 IN those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wild part of Judaea
2 and saying, "Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this is he who was foretold through Isaiah the prophet when he said: 'The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness, Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.' "
4 This John had his clothing of camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judaea and all the neighborhood of the Jordan
6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said, "Brood of vipers, who directed you to flee from the coming wrath?
8 Produce fruit fitting for a change of heart,
9 and do not think of saying to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I tell you God is able out of these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
10 Now the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Every tree that does not yield good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire.
11 I baptize you with water for a change of heart, but he who is coming after me is more powerful than I; I am not worthy to carry his shoes; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
12 He has his fan in his hand and will thoroughly clean his threshing-floor. He will gather his grain into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable."
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him.
14 But John opposed him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
15 Jesus replied, "Permit it now, for so it is fitting for us to complete every righteous act." Then he permitted him.
16 Jesus, as soon as he was baptized, went up from the water, and the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and coming upon him.
17 A voice from the heavens said, "This is my Son, the beloved in whom I delight."
1 THEN Jesus was led by the Spirit up into the wild country to be tempted by the Devil.
2 After he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was hungry.
3 Then the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves of bread."
4 But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "
5 Then the Devil took him with him to the holy city and placed him on the top of the temple
6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'To his angels he will give charge of you, and on their hands they will bear you lest you strike your foot against a stone.' "
7 Jesus said to him, "It is written, too, 'Thou shalt not try the Lord thy God.' "
8 Again the Devil took him with him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory,
9 and said to him, "All these things I will give you if you will fall down and do homage to me."
10 Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan, for it is written, 'To the Lord thy God alone shalt thou do homage, and him alone shalt thou serve.' "
11 Then the Devil left him, and angels came and waited upon him.
12 When Jesus heard that John had been betrayed, he went away into Galilee.
13 Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum on the lake shore on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali,
14 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, road to the sea, country beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles,
16 the people that sat in darkness saw a great light and upon those sitting in the land and shadow of death light dawned."
17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
18 As he was walking along the shore of the lake of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen;
19 and he said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."
20 They at once left the nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers \'97 James the son of Zebedee and John his brother \'97 in their boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 They at once left the boat and their father and followed him.
23 Jesus went around through the whole of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
24 His fame spread out into all Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and those suffering from acute pain, demoniacs, lunatics, and paralytics, and he healed them.
25 Great crowds followed him from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judaea and from beyond the Jordan.
1 SEEING the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he had seated himself his disciples came to him.
2 He opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit! For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Blessed are they that mourn! For they will be comforted.
5 "Blessed are the gentle! For they will inherit the land.
6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness! For they will have abundance.
7 "Blessed are the compassionate! For they will receive compassion.
8 "Blessed are the pure in heart! For they will see God.
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers! For they will be called sons of God.
10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness! For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say every evil thing against you falsely for my sake!
12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for your reward is great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt becomes flat, with what can it be salted? It is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.
14 You are the light of the world. A city cannot be hidden if set on a hill.
15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a peck-measure, but on the stand, and it gives light for all in the house.
16 So let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
17 "Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to fill them full.
18 I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or part of a letter will pass away from the Law, until all is done.
19 Whoever breaks one of these commandments, the least of them, and teaches men to do so, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, and whoever does them and teaches them, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say to you that, unless your righteousness far exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21 "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'Thou shalt not commit murder. Whoever commits murder shall answer for it to the court.'
22 But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall answer for it to the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'Raca' [empty-head], shall answer for it to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool' shall answer for it in the Gehenna of fire.
23 So then if you are bringing your gift to lay on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you,
24 leave your gift there before the altar and go, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25 Get on good terms with your adversary quickly while you are on the road with him, for fear that he may deliver you to the judge and the judge may deliver you to the officer and you may be cast into prison.
26 Truly I tell you you will not come out until you pay the last penny."
27 "You have heard that it was said, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.'
28 But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman with lustful thoughts has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 If your right eye is a snare to you, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is better for you that one of your members should be lost and not your whole body be cast into Gehenna.
30 And if your right hand is a snare to you, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you that one of your members should be lost and not your whole body go into Gehenna.
31 "It was said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'
32 But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, unless for the cause of unchastity, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'Thou shalt not swear falsely, but shalt perform to the Lord thine oaths.'
34 But I tell you not to swear at all; neither by heaven, because it is God's throne;
35 nor by the earth, because it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the Great King;
36 nor must you swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
37 But let your yes be yes and your no be no. Whatever is more than these is from evil.
38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
39 But I tell you not to resist a wicked man, but if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him also the other;
40 and if any one is determined to sue you for your tunic, let him have your cloak too;
41 and if any one commandeers you for a mile, go with him two.
42 To him who begs, give; from him who wishes to borrow of you, do not turn away.
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy.'
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun to rise upon the bad and the good, and sends rain upon the just and the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not also the tax collectors do the same thing?
47 And if you salute your brothers only, what superiority have you? Do not the Gentiles do the same?
48 You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
1 "BE careful not to do your religious actions before men in order to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 When you give gifts of mercy, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, in order that they may be honored by men. I assure you they get their payment in full.
3 But you, when you are giving a gift of mercy, must not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your gift may be in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you.
5 "When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so as to be seen by men. I assure you they get their payment in full.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room and shut your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
7 "When praying do not keep repeating, as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their multitude of words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you have need of before you ask him.
9 Pray in this way: 'Our Father in heaven, Thy name be kept holy;
10 Thy kingdom come; Thy will prevail; As in heaven, so on earth.
11 Our bread for the coming day Give us to-day;
12 And forgive us our failures As we forgive those who fail toward us;
13 And bring us not into trial, But save us from evil.'
14 For if you forgive men their wrongdoings, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
15 but if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your wrongdoings.
16 "When you fast, do not wear gloomy faces as hypocrites do. For they disfigure their faces so as to be seen by men to be fasting. I assure you they get their payment in full.
17 But you, when fasting, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 so as not to appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust corrode and where thieves break in and steal.
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrodes and where thieves do not break in nor steal.
21 For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.
22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is clear your whole body will be lighted up,
23 but if your eye is bad your whole body will be darkened. If the light that is in you is darkness, how great the darkness is!
24 No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate one and love the other or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon.
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your physical life \'97 what you are to eat or what you are to drink; nor about your body \'97 what you are to wear. Is not the life more than the food and the body more than the clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 But who of you by being anxious can add to his height one foot?
28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, bow they grow. They neither toil nor spin.
29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was arrayed like one of these.
30 If God so clothes the herbage of the field, to-day growing and to-morrow thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of so little faith?
31 So do not be anxious, saying, What are we to eat? or, What are we to drink? or, What are we to wear?
32 For all these things the pagans seek after. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But you must seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be supplied to you.
34 Do not be anxious about to-morrow, for to-morrow will take care of itself. Enough for the day is its own trouble.
1 "DO not judge, so that you may not be judged.
2 For with whatever judgment you judge you will be judged, and with whatever measure you measure you will be measured.
3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, while you do not perceive the beam in your own eye?
4 Or how will you say to your brother, 'Let me get out the speck from your eye,' when there is a beam in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first get the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to get the speck out of your brother's eye.
6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor east your pearls before swine, for they may trample them under their feet and turn and tear you.
7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.
8 For every one who asks obtains, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks the door is opened.
9 Is there any man of you who if his son asks him for bread will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish will give him a serpent?
11 If you, though evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.
12 "All things that you wish men to do for you, do yourselves for them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide and spacious is the road that leads away to ruin, and many there are who go through it;
14 but narrow is the gate and contracted is the road that leads into life, and few there are who find it.
