Gospel of Luke

Gospel of Luke

The Birth of a Promise

Many have undertaken to compile a narrative

about the events that have been fulfilled among us,

just as they were handed down to us

by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning.

Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the start,

it seemed good to me also

to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

so that you may know with certainty

the things you have been taught.

In the days of Herod, king of Judea,

there was a priest named Zechariah,

of the priestly division of Abijah.

His wife, Elizabeth, was from the daughters of Aaron.

They were both righteous before God,

walking blamelessly in all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.

But they had no child,

because Elizabeth was barren,

and they were both advanced in years.

Once, while Zechariah was serving as priest before God

when his division was on duty,

he was chosen by lot,

according to the custom of the priesthood,

to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.

At the hour of incense,

the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him,

standing to the right of the altar of incense.

When Zechariah saw him, he was shaken and overcome with fear.

But the angel said to him,

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah,

for your prayer has been heard.

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you are to name him John.

He will be a joy and delight to you,

and many will rejoice at his birth,

for he will be great before the Lord.

He must never drink wine or strong drink,

and he will be filled with the Set-Apart Set-Apart Spirit

even from his mother’s womb.

He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

He will go before Him in the Set-Apart Spirit and power of Elijah,

to turn the hearts of the parents to the children,

and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous —

to prepare a people made ready for the Lord.”

Zechariah said to the angel,

“How can I be sure of this?

For I am an old man,

and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel answered,

“I am Gabriel.

I stand in the presence of God,

and I was sent to speak to you

and to bring you this good news.

And now you will be silent and unable to speak

until the day this happens,

because you did not trust my words,

which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah,

wondering why he stayed so long in the sanctuary.

When he came out, he could not speak to them.

They realized he had seen a vision in the sanctuary.

He kept making signs to them and remained unable to speak.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home.

After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant,

and for five months she remained in seclusion.

She said,

“This is what the Lord has done for me

in the days when He looked upon me

to take away my disgrace among the people.”

In the sixth month,

God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph,

of the house of David.

The virgin’s name was Mary.

The angel came to her and said,

“Rejoice, highly favored one!

The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled by his words

and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

You will conceive and give birth to a son,

and you are to call His name Jesus.

He will be great

and will be called the Son of the Most High.

The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,

and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever —

and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary asked the angel,

“How will this be, since I have not been with a man?”

The angel answered,

“The Set-Apart Set-Apart Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born will be called holy —

the Son of God.

Even Elizabeth your relative

has conceived a son in her old age,

and she who was called barren

is now in her sixth month.

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Mary said,

“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord.

Let it be to me according to your word.”

Then the angel left her.

In those days Mary got ready and hurried

to a town in the hill country of Judea,

where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,

the baby leaped in her womb,

and Elizabeth was filled with the Set-Apart Set-Apart Spirit.

She exclaimed with a loud voice,

“Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

But why am I so favored,

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears,

the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

Blessed is she who trusted

that what the Lord has spoken to her will be fulfilled!”

And Mary said:

“My life magnifies the Lord,

and my Set-Apart Spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

For He has looked on the low estate of His servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is His name.

His mercy extends to those who revere Him,

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His arm;

He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones

and lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped His servant Israel,

remembering His mercy,

as He spoke to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months

and then returned to her home.

When it was time for Elizabeth to give birth,

she had a son.

Her neighbors and relatives heard

that the Lord had shown her great mercy,

and they rejoiced with her.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child,

and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father.

But his mother said,

“No! He is to be called John.”

They said to her,

“There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

So they made signs to his father

to find out what he wanted to name the child.

He asked for a writing tablet and wrote,

“His name is John.”

And they were all amazed.

Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free,

and he began to speak, praising God.

Fear came on all who lived around them,

and all these things were talked about

throughout the hill country of Judea.

Everyone who heard of it

wondered and asked,

“What then will this child become?”

For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Set-Apart Set-Apart Spirit

and prophesied:

**“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

for He has visited and redeemed His people.

He has raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of His servant David,

as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets long ago —

salvation from our enemies

and from the hand of all who hate us,

to show mercy to our ancestors

and to remember His holy covenant,

the oath He swore to our father Abraham:

to grant us deliverance from the hand of our enemies,

so that we might serve Him without fear,

in holiness and righteousness before Him

all our days.

And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways,

to give His people knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins,

because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the rising sun will visit us from on high,

to shine on those who sit in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the path of peace.”**

And the child grew and became strong in Set-Apart Spirit,

and he lived in the wilderness

until the day he was revealed to Israel.

———

The King in a Manger

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus

that all the world should be registered.

(This was the first registration that took place

while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea,

to Bethlehem, the town of David,

because he belonged to the house and lineage of David.

He went to be registered with Mary,

who was pledged to him and was expecting a child.

While they were there,

the time came for her to give birth,

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.

She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths

and laid Him in a manger,

because there was no room for them in the guest quarters.

And in the same region

there were shepherds living out in the fields,

keeping watch over their flock by night.

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them,

and the glory of the Lord shone around them,

and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them,

“Do not be afraid.

For behold, I bring you good news of great joy

that will be for all the people:

Today in the town of David

a Savior has been born to you —

He is the Anointed One, the Lord.

This will be a sign to you:

You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths

and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel

a multitude of the heavenly host,

praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.”

When the angels had departed from them into heaven,

the shepherds said to one another,

“Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,

which the Lord has made known to us.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph,

and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

When they saw Him,

they spread the word about what had been told them concerning this child,

and all who heard it were amazed

at what the shepherds said to them.

But Mary treasured up all these things,

pondering them in her heart.

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God

for all they had heard and seen,

just as it had been told to them.

When eight days were completed for the child’s circumcision,

He was named Jesus,

the name given by the angel

before He was conceived in the womb.

When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses,

they brought Him up to Jerusalem

to present Him to the Lord

(as it is written in the Law of the Lord:

“Every firstborn male shall be called holy to the Lord”),

and to offer a sacrifice

in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord:

“A pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon,

who was righteous and devout.

He was waiting for the comfort of Israel,

and the Set-Apart Set-Apart Spirit was upon him.

It had been revealed to him by the Set-Apart Set-Apart Spirit

that he would not see death

before he had seen the Lord’s Anointed.

Moved by the Sacred Breath, he went into the temple courts.

When the parents brought in the child Jesus

to do for Him what the custom of the Law required,

Simeon took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord,

as You have promised,

You now dismiss Your servant in peace.

For my eyes have seen Your salvation,

which You have prepared in the sight of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and for glory to Your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother marveled

at what was spoken about Him.

Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother,

“Behold, this child is destined

for the falling and rising of many in Israel,

and to be a sign that will be spoken against —

so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.

And a sword will pierce your own life also.”

There was also a prophetess, Anna,

the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.

She was very old,

having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,

and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

She never left the temple,

but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.

Coming up at that very hour,

she gave thanks to God

and spoke about the child

to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the requirements

of the Law of the Lord,

they returned to Galilee,

to their own town of Nazareth.

And the child grew and became strong,

filled with wisdom,

and the grace of God was upon Him.

Every year His parents went to Jerusalem

for the Feast of the Passover.

And when He was twelve years old,

they went up according to the custom of the feast.

After the feast was over,

while His parents were returning home,

the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem,

but they were unaware of it.

Thinking He was in their company,

they traveled on for a day.

Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends.

When they could not find Him,

they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him.

After three days they found Him in the temple courts,

sitting among the teachers,

listening to them and asking them questions.

And all who heard Him were amazed

at His understanding and His answers.

When His parents saw Him, they were astonished.

His mother said to Him,

“Child, why have You treated us this way?

Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You!”

He replied,

“Why were you searching for Me?

Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

But they did not understand what He was saying to them.

Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth,

and was obedient to them.

But His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature,

and in favor with God and people.

———

Prepare the Way

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,

when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,

Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,

his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis,

and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,

the word of God came to John,

the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.

