Gospel of Matthew, The (2016)

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This is the genealogy
of Jesus the Messiah,

the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father
of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah
and his brothers,

Judah the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.

Perez the father of Hezron...

...Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been Uriah's wife,

Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,

Jehoram the father of Uzziah...

...Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

and Josiah the father of Jeconiah
and his brothers

at the time of the exile to Babylon.

After the exile to Babylon,

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel the father of Abihud,

Abihud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

Akim the father of Elihud,

Elihud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

and Jacob the father of Joseph,
the husband of Mary,

and Mary was the mother of Jesus
who is called the Messiah.

Thus there were fourteen generations
in all

from Abraham to David,

fourteen from David to the exile
to Babylon,

and fourteen from the exile
to the Messiah.

This is how the birth
of Jesus the Messiah came about.

His mother Mary was pledged
to be married to Joseph...

but before they came together,

she was found to be pregnant
through the Holy Spirit.

Because Joseph, her husband,
was faithful to the law,

and yet did not want to expose
her to public disgrace...

...he had in mind
to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this,

an angel of the Lord appeared
to him in a dream and said,

"Joseph, son of David,

do not be afraid to take Mary home
as your wife,

because what is conceived
in her is from the Holy Spirit.

She will give birth to a son,
and you are to give him the name Jesus,

because he will save his people
from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill

what the Lord had said
through the prophet,

"The virgin will conceive and give birth
to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel,

which means 'God with us.'"

When Joseph woke up,

he did what the angel
of the Lord had commanded him

and took Mary home as his wife.

But he did not consummate their marriage
until she gave birth to a son.

And he gave him the name...

Jesus.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem
in Judea,

during the time of King Herod,

Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
and asked,

"Where is the one who has been born King
of the Jews?

We saw his star when it rose
and have come to worship him."

When King Herod heard this,
he was disturbed

and all Jerusalem with him.

When he had called together
all the people's chief priests

and teachers of the law,

he asked them
where the Messiah was to be born.

"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied,

"for this is what the prophet has written,

but you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers
of Judah,

for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel."

Then Herod called the Magi secretly

and found out from them
the exact time the star had appeared.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said,

"Go and search carefully for the child.

As soon as you find him, report to me,

so that I too may go and worship him."

After they had heard the king,
they went on their way,

and the star they had seen when it rose,

went ahead of them until it stopped
over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star,
they were overjoyed.

On coming to the house,
they saw the child with his mother, Mary,

and they bowed down and worshiped him.

Then they opened their treasures
and presented him with gifts of gold,

frankincense, and myrrh.

And having been warned in a dream
not to go back to Herod,

they returned to their country
by another route.

When they had gone,

an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph
in a dream.

"Get up," he said,

"Take the child and his mother
and escape to Egypt.

Stay there until I tell you,

for Herod is going to search for the child
to k*ll him."

So he got up, took the child
and his mother during the night

and left for Egypt,
where he stayed until the death of Herod.

And so was fulfilled
what the Lord had said

through the prophet,

"Out of Egypt, I called my son."

When Herod realized
that he had been outwitted by the Magi,

he was furious,

and he gave orders to k*ll all the boys
in Bethlehem and its vicinity

- who were two years old and under...
- No!

...in accordance with the time
he had learned from the Magi.

Then what was said through
the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled,

"A voice is heard in Ramah,

weeping and great mourning...

...Rachel weeping
for her children

and refusing to be comforted

because they are no more."

After Herod d*ed,

an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream
to Joseph in Egypt and said,

"Get up, take the child and his mother

and go to the land of Israel,

for those who were trying
to take the child's life are dead."

So he got up, took the child
and his mother

and went to the land of Israel.

But when he heard
that Archelaus was reigning in Judea

in place of his father Herod,
he was afraid to go there.

Having been warned in a dream,

he withdrew to the district of Galilee,

and he went and lived
in a town called Nazareth.

So was fulfilled what was said
through the prophets,

that he would be called a Nazarene.

In those days,
John the Baptist came,

preaching in the wilderness of Judea
and saying,

"Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven has come near."

This is he who's spoken
of through the Prophet Isaiah.

"A voice of one calling
in the wilderness..."

'"...Prepare the way

for the Lord,
make straight paths for Him.'"

John's clothes were made of camel's hair,

and he had a leather belt
around his waist.

His food was locusts and wild honey.

People went out to him from Jerusalem
and all Judea

and the whole region of the Jordan.

Confessing their sins,

they were baptized by him
in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many
of the Pharisees and Sadducees

coming to where he was baptizing...

...he said to them,
"You brood of vipers!

Who warned you to flee
from the coming wrath?

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

And do not think you can say
to yourselves,

'We have Abraham as our father.'

I tell you that out of these stones

God can raise up children for Abraham.

The a* is already at the root
of the trees,

and every tree that does not
produce good fruit

will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

I baptize you with water for repentance.

But after me,
comes one who is more powerful than I,

whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.

He will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit and fire.

His winnowing fork is in his hand,

and he will clear his threshing floor,
gathering his wheat into the barn

and burning up the chaff
with unquenchable fire."

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan

to be baptized by John.

But John tried to deter him, saying,

"I need to be baptized by you,
and do you come to me?"

Jesus replied, "Let it be so now,

it is proper for us to do this
to fulfill all righteousness."

Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized,
he went up out of the water.

At that moment heaven was opened,

and he saw the Spirit of God descending
like a dove and alighting on him.

And a voice from heaven said,

"This is my Son, whom I love.

With him I am well pleased."

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit

into the wilderness to be tempted
by the devil.

After fasting 40 days and 40 nights,
He was hungry.

The tempted came to Him and said,
"If you are the Son of God,

tell these stones to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written,

'Man shall not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes
from the mouth of God.'"

Then the devil took Him to the Holy City

and had Him stand on the highest point
of the temple.

"If You are the Son of God," he said,

"Throw Yourself down. For it is written,

'He will command His angels
concerning You,

and they will lift You up in their hands,

so that You will not strike Your foot
against a stone.'"

Jesus answered him, "It is also written,

'Do not put the Lord your God
to the test.'"

Again, the devil took Him
to a very high mountain

and showed him all the kingdoms
of the world and their splendor.

"All this I will give You,"
he said,

"If You will bow down and worship me."

Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan!

For it is written,
'Worship the Lord your God,

and serve him only.'"

Then the devil left Him,

and angels came and attended Him.

When Jesus heard
that John had been put in prison,

He withdrew to Galilee.

Leaving Nazareth, He went
and lived in Capernaum,

which was by the lake in the area
of Zebulun and Naphtali,

to fulfill what was said
through the Prophet Isaiah,

"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,

the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,

the people living in darkness
have seen a great light,

on those living in the land of the shadow
of death,

a light has dawned."

From that time on, Jesus began to preach,

"Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven has come near."

As Jesus was walking
beside the Sea of Galilee,

he saw two brothers, Simon, called Peter,
and his brother Andrew.

They were casting a net into the lake,
for they were fishermen.

"Come, follow me," Jesus said,

"And I will send you out to fish
for people."

At once, they left their nets
and followed him.

Going on from there,
he saw two other brothers,

James, son of Zebedee
and his brother John.

They were in a boat
with their father Zebedee,

preparing their nets.

Jesus called them,

and immediately, they left the boat
and their father and followed him.

Jesus went throughout Galilee,

teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the good news of the kingdom,

and healing every disease
and sickness among the people.

News about Him spread
all over Syria,

and people brought to Him all
who were ill with various diseases,

those suffering severe pain,
the demon-possessed,

those having seizures, and the paralyzed,
and He healed them.

Large crowds from Galilee,
the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea,

and the region
across the Jordan followed Him.

Now when Jesus saw the crowds,

He went up on a mountainside and sat down.

His disciples came to Him,

and He began to teach them.

He said...

"Blessed are the poor in spirit..."

"...for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted
because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you,

persecute you, and falsely say all kinds
of evil against you because of me.

Rejoice and be glad,

because great is your reward in heaven,

for in the same way they persecuted
the prophets who were before you."

"You are the salt of the earth.

But if the salt loses its saltiness,
how can it be made salty again?

It is no longer good for anything,

except to be thrown out
and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world.

A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp
and put it under a bowl.

Instead they put it on its stand,

and it gives light to everyone
in the house.

In the same way,
let your light shine before others,

that they may see your good deeds

and glorify your Father in heaven.

Do not think that I have come to abolish
the law or the prophets,

I have not come to abolish them
but to fulfill them.

For truly I tell you,
until heaven and earth disappear,

not the smallest letter,
not the least stroke of a pen,

will by any means disappear from the law

until everything is accomplished.

Therefore anyone who sets aside
one of the least of these commands

and teaches others accordingly,

will be called least in the kingdom
of heaven."

"But whoever practices
and teaches these commands

will be called great
in the kingdom of heaven.

For I tell you that unless
your righteousness

surpasses that of the Pharisees
and the teachers of the law,

you will certainly not enter
the kingdom of heaven.

You have heard that it was said
to the people long ago,

'You shall not m*rder,

and anyone who murders will be subject
to judgment.'

But I tell you that anyone who is angry

with a brother or sister will be subject
to judgment.

Again, anyone who says
to a brother or sister,

'Raca,' is answerable to the court.

And anyone who says, 'You fool!'

will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Therefore, if you are offering your gift
at the altar

and there remember that your brother
or sister has something against you,

leave your gift there in front
of the altar.

First, go and be reconciled to them,

then come and offer your gift.

Settle matters quickly with your adversary
who is taking you to court.

Do it while you are still together
on the way,

or your adversary may hand you over
to the judge,

and the judge may hand you over
to the officer,

and you may be thrown into prison.

Truly I tell you,

you will not get out
until you have paid the last penny."

"You have heard
that it was said,

'You shall not commit adultery.'

But I tell you that anyone
who looks at a woman lustfully

has already committed adultery
with her in his heart.

If your right eye causes you to stumble,

gouge it out and throw it away.

It is better for you to lose one part
of your body

than for your whole body
to be thrown into hell."

"And if your right hand causes you
to stumble,

cut it off and throw it away.

It is better for you to lose one part
of your body

than for your whole body to go into hell.

It has been said,

'Anyone who divorces his wife
must give her a certificate of divorce.'

But I tell you that anyone
who divorces his wife,

except for sexual immorality,
makes her the victim of adultery,

and anyone who marries a divorced woman
commits adultery.

Again, you have heard that it was said
to the people long ago,

'Do not break your oath,

but fulfill to the Lord
the vows you have made.'

But I tell you,
do not swear an oath at all,

either by heaven, for it is God's throne,

or by the earth, for it is his footstool,

or by Jerusalem,
for it is the city of the Great King.

And do not swear by your head,

for you cannot make even one hair white
or black.

All you need to say is simply 'Yes'
or 'No',

anything beyond this,
comes from the evil one.

You have heard that it was said,

'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'

But I tell you,
do not resist an evil person.

If anyone slaps you on the right cheek,
turn to them the other cheek also.

And if anyone wants to sue you
and take your shirt,

hand over your coat as well.

If anyone forces you to go one mile,
go with them two miles.

Give to the one who asks you,

and do not turn away from the one
who wants to borrow from you.

You have heard that it was said,
'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

But I tell you, love your enemies

and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be children of your Father
in heaven.

He causes his sun to rise on the evil
and the good,

and sends rain on the righteous
and the unrighteous.

If you love those who love you,
what reward will you get?

Are not even the tax collectors
doing that?

And if you greet only your own people,
what are you doing more than others?

Do not even pagans do that?

Be perfect, therefore,
as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Be careful not to practice
your righteousness

in front of others to be seen by them.

If you do, you will have no reward
from your Father in heaven.

So when you give to the needy,
do not announce it with trumpets,

as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
and on the streets,

to be honored by others.

Truly I tell you,

they have received their reward in full.

But when you give to the needy,

do not let your left hand know
what your right hand is doing,

so that your giving may be in secret.