15 "Beware of false prophets, such as come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 From their fruits you will know them. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles?
17 Just so every good tree yields fine fruit, but a worthless tree yields bad fruit.
18 It is not possible for a good tree to yield had fruit nor for a worthless tree to yield fine fruit.
19 Every tree that does not yield fine fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 So then, from their fruits you will know them.
21 "Not every one who says to me, 'Master, Master,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Master, Master, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name east out demons, and in your name do many miracles?'
23 And then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work lawlessness.'
24 "Every one, therefore, who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;
25 and the rain descended and the rivers rose and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house; but it fell not, for it had been founded on the rock.
26 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand.
27 And the rain descended and the rivers rose and the winds blew, and they struck upon that house and it fell, and great was the ruin of it."
28 When Jesus ended these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching.
29 For he taught them like one who had authority, and not as their scribes taught.
1 WHEN Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
2 And a leper came up and bowed before him, and said, "Sir, if you have the will, you have power to make me clean."
3 Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him and said, "I have the will, be cleansed." Instantly his leprosy was cleansed away.
4 Jesus said to him, "Be sure and do not say a word to any one, but go and show yourself to the priest and offer the gift which Moses prescribed as evidence for them."
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum there came to him a Centurion who implored his help.
6 "Sir," he said, "my servant lies in my house a paralytic, in great distress."
7 Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."
8 The Centurion answered, "Sir, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but just speak the word and my servant will be cured.
9 For I am a man, \'97 under authority, \'97 with soldiers under me, and I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said, "Truly I tell you, I have not found so great faith on the part of any one in Israel.
11 I tell you many will come from the east and from the west and will recline at table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the darkness outside. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
13 Then Jesus said to the Centurion, "Go. As you have believed, so be it to you." His servant was healed that very hour.
14 When Jesus entered the house of Peter, he saw his wife's mother lying sick with fever.
15 He touched her hand and the fever left her. Then she arose and waited upon him.
16 When evening came, they brought to him many demoniacs and he cast out the spirits by a word, and all their sick he healed.
17 This was in order to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, "He took our weaknesses and bore away our diseases."
18 When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave directions to go over to the other side of the lake.
19 Then a certain scribe came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
20 Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have coverts, but the Son of Man has not where to lay his head."
21 Another of his disciples said to him, "Sir, let me first go and bury my father."
22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
24 Soon a great storm broke on the lake so that the boat was hidden under the waves; but he was sleeping.
25 His disciples came to him and woke him and said, "Master, save us. We are going down."
26 But he said, "Why are you frightened, you men of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the lake, and there was a great calm.
27 The men were astonished and said, "What sort of a person is this, whom even the winds and the lake obey?"
28 When he arrived at the other side, the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two demoniacs coming out of the tombs. They were very fierce, so that no one was able to pass along that road.
29 Suddenly they shouted, "Son of God, what have you to do with us? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"
30 There was far off from them a herd of many swine feeding.
31 The demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine."
32 He said to them, "Go." So they went out and entered into the swine. Then suddenly the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the waves.
33 The herdsmen fled and went away to the town and told everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.
34 Then at once all the town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to depart from their neighborhood.
1 SO Jesus got into the boat and crossed over and came to his own city.
2 They brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Have courage, boy, your sins are forgiven."
3 At once some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is speaking profane words."
4 Jesus knew their thoughts and said, "Why are you thinking evil thoughts in your hearts?
5 For which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" \'97 then he said to the paralytic, "Rise, take up your bed and go to your house."
7 Thereupon he rose and went away to his house.
8 The crowds that saw it were astonished and gave glory to God, who had given such power to men.
9 As Jesus was passing along from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. Jesus said to him, "Follow me," and he arose and followed him.
10 It happened that, while he was reclining at table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came in and reclined at the table with Jesus and his disciples.
11 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
12 Jesus heard it and said, "The strong have no need of a physician, but the sick have.
13 Go and learn what this means: 'I wish for kindness, and not for sacrifice.' I have not come to call righteous people, but sinners."
14 Then the disciples of John came to Jesus and said, "Why are we and the Pharisees fasting while your disciples are not fasting?"
15 He said, "Can the bridal party fast while the bridegroom is with them? But days will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.
16 No one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the filling pulls away from the cloak and the result is a worse tear.
17 Nor do they pour new wine into old wine-skins, for if they do the skins burst. So the wine is spilled and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wine-skins and both are preserved."
18 While Jesus was talking to them, a synagogue Director came and bowed down before him and said, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand upon her and she will live."
19 Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
20 Suddenly a woman who had been suffering for twelve years from hemorrhage came up behind him and touched the tassel of his cloak.
21 For she said to herself, "If I touch only his cloak, I shall be healed."
22 But Jesus turned and, seeing her, said, "Courage, daughter, your faith has healed you." The woman was cured from that hour.
23 Jesus entered the house of the Director and saw the flute-players and the crowd that was noisily lamenting, and he said,
24 "Leave the room, for the girl is not dead; she is sleeping." They laughed at him.
25 But after the crowd had been turned out, he went in and took hold of her hand and the girl rose up.
26 The report of this spread through all that country.
27 As Jesus was going along from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have pity on us, Son of David."
28 After he had entered the house, these blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" They said, "Yes, Sir."
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith be it to you."
30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus sternly commanded them, "Be sure and let no one know of this."
31 But they went out and spread his fame through all that country.
32 As they were going out, a dumb man who was also a demoniac was brought to him.
33 After the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke. The crowd wondered and said, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel."
34 But the Pharisees said, "Through the Chief of the demons he casts out the demons."
35 Jesus made a circuit through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity.
36 Seeing the crowds, he was touched with compassion for them, for they were torn and flung down like sheep that have no shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is great, but the laborers are few.
38 Pray to the Master of the harvest to rush out laborers into his harvest."
1 THEN, calling to him his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over impure spirits to cast them out, and power to cure every disease and every infirmity.
2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother,
3 Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus,
4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out and directed them: "Do not go into any way of the Gentiles. Do not enter into any city of the Samaritans.
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 As you go proclaim, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal sick men, raise dead men, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without being paid.
9 Provide no gold nor silver nor copper in your belts,
10 no bag for the road, nor two tunics nor shoes nor stick, for the workman has a right to his food.
11 Whatever city or village you go into, inquire who in it is worthy and stay with him until you leave the place.
12 When you enter the house, salute it.
13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 If any one does not receive you or hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city shake off the dust of your feet.
15 I tell you truly it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
16 See, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be as wise as serpents and as pure as doves.
17 Be on your guard against men. For they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you,
18 and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and to the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry how or what you are to speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you are to say.
20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks within you.
21 Brother will betray brother to death, and father will betray child, and children will rise up against parents and put them to death.
22 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. He who endures to the end, that one will be saved.
23 "When they persecute you in one city, flee to another. I tell you truly, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 The scholar is not above his teacher, nor the servant above his master.
25 It is sufficient for the scholar to fare like his teacher and for the servant to fare like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household.
26 Do not be afraid of them; for there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor secret which will not be known.
27 What I say to you in darkness speak in the light, and what is whispered into your ear proclaim on the housetops.
28 Do not fear before those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet one of them will not fall on the ground without your Father.
30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 So do not fear. You are worth more than many sparrows.
32 Every one who shall confess me before men I too will confess before my Father in heaven.
33 Every one who shall disown me before men I too will disown before my Father in heaven.
34 "Do not think that I came to send peace on the earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I came to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36 A man's enemies will be the members of his own household.
