01 This is the record of the family[1] names of Jesus Christ[2], a descendant of David, a descendant of Abraham:
02 Abraham fathered Isaac; Isaac fathered Jacob; Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers; 03 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar; Perez fathered Hezron; Hezron fathered Ram; 04 Ram fathered Amminadab; Amminadab fathered Nahshon; Nahshon fathered Salmon; 05 Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab; Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth; Obed fathered Jesse; 06 Jesse fathered David, the king;[3] David fathered Solomon by the wife[4] of Uriah; 07 Solomon fathered Rehoboam; Rehoboam fathered Abijah; Abijah fathered Asa; 08 Asa fathered Jehoshaphat; Jehoshaphat fathered Jehoram; Jehoram fathered Uzziah; 09 Uzziah fathered Jotham; Jotham fathered Ahaz; Ahaz fathered Hezekiah; 10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh; Manasseh fathered Amon; Amon fathered Josiah; 11 Josiah fathered Jehoiachin and his brothers when Israel was carried away to Babylon.
12 After Israel was carried away to Babylon, Jehoiachin fathered Shealtiel; Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel; 13 Zerubbabel fathered Abiud; Abiud fathered Eliakim; Eliakim fathered Azor; 14 Azor fathered Zadok; Zadok fathered Achim; Achim fathered Eliud; 15 Eliud fathered Eleazar; Eleazar fathered Matthan; Matthan fathered Jacob; 16 Jacob fathered Joseph, Mary's husband; Mary gave birth to Jesus, the one called the Messiah[5].
17 There was a total of 14 generations from the time of Abraham until David's time. There were 14 generations from the time of David until Israel was carried away to Babylon. And there were 14 generations from the time when Israel was carried away to Babylon until the time of the Messiah.
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ[6] occurred:
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was engaged to be married to Joseph but before they were married[7], it was discovered that she was pregnant (by the Holy Spirit)! 19 However, Joseph, her husband-to-be, was a fair man; he did not want to disgrace her. So he decided to quietly call off the marriage.
20 He was thinking deeply upon these things when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, descendant of David, don't be afraid to take Mary to be your wife. The baby inside her comes from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son. You will name him Jesus[8], because he will save his people from their sins.
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord spoke about through the prophet[9]: 23 'Listen! The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son. They will name him Emmanuel[10] (which means, God is with us).'"[11] 24 When Joseph woke up from sleeping, he did as the angel of the Lord had ordered him to do; he took Mary to be his wife. 25 He did not have sexual relations with her[12] until she gave birth to the boy.[13] Joseph named him Jesus.
01 Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a town in Judea, during the time of King Herod the Great. Some wise men[14] from the east traveled to Jerusalem. 02 They asked, "Where is the one who was born to be king of the Jews?[15] We saw his star[16] in the east and we came to worship him." 03 When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed. Everyone else in Jerusalem was too. 04 He gathered all of the most important priests and teachers of the law from the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born. 05 They answered, "In the town of Bethlehem in Judea because this was written by the prophet Micah[17]: 06 'And you, Bethlehem, in the region of Judea, though small among the rulers, you are surely not the least, because a Leader will come out from you. He will shepherd my people, Israel.'"[18]
07T hen in secret, Herod called for the wise men. From them he added up the exact time when the star appeared. 08 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go, search very carefully for information about the child. When you find him, report to me so that I too may come to worship him."
09 After they had listened to the king, they left. Suddenly the star which they had seen in the east was leading them. It finally stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were most happy. 11 They went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother. They bowed down to worship him. They opened their treasures and brought him gifts - gold, perfume[19], and precious spices[20].
12 But God used a dream to warn them that they should not return to Herod. So they returned to their country by a different road. 13 After they had gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel said, "Get up! Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I speak to you again. Herod is about to begin searching for the child to kill him." 14 So Joseph got up. He took the child and his mother at night and left for Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod died, to make what the Lord God had said through the prophet come true: "I called My Son out of Egypt."[21]
16 When Herod realized that the wise men had made a fool out of him, he was very angry. He ordered his men to kill all the little boys in and around the town of Bethlehem - the boys who were two years old or younger (the time which Herod had figured out from the wise men). 17 Then what God had said through Jeremiah the prophet came true: 18 "A sound was heard in the town of Ramah,[22] crying and loud screaming. Rachel is crying for her children; she will not let anyone comfort her because the children are dead."[23]
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream in Egypt. 20 The angel said, "Get up! Take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel. The people who were trying to kill the child have died." 21 So Joseph got up. He took the child and his mother and entered the land of Israel. 22 Joseph heard that Herod Archelaus was ruling Judea instead of his father, Herod the Great. Joseph was afraid to go back there but, in a dream, God told him to leave for the region of the Galilee. 23 So he went and lived in a town called Nazareth[24] so that what God
had said through the prophets would come true: "He will be called a Nazarene[25]."
01 During those days, John (the one who immersed people) was preaching in the desert in the region of Judea. 02 He said, "Change your hearts! The kingdom of heaven is very near!" 03 This is the man whom God talked about through the prophet Isaiah: "There is a voice crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the Lord's way. Make His paths straight.'"[26] 04 John always wore clothes made of camel hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. He ate grasshoppers and wild honey. 05 People from Jerusalem and all over the region of Judea and all the area around the Jordan River continued coming to John. 06 They were admitting that they had sinned. John immersed them in the Jordan River.
07 When John saw many Pharisees[27] and Sadducees[28] coming to where he was immersing, he said to them, "You are like poisonous snakes! Who told you to run away from God's punishment which is coming? 08 You must do the things which will show that you really have changed your hearts!
09 "Don't think this to yourselves: 'Abraham is our father!' I tell you that God could make children for Abraham from these rocks here. 10 The ax is now ready to cut the trees down. Every tree which does not produce good fruit is being cut down and thrown into fire.
11 "Whenever you change your hearts, I will immerse you in water. But there is one coming later who is more important than I am. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will immerse you in the Holy Spirit and in fire! 12 He will come ready to clean the grain. He will separate the good grain from the straw. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn. Then he will burn the straw with a fire which cannot be put out."
13 Then Jesus traveled from the Galilee to the Jordan River where John was, so that John could immerse him 14 but John was trying to stop him. John said, "I need you to immerse me, yet you are coming to me?" 15 Jesus answered him, "Allow this for now because this is the proper way for us to fulfill being made right.[29]" Then John did so. 16 After Jesus was immersed, he came up from the water immediately. Suddenly, the sky was opened for him. He saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. 17 Suddenly a Voice came from heaven and said, "This is My son, and I give Myself to him, for his good, expecting nothing in return. I am very pleased with him!"[30]
01 Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil[31]. 02 Jesus did not eat anything for 40 days and nights. After this, Jesus was very hungry. 03 The devil[32] came and said to Jesus, "Since you are the Son of God, command these rocks to become food." 04 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'A person does not live on food alone. Instead, he lives on every word which comes from the mouth of God.'"[33]
05 Then the devil took Jesus into the holy city Jerusalem, and put him on the highest point of the temple. 06 He said to Jesus, "Since you are the Son of God, jump off! Because it is written: 'God will command His angels to take care of you.'[34] and, 'Their hands will catch you so that you will not hit your foot against a rock.'"[35] 07 Jesus answered him, "But this is also written: 'You must not test the Lord your God.'"[36]
08 Suddenly, the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory which was in them. 09 The devil said to Jesus, "I will give you all of these things if you will only bow down to worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to the devil, "Go away, Satan, because it is written: 'You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only Him.'"[37] 11 Then the devil left Jesus. Immediately, angels came and helped him.
12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,[38] he went up to the Galilee. 13 After leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, beside Lake Galilee, in the Zebulun and Naphtali area. 14 He did this to fulfill what God had said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, the way to the Mediterranean Sea along the Jordan River, the Galilee of the non-Jews. 16 The people who live in darkness have seen a great light. The light has dawned upon the people who live in that area; in the fear of death."[39]
17 From then on, Jesus began to teach: "Change your way of thinking because the kingdom of heaven is very near!" 18 While Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers. They were Simon (called Peter)[40] and Andrew, his brother. They were fishermen and they were throwing their nets into the lake. 19 Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fishermen - of people!" 20 They left their nets immediately and followed him. 21 Jesus went farther and saw two more men. They were brothers - Jacob[41] and John - sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with Zebedee, their father, preparing their nets. Jesus called them also. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father to follow Jesus.
23 Jesus was going all around the Galilee, teaching the Good News of the kingdom in their houses of worship[42]. Jesus was also healing people of all types of diseases and sicknesses. 24 The news about Jesus went all over the land of Syria. They brought him all the people who were sick. These people had all kinds of diseases; they were suffering with much pain. Some of them had demons inside them. Some were epileptics[43] and some were paralyzed. Jesus healed them all. 25 Large crowds followed him, coming from the Galilee, from the area of the Ten Towns,[44] from Jerusalem, from Judea, and from the area across the Jordan River.
01 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a hillside and sat down. His students[45] came to him. 02 He started teaching them by saying:
03 "How blest[46] are the people who are humble in spirit because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
04 "How blest are the people who know what sorrow means because they will be comforted.
05 "How blest are the people who are humble because the earth will be given to them.
06 "How blest are the people who are hungry and thirsty for what is right because they will be filled.
07 "How blest are the people who give mercy to others because they will receive mercy.
08 "How blest are the people who have pure hearts because they will see God.
09 "How blest are the people who make peace because they will be called the sons of God.
10 "How blest are the people who are persecuted because they are doing right because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
11 "How blest are you when people insult you, persecute you, and tell all kinds of lies against you because of me.
12 Be full of joy and be very glad because you will have great rewards in heaven. This was the way your ancestors persecuted the prophets before you.
13 "You are the earth's salt, but if the salt loses its salty taste,[47] then it is no good. You cannot make it salty again. It is good for nothing. It is thrown outside where people walk on it.
14 "You are light for the world. It is not possible to hide a city which is built on a hill. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, the lamp is put on a table, and it shines for everyone in the house. 16 So let your light shine for people so that they will see the good things you do. Then they will give glory to your Father, who is in heaven.
17 "Do not think I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy them. I have come to complete[48] them. 18 I am telling you the truth: so long as heaven and earth stand, not even a single dot or a comma can be changed in the law until everything is completed. 19 Anyone who disobeys even one of the smallest commands and teaches this action to others will not be important in the kingdom of heaven. But anyone who obeys and teaches the right action will be important in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, if your 'good action'[49] is no better than that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
21 "You have heard that this was said to the people long ago: 'Do not murder.[50] Anyone who commits murder will be punished.' 22 But I tell you, anyone who is angry with his brother will be condemned. Anyone who says, 'You idiot!'[51] to his brother must answer to the Jewish Council. Anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be punished in hell fire. 23 Suppose you are bringing your gift to God at the altar. While there, you remember that your brother has something against you. 24 Leave your gift right there in front of the altar. The important thing is to go and make friends with your brother. When you come back, offer your gift to God.
25 "When someone is trying to sue you, settle things out of court quickly. Do this while you are still with him on the way to court, or he might give you to the judge. And the judge might give you to the officer and then you might be thrown into jail. 26 I am telling you the truth: you may never get out of there, until you pay the last penny of what you owe.
27 "You have heard this said: 'You must not commit unlawful sexual intercourse[52].' 28 But I am telling you that when any man continues looking at a woman because he wants her sexually, he has already, in his heart, committed unlawful sexual intercourse with her.
29 "If your right eye is making you sin, take it out and throw it away! You would be better off to destroy one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. 30 Or, if your right hand is making you sin, cut it off and throw it away! You would be better off to destroy one member of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
31 "This has been said: 'A man who divorces his wife must give her divorce papers.' 32 But I am telling you, unless the reason is her unlawful sexual intercourse[53], any man who divorces his wife causes her to commit unlawful sexual intercourse, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits unlawful sexual intercourse, too.[54]
33 "Again, you have heard that this was said to the people long ago: 'Do not break your vow by God; do what you promised!' 34 But I am telling you this: do not make vows by God! Don't make a vow by heaven because heaven is God's throne. 35 Don't do it by the earth because the earth is God's footstool. Don't do it by Jerusalem because that is the city of the great king. 36 Don't do it by your head because you are not able to change one hair to be white or black. 37 Your yes answer should mean 'yes' and your no answer should mean 'no'. Saying any more than this is bad.
38 "You have heard that this was said: 'An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I am telling you this: do not fight back against evil. Instead, if a person hits you on the right side of your face, turn the other side to him also! 40 If someone wants to sue you in order to take your shirt, let him have your coat too! 41 If someone forces you to go one mile,[55] go two miles with him!
42 "Give to every person who asks you. When someone wants to borrow something, lend it to him. 43 You have heard that this was said: 'Give yourself to your friend,[56] for his good, expecting nothing in return, and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say this to you: give yourself to your enemies, for their good, expecting nothing in return! Pray for those who are cruel to you 45 so that you will become sons of your Father, who is in heaven. God's sun shines[57] upon good people and bad people. It rains upon the people who do right and upon those who do wrong. 46 If you give yourself, expecting something in return, to those who give themselves to you for their good, expecting something in return, then you are not any better than anyone else. Even tax collectors do the same thing! 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing? Even people without God do the same thing! 48 You must be perfect, as your Father in heaven is.
01 "Be careful not to do your good deeds in front of people so that they will notice you. If you do that, you will not receive a reward from your Father who is in heaven. 02 When you help poor people, don't sound a trumpet before you.[58] The hypocrites[59] act like that in the houses of worship[60] and on the streets so that people will praise them. I am telling you the truth: they have received their reward. 03 Instead, when you are helping poor people, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing 04 so that your action will be in secret. Your heavenly Father sees this in secret; He will repay you.
05 "And when you pray, don't be like the two-faced people.[61] They love[62] to stand praying in the houses of worship and on the street corners so that other people will see them. I am telling you the truth: they have received their reward. 06 Instead, when you pray, go into your private room and close the door. Then pray secretly to your heavenly Father. He sees this in secret; He will repay you. 07 When you pray, don't use words without thinking, as people of the world do. They think that by saying many words they will be listened to. 08 Don't be like them. Your heavenly Father knows the things you need, even before you ask Him.
09 "This is the way you should pray:
'Our Father in heaven, may Your name always be kept holy. 10 May Your kingdom come. May what You want done be done in earth as it is in heaven.
11 'Give us the food we need each day.
12 'Forgive us of the sins we have committed, as we forgive everyone who has done wrong to us.
