THE NEW TESTAMENT
The Gospel According to
Author
Although this Gospel does not identify its author, early church tradition attributes it to Matthew, the apostle and former tax collector. Other than his name and occupation, little is known about him. Tradition says that for fifteen years following the resurrection of Jesus he preached in Palestine and then conducted missionary campaigns in other nations.
Date
The external evidence, such as quotations in Christian literature of the first century, testifies to the early existence and use of Matthew. Church leaders of the second and third centuries generally agreed that Matthew was the first Gospel to be written, and various statements in their writings indicate a date between A.D. 50 and 65. However, many modern scholars feel that both Matthew and Luke relied heavily on Mark in writing their Gospels, and accordingly date Matthew later. The ongoing tension between Jew and Gentile that is reflected in the Gospel suggests a period when Judaism and Christianity still overlapped.
Purpose
Matthew’s aim is to present Jesus, not only as the Messiah, but as the Son of David, and to elaborate this truth in such a way that it would aid the Christians in their controversies with the Jews. He shows how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, and how the Law is filled with new meaning and supplemented in the Person, words, and work of Christ. Matthew also points out how the rejection of Christ by Israel’s leadership results in the extension of God’s salvation to all people who will receive, rather than reject, His Son. “The kingdom of God will be taken from you [Israel] and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (21:43).
Content
The purpose of Matthew is evident in the structure of his book, which groups the teachings and deeds of Jesus into five divisions. The fivefold structure, common in Judaism, may reveal Matthew’s purpose of showing Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law. Each division concludes with the formula, “And when Jesus had ended these sayings” (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1).
In the prologue (1:1—2:23), Matthew shows that Jesus is the Messiah by linking Him with promises made to Abraham and David. The birth of Jesus highlights the fulfillment theme, portrays Jesus’ royalty, and underscores the significance of Jesus for the Gentiles. The first division (chs. 3—7) contains the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus describes how people should live under God’s reign.
The second division (chs. 8:1—11:1) features the instructions of Jesus to His disciples when He sent them out on their missionary journey.
The third division (11:2—13:52) records several controversies in which Jesus was involved and seven parables describing some aspect of the kingdom of heaven, coupled with the necessary human response.
The major discourse in the fourth division (13:53—18:35) concerns the conduct of believers within the Christian fellowship (ch. 18).
Matthew’s fifth division (19:1—25:46) narrates the final journey of Jesus to Jerusalem and reveals His climactic conflict with Judaism. Chapters 24 and 25 contain the teaching of Jesus relating to the last things. The remainder of the book (26:1—28:20) details events and teachings pertaining to the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the Lord’s commission to the church. Except at the beginning and at the end of the Gospel, Matthew’s arrangement is not chronological and not strictly biographical, but is designed to show that in Jesus Judaism finds the fulfillment of its hopes.
Personal Application
Matthew’s emphasis on Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy (41 OT quotes) shows that Jesus’ life and ministry were part of the single plan of God throughout the history of Israel, and that His death and Resurrection were part of God’s divine plan from the beginning. The entire Gospel stresses that Jesus is Immanuel—God-With-Us.
Because God is with us in the Person of Jesus, Matthew’s Gospel calls for complete obedience in personal and corporate life.
The book also gives to the church a clarion call to mission, the proclamation of the good news to all peoples. Christian disciples must learn to live within the tension of two ages, the present age of fulfillment in the Person of Jesus (in His words and works through His church by the Spirit’s power) and the Age to Come, that is, the consummation of all things. In the interim, Christians are called to be humble, patient, genuine, faithful, watchful, and responsible—assured of the risen Jesus’ presence as they are expectant of His return when faith will give way to sight.
Christ Revealed
This Gospel presents Jesus as the fulfillment of all messianic hopes and expectations. Matthew carefully structures his narratives to reveal Jesus as fulfilling specific prophecies. Therefore, he saturates his Gospel with both quotations from and allusions to the Old Testament, introducing many of them with the formula “that it might be fulfilled.”