37 He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 Whoever does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.
39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him that sent me.
41 He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will get a prophet's reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will get a righteous man's reward.
42 Whoever gives merely a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple, I tell you truly he will not lose his reward."
1 WHEN Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and preach in the towns.
2 John had heard in prison of the doings of the Christ, and he sent by some of his disciples to ask,
3 "Are you 'the Coming One' or are we to expect some other?"
4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see.
5 Blind men recover sight, lame men walk, lepers are cleansed, deaf men hear, dead men are raised, and poor men have the good news proclaimed to them.
6 Blessed is he who does not mistake regarding me!"
7 As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
8 But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? Those who wear soft clothes are in kings' palaces.
9 But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10 This is the one of whom it was written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who will prepare thy way before thee.'
11 I tell you truly there has not arisen among those born of women a greater than John the Baptist. But any inferior in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence and violent men have been seizing it.
13 For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14 If you are willing to believe it, he is Elijah who was to come.
15 Whoever has ears, let him hear.
16 "To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places who call to the others,
17 'We played the flute to you and you did not dance; we mourned and you did not beat your breasts.'
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'
19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'See a glutton and a wine-drinker; a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' Yet wisdom is proved to be in the right by her works."
20 Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his miracles had been done, because they had not repented:
21 "Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if in Tyre and Sidon the miracles had been done which were done in you, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.
23 And you, Capernaum! No, you will not be exalted to heaven. You will be abased to Hades. Because if those miracles which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24 But I tell you it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."
25 At that time Jesus said, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes.
26 Yes, Father, I thank thee that such was thy good pleasure.
27 "All things have been delivered tome by my Father, and no one knows the Son but the Father, nor does any one know the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son may choose to reveal him.
28 "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
1 AT that time Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grain-fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain to eat.
2 When the Pharisees saw it they said, "See, your disciples are doing what is not allowable on the Sabbath."
3 He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he and his men were hungry?
4 how he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread which it was not allowable either for him to eat or for his men, but only for the priests?
5 Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath and yet are guiltless?
6 I tell you that something greater than the Temple is here.
7 If you had understood this, 'I desire kindness and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
9 Passing over from there, he came into their synagogue.
10 A man was there with a withered hand. They asked Jesus, "Is it allowable to heal on the Sabbath?" \'97 so that they might have something to accuse him of.
11 He said to them, "What man is there of you who, if he has one sheep, and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold on it and lift it out?
12 But how much more is a man worth than a sheep! So it is allowable to do good on the Sabbath."
13 Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and it was restored as sound as the other.
14 The Pharisees went out and plotted against him how they could destroy him.
15 But Jesus was aware of it and went away from that place. Many followed him and he healed them all;
16 but he gave strict orders to them not to make him known.
17 It was in fulfillment of these words of Isaiah the prophet,
18 "Behold my servant whom I have chosen, the Beloved in whom my soul delights. I will put my spirit upon him and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not strive nor cry, nor will any one hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a low-burning wick he will, not quench, until he has carried justice to victory.
21 In his name will Gentiles hope."
22 Then there was brought to Jesus a demoniac, blind and dumb. He healed him so that he spoke and saw.
23 All the crowds were astonished and said, "Is not this man the Son of David?"
24 The Pharisees when they heard it said, "This man casts out demons only through Beelzebul the Chief of the demons."
25 But he knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desolation, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
27 If I by Beelzebul am casting out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is right upon you.
29 How can any one enter the house of a strong man and seize his goods unless he first binds the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.
31 Therefore I say to you, every sin and profane word will be forgiven to men, but any profane word against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
32 Whoever says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either in this world or in the world to come.
33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good or make the tree bad and its fruit bad. For from the fruit the tree is known.
34 Brood of vipers, how can you who are evil speak good things? For from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 The good man out of his good treasury pours out good things, and the bad man out of his bad treasury pours out bad things.
36 I tell you, for every idle word that men speak they will give full account in the day of judgment,
37 for from your words you will be justified and from your words you will be condemned."
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."
39 He answered them, "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks for a sign. But no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and more than Jonah is here.
42 The Queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and more than Solomon is here.
43 "When the impure spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest and finds none.
44 Then he says, 'I will return into my house that I left.' And he comes and finds it vacant, swept and in order.
45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits worse than himself, and they enter and live there. So the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Just so will it be with this wicked generation."
46 While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, trying to speak to him.
47 Some one told him,
48 but he replied, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?"
49 Then, stretching out his hand over his disciples, he said, "See my mother and my brothers!
50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
1 ON that day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake.
2 Great crowds gathered to him so that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the crowd stood on the shore.
3 He spoke at length to them in illustrations. "A sower," he said, "went out to sow.
4 And as he was sowing some seeds fell at the roadside and the birds came and ate them up.
5 Others fell on rocky places where they had not much soil, and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil.
6 But when the sun rose they were scorched, and because they had no roots they withered.
7 Others fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked them.
8 Others fell on good ground and made a yield, some of a hundred fold, some of sixty fold, some of thirty fold.
9 He who has ears, let him hear."
10 Then his disciples came to him and said, "Why do you talk to them in figures of speech?"
11 He answered, "Because to you it is granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to those people it is not granted.
12 For whoever has, to him will be given and he will have abundance. But whoever has not, from him will be taken even what he has.
13 For this reason I speak to them in figures, because, though they see, they do not see, and though they hear, they do not hear nor understand,
14 and to them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: 'You will plainly hear, but you will not understand, and you will clearly look, but you will not see.
15 For the heart of these people has grown fat, and with their ears they are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed; so that they may not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and repent and I should heal them.'
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
17 I tell you truly many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things you see, but they did not see them, and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear them.
18 So listen to the story of the sower:
19 When any one hears the message of the kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the man who receives seed by the roadside.
20 He who received seed on stony ground is he who bears the word and receives it at once with joy,
21 yet has no root in himself, but is inconstant, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the message he stumbles and falls.
22 He who received seed among thorns is he who hears the message, but the care of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the message and it becomes fruitless.
23 He who received seed in good ground is he who hears the message and understands it and makes a yield of a hundred, or sixty, or thirty fold."
24 Another illustration he put before them. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 But while people were sleeping his enemy came and sowed weeds through the wheat, and went away.
26 When the blades shot up and formed grain, the weeds also appeared.
27 Then the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where do the weeds come from?'
28 He replied, 'An enemy did this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us to go and gather them up?'
29 He said, 'No, for in gathering up the weeds you might pull up the wheat along with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At the time of harvest I will say to the harvesters, Gather up first the weeds and tie them into bundles for burning, but bring the wheat into my granary.' "
31 Another illustration he put before them. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field.
32 It is the least of all the seeds, but when it grows up it is greater than the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and live in its branches."
33 Another illustration he spoke to them. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until it was all leavened."
34 All of these things Jesus spoke to them in illustrations, and without an illustration he spoke nothing to them,
35 to fulfill the words of the prophet when he said, "I will open my mouth in illustrations, I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world."
36 Then leaving the crowds he came into the house, and his disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the illustration of the weeds of the field."
37 He replied, "He who sows the good seeds is the Son of Man.
38 The field is the world. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the Evil One.
39 The enemy that sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are angels.
40 As the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the world.
41 The Son of Man will send his angels and they will gather up from his kingdom all stumbling-blocks and those who practice lawlessness,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then will the righteous shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man finds and hides again, and for joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 "Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
46 Having found one very precious pearl he went away and sold everything that he had and bought it.
47 "Again the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the lake that gathered up every sort.