13 'Keep us away from temptation. Rescue us from the evil one.[63]
'For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.'
14 "If you forgive people of the things they have done wrong to you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 However, if you do not forgive people, then your Father will not forgive the wrong things which you have done.
16 "And when you fast,[64] do not wear a sad face as the hypocrites do. They make their faces look serious so that people will realize that they are fasting. I am telling you the truth: they are receiving their reward. 17 Instead, when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face 18 so that people will not realize that you are fasting. Your heavenly Father sees it in secret; He will repay you openly.
19 "Do not store your treasures on the earth where moths and rust destroy and where robbers dig through to steal. 20 Instead, store your treasures in heaven where moths and rust cannot destroy and where robbers cannot dig through to steal. 21 The place where your treasure is, is also the place where your heart is.
22 "Your eye is like a lamp for the body. If your eye can see clearly, then the whole body is made bright. 23 But if your eye is dark with sin, then your whole body is made dark. If the light in you becomes dark, how great is that darkness!
24 "No slave can serve two masters at the same time. The slave will give himself to one, for his good, expecting nothing in return, over the other. Or, he will be more loyal to one and look down on the other. You cannot be a slave for God and Money at the same time. 25 Because of this, I am telling you, you should not worry about what you will eat[65] to stay alive. Don't worry about what clothes you will wear. Living is more important than eating, and the body is more important than clothes. 26 Look at the wild birds of the sky. Birds do not plant seeds or harvest them or gather them into barns, but your heavenly Father takes care of them. Are you not worth much more than birds? Of course!
27 "None of you can grow a half meter[66] taller by worrying about your height. 28 And why worry about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work hard or make threads for clothes. 29 I tell you, even Solomon, with all his beautiful clothes, was not dressed as well as one of these flowers. 30 Look how well God clothes the grass in the fields! But the grass is here today and thrown into the oven tomorrow to be burned. Will not God dress you much better? Oh, you have such little faith![67]
31 "So, don't worry, thinking to yourself, 'What will we eat?' or, 'What will we drink?' or, 'What will we wear?' 32 People without God put all these things first. Your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. 33 So put first God's kingdom and what is right. Then all the things you need will be given to you. 34 Don't worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will have its own worries. There is enough trouble in just one day.
01 "Don't pass judgment on others. Then you won't be condemned. 02 You will be judged by the standard which you use to judge others. You will be measured by the measure you use to measure others. 03 Why do you see the small speck which is in your brother's eye, but you don't notice the wooden beam which is in your own eye? 04 Or, how can you say this to your brother: 'Let me take that little speck out of your eye!'? When, look, there is a wooden beam in your own eye! 05 You are a hypocrite![68] First, take the beam out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly how to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
06 "Don't give what is holy to dogs. Don't throw your pearls in front of pigs. They might walk on them, then turn and attack you!
07 "So I tell you, continue asking, and it will be given to you. Keep on searching and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. 08 You will receive, if you will always ask. You will find, if you continue looking. And the door will open for you, if you continue knocking. 09 Do any of you have a son? What would you do if your son asked you for bread? Would you give him a rock? 10 What if he asked you for a fish? Would you give him a snake? 11 You are evil people, and yet you know how to give good gifts to your children. Surely your heavenly Father knows how to give good things to those people who ask Him.
12 "Do for other people all the things which you would like them to do for you.[69] This is the meaning of the law and the prophets.[70] 13 Go through the narrow gate which leads to eternal life. The gate is wide and the road is broad which leads to destruction. Many people are entering through it. 14 The gate is small which leads to life and the road is narrow. Only a few people are finding it.
15 "Be careful of false prophets. They come to you wearing clothes to make them look like sheep, but they are actually fierce wolves. 16 They can be recognized by the things they produce. Do people get grapes from thorn bushes? Do they gather figs from thorny weeds? 17 So every tree which is a good tree produces good fruit. But a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 It is not possible for a good tree to yield bad fruit. A bad tree cannot yield good fruit. 19 Every tree which does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into fire. 20 Therefore, you can recognize them by the fruit they produce.
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only the person who does what my heavenly Father wants him to do will enter it. 22 On that Day, many people will say this to me: 'Lord! Lord! Isn't it true that we have prophesied, using your name? And by your name, we performed many miracles.' 23 But then, I will say this openly to them: 'You people who are doing wrong, go away from me because I never knew you!'
24 "Every person who listens to my words and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house upon rock. 25 It rained and the river overflowed. The winds blew hard against that house, but the house did not fall because it was built upon rock! 26 However, every person who listens to my words and does not obey them is like a foolish man; he built his house upon sand. 27 The rain came down and the river overflowed. The winds blew hard against that house and it fell down. It was a terrible fall!"
28 And when Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were greatly amazed at his teaching. 29 Jesus was teaching them as one having authority, not like the teachers of the law.
01 When Jesus came down from the hillside, large crowds followed him. 02 Then a man with leprosy[71] came to him. He bowed down in front of Jesus. The leper said, "Lord, you can heal me if you want to." 03 Jesus said, "I do want to heal you - be healed!" Then Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the man. Immediately the man's leprosy was healed. 04 Jesus said to him, "Don't tell anyone what happened. Go show yourself to the priest. Then give a gift to God because you have been healed. This is what the law of Moses commands. It will prove to the priests that you are healed."
05 Jesus went into the town of Capernaum. A Roman army officer[72] came to him, begging him, saying, 06 "Lord, my boy is at home, sick in bed. He cannot move and he is suffering badly." 07 Jesus said to him, "I will go heal him." 08 The army officer answered, "Lord, you don't need to come into my house. I am not good enough to be with you. You only need to give the order and my boy will be healed. 09 I am a person under authority too. And there are soldiers below me whom I command. I can say to one, 'Go!' and he goes. I can say to another man, 'Come!' and he will come. Or, if I say to my slave, 'Do this!' he will do it."
10 When Jesus heard this, he was surprised. Jesus turned to the people who were following him and he said, "I am telling you the truth: I have not found this much faith[73] anywhere - not even in Israel! 11 I tell you, many people will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 Those who were sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the dark. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth." 13 Then Jesus said to the army officer, "Go, it will happen for you as you believed." The boy was healed in that same hour.
14 As Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law. She was sick in bed with a fever. 15 Jesus touched her hand and the fever left her. She got up and began to serve Jesus.
16 When it was late, they brought many people with demons to Jesus. With one word, he cast out the spirits. He healed all the people who were sick, 17 so that what God had said through the prophet Isaiah would come true: "He took our sicknesses and carried away our diseases."[74] 18 When Jesus saw that there was a crowd around him, he ordered, "Let us go across the lake."
19 A teacher of the law came near and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go!" 20 Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes to live in. The wild birds have nests in which to live, but I[75] have no place where I can rest my head." 21 Another one who was hearing
said to Jesus, "Lord, let me go and bury my father first." 22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me! Let the 'dead' bury their own dead!" 23 Jesus got into a boat and his students did too.
24 Soon there was such a big storm on the lake that the waves were breaking into the boat, but Jesus was asleep. 25 The students went to Jesus and woke him up. They said, "Lord, save us! We are going to drown!" 26 Then Jesus said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Oh, you have such little faith[76]!" Then Jesus got up and gave an order to the wind and the waves of the lake. The lake became very calm. 27 The men were amazed. They said, "What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
28 Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake in the area of the Gadarene people. Two men met him. They had demons in them. These men came out of the tombs. They were so fierce that no one could pass by on that road. 29 They yelled, "What do you want with us, Jesus, you Son of God? Did you come here to punish us ahead of time?" 30 A long way off there was a large herd of pigs that was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, "Since you must throw us out, send us into the herd of pigs." 32 Jesus said to them, "Go!" And they came out and went into the pigs. Suddenly the whole herd ran down the steep hill and into the lake. They drowned. 33 Some men had been taking care of these pigs. They ran away. When they came into the town, they told the whole story about the two men with demons. 34 Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged him to leave their area.
01 Jesus got into a boat and went back across the lake. He came to his own town. 02 There was a man who was paralyzed. He was lying on a small bed and some men were carrying him. When Jesus saw that these men believed, he said to the paralyzed man, "Be strong, friend; your sins are forgiven." 03 Some of the teachers of the law thought to themselves, "This man is speaking as if he were God!" 04 Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said, "Why are you thinking evil thoughts in your hearts? 05 Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven', or to say, 'Stand up and walk'? 06 I will prove to you that, on earth, I have the authority to forgive sins." Then Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Stand up! Pick up your bed and go home!" 07 Then the man stood up and went home. 08 When the crowds saw this, they had awesome respect for Jesus; they praised God for giving such power to men.
09 As Jesus was leaving that place, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. Jesus said to him, "Follow me!" Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinful people came and joined Jesus and his students for dinner. 11 Some Pharisees saw this. They asked Jesus' students, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinful people?" 12 When Jesus heard about it, he said, "Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. 13 Go and learn what this means: 'I want mercy more than I want animal sacrifices.' I came to invite sinners to change their hearts, not people made 'right'."
14 Then the students of John came to Jesus, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your students do not fast?" 15 Jesus asked them,
"Would it be right for the friends of the groom to be sad while he is still with them? But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then his friends will fast.
16 "No one sews a piece of cloth, which hasn't been washed, into an old garment because it would shrink and tear away and the hole would become worse. 17 No one puts new wine into old wine skins. If they did, the old wine skins would break open, the wine would spill out, and the wine skins would be ruined. Instead, people put new wine into new wine skins and both are preserved."
18 While Jesus was talking to them, suddenly a ruler of the house of worship came near and began to bow down in front of Jesus. The man said, "My daughter has just died! But if you come and put your hand on her, she will come back to life." 19 Jesus stood up and started to follow him. Jesus' students did too.
20 But there was a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She went behind Jesus and touched the edge of his robe. 21 She was thinking to herself, "If only I can touch his robe, then I will be made well!" 22 But Jesus turned around and saw her. He said, "Be strong, dear woman, you are made well because you believed." And from that moment on the woman was made well.
23 When Jesus came to the ruler's house, he saw the men playing flutes and the crowd making noise. 24 Jesus said, "Go away! The little girl did not die; she is only sleeping." But they laughed at him. 25 When the crowd had been put outside, Jesus went in and took her hand, and the little girl stood up. 26 And the news about this went out all over that region.
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him. They were shouting, "Son of David! Please help us!" 28 After Jesus had gone into a house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." 29 Then Jesus touched their eyes. He said, "May this happen to you because you believed!" 30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them, "Don't tell anyone about this!" 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that whole area.
32 While they were leaving the house, a man was brought to Jesus. The man could not talk. He had a demon in him. 33 After the demon had been thrown out, the man who had not been able to talk began to talk. The crowds were amazed. They said, "No one has ever seen anything like this happen in Israel!" 34 However, the Pharisees continued to say, "Jesus makes demons go away by using the power of the ruler of the demons!"
35 Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their houses of worship and preaching the Good News about the kingdom. He was healing all kinds of sicknesses and diseases. 36 When Jesus saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them because they were worried and helpless, like sheep that didn't have a shepherd. 37 Then Jesus said to his students, "There is a big harvest but there are not many workers. 38 So pray that the Owner of the harvest will send more workers into the harvest field."
01 Jesus called his twelve special students. He gave them the authority to throw out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and sickness. 02 These are the names of the twelve delegates: first, there was Simon (called Peter), Andrew (Peter's brother), Jacob (the son of Zebedee), John (Jacob's brother), 03 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), Jacob (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, 04 Simon the Revolutionary, Judas Iscariot (he is the one that turned against Jesus).
05 Jesus sent out these twelve men with these orders:
"Don't go off into any non-Jewish area. Don't go into any Samaritan town. 06 Instead, go to the lost sheep - the people of Israel. 07 As you are going, preach this: 'The kingdom of heaven is very near!'
08 "Heal sick people. Raise people from death. Make lepers well. Throw out demons. You received freely; give freely. 09 Don't take along any gold, silver, or copper in your money belts. 10 Don't take a bag for the trip, an extra suit of clothes, shoes, or a walking cane. A worker should be given his pay. 11 When you enter a town or a village, find someone there
who is worthy. Stay there until it is time to leave. 12 When you go into his house, give your greeting to it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your greeting of peace be upon it. However, if the household is not worthy, let your greeting of peace come back to you. 14 Whenever someone does not welcome you or listen to your words, go outside that town or house and shake the dust off your feet. 15 I tell you the truth: on the Judgment Day, God will punish the people of that town more than He will punish the people of Sodom and Gomorrah!
16 "Listen! I am sending you like sheep into a pack of wolves. Be wise like snakes, yet as gentle as doves. 17 Watch out for some people! They will betray you to the local courts. They will whip you in their houses of worship. 18 Men will take you to be judged before governors and kings because you are associated with me. You can tell them and the nations of the world all of the things you have seen me do. 19 When they turn against you, don't worry about what or how you will speak. At that time what you should say will be given to you. 20 You will not be doing the talking; it will be the Spirit of your heavenly Father who will be speaking through you.
21 "A brother will hand over his own brother - to have him put to death! A father will do the same thing to his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.
22 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the person who holds out to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, quickly go to another town. I am telling you the truth: I will come before you finish teaching in the towns of Israel.
24 "A student is not higher than the teacher. A slave is not higher than his master. 25 The student should be satisfied to become like his teacher. The slave should be satisfied to become like his master. Since they called the owner of the house 'Beelzebub', they will call the members of the owner's family by names which are even worse. 26 Don't be afraid of people because everything which is hidden will be found out and everything which is secret will be made known. 27 What I am telling you in the dark, you must tell in the light. What you hear whispered, you must announce from the top of the houses.
28 "Don't be afraid of people. People can kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul. Instead, you should be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Two sparrows are sold for only a small coin and yet, not one sparrow falls to the ground without your heavenly Father knowing it. 30 God even knows how many hairs you have on your head. 31 Don't be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
32 "If anyone confesses in front of other people that he believes in me, then I will speak for him in front of my Father in heaven. 33 But if anyone is ashamed of me in front of people, then I will be ashamed of him in front of my Father in heaven. 34 Don't think that I came to give peace to the world. No, I came to bring a sword. 35 I came to divide: 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, 36 a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. The enemies of a person will be the members of his own family.'
37 "The person who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. The person who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 The person who does not accept his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 The person who finds his life will lose it, but the person who gives his life to others because of me will find it.
