49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, a“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Then He said to the woman, a“Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Many Women Minister to Jesus
8
1 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and 1bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him,
2 and acertain women who had been healed of evil spirits and 1infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, bout of whom had come seven demons,
3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for 1Him from their 2substance.
The Parable of the Sower
4 aAnd when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:
5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.
6 “Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.
7 “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.
8 “But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded 1a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, a“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Purpose of Parables
9 aThen His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”
10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the 1mysteries* of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that
a‘Seeing they may not see,
And hearing they may not understand.’
The Parable of the Sower Explained
11 a“Now the parable is this: The seed is the bword of God.
12 “Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 “But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of 1temptation fall away.
14 “Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with *cares, ariches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
15 “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with apatience.1*
The Parable of the Revealed Light
16 a“No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the blight.
17 a“For nothing is secret that will not be brevealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.
18 “Therefore take heed how you hear. aFor whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he 1seems to bhave will be taken from him.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Come to Him
19 aThen His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.
20 And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.”
21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
Wind and Wave Obey Jesus
22 aNow it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out.
23 But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in 1jeopardy.
24 And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.
25 But He said to them, a“Where is your *faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, b“Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”
A Demon-Possessed Man Healed
26 aThen they sailed to the country of the 1Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.
27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons 1for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, he acried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, b“What have I to do with cYou, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!”
29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.
30 Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him.
31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out ainto the abyss.
32 Now a herd of many aswine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them.
33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.
34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.
35 Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, asitting at the bfeet of Jesus, clothed and in his cright* mind. And they were afraid.
36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was 1healed.
37 aThen the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the 1Gadarenes basked Him to cdepart from them, for they were *seized with great dfear. And He got into the boat and returned.
38 Now athe man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying,
39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed
40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.
41 aAnd behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house,
42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she awas dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.
43 aNow a woman, having a bflow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be *healed by any,
44 came from behind and atouched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter 1and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, 2and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived apower going out from Me.”
47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
48 And He said to her, “Daughter, 1be of good cheer; ayour faith has made you well. bGo in peace.”
49 aWhile He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the 1Teacher.”
50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; aonly believe, and she will be made well.”
51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go 1in except 2Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.
52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, a“Do not weep; she is not dead, bbut sleeping.”
53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
54 But He 1put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, aarise.”
55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.
56 And her parents were astonished, but aHe charged them to tell no one what had happened.
Sending Out the Twelve
9
1 Then aHe called His twelve disciples together and bgave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
2 aHe sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
3 aAnd He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.
4 a“Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.
5 a“And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, bshake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
6 aSo they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
Herod Seeks to See Jesus
7 aNow Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead,
8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.
9 Herod said, “John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?” aSo he sought to see Him.
Feeding the Five Thousand
10 aAnd the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. bThen He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.
12 aWhen the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.”
13 But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.”
14 For there were about five thousand men. Then He said to His *disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.”
15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.
16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He ablessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.
17 So they all ate and were 1filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
18 aAnd it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
19 So they answered and said, a“John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”
20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” aPeter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection
21 aAnd He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one,
22 saying, a“The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”
Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
23 aThen He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross 1daily, and follow Me.
24 a“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
25 a“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?
26 a“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be bashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.
27 a“But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”
Jesus Transfigured on the Mount
28 aNow it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.
30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were aMoses and bElijah,
31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His 1decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and those with him awere heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.
33 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three 1tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the acloud.
35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, a“This is 1My beloved Son. bHear Him!”
36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. aBut they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.
A Boy Is Healed
37 aNow it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.
38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.
39 “And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, *bruising him.
40 “So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”
41 Then Jesus answered and said, “O 1faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and 2bear* with you? Bring your son here.”
42 And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
43 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples,
44 a“Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.”
45 aBut they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.
Who Is the Greatest?
46 aThen a *dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.
47 And Jesus, aperceiving the thought of their heart, took a blittle child and set him by Him,
48 and said to them, a“Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and bwhoever receives Me creceives Him who sent Me. dFor he who is least among you all will be great.”
Jesus Forbids Sectarianism
49 aNow John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”
50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for ahe who is not against 1us is on 2our side.”
A Samaritan Village Rejects the Savior
51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for aHim to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,
52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.
53 But athey did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.
54 And when His disciples aJames and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, 1just as bElijah did?”
55 But He turned and rebuked them, 1and said, “You do not know what manner of aspirit you are of.
56 1“For athe Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
The Cost of Discipleship
57 aNow it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”
58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man ahas nowhere to lay His head.”
59 aThen He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”
61 And another also said, “Lord, aI will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is afit for the kingdom of God.”
The Seventy Sent Out
10
1 After these things the Lord appointed 1seventy others also, and asent* them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.
2 Then He said to them, a“The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore bpray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
3 “Go your way; abehold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.
4 a“Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and bgreet no one along the road.
5 a“But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’
6 “And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.
7 a“And remain in the same house, beating and drinking such things as they give, for cthe laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.
8 “Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.