48 But when it was filled they drew it to the beach and sat down and gathered the good into pails, but threw the worthless away.
49 So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will come forth and will separate the wicked from among the righteous
50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51 Have you understood all these things?" They said, "Yes."
52 He said to them, "Therefore every scribe educated in the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a householder who brings out from his storehouse new things and old things."
53 When Jesus had finished these illustrations, he went away from that place.
54 Then he came to his native place and taught them in their synagogue so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miracles?
55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
56 And his sisters \'97 are they not all here with us? Where then did he get all this?"
57 So they fell into mistake about him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house."
58 Because of their unbelief he worked there but few miracles.
1 AT that time Herod the Prince heard the reports about Jesus
2 and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead and so miraculous powers are working in him."
3 For Herod had arrested John and had bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.
4 For John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
5 Although he wished to kill him, he was afraid of the people because they held him for a prophet.
6 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst and pleased Herod,
7 so that he promised with an oath that he would give her whatever she asked.
8 She, prompted by her mother, said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist."
9 The king was grieved, but on account of his oaths and his guests he ordered it to be given her,
10 and he sent and had John beheaded in the prison.
11 The head was brought in on a platter and was given to the girl and she bore it to her mother.
12 The disciples of John came and took the body and buried it, and then they came and told Jesus.
13 Upon hearing of it, Jesus went away in a boat privately to an uninhabited place. But the people heard of it and followed him by land from the towns.
14 As he got out of the boat, he saw a great crowd and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 When evening had come on, his disciples came to him and said, "This is an uninhabited place and the time is already late; send away the crowd so that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."
16 But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. Give them food yourselves."
17 They said to him, "We have here nothing but five loaves and two fishes."
18 He said, "Bring them to me."
19 Then he commanded the crowd to recline on the grass, and he took the five loaves and the two fishes and looked up to heaven and asked a blessing. Then he broke up the loaves and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples distributed to the crowd.
20 All ate and had abundance, and they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces that remained over.
21 Those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
22 Then he made his disciples get into the boat and go on across while he was dismissing the crowd.
23 After dismissing the crowd, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray, When evening came, he was there alone.
24 The boat was already far out from land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
25 In the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking on the water.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified, saying that it was a ghost, and they cried out with fear.
27 But at once Jesus spoke to them and said, "Courage. It is I. Do not be afraid."
28 Peter answered, "Sir, if it is you, bid me to come to you on the water."
29 Jesus said, "Come." Then Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
30 But seeing the wind he became frightened, and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Sir, save me!"
31 At once Jesus stretched out his hand and grasped him and said, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?"
32 After they got into the boat, the wind stopped.
33 Then the men in the boat bowed down to him and said, "Truly you are the Son of God."
34 Having crossed, they came to land at Gennesaret.
35 When the men of that place recognized him, they sent into all that neighborhood and brought to him all the sick
36 and begged him that they might touch merely the tassel of his cloak, and all who touched were cured.
1 THEN scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
2 "Why do your disciples violate the tradition of our forefathers? For they do not wash their hands when they eat food."
3 He answered them, "And why do you violate the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
4 For God said, 'Honor thy father and thy mother,' and, 'If any one speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.'
5 But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or to his mother, Whatever benefit you get from me is now dedicated to God,
6 he shall not honor his father or his mother.' So you have nullified the command of God for the sake of your tradition.
7 You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said,
8 'This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
9 In vain they worship me while they teach as precepts the commands of men.' "
10 Calling the crowd to him he said to them, "Hear and understand.
11 Not what enters the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth \'97 that defiles a man."
12 Then his disciples came to him and said, "Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked when they heard what you said?"
13 He replied, "Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.
14 Beware of them. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch."
15 Peter said, "Explain to us your figure."
16 Jesus answered, "Are even you without insight?
17 Do you not know that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is cast out into the sewer?
18 But the things that come out of the mouth proceed from the heart, and they defile the man.
19 For from the heart proceed wicked thoughts, murders, adulteries, unchastities, thefts, perjuries, profane words.
20 These are the things that defile a man. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."
21 Leaving that place, Jesus retired into the region of Tyre and Sidon.
22 Here a Canaanite woman of those parts came out and cried, "Sir, have pity on me, Son of David. My daughter is terribly tormented by a demon."
23 But he did not answer her a word. Then his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away; she keeps calling out behind us."
24 He replied, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
25 But she came and bowed before him and said, "Help me, Sir."
26 He answered, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
27 But she said, "Yes, Sir; for even the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."
28 Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, great is your faith. Be it to you as you will." And her daughter was cured from that hour.
29 On leaving there, Jesus came along by the lake of Galilee and went up on the mountain and sat down there.
30 Then a great crowd came to him having with them lame men, maimed men, blind men, mutes, and many others, and they laid them at his feet and he healed them.
31 The crowd was astonished when they saw mutes talking, maimed men sound, lame men walking about, and blind men seeing, and they gave glory to the God of Israel.
32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for the crowd, for they have now been with me three days and they have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away fasting; they might faint on the road."
33 The disciples said to him, "Where can we get enough bread in this uninhabited place to feed such a crowd?"
34 Jesus said, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fishes."
35 Then he told the crowd to recline on the ground,
36 and he took the seven loaves and the fishes and gave thanks and broke them and gave to his disciples, and the disciples distributed to the crowd.
37 All ate and were satisfied, and they picked up seven baskets full of fragments that were left over.
38 There were four thousand men that ate, besides women and children.
39 Then after dismissing the crowd he got into a boat and came into the region of Magadan.
1 THE Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus, and, in order to put him to a test, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
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3 TEXT OMITTED
4 But he answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation is eager for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah"; and he left them and went away.
5 When the disciples got to the other side of the lake, they had forgotten to take bread,
6 and Jesus said to them, "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."
7 They were discussing this among themselves, saying, "It is because we have brought no bread."
8 But Jesus, when he knew it, said, "Why are you discussing among yourselves, O men of little faith, because you have no bread?
9 Do you not yet know? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many basketfuls you picked up?
10 Or the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many basketfuls you picked up?
11 How is it that you do not perceive that I was not speaking to you about bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
12 Then they understood that he had told them to beware not of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13 After corning into the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
14 They said, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; others Jeremiah or some one of the prophets."
15 He said to them, "But you, who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood have not revealed it to you, but my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter [which means Rock], and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
20 Then he strictly charged his disciples not to tell any one that he was the Christ.
21 From that time Jesus began to make plain to his disciples that he had to go away to Jerusalem, and suffer greatly from the elders and high priests and scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.
22 Peter took him and began to reprove him, saying, "Please God, Sir; this shall not happen to you."
23 But he, turning, said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan; you are a snare to me, for you are not thinking God's thoughts, but men's."
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any one chooses to come after me, let him disown self and take up his cross and follow me.
25 For whoever chooses to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
26 For what profit will a man have if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? or what can a man give to buy back his soul?
27 For the Son of Man will soon come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will repay each in full according to his actions.
28 I tell you truly there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste of death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain alone.
2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as the light.
3 Then appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with him.
4 Peter said to Jesus, "Sir, it is fine for us to be here. If you like, I will make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah."
5 While he was speaking, a bright cloud suddenly overspread them and a voice issued from the cloud, "This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I delight. Hear him."
6 The disciples on hearing this fell on their faces in great terror.
7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Rise and do not be afraid."