Then your Father,
who sees what is done in secret,

will reward you.

And when you pray,

do not be like the hypocrites,

for they love to pray standing
in the synagogues

and on the street corners to be seen
by others.

Truly I tell you,

they have received their reward in full.

But when you pray, go into your room,

close the door, and pray to your Father,
who is unseen.

Then your Father,
who sees what is done in secret,

will reward you.

And when you pray,

do not keep on babbling like pagans,

for they think they will be heard
because of their many words.

Do not be like them,

for your Father knows what you need
before you ask Him.

This, then, is how you should pray.

'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.'

For if you forgive other people
when they sin against you,

your heavenly Father
will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive others
their sins,

your Father will not forgive your sins.

When you fast, do not look somber
as the hypocrites do,

for they disfigure their faces
to show others they are fasting.

Truly I tell you,
they have received their reward in full.

But when you fast, put oil on your head
and wash your face,

so that it will not be obvious
to others that you are fasting,

but only to your Father, who is unseen,

and your Father,
who sees what is done in secret,

will reward you.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures
on earth,

where moths and vermin destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures
in heaven,

where moths and vermin do not destroy,

and where thieves do not
break in and steal.

For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body.

If your eyes are healthy,
your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eyes are unhealthy,

your whole body will be full of darkness.

If then the light within you is darkness,

how great is that darkness!"

"No one can serve two masters.

Either you will hate the one
and love the other,

or you will be devoted to the one
and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and money.

Therefore I tell you,
do not worry about your life,

what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more than food,
and the body more than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air,

they do not sow or reap or store away
in barns,

and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?

Can any one of you by worrying,
add a single hour to your life?"

"And why do you worry
about clothes?

See how the flowers of the field grow.

They do not labor or spin.

Yet I tell you that not even Solomon
in all his splendor

was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass
of the field,

which is here today
and tomorrow is thrown into the fire,

will he not much more clothe you,
you of little faith?

So do not worry, saying,
'What shall we eat?'

Or 'What shall we drink?'
Or 'What shall we wear?'

For the pagans run after all these things,

and your heavenly Father knows
that you need them.

But seek first His kingdom
and His righteousness,

and all these things will be given to you
as well.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own."

"Do not judge,
or you too will be judged.

For in the same way you judge others,

you will be judged,
and with the measure you use,

it will be measured to you.

Why do you look at the speck
of sawdust in your brother's eye

and pay no attention to the plank
in your own eye?

How can you say to your brother,

'Let me take the speck out of your eye,'

when all the time there is a plank
in your own eye?

You hypocrite,

first take the plank out of your own eye,

and then you will see clearly

to remove the speck
from your brother's eye.

Do not give dogs what is sacred.

Do not throw your pearls to pigs.

If you do, they may trample them
under their feet,

and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask and it will be given to you,

seek and you will find,

knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks, receives.
The one who seeks, finds.

And to the one who knocks,
the door will be opened.

Which of you, if your son asks for bread,
will give him a stone?

Or if he asks for a fish,
will give him a snake?

If you, then, though you are evil,

know how to give good gifts
to your children,

how much more will your Father in heaven,
give good gifts to those who ask him!

So in everything,

do to others
what you would have them do to you,

for this sums up the law and the prophets.

Enter through the narrow gate.

For wide is the gate and broad is the road

that leads to destruction,
and many enter through it.

But small is the gate and narrow the road

that leads to life,
and only a few find it.

Watch out for false prophets.

They come to you in sheep's clothing,

but inwardly, they are ferocious wolves.

By their fruit, you will recognize them.

Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes,
or figs from thistles?

Likewise,
every good tree bears good fruit,

but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit

is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Thus, by their fruit,
you will recognize them.

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,'

will enter the kingdom of heaven,

but only the one who does the will
of my Father who is in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day,

'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy
in your name

and in your name drive out demons

and in your name perform many miracles?'

Then I will tell them plainly,

'I never knew you.
Away from me, you evildoers!'

Therefore everyone
who hears these words of mine

and puts them into practice

is like a wise man who built his house
on the rock.

The rain came down,

the streams rose, and the winds blew
and b*at against that house,

yet it did not fall,

because it had its foundations
on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of mine

and does not put them into practice,

is like a foolish man
who built his house on sand.

The rain came down,
the streams rose,

and the winds blew and b*at
against that house,

and it fell with a great crash."

When Jesus had finished saying
these things,

the crowds were amazed at His teaching,

because He taught as one
who had authority,

and not as their teachers of the law.

When Jesus came down
from the mountainside,

large crowds followed Him.

A man with leprosy came
and knelt before Him and said,

"Lord, if You are willing,
You can make me clean."

Jesus reached out his hand
and touched the man.

"I am willing," He said. "Be clean!"

Immediately, he was cleansed
of his leprosy.

Then Jesus said to him,

"See that you don't tell anyone.

But go, show yourself to the priest

and offer the gift Moses commanded,
as a testimony to them."

When Jesus had entered Capernaum,

a centurion came to Him, asking for help.

"Lord," he said,

"My servant lies at home paralyzed,
suffering terribly."

Jesus said to him,
"Shall I come and heal him?"

The centurion replied,

"Lord, I do not deserve
to have you come under my roof.

But just say the word,
and my servant will be healed.

For I myself am a man under authority,
with soldiers under me.

I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes,
and that one, 'Come,' and he comes.

I say to my servant, 'Do this,'
and he does it."

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed
and said to those following Him,

"Truly I tell you,

I have not found anyone in Israel
with such great faith.

I say to you that many will come
from the east and the west,

and will take their places at the feast
with Abraham,

Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

But the subjects of the kingdom
will be thrown outside, into the darkness,

where there will be weeping and gnashing
of teeth."

Then Jesus said to the centurion,

"Go! Let it be done just
as you believed it would."

And his servant was healed at that moment.

When Jesus came into Peter's house,

He saw Peter's mother-in-law lying
in bed with a fever.

He touched her hand
and the fever left her,

and she got up and began to wait on Him.

When evening came,

many who were demon-possessed
were brought to Him,

and He drove out the spirits
with a word and healed all the sick.

This was to fulfill what was spoken
through the Prophet Isaiah,

"He took up our infirmities
and bore our diseases."

When Jesus saw the crowd around Him,

He gave orders to cross to the other side
of the lake.

Then a teacher of the law came to Him
and said,

"Teacher, I will follow You
wherever You go."

Jesus replied,

"Foxes have dens and birds have nests,

but the Son of Man has no place
to lay his head."

Another disciple said to Him,

"Lord, first let me go
and bury my father."

But Jesus told him, "Follow me,

and let the dead bury their own dead."

Then He got into the boat
and His disciples followed Him.

Suddenly, a furious storm came up
on the lake,

so that the waves swept over the boat.

But Jesus was sleeping.

The disciples went and woke Him, saying,

"Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"

He replied,

"You of little faith,
why are you so afraid?"

Then He got up and rebuked the winds
and the waves...

...and it was completely calm.

The men were amazed and asked,

"What kind of man is this?

Even the winds and the waves obey Him!"

When He arrived at the other side
in the region of the Gadarenes,

two demon-possessed men,
coming from the tombs met Him.

They were so violent
that no one could pass that way.

"What do you want with us,
Son of God?" They shouted.

"Have you come here to t*rture us
before the appointed time?"

Some distance from them,

a large herd of pigs was feeding.

The demons begged Jesus,

"If You drive us out,
send us into the herd of pigs."

He said to them, "Go!"

So they came out and went into the pigs,

and the whole herd rushed down
the steep bank

into the lake and d*ed in the water.

Those tending the pigs ran off,
went into the town, and reported all this,

including what had happened
to the demon-possessed men.

Then the whole town went out
to meet Jesus.

And when they saw Him, they pleaded
with Him to leave their region.

Jesus stepped into a boat,
crossed over and came to his own town.

Some men brought to Him
a paralyzed man lying on a mat.

When Jesus saw their faith,
He said to the man,

"Take heart, son. Your sins are forgiven."

At this, some of the teachers
of the law said to themselves,

"This fellow is blaspheming!"

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said,

"Why do you entertain evil thoughts
in your hearts?

Which is easier?
To say, 'Your sins are forgiven,'

or to say, 'Get up and walk'?

But I want you to know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins."

So He said to the paralyzed man,

"Get up, take your mat, and go home."

Then the man got up and went home.

When the crowd saw this,
they were filled with awe,

and they praised God,
who had given such authority to man.

As Jesus went on from there,

He saw a man named Matthew,
sitting at the tax collector's booth.

"Follow me," He told him.

And Matthew got up and followed Him.

While Jesus was having dinner
at Matthew's house,

many tax collectors and sinners,
came and ate with Him and His disciples.

When the Pharisees saw this,
they asked His disciples,

"Why does your teacher eat
with tax collectors and sinners?"

On hearing this, Jesus said,

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor,
but the sick.

But go and learn what this means,

'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'

For I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners.'"

Then John's disciples came and asked Him,

"How is it that we and the Pharisees
fast often,

but your disciples do not fast?"

Jesus answered...

..."How can the guests
of the bridegroom

mourn while he is with them?

The time will come when the bridegroom
will be taken from them,

then they will fast.

"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth
on an old garment,

for the patch will pull away
from the garment, making the tear worse.

Neither do people pour new wine
into old wineskins.

If they do, the skins will burst,

the wine will run out,
and the wineskins will be ruined.

No, they pour new wine into new wineskins,
and both are preserved."

While He was saying this,

a synagogue leader came,
and knelt before Him and said,

"My daughter has just d*ed.

But come and put Your hand on her,
and she will live."

Jesus got up and went with Him,
and so did His disciples.

Just then, a woman who had been subject
to bleeding for twelve years,

came up behind Him and touched the edge
of his cloak.

She said to herself,

"If I only touch His cloak,
I will be healed."

Jesus turned and saw her.

"Take heart, daughter," He said,
"Your faith has healed you."

And the woman was healed at that moment.

When Jesus entered
the synagogue leader's house

and saw the noisy crowd
and people playing pipes,

He said, "Go away.

The girl is not dead, but asleep."

But they laughed at Him.

After the crowd had been put outside,

He went in and took the girl
by the hand...

and she got up.

News of this spread
through all that region.

As Jesus went on from there,

two blind men followed Him, calling out,

"Have mercy on us, Son of David!"

When He had gone indoors,
the blind men came to Him,

and He asked them,

"Do you believe
that I am able to do this?"

"Yes, Lord," they replied.

Then He touched their eyes and said,

"According to your faith,
let it be done to you."

And their sight was restored.

Jesus warned them sternly,

"See that no one knows about this."

But they went out and spread the news
about Him all over that region.

While they were going out,

a man who was demon-possessed
and could not talk was brought to Jesus.

And when the demon was driven out,

the man who had been mute, spoke.

The crowd was amazed and said,

"Nothing like this has ever been seen
in Israel."

But the Pharisees said,

"It is by the prince of demons
that He drives out demons."

Jesus went through all the towns
and villages,

teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the good news of the kingdom,

and healing every disease and sickness.

When He saw the crowds,
He had compassion on them,

because they were harassed and helpless,
like sheep without a shepherd.

Then He said to his disciples,

"The harvest is plentiful
but the workers are few.

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,

to send out workers
into His harvest field."

Jesus called His twelve disciples to Him

and gave them authority
to drive out impure spirits

and to heal every disease and sickness.

These are the names
of the twelve apostles.

First, Simon, who is called Peter,
and his brother Andrew,

James, son of Zebedee,
and his brother John,

Philip and Bartholomew,

Thomas and Matthew the tax collector,

James, son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus,

Simon the Zealot,

and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out
with the following instructions,

"Do not go among the Gentiles
or enter any town of the Samaritans.

Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.

As you go, proclaim this message,
'The kingdom of heaven has come near.'

Heal the sick, raise the dead,

cleanse those who have leprosy,
drive out demons.

Freely you have received, freely give.