He went into all the region around the Jordan,

proclaiming an immersion of repentance

for the forgiveness of sins,

as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make His paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled in,

and every mountain and hill made low.

The crooked shall become straight,

and the rough ways smooth.

And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

So John said to the crowds coming out to be immersed by him:

“You brood of vipers!

Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

And do not begin to say to yourselves,

‘We have Abraham as our father.’

For I tell you that out of these stones

God can raise up children for Abraham.

The axe is already laid at the root of the trees,

and every tree that does not bear good fruit

is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

And the crowds asked him,

“What then should we do?”

John answered,

“Whoever has two tunics

should share with the one who has none,

and whoever has food

should do the same.”

Even tax collectors came to be immersed.

“Teacher,” they asked,

“what should we do?”

He told them,

“Collect no more than you are authorized.”

Then some soldiers asked him,

“And what about us? What should we do?”

He said,

“Do not extort money,

do not accuse anyone falsely,

and be content with your wages.”

The people were filled with expectation,

and all were wondering in their hearts

if John might be the Anointed One.

John answered them all,

“I indeed immerse you in water.

But One more powerful than I is coming,

the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.

He will immerse you in the Set-Apart Set-Apart Spirit and fire.

His winnowing fork is in His hand

to clear His threshing floor

and to gather the wheat into His barn,

but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

And with many other exhortations

John proclaimed the good news to the people.

But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch

because of Herodias, his brother’s wife,

and for all the evil things he had done,

Herod added this to them all:

he locked John up in prison.

When all the people were being immersed,

Jesus also was immersed.

And as He was praying,

heaven was opened,

and the Set-Apart Set-Apart Spirit descended on Him

in bodily form like a dove.

And a voice came from heaven:

“You are My beloved Son;

in You I am well pleased.”

Jesus was about thirty years old when He began His ministry.

He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,

the son of Heli,

the son of Matthat,

the son of Levi,

the son of Melchi,

the son of Jannai,

the son of Joseph,

the son of Mattathias,

the son of Amos,

the son of Nahum,

the son of Esli,

the son of Naggai,

the son of Maath,

the son of Mattathias,

the son of Semein,

the son of Josech,

the son of Joda,

the son of Joanan,

the son of Rhesa,

the son of Zerubbabel,

the son of Shealtiel,

the son of Neri,

the son of Melchi,

the son of Addi,

the son of Cosam,

the son of Elmadam,

the son of Er,

the son of Joshua,

the son of Eliezer,

the son of Jorim,

the son of Matthat,

the son of Levi,

the son of Simeon,

the son of Judah,

the son of Joseph,

the son of Jonan,

the son of Eliakim,

the son of Melea,

the son of Menna,

the son of Mattatha,

the son of Nathan,

the son of David,

the son of Jesse,

the son of Obed,

the son of Boaz,

the son of Salmon,

the son of Nahshon,

the son of Amminadab,

the son of Admin,

the son of Arni,

the son of Hezron,

the son of Perez,

the son of Judah,

the son of Jacob,

the son of Isaac,

the son of Abraham,

the son of Terah,

the son of Nahor,

the son of Serug,

the son of Reu,

the son of Peleg,

the son of Eber,

the son of Shelah,

the son of Cainan,

the son of Arphaxad,

the son of Shem,

the son of Noah,

the son of Lamech,

the son of Methuselah,

the son of Enoch,

the son of Jared,

the son of Mahalalel,

the son of Kenan,

the son of Enosh,

the son of Seth,

the son of Adam,

the son of God.

———

Tested in the Wilderness

Jesus, full of the Set-Apart Spirit,

returned from the Jordan

and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

where for forty days He was tested by the accuser.

He ate nothing during those days,

and at the end of them He was hungry.

The accuser said to Him,

“If You are the Son of God,

tell this stone to become bread.”

Jesus answered him,

“It is written:

‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”

Then the accuser led Him up

and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.

And he said to Him,

“I will give You all their authority and splendor,

for it has been given to me,

and I can give it to anyone I choose.

If You will bow down and worship me,

it will all be Yours.”

Jesus answered,

“It is written:

‘Worship the Lord your God,

and serve Him only.’”

Then the accuser led Him to Jerusalem,

set Him on the highest point of the temple, and said,

“If You are the Son of God,

throw Yourself down from here.

For it is written:

‘He will command His messengers concerning You

to guard You carefully;

they will lift You up in their hands,

so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered,

“It also says:

‘You shall not test the Lord your God.’”

When the accuser had finished every test,

he departed from Him until an opportune time.

The Power of the Spirit

Jesus returned to Galilee

in the power of the Set-Apart Spirit,

and news about Him spread

throughout the whole countryside.

He taught in their synagogues,

and everyone praised Him.

Rejected in Nazareth

He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up,

and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue,

as was His custom.

He stood up to read,

and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him.

Unrolling it, He found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Holy One is upon Me,

because He has anointed Me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to announce release for the captives

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then He rolled up the scroll,

gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.

The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

He began by saying to them,

“Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

All spoke well of Him

and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips.

They said,

“Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

Jesus said to them,

“Surely you will quote this proverb to Me:

‘Physician, heal Yourself!’

Do here in Your hometown

what we heard You did in Capernaum.”

And He said,

“Truly I tell you,

no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah,

when the sky was shut for three and a half years

and a great famine came over all the land.

Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them,

but to a widow in Zarephath in Sidon.

And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet,

but none of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

When they heard this,

everyone in the synagogue was filled with rage.

They got up, drove Him out of the town,

and brought Him to the edge of the hill

on which their town was built,

intending to throw Him off the cliff.

But He passed through the crowd

and went on His way.

Authority and Power

Then He went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee,

and on the Sabbath He taught the people.

They were amazed at His teaching,

because His message had authority.

In the synagogue there was a man

possessed by an unclean spirit.

He cried out in a loud voice,

“Ha! What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?

Have You come to destroy us?

I know who You are — the Set-Apart One of God!”

Jesus rebuked him, saying,

“Be silent and come out of him!”

Then the demon threw the man down in their midst and came out of him,

without harming him.

All the people were amazed and said to one another,

“What is this message?

With authority and power He commands unclean spirits,

and they come out!”

And news about Him spread

throughout the surrounding region.

Healed to Serve

Jesus left the synagogue

and went to the home of Simon.

Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever,

and they asked Jesus to help her.

So He bent over her and rebuked the fever,

and it left her.

She got up at once and began to serve them.

At sunset,

the people brought to Jesus all who had various sicknesses,

and laying His hands on each one,

He healed them.

Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting,

“You are the Son of God!”

But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak,

because they knew He was the Anointed One.

At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place.

The crowds were looking for Him

and came to where He was.

They tried to keep Him from leaving them.

But He said,

“I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God

to the other towns also,

for this is why I was sent.”

And He kept on preaching

in the synagogues of Judea.

———

A New Kind of Fisherman

One day, as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,

with the crowd pressing in on Him to hear the word of God,

He saw two boats at the water’s edge.

The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.

He got into one of the boats,

the one belonging to Simon,

and asked him to push out a little from shore.

Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.

When He had finished speaking,

He said to Simon,

“Push out into deep water

and let down your nets for a catch.”

Simon answered,

“Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing.

But because You say so, I will let down the nets.”

When they had done so,

they caught such a large number of fish

that their nets began to break.

So they signaled to their partners in the other boat

to come and help them,

and they came and filled both boats so full

that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this,

he fell at Jesus’ knees and said,

“Go away from me, Lord,

for I am a sinful man!”

For he and all his companions were astonished

at the catch of fish they had taken,

and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee,

who were partners with Simon.

Then Jesus said to Simon,

“Do not be afraid.

From now on you will catch people.”

So they pulled their boats up on the shore,

left everything,

and followed Him.

Healed by Faith

While Jesus was in one of the towns,

a man came along who was covered with a skin disease.

When he saw Jesus,

he fell facedown and begged Him,

“Lord, if You are willing,

You can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man.

“I am willing,” He said. “Be clean.”

And immediately the disease left him.

Then Jesus ordered him,

“Tell no one.