40 "The person who welcomes you welcomes me. The person who is welcoming me is welcoming the One who sent me. 41 The person, who welcomes a prophet as a true prophet, will receive a prophet's reward. A person who receives a good man as a truly good man will receive a good man's reward. 42 If anyone gives one of these precious little ones a drink of cold water because he is my student, I tell you the truth, that person will certainly not lose his reward."
01 When Jesus finished giving these orders to his twelve students he left there to teach and to preach among their towns in the Galilee. 02 John was in prison. He heard about the thing which the Messiah was doing. So he sent his students to ask Jesus this question: 03 "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?"
04 Jesus answered them, "Go tell John the things you see and hear. 05 The blind people can see again. Crippled people can walk. People with leprosy are made well. The deaf can hear. Dead people are given life. And the Good News is given to the poor people. 06 The person who is not ashamed of me is truly happy!"
07 After these men left, Jesus began to tell the crowds about John:
"What did you people go into the desert to see? A stalk of grass being blown by the wind? 08 Why did you go out there? Did you go to see a man dressed in fine clothes? Listen, the people who wear fine clothes live in palaces. 09 Really, what did you go out there to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, John is even more than a prophet. 10 This was written about John: 'Listen! I am sending my messenger to go ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you!'
11 "I am telling you the truth: John (the one who immersed people) is greater than any man ever born, but the person who is least important in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. 12 From the time when John appeared until now, the kingdom of heaven is being attacked; violent men are trying to capture it. 13 Until the time of John, the law of Moses and all the prophets prophesied about it. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, John is the Elijah who was to appear. 15 The person, who has ears to hear with, should use them.
16 "Now I will compare the people of this time to something else: what are they like? The people of this time are like little children sitting in the marketplaces, 17 calling to each other: 'We played a happy song, but you did not dance. We played a sad song, but you did not cry!' 18 John came neither eating normal food nor drinking wine. And they say, 'He has a demon inside him!' 19 I came eating and drinking. And they say, 'Look, he eats too much and drinks too much wine! He is the friend of tax collectors and other sinful people!' True wisdom is shown to be right by the things it does."
20 Then Jesus began to criticize the towns where most of his miracles had occurred. The people had not changed their hearts. 21 "It will be horrible for you, O town of Chorazin! It will be horrible for you, Bethsaida! Many miracles have occurred in you. If these same miracles had occurred in the cities of Tyre and Sidon, then those people in Tyre and Sidon would have changed their hearts and actions long ago. 22 But on the Judgment Day, God will punish you more than the people of Tyre and Sidon. 23 And you, Capernaum, do you think you will be lifted up to heaven? You will be thrown down to Hades! Many miracles have occurred in you. If these same miracles had occurred in Sodom, that city would still be standing today. 24 But on the Judgment Day, God will punish you more than He will punish the people of Sodom!"
25 At that time Jesus said,
"Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I praise You because You have hidden these teachings from the 'wise' and 'intelligent' people but You show Your teachings to little children. 26 Yes, Father, I praise You because this is what You really wanted to do.
27 "My Father has given me all things. Only the Father knows who the Son is. And only the Son knows who the Father is. The only people who will know about the Father are those people whom the Son chooses to tell.
28 "Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads. If you will, I will give you rest. 29 Take the task I give you. Learn from me because I am gentle and humble in heart. You will find rest for your lives. 30 The task I give you is easy. The load I put upon you is not heavy."
01 At that time Jesus was traveling through a field of grain on a Sabbath day. His students were hungry. They began to pick the grain and eat it. 02 The Pharisees saw this and said to Jesus, "Look! Your students are doing what is not right to do on the Sabbath day." 03 Jesus said to them, "Do you remember reading about what David did when he and his men were hungry? 04 David went into the house of God. They ate the holy loaves of bread. The law did not permit David or his men to eat them - only the priests could eat them.
05 "You have read in the law of Moses that every Sabbath day the priests in the temple courtyard disobey the laws of the Sabbath. And yet, they have no guilt. 06 But I'm telling you, there is one here who is more important than the temple! 07 Have you read this: 'I want mercy more than I want animal sacrifices.'? If you had read this, you would not have condemned innocent people! 08 I am Lord over the Sabbath day."
09 Jesus moved on from that place. He went into their house of worship. 10 A man with a crippled hand was there. They asked Jesus, "Is it right to heal people on the Sabbath day?" (They wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong.) 11 Jesus said to them, "Suppose one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath day. Wouldn't you grab it and pull it out? 12 A human being is so much more important than a sheep. So it is right to do good on the Sabbath day." 13 Then Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" The man did this. His hand was made as healthy as his other hand.
14 The Pharisees left. They made plans to kill Jesus. 15 When Jesus learned about this, he left that place. Many people followed him. Jesus healed them all. 16 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
17 What God said through the prophet Isaiah came true: 18 "Look at My special servant! He is the one I have chosen. I give Myself to him, for his good, expecting nothing in return, and I am very pleased with him. I will put My Spirit upon him. He will announce justice for the nations. 19 He will not argue or yell. No one will hear his voice in the streets. 20 He will not break the stem of a plant that has been bent. He will not even put out the flame of a wick which is barely burning until he causes justice to win. 21 The nations will put their hope in his name."
22 Then they brought a man with a demon in him to Jesus. This man was blind and he could not talk. Jesus healed him. The man was able to speak and see. 23 All the crowds were amazed. They kept saying, "This man is not the son of David, is he?" 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man throws demons out only by using the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!"
25 Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to them,
"Every kingdom which is divided against itself will be ruined. Every town or family which is divided against itself will not hold together. 26 If Satan were throwing out Satan, then he would be divided against himself. How could his kingdom stay together? 27 But if I throw out demons by using the power of Beelzebul, then whose power do your own people use to throw them out? This is why your own people prove you are wrong! 28 However, if it is true that I use the Spirit of God to throw out demons, then God's kingdom has come upon you!
29 "How can someone go into a strong man's house and take away his possessions? He must first tie up the strong man. Then he can rob the strong man's house.
30 "If a person is not with me, he is against me. The person, who does not gather with me, scatters. 31 This is why I am telling you that people may be forgiven of any sin or any evil thing said against God. But they cannot be forgiven of saying evil things against the Holy Spirit! 32 If someone says something against me, he can be forgiven. However, if someone says something against the Holy Spirit, he cannot be forgiven - not in this age nor the next one. 33 Either call the tree good and its fruit good, or call the tree bad and its fruit rotten. A tree can be known by its fruit.
34 "You are like poisonous snakes. You are evil. How can you say good things? A person speaks what flows out of his heart. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, but an evil man brings out evil things from an evil heart. 36 I tell you, sometimes people talk without thinking. On the Judgment Day they will be held responsible for every word. 37 Your words can make you right with God or your words can condemn you."
38 Then some of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees answered Jesus, "Teacher, we want to see you do a miracle." 39 Jesus answered them,
"The people living today are very evil. They are not faithful to God. They ask for proof from God, but no proof will be given to them. The only proof will be the miracle which God worked for Jonah the prophet. 40 Jonah was in the belly of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, I will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 On the Judgment Day, the men from the city of Nineveh will condemn the people of this time.
"Why? Because when Jonah preached to them, they listened and changed their hearts. Listen! I am greater than Jonah. 42 The Queen of Sheba will rise up on the Judgment Day with the men of this time and she will condemn them. Why? Because she came a very long way to listen to the wisdom of Solomon. Listen! I am greater than Solomon!"
43 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. If the spirit does not find a place, 44 it says, 'I will go back to the house from which I came.' So it goes and finds that house empty, cleaned up, and in order. 45 Then the evil spirit goes and brings seven other spirits worse than itself, and they go into that man and live there. And that man has even more trouble than he had before. The evil people of this time will be the same way."
46 While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, at that time his mother and his brothers stood outside. They were wanting to speak with him. 47 Someone said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside; they want to speak with you." 48 Jesus answered that person, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 49 Then Jesus pointed to his students and said, "Look, all these people are my mother and my brothers! 50 If a person does what my Father in heaven wants him to do, he is my brother, my sister, or my mother!"
01 That day Jesus left the house and he was sitting beside the Lake of Galilee. 02 There were so many people who came to Jesus that he had to get into a boat. He sat in the boat and all the crowd stood on the shore. 03 Jesus used many examples to speak with them:
"A farmer went out to plant his seed. 04 While he was planting, some seeds fell along the road. The wild birds ate them up. 05 Some other seeds fell on rocky soil. There was not much soil there. The little plants grew up quickly because the soil was not deep. 06 But when the sun came up, the plants were burned because their roots dried up. 07 Some more seeds fell among thorny weeds. But the thorny weeds came up and killed them off. 08 And some seeds fell on good soil. Some were producing fruit 100 times more, some were producing 60 times more, and some 30 times more. 09 The person who has ears must use them!"
10 Jesus' students came and asked him, "Why do you use examples to speak to us?" 11 Jesus answered,
"You have been chosen to learn the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but these secrets have not been given to others. 12 The person who has something will get more. However, what will happen to the one who has almost nothing? Even what he has
will be taken away from him! 13 This is why I use stories when I talk with them: so that they look but do not see, and they listen but they do not understand. 14 They have made Isaiah's prophecy come true: 'You will certainly hear, but you won't understand! You will certainly see, but you won't understand! 15 The heart of this people has become hard. They have ears, but they do not listen. They have shut their eyes. Otherwise, they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, and then turn. I would heal them.' 16 You are very blessed to see what you now see, and to hear what you now hear. 17 I am telling you the truth: many prophets and upright men wanted to see what you now see, but they did not see it. And they wanted to hear what you now hear, but they did not hear it."
18 "Listen to the meaning of the example about the farmer:
19 A person hears the message about the kingdom, but he does not understand it. Then the evil one comes and takes away what was planted in the person's heart. This is the meaning of what was planted along the road. 20 What was planted on rocky soil is the person who hears the message and accepts it with gladness right away. 21 However he does not have deep roots in himself; he doesn't last long. When, because of the message, trouble or persecution comes, he soon gets discouraged and gives up. 22 That which was planted among the thorny weeds is the one who hears the message, but the worries of thisage and deceiving riches choke out the message. It never produces fruit. 23 What was planted on good soil is the one who listens to the message and understands it. He produces fruit - some of it is 100 times more, some is 60 times more, and some is 30 times more."
24 Jesus used another story. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like this: a man planted some good wheat seed in his field. 25 While his men were sleeping, the man's enemy came and planted some weeds among the wheat. Then he went away. 26 When the wheat came up and started making heads of wheat, the weeds appeared too. 27 The slaves went to the owner and said to him, 'Lord, you planted good wheat seed in your field. Where did the weeds come from?' 28 The man said to them, 'An enemy did this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go out and collect the weeds?' 29 He said, 'No, because while you are collecting the weeds, you might tear up the wheat which is next to the weeds. 30 Let the wheat and the weeds grow together until harvest time. At that time I will tell the workers to gather up the weeds first. Then they can tie them together in bundles to burn them, but they will gather the wheat into my barn.'"
31 As Jesus was talking to them, he used another story: "What is the kingdom of heaven like? It is like the seed of the mustard plant. A person plants the seed in his garden. 32 It is one of the smallest seeds of all. But when it grows up, it is the largest garden plant - it becomes a tree. The wild birds build nests in its branches."
33 Jesus spoke to them with another example: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast which a woman mixes into a tub of flour to make the bread rise."
34 Jesus used examples to say all these things to the crowds. He always spoke to them with a comparison story. 35 What God said through the prophet came true: "When I open my mouth to speak, I will use examples. I will tell things which have been hidden since the world was created."
36 Then Jesus left the crowds and went back to the house. His students came to him and said, "Tell us plainly the meaning of the story about the weeds in the field." 37 Jesus answered, "I am the one who planted the good seed. 38 The field is the world. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed the weeds is the devil. Harvest time is the end of the age. And the workers are angels. 40 The weeds will be collected and burned in fire. It will be like this at the end of the age. 41 I will send my angels. They will collect everything which makes people sin and the people who do wrong, and put them out of his kingdom. 42 The angels will throw them into a hot oven. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth. 43 Then the good people will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The person who has ears should use them!"
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a buried treasure. A man finds it buried in a field. He is so happy that he goes and sells everything he owns and buys that field."
45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a businessman who is always looking for good pearls. 46 One day he found a very beautiful pearl. He went and sold everything he owned and bought that pearl."
47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a big net which is thrown into the lake. It catches every kind of fish. 48 When the net is full, the men pull it onto the shore. Then they sit down and pick out the good fish. They throw the good fish on the beach but they throw the worthless fish away. 49 It will be like this at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the good people from the bad people. 50 The angels will throw the bad people into a hot oven. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth."
51 Jesus said to his students, "Do you understand these things?" They said to him, "Yes." 52 Jesus said to them,
"Every teacher of the law who becomes trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is the head of his house. He brings new things and old things out of his treasure."
53 When Jesus finished all these examples, he left that place. 54 He came to his own hometown. He was teaching them in their house of worship. They were greatly amazed at him. They asked, "Where did Jesus get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?
55 Isn't it true that he is the son of Joseph, the craftsman, and that his mother's name is Mary? His brothers are: Jacob, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. 56 His sisters are here with us too. So where did he get all these things?" 57 They were offended at Jesus. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not accepted in his own hometown or by his own family." 58 So because they did not believe, Jesus did not perform many miracles there.
01 At that time Herod Antipas, the ruler, heard the report about Jesus. 02 He said to his servants, "This is John (the one who immersed people)! He has come back to life! That is why these powers are working in him." 03 Before this time Herod had ordered his men to arrest John, tie him up, and put him in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. 04 John had been saying to Herod, "It is not right for you to have her!" 05 Herod wanted to kill John but he was afraid of the crowd. (The people thought of John as a prophet.) 06 When it was Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced in front of everyone. She pleased Herod. 07 He vowed to give her anything she asked for. 08 Her mother prompted her: "Give me, here on a plate, the head of John the Immerser!"
09 The king was very sad but because of the vow and the guests, Herod ordered that it be done. 10 He sent some men to the prison to cut off John's head. 11 His head was brought on a plate and given to the girl. She gave it to her mother. 12 John's students came and carried the body away and buried it. Then they went to tell Jesus about it.