8 When they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus himself alone.
9 As they were descending the mountain, Jesus charged them, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."
10 The disciples asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
11 He answered, "Elijah does come and restore all things.
12 But I tell you Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they chose. Just so the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands."
13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
14 When they reached the crowd, a man came to Jesus and knelt to him and said,
15 "Sir, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic and is in a very bad way. For often he falls into the fire and often into the water.
16 I brought him to your disciples and they could not cure him."
17 Jesus answered, "O unbelieving and perverse generation, how long must I be with you? How long must I bear you? Bring him here."
18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and he came out of him and the boy was well from that hour.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus aside and said, "Why were we unable to cast it out?"
20 He said to them, "Because of your lack of faith. I tell you truly, if you have faith like a mustard seed you will say to this mountain, 'Remove from here to there,' and it will remove, and nothing will be impossible for you."
21 TEXT OMITTED
22 While they were assembling in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man will soon be betrayed into the hands of men,
23 and they will kill him and on the third day he will be raised"; and they were deeply distressed.
24 After they came to Capernaum, the men who were collecting the Temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does not your teacher pay the Temple tax?"
25 He said, "Yes." But when he went into the house Jesus spoke first to him and said, "How do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect taxes or tribute, from their own sons or from those who are not?"
26 Upon his saying, "From those who are not," Jesus said to him, "So then the sons are free.
27 But in order that we may not mislead them, go to the lake and throw in a hook and take the first fish that comes up. When you open his mouth you will find a coin. Take that and give it to them for me and yourself.
1 AT that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 He called to him a little child and stood him in the midst of them
3 and said, "I tell you truly, unless you turn and become like the little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 He who humbles himself like this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 Whoever receives one such little child for my name receives me;
6 and whoever causes one of these little ones that believe in me to stumble, it were better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and be cast into the depths of the lake.
7 Alas for the world because of the occasions of stumbling! It must be that such occasions come, but alas for the man through whom any one is tripped up!
8 If your hand or your foot is a snare to you, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or lame than with two hands or two feet to be cast into the fire eternal.
9 If your eye is a snare to you, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life one-eyed than with two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire.
10 See to it that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you, in heaven their angels continually behold the face of my Father in heaven.
11 TEXT OMITTED
12 How does it seem to you? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the straying one?
13 And if he finds it, I tell you he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that have not strayed.
14 Just so it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15 "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault between yourself and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
16 If he does not listen to you, take along with you one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses, or three, every word may be confirmed.
17 If he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to hear the church, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
18 I tell you truly, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 "Again I tell you that, if two of you agree on earth regarding any matter, whatever they pray for will come to them from my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
21 Then Peter came to him and said, "How often, Sir, if my brother sins against me, shall I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a man who was a king, who determined to settle accounts with his servants.
24 When he had begun the accounting there was brought to him one who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 Since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, as well as his wife and his children and whatever he had, and payment to be made.
26 But the servant fell down and did homage and said, 'Have patience with me and I will pay you in full.'
27 Then the master, pitying the servant, released him and cancelled his debt.
28 But that servant, on going out, found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred shillings, and he seized him and choked him, saying, 'Pay in full what you owe.'
29 His fellow servant fell down and begged, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will pay you in full.'
30 But he would not, but went and threw him into prison until he should pay off the debt.
31 When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and went and informed their master about everything.
32 The master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant, all that debt of yours I cancelled when you begged me.
33 Ought you not to have had pity on your fellow servant as I had pity on you?'
34 Then his master was angry and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay off all that was owing to him.
35 Just so will my Father in heaven do to you if you do not forgive each one his brother from your hearts."
1 WHEN Jesus had finished these words, he left Galilee and came within that part of Judaea beyond the Jordan.
2 Great crowds followed him and he healed them there.
3 Then some Pharisees came to him to test him. They said, "Is it allowable for a man to divorce his wife for any and every cause?"
4 He replied, "Have you not read that the Creator in the beginning 'made them male and female,'
5 and said, 'For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife and the two shall become one flesh'?
6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What, therefore, God has yoked together let not man put asunder."
7 They said to him, "Why, then, did Moses command to give a writing of dismissal and divorce her?"
8 He said to them, "Moses, because of your hard-heartedness, permitted you to divorce your wives, but at the beginning it was not so.
9 And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery."
10 His disciples said to him, "If this is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry."
11 He said to them, "Not all can receive this word; but only those to whom it is granted.
12 For there are eunuchs so born from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs so made by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him who is able to receive it receive it."
13 Then some little children were brought to him to have him lay his hands on them and pray. His disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
15 After laying his hands on them, he went away.
16 A man came to him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do to have life eternal?"
17 He said to him, "Why do you ask me about the good? One only is the Good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
18 He said to him, "Which?" Jesus said to him, "Thou shalt not commit murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honor thy father and thy mother, and Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
20 The young man said to him, "All these I have kept. What do I lack still?"
21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go sell your property and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and then come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard that saying, he went away grieved. For he possessed great wealth.
23 Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you truly, a rich man will with difficulty enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."
25 When the disciples heard this, they were amazed and said, "Who then can be saved?"
26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
27 Then Peter said, "Why, we have left everything and have followed you. What then shall we receive?"
28 Jesus said to him, "I tell you truly, you who have followed me, in the rebirth, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you also will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for my name's sake will receive manifold more and will inherit life eternal.
30 But many now first will be last and many now last will be first.
1 "THE kingdom of heaven is like a man who was a householder, who went out in the early morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2 After agreeing with the laborers for a shilling a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 He went out about nine o'clock and saw others standing in the market-place idle
4 and said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went.
5 Again he went out about noon and about three o'clock and did the same.
6 About five o'clock he went out and found others standing and said to them, 'Why have you been standing the whole day idle?'
7 They said, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go too into my vineyard.'
8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and pay their hire, beginning with the last and going on to the first.'
9 When those who were hired about five o'clock came, they received a shilling apiece,
10 and when those who were hired first came, they thought that they would get more. But they too received a shilling apiece.
11 When they received it, they grumbled at the householder
12 and said, 'These last worked one hour and you have made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the heat.'
13 But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not wronging you. Did you not agree with me for a shilling?
14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last man the same as to you.
15 Have I not the right to do what I will with my own? Is your eye evil because I am good?'
16 So the last will be first and the first last."
17 As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve aside on the road and said to them,
18 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the high priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death
19 and will deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify, and on the third day he will be raised."
20 Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee, with her sons, bowing down to him and making a request of him.
21 He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to him, "Give the command for these two sons of mine to sit one on your right and one on your left in your kingdom."
22 Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, 'We can?'
23 He said to them, "My cup you will drink, but seats on my right and on my left are not mine to give. They will be given to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
24 When the ten heard of this, they were indignant at the two brothers.
25 But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and their great ones wield power over them.
26 It is not so among you. But whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant,
27 and whoever wants to be first among you will be your slave;
28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."
29 As they were leaving Jericho, a great crowd followed him.
30 Two blind men were sitting at the side of the road, and when they heard that Jesus was passing, they cried out, "Sir, have pity on us, Son of David!"
31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be silent. But all the more they cried, "Sir, have pity on us, Son of David!"
32 Jesus stopped and called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?"
33 They said, "We want our eyes opened."
34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes, and at once they regained sight and followed him.
1 WHEN they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
2 telling them, "Go into the village opposite and at once you will find an ass tied and a colt with her. Loose her and lead her to me.