Do not get any gold or silver or copper
to take with you in your belts,

no bag for the journey or extra shirt
or sandals or a staff,

for the worker is worth his keep.

Whatever town or village you enter,

search there for some worthy person
and stay at their house until you leave.

As you enter the home,
give it your greeting.

If the home is deserving,
let your peace rest on it,

if it is not,
let your peace return to you.

If anyone will not welcome you
or listen to your words,

leave that home or town
and shake the dust off your feet.

Truly I tell you,

it will be more bearable for Sodom
and Gomorrah on the day of judgment

than for that town.

I am sending you out like sheep
among wolves.

Therefore be as shrewd as snakes
and as innocent as doves.

Be on your guard,

you will be handed over
to the local councils

and be flogged in the synagogues.

On my account, you will be brought
before governors

and kings as witnesses to them
and to the Gentiles.

But when they arrest you,

do not worry about what to say
or how to say it.

At that time,
you will be given what to say,

for it will not be you speaking,

but the Spirit of your Father speaking
through you.

Brother will betray brother to death,
and a father his child,

children will rebel against their parents
and have them put to death.

You will be hated by everyone
because of me,

but the one who stands firm
to the end will be saved.

When you are persecuted in one place,
flee to another.

Truly I tell you,

you will not finish going
through the towns of Israel

before the Son of Man comes.

The student is not above the teacher,
nor a servant above his master.

It is enough for students
to be like their teachers,

and servants like their masters."

"If the head of the house
has been called Beelzebul,

how much more the members
of his household!

So do not be afraid of them,

for there is nothing concealed
that will not be disclosed,

or hidden that will not be made known.

What I tell you in the dark,
speak in the daylight,

what is whispered in your ear,
proclaim from the roofs."

"Do not be afraid of those
who k*ll the body

but cannot k*ll the soul.

Rather, be afraid of the One
who can destroy

both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?

Yet not one of them will fall
to the ground outside your Father's care.

And even the very hairs
of your head are all numbered.

So don't be afraid,
you are worth more than many sparrows.

Whoever acknowledges me before others,

I will also acknowledge
before my Father in heaven.

But whoever disowns me before others,

I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Do not suppose that I have come
to bring peace to the earth.

I did not come to bring peace,
but a sword.

For I have come to turn

a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law
against her mother-in-law,

a man's enemies will be the members
of his own household.

Anyone who loves their father
or mother more than me

is not worthy of me,

anyone who loves their son
or daughter more than me

is not worthy of me.

Whoever does not take up their cross
and follow me

is not worthy of me."

"Whoever finds their life will lose it,

and whoever loses their life
for my sake will find it.

Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,

and anyone who welcomes me,
welcomes the one who sent me.

Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet,

will receive a prophet's reward,

and whoever welcomes a righteous person
as a righteous person

will receive a righteous person's reward.

And if anyone gives even a cup
of cold water

to one of these little ones
who is my disciple...

truly I tell you,

that person will certainly not
lose their reward."

After Jesus had finished
instructing His twelve disciples,

He went on from there to teach and preach
in the towns of Galilee.

When John, who was in prison,
heard about the deeds of the Messiah,

he sent his disciples to ask Him,

"Are You the one who is to come,

or should we expect someone else?"

Jesus replied,

"Go back and report to John
what you hear and see.

The blind receive sight, the lame walk,

those who have leprosy are cleansed,

the deaf hear, the dead are raised,

and the good news is proclaimed
to the poor.

Blessed is anyone
who does not stumble on account of me."

As John's disciples were leaving,

Jesus began to speak to the crowd
about John.

"What did you go out into the wilderness
to see?

A reed swayed by the wind?

If not, what did you go out to see?

A man dressed in fine clothes?

No, those who wear fine clothes
are in kings' palaces.

Then what did you go out to see?
A prophet?

Yes, I tell you,

and more than a prophet."

"This is the one about whom it is written,

'I will send my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way before you.'

Truly I tell you,
among those born of women

there has not risen anyone
greater than John the Baptist,

yet whoever is least in the kingdom
of heaven is greater than he.

From the days
of John the Baptist until now,

the kingdom of heaven has been subjected
to v*olence,

and violent people have been raiding it.

For all the prophets
and the law prophesied until John.

And if you are willing to accept it,

he is the Elijah who was to come.

Whoever has ears, let them hear.

To what can I compare this generation?

They are like children sitting
in the marketplaces

and calling out to others,

'We played the pipe for you,
and you did not dance,

we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

For John came neither eating nor drinking,

and they say, 'He has a demon.'

The Son of Man came eating and drinking,
and they say,

'Here is a glutton and a drunkard,

a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'

But wisdom is proved right by her deeds."

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns

in which most of His miracles
had been performed,

because they did not repent.

"Woe to you, Chorazin!
Woe to you, Bethsaida!

For if the miracles that were performed
in you

had been performed in Tyre and Sidon,

they would have repented long ago
in sackcloth and ashes.

But I tell you, it will be more bearable
for Tyre and Sidon

on the day of judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted
to the heavens?

No, you will go down to Hades.

For if the miracles that were performed
in you had been performed in Sodom,

it would have remained to this day.

But I tell you that it will be
more bearable for Sodom

on the day of judgment than for you."

At that time Jesus said,

"I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven
and earth,

because You have hidden these things
from the wise and learned,

and revealed them to little children.

Yes, Father,
for this is what You were pleased to do.

All things have been committed to me
by my Father.

No one knows the Son except the Father,

and no one knows
the Father except the Son,

and those to whom the Son chooses
to reveal Him.

Come to me, all you who are weary
and burdened,

and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy
and my burden is light."

At that time, Jesus went
through the grain fields on the Sabbath.

His disciples were hungry

and began to pick some heads of grain
and eat them.

When the Pharisees saw this,
they said to him,

"Look! Your disciples are doing

what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

He answered,
"Haven't you read what David did

when he and his companions were hungry?

He entered the house of God,

and he and his companions ate
the consecrated bread,

which was not lawful for them to do,
but only for the priests.

Or haven't you read in the law

that the priests on Sabbath duty
in the temple

desecrate the Sabbath
and yet are innocent?

I tell you that something greater
than the temple is here.

If you had known

what these words mean,

'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,'

you would not have condemned the innocent.

For the Son of Man
is Lord of the Sabbath."

Going on from that place,
He went into their synagogue,

and a man with a shriveled hand was there.

Looking for a reason to bring charges
against Jesus,

they asked him,

"Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

He said to them,

"If any of you has a sheep and it falls
into a pit on the Sabbath,

will you not take hold of it
and lift it out?

How much more valuable
is a person than a sheep!

Therefore it is lawful to do good
on the Sabbath."

Then He said to the man,
"Stretch out your hand."

So he stretched it out...

and it was completely restored,
just as sound as the other.

But the Pharisees went out

and plotted how they might k*ll Jesus.

Aware of this,
Jesus withdrew from that place.

A large crowd followed Him,
and He healed all who were ill.

He warned them not to tell others
about Him.

This was to fulfill what was spoken
through the Prophet Isaiah,

"Here is my servant whom I have chosen,

the one I love, in whom I delight,

I will put my Spirit on Him,

and He will proclaim justice
to the nations.

He will not quarrel or cry out,

no one will hear His voice in the streets.

A bruised reed He will not break,

and a smoldering wick
He will not snuff out,

till He has brought justice
through to victory.

In His name
the nations will put their hope."

Then they brought Him
a demon-possessed man

who was blind and mute...

...and Jesus healed him,

so that he could both talk and see.

All the people were astonished and said,

"Could this be the Son of David?"

But when the Pharisees heard this,
they said,

"It is only by Beelzebul,
the prince of demons,

that this fellow drives out demons."

Jesus knew their thoughts
and said to them,

"Every kingdom divided against itself
will be ruined,

and every city or household divided
against itself will not stand.

If Satan drives out Satan,
he is divided against himself.

How then can his kingdom stand?

And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul,

by whom do your people drive them out?

So then, they will be your judges.

But if it is by the Spirit of God
that I drive out demons,

then the kingdom of God
has come upon you.

Or again, how can anyone enter
a strong man's house

and carry off his possessions
unless he first ties up the strong man?

Then he can plunder his house.

Whoever is not with me is against me,

and whoever does not gather with me,
scatters.

And so I tell you,

every kind of sin
and slander can be forgiven,

but blasphemy
against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

Anyone who speaks a word
against the Son of Man will be forgiven,

but anyone who speaks
against the Holy Spirit,

will not be forgiven,

either in this age or in the age to come.

Make a tree good
and its fruit will be good,

or make a tree bad
and its fruit will be bad,

for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

You brood of vipers,

how can you who are evil,
say anything good?

For the mouth speaks
what the heart is full of.

A good man brings good things out
of the good stored up in him,

and an evil man brings evil things out
of the evil stored up in him.

But I tell you that everyone will have
to give account

on the day of judgment

for every empty word they have spoken.

For by your words, you will be acquitted,

and by your words, you will be condemned."

Then some of the Pharisees
and teachers of the law said to Him,

"Teacher, we want to see a sign from you."

He answered,

"A wicked and adulterous generation asks
for a sign!

But none will be given it
except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.

For as Jonah was three days
and three nights

in the belly of a huge fish,

so the Son of Man will be three days
and three nights

in the heart of the earth.

The men of Nineveh will stand up
at the judgment

with this generation and condemn it,

for they repented at the preaching
of Jonah,

and now something greater
than Jonah is here.

The Queen of the South will rise
at the judgment

with this generation and condemn it,

for she came from the ends of the earth
to listen to Solomon's wisdom,

and now something greater
than Solomon is here.

When an impure spirit comes out
of a person,

it goes through arid places,
seeking rest and does not find it.

Then it says,
'I will return to the house I left.'

When it arrives,
it finds the house unoccupied,

swept clean and put in order.

Then it goes and takes
with it seven other spirits

more wicked than itself,

and they go in and live there.

And the final condition of that person
is worse than the first.

That is how it will be
with this wicked generation."

While Jesus was still talking
to the crowd,

His mother and brothers stood outside,
wanting to speak to him.

Someone told Him,

"Your mother and brothers
are standing outside,

wanting to speak to you."

He replied to them,

"Who is my mother,
and who are my brothers?"

Pointing to His disciples, he said,

"Here are my mother and my brothers.

For whoever does the will
of my Father in heaven,

is my brother and sister and mother."

That same day, Jesus went out of the house
and sat by the lake.

Such large crowds gathered around Him

that He got into a boat and sat in it...

...while all the people stood
on the shore.

Then he told them many things in parables,
saying,

"A farmer went out to sow his seed.

As he was scattering the seed,

some fell along the path,
and the birds came and ate it up.

Some fell on rocky places,
where it did not have much soil.

It sprang up quickly,
because the soil was shallow.

But when the sun came up,
the plants were scorched,

and they withered
because they had no root.

Other seed fell among thorns,

which grew up and choked the plants.

Still other seed fell on good soil,
where it produced a crop,

a hundred, sixty,
or thirty times what was sown.

Whoever has ears, let them hear."

The disciples came to Him and asked,

"Why do you speak to the people
in parables?"

He replied,

"Because the knowledge of the secrets

of the kingdom of heaven
has been given to you, but not to them.

Whoever has, will be given more,

and they will have an abundance.

Whoever does not have,

even what they have will be taken
from them.

This is why I speak to them in parables.

Though seeing, they do not see,

though hearing, they do not hear
or understand.

In them is fulfilled
the prophecy of Isaiah,

'You will be ever hearing
but never understanding,

you will be ever seeing
but never perceiving.

For this people's heart
has become calloused,

they hardly hear with their ears,

and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise, they might see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts

and turn, and I would heal them.'

But blessed are your eyes
because they see,

and your ears because they hear.

For truly I tell you,
many prophets and righteous people

longed to see what you see
but did not see it,

and to hear what you hear
but did not hear it.

Listen then to what the parable
of the sower means.