But go, show yourself to the priest,

and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded

for your cleansing,

as a testimony to them.”

Yet the news about Him spread even more,

and large crowds came to hear Him

and to be healed of their sicknesses.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

The Forgiver of Sins

One day Jesus was teaching,

and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there.

They had come from every village of Galilee,

and from Judea and Jerusalem.

And the power of the Set-Apart Spirit was with Him to heal the sick.

Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat

and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.

When they could not find a way in because of the crowd,

they went up on the roof

and lowered him on his mat

through the tiles into the middle of the crowd,

right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith,

He said,

“Man, your sins are forgiven.”

The Pharisees and teachers of the law

began thinking to themselves,

“Who is this who speaks blasphemy?

Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked,

“Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’

or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

But I want you to know

that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

So He said to the paralyzed man,

“I tell you, get up,

take your mat and go home.”

Immediately he stood up in front of them,

took what he had been lying on,

and went home glorifying God.

Everyone was amazed and gave glory to God.

They were filled with awe and said,

“We have seen remarkable things today.”

Called from the Tax Booth

After this, Jesus went out

and saw a tax collector named Levi

sitting at his tax booth.

“Follow Me,” Jesus said to him.

And Levi got up,

left everything,

and followed Him.

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house,

and a large crowd of tax collectors and others

were eating with them.

But the Pharisees and their teachers of the law

complained to His disciples,

“Why do you eat and drink

with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus answered them,

“It is not the healthy who need a healer,

but the sick.

I have not come to call the righteous,

but sinners to repentance.”

New Wine in New Skins

They said to Him,

“John’s disciples often fast and pray,

and so do the disciples of the Pharisees,

but Yours go on eating and drinking.”

Jesus answered,

“Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast

while He is with them?

But the time will come

when the bridegroom will be taken from them;

in those days they will fast.”

He also told them a parable:

“No one tears a patch from a new garment

and sews it on an old one.

If they do, they will have torn the new,

and the patch from the new

will not match the old.

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins.

If they do, the new wine will burst the skins,

the wine will run out,

and the skins will be ruined.

No, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.

And no one after drinking old wine

wants the new,

for they say, ‘The old is better.’”

———

Blessed Are the Poor

Lord of the Sabbath

One Sabbath, Jesus was walking through the grainfields,

and His disciples began to pick some heads of grain,

rub them in their hands, and eat the kernels.

Some of the Pharisees asked,

“Why are You doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

Jesus answered,

“Have you never read what David did

when he and his companions were hungry?

He entered the house of God,

and taking the consecrated bread,

he ate what is lawful only for the priests,

and also gave some to his companions.”

Then He said to them,

“The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

A Life Made Whole

On another Sabbath,

He went into the synagogue and was teaching,

and a man was there whose right hand was withered.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees

were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus,

so they watched Him closely

to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.

But Jesus knew what they were thinking

and said to the man with the withered hand,

“Get up and stand in front of everyone.”

So the man got up and stood there.

Then Jesus said to them,

“I ask you,

which is lawful on the Sabbath:

to do good or to do evil,

to save life or to destroy it?”

He looked around at them all,

and then said to the man,

“Stretch out your hand.”

He did so,

and his hand was completely restored.

But they were furious

and began to discuss with one another

what they might do to Jesus.

Prayed All Night

In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray,

and spent the night praying to God.

When morning came,

He called His disciples to Him

and chose twelve of them,

whom He also named apostles:

Simon (whom He named Peter),

his brother Andrew,

James, John,

Philip, Bartholomew,

Matthew, Thomas,

James son of Alphaeus,

Simon who was called the Zealot,

Judas son of James,

and Judas Iscariot,

who would later betray Him.

Blessed Are You

He came down with them

and stood on a level place.

A large crowd of His disciples was there

and a great number of people from all Judea,

Jerusalem, and the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,

who had come to hear Him

and to be healed of their diseases.

Those troubled by unclean spirits were cured,

and everyone tried to touch Him,

because power was going out from Him

and healing them all.

Looking at His disciples, He said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now,

for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now,

for you will laugh.

Blessed are you when people hate you,

when they exclude you and insult you

and reject your name as evil,

because of the Son of Man.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,

because great is your reward in heaven.

For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.”

“But woe to you who are rich,

for you have already received your comfort.

Woe to you who are well fed now,

for you will go hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will mourn and weep.

Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,

for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.”

Love Your Enemies

“But to you who are listening I say:

Love your enemies,

do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you,

pray for those who mistreat you.

If someone slaps you on one cheek,

turn to them the other also.

If someone takes your coat,

do not withhold your shirt.

Give to everyone who asks you,

and if anyone takes what belongs to you,

do not demand it back.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

“If you love those who love you,

what credit is that to you?

Even sinners love those who love them.

And if you do good to those who do good to you,

what credit is that to you?

Even sinners do that.

And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment,

what credit is that to you?

Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

But love your enemies,

do good to them,

and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.

Then your reward will be great,

and you will be children of the Most High,

because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

A Tree Reveals Its Fruit

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged.

Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.

Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Give, and it will be given to you.

A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over,

will be poured into your lap.

For with the measure you use,

it will be measured to you.”

He also told them a parable:

“Can the blind lead the blind?

Will they not both fall into a pit?

The student is not above the teacher,

but everyone who is fully trained

will be like their teacher.”

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust

in your brother’s eye

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

How can you say, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’

when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?

You hypocrite,

first take the plank out of your eye,

and then you will see clearly

to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

“No good tree bears bad fruit,

nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.

People do not pick figs from thornbushes,

or grapes from briers.

A good person brings good things

out of the good stored up in their heart,

and an evil person brings evil things

out of the evil stored up in their heart.

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Built on the Rock

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’

and do not do what I say?

As for everyone who comes to Me

and hears My words and puts them into practice,

I will show you what they are like.

They are like a person building a house,

who dug down deep

and laid the foundation on rock.

When a flood came,

the torrent struck that house

but could not shake it,

because it was well built.

But the one who hears My words

and does not put them into practice

is like a person who built a house on the ground

without a foundation.

The moment the torrent struck that house,

it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

———

The One Who Forgives

A Servant Healed by Faith

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening,

He entered Capernaum.

There, a centurion had a servant whom he valued highly,

and who was sick and about to die.

The centurion heard of Jesus

and sent some elders of the Jews to Him,

asking Him to come and heal his servant.

When they came to Jesus,

they pleaded earnestly with Him,

“This man deserves to have You do this,

because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”

So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house

when the centurion sent friends to say to Him:

“Lord, don’t trouble Yourself,

for I do not deserve to have You come under my roof.

That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You.

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

For I myself am a man under authority,

with soldiers under me.

I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;

and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes.

I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him,

and turning to the crowd following Him, He said,

“I tell you,

I have not found such great trust even in Israel.”

Then the men who had been sent returned to the house

and found the servant well.

The Widow’s Son Raised

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain,

and His disciples and a large crowd went along with Him.

As He approached the town gate,

a dead person was being carried out—

the only son of his mother,

and she was a widow.

A large crowd from the town was with her.

When the Lord saw her,

His heart went out to her and He said,

“Do not weep.”

Then He went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on,

and the bearers stood still.

He said,

“Young man, I say to you, arise!”

The dead man sat up and began to speak,

and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

They were all filled with awe and praised God.

“A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said.

“God has visited His people!”

This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea

and the surrounding countryside.

Are You the One?

John’s disciples told him about all these things.

Calling two of them,

he sent them to the Lord to ask,

“Are You the one who is to come,

or should we expect someone else?”

When the men came to Jesus, they said,

“John the Immerser sent us to You to ask,

‘Are You the one who is to come,

or should we expect someone else?’”

At that very time,

Jesus healed many who had diseases,

sufferings, and unclean spirits,

and gave sight to many who were blind.

So He replied to the messengers,

“Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard:

The blind receive sight,

the lame walk,

those with skin disease are cleansed,

the deaf hear,

the dead are raised,

and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of Me.”