13 When Jesus heard this, he left there in a boat to be all alone. He went to a place where no one lived. However, the crowds found out where Jesus had gone and on foot they followed him from the towns. 14 When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd; he felt sorry for them. He healed their sick people. 15 Since evening was coming, Jesus' students came to him and said, "No one lives in this place and it is already late. Tell the people to go away. They need to buy food for themselves in the villages around here." 16 Jesus said to them, "They don't need to go away. You give them something to eat!" 17 But they said to him, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish." 18 Jesus said, "Bring them here to me." 19 Jesus ordered the people to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves of bread and two fish. Then he looked up to heaven. He thanked God for the food and divided it. Then he began giving the loaves of bread to his students and they gave it to the people. 20 Everyone ate and was full. They gathered up all the pieces of the food which were left over. They filled twelve large baskets with this food. 21 (There were about 5,000 men, not including the women and children, who were eating.)
22 Soon Jesus made his students get into the boat. He wanted them to go on ahead of him across the lake while he sent the people away. 23 After Jesus sent the people away, he went up to a mountain to be alone and to pray. It was evening and Jesus was the only one there. 24 The boat was already a long way from the shore. The waves were beating against the boat; they were heading into the wind. 25 It was after three o'clock in the morning when Jesus came to them. He was walking on the lake. 26 When Jesus' students saw him walking on the lake, they were alarmed. They shouted with fear, "It's a ghost!" 27 Immediately Jesus spoke to them, "Be strong! It is I. Don't be afraid." 28 Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you on the water!" 29 Jesus said: "Come!" Then Peter got down from the boat and went toward Jesus, walking on the water. 30 But when Peter saw the way the wind was blowing, he was afraid. He began to sink. Peter cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately, Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him. Jesus said to him, "Oh, you have so little faith; why did you doubt?" 32 When they climbed into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 They all worshipped him, saying, "You really are the Son of God!"
34 After they crossed over, they came to the shore at Gennesaret. 35 The men from that place recognized Jesus. They sent people all over that area, bringing all of their sick people to Jesus. 36 The people were begging him; they only wanted to touch the tassel of his robe. And all those who did touch it were made well.
01 Then some teachers of the law and some Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus. They asked, 02 "Why are your students breaking the tradition of the elders? When your students eat, they do not wash their hands." 03 Jesus answered them, "Why do you break God's command for the sake of tradition of your own? 04 God commanded, 'You must honor and obey your father and mother.' and 'The person who curses his father or mother must die.' 05 But you say if anyone says to his father or mother, 'Whatever you might have gotten from me, I have given to God instead!' 06 So he will never respect his father or his mother. Because of your tradition you are taking away the authority of God's teaching! 07 Hypocrites! How right Isaiah was when he prophesied about you: 08 'These people respect me with their lips but their heart is far away from Me. 09 It does no good for them to worship Me. They teach commands made by men, not God.'"
10 Jesus called the crowd. He said to them, "Listen, and understand! 11 What goes into the mouth does not make a
person unholy. No, it's what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unholy." 12 Then Jesus' students came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were insulted when they heard this teaching?" 13 Jesus answered, "Every plant which was not planted by my heavenly Father will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them alone! They are blind guides. If a blind man guides another blind man, both of them will fall into a pit."
15 Peter said to Jesus, "Explain this story to us." 16 Jesus said, "Do you still not understand? 17 You know that everything which goes into the mouth goes into the stomach. Then it comes out as waste. 18 But the things which are coming from the mouth are really coming from the heart - these things make a person unholy. 19 These things come from the heart: evil thoughts, murder, unlawful sexual intercourse, sexual sin, stealing, lying, slander. 20 These are the things which make a person unholy. Eating with unwashed hands does not make a person unholy!"
21 Jesus left there and went to the area of the cities of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that area came out to Jesus. She shouted, "Lord! Son of David! Please help me! My daughter has a demon inside her; she is suffering terribly!" 23 But Jesus did not say a word to her. His students came begging him, "Send her away! She is always following us around, shouting." 24 Jesus answered her, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the family of Israel." 25 But she came to Jesus and bowed down in front of him. She said, "Lord, help me!" 26 Jesus answered, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." 27 But the woman said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, you have a strong faith. What you want will be done for you!" At that moment her daughter was healed.
29 Jesus went away from there and came down to Lake Galilee. He went up a hillside and sat down there. 30 Many people came to him. They had their sick people with them: the lame, the blind, the crippled, the deaf, and many others. They laid them at Jesus' feet and he healed them all. 31 The crowd was amazed when they saw the deaf talking, crippled people healthy, the lame walking, and blind people seeing. They praised the God of Israel.
32 Jesus called his students. He said to them, "I feel sorry for the people. For three days they have stayed with me without eating anything. I don't want to send them away hungry; they might faint along the road." 33 His students said to him, "Where can we get enough bread in this remote place to satisfy such a large crowd?" 34 Jesus said to them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They answered, "Seven … and a few little fish."
35 Jesus ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 He took the seven loaves of bread and the fish. After he thanked God, he divided the food and began giving it to his students who then gave it to the crowd. 37 Everyone ate and was full. They gathered up all the pieces of food which were left over. With this food, they filled seven small baskets. 38 (There were 4,000 men, not including the women and children, who ate.) 39 Jesus sent the crowds away. Then he climbed into the boat and he came to the Magdalah area.
01 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus. They were trying to make Jesus prove to them that he came from heaven. 02 Jesus answered them, "When evening begins, you say, 'It will be good weather tomorrow because the sky is red.' 03 And, in the morning, you say, 'Today it will be stormy because the sky is red and dark.' You can understand changes in the sky which show a change in the weather, but you cannot understand the signs of change of this time. 04 The people who are living today are evil and not faithful to God. They ask for a proof from God, but no proof will be given to them except the Jonah miracle." Then Jesus left them and went away.
05 When Jesus' students went across Lake Galilee, they forgot to bring along some bread. 06 Jesus said to them, "Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees." 07 They started thinking to themselves, "Jesus must have said this because we didn't bring along any bread."
08 Jesus knew what was on their minds. He said, "Oh, you have so little faith! Why are you thinking to yourselves, '… that you have no bread'? 09 Do you still not understand? Do you remember the five loaves of bread which fed the 5,000 men? Do you remember how many large baskets of leftovers you picked up? 10 Do you remember the seven loaves of bread which fed the 4,000 men? Do you remember how many small baskets of leftovers you picked up? 11 Why could you not understand what I was saying to you? When I said, 'Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees', I was not talking about bread." 12 Then they understood that Jesus was not wanting them to stay away from the yeast used for bread. Instead, he wanted them to stay away from the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
13 When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he began to ask his students, "Who do people say I am?" 14 They answered, "Some people say you are John (the one who immersed people). Other people say you are Elijah. And some people say you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 Jesus asked them, "But who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!"
17 "Blessed are you, Simon, son of John. My Father in heaven, not man, showed that to you. 18 Upon this rock foundation," Jesus answered, "I will build my called out people. Death will not overpower them. You are a piece of rock. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have already been bound in heaven. And whatever you loosen on earth will have already been loosened in heaven." 20 Then Jesus warned his students not to tell anyone that he is the Messiah.
21 From then on Jesus began to show his students that he must go away to Jerusalem; that the Jewish elders, the most important priests, and the teachers of the law would make him suffer many things; that he would be killed, yet on the third day, he would rise from death. 22 But Peter came to him and began to correct him, "This will never happen to you, Lord!" 23 Jesus turned around and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking something which might cause me to sin. You are not thinking the way that God thinks, but as man thinks."
24 Then Jesus said to his students, "If anyone wants to follow me, he must carry his cross and follow me. He must say no to his own desires. 25 The person who wants to save his life will lose it, but every person who gives his life to others for me will find it. 26 What good is it, if a person gains the whole world, but loses his own life? What can a person use to buy back his life5? 27 I am ready to come with my angels in the glory of my Father. I will repay every person according to the kind of life he lived. 28 I am telling you the truth: there are some people standing here who will see me coming into my kingdom."
01 After six days, Jesus took along Peter and the two brothers, Jacob and John. He went up on a tall mountain to be alone. 02 Jesus' appearance began to change in front of them. His face was shining like the sun. His clothes became white as light. 03 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them. They were talking with Jesus. 04 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three holy tents here; one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 05 While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud came all around them. Suddenly, a Voice spoke from the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, and I give Myself to him, for his good, expecting nothing in return. I am very pleased with him. He is the one to whom you must listen!" 06 When Peter, Jacob, and John heard this, they fell to the ground and bowed. They were very frightened. 07 Jesus came to them and touched them. He said, "Get up. Don't be afraid." 08 They looked up. They saw no one else but Jesus. 09 As they were going down the mountain, Jesus gave them this command, "Don't tell anyone about this vision until after I rise from death."
10 They asked Jesus, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come before the Messiah?" 11 Jesus answered, "Elijah comes and makes all things right. 12 But I am telling you, Elijah has already come!They did not acknowledge him. Instead, they treated him as they wished. In the same way, I am about to suffer many things from them." 13 Then the students understood that Jesus was talking to them about John (the one who immersed people).
14 When they got to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus. Kneeling down, 15 he said, "Lord, please help my son. He has a very bad case of seizures. Many times he falls into the fire. Often he falls into the water. 16 I brought him to your students, but they could not heal him." 17 Jesus said to them, "You are a generation of unbelieving and difficult people. How long must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here to me." 18 Jesus gave an order and the demon came out of him. The boy was healed from that moment on. 19 Then Jesus' students came to him alone. They asked, "Why were we not able to throw out the demon?" 20 Jesus answered them, "Because you have so little faith. I am telling you the truth: if your faith were the size of the small seed of the mustard plant, then you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there!' and the mountain would move. Nothing would be impossible for you. 21 This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
22 When they returned to the Galilee, Jesus said to them, "I am about to be handed over to some men. 23 They will kill me." (This made the students feel very sad.) "However, on the third day I will rise from death."
24 They came to the town of Capernaum. The temple tax collectors came to Peter and said, "Your teacher pays the temple tax, doesn't he?" 25 Peter said, "Yes." When Peter went into the house, before Peter could say anything, Jesus spoke, "Simon, what do you think? From whom do kings on earth take their taxes or tariffs? From their own sons or from other people?" 26 Peter said, "From other people." Jesus said to him, "So their sons are free from being taxed. 27 However, we don't want to offend them. Go to the lake and throw in your hook. Take the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a coin. Take it and use it to pay the temple tax for you and me."
01 At that time the students came to Jesus. They asked, "Who is the most important in the kingdom of heaven?" 02 So Jesus called for a little child and placed the child in the middle of them. 03 He said,
"I am telling you the truth: if you don't change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 04 The person who humbles himself like this little child is the most important one in the kingdom of heaven. 05 The person who, in my name, welcomes a little child such as this one welcomes me.
06 If someone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large rock hanging around his neck and to be drowned in the deep sea.
07 "It will be horrible for the world because of the things which cause people to sin. Things will surely happen which will cause people to sin. But it will be horrible for the person who causes this to happen. 08 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you! It would be better for you to enter eternal life injured or crippled than to be thrown into eternal fire with two hands or two feet. 09 If your eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away from you! It would be better for you to enter eternal life with one eye than to be thrown into hell fire with two eyes. 10 Don't treat one of these little ones as if they were not important. I tell you, their angels in heaven are always looking at my heavenly Father's face.
11"For I came to save that which was lost. 12 What do you think? Suppose a man has 100 sheep, but one of them wanders away. Then he will leave the other 99 on the hillside and go out and look for the sheep that wandered away. 13 I am telling you the truth: when he finds it, he will be happier about it than the 99 sheep that did not wander away. 14 In the same way, your heavenly Father doesn't want any of these little ones to be lost. 15 If your brother or sister does something wrong, go to him or her. Give that person a private warning, just between you and that person.
If he or she listens to you, you have won a brother or sister. 16 But if he or she will not listen to you, take one or two people along with you because: 'The testimony of two or three people is true.' 17 If that person doesn't want to listen to them, then tell the called out people. And if he or she won't listen to the called out people, have nothing to do with them. Treat him like tax collectors or infidels. 18 I am telling you the truth: whatever you bind on earth will have already been bound in heaven. Whatever you loosen on earth will have already been loosened in heaven.
19 "Again, I am telling you, if two people on earth agree to ask God for anything, my heavenly Father will make it happen for them. 20 Wherever two or three people have gathered in my name, I am there."
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and said, "Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him,
"I am not saying seven, but seven times seventy! 23 The kingdom of heaven is like a man who is ruling. He wanted to make his slaves give an account. 24 When the audit began, a man who owed the ruler several kilograms of gold came to him.
25 The man couldn't repay. So the master ordered that his wife, children, and everything he owned be sold to pay the debt. 26 The slave fell down and began bowing to him. He said, 'Be patient with me! I will pay you back everything!' 27 The master felt sorry for that slave. He canceled his debt and allowed him to leave.
28 "However, the same slave went out and found another slave who owed him three months' wages. He grabbed that slave and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay me what you owe me!' 29 The slave fell down and began to beg him, 'Be patient with me! I will pay you back!' 30 But he wouldn't do it. Instead, he went and threw the slave in jail until he could repay what he owed. 31 When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they felt very sad. They went and told the whole story to their master. 32 Then the master of the first slave came to him and said, 'You evil slave! You begged me, so I cancelled your whole debt. 33 You should have given mercy to your fellow slave as I did to you!' 34 The master became very angry. He handed the slave over to some men to punish him until he paid back everything he owed. 35 My heavenly Father will treat you the same way if each of you does not forgive his brother or sister from his heart."
01 When Jesus finished saying these words, he left the Galilee. He went to the part of Judea which is on the other side of the Jordan River. 02 Large crowds followed him. Jesus healed some of them there. 03 Some Pharisees came to Jesus. They were testing him with this question: "Is it all right for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?" 04 Jesus answered, "You have read this: 'In the beginning, when God created people, he made them male and female.' 05 He said, 'A man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The husband and wife will become one flesh.' 06 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Man must not separate what God has joined together." 07 The Pharisees said to Jesus, "Then why did Moses give this command: 'A man who divorces his wife must give her divorce papers.'?" 08 Jesus said to them, "Your hearts were hard so Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like that from the very beginning. 09 I am telling you, unless her sexual sin is the reason, if a man divorces his wife and marries another woman, he is committing unlawful sexual intercourse." 10 Jesus' students said to him, "If this is the true relationship between a husband and his wife, it would be better not to marry!" 11 But Jesus said to them, "Not everyone can accept this teaching - only those to whom it has been given. 12 There are some men who cannot have sexual relations; they were born like this. Others were made that way by man. And some did this to themselves because of the kingdom of heaven. Let the person who is able to accept it accept it."