9 a“And heal the sick there, and say to them, b‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
10 “But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,
11 a‘The very dust of your city which clings to 1us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’
12 1“But I say to you that ait will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.
Woe to the Impenitent Cities
13 a“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! bFor if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have *repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14 “But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
15 a“And you, Capernaum, 1who are bexalted* to heaven, cwill be brought down to Hades.
16 a“He who hears you hears Me, bhe who rejects you rejects Me, and che who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”
The Seventy Return with Joy
17 Then athe 1seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
18 And He said to them, a“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 “Behold, aI give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means *hurt you.
20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but 1rather rejoice because ayour names are written in heaven.”
Jesus Rejoices in the Spirit
21 aIn that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
22 a“All1 things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and bno one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
23 Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, a“Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see;
24 “for I tell you athat many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.”
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 And behold, a certain 1lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, a“Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
27 So he answered and said, a“‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your *soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and b‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and ayou will live.”
29 But he, *wanting to ajustify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among 1thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 “Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, ahe passed by on the other side.
32 “Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
33 “But a certain aSamaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had bcompassion.*
34 “So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 “On the next day, 1when he departed, he took out two adenarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’
36 “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”
37 And he said, “He who showed *mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, a“Go and do likewise.”
Mary and Martha Worship and Serve
38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named aMartha welcomed Him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, awho also bsat at 1Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
41 And 1Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are *worried and troubled about many things.
42 “But aone thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
The Model Prayer
11
1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
aOur1 Father 2in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
3Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And aforgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
1But deliver us from the evil one.”
A Friend Comes at Midnight
5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;
6 ‘for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;
7 “and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?
8 “I say to you, athough he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking
9 a“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; bseek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
10 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
11 a“If a son asks for 1bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
12 “Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give agood gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who *ask Him!”
A House Divided Cannot Stand
14 aAnd He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.
15 But some of them said, a“He casts out demons by 1Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”
16 Others, testing Him, asought from Him a sign from heaven.
17 aBut bHe, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.
18 “If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.
19 “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
20 “But if I cast out demons awith the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 a“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.
22 “But awhen a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his 1spoils.
23 a“He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
An Unclean Spirit Returns
24 a“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’
25 “And when he comes, he finds it swept and *put in order.
26 “Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and athe last state of that man is worse than the first.”
Keeping the Word
27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, a“Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”
28 But He said, a“More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Seeking a Sign
29 aAnd while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a bsign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah 1the *prophet.
30 “For as aJonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.
31 a“The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a bgreater than Solomon is here.
32 “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for athey repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
The Lamp of the Body
33 a“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a bbasket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.
34 a“The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is 1good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is 2bad, your body also is full of darkness.
35 “Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.
36 “If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”
Woe to the Pharisees and Lawyers
37 And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat.
38 aWhen the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.
39 aThen the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but byour inward part is full of 1greed and wickedness.
40 “Foolish ones! Did not aHe who made the outside make the inside also?
41 a“But rather give alms of 1such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.
42 a“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and bpass by *justice and the clove of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
43 a“Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the 1best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
44 a“Woe to you, 1scribes and Pharisees, *hypocrites! bFor you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”
45 Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You *reproach us also.”
46 And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! aFor you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
47 a“Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48 “In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.
49 “Therefore the wisdom of God also said, a‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’
50 “that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,
51 a“from the blood of Abel to bthe blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.
52 a“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”
53 1And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things,
54 lying in wait for Him, 1and aseeking to catch Him in something He might say, 2that they might accuse Him.
Beware of Hypocrisy
12
1 In athe meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, b“Beware of the 1leaven of the Pharisees, which is *hypocrisy.
2 a“For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be *known.
3 “Therefore whatever you have spoken in the *dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
Jesus Teaches the Fear of God
4 a“And I say to you, bMy friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, afear Him!
6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two 1copper coins? And anot one of them is forgotten before God.
7 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Confess Christ Before Men
8 a“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me bbefore men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.
9 “But he who adenies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10 “And aanyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
11 a“Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not *worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.
12 “For the Holy Spirit will ateach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 But He said to him, a“Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
15 And He said to them, a“Take heed and beware of 1covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the *abundance of the things he possesses.”
16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
17 “And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’
18 “So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
19 ‘And I will say to my soul, a“Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your *ease; beat, drink, and be merry.” ’
20 “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night ayour soul will be required of you; bthen whose will those things be which you have provided?’
21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, aand is not rich toward God.”
Do Not Worry
22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, ado not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.
23 “Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.
24 “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and aGod feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?
25 “And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
26 “If you then are not able to do the least, why 1are you anxious for the rest?
27 “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even aSolomon in all his glory was not 1arrayed like one of these.
28 “If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of alittle* faith?
29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.
30 “For all these things the nations of the *world seek after, and your Father aknows that you need these things.
31 a“But seek 1the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
32 “Do not *fear, little flock, for ait is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 a“Sell what you have and give balms; cprovide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.
34 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant
35 a“Let your waist be girded and byour lamps burning;
36 “and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
37 a“Blessed are those *servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
38 “And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
39 a“But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would 1have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
40 a“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”
42 And the Lord said, a“Who then is that faithful and wise *steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food 1in due season?