3 If any one says anything to you, you will say, 'The Master has need of them,' and at once he will send them."
4 This happened in order that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled,
5 "Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy king comes to thee, gentle and riding on an ass and on a colt, the foal of a beast of draught."
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had bidden them,
7 and brought the ass and the colt, and spread on them their cloaks and seated him on them.
8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks in the road, and others cut off branches from the trees and spread them in the road.
9 The crowds that walked before and those that followed shouted, "God save the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! God in highest heaven save him!"
10 When he entered Jerusalem all the city was shaken, and people said, "Who is this?"
11 The crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."
12 Jesus went into the Temple courts and drove out all those who were selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who were selling doves,
13 and he said, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a den of robbers."
14 Then blind men and lame men came to him in the Temple courts and he healed them.
15 When the high priests and the scribes saw the wonders that he did and the children shouting, "God save the Son of David!" they were angry
16 and said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" Jesus said, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise'?"
17 Then he left them and went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.
18 Early in the morning as he was returning to the city, he was hungry,
19 and seeing a solitary fig tree at the roadside he went to it, but found on it nothing but leaves only. He said to it, "Let there no more be fruit from you forever." The fig tree immediately withered up.
20 Upon seeing this, the disciples were astonished and said, "How suddenly the fig tree withered up!"
21 Jesus said to them, "I tell you truly, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' that will happen,
22 and whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will obtain."
23 When he had gone into the Temple courts, the high priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing this, and who gave you this authority?"
24 Jesus replied to them, "I too will ask you one question. If you answer me, then I also will tell you by what authority I am doing this.
25 The baptism of John \'97 where did it come from? From heaven or from men?" They debated among themselves, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'
26 and if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the people, for they all hold John for a prophet."
27 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." He in turn said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing this.
28 What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go to-day and work in the vineyard.'
29 He answered, 'I will, Sir,' but he did not go.
30 The father went to the second son and said the same. He answered, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The last." Jesus said to them, "I tell you truly the tax collectors and the bad women are going before you into the kingdom of God.
32 For John came to you in the path of righteousness and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the bad women believed him. And you when you saw it did not change your minds afterwards and believe him.
33 "Listen to another illustration: There was a man, a house-holder, who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a wine-vat in it and built a watch-tower, and let it out to grape-growers and went abroad.
34 When the time of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the grape-growers to get his fruit.
35 But the grape-growers seized the servants, and one they beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.
36 Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first, but they treated them just the same.
37 At last he sent to them his son, saying, 'They will respect my son.'
38 But when the grape-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and we shall have his inheritance.'
39 So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 When, therefore, the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those grape-growers?"
41 They said to him, "He will put those miserable men to a miserable death, and will let out the vineyard to other grape-growers who will render him the fruits in their seasons."
42 Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 'The stone which the builders rejected, that one has become the corner stone. This stone came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes'?
43 Therefore I tell you the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and will be given to a nation that produces the fruits.
44 Whoever falls on this stone will be shattered, and if it falls on any one, it will crush him to powder."
45 The high priests and the Pharisees listening to his illustrations knew that he was speaking about them.
46 They were eager to seize him, but were afraid of the people, for the people held him for a prophet.
1 AGAIN Jesus addressed them in figures. He said,
2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a man, a king, who made a wedding feast for his son.
3 He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding, but they would not come.
4 Again he sent other servants, telling them, 'Say to those who have been invited, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fat things have been killed and everything is ready. Come to the wedding.'
5 But they paid no attention, and went off one to his field and another to his trading.
6 The rest seized his servants, treated them roughly, and killed them.
7 Then the king grew angry and sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city.
8 Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
9 Go out on the crossroads, and every one you find invite to the wedding.'
10 So those servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding-hall was filled with guests.
11 When the king came in to look over the guests, he saw there a man who was not dressed in a wedding robe,
12 and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding robe?' But he was speechless.
13 The king said to the attendants, 'Bind him feet and hands and throw him out into the darkness outside.' There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are invited, but few are chosen."
15 Then the Pharisees went and held a consultation how they could entrap him in talk.
16 They sent to him their disciples with the Herodians and they said, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and that you are afraid of no one, for you do not regard the social standing of men.
17 Tell us therefore what you think. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
18 But Jesus knew their wickedness and said, "Why are you trying to test me, you hypocrites?
19 Show me a piece of tax money." They brought him a shilling.
20 He asked them, "Whose head is this, and whose inscription?"
21 They said, "Caesar's." He said to them, "Then pay to Caesar what is Caesar's, and pay to God what is God's."
22 When they heard this, they wondered and left him and went away.
23 On that day some Sadducees came to him asserting that there is no resurrection, and they asked him,
24 "Teacher, Moses said, 'If any man dies childless, his brother shall marry his widow and raise up offspring for his brother.'
25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died childless and left his wife to his brother.
26 So did the second and the third down to the seventh.
27 The woman died last of all.
28 In the resurrection, then, which of the seven will have the wife? For they all had her."
29 Jesus replied to them, "You are all astray because you do not understand either the Scriptures or the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither many nor are married, but are like the angels in heaven.
31 But in reference to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God when he said,
32 'I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living men."
33 The crowd on hearing this were amazed at his teaching.
34 The Pharisees, hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered,
35 and one of them, a lawyer, in order to test him, asked,
36 "Teacher, which commandment in the law is greatest?"
37 Jesus said to him, " 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind.'
38 This is the greatest and first commandment.
39 The second is like it, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.'
40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
41 While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus asked them a question,
42 "What do you think in regard to the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said, "David's."
43 He said, "How then does David by inspiration call him 'Lord,' saying,
44 'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet'?
45 If David calls him 'Lord,' how is he his son?"
46 No one was able to answer him a word, and no one from that day dared ask him any more questions.
1 THEN Jesus addressed the crowd and his disciples.
2 He said, "The scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves on Moses' seat.
3 So whatever they tell you, do and observe, but do not do as they do. For they say and do not.
4 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 All their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and make their tassels large.
6 They love the best couches at dinners and the front seats in the synagogues
7 and salutations in the markets and to be called by men Rabbi.
8 But do not you be called Rabbi. For one is your Teacher and all of you are brothers.
9 And do not call any one on earth Father, for one is your Father in heaven.
10 Neither be called guides, for your Guide is one alone \'97 the Christ.
11 The greatest of you will be your servant.
12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 "But alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut the kingdom of heaven before men. You yourselves do not enter nor do you permit those who are entering to go in.
14 TEXT OMITTED
15 Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is won you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves.
16 Alas for you, blind guides! You say, 'Whoever swears by the Temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Temple is bound.'
17 Fools and blind, which is greater, the gold or the Temple that makes the gold holy?
18 You say, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound.'
19 You blind, which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy?
20 He, then, who swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it,
21 and he who swears by the Temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it,
22 and he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
23 "Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithes of mint, dill, and carraway and have disregarded the weightier matters of the law \'97 justice and kindness and good faith. These you should have practiced, without neglecting those other things.
24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and drink down a camel!
25 Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full through greed and self-indulgence.
26 Blind Pharisees, cleanse first the inside of your cup so that the outside of it may become clean also.
27 Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs which outside appear beautiful, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of uncleanness.
28 So you, too, outwardly appear to men to be righteous, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 "Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous
30 and say, 'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'
31 So you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt.
33 Serpents, brood of vipers, how can you escape being sentenced to Gehenna?
34 Therefore I am sending to you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and will persecute from city to city,
35 so that all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar, may come on you.
36 I tell you truly all this will come on this generation.
37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you, how often would I fain have gathered your children as a bird gathers her nestlings under her wings, and you would not.