13 Then some people brought their small children to Jesus, so that he could put his hands on them and pray. But his students told the people not to do this.
14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children." 15 Then Jesus placed his hands on them. Later he left there.
16 A man came to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" 17 Jesus said to him, "Why are you asking me about goodness? God is the only One who is good. Since you want to enter eternal life, obey the commands of God." 18 The man said to Jesus, "Which commands?" Jesus said, "'You must not commit murder.' 'You must not commit unlawful sexual intercourse.' 'You must not steal.' 'You must not lie.' 19 'You must honor and obey your father and your mother.' 'You must give yourself to other people, for their good, expecting nothing in return, the same way you give to yourself.'" 20 However, the young man said to Jesus, "But I have obeyed all these things! What do I still need to do?" 21 Jesus answered him, "If you want to be all that God wants you to be, go sell everything you have and give the money to the poor people. Then you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me!" 22 When the young man heard these words, he went away sad because he owned many things and he wanted to keep them.
23 Jesus said this to his students, "I am telling you the truth: it will be hard for a person with lots of money to enter the kingdom of heaven! 24 I am telling you again: it will be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25 When Jesus' students heard this, they were very surprised. They asked, "Then who can be saved?" 26 Jesus looked into their eyes and said, "For men, this is impossible but for God, all things are possible!" 27 Then Peter answered Jesus, "Look, we have left everything and followed you! What will there be for us?" 28 Jesus said to them, "I am telling you the truth: you have followed me. At the time when things will be made right, when I sit on my glorious throne, you will also sit on twelve thrones. You will judge the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 Every person who has left his home, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or fields, because of my name, will receive many rewards and, after that person dies, he will receive eternal life with God. 30 Many people who seem as if they are not important now will be important at that time. Those who seem important now will not be important then."
01 "The kingdom of heaven is like the man who owned some land. He went out early in the morning to hire some workers for his vineyard. 02 He agreed to pay them one silver coin per day. Then he sent them into his vineyard. 03 At about nine o'clock in the morning, he went out again and saw some men standing around in the marketplace. They were not working. 04 He said to them, 'You go into my vineyard, too. I will pay you whatever is fair.' 05 So they went. In the same way, the owner went out about noon and again around three o'clock in the afternoon. 06 About five o'clock in the afternoon, he went out and found some more men standing around.
He asked them, 'Why have you been standing around here all day long? Why weren't you working?' 07 They answered him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into my vineyard, too.' 08 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager. 'Call the workers and give them their pay.' He began paying the ones who had come to work last before the ones who came first. 09 The men who came to work at five o'clock received one silver coin each! 10 The men who came to work first thought they would be paid more than a silver coin, but they also received only one silver coin. 11 They took the money, but they began to complain against the owner of the farm. 12 They said, 'The men who came last worked only one hour. You are paying them the same amount as us! We did most of the work all day long - and it was hot, too!' 13 But the owner said to one, 'Friend, I was not unfair to you. You agreed to work for me for one silver coin. 14 Take this coin. It belongs to you. Go! I want to give to this man who came to work last the same amount that I gave to you. 15 It is not wrong for me to do what I desire with what is mine! Do you have a jealous eye because I am generous?' 16 The people who seem as though they are not important now will be important later. Those who seem important now will not be important then."
17 Jesus was ready to go up to Jerusalem. Along the road, he took the twelve students aside. He said to them, 18 "Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The most important priests and the teachers of the law will turn against me. They will condemn me to death. 19 Then they will give me to non-Jewish men who will laugh at me, beat me with whips, and nail me to a stake. However, I will rise from death on the third day."
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee, Jacob and John, came to Jesus with her sons. She bowed down and asked him for something. 21 Jesus said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Promise me that these two sons of mine will sit on thrones in your kingdom, one at your right side and one at your left side." 22 Jesus answered them, "You don't know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup of suffering which I am about to drink?" They said to Jesus, "We are able." 23 Jesus said to them, "Yes, you will drink from the cup of suffering which I will drink, but the privilege of sitting at my right side or my left side is not mine to give. Instead, those places belong to those for whom my Father prepared them."
24 When the other ten delegates heard about this, they were very angry with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called for them and said, "You know that the rulers of the world lord it over their people. Important men use their authority over them, 26 but you must not think that way. Instead, if one of you wants to be great, that person should be your servant. 27 If one of you wants to be important, he should be your slave. 28 I did not come to be served. Instead, I came to serve and to give my life to pay the price for many people's sins."
29 As they were coming out of Jericho, a large crowd was following Jesus. 30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When these men heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, "Lord! Son of David! Please help us!" 31 Some of the people told them to be quiet. But they shouted even louder, "Lord! Son of David! Please help us!" 32 Jesus stopped there and called for them. He asked, "What do you want me to do for you?" 33 They answered, "Lord, heal us! Let us be able to see again!" 34 Jesus felt sorry for them so he touched their eyes. Immediately the men were able to see again. They followed Jesus.
01 When they came near Jerusalem, they went into the town of Bethphage on the Hill of Olives. Then Jesus sent two of his students on ahead. 02 He said to them, "Go into the village just ahead of you. You will soon find a donkey tied up. A young donkey will be with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 03 And if anyone says anything to you, say, 'The Lord needs them.' Then he will send them right away." 04 This took place to make what God said through the prophet come true: 05 "Tell this to the city of Jerusalem: 'Listen! Your King is coming to you. He is gentle; he is riding on a donkey, even upon a young donkey, born of a work animal.'"
06 The two students went into town. They did exactly as Jesus told them. 07 They brought the mother donkey and her young colt. They put their robes on top of the colt. Jesus took his seat upon the robes. 08 A very large crowd spread their robes on the road for Jesus. Other people began to cut down branches from trees and to spread them on the road. 09 The crowds were shouting. Some people were in front of Jesus and some were behind him. They said, "Hosanna to the son of David! Give praise to this one who is coming with the authority of the Lord God. Hosanna to God!" 10 When Jesus came into Jerusalem, the whole city was excited, asking, "Who is this man?" 11 The crowds continued to say, "He is Jesus, the prophet from the town of Nazareth in the Galilee."
12 Jesus went into the courtyard of God's temple. He threw out all the people who were selling and buying things there. He turned the money-exchangers' tables upside down. He also turned over the chairs of the people who were selling pigeons. 13 Jesus said to them, "It is written, 'My house will be called the place for praying.' but you have changed it into a hiding place for thieves!"
14 Blind people and crippled people came to Jesus in the temple courtyard. He healed them. 15 The most important priests and teachers of the law became very angry. They saw the amazing things which Jesus did. They saw children crying out in the temple courtyard,
"Hosanna to the son of David!" 16 The most important priests and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Do you hear what they are saying?" Jesus answered them, "Yes! Have you not read this: 'I will make praise complete by using the words of small children and babies.'" 17 Then Jesus left them and went outside of Jerusalem to the town of Bethany where he spent the night.
18 Early the next morning, when Jesus was going back into Jerusalem, he was hungry. 19 He saw a fig tree next to the road. He went to it but found no fruit on it - only leaves. Then Jesus spoke to the tree, "May no fruit ever come from you!" The fig tree soon dried up. 20 When Jesus' students saw this, they were amazed. They asked, "How could the fig tree dry up so quickly?" 21 Jesus answered them, "I am telling you the truth: if you have faith and don't doubt, you will be able to perform this too! You can even say to this mountain, 'Pick yourself up and throw yourself into the sea!' and it will happen. 22 If you believe, then you will receive everything you ask for in prayer."
23 Jesus went into the temple courtyard. He was teaching the people. The most important priests and some of the Jewish elders came to him. They asked, "What sort of authority do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?" 24 Jesus answered them, "I will ask you a question too. If you answer me, I will tell you what sort of authority I have to do these things: 25 Where did John's immersion come from? Was it from God or from man?" They began thinking to themselves: "If we say, 'From God', then he will say this to us: 'Why didn't you believe John?' 26 But if we say, 'From man', we are afraid of the people - all of them thought of John as a prophet." 27 They answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus said to them, "Then I am not telling you what sort of authority I have to do these things."
28 Jesus said to them "What do you think? A man had two sons. The man came to the first son and said, 'Son, go work in the vineyard today.' 29-31 He answered, 'Yes sir,' but he did not go. Then the man went to the second son and said the same thing. The son answered, 'I don't want to!' but later he changed his mind and went. Which of the two sons did what their father wanted?" The Jewish leaders answered, "The second one." Jesus said to them, "I am telling you the truth: the tax collectors and prostitutes will go into the kingdom of God before you ever do! 32 John came to you preaching the way of being made right but you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. You saw this but you did not change your mind later to believe what John was saying."
33 "Listen to another story: there was a man who owned some land. He planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a hole for the wine press, and built a lookout tower. Then he rented the land to some farmers and went away on a trip. 34 When harvest time was near, he sent his slaves to the farmers to receive his
part of the grapes. 35 But the farmers grabbed his slaves. They beat one and killed another. They threw stones at another slave until he died. 36 Again the owner sent slaves, more than before, but they did the same thing to those slaves.
37 "Finally, the owner sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' 38 But when the farmers saw the son, they thought to themselves, 'When the owner dies, his son will own the vineyard. Come, let us kill him and we will get his field!' 39 So they took the son, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?" 41 The Jewish leaders answered Jesus, "He will kill those evil men! After that he will give the field to some other farmers who will share the fruits with him at harvest time." 42 Jesus said to them, "You have read this in the Scriptures: 'The stone that the builders did not want will become the cornerstone. The Lord God makes this happen. It is a wonderful thing for us to see.' 43 This is why I am telling you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will make it produce fruit. 44 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken. If that stone falls on you, it will crush you!"
45 When the most important priests and the Pharisees heard these stories, they knew that he was talking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest Jesus, but they were afraid of what the crowds might do to them because the people believed that Jesus was a prophet.
01 Again Jesus used an example to answer them:
02 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding party for his son. 03 The king sent his slaves to invite the guests to the wedding party, but the guests didn't want to come. 04 Again, the king sent more slaves saying, 'Tell the guests, "Look, I have prepared the dinner - the steers and fattened calves have been killed - everything is ready!"' 05 However, the guests didn't care. They left. One went to his field. One went to his business. 06 The others grabbed the king's slaves, insulted them, and killed them. 07 The king was very angry. He sent his army to destroy those murderers and to burn their city. 08 Then the king said to his slaves, 'The wedding party is still ready, but the guests were not worthy enough to come. 09 So go to the street corners and invite whomever you can find to the wedding party.' 10 Those slaves went out to the streets and gathered up everyone they could find, good people and bad people. Then the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 The king entered and looked at the guests. He saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 The king said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without being dressed for the wedding?' The man had nothing to say. 13 Then the king said to the slaves, 'Tie his hands and feet and throw him outside in the dark. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth.' 14 Many people are invited, but few people are chosen."
15 Then the Pharisees came. They had made a plan to trap Jesus with a question. 16 The Pharisees sent some of their students and the students of Herod
Antipas to him. They said, "Teacher, we know that you are true and you teach God's true way. It does not matter to you what people think. You don't pay attention to how important someone is. 17 So tell us, what do you think? Is it right that we should pay taxes to Caesar? Yes or no?" 18 But Jesus knew their evil plan. He said, "You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin for the tax." They brought a silver coin. 20 Jesus said to them, "Whose name and picture is on it?" 21 They answered, "Caesar's". Jesus said to them, "Then give to Caesar the things which are Caesar's and give to God the things which belong to God." 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. They left him and went away.
23 That same day some Sadducees came to Jesus. (Sadducees believed that no one will rise from death.) They asked Jesus, 24 "Teacher, Moses said that if someone has no children and he dies, his brother must marry the widow. Then they will have children for the dead brother. 25 There were seven brothers among us. The first one got married, but died. He left his wife with no children. 26 In the same way the second brother, the third brother - all seven brothers - died without having children. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 All seven men had married her. So when this woman rises from death, whose wife will she be?" 29 Jesus answered them, "You are wrong. You don't know the Scriptures or God's power. 30 When people rise from death, they don't marry one another. Instead, they are like angels in heaven. 31 Do people rise from death? I know you have read what God said to Moses: 32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' God is not a God of dead people; He is the God of people who are alive!" 33 When the crowds heard this, they were very surprised at his teaching.
34When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 One of them, an expert on the law of Moses, tried to trap Jesus. He asked, 36 "Teacher, what is the most important command in the law?" 37 Jesus answered him,
"'You must give yourself to the Lord your God, for His good, expecting nothing in return, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the most important command. 39 The second most important command is like it: 'You must give yourself to your neighbor, for his good, expecting nothing in return, the same way you give to yourself.' 40 These two commands are the foundation of the whole law and the prophets."
41When some Pharisees gathered, Jesus asked them, 42 "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They answered Jesus, "David's son." 43 Jesus asked them, "Then why did the Spirit (through David) call the Messiah 'Lord'? David wrote: 44 'The Lord God said to my Lord: Sit at My right side until I put your enemies under your feet.' 45 Since David called him 'Lord', how could Messiah be David's son?" 46 No one was able to answer Jesus. From that time on, no one dared to ask him any more trick questions.
01Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his students. 02 He said,
"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat of authority. 03 Therefore, do everything they tell you. Obey them. But don't act as they do because they say one thing and do another. 04 They bind heavy loads and put them on people's shoulders, but they don't want to lift a finger to help move them. 05 Everything they do, they do so that people will notice them. They show off their phylacteries and they make their tassels long. 06 They like to have the best seats at the dinners and the most important seats in the houses of worship. 07 They like the greetings of respect which people give them in the marketplaces. They like people to call them, 'Master'. 08 You should not be called 'Master' because there is only one teacher for you. You are all brothers. 09 On earth you should not be called 'Father' because you have only one Father - the heavenly Father. 10 You should not be called 'Leader' because the Messiah is your only Leader. 11 The most important one among you will be your slave. 12 Every person who acts as though he is important will be made ashamed, but every person who truly humbles himself will be made important.
13 "It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom of heaven in people's faces! You will not go in and you stop those who are trying to get in. 14 It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites, because you rob widows' houses while you make long prayers for a show. You will receive greater condemnation. 15 It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You travel all over the world to make one convert. And when you convert him, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are!