When anyone hears the message

about the kingdom
and does not understand it,

the evil one comes and snatches away

what was sown in their heart.

This is the seed sown along the path.

The seed falling on rocky ground refers
to someone who hears the word

and at once, receives it with joy.

But since they have no root,
they last only a short time.

When trouble or persecution comes
because of the word,

they quickly fall away.

The seed falling among the thorns

refers to someone who hears the word,
but the worries of this life

and the deceitfulness
of wealth choke the word,

making it unfruitful.

But the seed falling on good soil,

refers to someone who hears the word
and understands it.

This is the one who produces a crop,

yielding a hundred, sixty,
or thirty times what was sown."

Jesus told them another parable.

"The kingdom of heaven is like a man
who sowed good seed in his field.

But while everyone was sleeping,

his enemy came and sowed weeds
among the wheat and went away.

When the wheat sprouted and formed heads,

then the weeds also appeared.

The owner's servants came to him and said,

'Sir, didn't you sow good seed
in your field?

Where then did the weeds come from?'

'An enemy did this,' he replied.

The servants asked him,

'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'

'No,' he answered,

'because while you are pulling the weeds,
you may uproot the wheat with them.

Let both grow together until the harvest.

At that time, I will tell the harvesters,

first, collect the weeds
and tie them in bundles to be b*rned.

Then gather the wheat
and bring it into my barn.'"

He told them another parable.

"The kingdom of heaven
is like a mustard seed,

which a man took
and planted in his field.

Though it is the smallest of all seeds,
yet when it grows,

it is the largest of garden plants
and becomes a tree,

so that the birds come
and perch in its branches."

He told them still another parable.

"The kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took

and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour

until it worked all through the dough."

Jesus spoke all these things
to the crowd in parables.

He did not say anything to them
without using a parable.

So was fulfilled what was spoken
through the prophet,

"I will open my mouth in parables,

I will utter things hidden
since the creation of the world."

Then He left the crowd
and went into the house.

His disciples came to Him and said,

"Explain to us the parable of the weeds
in the field."

He answered,

"The one who sowed the good seed
is the Son of Man.

The field is the world,

and the good seed stands
for the people of the kingdom.

The weeds are the people of the evil one,

and the enemy who sows them is the devil.

The harvest is the end of the age,

and the harvesters are angels."

"As the weeds are pulled up
and b*rned in the fire,

so it will be at the end of the age.

The Son of Man will send out His angels,

and they will weed out of His kingdom

everything that causes sin
and all who do evil.

They will throw them
into the blazing furnace,

where there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.

Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.

Whoever has ears, let them hear.

The kingdom of heaven
is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again,
and then in his joy,

went and sold all he had
and bought that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven
is like a merchant

looking for fine pearls.

When he found one of great value,

he went away and sold everything he had
and bought it.

Once again, the kingdom of heaven
is like a net

that was let down into the lake
and caught all kinds of fish.

When it was full,
the fishermen pulled it up on the shore.

Then they sat down and collected
the good fish in baskets,

but threw the bad away."

"This is how it will be
at the end of the age.

The angels will come and separate
the wicked from the righteous

and throw them into the blazing furnace,

where there will be weeping and gnashing
of teeth."

"Have you understood all these things?"
Jesus asked.

"Yes." They replied.

He said to them,
"Therefore every teacher of the law

who has become a disciple
in the kingdom of heaven

is like the owner of a house

who brings out of his storeroom
new treasures as well as old."

When Jesus had finished these parables,
He moved on from there.

Coming to His hometown,

He began teaching the people
in their synagogue, and they were amazed.

"Where did this man get this wisdom
and these miraculous powers?" They asked.

"Isn't this the carpenter's son?
Isn't His mother's name Mary,

and aren't His brothers James,
Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

Aren't all His sisters with us?

Where then did this man get
all these things?"

And they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them,

"A prophet is not without honor

except in his own town
and in his own home."

And He did not do many miracles there
because of their lack of faith.

At that time, Herod the tetrarch,
heard the reports about Jesus,

and he said to his attendants,

"This is John the Baptist.
He has risen from the dead!

That is why miraculous powers are at work
in him."

Now Herod had arrested John and bound him

and put him in prison because of Herodias,
his brother Philip's wife,

for John had been saying to him,

"It is not lawful for you to have her."

Herod wanted to k*ll John,
but he was afraid of the people,

because they considered John a prophet.

On Herod's birthday,
the daughter of Herodias

danced for the guests,
and pleased Herod so much

that he promised with an oath
to give her whatever she asked.

Prompted by her mother, she said,

"Give me here on a platter,
the head of John the Baptist."

The king was distressed,

but because of his oaths
and his dinner guests,

he ordered that her request be granted

and had John beheaded in the prison.

His head was brought in
on a platter and given to the girl,

who carried it to her mother.

John's disciples came and took his body
and buried it.

Then they went and told Jesus.

When Jesus heard what had happened,

He withdrew by boat privately
to a solitary place.

Hearing of this,

the crowds followed Him on foot
from the towns.

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd,

He had compassion on them
and healed their sick.

As evening approached,
the disciples came to Him and said,

"This is a remote place,
and it's already getting late.

Send the crowds away,

so they can go to the villages
and buy themselves some food."

Jesus replied,
"They do not need to go away.

You give them something to eat."

"We have here only five loaves of bread
and two fish," they answered.

"Bring them here to me," He said.

And He directed the people
to sit down on the grass.

Taking the five loaves
and the two fish and looking up to heaven,

He gave thanks and broke the loaves.

Then He gave them to the disciples,

and the disciples gave them to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied,

and the disciples picked up
twelve basketfuls of broken pieces

that were left over.

The number of those
who ate was about five thousand men,

besides woman and children.

Immediately, Jesus made the disciples get
into the boat

and go on ahead of Him to the other side,

while He dismissed the crowd.

After He had dismissed them,

he went up on a mountainside
by Himself to pray.

Later that night, He was there alone,

and the boat was already
a considerable distance from land,

buffeted by the waves
because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn,
Jesus went out to them,

walking on the lake.

When the disciples saw Him walking
on the lake, they were terrified.

"It's a ghost," they said,
and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them,

"Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

"Lord, if it's You," Peter replied,

"tell me to come to You on the water."

"Come," He said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat,

walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

But when he saw the wind,

he was afraid and, beginning to sink,

cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately, Jesus reached out His hand
and caught him.

"You of little faith," He said.

"Why did you doubt?"

And when they climbed into the boat,

the wind d*ed down.

Then those who were
in the boat worshiped Him, saying,

"Truly, You are the Son of God."

When they had crossed over,
they landed at Gennesaret.

And when the men
of that place recognized Jesus,

they sent word
to all the surrounding country.

People brought all their sick to Him
and begged Him to let the sick

just touch the edge of His cloak,

and all who touched it were healed.

Then some Pharisees
and teachers of the law came to Jesus

from Jerusalem and asked,

"Why do your disciples break the tradition
of the elders?

They don't wash their hands
before they eat!"

Jesus replied,

"And why do you break the command of God

for the sake of your tradition?

For God said,
'Honor your father and mother,

and anyone who curses their father
or mother

is to be put to death.'

But you say that if anyone declares

that what might have been used
to help their father or mother

is devoted to God,

they are not to honor their father
or mother with it.'

Thus you nullify the word of God
for the sake of your tradition.

You hypocrites!

Isaiah was right
when he prophesied about you,

'These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain...

their teachings are merely human rules.'"

Jesus called the crowd to Him and said...

"Listen and understand.

What goes into someone's mouth
does not defile them,

but what comes out of their mouth,
that is what defiles them."

Then the disciples came to Him
and asked,

"Do you know that the Pharisees
were offended when they heard this?"

He replied,
"Every plant that my heavenly Father

has not planted will be pulled up
by the roots.

Leave them. They are blind guides.

If the blind lead the blind,
both will fall into a pit."

Peter said, "Explain the parable to us."

"Are you still so dull?"
Jesus asked them.

"Don't you see
that whatever enters the mouth,

goes into the stomach
and then out of the body?

But the things that come out
of a person's mouth,

come from the heart,
and these defile them.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts,

m*rder, adultery, sexual immorality,

theft, false testimony, slander.

These are what defile a person,

but eating with unwashed hands
does not defile them."

Leaving that place,

Jesus withdrew to the region
of Tyre and Sidon.

A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came
to Him, crying out,

"Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!

My daughter is demon-possessed
and suffering terribly."

Jesus did not answer a word.

So His disciples came to Him
and urged Him,

"Send her away, for she keeps crying out
after us."

He answered, "I was sent only
to the lost sheep of Israel."

The woman came and knelt before Him.

"Lord, help me!" she said.

He replied, "It is not right
to take the children's bread

and toss it to the dogs."

"Yes, it is, Lord," she said.

"Even the dogs eat the crumbs
that fall from their master's table."

Then Jesus said to her,

"Woman, you have great faith!

Your request is granted."

And her daughter was healed
at that moment.

Mama?

Jesus left there and went along the Sea
of Galilee.

Then He went up on a mountainside
and sat down.

Great crowds came to Him,
bringing the lame,

the blind, the crippled, the mute,
and many others,

and laid them at His feet,
and He healed them.

The people were amazed
when they saw the mute speaking,

the crippled made well,

the lame walking, and the blind seeing.

And they praised the God of Israel.

Jesus called His disciples to Him
and said,

"I have compassion for these people,

they have already been with me three days
and have nothing to eat.

I do not want to send them away hungry,

or they may collapse on the way."

His disciples answered,

"Where could we get enough bread

in this remote place
to feed such a crowd?"

"How many loaves do you have?"
Jesus asked.

"Seven," they replied,
"And a few small fish."

He told the crowd to sit down
on the ground.

Then He took the seven loaves
and the fish,

and when He had given thanks,

He broke them...

and gave them to the disciples...

and they in turn to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied.

Afterward,
the disciples picked up seven basketfuls

of broken pieces that were left over.

The number of those
who ate was four thousand men,

besides women and children.

After Jesus had sent the crowd away,
He got into the boat,

and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

The Pharisees and Sadducees came
to Jesus and tested Him

by asking Him to show them a sign
from heaven.

He replied,
"When evening comes, you say,

'It will be fair weather,
for the sky is red,'

and in the morning,
'Today it will be stormy,

for the sky is red and overcast.'

You know how to interpret
the appearance of the sky,

but you cannot interpret the signs
of the times.

A wicked and adulterous generation looks
for a sign,

but none will be given it
except the sign of Jonah."

Jesus then left them and went away.

When they went across the lake,

the disciples forgot to take bread.

"Be careful." Jesus said to them.

"Be on your guard against the yeast
of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

They discussed this among themselves
and said,

"It is because we didn't bring any bread."

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked,

"You of little faith,

why are you talking among yourselves
about having no bread?

Do you still not understand?

Don't you remember the five loaves
for the five thousand,

and how many basketfuls you gathered?

Or the seven loaves for the four thousand,

and how many basketfuls you gathered?

How is it you don't understand
that I was not talking to you about bread?

But be on your guard against the yeast
of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Then they understood
that He was not telling them

to guard against the yeast used in bread,

but against the teaching
of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

When Jesus came to the region
of Caesarea Philippi,

He asked his disciples,

"Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist,

others say Elijah, and still others,

Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

"But what about you?" He asked.

"Who do you say I am?"
Simon Peter answered,

"You are the Messiah,
the Son of the living God."

Jesus replied,

"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,

for this was not revealed to you
by flesh and blood,

but by my Father in heaven.

And I tell you that you are Peter,

and on this rock, I will build my church,

and the gates of Hades
will not overcome it.

I will give you the keys
of the kingdom of heaven,

whatever you bind on earth will be bound
in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth
will be loosed in heaven."

Then He ordered His disciples

not to tell anyone
that He was the Messiah.

From that time on,
Jesus began to explain to His disciples

that He must go to Jerusalem

and suffer many things at the hands
of the elders,

the chief priests,
and the teachers of the law,

and that He must be k*lled

and on the third day, be raised to life.