38 See, your house is left to you desolate,
39 for I tell you, you will not see me from now on until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' "
1 JESUS left the Temple courts and was going away when his disciples came to point out to him the Temple buildings.
2 He answered them, "Do you not see all these things? I tell you truly there will not be left here one stone upon another which will not be thrown down."
3 While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us when these things will be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?"
4 Jesus answered them, "Make sure that no one misleads you.
5 For many will come in my name and will say, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.
6 You will soon hear of wars and rumors of wars. Take care and do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes here and there.
8 All of these things are the beginnings of birth-pangs.
9 Then they will deliver you up to persecution and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the Gentiles on account of my name.
10 Then many will stumble and fall and will betray one another and will hate one another.
11 Many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray,
12 and because of the wide spread of lawlessness the love of most will grow cold.
13 But he who endures to the end, he will be saved.
14 And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the inhabited world for a testimony to all the Gentiles. And then will come the end.
15 "So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place Let the reader understand,
16 then those who are in Judaea are to flee to the mountains;
17 he who is on the house is not to go down to take the things out of his house,
18 and he who is in the field is not to turn back and take his cloak.
19 Alas, for the women with child and the nursing mothers in those days!
20 Pray that your flight may not be in the winter nor on the Sabbath.
21 For there will be then great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall be again.
22 "Unless those days had been shortened none would be saved; but for the sake of the chosen those days will be shortened.
23 Then if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ,' or 'here,' do not believe him.
24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen.
25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 So, if they say to you, 'He is in the wilderness,' do not go out there. If they say, 'in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.
27 For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines across to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
28 Wherever the carcass is, there will the vultures flock together.
29 "Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of heaven will be shaken.
30 And then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. Then will all the tribes of the earth beat their breasts for grief, and they will see the Son of Man as he comes on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will gather his chosen from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 "From the fig tree take an illustration. When now its branch becomes soft and puts out leaves, you know that summer is near.
33 Just so when you see all these things, know that he is near \'97 at the door.
34 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away before all these things happen.
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, not even the Son, but the Father alone.
37 For, as the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
38 As in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah went into the ark,
39 and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
40 Then there will be two men in the field. One will be taken with him and one will be left.
41 There will be two women grinding at the mill. One will be taken with him and one will be left.
42 Watch, therefore, for you do not know what day your Master is coming.
43 But this you do know, that if the householder had known in which watch the thief was coming he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 Therefore be you also ready, for in an hour that you do not think the Son of Man is coming.
45 Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant whom the master has placed over his household to give them food in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
47 I tell you truly that he will place him over all that he owns.
48 But if that wicked servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying,'
49 and begins to strike his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken,
50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not expecting and at an hour when he is unaware,
51 and will cut him asunder and assign his part with the hypocrites. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
1 "THEN the kingdom of heaven will be like ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise;
3 for the foolish ones took their lamps, but took with them no oil;
4 while the wise took oil in their flasks with their lamps.
5 As the bridegroom was late in coining, all grew drowsy and slept.
6 At midnight a cry was raised, 'Here is the bridegroom. Come out to meet him!'
7 Then all those maidens arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 But the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
9 But the wise answered, 'There may not be enough for us and you. Go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.'
10 While they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut.
11 Afterwards came the rest of the maidens, saying, 'Master, Master, open for us.'
12 But he answered, 'I tell you truly I do not know you.'
13 Watch, therefore, for you do not know the day nor the hour.
14 "It is just as when a man going abroad called his servants and committed to them his property.
15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his particular ability. Then he went abroad.
16 At once he who received the five talents went and traded with them and gained five more.
17 In the same way he who received the two gained two more.
18 But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 After a long time the master of those servants came and had an accounting with them.
20 The man who had received the five talents came and brought five talents more, saying, 'Master, you committed to me five talents; see, I have gained five talents more.'
21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will place you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.'
22 The man who had received the two talents came and said, 'Master, you committed to me two talents; see, I have gained two talents more.'
23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, I will place you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.'
24 Then the man who had received the one talent came and said, 'Master, I knew that you were a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not thresh,
25 and I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. There, you have your own.'
26 His master replied, 'You wicked and idle servant. Did you know that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not thresh?
27 Then you ought to have turned over my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received my own with interest.
28 Take from him the talent and give it to him who has the ten talents.
29 For to every one who has will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken.
30 And the worthless servant throw out into the darkness outside. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.'
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne
32 and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will divide them one from another as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats.
33 He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.
34 Then will the King say to those on his right hand, 'Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in;
36 naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you cared for me. I was in prison and you came to me.'
37 Then will the righteous answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you?
39 When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?'
40 The King will answer, 'I tell you truly, inasmuch as you did it to one of these my brothers \'97 even the least \'97 you did it to me.'
41 Then he will say to those on his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the fire eternal prepared for the Devil and his angels.
42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink;
43 I was a stranger and you did not take me in; naked and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison and you did not care for me.'
44 Then they too will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not serve you?'
45 He will answer them, 'I tell you truly inasmuch as you did not do it to one of these least, you did not do it to me.'
46 These will go away into punishment eternal, but the righteous into life eternal."
1 WHEN Jesus had finished all these discourses, he said to his disciples,
2 "You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man is to be betrayed to be crucified."
3 Then the high priests and the elders of the people assembled at the house of the High Priest, who was called Caiaphas,
4 and they plotted to seize Jesus by some trick and kill him.
5 But they said, "Not on the feast day, so that there may not be a riot among the people."
6 When Jesus had come to Bethany and was in the house of Simon the leper,
7 a woman came up to him, bringing an alabaster jar of costly ointment, and poured it on his head while he was reclining at table.
8 On seeing this, the disciples were indignant and said, "Why this waste?
9 This could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor."
10 But Jesus observed it and said, "Why are you troubling the woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
11 You have the poor with you always, but me you will not have always.
12 For in pouring this ointment on my body she prepared me for burial.
13 I tell you truly wherever this good news shall be proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be spoken of too in memory of her."
14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the high priests
15 and asked, "What will you give me if I betray him to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver.
16 And from that moment he kept seeking a favorable time to betray him.
17 On the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Where do you wish us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?"
18 He answered, "Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is near. I will keep the Passover with my disciples at your house.'
19 The disciples did as Jesus had instructed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening had come, he was reclining at table with the twelve disciples.
21 While they were eating, he said, "I tell you truly one of you will betray me."
22 Greatly grieved, they began to ask him, each in turn, "It is not I, Master?"
23 He answered, "He who dipped his band with me in the dish is the one who will betray me.
24 The Son of Man is going as it has been written of him, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! For that man it would be good not to have been born."
25 Then Judas the traitor asked, "It is not I, Rabbi?" Jesus replied, "It is you."
26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf and blessed it and broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take this and eat it. This is my body."
27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you;
28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.
29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I shall drink it with you, new, in the kingdom of my Father."
30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will stumble and fail me to-night; for it is written, 'I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
32 But after I am raised, I will precede you to Galilee."
33 Peter answered him, "Though all stumble and fail you, I never will stumble and fail."
34 Jesus said to him, "I tell you truly that to-night, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times."
35 Peter said to him, "Even if I have to die with you, I will not disown you." And so said all of the disciples.
36 Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray yonder."
37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.
38 He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sad, even to death. Stay here and watch with me."
39 Then he went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as thou wilt."
40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So you could not watch one hour with me!