In the Gospel, Jesus often refers to Himself as the Son of Man, a veiled reference to His messiahship (see Dan. 7:13, 14). Not only did the term allow Jesus to avoid common misunderstandings stemming from more popular messianic titles, but it enabled Him to interpret both His redemptive mission (as in 17:12, 22; 20:28; 26:24) and His return in glory (as in 13:41; 16:27; 19:28; 24:30, 44; 26:64).
Matthew’s use of the title “Son of God” clearly underscores Jesus’ deity (see 1:23; 2:15; 3:17; 16:16). As the Son, Jesus has a direct and unmediated relationship with the Father (11:27).
Matthew presents Jesus as Lord and Teacher of the church, the new community, which is called to live out the new ethic of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus declares “the church” as His select instrument for fulfilling the purposes of God on Earth (16:18; 18:15–20). Matthew’s Gospel may have served as a teaching manual for the early church, including the amazing world-oriented Great Commission (28:12–20), with its guarantee of Jesus’ living presence.
The Holy Spirit at Work
The activity of the Holy Spirit is evident at every phase of the life and ministry of Jesus. It was by the power of the Spirit that Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb (1:18, 20).
Before Jesus began His public ministry, He was filled with the Spirit of God (3:16), and followed the Spirit’s leading into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil as further preparation for His messianic role (4:1). The power of the Spirit enabled Jesus to heal (12:15–21) and to cast out demons (12:28).
Just as John immersed his followers in water, Jesus will immerse His followers in the Holy Spirit (3:11). In 7:21–23 we find a warning directed against false charismatics, those in the church who prophesy, cast out demons, and do wonders, but do not do the will of the Father. Presumably, the same Holy Spirit who inspires charismatic activities, must also empower the people of the church to do the will of God (7:21).
Jesus declared that His works were done in the power of the Holy Spirit, giving evidence that the kingdom of God had come and that the power of Satan was being overthrown. Therefore, to ascribe the power of the Spirit to the Devil was to commit an unpardonable sin (12:28–32).
In 12:28 the Holy Spirit is connected to Jesus’ exorcisms and the present reality of the kingdom of God, not solely by the fact of exorcism per se, for the Pharisees’ sons (disciples) also practice exorcism (12:27). Rather, the Holy Spirit is with the Messiah effecting a new event—“the kingdom of God has come upon you” (v. 28).
Finally, the Holy Spirit is found in the Great Commission (28:16–20). The disciples are commanded to go and make disciples of all nations, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (v. 19). That is, they are to baptize them “unto/with reference to” the name, or authority, of the triune God. In their obedience to this commission, Jesus’ disciples are assured of His ongoing presence with them.
Outline of Matthew
Prologue: Genealogy and infancy narratives 1:1—2:23
A. The genealogy of Jesus 1:1–17
B. Jesus’ birth 1:18–25
C. Worship of the wise men 2:1–12
D. Flight into Egypt, the slaughter of the infants, and the return to Israel 2:13–23
I. Part One: Proclamation of the kingdom of heaven 3:1—7:29
A. Narrative: Beginning of Jesus’ ministry 3:1—4:25
B. Discourse: Sermon on the Mount 5:1—7:29
II. Part Two: Jesus’ ministry in Galilee 8:1—11:1
A. Narrative: Ten miracle stories 8:1—9:34
B. Discourse: Mission and martyrdom 9:35—11:1
III. Part Three: Controversy stories and parables 11:2—13:52
A. Narrative: Controversywhich escalates 11:2—12:50
B. Discourse: Parables of the kingdom 13:1–52
IV. Part Four: Narrative, controversy, and discourse 13:53—18:35
A. Narrative: Various episodespreceding Jesus’ finaljourney to Jerusalem 13:53—17:27
B. Discourse: Teaching on the church 18:1–35
V. Part Five: Jesus in Judea and Jerusalem 19:1—25:46
A. Narrative: Jesus’ final journey and the mounting conflict 19:1—23:39
B. Discourse: Jesus’ eschatological teaching 24:1—25:46
The Passion narrative 26:1—27:66
The Resurrection narrative 28:1–20
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
1 THE book of the agenealogy1 of *Jesus *Christ, bthe Son of David, cthe Son of Abraham:
2 aAbraham begot Isaac, bIsaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot cJudah and his brothers.