Peter took Him aside and began
to rebuke Him.

"Never, Lord!" He said.
"This shall never happen to you!"

Jesus turned and said to Peter,
"Get behind me, Satan!

You are a stumbling block to me.

You do not have in mind the concerns
of God,

but merely human concerns."

Then Jesus said to his disciples,

"Whoever wants to be my disciple,
must deny themselves

and take up their cross and follow me.

For whoever wants to save their life
will lose it,

but whoever loses their life for me
will find it.

What good will it be
for someone to gain the whole world,

yet forfeit their soul?

Or what can anyone give in exchange
for their soul?

For the Son of Man is going
to come in His Father's glory

with His angels and then He will reward

each person according
to what they have done.

Truly I tell you,

some who are standing here
will not taste death

before they see the Son of Man coming
in His kingdom."

After six days, Jesus took with him Peter,

James and John the brother of James,

and led them up a high mountain
by themselves.

There He was transfigured before them.

His face shone like the sun,

and His clothes became as white
as the light.

Just then, there appeared
before them Moses and Elijah,

talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus,
"Lord, it is good for us to be here.

If you wish, I will put up three shelters,

one for you, one for Moses,
and one for Elijah."

While he was still speaking,
a bright cloud covered them,

and a voice from the cloud said,

"This is my Son, whom I love,

with Him I am well pleased.

Listen to Him!"

When the disciples heard this,

they fell face down to the ground,
terrified.

But Jesus came and touched them.

"Get up," He said. "Don't be afraid."

When they looked up,
they saw no one except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain,

Jesus instructed them,

"Don't tell anyone what you have seen,

until the Son of Man has been raised
from the dead."

The disciples asked Him,

"Why then do the teachers of the law say
that Elijah must come first?"

Jesus replied,

"To be sure, Elijah comes
and will restore all things.

But I tell you, Elijah has already come,

and they did not recognize him,

but have done
to him everything they wished.

In the same way, the Son of Man
is going to suffer at their hands."

Then the disciples understood

that he was talking to them
about John the Baptist.

When they came to the crowd,

a man approached Jesus
and knelt before Him.

"Lord, have mercy on my son." He said.

"He has seizures and is suffering greatly.

He often falls into the fire
or into the water.

I brought him to your disciples,

but they could not heal him."

"You unbelieving and perverse generation."
Jesus replied,

"How long shall I stay with you?

How long shall I put up with you?

Bring the boy here to me."

Jesus rebuked the demon,
and it came out of the boy,

and he was healed at that moment.

Then the disciples came to Jesus
in private and asked,

"Why couldn't we drive it out?"

He replied,
"Because you have so little faith.

Truly I tell you,

if you have faith as small
as a mustard seed,

you can say to this mountain,

move from here to there,
and it will move.

Nothing will be impossible for you."

When they came together in Galilee,
He said to them,

"The Son of Man is going to be delivered
into the hands of men.

They will k*ll Him,

and on the third day,
He will be raised to life."

And the disciples were filled with grief.

After Jesus and His disciples arrived
in Capernaum,

the collectors
of the two-drachma temple tax

came to Peter and asked,

"Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"

"Yes, he does." He replied.

When Peter came into the house,
Jesus was the first to speak.

"What do you think, Simon?" He asked.

"From whom do the kings
of the earth collect duty and taxes?

From their own children or from others?"

"From others." Peter answered.

"Then the children are exempt."
Jesus said to him.

"But so that we may not cause offense,
go to the lake and throw out your line.

Take the first fish you catch...

open its mouth
and you will find a four-drachma coin.

Take it and give it to them for my tax
and yours."

At that time the disciples came to Jesus
and asked,

"Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom
of heaven?"

He called a little child to Him,
and placed the child among them.

And he said, "Truly I tell you,

unless you change
and become like little children,

you will never enter the kingdom
of heaven.

Therefore, whoever takes
the lowly position of this child

is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoever welcomes one such child
in my name welcomes me."

"If anyone causes
one of these little ones,

those who believe in me, to stumble,

it would be better for them
to have a large millstone

hung around their neck and to be drowned
in the depths of the sea.

Woe to the world because of the things
that cause people to stumble!

Such things must come,

but woe to the person
through whom they come!

If your hand or your foot causes you
to stumble,

cut it off and throw it away.

It is better for you to enter life maimed
or crippled

than to have two hands or two feet
and be thrown into eternal fire.

And if your eye causes you to stumble,
gouge it out and throw it away.

It is better for you
to enter life with one eye

than to have two eyes and be thrown
into the fire of hell.

See that you do not despise one
of these little ones.

For I tell you that their angels in heaven

always see the face of my Father
in heaven.

What do you think?

If a man owns a hundred sheep,
and one of them wanders away,

will he not leave the ninety-nine
on the hills

and go to look for the one
that wandered off?

And if he finds it, truly I tell you,

he is happier about that one sheep

than about the ninety-nine
that did not wander off.

In the same way,
your Father in heaven is not willing

that any of these little ones
should perish.

If your brother or sister sins,

go and point out their fault,
just between the two of you.

If they listen to you,
you have won them over.

But if they will not listen,
take one or two others along,

so that every matter may be established

by the testimony
of two or three witnesses.

If they still refuse to listen,
tell it to the Church.

And if they refuse to listen even
to the Church,

treat them as you would a pagan
or a tax collector.

Truly I tell you,

whatever you bind on earth,
will be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth
will be loosed in heaven.

Again, truly I tell you

that if two of you on earth agree
about anything they ask for,

it will be done for them by my Father
in heaven.

For where two or three gather in my name,

there am I with them."

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked,

"Lord, how many times
shall I forgive my brother or sister

who sins against me?

Up to seven times?"

Jesus answered,
"I tell you, not seven times,

but seventy-seven times.

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven
is like a king

who wanted to settle accounts
with his servants.

As he began the settlement,
a man who owed him

ten thousand bags of gold,
was brought to him.

Since he was not able to pay,

the master ordered that he and his wife
and his children

and all that he had be sold
to repay the debt.

At this, the servant fell on his knees
before him.

'Be patient with me,'
he begged,

'and I will pay back everything.'

The servant's master took pity on him,

canceled the debt and let him go.

But when that servant went out,

he found one of his fellow servants

who owed him a hundred silver coins.

He grabbed him and began to choke him.

'Pay back what you owe me!' He demanded.

His fellow servant fell to his knees
and begged him,

'Be patient with me,
and I will pay it back.'

But he refused.

Instead, he went off
and had the man thrown into prison

until he could pay the debt.

When the other servants saw
what had happened,

they were outraged
and went and told their master

everything that had happened.

Then the master called the servant in.

'You wicked servant,' he said,

'I canceled all that debt of yours
because you begged me to.

Shouldn't you have had mercy
on your fellow servant

just as I had on you?'

In anger, his master handed him over
to the jailers to be tortured,

until he should pay back all he owed.

This is how my heavenly Father
will treat each of you,

unless you forgive your brother
or sister from your heart."

When Jesus had finished
saying these things,

He left Galilee and went
into the region of Judea

to the other side of the Jordan.

Large crowds followed Him,
and He healed them there.

Some Pharisees came to Him to test Him.

They asked, "Is it lawful for a man

to divorce his wife for any
and every reason?"

"Haven't you read," he replied,

"that at the beginning,
the Creator 'made them male and female?'

And said,

'For this reason a man
will leave his father and mother

and be united to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh.'

So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together,

let no one separate."

"Why then," they asked,

"did Moses command
that a man give his wife

a certificate of divorce
and send her away?"

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you
to divorce your wives

because your hearts were hard.

But it was not this way
from the beginning.

I tell you that anyone
who divorces his wife,

except for sexual immorality,

and marries another woman
commits adultery."

The disciples said to Him,

"If this is the situation
between a husband and wife,

it is better not to marry."

Jesus replied,
"Not everyone can accept this word,

but only those to whom it has been given.

For there are eunuchs
who were born that way,

and there are eunuchs
who have been made eunuchs by others,

and there are those who choose
to live like eunuchs

for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

The one who can accept this
should accept it."

Then people brought
little children to Jesus

for Him to place his hands on them
and pray for them.

But the disciples rebuked them.

Jesus said,
"Let the little children come to me,

and do not hinder them,

for the kingdom of heaven belongs
to such as these."

When He had placed His hands on them,

He went on from there.

Just then,
a man came up to Jesus and asked,

"Teacher, what good thing must I do
to get eternal life?"

"Why do you ask me about what is good?",
Jesus replied.

"There is only One who is good.

If you want to enter life,
keep the commandments."

"Which ones?" He inquired.

Jesus replied, "You shall not m*rder,

you shall not commit adultery,
you shall not steal,

you shall not give false testimony,
honor your father and mother,

and love your neighbor as yourself."

"All these I have kept,"
the young man said,

"What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered,
"If you want to be perfect,

go, sell your possessions,
and give to the poor,

and you will have treasure in heaven.

Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this,

he went away sad,
because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus said to his disciples,

"Truly I tell you,

it is hard for someone who is rich
to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Again I tell you,

it is easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle

than for someone who is rich
to enter the kingdom of God."

When the disciples heard this,

they were greatly astonished and asked,

"Who then can be saved?"

Jesus looked at them and said,

"With man this is impossible,

but with God all things are possible."

Peter answered Him,
"We have left everything to follow you!

What then will there be for us?"

Jesus said to them,
"Truly I tell you,

at the renewal of all things,

when the Son of Man sits
on his glorious throne,

you who have followed me,

will also sit on twelve thrones,

judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And everyone who has left houses
or brothers or sisters

or father or mother or wife or children

or fields for my sake

will receive a hundred times as much

and will inherit eternal life.

But many who are first will be last,

and many who are last will be first."

"For the kingdom of heaven
is like a landowner

who went out early in the morning
to hire workers for his vineyard.

He agreed to pay them a denarius
for the day,

and sent them into his vineyard.

About nine in the morning, he went out

and saw others standing
in the marketplace doing nothing.

He told them,
'You also go and work in my vineyard,

and I will pay you whatever is right.'

So they went.

He went out again about noon,

and about three in the afternoon
and did the same thing.

About five in the afternoon, he went out

and found still others standing around.

He asked them,
'Why have you been standing here

all day long doing nothing?'

'Because no one has hired us,'
they answered.

He said to them, 'You also go
and work in my vineyard.'

When evening came,

the owner of the vineyard said
to his foreman,

'Call the workers
and pay them their wages,

beginning with the last ones hired
and going on to the first.'

The workers who were hired
about five in the afternoon,

came and each received a denarius.

So when those came who were hired first,

they expected to receive more.

But each one of them also received
a denarius.

When they received it,

they began to grumble
against the landowner.

'These who were hired last
worked only one hour,' they said,

'and you have made them equal to us

who have borne the burden of the work
and the heat of the day.'

But he answered one of them,

'I am not being unfair to you, friend.

Didn't you agree to work for a denarius?

Take your pay and go.

I want to give the one who was hired last
the same as I gave you.

Don't I have the right to do what I want
with my own money?

Or are you envious because I am generous?'

So the last will be first,

and the first will be last."

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem.

On the way, he took the Twelve aside
and said to them,

"We are going up to Jerusalem,

and the Son of Man will be delivered over

to the chief priests
and the teachers of the law.

They will condemn Him to death

and will hand Him over to the Gentiles

to be mocked and flogged and crucified.

On the third day,
He will be raised to life!"

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came
to Jesus

with her sons and, kneeling down,

asked a favor of Him.

"What is it you want?",
He asked.

She said, "Grant that one
of these two sons of mine

may sit at your right hand

and the other at your left
in your kingdom."

"You don't know what you are asking,"
Jesus said to them,

"Can you drink the cup I am going
to drink?"

"We can," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "You will, indeed,
drink from my cup,

but to sit at my right or left
is not for me to grant.