16 "It will be horrible for you, you blind guides who say, 'It is not important if someone makes a vow to God by the temple sanctuary. But if someone makes a vow to God by the gold in the temple sanctuary, he is guilty!' 17 You are foolish and blind! What is more important? The gold or the temple sanctuary which makes the gold holy? 18 You also say, 'If someone vows to God by the altar, it does not matter. But if someone vows to God by the gift on the altar, he is guilty!' 19 You blind men! Which is more important? The gift or the altar which makes the gift holy? 20 The person who vows to God by the altar vows to God by the altar and everything on the altar. 21 The person who vows to God by the temple sanctuary vows by the sanctuary and by the One who dwells there. 22 The person who vows to God by heaven vows to God by God's throne and the One who sits upon it.
23 "It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! It is true that you give God ten percent of everything you have. You even give Him ten percent of your spices - mint, dill, and cumin. But you forget about more important things in the law: being fair to other people, giving mercy, and faith. You should always tithe, but you must remember to do the more important things too. 24 You blind guides! You strain out the gnat, but you swallow the camel!
25 "It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You wash the outside of the cup or the bowl. But inside, there are the things you got by cheating other people and pleasing yourselves. 26 Blind Pharisees! Make the inside of the cup clean first, so that the outside of it will be clean too.
27 "It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You are like tombs which have been painted white. They seem to be very beautiful outside, but inside they are full of all kinds of filth and the bones of dead people. 28 You are the same way. Outside you seem good to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and sin.
29 "It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets. You make the graves of good people beautiful. 30 You claim, 'If we had lived in the time of our ancestors, we would not have helped them kill the prophets.' 31 So you are admitting you are the sons of the men who murdered the prophets! 32 You are finishing what your ancestors started. 33 You snakes! You are from a family of poisonous snakes! How will you escape the judgment of hell? 34 Look! I am sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers of the law. You will kill some of them and you will nail others to crosses. You will whip some of them in your houses of worship. You will chase them from town to town. 35 You will have to answer for the death of every good person who has been killed on earth. You will have to answer for all the spilled blood from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, the son of Barachiah. You murdered Zechariah between the temple sanctuary and the altar.
36 "I am telling you the truth: all these things will happen to the people of this generation! 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets. God sent you His men, but you stoned them to death. I have often wanted to gather up your people, as a hen gathers up her baby chicks under her wings, but you refused. 38 Listen! Your house is completely abandoned. 39 I tell you, you will never see me again until you say, 'Praise to the one who is coming with the authority of the Lord God.'"
01 Jesus left the temple courtyard. While he was walking away, his students came to him to show him the beautiful things of the temple area. 02 Jesus said to them, "Do you see all these things? I am telling you the truth: everything you see here will be destroyed. No stone will stay on top of another. Everything will be completely destroyed!"
03 While Jesus was sitting on Olive Hillside, his students came to him alone. They asked, "Tell us, when will these things happen? How will we know when it is the time for you to return? When will the end of the age be?"
04Jesus answered them,
"Be careful! Don't let anyone fool you. 05 Many people will come to you using my name. They will say, 'I am the Messiah!' And they will fool many people. 06 You will hear about wars and wars that are about to begin. Be sure that you don't get upset. These things must happen, but the end will come later. 07 One country will fight against another country. Kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. There will not be enough food to eat. Everywhere there will be earthquakes, 08 but all these things are only the beginning of the pain. 09 Then they will hand you over to some men for torturing. They will kill you. All people will hate you because of my name. 10 Then many people will feel discouraged; they will turn against one another. They will hate each other. 11 Many false prophets will appear. They will fool many people. 12 Because the influence of sin will be so strong, the giving of self to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return of many people, will grow cold. 13 But the person who endures until the end will be saved. 14 This Good News about the kingdom will be preached in the whole world so that all nations may hear the truth. And then the end will come.
15 "When you see what God talked about through Daniel the prophet - 'The Abomination of Desolation' - standing in the holy place (let the reader note the meaning), 16 then those people who are in Judea must run away to the mountains. 17 The person who is on top of his house must not come down to carry things in the house away with him. 18 The person who is in the field must not turn back to get his robe. 19 At that time it will be horrible for pregnant women and nursing mothers. 20 Pray that the time when you escape will not be during winter or on a Sabbath day. 21 There will be great suffering. Never has there been such suffering since the beginning of the world until the present time and there will never be such suffering in the future. 22 If that period of time were to last any longer, then no one would be left alive. But those times will be cut short because of the people chosen by God.
23 "At that time if someone says to you, 'Look, here is the Messiah!' or, 'There he is!' don't believe him. 24 False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will perform such great proofs and miracles to fool people - even God's chosen people, if that were possible. 25 Listen! I am telling you ahead of time. 26 If they say this to you, 'Look, he is in the desert!' don't go out there! or, 'He is in secret rooms!' don't believe them!
27 "I will return. On the day when I come, I will shine, as lightning flashes across the sky, from the east to the west. 28 People can always know where a dead body is - they can see the vultures gathering. 29 Soon after the trouble of those times, 'The sun will become dark. The light of the moon will not be seen The stars will fall from the sky. The powers in the universe will be moved.' 30 Then my2 sign will appear in the sky - all men on earth will see me coming on the clouds with power and great glory; they will mourn. 31 I will use a loud trumpet to send out my angels. From all directions the angels will gather together my chosen people.
32 "Learn from the story about the fig tree: when its branches start to become soft and green, and new leaves begin to grow, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things happening, you will know that the time is very, very near. 34 I am telling you the truth: all these things will happen in this generation. 35 The world will be destroyed, but my words will never be destroyed! 36 No one knows when that exact time will be. The angels of heaven do not know it. The Son doesn't know it. Only the heavenly Father knows.
37 "When I come, it will be just as it was in Noah's time. 38 People were eating, drinking, getting married, giving their daughters away in marriage - even on the day when Noah entered the ark. 39 The people did not know the truth until the flood came and swept them all away. That is how it will be when I1 come. 40 At that time there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain; one will be taken and the other will be left. 42 So watch! You don't know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 Know this: if a homeowner knew what time of night a robber was coming, he would watch for the robber and not let him break into his house. 44 This is why you must be ready. I1 will come at a time when you are not expecting me.
45 "Who is the wise and trusted slave? Who is the slave whom the master can choose to take care of the master's family and the other slaves by giving them food at the right time? 46 When the master comes and finds that slave doing the work he gave him, that slave will be very happy. 47 I am telling you the truth: the master will choose that slave to take care of everything which the master owns. 48 However, if that slave thinks his master will not come back soon, 49 then he may begin to beat the other slaves. That slave may also eat all the food and get drunk with other men. 50 Then the master of that slave will come when that slave is not ready, at a time when that slave is not expecting him. 51 Then the master will punish that slave and send him away. This is what the master does to all the slaves he cannot trust. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth."
01 Jesus said,
"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins. They took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 02 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 03 The foolish ones took their lamps, but they did not take extra oil with them. 04 The wise virgins took extra oil in their jars with their lamps. 05 The groom was late. All of the virgins became sleepy. They fell asleep. 06 About midnight there was a shout: 'Look, the groom! Go out and meet him!' 07 Then all ten virgins got up and prepared their lamps. 08 But the foolish virgins said to the wise virgins, 'Give us some of your oil because our lamps have almost gone out.' 09 The wise virgins answered, 'No! There would not be enough for all of us. Instead, go to the store and buy some more oil.' 10 While these virgins were gone to buy some more oil, the groom came. The wise virgins, who were ready, went inside with him to the wedding party. And the door was shut. 11 Later, the other virgins came and said, 'Master, master, open the door for us!' 12 But the Master answered, 'I am telling you the truth: I don't know you.' 13 So watch! You don't know the day or the exact hour when I will come."
14 "The kingdom of heaven will be like a man leaving on a trip. He called his slaves and turned his property over to them. 15 He gave five talents to one, two talents to one, and one talent to another. Each man received what he was able to manage. Then the man went on the trip. 16 The man with five talents went out immediately and earned five more talents. 17 In the same way the man with two talents earned two more talents. 18 But the man with one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and buried his master's money. 19 After a long time, the master of those slaves came back. He made them give an account. 20 The man who had received five talents came and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you turned five talents over to me but, look, I earned five more talents!' 21 His master said to him, 'Fine! You are a good and faithful slave. I see that I can trust you with small things. Therefore I will put you in charge of important things. Come and share your master's happiness.' 22 The man with two talents came and said, 'Master, you turned two talents over to me but, look, I have earned two more talents!' 23 His master said to him, 'Fine! You are a good and faithful slave. I see that I can trust you with small things. Therefore I will put you in charge of important things. Come and share your master's happiness.' 24 Then the man who had received one talent came. He said, 'Master, I knew you were a hard man. You take money which you didn't earn and you gather food which you didn't grow. 25 So I was afraid. I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, here is your talent.' 26 His master answered, 'You evil, lazy slave! You knew that I take money which I didn't earn and gather food which I didn't grow.
27 Therefore you should have put my money in the bank. Then when I returned, I could have my money, with interest too. 28 Take the talent away from him and give it to the man who has ten talents. 29 The person who uses what he has will get more, but the person who doesn't use what he has will have everything taken away from him. 30 Throw this useless slave outside into the dark. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth.'
31 "When I come with my glory and all my angels, then I will sit on my glorious throne. 32 All the people in the world will be gathered in front of me. I will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 I will put the sheep on the right side and the goats on the left side. 34 Then I will say to the people on the right side, 'You are blessed by my Father. Come, take what belongs to you - the kingdom which was prepared for you since the beginning of the world. 35 I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you took me into your home. 36 I had no clothes, so you gave me some clothes. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in jail and you came to visit me.'
37 Then the people made right will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you? When did we feed you when you were hungry? When did we give you something to drink when you were thirsty? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes? When did you need clothes and we gave you some clothes? 39 When were you sick or in jail? When did we come to you?' 40 I will answer them, 'I am telling you the truth: since you treated some of my so-called "unimportant" brothers this way, you did it to me!'
41 "Then I will say to the people on the left side, 'Go away from me into eternal fire. You are condemned! The fire has been prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you didn't take me into your homes. I had no clothes and you didn't give me any. I was sick; I was in jail, but you didn't take care of me.' 44 Then they will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you? When were you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, without clothes, sick, or in jail and we didn't help you?' 45 Then I will answer them, 'I am telling you the truth: since you didn't treat one of these so-called "unimportant" people with kindness, you didn't do it to me, either.' 46 Then these people will go off into eternal punishment, but the people made right will go into eternal life."
01 When Jesus finished saying all these things, he said this to his students, 02 "You know that the day after tomorrow is the beginning of the Passover. I will be handed over to be nailed to a cross."
03 Then the most important priests and the Jewish elders of the people gathered together at the high priest's house. His name was Caiaphas. 04 They planned to use a trick to arrest Jesus and kill him, 05 but they said, "Let us not do it during the Festival, so that there will be no trouble among the people."
06 Jesus was in the town of Bethany in Simon's house. (Simon had been a leper.) 07 A woman came to Jesus. She had an alabaster jar of some very expensive perfume. While Jesus was at the table, she poured it on his head. 08 When Jesus' students saw this, they became very angry. They asked, "Why waste this? 09 This could have been sold for a lot of money and given to poor people!" 10 Knowing what they were saying, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a good thing to me. 11 You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me! 12 When she put this perfume on my body, she did it for when I will be buried. 13 I am telling you the truth: the Good News will be preached in the whole world. Wherever they tell it, what she did will be mentioned to remember her."
14 Then one of the twelve delegates, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the most important priests. 15 He said, "If I were to hand Jesus over to you, what would you pay me?" They agreed with him on the price - 30 silver coins. 16 From that time on, Judas was looking for the best time to give Jesus to them.
17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Jesus' students came to him. They asked, "Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal?" 18 Jesus answered, "Go into the city to the host. Tell him, 'The Teacher says,
"My time is near. My students and I will have the Passover meal with you."' 19 Jesus' students did exactly as Jesus told them. They prepared the Passover meal. 20 When evening came, Jesus sat down at the table with his twelve students.
21 While they were eating, Jesus said, "I am telling you the truth: one of you will turn against me!" 22 They began to feel very sad. Each one of them said to Jesus, "Lord, I am not the one, am I?" 23 Jesus answered, "The person who has dipped his hand in the same dinner bowl with me will turn against me. 24 I will die just as it is written about me.5 But how horrible it will be for that man who turns against me.5 It would be better if that man had never been born!" 25 Judas (the one who turned against him) answered, "Master, I am not the one, am I?" Jesus answered Judas, "Yes, you are."
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread and gave thanks. He broke off some of the bread and gave it to his students. He said, "Take it and eat it. This bread is my body." 27 Then he took a cup. He gave thanks to God for it and gave it to them. He said, "All of you, drink from it. 28 This is my blood which I am pouring out for many people for the forgiveness of sins. It shows the new covenant which God has set up with men. 29 I tell you, from now on I will never drink this fruit of the vine again until the day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." 30 Then they sang a song of praise and went out to the Hill of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, "Tonight all of you will be ashamed of me. This is written: 'I will strike the shepherd and the flock of sheep will be scattered.' 32 However, after I rise from death, I will go ahead of you to the Galilee." 33 Peter answered him, "Everyone else may be ashamed of you, but I will never be ashamed of you!" 34 Jesus said to Peter, "I tell you the truth: before the rooster crows in the morning, you will say you don't even know me three different times!" 35 Peter answered him, "Even if I must die with you, I will always be loyal to you." All of Jesus' students said the same thing.
36 Then Jesus and his students went to a place called Gethsemane. Jesus said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him. He began to feel sad and depressed. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is full of sorrow; I am going to die. Stay here and be watchful with me." 39 Then Jesus went forward a short distance and bowed down to pray. He said, "My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering away from me - but what You want is more important than what I want."
40 Then Jesus came to his students. He found them sleeping. He asked Peter, "Were you not strong enough to stay awake with me for just one hour? 41 Watch and pray for strength against temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." 42 Jesus went away the second time. He prayed, "My Father, if this must happen and I must drink the cup of suffering, if this is what You want, let it be."
43 Again Jesus came and found them sleeping. Their eyes were very tired. 44 He left them again. The third time he prayed the same prayer. 45 Then Jesus came to his students and asked them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Listen, the time has come - I am now being handed over into the hands of sinful men. 46 Get up, we must go. Look! The one who turned against me is near!"
47 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve delegates, came. There was a large crowd with him. They had come from the most important priests and the elders of the Jewish people. They had sticks and swords. 48 Judas had given them the signal to arrest the one he would give the kiss of friendship. 49 Judas went immediately to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Master!" Then Judas gave him the kiss of friendship. 50 But Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you came for!" Then the men who came with Judas reached out and took hold of Jesus.