3 aJudah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, bPerez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.
4 Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon.
5 Salmon begot aBoaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
6 and aJesse begot David the king.
bDavid the king begot Solomon by her 1who had been the wife of Uriah.
7 aSolomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot bAbijah, and Abijah begot 1Asa.
8 Asa begot aJehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot bUzziah.
9 Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot aAhaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah.
10 aHezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot 1Amon, and Amon begot bJosiah.
11 aJosiah begot 1Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were bcarried away to Babylon.
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, aJeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot bZerubbabel.
13 Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor.
14 Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud.
15 Eliud begot Eleazar, Elaazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob.
16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of aMary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
Christ Born of Mary
18 Now the abirth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child bof the Holy Spirit.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being 1a just man, and not *wanting ato make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, afor that which is 1conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21 a“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall *call His *name 1JESUS, bfor He will *save His people from their sins.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
23 a“Behold,1 the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,
25 and 1did not know her till she had brought forth aher2 firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.
Wise Men from the East
1 Now after aJesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, 1wise men bfrom the East came to Jerusalem,
2 saying, a“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen bHis star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was *troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all athe chief priests and bscribes of the people together, che inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘Buta you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
bWho will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the 1wise men, determined from them what *time the astar appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, athey presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Then, being divinely warned ain a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
The Flight into Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to *destroy Him.”
Fulfillment of prophecy was involved both when Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), obeying the imperial decree (Luke 2:1–5), and when they went to Egypt (Hos. 11:1), following the angel’s command (Matt. 2:13).
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,
15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, a“Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
Massacre of the Innocents
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the *prophet, saying:
18 “A avoice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”
The Home in Nazareth
19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 asaying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who bsought the young Child’s life are dead.”
21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a adream, he turned aside binto the region of Galilee.
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called aNazareth, that it might be fulfilled bwhich was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 In those days aJohn the Baptist came preaching bin the wilderness of Judea,
2 and saying, “Repent, for athe kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
a“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
b‘Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.’ ”
4 Now aJohn himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was blocusts and cwild honey.
5 aThen Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him
6 aand were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his *baptism, he said to them, a“Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from bthe wrath to come?
8 “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
9 “and do not think to say to yourselves, a‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10 “And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. aTherefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 a“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. bHe will baptize you with the Holy Spirit 1and fire.
12 a“His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will bburn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
John Baptizes Jesus
13 aThen Jesus came bfrom Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all *righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
16 aWhen He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and 1He saw bthe Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
17 aAnd suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, b“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Satan Tempts Jesus
1 Then aJesus was led up by bthe Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, a‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
5 Then the devil took Him up ainto the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple,
6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
a‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’
and,
b‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, a‘You shall not 1tempt the LORD your God.’ ”
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and ashowed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, 1“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, a‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
11 Then the devil aleft Him, and behold, bangels came and ministered to Him.
Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry
12 aNow when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.
13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,
14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
15 “Thea land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
16 aThe people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”
17 aFrom that time Jesus began to preach and to say, b“Repent,* for the kingdom of heaven 1is at hand.”
Four Fishermen Called as Disciples
18 aAnd Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon bcalled Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and aI will make you fishers of men.”
20 aThey *immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 aGoing on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, *mending their nets. He called them,
22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
Jesus Heals a Great Multitude
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, ateaching in their synagogues, preaching bthe *gospel of the kingdom, cand healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
24 Then 1His fame went throughout all Syria; and they abrought* to Him all sick people who were *afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He *healed them.
25 aGreat multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from 1Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
The Beatitudes
1 And seeing the multitudes, aHe went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2 Then He opened His mouth and ataught them, saying:
3 “Blesseda are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 aBlessed are those who *mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
For bthey shall inherit the 1earth.
6 Blessed are those who ahunger and thirst for righteousness,
aFor they shall obtain *mercy.