After John’s messengers left,

Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John:

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

A reed swayed by the wind?

If not, what did you go out to see?

A man dressed in fine clothes?

No, those who wear expensive clothes

and indulge in luxury are in palaces.

But what did you go out to see?

A prophet?

Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

This is the one about whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,

who will prepare Your way before You.’

I tell you, among those born of women

there is no one greater than John;

yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God

is greater than he.”

(All the people, even the tax collectors,

when they heard Jesus’ words,

acknowledged God’s justice,

because they had been immersed by John.

But the Pharisees and the experts in the law

rejected God’s purpose for themselves,

because they had not been immersed by him.)

Children in the Marketplace

Jesus continued,

“To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation?

What are they like?

They are like children sitting in the marketplace

and calling out to one another:

‘We played the flute for you,

and you did not dance;

we sang a lament,

and you did not weep.’

For John the Immerser came neither eating bread nor drinking wine,

and you say, ‘He has a demon.’

The Son of Man came eating and drinking,

and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard,

a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’

But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

The Forgiven Woman

One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him,

so He went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

A woman in that town who had lived a sinful life

learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house,

so she brought an alabaster jar of perfume,

and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping,

she began to wet His feet with her tears.

Then she wiped them with her hair,

kissed them,

and poured perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this,

he said to himself,

“If this man were a prophet,

He would know who is touching Him

and what kind of woman she is—

that she is a sinner.”

Jesus answered him,

“Simon, I have something to say to you.”

“Say it, Teacher,” he replied.

“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender.

One owed five hundred denarii,

and the other fifty.

Neither of them had the means to repay him,

so he forgave both debts.

Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon replied,

“I suppose the one who had the greater debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon,

“Do you see this woman?

I came into your house,

and you did not give Me water for My feet,

but she wet My feet with her tears

and wiped them with her hair.

You did not give Me a kiss,

but this woman, from the time I entered,

has not stopped kissing My feet.

You did not anoint My head with oil,

but she has anointed My feet with perfume.

Therefore I tell you,

her many sins have been forgiven—

as her great love has shown.

But whoever has been forgiven little

loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her,

“Your sins are forgiven.”

The other guests began to say among themselves,

“Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Jesus said to the woman,

“Your trust has made you whole.

Go in peace.”

———

Good Soil and Calmed Storms

Women Who Followed

After this, Jesus traveled from one town and village to another,

proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.

The Twelve were with Him,

and also some women

who had been healed from afflictions and disturbances:

Mary called Magdalene,

who had been restored from seven deep afflictions,

Joanna the wife of Chuza,

the manager of Herod’s household,

Susanna,

and many others.

These women were supporting them from their own resources.

The Parable of the Sower

While a large crowd was gathering

and people were coming to Jesus from town after town,

He told this parable:

“A farmer went out to sow seed.

As he scattered it,

some fell along the path and was trampled on,

and the birds devoured it.

Some fell on rocky ground,

and when it grew,

it withered because it had no moisture.

Other seed fell among thorns,

which grew up with it and choked the plants.

Still other seed fell on good soil.

It grew and produced a crop

a hundred times more than what was sown.”

When He said this, He called out,

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

The Meaning of the Parable

His disciples asked Him what the parable meant.

He said,

“To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the reign of God,

but to others I speak in parables, so that,

‘Though seeing, they may not see;

though hearing, they may not understand.’

This is the meaning of the parable:

The seed is the word of God.

The ones along the path are those who hear,

but then the adversary comes and takes away the message from their hearts,

so they will not trust and be made whole.

The ones on rocky ground are those who receive the word with joy,

but have no root.

They believe for a time,

but in a time of testing, they fall away.

The seed that falls among thorns

represents those who hear,

but as they go on their way,

they are choked by worries, wealth, and pleasures,

and they do not mature.

But the seed on good soil

represents those with a good and honest heart,

who hear the word, hold it fast,

and through perseverance produce a fruitful life.”

A Lamp on a Stand

“No one lights a lamp

and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed.

Instead, they set it on a stand,

so those who enter can see the light.

For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed,

and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light.

So pay attention to how you listen.

To the one who has, more will be given;

and to the one who does not have,

even what they think they have will be taken away.”

Jesus’ True Family

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him,

but they could not get through the crowd.

Someone told Him,

“Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You.”

He replied,

“My mother and My brothers

are those who hear God’s word and put it into action.”

Calming the Storm

One day Jesus said to His disciples,

“Let us cross to the other side of the lake.”

So they got into a boat and set out.

As they sailed, He fell asleep.

A storm swept down on the lake,

and the boat was being swamped,

and they were in danger.

The disciples woke Him, shouting,

“Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up, rebuked the wind and the raging waters;

the storm subsided, and all was calm.

He said to them,

“Where is your trust?”

In awe and wonder, they asked one another,

“Who is this?

He speaks to the wind and the waves, and they obey Him!”

The Man Among the Tombs

They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,

across from Galilee.

When Jesus stepped ashore,

He was met by a man from the town

who had been living under severe affliction for a long time.

He wore no clothes,

lived among the tombs,

and was driven into desolate places.

When he saw Jesus,

he cried out and fell at His feet, shouting,

“What do You want with me, Jesus,

Son of the Most High God?

Please don’t torment me!”

Jesus had commanded the oppressive forces

to come out of the man.

Many times they had seized him,

and even when he was guarded and shackled,

he would break free and be driven by turmoil into the wild.

Jesus asked him,

“What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied,

because many afflicting forces had gripped him.

And they begged Jesus not to send them into the abyss.

A large herd of pigs was feeding nearby.

The afflictions begged to enter the pigs,

and Jesus permitted them.

The herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

When the herdsmen saw this,

they fled and reported it in the town and countryside.

People came out to see what had happened.

They found the man

from whom the afflictions had gone out,

sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind,

and they were afraid.

Those who had seen it told the people

how the man had been restored.

Then all the people of the region

asked Jesus to leave,

because they were overcome with fear.

So He got into the boat and left.

The man begged to go with Him,

but Jesus sent him away, saying,

“Return home

and tell how much God has done for you.”

So the man went through the town,

proclaiming all that Jesus had done for him.

A Daughter and a Touch

When Jesus returned,

a crowd welcomed Him,

for they were all expecting Him.

Then a man named Jairus,

a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet.

He pleaded with Him to come to his house

because his only daughter, about twelve years old, was dying.

As Jesus went,

the crowds nearly crushed Him.

And a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years

— whom no one could heal —

came up behind Him

and touched the edge of His cloak,

and immediately her bleeding stopped.

“Who touched Me?” Jesus asked.

When all denied it, Peter said,

“Master, the crowd is pressing all around You.”

But Jesus said,

“Someone touched Me.

I know power went out from Me.”

Then the woman, seeing she could not remain hidden,

came trembling and fell before Him.

In front of everyone,

she explained why she had touched Him

and how she had been healed instantly.

Jesus said to her,

“Daughter, your trust has made you whole.

Go in peace.”

The Girl Awakes

While Jesus was still speaking,

someone came from Jairus’s house and said,

“Your daughter is dead.

Don’t bother the Teacher anymore.”

Hearing this, Jesus said,

“Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be made whole.”

When He reached the house,

He allowed no one in except Peter, John, James,

and the child’s parents.

People were wailing in grief.

But Jesus said,

“Stop weeping.

She is not dead but asleep.”

They laughed at Him, knowing she was dead.

But He took her by the hand and said,

“Child, arise.”

Her breath returned,

and she stood up at once.

Jesus told them to give her something to eat.

Her parents were astonished,

but He instructed them not to tell anyone what had happened.

———

The Sent Ones

Empowered and Sent

Jesus called the Twelve together

and gave them power and authority

to heal every disease and to restore those afflicted by unclean forces.

He sent them out

to proclaim the reign of God

and to bring healing.

He told them:

“Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no silver.

Don’t take an extra shirt.

Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.

If people do not welcome you,

leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

So they set out and traveled from village to village,

proclaiming the good news

and restoring the afflicted everywhere.