These places belong to those

for whom they have been prepared
by my Father."

When the ten heard about this,

they were indignant with the two brothers.

Jesus called them together and said,

"You know that the rulers
of the Gentiles lord it over them,

and their high officials
exercise authority over them.

Not so with you.

Instead, whoever wants
to become great among you

must be your servant,

and whoever wants to be first,
must be your sl*ve,

just as the Son of Man
did not come to be served,

but to serve and to give
His life as a ransom for many."

As Jesus and his disciples
were leaving Jericho,

a large crowd followed Him.

Two blind men were sitting
by the roadside,

and when they heard that Jesus
was going by, they shouted,

"Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"

The crowd rebuked them
and told them to be quiet,

but they shouted all the louder,

"Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"

Jesus stopped and called them.

"What do you want me to do
for you?" He asked.

"Lord," they answered,
"we want our sight."

Jesus had compassion on them
and touched their eyes.

Immediately, they received
their sight and followed Him.

As they approached Jerusalem

and came to Bethphage
on the Mount of Olives,

Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them,

"Go to the village ahead of you,

and at once you will find
a donkey tied there,

with her colt by her.

Untie them and bring them to me.

If anyone says anything to you,

say that 'The Lord needs them,
and he will send them right away.'"

This took place to fulfill
what was spoken through the prophet,

"Say to Daughter Zion,

'See, your king comes to you,

gentle, and riding on a donkey,

and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

The disciples went and did
as Jesus had instructed them.

They brought the donkey and the colt

and placed their cloaks on them
for Jesus to sit on.

A very large crowd spread
their cloaks on the road,

while others cut branches from the trees
and spread them on the road.

The crowds that went ahead
of him and those that followed shouted,

"Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

When Jesus entered Jerusalem,

the whole city was stirred and asked,
"Who is this?"

The crowds answered, "This is Jesus,

the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

Jesus entered the temple courts...

...and drove out all
who were buying and selling there.

He overturned the tables
of the money changers

and the benches of those selling doves.

"It is written," he said to them,

"'My house will be called
a house of prayer.'

But you are making it a den of robbers!"

The blind and the lame came to Him
at the temple,

and He healed them.

But when the chief priests
and the teachers of the law

saw the wonderful things He did,

and the children shouting
in the temple courts,

"Hosanna to the Son of David,"
they were indignant.

"Do you hear
what these children are saying?"

They asked him.

"Yes," replied Jesus,
"have you never read,

'From the lips of children and infants

you, Lord, have called forth
your praise?'"

And He left them and went out of the city
to Bethany,

where He spent the night.

Early in the morning,
as Jesus was on His way back to the city,

He was hungry.

Seeing a fig tree by the road,

He went up to it but found nothing
on it except leaves.

Then He said to it,

"May you never bear fruit again!"

Immediately, the tree withered.

When the disciples saw this,
they were amazed.

"How did the fig tree wither so quickly?"
They asked.

Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you,

if you have faith and do not doubt...

...not only can you do
what was done to the fig tree,

but also you can say to this mountain,

'Go, throw yourself into the sea,'
and it will be done.

If you believe,

you will receive
whatever you ask for in prayer."

Jesus entered the temple courts,

and while He was teaching,

the chief priests and the elders
of the people came to Him.

"By what authority
are you doing these things?" they asked,

"And who gave you this authority?"

Jesus replied,
"I will also ask you one question.

If you answer me,

I will tell you by what authority
I am doing these things.

John's baptism,
where did it come from?

Was it from heaven, or of human origin?"

They discussed it among themselves
and said,

"If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask,
'Then why didn't you believe him?'

But if we say, 'Of human origin,'

we are afraid of the people,

for they all hold
that John was a prophet."

So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."

Then he said, "Neither will I tell you
by what authority

I am doing these things.

What do you think?

There was a man who had two sons.

He went to the first and said,

'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'

'I will not.' He answered.

But later he changed his mind and went.

Then the father went to the other son
and said the same thing.

He answered, 'I will, sir,'
but he did not go.

Which of the two did
what his father wanted?"

"The first." They answered.

Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you,

the tax collectors and the prostitutes

are entering the kingdom
of God ahead of you.

For John came to you to show you the way
of righteousness,

and you did not believe him,

but the tax collectors
and the prostitutes did.

And even after you saw this,

you did not repent and believe him.

Listen to another parable.

There was a landowner
who planted a vineyard.

He put a wall around it,

dug a wine press in it,
and built a watchtower.

Then he rented the vineyard
to some farmers

and moved to another place.

When the harvest time approached,

he sent his servants to the tenants
to collect his fruit.

The tenants seized his servants.

They b*at one, k*lled another,
and stoned a third.

Then he sent other servants to them,

more than the first time,
and the tenants treated them the same way.

Last of all,
he sent his son to them.

'They will respect my son,' he said.

But when the tenants saw the son,

they said to each other,
'This is the heir.

Come, let's k*ll him
and take his inheritance.'

So they took him and threw him
out of the vineyard and k*lled him.

Therefore, when the owner
of the vineyard comes,

what will he do to those tenants?"

"He will bring those wretches
to a wretched end," they replied,

"and he will rent the vineyard
to other tenants,

who will give him his share of the crop
at harvest time."

Jesus said to them,

"Have you never read in the Scriptures,

'The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,

the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes'?

Therefore I tell you
that the kingdom of God

will be taken away from you

and given to a people
who will produce its fruit.

Anyone who falls on this stone
will be broken to pieces.

Anyone on whom it falls will be crushed."

When the chief priests and the Pharisees
heard Jesus' parables,

they knew He was talking about them.

They looked for a way to arrest Him,

but they were afraid of the crowd,

because the people held
that He was a prophet.

Jesus spoke to them again in parables,
saying,

"The kingdom of heaven is like a king

who prepared a wedding banquet
for his son.

He sent his servants to those
who had been invited to the banquet

to tell them to come,
but they refused to come.

Then he sent some more servants and said,

'Tell those who have been invited
that I have prepared my dinner.

My oxen and fattened cattle
have been butchered,

and everything is ready.

Come to the wedding banquet.'

But they paid no attention and went off,

one to his field, another to his business.

The rest seized his servants,
mistreated them and k*lled them.

The king was enraged.

He sent his army
and destroyed those murderers

and b*rned their city.

Then he said to his servants,

'The wedding banquet is ready,

but those I invited did not deserve
to come.

So go to the street corners and invite
to the banquet anyone you find.'

So the servants went out into the streets

and gathered all the people
they could find,

the bad as well as the good,

and the wedding hall was filled
with guests.

But when the king came in
to see the guests,

he noticed a man there
who was not wearing wedding clothes.

He asked, 'How did you get in here
without wedding clothes, friend?'

The man was speechless.

Then the king told the attendants,

'Tie him hand and foot,

and throw him outside, into the darkness,

where there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.'

For many are invited, but few are chosen."

Then the Pharisees went out
and laid plans to trap Him in his words.

They sent their disciples
to him along with the Herodians.

"Teacher," they said,

"we know that you are a man of integrity

and that you teach the way of God
in accordance with the truth.

You aren't swayed by others,

because you pay no attention
to who they are.

Tell us then, what is your opinion?

Is it right to pay the imperial tax
to Caesar or not?"

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent,
said,

"You hypocrites,
why are you trying to trap me?

Show me the coin used for paying the tax."

They brought Him a denarius,
and He asked them,

"Whose image is this?
And whose inscription?"

"Caesar's." They replied.

Then He said to them,

"So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's,

and to God what is God's."

When they heard this,
they were amazed.

So they left Him and went away.

That same day the Sadducees,

who say there is no resurrection,

came to Him with a question.
"Teacher," they said,

"Moses told us that if a man dies
without having children,

his brother must marry the widow
and raise up offspring for him.

Now there were seven brothers among us.

The first one married and d*ed,

and since he had no children,
he left his wife to his brother.

The same thing happened to the second
and third brother,

right on down to the seventh.

Finally, the woman d*ed.

Now then, at the resurrection,

whose wife will she be of the seven,

since all of them were married to her?"

Jesus replied, "You are in error

because you do not know the Scriptures
or the power of God."

"At the resurrection,
people will neither marry

nor be given in marriage,

they will be like the angels in heaven."

"But about the resurrection
of the dead,

have you not read what God said to you,

'I am the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob'?

He is not the God of the dead,
but of the living."

When the crowds heard this,
they were astonished at His teaching.

Hearing that Jesus
had silenced the Sadducees,

the Pharisees got together.

One of them, an expert in the law,

tested Him with this question.

"Teacher,
which is the greatest commandment

in the Law?"

Jesus replied,

"Love the Lord your God
with all your heart

and with all your soul
and with all your mind.

This is the first
and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

All the law and the prophets,

hang on these two commandments."

While the Pharisees
were gathered together,

Jesus asked them,

"What do you think about the Messiah?

Whose son is he?"
"The son of David," they replied.

He said to them,

"How is it then that David,
speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'?

For he says, 'The Lord said to my Lord,

'Sit at my right hand

until I put your enemies
under your feet."

If then David calls him Lord,

how can he be his son?"

No one could say a word in reply,
and from that day on

no one dared to ask Him
any more questions.

Then Jesus said to the crowds
and to his disciples,

"The teachers of the law
and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

So you must be careful
to do everything they tell you.

But do not do what they do,

for they do not practice what they preach.

They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads

and put them on other people's shoulders,

but they themselves are not willing
to lift a finger to move them.

Everything they do is done for people
to see.

They make their phylacteries wide

and the tassels on their garments long,

they love the place of honor at banquets

and the most important seats
in the synagogues,

they love to be greeted with respect
in the marketplaces

and to be called 'Rabbi' by others.

But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,'

for you have one Teacher,
and you are all brothers.

And do not call anyone on earth 'father,'

for you have one Father,
and He is in heaven.

Nor are you to be called instructors,

for you have one Instructor, the Messiah."

"The greatest among you
will be your servant.

For those who exalt themselves
will be humbled,

and those who humble themselves
will be exalted."

"Woe to you,
teachers of the law

and Pharisees, you hypocrites!

You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven
in people's faces.

You yourselves do not enter,

nor will you let those enter
who are trying to.

Woe to you, teachers of the law
and Pharisees, you hypocrites!

You travel over land and sea
to win a single convert,

and when you have succeeded,

you make them twice as much a child
of hell as you are.

Woe to you, blind guides!

You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple,
it means nothing.

But anyone who swears by the gold
of the temple is bound by that oath.'

You blind fools!

Which is greater, the gold,

or the temple that makes the gold sacred?

You also say, 'If anyone swears
by the altar, it means nothing.

But anyone who swears by the gift
on the altar, is bound by that oath.'

You blind men!

Which is greater,

the gift, or the altar
that makes the gift sacred?

Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar,

swears by it and by everything on it.

And anyone who swears by the temple,
swears by it

and by the one who dwells in it.

And anyone who swears by heaven,

swears by God's throne and by the one
who sits on it.

Woe to you, teachers of the law
and Pharisees,

you hypocrites!

You give a tenth of your spices,
mint, dill and cumin.

But you have neglected
the more important matters of the law,

justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

You should have practiced the latter,
without neglecting the former.

You blind guides!

You strain out a gnat
but swallow a camel.

Woe to you, teachers of the law
and Pharisees, you hypocrites!

You clean the outside of the cup and dish,

but inside they are full of greed
and self-indulgence.

Blind Pharisee!

First clean the inside of the cup
and dish,

and then the outside also will be clean.

Woe to you, teachers of the law
and Pharisees, you hypocrites!

You are like whitewashed tombs,
which look beautiful on the outside,

but on the inside are full of the bones
of the dead and everything unclean.

In the same way, on the outside you appear
to people as righteous,

but on the inside,
you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Woe to you, teachers of the law
and Pharisees, you hypocrites!

You build tombs for the prophets
and decorate the graves of the righteous.

And you say, 'If we had lived in the days
of our ancestors,

we would not have taken part with them
in shedding the blood of the prophets.'