8 aBlessed are the pure in heart,
For bthey shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 aBlessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 a“Blessed are you when they *revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of bevil against you falsely for My sake.
12 a“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for bso they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth; abut if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 a“You are the light of the *world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 “Nor do they alight a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 “Let your light so shine before men, athat they may see your good works and bglorify your Father in heaven.
Christ Fulfills the Law
17 a“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18 “For assuredly, I say to you, atill heaven and earth pass away, one 1jot or one 2tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19 a“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds athe righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 “You have heard that it was said to those 1of old, a‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’
22 “But I say to you that awhoever is *angry with his brother 1without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, b‘Raca!’2 shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 3‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of 4hell fire.
23 “Therefore aif you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 a“leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25 a“Agree with your adversary *quickly, bwhile you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
26 “Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you *have paid the last penny.
Adultery in the Heart
27 “You have heard that it was said 1to those of old, a‘You shall not commit adultery.’
28 “But I say to you that whoever alooks at a woman to *lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 a“If your right eye causes you to 1sin, bpluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
30 “And if your right hand causes you to 1sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Marriage Is Sacred and Binding
31 “Furthermore it has been said, a‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’
32 “But I say to you that awhoever divorces his wife for any reason except 1sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Jesus Forbids Oaths
33 “Again you have heard that ait was said to those of 1old, b‘You shall not swear falsely, but cshall perform your oaths to the Lord.’
34 “But I say to you, ado not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is bGod’s throne;
35 “nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of athe great King.
36 “Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.
37 a“But let 1your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is *more than these is from the evil one.
Go the Second Mile
38 “You have heard that it was said, a‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
39 a“But I tell you not to *resist an evil person. bBut whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the *other to him also.
40 “If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
41 “And whoever acompels you to go one mile, go with him two.
42 *“Give to him who asks you, and afrom him who *wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, a‘You shall love your neighbor band hate your enemy.’
44 1“But I say to you, alove your enemies, bless those who curse you, bdo good to those who hate you, and pray cfor those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
45 “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for aHe makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the *just and on the unjust.
46 a“For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 “And if you greet your 1brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the 2tax collectors do so?
48 a“Therefore you shall be *perfect, just bas your Father in heaven is perfect.
Do Good to Please God
1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “Therefore, awhen you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they *have their reward.
3 “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 “that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret awill Himself *reward you 1openly.*
The Model Prayer
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the 1hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
6 “But you, when you pray, ago into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you 1openly.
7 “And when you pray, ado not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. bFor they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father aknows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
9 “In this amanner, therefore, pray:
10 Your kingdom come.
On earth bas it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our adaily bread.
As we forgive our *debtors.
13 aAnd do not lead us into temptation,
But bdeliver us from the evil one.
1For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory *forever. Amen.
14 a“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 “But aif you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Fasting to Be Seen Only by God
16 “Moreover, awhen you fast, do not be like the 1hypocrites,* with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
17 “But you, when you fast, aanoint your head and wash your face,
18 “so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you 1openly.
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 a“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 a“but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Lamp of the Body
22 a“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is 1good, your whole body will be full of light.
23 “But if your eye is 1bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
You Cannot Serve God and Riches
24 a“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the *other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. bYou cannot serve God and 1mammon.
Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I say to you, ado not worry about your *life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 a“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 “Which of you by worrying can add one 1cubit to his 2stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29 “and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not 1arrayed like one of these.
30 “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of *little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 “But aseek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not *worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Do Not Judge
1 1“Judge* anot, that you be not judged.
2 “For with what 1judgment* you judge, you will be judged; aand with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
3 a“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
5 “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 a“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking
7 a“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8 “For aeveryone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
9 a“Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 “Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 “If you then, abeing evil, know how to give *good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
12 “Therefore, awhatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for bthis is the Law and the Prophets.
The Narrow Way
13 a“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 1“Because narrow is the gate and 2difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
15 a“Beware of false prophets, bwho come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16 a“You will *know them by their fruits. bDo men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
17 “Even so, aevery good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 a“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, a‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who bdoes the will of My Father in heaven.