Herod Is Perplexed

Herod the ruler heard about all that was happening,

and he was deeply disturbed.

Some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead.”

Others said, “Elijah has appeared.”

And still others, “A prophet of long ago has risen.”

But Herod said,

“I beheaded John.

Who, then, is this I hear such things about?”

And he tried to see Jesus.

The Multitudes Are Fed

When the apostles returned,

they told Jesus everything they had done.

He took them with Him and withdrew privately

to a town called Bethsaida.

But the crowds found out and followed Him.

He welcomed them,

spoke to them about the reign of God,

and healed those who needed wholeness.

Late in the day, the Twelve came to Him and said,

“Send the crowd away

so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside

to find food and lodging,

for we are in a remote place here.”

He replied,

“You give them something to eat.”

They answered,

“We only have five loaves of bread and two fish—

unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.”

(About five thousand men were there.)

But He said to His disciples,

“Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”

They did so, and everyone sat down.

Taking the five loaves and the two fish,

He looked up to the sky,

gave thanks,

broke them,

and gave them to the disciples

to distribute to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied,

and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of leftovers.

The True Identity

Once, while Jesus was praying in private

and His disciples were with Him,

He asked them,

“Who do the crowds say I am?”

They replied,

“Some say John the Immerser;

others say Elijah;

and still others,

that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

“But what about you?” He asked.

“Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered,

“You are God’s Anointed One.”

Jesus warned them strictly not to tell anyone.

And He said,

“The Son of Man must suffer many things

and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes.

He must be killed and on the third day be raised.”

The Way of the Cross

Then He said to them all,

“If anyone wants to follow Me,

they must deny themselves,

take up their cross daily,

and follow Me.

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it,

but whoever loses their life for My sake will find it.

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world,

yet lose or forfeit themselves?

If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words,

the Son of Man will be ashamed of them

when He comes in His glory

and in the presence of the Father and the sacred messengers.

Truly I tell you,

some standing here will not taste death

before they see the reign of God.”

The Radiant Vision

About eight days after saying this,

Jesus took Peter, John, and James with Him

and went up a mountain to pray.

As He was praying,

the appearance of His face changed,

and His clothing became radiant like lightning.

Two men appeared in glorious light with Him—Moses and Elijah.

They spoke about His departure,

which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.

Peter and his companions were very sleepy,

but when they became fully awake,

they saw His glory

and the two men standing with Him.

As Moses and Elijah were leaving,

Peter said to Jesus,

“Master, it is good for us to be here.

Let us put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

(He didn’t know what he was saying.)

While he was speaking,

a cloud appeared and covered them,

and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.

Then a voice came from the cloud, saying,

“This is My Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him.”

When the voice had spoken,

they found Jesus alone.

The disciples kept this to themselves

and told no one at that time what they had seen.

Restoring a Boy

The next day, when they came down the mountain,

a large crowd met Jesus.

A man in the crowd called out,

“Teacher, I beg You to look at my son,

for he is my only child.

A spirit seizes him,

and he suddenly screams.

It throws him into convulsions

so that he foams at the mouth.

It scarcely ever leaves him

and is destroying him.

I begged Your disciples to drive it out,

but they could not.”

Jesus replied,

“You unbelieving and twisted generation,

how long shall I stay with you and put up with you?

Bring your son here.”

Even while the boy was coming,

he was thrown to the ground in a convulsion.

But Jesus rebuked the affliction,

healed the boy,

and gave him back to his father.

And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

The Way Down

While everyone was marveling at all Jesus did,

He said to His disciples,

“Listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you:

The Son of Man is going to be delivered into human hands.”

But they didn’t understand what He meant.

It was hidden from them,

and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

Who’s the Greatest?

An argument started among the disciples

about which of them would be the greatest.

Jesus, knowing their thoughts,

took a little child

and had him stand beside Him.

Then He said to them,

“Whoever welcomes this child in My name welcomes Me,

and whoever welcomes Me

welcomes the One who sent Me.

For it is the one who is least among you all who is truly great.”

A Different Team

John said,

“Master, we saw someone driving out oppressive spirits in Your name

and we tried to stop him,

because he is not one of us.”

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said,

“for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Rejected and Resolute

As the time approached for Him to be taken up,

Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem.

He sent messengers ahead,

who went into a Samaritan village to prepare for His arrival,

but the people there did not welcome Him

because He was headed for Jerusalem.

When the disciples James and John saw this,

they asked,

“Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?”

But Jesus turned and rebuked them.

Then they went on to another village.

No Turning Back

As they were walking along the road,

someone said to Him,

“I will follow You wherever You go.”

Jesus replied,

“Foxes have dens and birds have nests,

but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

He said to another man,

“Follow Me.”

But he replied,

“Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

Jesus said,

“Let the dead bury their own dead,

but you go and proclaim the reign of God.”

Still another said,

“I will follow You, Lord,

but first let me say goodbye to my family.”

Jesus replied,

“No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back

is fit for the reign of God.”

———

The Seventy-Two and the Good Neighbor

Sent in Pairs

After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others

and sent them out two by two

ahead of Him to every town and place

where He was about to go.

He told them,

“The harvest is abundant,

but the workers are few.

Ask the Master of the harvest

to send out laborers into His fields.

Go!

I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

Do not carry a purse, bag, or sandals.

Do not greet anyone on the road.

When you enter a house, say,

‘Peace to this household.’

If someone there shares in peace,

your peace will rest on them;

if not, it will return to you.

Stay in that house,

eating and drinking whatever they offer,

for the worker is worthy of their wages.

Do not move around from house to house.

When you enter a town and are welcomed,

eat what is set before you.

Heal those who are sick,

and say to them,

‘The reign of God has come near to you.’

But when you enter a town and are not welcomed,

go into its streets and say,

‘Even the dust of your town

we wipe off our feet as a witness against you.

Yet be sure of this:

The reign of God has come near.’”

“I tell you,

on that day it will be more bearable for Sodom

than for that town.”

Warning to the Unresponsive

“Woe to you, Chorazin!

Woe to you, Bethsaida!

If the miracles performed in you

had been done in Tyre and Sidon,

they would have repented long ago,

sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

But at the judgment,

it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

And you, Capernaum,

will you be lifted to the heavens?

No, you will go down to the place of the dead.”

“Whoever listens to you listens to Me;

whoever rejects you rejects Me;

but whoever rejects Me

rejects the One who sent Me.”

Joy in Return

The seventy-two returned with joy and said,

“Lord, even the afflicting spirits submit to us in Your name!”

He replied,

“I saw the adversary fall like lightning from the sky.

I have given you authority

to walk among snakes and scorpions

and to overcome all the power of the enemy;

nothing will harm you.

However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you,

but rejoice that your names are written in the scroll of life.”

Jesus Rejoices

At that time Jesus was full of joy through the Sacred Breath and said:

“I praise You, Father,

Lord of heaven and earth,

because You have hidden these things

from the wise and learned,

and revealed them to little children.

Yes, Father, for this was Your good pleasure.”

“All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father.

No one knows who the Son is except the Father,

and no one knows who the Father is except the Son

and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”

Then He turned to His disciples and said privately,

“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

For I tell you that many prophets and kings

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

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

The Good Neighbor

A Torah scholar stood up to test Jesus.

“Teacher,” he asked,

“what must I do to inherit the life of the age to come?”

“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied.

“How do you read it?”

He answered,

“‘Love the Lord your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your strength

and with all your mind’;

and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied.

“Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself,

so he asked Jesus,

“And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said:

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho,

when he was attacked by robbers.

They stripped him of his clothes,

beat him,

and went away, leaving him half dead.

A priest happened to be going down the same road,

and when he saw the man,

he passed by on the other side.

So too a Levite,

when he came to the place and saw him,

passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan, as he traveled,

came where the man was,

and when he saw him,

he was moved with compassion.

He went to him

and bandaged his wounds,

pouring on oil and wine.

Then he put the man on his own animal,

brought him to an inn,

and took care of him.