51 Suddenly one of the men with Jesus reached for his sword and pulled it out. He struck the high priest's slave, cutting off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said, "Put your sword back in its place! Everyone who uses violence will be violently destroyed. 53 Don't you think I could call on my Father for help? He would bring more than twelve legions of angels here! 54 But how could the Scriptures come true if this did not happen?" 55 At that moment Jesus said this to the crowd: "Why did you come out here to get me with swords and sticks? Do you think I am a criminal? I was sitting in the temple courtyard every day teaching. You did not arrest me there. 56 All this happened to make the writings of the prophets come true." Then all of Jesus' students left him. They ran away.
57 After they arrested Jesus, they brought him to Caiaphas, the high priest. The teachers of the law and the Jewish elders were gathered there. 58 Peter was following Jesus but he did not come near Jesus. He came as far as the high priest's courtyard. Later he went inside. He was sitting with the guards. He wanted to see what would happen.
59 The most important priests and the whole Jewish Council were trying to find some men who would give false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find many people to come forward to tell lies. Finally, two men came forward. 61 They claimed, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy God's temple sanctuary and build it again in three days!'" 62 The high priest stood up and asked Jesus, "Will you give no answer to what they say against you - is it true?" 63 Jesus continued to be silent. The high priest said to him, "By the living God, I hereby force you: you must answer! Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God!" 64 Jesus said to him, "Yes, I am.
"Nevertheless, I tell you, from now on, you will see me:[259] sitting at the right side of God. I will be coming on the clouds of the sky." 65 Then the high priest ripped his clothes and he cried out, "He has said an evil thing! Why do we need any more witnesses? Listen, you have just heard him say this evil thing! 66 What do you think?" They answered, "He is guilty! He must die!"
67 Then they spit in Jesus' face. They hit him with their fists. Some of them slapped him. 68 They said, "Prophesy for us, you Messiah! Let God tell you which one of us hit you!"
69 Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came to him. She said, "You too were with Jesus, the one from the Galilee!" 70 But in front of everyone Peter said that this was not true. He said, "I don't know what you're talking about!" 71 Later, Peter went out to the gate. Another girl saw him. She said to the men there, "This man was with Jesus from Nazareth!" 72 Again Peter denied it. This time he said, "I swear, I don't know the man!" 73 After a little while, the men who were standing there came to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of Jesus' community! It is clear that you have a Galilean accent!" 74 Peter began to curse and swear, "I don't know the man!" Immediately the rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said, "Before the rooster crows, you will say, three different times, that you don't even know me." Peter went outside and cried bitterly.
01 It was early in the morning. The most important priests and the Jewish elders of the people made the decision to put Jesus to death. 02 They tied him up. Then they brought him and handed him over to Pilate, the Governor.
03 Judas, the one who turned against Jesus, saw that Jesus had been condemned. Judas changed his mind and brought back the 30 silver coins to the most important priests and the Jewish elders. 04 He said, "I have done wrong! I handed over an innocent man to die!" They answered, "We don't care! That's your problem!"
05 Then Judas threw the silver coins toward the temple sanctuary and left. He went off and killed himself by hanging. 06 The priests picked up the coins and said, "Since this is blood money, it would not be right to put this into the treasury." 07 So they decided to use it to buy a potter's field for burying strangers. 08 Today that field is called Field of Blood. 09 Then what God had said through Jeremiah the prophet came true: "They took 30 silver coins. This was the value that the sons of Israel put on him. 10 They used the money to buy the potter's field, as the Lord God ordered me."
11 Jesus stood before the governor. The governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Yes." 12 The most important priests and the Jewish elders accused Jesus, but Jesus gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to
him, "Don't you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?" 14 But Jesus didn't even say a word. The governor was very surprised.
15 Every year at the Passover Feast, the governor always set one prisoner free, whomever the people wanted. 16 This time they had a well-known prisoner named Jesus Barabbas. 17 Therefore, when the people gathered, Pilate said to them, "Who do you want me to set free? Jesus Barabbas or the Jesus who is called Messiah?" 18 (Pilate knew that they had handed Jesus over to him because of jealousy.) 19 While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message to him. It said, "Have nothing to do with this innocent man! Last night in a dream I suffered many things because of him!"
20 The most important priests and the Jewish elders persuaded the crowds to ask Pilate for Barabbas. They wanted to destroy Jesus. 21 The governor asked them, "Which of the two men do you want me to set free?" They answered, "Barabbas!" 22 Pilate asked them, "What should I do with Jesus, the one who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Nail him to a cross!" 23 But Pilate asked, "Why? What crime has Jesus done?" But they continued yelling even more, "Nail him to a cross!"
24 Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere - only more trouble. He took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. He said, "I am not responsible for this man's death - you are!" 25 The whole crowd answered, "We accept that responsibility for us and for our children!" 26 Then he set Barabbas free for them. After beating Jesus with whips, Pilate handed him over to be nailed to the cross.
27 The governor's soldiers took Jesus to the Roman fortress. The whole group gathered around Jesus. 28 They took off his clothes and dressed him with a long red robe. 29 They used thorny branches to make a crown. Then they put it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand. They kneeled down before him and made fun of him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30 They spit on him. They took the stick and began to hit him on the head. 31 When they finished making fun of him, they took off the long robe and dressed him with his own clothes. Then they led him away to nail him to the cross.
32 As they were going out of Jerusalem, they found a man from the city of Cyrene. His name was Simon. They forced him to carry Jesus' cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgatha. (This means 'The Place of the Skull'.) 34 They gave Jesus some wine. (A drug for pain was mixed with it.) When he had tasted it, he refused to drink it. 35 Then they nailed him to the cross. The soldiers gambled to see who would get Jesus' clothes.
36 They sat there watching him. 37 At the top of the stake they wrote the reason for his punishment in these words: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Along with Jesus, two criminals were nailed to crosses. One was on his right side; the other was on his left.
39 The people who were passing by shook their heads and said terrible things to Jesus. 40 They said, "You are the one who was going to destroy the temple sanctuary and build it again in three days! Since you are the Son of God, save yourself! Come down from the cross!" 41 In the same way the most important priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish elders made fun of Jesus. They continued to say, 42 "He saved other people but he cannot save himself! He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now! Then we will believe in him! 43 He trusts in God; let God rescue him now if He wants him. Jesus did say, 'I am the Son of God.'" 44 Even the criminals who were nailed to the other crosses did the same thing - they kept insulting Jesus.
45 There was darkness over the whole land from noon until three o'clock in the afternoon. 46 At about three o'clock, Jesus shouted this loudly: "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (This means: "My God, my God, why did you abandon me?") 47 Some of the men standing there heard this. They said, "This man is calling for Elijah." 48 One of them quickly ran and got a sponge. He soaked it in some sour wine. Then he put it on the end of a long stick and gave Jesus a drink. 49 The other men said, "Leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah will come and save him!" 50 Again Jesus cried out very loudly. Then he died.
51 The curtain in the temple sanctuary was split into two parts - from the top to the bottom. The earth shook. Large rocks broke apart. 52-53 (Tombs were opened. After Jesus rose from the grave, many saints who had died were raised from death too. They left their tombs and went into Jerusalem and appeared to many people.) 54 There was a Roman army officer and some of his men guarding Jesus. When they saw the earthquake and the other things that happened, they were very frightened. They said, "This man really was God's Son."
55 There were many women there. They had helped Jesus and followed him from the Galilee. They were far away, watching. 56 Some of them were: Mary (from the town of Magdal), Mary (the mother of Jacob and Joseph), the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 Since it was getting late, a rich man named Joseph from the town of Aramathea (He was also a student of Jesus.) 58 came to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate gave an order to give the body to him. 59 So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean sheet. 60 Then he put Jesus' body into his own new tomb which he had cut out of solid rock. He rolled a large stone to cover the door of the tomb. Then Joseph left. 61 Mary (the one from Magdal) and the other Mary were there. They were sitting in front of the grave.
62 That day was called Preparation Day. The next day the most important priests and the Pharisees had a meeting with Pilate. 63 They said, "Sir, we remember what that liar said while he was still alive: 'After three days I will rise from death.' 64 So give an order to make the grave secure until the third day. Otherwise, his students might come, steal him, and tell the people: 'Jesus came back to life!' Then this last lie will be even worse than the first lie." 65 Pilate said to them, "You have a guard. Go and make it as secure as you know how." 66 So they went and sealed the grave. They put a seal on the stone and they stationed a guard.
01 After the Sabbath day, when the first day of the week morning was dawning, Mary (the one from Magdal) and the other Mary were on their way to look at the grave. 02 Suddenly there was a great earthquake. An angel of the Lord came down from heaven. He went to the large stone and rolled it away. Then the angel sat on top of it. 03 His appearance was shining like lightning. His clothes were as white as snow. 04 The men who were guarding the tomb acted as if they were dead men; they trembled with fear. 05 The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus who was nailed to the cross. 06 He is not here! He is raised from death, just as he said. Come, look at the place where he lay. 07 Go quickly and tell his students: 'Jesus has been raised from death! Listen, he will go ahead of you to the Galilee. You will see him there. Remember, I told you.'"
08 The women left the tomb quickly. They were afraid, yet very happy. They ran to tell Jesus' students. 09 Suddenly, Jesus met them. He gave them his greetings! They went to him, held onto his feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they must leave for the Galilee. They will see me there."
11 While the women were going, some of the guards went into Jerusalem. They told the most important priests everything which had happened. 12 The priests had a meeting with the Jewish elders. They decided to give the soldiers some money to lie. 13 They said to the soldiers, "Say this: 'While we were sleeping, the students of Jesus came at night and stole his body.' 14 If the governor hears about this, we will make him believe us. We will fix it; don't worry." 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were told. This rumor has spread among Jewish people until this very day.
16 The eleven students went to a hillside in the Galilee where Jesus had told them to meet him. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some had doubts. 18 Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore when you've gone out, make students for me from all nations. Immerse them by the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to obey everything I commanded you. Remember, I will always be with you - even until the end of time!"
1 Matthew probably wrote this to the Hebrew people in Aramaic.
2 'The Messiah'
3 Matthew shows that, although Jesus is not the physical son of Joseph, he is the legal son and therefore a descendant of King David.
4 2 Samuel 11:27
5 "The Anointed one" - see 1 Samuel 10:1; 16:1-3.
6 'The Messiah'
7 Genesis 4:1, 17
8 'Jesus' comes from a word which means "Yahweh (God), Salvation".
9 Fulfill: Old Covenant prophecies stated in Matthew concerning events in Jesus' life are found in: 2:15,23; 3:15; 4:14; 5:17; 8:17; 12:17; 13:14,15; 13:35; 21:4; 26:54,56; 27:9.
10 Isaiah 7:14
11 Isaiah 8:8
12 He did not know her (in a sexual way). See Genesis 4:1.
13 See Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:9; John 7:2, 3, 5, 10; 2:12. Children born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus was born.
14 Aramaic in origin (mghue-sha )$wGM) Magian, from Mage, or Magi, a priestly cast of ancient Media and Persia, probably of Median origin. Their religion was very similar to that of Zoroaster and included belief in the advent of a savior; a magician. Aramaic in origin (mghue-shue-in oY)$wGM) Magianism; the doctrine of Magi; fire-worship; magic. in Orfram's dictionary page 262.
15 Jeremiah 23:5
16 Numbers 24:17
17 According to the prophecies in the Old Covenant, the Jews knew where the Messiah was to be born.
18 Micah 5:2
19 libanos (livbano"), from a Semitic verb signifying to be white, is a vegetable resin, bitter and glittering, obtained by incisions in the bark of the arbor thuris, the incense tree, and especially imported through Arabia; it was used for fumigation at sacrifices, Exodus 30:7 etc., or for perfume, Song of Solomon 3:6. The Indian variety is called looban. It was among the offerings brought by the wise men, Matthew 2:11. In Revelation 18:13 it is listed among the commodities of Babylon. The "incense" of Revelation 8:3 should be "frankincense" ()tNwBL).
20 smurna (smuvrna), whence the name Smyrna, a word of Semitic origin, Hebrew., moµr, from a root meaning bitter, is a gum resin from a shrubby tree, which grows in Yemen and neighboring regions of Africa; the fruit is smooth and somewhat larger than a pea. The color of myrrh varies from pale reddish-yellow to reddish-brown or red. The taste is bitter, and the substance astringent, acting as an antiseptic and a stimulant. It was used as a perfume, Psalm 45:8, where the language is symbolic of the graces of the Messiah; Proverbs 7:17; Song of Solomon 1:13; 5:5; it was one of the ingredients of the "holy anointing oil" for the priests, Exodus 30:23 (R.V., "flowing myrrh"); it was used also for the purification of women, Esther 2:12; for embalming, John 19:39; it was one of the gifts of the Magi, Matthew 2:11.
21 Hosea 11:1
22 Possibly Er Ram. 7 kilometers north of Jerusalem
23 Jeremiah 31:15
24 To judge by the rock-tombs, the early town was higher up the west hill than the recent Nazareth. There are two possible water supplies. The first, which is the larger, lies in the valley and has been called 'Mary's Well' since ad 1100, but there is no trace of early dwellings near by. The second is a very small fountain, called 'the New Well', in an angle formed by a projection of the western hill; the Byzantine church and town lay closer to this. The steep scarp of Jebel Qafsa, overlooking the plain, is traditionally but erroneously called 'the Mount of Precipitation', since this was not the hill 'on which their city was built' (Luke 4:29). G. H. Dalman, Sacred Sites and Ways, 1935, pp. 57ff.
25 Possibly in connection with Isaiah 11:1 Branch: Nezer
26 Isaiah 40:3
27 Pharisees (fair×i-seez), a group of specially observant and influential Jews, mainly in Palestine, from the second century B.C.E. to the first century C.E. The name is obscure. It may mean 'separate ones' in Hebrew, referring to their observance of ritual purity and tithing, or less probably 'the interpreters,' referring to their unique interpretations of biblical law.
28 Sadducees (sad×yoo-seez), a group in Judaism from the second century B.C.E. to the first century C.E. Their name in Hebrew (tsaddiqim) means the 'righteous ones' and may be descriptive, or it may be derived from the name of Zadok, the high priest under David (1 Kings 1:26).