So you testify against yourselves

that you are the descendants
of those who m*rder*d the prophets.

Go ahead, then, and complete
what your ancestors started!

You snakes! You brood of vipers!

How will you escape being condemned
to hell?

Therefore I am sending you prophets
and sages and teachers.

Some of them you will k*ll and crucify,

others you will flog in your synagogues
and pursue from town to town."

"And so upon you will come
all the righteous blood

that has been shed on earth,

from the blood of righteous Abel

to the blood of Zechariah,
son of Berekiah,

whom you m*rder*d between the temple
and the altar.

Truly I tell you,
all this will come on this generation.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

you who k*ll the prophets
and stone those sent to you,

how often I have longed
to gather your children together

as a hen gathers her chicks
under her wings,

and you were not willing.

Look, your house is left to you desolate.

For I tell you,

you will not see me again until you say,

'Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord.'"

Jesus left the temple

and was walking away
when His disciples came up to Him

to call His attention to its buildings.

"Do you see all these things?", He asked.

"Truly I tell you,

not one stone here will be left
on another.

Everyone will be thrown down."

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount
of Olives,

the disciples came to Him privately.

"Tell us," they said,

"when will this happen,

and what will be the sign of your coming
and of the end of the age?"

Jesus answered,

"Watch out that no one deceives you.

For many will come in my name, claiming,

'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars,

but see to it that you are not alarmed.

Such things must happen,

but the end is still to come.

Nation will rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom.

There will be famines and earthquakes
in various places.

All these are the beginning
of birth pains.

Then you will be handed over
to be persecuted and put to death,

and you will be hated by all nations
because of me.

At that time, many will turn away
from the faith

and will betray and hate each other,

and many false prophets will appear
and deceive many people.

Because of the increase of wickedness,

the love of most will grow cold,

but the one who stands firm
to the end will be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom
will be preached in the whole world

as a testimony to all nations..."

"...and then the end will come.

So when you see,
standing in the Holy Place

the abomination that causes desolation,

spoken of through the prophet Daniel,
let the reader understand,

then let those who are in Judea,
flee to the mountains.

Let no one on the housetop go down
to take anything out of the house.

Let no one in the field go back
to get their cloak.

How dreadful it will be in those days

for pregnant women and nursing mothers!"

"Pray that your flight
will not take place

in winter or on the Sabbath.

For then there will be great distress,

unequaled from the beginning of the world
until now,

and never to be equaled again.

If those days had not been cut short,
no one would survive,

but for the sake of the elect,
those days will be shortened.

At that time, if anyone says to you,

'Look, here is the Messiah!'

or, 'There he is!', do not believe it.

For false messiahs and false prophets
will appear

and perform great signs
and wonders to deceive,

if possible, even the elect.

See, I have told you ahead of time.

So if anyone tells you,

'There he is, out in the wilderness,'
do not go out,

or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,'
do not believe it.

For as lightning that comes from the east
is visible even in the west,

so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Wherever there is a carcass,
there the vultures will gather.

Immediately,
after the distress of those days,

the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light,

the stars will fall from the sky,

and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

Then will appear the sign
of the Son of Man in heaven.

And then all the peoples of the earth
will mourn

when they see the Son of Man

coming on the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory.

And He will send His angels
with a loud trumpet call,

and they will gather His elect
from the four winds,

from one end of the heavens to the other.

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree.

As soon as its twigs get tender
and its leaves come out,

you know that summer is near.

Even so, when you see all these things,

you know that it is near,
right at the door.

Truly I tell you,

this generation
will certainly not pass away

until all these things have happened.

Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will never pass away.

But about that day or hour, no one knows,

not even the angels in heaven,
nor the Son,

but only the Father.

As it was in the days of Noah,

so it will be at the coming
of the Son of Man.

For in the days before the flood,

people were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,

up to the day Noah entered the ark,

and they knew nothing
about what would happen

until the flood came
and took them all away.

That is how it will be
at the coming of the Son of Man.

Two men will be in the field.

One will be taken and the other left.

Two women will be grinding
with a hand mill.

One will be taken and the other left.

Therefore keep watch,

because you do not know
on what day your Lord will come.

But understand this,

if the owner of the house had known

at what time of night
the thief was coming,

he would have kept watch,

and would not have let his house
be broken into.

So you also must be ready,

because the Son of Man will come
at an hour

when you do not expect him.

Who then is the faithful and wise servant

whom the master has put in charge
of the servants in his household

to give them their food
at the proper time?

It will be good for that servant

whose master finds him doing so
when he returns.

Truly I tell you,

he will put him in charge
of all his possessions.

But suppose that servant
is wicked and says to himself,

'My master is staying away a long time,'

and he then begins
to b*at his fellow servants

and to eat and drink with drunkards.

The master of that servant will come
on a day

when he does not expect him

and at an hour he is not aware of.

He will cut him to pieces

and assign him a place
with the hypocrites,

where there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.

At that time, the kingdom of heaven

will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps

and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Five of them were foolish
and five were wise.

The foolish ones took their lamps,
but did not take any oil with them.

The wise ones, however,
took oil in jars along with their lamps.

The bridegroom was a long time in coming,

and they all became drowsy
and fell asleep.

At midnight, the cry rang out,

'Here's the bridegroom!
Come out to meet him!'

Then all the virgins woke up
and trimmed their lamps.

The foolish ones said to the wise,

'Give us some of your oil.
Our lamps are going out.'

'No,' they replied,

'There may not be enough
for both us and you.

Instead, go to those who sell oil

and buy some for yourselves.'

But while they were on their way
to buy the oil,

the bridegroom arrived.

The virgins who were ready,

went in with him to the wedding banquet

and the door was shut.

Later the others also came.

'Lord, Lord,' they said,
'open the door for us!'

But he replied,

'Truly I tell you, I don't know you.'

Therefore keep watch,

because you do not know the day
or the hour.

Again, it will be like a man going
on a journey,

who called his servants
and entrusted his wealth to them.

To one he gave five bags of gold,

to another two bags,
and to another one bag,

each according to his ability.

Then he went on his journey.

The man who had received five bags of gold

went at once and put his money to work

and gained five bags more.

So also, the one with two bags of gold,
gained two more.

But the man who had received one bag
went off,

dug a hole in the ground,
and hid his master's money.

After a long time,
the master of those servants returned

and settled accounts with them.

The man who had received
five bags of gold brought the other five.

'Master,' he said,
'you entrusted me with five bags of gold.

See, I have gained five more.'

His master replied,

'Well done, good and faithful servant!

You have been faithful with a few things.

I will put you in charge of many things.

Come and share your master's happiness!'

The man with two bags of gold also came.

'Master,' he said,

'you entrusted me with two bags of gold.

See, I have gained two more.'

His master replied,

'Well done, good and faithful servant!

You have been faithful with a few things.

I will put you in charge of many things.

Come and share your master's happiness!'

Then the man who had received one bag
of gold came.

'Master,' he said,

'I knew that you are a hard man,

harvesting where you have not sown

and gathering
where you have not scattered seed.

So I was afraid and went out
and hid your gold in the ground.

See, here is what belongs to you.'

His master replied,
'You wicked, lazy servant!

So you knew that I harvest
where I have not sown

and gather
where I have not scattered seed?

Well then, you should have put my money

on deposit with the bankers,
so that when I returned,

I would have received it back
with interest.

So take the bag of gold from him
and give it to the one who has ten bags.

For whoever has will be given more,

and they will have an abundance.

Whoever does not have,

even what they have will be taken
from them.

And throw that worthless servant outside,
into the darkness,

where there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.'

When the Son of Man comes in His glory,
and all the angels with Him,

He will sit on His glorious throne.

All the nations will be gathered
before Him,

and He will separate the people one
from another

as a shepherd separates the sheep
from the goats.

He will put the sheep on His right

and the goats on His left.

Then the King will say to those
on His right,

'Come, you who are blessed by My Father,

take your inheritance,

the kingdom prepared for you
since the creation of the world.

For I was hungry
and you gave Me something to eat,

I was thirsty
and you gave Me something to drink,

I was a stranger and you invited Me in,

I needed clothes and you clothed Me,

I was sick, and you looked after Me,

I was in prison and you came to visit Me.'

Then the righteous will answer Him,

'Lord, when did we see You hungry
and feed You,

or thirsty and give You something
to drink?

When did we see You a stranger
and invite You in,

or needing clothes and clothe You?

When did we see You sick
or in prison and go to visit You?'

The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you,

whatever you did for one of the least

of these brothers and sisters
of Mine, you did for Me.'

Then He will say to those on His left,

'Depart from Me, you who are cursed,
into the eternal fire,

prepared for the devil and his angels.

For I was hungry
and you gave Me nothing to eat.

I was thirsty
and you gave Me nothing to drink.

I was a stranger
and you did not invite Me in.

I needed clothes
and you did not clothe Me.

I was sick and in prison
and you did not look after Me.'

They also will answer,

'Lord, when did we see You hungry
or thirsty

or a stranger or needing clothes

or sick or in prison,
and did not help You?'

He will reply, 'Truly I tell you,

whatever you did not do
for one of the least of these,

you did not do for Me.'

Then they will go away
to eternal punishment,

but the righteous to eternal life."

When Jesus had finished saying
all these things,

He said to His disciples,

"As you know,
the Passover is two days away,

and the Son of Man will be handed over
to be crucified."

Then the chief priests
and the elders of the people,

assembled in the palace
of the high priest,

whose name was Caiaphas,

and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly
and k*ll Him.

"But not during the festival," they said,

"or there may be a riot among the people."

While Jesus was in Bethany
in the home of Simon the Leper,

a woman came to him with an alabaster jar
of very expensive perfume,

which she poured on his head
as he was reclining at the table.

When the disciples saw this,
they were indignant.

"Why this waste?" they asked,

"This perfume could have been
sold at a high price

and the money given to the poor."

Aware of this, Jesus said to them,

"Why are you bothering this woman?

She has done a beautiful thing to me.

The poor you will always have with you,

but you will not always have me.

When she poured this perfume on my body,

she did it to prepare me for burial.

Truly I tell you,

wherever this gospel is preached
throughout the world,

what she has done will also be told,
in memory of her."

Then one of the Twelve,
the one called Judas Iscariot,

went to the chief priests and asked,

"What are you willing to give me
if I deliver Him over to you?"

So they counted out
for him thirty pieces of silver.

From then on,
Judas watched for an opportunity

to hand Him over.

On the first day
of the Festival of Unleavened Bread,

the disciples came to Jesus and asked,

"Where do you want us to make preparations
for you to eat the Passover?"

He replied, "Go into the city
to a certain man and tell him,

the Teacher says,
'My appointed time is near.

I am going to celebrate the Passover
with my disciples at your house.'"

So the disciples did
as Jesus had directed them

and prepared the Passover.

When evening came,

Jesus was reclining at the table
with the Twelve.

And while they were eating, He said,

"Truly I tell you,
one of you will betray me."

They were very sad and began to say
to Him, one after the other,

"Surely you don't mean me, Lord?"

Jesus replied,

"The one who has dipped his hand
into the bowl with me will betray me.

The Son of Man will go just
as it is written about Him.

But woe to that man
who betrays the Son of Man!

It would be better for him
if he had not been born."

Then Judas, the one who would betray Him,
said,

"Surely you don't mean me, Rabbi?"

Jesus answered, "You have said so."

While they were eating, Jesus took bread,

and when He had given thanks,

He broke it and gave it to His disciples,
saying,

"Take and eat, this is my body."

Then He took a cup,
and when He had given thanks,

he gave it to them, saying,
"Drink from it, all of you.

This is my blood of the covenant,

which is poured out for many
for the forgiveness of sins.

I tell you, I will not drink
from this fruit of the vine

from now on until that day
when I drink it new

with you in my Father's kingdom."

When they had sung a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus told them,

"This very night you will all fall away
on account of me,

for it is written,
'I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock
will be scattered.'