The next day he took out two silver coins

and gave them to the innkeeper.

‘Look after him,’ he said,

‘and when I return,

I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

Which of these three do you think

was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the Law replied,

“The one who showed him mercy.”

Jesus told him,

“Go and do likewise.”

Martha and Mary

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way,

He came to a village

where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

She had a sister called Mary,

who sat at the Lord’s feet

listening to what He said.

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.

She came to Him and asked,

“Lord, don’t You care

that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?

Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered,

“You are worried and upset about many things,

but only one thing is truly needed.

Mary has chosen what is better,

and it will not be taken away from her.”

———

Teach Us to Pray

The Pattern of Prayer

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.

When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him,

“Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

He said to them:

“When you pray, say:

Father, set-apart is Your name.

Let Your reign come.

Give us each day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

as we also forgive everyone indebted to us.

And do not let us fall into testing.”

Ask and Keep Asking

Then He said to them,

“Suppose one of you has a friend,

and you go to them at midnight and say,

‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;

a friend of mine has come on a journey,

and I have nothing to offer him.’

And suppose the one inside answers,

‘Don’t bother me.

The door is already locked,

and my children and I are in bed.

I can’t get up and give you anything.’

I tell you,

even if he won’t get up and give you the bread because of friendship,

yet because of your persistence,

he will get up and give you as much as you need.

So I say to you:

Ask, and it will be given to you.

Seek, and you will find.

Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives;

those who seek find;

and to those who knock, the door will be opened.

Which of you fathers,

if your son asks for a fish,

will give him a snake instead?

Or if he asks for an egg,

will you give him a scorpion?

If you then, though flawed,

know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your Father from above

give the Sacred Breath to those who ask Him!”

Divided Kingdoms Fall

Jesus was driving out an oppressive spirit

that had made a man mute.

When the affliction left him,

the man spoke, and the crowd was amazed.

But some of them said,

“He drives out spirits by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons.”

Others tested Him by asking for a sign from the sky.

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them,

“Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined,

and a house divided will fall.

If the accuser is divided against himself,

how can his kingdom stand?

You say I drive out afflictions by Beelzebul.

But if I drive out afflictions by his power,

by whom do your followers drive them out?

So then, they will be your judges.

But if I drive out afflictions by the finger of God,

then the reign of God has come upon you.

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house,

his possessions are safe.

But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him,

he takes away the armor in which the man trusted

and distributes his plunder.

Whoever is not with Me is against Me,

and whoever does not gather with Me scatters.”

The Empty Return

“When an unclean affliction leaves a person,

it goes through dry places seeking rest.

Not finding any, it says,

‘I will return to the house I left.’

When it returns,

it finds the house swept clean and in order.

Then it goes and takes seven other afflictions

more wicked than itself,

and they go in and live there.

And the final condition of that person

is worse than the first.”

Blessed Are Those Who Listen

As Jesus was saying these things,

a woman in the crowd called out,

“Blessed is the mother who gave You birth and nursed You!”

He replied,

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”

The Sign of Jonah

As the crowds increased, Jesus said,

“This generation is an evil generation.

It seeks a sign,

but no sign will be given to it

except the sign of Jonah.

Just as Jonah was a sign to the people of Nineveh,

so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.

The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment

with the people of this generation and condemn them,

for she came from the ends of the earth

to hear the wisdom of Solomon,

and now something greater than Solomon is here.

The people of Nineveh will stand at the judgment

with this generation and condemn it,

for they repented at the preaching of Jonah,

and now something greater than Jonah is here.”

The Lamp of the Body

“No one lights a lamp

and puts it in a hidden place or under a bowl.

Instead, they put it on a stand

so that those who come in may see the light.

Your eye is the lamp of your body.

When your eye is healthy,

your whole body is full of light.

But when it is bad,

your body is full of darkness.

See to it, then,

that the light within you is not darkness.

If your whole body is full of light,

and no part of it is in darkness,

then it will be radiant,

as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

A Rebuke to the Pharisees

When Jesus had finished speaking,

a Pharisee invited Him to eat with him.

So He went in and reclined at the table.

But the Pharisee was surprised

when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

Then the Lord said to him,

“You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish,

but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

Foolish ones!

Did not the One who made the outside also make the inside?

Now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor,

and everything will be clean for you.”

Woes Against the Religious Leaders

“Woe to you Pharisees,

because you give a tenth of your mint, rue, and every herb,

but you neglect justice and the love of God.

You should have practiced the latter

without leaving the former undone.

Woe to you Pharisees,

because you love the seat of honor in the synagogues

and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.

Woe to you,

because you are like unmarked graves,

which people walk over without knowing.”

One of the experts in the law answered Him,

“Teacher, when You say these things,

You insult us also.”

Jesus replied,

“And woe to you law experts,

because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry,

and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

Woe to you,

because you build tombs for the prophets,

and it was your ancestors who killed them.

So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did;

they killed the prophets,

and you build their tombs.

Because of this, the wisdom of God said,

‘I will send them prophets and messengers;

some of whom they will kill and persecute.’

Therefore, this generation will be held accountable

for the blood of all the prophets

shed since the foundation of the world—

from the blood of Abel

to the blood of Zechariah,

who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary.

Yes, I tell you,

this generation will be held accountable for it all.

Woe to you law experts,

because you have taken away the key to knowledge.

You yourselves have not entered,

and you have hindered those who were trying to enter.”

When Jesus left there,

the Pharisees and teachers of the law began to oppose Him fiercely

and to challenge Him with many questions,

waiting to catch Him in something He might say.

———

Do Not Be Afraid, Little Flock

The Leaven of Hypocrisy

Meanwhile, a crowd of many thousands had gathered,

so large that they were stepping on each other.

Jesus began to speak first to His disciples, saying:

“Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees—

which is hypocrisy.

There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,

or hidden that will not be made known.

What you have said in the dark will be heard in the light,

and what you have whispered in the inner rooms

will be shouted from the rooftops.”

Fear and Trust

“I tell you, My friends,

do not be afraid of those who kill the body

and after that can do no more.

But I will show you whom you should fear:

Fear the One who, after your body is dead,

has the authority to allow your entire being to perish in ruin.

Yes, I tell you, revere that One.

Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins?

Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

Indeed, even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

So do not be afraid;

you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Bold Witness

“I tell you,

whoever acknowledges Me before others,

the Son of Man will also acknowledge

before the sacred messengers of God.

But whoever denies Me before others

will be denied before the messengers of God.

Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man

will be forgiven,

but anyone who blasphemes against the Sacred Breath

will not be forgiven.

When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities,

do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,

for the Sacred Breath will teach you at that time

what you should say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Someone in the crowd said to Him,

“Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

Jesus replied,

“Man, who appointed Me as judge or divider over you?”

Then He said to them,

“Watch out!

Be on guard against all kinds of greed;

life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

And He told them this parable:

“The ground of a certain rich man yielded a great harvest.

He thought to himself,

‘What shall I do?

I have no place to store my crops.’

Then he said,

‘This is what I’ll do.

I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones,

and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

And I’ll say to myself,

“You have plenty of goods laid up for many years.

Take life easy; eat, drink, and be merry.”’

But God said to him,

‘Fool!

This very night your life will be demanded from you.

Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

This is how it will be

with whoever stores up things for themselves

but is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

Then Jesus said to His disciples:

“Therefore I tell you,

do not worry about your life—what you will eat—

or about your body—what you will wear.

For life is more than food,

and the body more than clothing.

Consider the ravens:

They do not sow or reap,

they have no storeroom or barn,

yet God feeds them.

And how much more valuable you are than birds!

Can any one of you by worrying

add a single hour to your life?

Since you cannot do this very little thing,

why do you worry about the rest?

Consider how the wildflowers grow.

They do not labor or spin.

Yet I tell you,

not even Solomon in all his splendor

was dressed like one of these.

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

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

how much more will He clothe you—

you of little trust!

And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink;

do not be anxious about it.

For the nations of the world run after all these things,

and your Father knows that you need them.