43 “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
44 a“Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
45 a“But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,
46 “the master of that servant will come on a aday when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
47 “And athat servant who bknew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 a“But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Christ Brings Division
49 a“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
50 “But aI have a *baptism to be baptized with, and how *distressed I am till it is baccomplished!
51 a“Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, bbut rather division.
52 a“For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three.
53 a“Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Discern the Time
54 Then He also said to the multitudes, a“Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is.
55 “And when you see the asouth wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is.
56 *“Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern athis time?
Make Peace with Your Adversary
57 “Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?
58 a“When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort balong the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
59 “I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”
Repent or Perish
13
1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had 1mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?
3 “I tell you, no; but unless you *repent you will all likewise *perish.
4 “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
6 He also spoke this parable: a“A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
7 “Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it 1use up the ground?’
8 “But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
9 1‘And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can acut it down.’ ”
A Spirit of Infirmity
10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way 1raise herself up.
12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your ainfirmity.”
13 aAnd He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had ahealed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, b“There are six days on which men ought *to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and cnot on the Sabbath day.”
15 The Lord then answered him and said, 1“Hypocrite! aDoes not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
16 “So ought not this woman, abeing a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”
17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were adone by Him.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
18 aThen He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?
19 “It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a 1large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”
The Parable of the Leaven
20 And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?
21 “It is like 1leaven, which a woman took and hid in three ameasures2 of meal till it was all leavened.”
The Narrow Way
22 aAnd He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there afew who are saved?” And He said to them,
24 a“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for bmany, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
25 a“When once the Master of the house has risen up and bshut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, c‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, d‘I do not know you, where you are from,’
26 “then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’
27 a“But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. bDepart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’
28 a“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, bwhen you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.
29 “They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.
30 a“And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
31 1On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”
32 And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day aI shall be 1perfected.’
33 “Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
Jesus Laments over Jerusalem
34 a“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!
35 “See! aYour house is left to you desolate; and 1assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, b‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”
A Man with Dropsy Healed on the Sabbath
14
1 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.
2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.
3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, a“Is it lawful to heal on the 1Sabbath?”
4 But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go.
5 Then He answered them, saying, a“Which of you, having a 1donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”
6 And they could not answer Him regarding these things.
Take the Lowly Place
7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:
8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;
9 “and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.
10 a“But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.
11 a“For whoever *exalts himself will be 1humbled, and he who *humbles himself will be exalted.”
12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.
13 “But when you give a feast, invite athe poor, the 1maimed, the lame, the blind.
14 “And you will be ablessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
The Parable of the Great Supper
15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, a“Blessed is he who shall eat 1bread in the kingdom of God!”
16 aThen He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,
17 “and asent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’
18 “But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’
19 “And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’
20 “Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
21 “So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being *angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the 1maimed and the lame and the blind.’
22 “And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’
23 “Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24 ‘For I say to you athat none of those men who were invited shall *taste my supper.’ ”
Leaving All to Follow Christ
25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,
26 a“If anyone comes to Me band does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, cyes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
27 “And awhoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
28 “For awhich of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
29 “lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 “saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
31 “Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32 “Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
33 “So likewise, whoever of you adoes not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
Tasteless Salt Is Worthless
34 a“Salt is *good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
35 “It is neither fit for the land nor for the 1dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
15
1 Then aall the tax collectors and the *sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man 1receives sinners aand eats with them.”
3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying:
4 a“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
5 “And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 “And when he comes home, he calls together his *friends and neighbors, saying to them, a‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep bwhich was lost!’
7 “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents athan over ninety-nine 1just persons who bneed no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman, having ten silver 1coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
9 “And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’
10 “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.
12 “And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them ahis livelihood.
13 “And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with 1prodigal living.
14 “But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in *want.
15 “Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 “And he would *gladly have filled his stomach with the 1pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 ‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, aI have sinned against heaven and before you,
19 “and I am no longer worthy to be *called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’
20 “And he arose and came to his father. But awhen* he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had *compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven aand in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, 1‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23 ‘And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24 a‘for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 “So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27 “And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him *safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
28 “But he was *angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
29 “So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
30 ‘But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
32 ‘It was right that we should make merry and be glad, afor your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”
The Parable of the Unjust Steward
16
1 He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a *steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was 1wasting his goods.
2 “So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an aaccount of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’
3 “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.
4 ‘I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’
5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
6 “And he said, ‘A hundred 1measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’
7 “Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred 1measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
8 “So the master commended the unjust *steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than athe sons of light.
9 “And I say to you, amake friends for yourselves by *unrighteous 1mammon, that when 2you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.
10 a“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
11 “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 “And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your aown?
13 a“No servant 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. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
The Law, the Prophets, and the Kingdom
14 Now the Pharisees, awho were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they 1derided Him.
15 And He said to them, “You are those who ajustify yourselves bbefore men, but cGod knows your hearts. For dwhat is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
16 a“The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.
17 a“And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one 1tittle of the law to fail.