29 Righteousness; refer to Romans 6:16b.
30 Isaiah 42:1
31 Accuser
32 The tempter
33 Deuteronomy 8:3
34 Psalm 91:11
35 Psalm 91:12
36 Deuteronomy 6:16
37 Deuteronomy 6:13
38 Herod Antipas arrested John because John had blamed Herod of illegally marrying his half-brother's wife. (See Matthew 14:3.)
39 Isaiah 9:1-2
40 The name 'Peter' is the Greek word for 'rock' (petra) and translates an Aramaic nickname ()P)K) that also means 'rock.' The Greek rendering of the Aramaic name, Cephas, is also used for Peter in the nt (John 1:42; 1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:22; 9:5; 15:5; Galatians 1:18; 2:9, 11, 14).
41 Translation of early manuscript rendered this name as "James" to honor the king in power. Jacoub/Yacoub/Jacob remains in the languages today.
42 House of worship - SUNAGOµGEµ (sunagwghv), properly a bringing together (sun, together, agoµ,to bring), denoted (a) a gathering of things, a collection, then, of persons, an assembling, of Jewish religious gatherings, e.g., Acts 9:2; an assembly of Christian Jews, Jacob (James) 2:2, R.V., "synagogue" (A.V., marg.; text, "assembly"); a company dominated by the power and activity of Satan, Revelation 2:9; 3:9; (b) by metonymy, the building in which the gathering is held, Matthew 6:2; Mark 1:21. The origin of the Jewish synagogue is probably to be assigned to the time of the Babylonian exile. Having no Temple, the Jews assembled on the Sabbath to hear the Law read, and the practice continued in various buildings after the return. Cp. Psalm 74:8.
43 Epilepsy is a disease that violently affects the central nervous system by loss of muscular control and loss of consciousness.
44 The Decapolis, a defense confederation which originally consisted of ten cities. Eventually they became an entire Roman province.
45 'Learners'
46 'Blest' here refers to the ultimate well-being and distinctive spiritual joy of those who share in being saved in the kingdom of God.
47 In Jesus' day, salt was often stored inside bags made of animal skin. This salt contained impurities which absorbed moisture during damp weather. The pure salt would dissolve and leak through the bags, leaving only saltless residue. Thus, salt eventually lost its qualities.
48 To carry out the prophecies of Messiah written in the Old Covenant (See Matthew 1:22.)
49 Righteousness
50 Murder: several Hebrew and Greek verbs mean 'kill'. The ones used here and in Exodus 20:13 specifically mean 'murder'.
51 An Aramaic word: a very unkind word (raka )Q)r). It attacks the humanity of a person. It is the same as calling someone empty-headed, stupid, and good-for-nothing - a judgment which only God can make. We are made in God's image (Genesis 1:26).
52 Adultery/fornication
53 See above - adultery.
54 See Matthew 19:1-9.
55 A Roman mile (4,854 feet) was shorter than today's mile (5,280 feet); less than 1609 meters.
56 Neighbor
57 Rises
58 Make a religious show
59 Those who act as though they are good when they are not
60 SUNAGOµGEµ (sunagwghv); refer to Matthew 4:23.
61 Hypocrites
62 filou'sin
63 The devil
64 To go without food for a period of time, usually for spiritual reasons
65 Many manuscripts add: "or what you will drink".
66 'A cubit'
67 Belief plus action equals faith; see Jacob 2:14-18.
68 Those who act as though they are good when they are not
69 This could relate with John 13:34,35 - give yourself to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return.
70 Old Covenant / Old Testament
71 A bad skin disease which destroys the flesh
72 He commanded 100 men.
73 Belief plus action equals faith; see Jacob 2:14-18.
74 Isaiah 53:4
75 The Son of Man: Daniel 7:13-14; Psalm 8:4; Ezekiel.
76 Belief plus action equals faith; see Jacob 2:14-18.
77 Some ancient copies have "Gergesenes"; others have "Gerasenes".
78 The Son of Man
79 Indirect taxes were imposed on economic activity. These included market taxes and port fees as well as customs duties (tolls) collected at ports and inland boundaries. While direct taxes were collected by local leaders, the indirect taxes were collected by tax collectors or publicans. Josephus reports that the wealth of one of the Jewish leaders at Caesarea, John, came from taxes collected on business at the port (War 2.287). Luke 19:1-10 refers to a wealthy Zacchaeus, collecting taxes at Jericho on the border between Perea and Judea. Tolls had to be paid on the transport of goods from one district to another (Matthew 9:9; Luke 5:27). These taxes appear to have been auctioned to the highest bidder, the 'chief toll collector' for a region (Luke 19:2), whose agents manned the toll stations. There is evidence of tariffs as high as 25 percent of value on some items.
80 Hosea 6:6
81 The Immerser
82 To go without food for a period of time - usually for spiritual reasons
83 Fast
84 In those days, the wine containers were made of animal skins. The grape juice would ferment and stretch the wine containers. If new wine were put into an old wine container (one which was already stretched to its capacity), the fermentation process would break it open. A new wine container still had room to stretch.
85 This was the custom at funerals at that time.
86 They were probably (traditionally) women mourners who were paid to perform this function.
87 Apostles
88 In Aramaic "Cephas"; in Greek petro" "small stone"
89 Translation of early manuscript rendered this name as "James" to honor the king in power. Jacoub/Yacoub/Jacob remains in the languages today.
90 Zealot. This was a term used for Jews who favored a revolt against Rome. Cananaean (kay-nuh-nee×uhn), epithet of the disciple Simon in Mark 3:18 and Matthew 10:4, derived from Aramaic ()YNNK), 'zealous', revolutionary.
91 A Jewish custom showing rejection of non-Jews. Here, it is used toward those who reject the Good News.
92 This word "everyone" does not refer to immersed believers.
93 The Son of Man
94 An Aramaic word (bwBzL(B); 'lord of the flies', a name given to the devil.
95 Life
96 See Luke 12:5.
97 Micah 7:6
98 Greek: filwn : a feeling of deep closeness
99 See above: 'love'.
100 Responsibility from God
101 Prophet (Hebrew. nabi Õ, Gk. propheµteµs), a person who serves as a channel of communication between the human and divine worlds.
102 Herod Antipas had put John in prison because John accused Herod Antipas of illegally marrying his half-brother's wife. (See Matthew 14:3.)
103 Christ
104 Malachi 3:1
105 Luke 16:16
106 In the New Covenant, Elijah is identified in the popular mind with Jesus (Mark 6:15; 8:28) but Jesus identified John the Immerser as Elijah who was to return and restore all things (Mark 9:12). See Malachi 4:5,6.
107 The Son of Man
108 'Wisdom is made right by her works.'
109 'Repented' - see Jonah 3:5-8
110 The world of the dead
111 The yoke (responsibility)
112 Souls
113 Numbers 28:9
114 Hosea 6:6
115 Son of Man - Jesus
116 SUNAGOµGEµ (sunagwghv ); refer to Matthew 4:23.
117 Isaiah 42:1-4
118 'Lord of the flies', a name given to the devil
119 The devil
120 The Son of Man
121 miracles, special interventions by God on behalf of his people. Miracles are closely associated with the creative and salvific deeds of God throughout Old Covenant (Old Testament) tradition. These 'powerful', 'mighty' or 'miraculous' deeds of salvation and creation take place through the action of God's Spirit and power. This mighty power of God, manifested throughout the history of Israel, is understood to be unique (Joshua 4:23-24; Psalm 77:14-15; 145:10-12; Jeremiah 16:21).
122 In John 11:09, Jesus answered, "There are twelve hours in a day."
123 The Son of Man
124 Jesus is speaking of how long he would be in the grave.
125 The 'queen of the south' (See 1 Kings 10:1-10; 2 Chronicles 9:1-12.)
126 The meaning of house here is 'body'.
127 See Matt. 1:25; 13:55; Mark 6:3; John 2:12; 7:2-5; Act 1:14; 1Cor 9:5; Gal. 1:19.
128 There is a cove on the lake just 2000 meters west of Capernaum that makes a natural amphitheater. Several thousand people could listen to a man, from a small boat just off the shore, speaking in a natural tone.
129 Literally 'parables' which means 'a placing beside' - and thus a comparison or illustration
130 See above: 'parables'.
131 Isaiah 6:9-10
132 The devil
133 Parable
134 It looks like wheat but the head is empty.
135 Three satas; about 40 quarts or 181 liters
136 Psalm 78:2
137 The Son of Man
138 The devil
139 See above - the Son of Man.
140 See Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:9; John 7:2, 3, 5, 10; 2:12. Children born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus was born.
141 He was Governor of the Galilee and Perea.
142 A granddaughter of Herod the Great.
143 This was not Philip the tetrarch, ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis (Luke 3:1), but he was another half-brother of Herod Antipas by the same name.
144 Salome
145 Somewhere close to Bethsaida (See Luke 9:10-17.)
146 See also Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-13.
147 Belief plus action equals faith; Romans 5:6-11.
148 Tassels were worn on four corners of a robe to remind the people of the law (Numbers 15:38-40).
149 The old rules of the elders. After the Babylonian captivity, the Jewish rabbis began to make meticulous rules and regulations governing the daily life of the people. There were interpretations and applications of the law of Moses, handed down from generation to generation. In Jesus' day this "tradition of the elders" was in oral form. It was not until C.E. 200 that it was put into writing in the Mishnah.
150 Exodus 20:12
151 Exodus 21:17
Those who act as though they are good when they are not
Belief plus action equals faith; see Jacob 2:14-18.
Also called Magdala, the home of Mary of Magdal.
The sign of Jonah (See Matthew 12:39-40 and note on Luke 11:29.)
Here, 'yeast' means influence.
Belief plus action equals faith; see Jacob 2:14-18.
Today it is called Banyas. It is the main headwater of the Jordan river.
A man who spoke for God about 850 B.C.E.
A man who spoke for God about 600 B.C.E.
The Greek word is 'petra' (feminine gender).
The Greek word is 'petros' (masculine gender).
Belief plus action equals faith; see Jacob 2:14-18.
Jews were commanded by their leaders to support the temple's upkeep.
The numbers 7 and 10 were considered to be perfect (complete) numbers. 70 is a multiple of both numbers. The meaning here is: forgive your brother every time he sins against you.
10,000 talents. It would take a workman about 1,000 weeks to earn one talent.
This word "everyone" does not refer to immersed believers.
The Aramaic word gamla could mean 'rope' or 'camel'. (Peshetta)
staurwsai - crucifixion, stauros= stake. Refer to Matthew 26:2 footnote.
Bethphage is on the east side of the Hill of Olives. Jerusalem is west of the Hill of Olives.
An Aramaic expression of praise meaning, "Save now." ()N(Sw)) In Hebrew it means "Save, we pray." (aN: h[;yviwho).
The merchants and money-exchangers were providing a service for foreign Jews who needed to buy animals for sacrifice and exchange their foreign money, but they should not have been conducting such business in the temple courtyard. Also, they should not have charged such high prices for their services.
An Aramaic expression of praise meaning, "Save now." ()N(Sw)) In Hebrew it means "Save, we pray." (aN: h[;yviwho).
Bethany is on the east side of the Hill of Olives
Some ancient copies omit this verse.
The title of the supreme Roman rulers, 'Caesar', became the title of each emperor.
Those who act as if they are good
In the Hebrew text of this psalm, the first 'Lord' is Yahweh (hw:hyÒ); the second 'Lord' is Adonai (ynIdoal), referring to the Messiah.
In his control (See Psalm 110:1.)
Traditions and sayings of the religious leaders at that time
These leather boxes contained verses of Scripture, and were strapped to their arms or foreheads while praying (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
Tassels were worn on four corners of a robe to remind the people of the law (Numbers 15:38-40).
On a raised platform where speakers stood, overlooking the called out group
It means 'Rabbi' or 'my teacher'. It became a title of respect for Jewish leaders.
Matthew 23:13,14,15,23,25,27,29 Those who acted as though they were righteous but they were not righteous
The Pharisees strained drinking water to avoid ceremonially unclean insects. (See Leviticus 22:4-8.)
See Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11.
It would take a workman 1,000 weeks to earn one talent. One talent equaled about 25 kilograms of gold.
A yearly feast reminding the Jews of the death angel that had "passed over" their homes in Egypt (Exodus 12:21-28).
stauros (staurov") denotes, primarily, an upright pale or stake. On such malefactors were nailed for execution. Both the noun and the verb stauroo µ, to fasten to a stake or pale, are originally to be distinguished from the ecclesiastical form of a two beamed cross. The shape of the latter had its origin in ancient Chaldea, and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau, the initial of his name) in that country and in adjacent lands, including Egypt. By the middle of the 3rd century C.E. the churches had either departed from, or had travestied, certain doctrines of the Christian faith. In order to increase the prestige of the apostate ecclesiastical system pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration by faith, and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, in its most frequent form, with the cross-piece lowered, was adopted to stand for the cross of Christ. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Page 258.
The Festival lasted one week; Passover was the first holy day during the week of unleavened bread
A person who had a bad skin disease which destroyed the flesh
Jars were sometimes made of alabaster, a soft, cream-colored stone.
A yearly feast when unleavened bread (no yeast to make the bread rise) was eaten. It lasted seven days. (See Leviticus 23:4-8.)
"You are saying it"; a statement meaning: "I agree with what you are saying."
Represents; see Matthew 26:26,28.
Aramaic, gat shemanim, "oil press" ()NM$tG)
A 'legion' - in the Roman army - numbered about 5,000 men.
Jesus demanded the Old Covenant Scriptures be fulfilled.
There are over 600 prophecies concerning Messiah.
"You are saying it"; a statement meaning: "I agree with what you are saying."
263 "The Valley of Slaughter" in Jeremiah 19:6
264 Zechariah 11:12-13
265 "You are saying it"; a statement meaning: "I agree with what you are saying."
266 A gesture claiming innocence (Deuteronomy 21:6,7; Psalm 26:6)
267 stauros (staurov") : stake. See note on Matthew 26:2.
268 This is Galilean Aramaic.
269 'Eloi' may have sounded like 'Elijah' in Galilean Aramaic language.
270 The inner curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. The tearing of the curtain signified Christ's making it possible for called out believers to go directly into God's presence. (See Hebrews 9:1-14; 10:14-22.)
271 The holy city
272 Preparation for Passover
273 The Jews considered sundown to be the beginning of the day, in this case Passover day.
274 The weekly Sabbath. After sundown the first day of the week starts.
275 If Jesus died in C.E. 30, then dawn was at 03:15 on that morning.