22 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we anot prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 “And athen I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; bdepart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Build on the Rock
24 “Therefore awhoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
25 “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
27 “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that athe people were astonished at His teaching,
29 afor He taught them as one having *authority, and not as the scribes.
Jesus Cleanses a Leper
1 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.
2 aAnd behold, a leper came and bworshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy awas cleansed.
4 And Jesus said to him, a“See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that bMoses ccommanded, as a testimony to them.”
Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant
5 aNow when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a bcenturion came to Him, pleading with Him,
6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”
7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and *heal him.”
8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, aI am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only bspeak a word, and my servant will be healed.
9 “For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!
11 “And I say to you that amany will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
12 “But athe sons of the kingdom bwill be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have *believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
Peter’s Mother-in-Law Healed
14 aNow when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw bhis wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.
15 So He touched her hand, and the fever *left her. And she arose and served 1them.
Many Healed in the Evening
16 aWhen evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,
17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
a“He Himself took our infirmities
And bore our sicknesses.”
The Cost of Discipleship
18 And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side.
19 aThen a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”
20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
21 aThen another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, blet me first go and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Wind and Wave Obey Jesus
23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
24 aAnd suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then aHe arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27 So the men marveled, saying, 1“Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea *obey Him?”
Two Demon-Possessed Men Healed
28 aWhen He had come to the other side, to the country of the 1Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly *fierce, so that no one could pass that way.
29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding.
31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, 1permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”
32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.
33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.
34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, athey begged Him to depart from their region.
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic
1 So He got into a boat, crossed over, aand came to His own city.
2 aThen behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. bWhen Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are *forgiven you.”
3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”
4 But Jesus, aknowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?
5 “For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?
6 “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
7 And he arose and departed to his house.
8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they amarveled1 and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
Matthew the Tax Collector
9 aAs Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
10 aNow it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with atax collectors and bsinners?”
12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13 “But go and learn what this means: a‘I desire *mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, bbut *sinners, 1to repentance.”
Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting
14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, a“Why do we and the Pharisees fast 1often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
15 And Jesus said to them, “Can athe 1friends of the bridegroom *mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and bthen they will fast.
16 “No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for 1the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.
17 “Nor do they put *new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins 1break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed
18 aWhile He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.”
19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His adisciples.
20 aAnd suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and btouched the hem of His garment.
21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.”
22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; ayour faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.
23 aWhen Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw bthe flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,
24 He said to them, a“Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him.
25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and atook her by the hand, and the girl arose.
26 And the areport of this went out into all that land.
Two Blind Men Healed
27 When Jesus departed from there, atwo blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, b“Son of David, have mercy on us!”
28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”
30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus *sternly warned them, saying, a“See that no one knows it.”
31 aBut when they had departed, they 1spread the news about Him in all that 2country.
A Mute Man Speaks
32 aAs they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed.
33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”
34 But the Pharisees said, a“He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”
The Compassion of Jesus
35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, ateaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease 1among the people.
36 aBut when He saw the multitudes, He was *moved with compassion for them, because they were 1weary and scattered, blike sheep having no *shepherd.
37 Then He said to His disciples, a“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
38 a“Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
The Twelve Apostles
1 And awhen He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
2 Now the names of the twelve *apostles are these: first, Simon, awho is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and 1Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4 aSimon the 1Cananite, and Judas bIscariot, who also betrayed Him.
Sending Out the Twelve
5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: a“Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of bthe Samaritans.
6 a“But go rather to the blost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 a“And as you go, preach, saying, b‘The kingdom of heaven 1is at hand.’
8 “Heal the sick, 1cleanse the lepers, 2raise the dead, cast out demons. aFreely you have received, freely give.
9 a“Provide neither gold nor silver nor bcopper in your money belts,
10 “nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; afor a worker is worthy of his food.
11 a“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out.
12 “And when you go into a household, greet it.
13 a“If the household is worthy, let your *peace come upon it. bBut if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 a“And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, bshake off the dust from your feet.
15 “Assuredly, I say to you, ait will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of *judgment than for that city!
Persecutions Are Coming