41 Watch and pray so as not to enter into temptation. Your spirit is eager, but your flesh is weak."
42 Again a second time he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, thy will be done."
43 He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
44 So he left them and went away again and prayed a third time, saying again the same words.
45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "You are sleeping on and resting! Now has come the hour when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Up, let us be going. Here comes my betrayer."
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, sent by the high priests and elders of the people.
48 The traitor had given them a sign, saying, "The one I kiss is he. Arrest him."
49 Immediately he came up to Jesus and said, "Good evening, Rabbi," and kissed him affectionately.
50 Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you are here for." Then they came and laid their hands on Jesus and arrested him.
51 Suddenly one of those with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the High Priest, cutting off his ear.
52 Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
53 Do you think that I cannot call on my Father and have him send to me now more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that so it must be?"
55 Jesus said to the crowd, "Have you come out to seize me as if against a robber, with swords and clubs? Every day I sat in the Temple teaching and you did not arrest me.
56 But all this has happened that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left him and fled.
57 The men who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the High Priest, at whose house the scribes and elders had assembled.
58 Peter followed him at a distance as far as the court of the High Priest, and went in and sat among the attendants to see the end.
59 The high priests and the whole council sought for false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death.
60 But they did not find any, although many false witnesses came. Finally, two came forward
61 and said, "This man said, 'I can pull down the Temple of God and in three days build it up again.' "
62 The High Priest rose and said to him, "Have you no answer? What is it that these are testifying to against you?"
63 But Jesus kept silence. The High Priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God to tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."
64 Jesus said to him, "I am he. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
65 Then the High Priest rent his garments, saying, "Impious words! Why do we any longer need witnesses? See, you have now heard his impious words.
66 What do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death."
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Some slapped him,
68 saying, "Act the prophet for us, you Christ! Who was it that struck you? "
69 Peter was sitting outside in the court. A maid came up to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilaean."
70 But he denied it before all, saying, "I do not know what you mean."
71 When he had gone out into the gateway, another maid saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene."
72 Then again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the man."
73 After a little those who were standing there came up and said to Peter, "Truly you are one of them, for your accent proves it."
74 Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man." Immediately the cock crew, and
75 Peter remembered what Jesus had said, "Before the cock crows you will disown me three times," and he went out and wept bitterly.
1 WHEN morning came all the high priests and the elders of the people consulted together against Jesus to put him to death.
2 After binding him, they led him away and handed him over to Pilate the Governor.
3 Then Judas, who had betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus had been condemned, was sorry and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the high priests and elders,
4 saying, "I sinned in betraying innocent blood!" But they said, "What is that to us? You must see to that."
5 Then throwing the silver into the Temple he left and went and hung himself.
6 The high priests took the money and said, "It is not proper to put it in with the consecrated gifts, since it is the price of blood."
7 So after consultation they bought with it the potter's field for the burial of strangers.
8 For this reason that field is called the "Field of Blood" to this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was said through Jeremiah the prophet, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him who was priced, whom they priced from the sons of Israel,
10 and gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."
11 Jesus stood before the Governor. The Governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "I am."
12 While he was being accused by the high priests and elders, he answered nothing.
13 Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?"
14 But Jesus did not answer even one word, so that the Governor was much astonished.
15 At every feast the Governor was accustomed to release for the people one prisoner, whomever they chose.
16 There was at that time a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
17 So, when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you, Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?"
18 For he knew that out of jealousy they had handed him over.
19 While he was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent to him a message, "Do not have anything to do with that righteous man. For I have suffered much to-day in a dream because of him."
20 The high priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
21 The Governor said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" They said, "Barabbas."
22 Pilate said to them, "What, then, shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Have him crucified."
23 He said, "Why, what wrong has he done?" But they kept shouting furiously, "Have him crucified!"
24 When Pilate saw that he was doing no good, but rather that an uproar was arising, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd and said, "I am innocent of this blood. You will have to see to it."
25 All the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"
26 Then he released Barabbas for them, but scourged Jesus and handed him over to be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the Governor took Jesus with them into the castle and gathered about him all the battalion.
28 They stripped him and put on him a crimson cloak,
29 twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head, put a reed into his right hand, and, going down on their knees before him, made sport of him, shouting, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
30 They spit on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.
31 After they had finished making sport of him, they took off from him the crimson cloak and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucifixion.
32 As they were going out, they chanced upon a man from Cyrene by the name of Simon. This man they impressed to carry the cross of Jesus.
33 On coming to a place called Golgotha that is, Skull Place,
34 they gave him wine mixed with gall to drink. He tasted it and would not drink it.
35 When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes by casting lots.
36 Then they sat and kept watch over him there.
37 Above his head they put up the charge against him in writing: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS
38 At the same time there were crucified along with him two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.
39 The people who went by insulted him, shaking their heads
40 and saying, "You who can pull down the Temple and in three days build it up, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!"
41 In the same way the high priests, making sport of him, along with the scribes and elders, kept saying,
42 "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross and we will believe in him.
43 He trusted in God, let him deliver him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' "
44 In the same way even the robbers who were crucified with him insulted him.
45 From noon darkness came over all the land until three o'clock.
46 About three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
47 Some of those who were standing there said, when they heard it, "This man is calling for Elijah."
48 Immediately one of them took a sponge and filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed and gave him a drink.
49 The rest said, "Let him alone, let us see whether Elijah comes to save him."
50 But Jesus, after calling out again with a loud voice, gave up his spirit.
51 Suddenly the curtain of the Temple was rent in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked. The rocks were split,
52 and the tombs were opened and many bodies of the sleeping saints arose,
53 and, coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.
54 The Centurion and his men who were guarding Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that happened, were greatly terrified and said, "Truly this man was a son of God!"
55 Looking on from a distance, were many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee, waiting upon him.
56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 In the late afternoon there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus.
58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered it to be given to him.
59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen sheet
60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a great stone up to the door of the tomb and went away.
61 Mary Magdalene remained there and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
62 On the next day, that is, the day after the Preparation, the high priests and the Pharisees gathered about Pilate
63 and said, "Sir, we remember that that deceiver said while he was alive, 'After three days I shall be raised up.'
64 So give orders to have the tomb guarded until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal him away and tell the people, 'He has been raised from the dead,' and the last error will be worse than the first."
65 Pilate said to them, "You may have a guard. Go make it as secure as you know how."
66 They went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone as well as setting a watch.
1 LATE on the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was drawing near, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the tomb.
2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came to the stone and rolled it away and sat upon it.
3 His appearance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow.
4 For fear of him the guards trembled violently and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, "Do not you be afraid. For I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.
6 He is not here. He has been raised, as he told you. Come see the place where he lay.
7 Go quickly and tell his disciples that he has been raised from the dead. He will precede you to Galilee. There you will see him. See, I have told you."
8 They left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples.
9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Hail!" They came up and clasped his feet and bowed down before him.
10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and take the message to my disciples to go away to Galilee and there they will see me."
11 While they were going, some of the guard came into the city and brought word to the high priests of all that had happened.
12 After assembling with the elders and holding a consultation, they gave a good deal of money to the soldiers
13 and said, "Say, 'His disciples came in the night and stole him away while we were asleep,'
14 and if this comes to the ears of the Governor we will persuade him and free you from trouble."
15 The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this report has been spread among the Jews to this day.
16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had appointed to meet them,
17 and they saw him and bowed down before him; but some doubted.
18 Jesus came to them and talked with them. He said, "To me has been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to keep all the commands that I have given you. And, behold, I am with you all the days to the end of the world."