But after I have risen,

I will go ahead of you into Galilee."

Peter replied,

"Even if all fall away on account of you,
I never will."

"Truly I tell you," Jesus answered,

"this very night,
before the rooster crows,

you will disown me three times."

But Peter declared,

"Even if I have to die with you,
I will never disown you."

And all the other disciples said the same.

Then Jesus went with His disciples
to a place called Gethsemane,

and He said to them,
"Sit here while I go over there and pray."

He took Peter and the two sons
of Zebedee along with Him,

and He began to be sorrowful and troubled.

Then He said to them,

"My soul is overwhelmed
with sorrow to the point of death.

Stay here and keep watch with me."

Going a little farther...

...He fell with His face
to the ground and prayed,

"My Father, if it is possible,

may this cup be taken from me.

Yet not as I will, but as You will."

Then He returned to His disciples
and found them sleeping.

"Couldn't you men keep watch with me
for one hour?"

He asked Peter.

"Watch and pray, so that you will not fall
into temptation.

The spirit is willing,
but the flesh is weak."

He went away a second time and prayed,

"My Father,

if it is not possible for this cup
to be taken away

unless I drink it, may Your will be done."

When He came back,
He again found them sleeping,

because their eyes were heavy.

So He left them and went away once more

and prayed the third time,
saying the same thing.

Then He returned to the disciples
and said to them,

"Are you still sleeping and resting?

Look, the hour has come,

and the Son of Man is delivered
into the hands of sinners.

Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

While he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived.

With him, was a large crowd armed
with swords and clubs,

sent from the chief priests
and the elders of the people.

Now the betrayer had arranged a signal
with them,

"The one I kiss is the man. Arrest Him."

Going at once to Jesus, Judas said,

"Greetings, Rabbi!", and kissed him.

Jesus replied,
"Do what you came for, friend."

Then the men stepped forward,
seized Jesus and arrested Him.

With that, one of Jesus' companions

reached for his sword, drew it out,
and struck the servant of the high priest,

cutting off his ear.

"Put your sword back in its place,"
Jesus said to him,

"for all who draw the sword will die
by the sword.

Do you think I cannot call on my Father,

and He will at once put at my disposal
more than twelve legions of angels?

But how then would the Scriptures
be fulfilled

that say it must happen in this way?"

In that hour, Jesus said to the crowd,

"Am I leading a rebellion,

that you have come out with swords
and clubs to capture me?

Every day,
I sat in the temple courts teaching,

and you did not arrest me.

But this has all taken place
that the writings

of the prophets might be fulfilled."

Then all the disciples deserted Him
and fled.

Those who had arrested Jesus took Him
to Caiaphas the high priest,

where the teachers of the law
and the elders had assembled.

But Peter followed Him at a distance,

right up to the courtyard
of the high priest.

He entered and sat down
with the guards to see the outcome.

The chief priests
and the whole Sanhedrin

were looking for false evidence
against Jesus,

so that they could put Him to death.

But they did not find any,

though many false witnesses came forward.

Finally two came forward and declared,

"This fellow said,

'I am able to destroy the temple of God
and rebuild it in three days.'"

Then the high priest stood up
and said to Jesus,

"Are You not going to answer?

What is this testimony
that these men are bringing against You?"

But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to Him,

"I charge You under oath
by the living God,

tell us if You are the Messiah,
the Son of God."

"You have said so,"
Jesus replied.

"but I say to all of you,

from now on, you will see the Son of Man,

sitting at the right hand
of the Mighty One

and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Then the high priest tore
his clothes and said,

"He has spoken blasphemy!

Why do we need any more witnesses?

Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

What do you think?"

"He is worthy of death." They answered.

Then they spit in His face
and struck Him with their fists.

Others slapped Him and said,

"Prophesy to us, Messiah.
Who hit You?"

Now Peter was sitting out
in the courtyard,

and a servant girl came to him.

"You also were with Jesus of Galilee,"
she said.

But he denied it before them all.

"I don't know what you're talking about."
He said.

Then he went out to the gateway,

where another servant girl saw him
and said to the people there,

"This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth."

He denied it again, with an oath,
"I don't know the man!"

After a little while,

those standing there,
went up to Peter and said,

"Surely you are one of them.
Your accent gives you away."

Then he began to call down curses,

and he swore to them,
"I don't know the man!"

Immediately a rooster crowed.

Then Peter remembered the word
Jesus had spoken,

"Before the rooster crows,
you will disown me three times."

And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Early in the morning,
all the chief priests

and the elders of the people

made their plans
how to have Jesus ex*cuted.

So they bound him, led him away,

and handed him over
to Pilate, the governor.

When Judas, who had betrayed Him,
saw that Jesus was condemned,

he was seized with remorse

and returned the thirty pieces of silver
to the chief priests and the elders.

"I have sinned," he said,

"for I have betrayed innocent blood."

"What is that to us?" They replied.

"That's your responsibility."

So Judas threw the money into the temple
and left.

Then he went away and hanged himself.

The chief priests picked up the coins
and said,

"It is against the law to put this
into the treasury,

since it is blood money."

So they decided to use the money
to buy the potter's field

as a burial place for foreigners.

That is why it has been called
the Field of Blood to this day.

Then what was spoken
by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled,

"They took the thirty pieces of silver,

the price set on him
by the people of Israel,

and they used them
to buy the potter's field,

as the Lord commanded me."

Meanwhile,
Jesus stood before the governor,

and the governor asked him,

"Are You the King of the Jews?"

"You have said so." Jesus replied.

When he was accused by the chief priests
and the elders, he gave no answer.

Then Pilate asked him,

"Don't you hear the testimony
they are bringing against you?"

But Jesus made no reply,

not even to a single charge,

to the great amazement of the governor.

Now it was the governor's custom
at the festival

to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.

At that time,
they had a well-known prisoner

whose name was Jesus Barabbas.

So when the crowd had gathered,
Pilate asked them,

"Which one do you want me
to release to you,

Jesus Barabbas,
or Jesus who is called the Messiah?"

For he knew it was out of self-interest

that they had handed Jesus over to him.

While Pilate was sitting
on the judge's seat,

his wife sent him this message,

"Don't have anything to do
with that innocent Man,

for I have suffered a great deal today
in a dream because of Him."

But the chief priests
and the elders persuaded the crowd

to ask for Barabbas
and to have Jesus ex*cuted.

"Which of the two do you want me
to release to you?"

asked the governor.
"Barabbas," they answered.

"What shall I do, then,

with Jesus who is called the Messiah?"
Pilate asked.

They all answered, "Crucify him!"

"Why? What crime has he committed?"
asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder,
"Crucify him!"

When Pilate saw
that he was getting nowhere,

but that instead an uproar was starting,

he took water and washed his hands
in front of the crowd.

"I am innocent of this man's blood."
he said.

"It is your responsibility!"

All the people answered,

"His blood is on us and on our children!"

Then he released Barabbas to them,

but he had Jesus flogged,

and handed him over to be crucified.

Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus
into the Praetorium

and gathered the whole company
of soldiers around Him.

They stripped Him
and put a scarlet robe on Him,

and then twisted together
a crown of thorns and set it on His head.

They put a staff in His right hand.

Then they knelt in front of Him
and mocked Him.

"Hail, king of the Jews!", they said.

They spit on Him,

and took the staff and struck Him
on the head again and again.

After they had mocked Him,
they took off the robe

and put His own clothes on Him.

Then they led him away to crucify Him.

As they were going out,

they met a man from Cyrene named Simon,

and they forced him to carry the cross.

They came to a place called Golgotha,

which means "The place of the skull".

There they offered Jesus wine
to drink, mixed with gall,

but after tasting it,
He refused to drink it.

When they had crucified Him,

they divided up His clothes
by casting lots.

And sitting down,
they kept watch over Him there.

Above His head, they placed
the written charge against him,

"This is Jesus, the king of the Jews."

Two rebels were crucified with Him,

one on His right and one on His left.

Those who passed by hurled insults at Him,

shaking their heads and saying,

"You who are going to destroy the temple

and build it in three days, save yourself!

Come down from the cross,
if you are the Son of God!"

In the same way, the chief priests,

the teachers of the law,
and the elders mocked Him.

"He saved others," they said,
"but He can't save Himself!

He's the king of Israel!

Let Him come down now from the cross,

and we will believe in Him.

He trusts in God.

Let God rescue Him now if he wants Him,

for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

In the same way,
the rebels who were crucified with Him

also heaped insults on Him.

From noon until three in the afternoon,

darkness came over all the land.

About three in the afternoon,

Jesus cried out in a loud voice,

"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"

Which means,

"My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?"

When some
of those standing there heard this,

they said, "He's calling Elijah."

Immediately one of them ran
and got a sponge.

He filled it with wine vinegar,
put it on a staff,

and offered it to Jesus to drink.

The rest said, "Now leave Him alone.

Let's see if Elijah comes to save Him."

And when Jesus had cried out again
in a loud voice,

He gave up His spirit.

At that moment,

the curtain of the temple was torn in two
from top to bottom.

The earth shook, the rocks split,
and the tombs broke open.

The bodies of many holy people
who had d*ed were raised to life.

They came out of the tombs
after Jesus' resurrection

and went into the Holy City
and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him
who were guarding Jesus

saw the earthquake
and all that had happened,

they were terrified, and exclaimed,

"Surely, He was the Son of God!"

Many women were there,
watching from a distance.

They had followed Jesus from Galilee
to care for his needs.

Among them, were Mary Magdalene,

Mary the mother of James and Joseph,

and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

As evening approached,

there came a rich man
from Arimathea named Joseph,

who had himself become a disciple
of Jesus.

Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body,

and Pilate ordered
that it be given to him.

Joseph took the body,
wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

and placed it in his own new tomb
that he had cut out of the rock.

He rolled a big stone
in front of the entrance to the tomb

and went away.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary

were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The next day,
the one after Preparation Day,

the chief priests
and the Pharisees went to Pilate.

"Sir," they said,

"we remember that while he was still alive
that deceiver said,

'After three days I will rise again.'

So give the order for the tomb
to be made secure until the third day.

Otherwise, his disciples may come
and steal the body

and tell the people
that he has been raised from the dead.

This last deception will be worse
than the first."

"Take a guard," Pilate answered.

"Go, make the tomb
as secure as you know how."

So they went
and made the tomb secure

by putting a seal on the stone
and posting the guard.

After the Sabbath,

at dawn on the first day
of the week,

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went
to look at the tomb.

There's a violent earthquake,

for an angel of the Lord came down
from heaven

and, going to the tomb,
rolled back the stone and sat on it.

His appearance was like lightning,

and his clothes were white as snow.

The guards were so afraid of him

that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women,
"Do not be afraid,

for I know that you are looking for Jesus,
who was crucified.

He is not here.
He has risen, just as He said.

Come and see the place where he lay.

Then go quickly and tell his disciples,

'He has risen from the dead

and is going ahead of you into Galilee.

There you will see Him.'

Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away
from the tomb,

afraid yet filled with joy,
and ran to tell His disciples.

Suddenly Jesus met them.

"Greetings." He said.

They came to Him,
clasped His feet and worshiped Him.

Then Jesus said to them,
"Do not be afraid.

Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee,

there they will see me."

While the women were on their way,

some of the guards went into the city

and reported to the chief priests
everything that had happened.

When the chief priests had met
with the elders and devised a plan,

they gave the soldiers
a large sum of money,

telling them, "You are to say,

'His disciples came during the night

and stole Him away
while we were asleep.'

If this report gets to the governor,

we will satisfy him
and keep you out of trouble."

So the soldiers took the money
and did as they were instructed.

And this story has been widely circulated

among the Jews to this very day.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee

to the mountain where Jesus
had told them to go.

When they saw Him, they worshiped Him,

but some doubted.

Then Jesus came to them and said,

"All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me.

Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey everything
I have commanded you.

And surely, I am with you always,

to the very end of the age."