But seek His reign,

and these things will be given to you as well.

Do not be afraid, little flock,

for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

Sell your possessions and give to those in need.

Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out,

a treasure in the heavens that will never run dry,

where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.”

Be Ready

“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning,

like people waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet,

so that when he comes and knocks

they can open the door for him at once.

It will be good for those servants

whose master finds them watching when he comes.

Truly I tell you,

he will dress himself to serve,

will have them recline at the table,

and will come and wait on them.

It will be good for those servants

whose master finds them ready,

even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.

But understand this:

If the owner of the house had known

at what hour the thief was coming,

he would not have let his house be broken into.

You also must be ready,

because the Son of Man will come

at an hour you do not expect.”

The Faithful and the Foolish Servant

Peter asked,

“Lord, are You telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

The Lord answered,

“Who then is the faithful and wise manager,

whom the master puts in charge of his servants

to give them their food at the proper time?

It will be good for that servant

whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

Truly I tell you,

he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

But suppose that servant says to himself,

‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’

and he then begins to beat the other servants,

both men and women,

and to eat and drink and get drunk.

The master of that servant will come on a day

he does not expect

and at an hour he is not aware of.

He will cut him off

and assign him a place with the unfaithful.

The servant who knows his master’s will

and does not get ready or do what the master wants

will be beaten with many blows.

But the one who does not know

and does things deserving punishment

will be beaten with few blows.

From everyone who has been given much,

much will be demanded;

and from the one who has been entrusted with much,

even more will be asked.”

Not Peace, but Division

“I have come to ignite a fire on the earth,

and how I wish it were already kindled!

But I have a baptism to undergo,

and what pressure I am under until it is completed!

Do you think I came to bring peace on earth?

No, I tell you, but division.

From now on there will be five in one household divided,

three against two and two against three.

They will be divided:

father against son and son against father,

mother against daughter and daughter against mother,

mother-in-law against daughter-in-law

and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Interpreting the Times

He said to the crowd:

“When you see a cloud rising in the west,

you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.

And when the south wind blows, you say,

‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is.

Hypocrites!

You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky.

How is it that you don’t know how to interpret the present time?”

Make Peace Quickly

“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?

As you are going with your accuser to the magistrate,

try hard to be reconciled on the way,

or your accuser may drag you off to the judge,

and the judge turn you over to the officer,

and the officer throw you into prison.

I tell you,

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

———

The Call to Turn and Bear Fruit

Tragedy and Turning

Now there were some present who told Jesus

about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

Jesus responded,

“Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the others

because they suffered this way?

I tell you, no!

But unless you turn back,

you too will all perish.

Or those eighteen who died

when the tower in Siloam fell on them—

do you think they were more guilty

than all the others living in Jerusalem?

I tell you, no!

But unless you turn back,

you too will all perish.”

The Barren Fig Tree

Then He told this parable:

“A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard,

and he went to look for fruit on it but didn’t find any.

So he said to the gardener,

‘Look, for three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree

and haven’t found any. Cut it down!

Why should it use up the soil?’

“‘Sir,’ the gardener replied,

‘leave it alone for one more year,

and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.

If it bears fruit next year, fine!

If not, then cut it down.’”

A Woman Restored on the Sabbath

On a Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,

and there was a woman there

who had been crippled by a spirit of weakness for eighteen years.

She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.

When Jesus saw her,

He called her forward and said,

“Woman, you are set free from your affliction.”

Then He placed His hands on her,

and immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.

But the synagogue leader was indignant

because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath.

He said to the people,

“There are six days for work.

So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”

The Lord answered him,

“You hypocrites!

Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath

untie your ox or donkey from the stall

and lead it out to give it water?

Then should not this woman,

a daughter of Abraham,

whom the adversary kept bound for eighteen years,

be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”

When He said this,

all His opponents were humiliated,

but the people were delighted

with all the wonderful things He was doing.

The Kingdom Is Like…

Then Jesus asked,

“What is the reign of God like?

What shall I compare it to?

It is like a mustard seed,

which a man took and planted in his garden.

It grew and became a tree,

and the birds perched in its branches.”

Again He asked,

“What shall I compare the reign of God to?

It is like yeast that a woman took

and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour

until it worked all through the dough.”

The Narrow Door

Then Jesus went through the towns and villages,

teaching as He made His way to Jerusalem.

Someone asked Him,

“Lord, will only a few be saved?”

He said to them,

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door,

because many, I tell you,

will try to enter and will not be able to.

Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door,

you will stand outside knocking and pleading,

‘Sir, open the door for us.’

But he will answer,

‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

Then you will say,

‘We ate and drank with you,

and you taught in our streets.’

But he will reply,

‘I don’t know you or where you come from.

Away from Me, all you who do what is unjust!’

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth

when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

and all the prophets in the reign of God,

but you yourselves thrown outside.

People will come from east and west,

north and south,

and will take their places at the feast in the reign of God.

Indeed, there are those who are last who will be first,

and first who will be last.”

A Warning from the Pharisees

At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to Him,

“Leave this place and go somewhere else.

Herod wants to kill You.”

He replied,

“Go tell that fox,

‘I will keep driving out afflictions

and healing people today and tomorrow,

and on the third day I will complete My work.’

In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—

for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!”

Lament Over Jerusalem

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

you who kill the prophets

and stone those sent to you,

how often I have longed to gather your children together,

as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,

but you were not willing.

Look, your house is left to you desolate.

I tell you,

you will not see Me again until you say,

‘Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

———

Humble Tables and Costly Paths

Healing on the Sabbath Again

One Sabbath, Jesus went to eat at the house of a prominent Pharisee.

He was being carefully watched.

In front of Him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body.

Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the Law,

“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”

But they remained silent.

So taking hold of the man, He healed him and sent him on his way.

Then He asked them,

“If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day,

won’t you immediately pull it out?”

And they had nothing to say.

Choose the Low Seat

When Jesus noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table,

He told them this parable:

“When someone invites you to a wedding feast,

do not take the place of honor,

for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.

If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you,

‘Give this person your seat.’

Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.

But when you are invited, take the lowest place,

so that when your host comes, he will say to you,

‘Friend, move up to a better place.’

Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.

For all who lift themselves up will be humbled,

and those who humble themselves will be lifted up.”

Invite the Forgotten

Then Jesus said to His host,

“When you give a lunch or dinner,

do not invite your friends, your siblings, your relatives,

or your rich neighbors;

if you do, they may invite you back and you will be repaid.

But when you give a banquet, invite the poor,

the disabled, the crippled, and the blind,

and you will be blessed.

Although they cannot repay you,

you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

The Great Banquet

When one of those at the table with Him heard this, he said to Jesus,

“Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the reign of God.”

Jesus replied:

“A certain man was preparing a great banquet

and invited many guests.

At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited,

‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

But they all alike began to make excuses.

The first said,

‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

Another said,

‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

Still another said,

‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

The servant came back and reported this to his master.

Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant,

‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town

and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’

‘Sir,’ the servant said,

‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

Then the master told his servant,

‘Go out to the roads and country lanes

and compel them to come in,

so that my house will be full.

I tell you,

not one of those who were invited will taste of my banquet.’”

The Cost of Following

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus,

and turning to them He said:

“If anyone comes to Me

and does not put Me above father and mother,

wife and children,

brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—

such a person cannot be My disciple.

And whoever does not carry their cross and follow Me

cannot be My disciple.”

Count the Cost

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.

Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost

to see if you have enough money to complete it?

For if you lay the foundation

and are not able to finish it,

everyone who sees it will mock you, saying,

‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king.

Won’t he first sit down and consider

whether he is able with ten thousand men

to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

If he is not able,

he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off

and will ask for terms of peace.

In the same way,

those of you who do not give up everything you have

cannot be My disciples.”

Salt and Its Purpose

“Salt is good,

but if it loses its saltiness,

how can it be made salty again?

It is no longer fit for the soil or the manure pile; it is thrown out.

Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

———

The Joy of Restoration

Lost Sheep

Now the tax collectors and those labeled as sinners

were all gathering around to listen to Jesus.

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered,

“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable:

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep

and loses one of them.

Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country

and go after the lost one until he finds it?

And when he finds it,

he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.

Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says,

‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep!’

I tell you,

in the same way there will be more joy in the heavenly realm

over one person who turns back

than over ninety-nine righteous ones

who do not see their need to turn.”

Lost Coin

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one.

Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house,

and search carefully until she finds it?

And when she finds it,

she calls her friends and neighbors together and says,

‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’

In the same way,

I tell you,

there is rejoicing in the presence of the messengers of God

over one person who turns back.”

Lost Son

Jesus continued:

“There was a man who had two sons.

The younger one said to his father,

‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’

So he divided his property between them.

Not long after that,

the younger son gathered all he had,

and set off for a distant country,

and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

After he had spent everything,

a severe famine swept through that country,

and he began to be in need.

So he went and hired himself out

to a citizen of that country,

who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.

He longed to fill his stomach with the pods the pigs were eating,

but no one gave him anything.

When he came to his senses, he said,

‘How many of my father’s hired servants

have food to spare,

and here I am starving to death!

I will set out and go back to my father and say to him:

Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son;

make me like one of your hired servants.’

So he got up and went to his father.

But while he was still a long way off,

his father saw him and was filled with compassion.

He ran to his son,

threw his arms around him,

and kissed him.

The son said to him,

‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his servants,

‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.

Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

Bring the fattened calf and kill it.

Let’s have a feast and celebrate.

For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;

he was lost and is found.’

So they began to celebrate.”

The Older Brother

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field.

When he came near the house,

he heard music and dancing.

So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.

‘Your brother has come,’ he replied,

‘and your father has killed the fattened calf

because he has him back safe and sound.’

The older brother became angry and refused to go in.

So his father went out and pleaded with him.

But he answered his father,

‘Look! All these years I’ve been serving you

and never disobeyed your orders.

Yet you never gave me even a young goat

so I could celebrate with my friends.

But when this son of yours

who has squandered your wealth with prostitutes comes home,

you kill the fattened calf for him!’

‘My son,’ the father said,

‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

But we had to celebrate and be glad,

because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again;

he was lost and is found.’”

———

Stewardship, Allegiance, and the Greater Story

The Shrewd Manager

Jesus told His disciples:

“There was a rich man

whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.

So he called him in and asked,

‘What is this I hear about you?

Give an account of your management,

because you cannot be manager any longer.’

The manager said to himself,

‘What shall I do now?

My master is taking away my position.

I’m not strong enough to dig,

and I’m ashamed to beg.

I know what I’ll do

so that when I lose my job here,

people will welcome me into their homes.’

So he called in each one of his master’s debtors.

He asked the first,

‘How much do you owe my master?’

‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.

The manager told him,

‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

Then he asked the second,

‘And how much do you owe?’

‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.

He told him,

‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

The master commended the dishonest manager

because he had acted shrewdly.

For the people of this age

are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind

than are the people of the light.

I tell you,

use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves,

so that when it is gone,

you will be welcomed into lasting dwellings.”

Faithfulness in Little

“Whoever can be trusted with little

can also be trusted with much,

and whoever is dishonest with little

will also be dishonest with much.

So if you have not been trustworthy

in handling worldly wealth,

who will trust you with true riches?

And if you have not been trustworthy

with someone else’s property,

who will give you property of your own?

No one can serve two masters.

Either you will hate the one and love the other,

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

You cannot serve both God and wealth.”

Confronting the Lovers of Money

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.

He said to them,

“You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others,

but God knows your hearts.

What people value highly

is detestable in the sight of God.

The Law and the Prophets were in effect until John.

Since that time, the good news of the reign of God is being proclaimed,

and everyone is being urged to enter it.

It is easier for the sky and the earth to disappear

than for the smallest stroke of a letter in the Law to be dropped.”

A Word on Marriage

“Anyone who divorces their spouse and marries another

commits adultery,

and the one who marries a person so divorced

also commits adultery.”

The Rich Man and Lazarus

“There was a rich man

who was dressed in purple and fine linen

and lived in luxury every day.

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus,

covered with sores

and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.

Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

The time came when the beggar died,

and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.

The rich man also died and was buried.

In the realm of the dead, where he was in torment,

he looked up and saw Abraham far away,

with Lazarus by his side.

So he called to him,

‘Father Abraham,

have pity on me

and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water

and cool my tongue,

because I am in anguish in this flame.’

But Abraham replied,

‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received good things,

while Lazarus received bad things.

But now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.

And besides all this,

between us and you a great chasm has been set in place,

so that those who want to go from here to you cannot,

nor can anyone cross from there to us.’

He answered,

‘Then I beg you, father,

send Lazarus to my family,

for I have five brothers.

Let him warn them,

so that they will not also come to this place of suffering.’

Abraham replied,

‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

‘No, father Abraham,’ he said,

‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will turn back.’

He said to him,

‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets,

they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

———

Faith, Mercy, and the Unseen Kingdom

On Causing Others to Fall

Jesus said to His disciples,

“Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come,

but woe to anyone through whom they come.

It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea

with a millstone tied around their neck

than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.

So watch yourselves.

If your brother or sister sins, rebuke them;

and if they turn back, forgive them.

Even if they sin against you seven times in a day

and come back to you seven times saying, ‘I return,’

you must forgive them.”

Trust That Grows

The apostles said to the Lord,

“Grow our trust!”

He replied,

“If your trust is like a mustard seed—alive, planted, and willing to grow—

you could say to this mulberry tree,

‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’

and it would respond to you.”

Duty Without Boasting

“Suppose one of you has a servant

plowing or tending sheep.

Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field,

‘Come now and sit down to eat’?

Won’t he rather say,

‘Prepare my supper,

get yourself ready,

and serve me while I eat and drink;

after that you may eat and drink’?

Will he thank the servant

because he did what was expected?

So you also,

when you have done everything you were told to do,

should say,

‘We are humble servants;

we’ve only done what was asked of us.’”

Ten Made Whole, One Returns

On the way to Jerusalem,

Jesus traveled along the border

between Samaria and Galilee.

As He was entering a village,

ten men with a skin disease stood at a distance

and called out in a loud voice,

“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

When He saw them, He said,

“Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

And as they went, they were made whole.

One of them, when he saw he was healed,

came back, praising God in a loud voice.

He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him—

and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked,

“Were not all ten made whole?

Where are the other nine?

Has no one returned to give praise to God except this outsider?”

Then He said to him,

“Rise and go; your trust has made you whole.”

The Reign Is Among You

Once, being asked by the Pharisees

when the reign of God would come,

Jesus replied:

“The reign of God is not something that arrives with visible signs,

nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’

because the reign of God is already among you.”

Then He said to His disciples:

“The time is coming

when you will long to see even one of the days of the Son of Man,

but you will not see it.

People will say to you, ‘There He is!’ or ‘Here He is!’

Do not go chasing after them.

For the Son of Man in His day

will be like lightning flashing across the sky.

But first He must suffer greatly

and be rejected by this generation.”

Days of Noah and Lot

“Just as it was in the days of Noah,

so it will be in the days of the Son of Man.

People were eating, drinking, marrying, and being given in marriage

up to the day Noah entered the ark.

Then the flood came and swept them all away.

It was the same in the days of Lot.

People were eating and drinking,

buying and selling,

planting and building.

But the day Lot left Sodom,

fire and sulfur rained down from the sky and destroyed them all.

It will be just like this

on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

On that day

no one on the rooftop, with possessions inside,

should go down to retrieve them.

Likewise, no one in the field should return for anything.

Remember Lot’s wife!

Whoever tries to cling to their life will lose it,

but whoever releases it will preserve it.

I tell you,

on that night two people will be in one bed;

one will be taken and the other left.

Two women will be grinding grain together;

one will be taken and the other left.”

“Where, Lord?” they asked.

He replied,

“Where the body is,

there the eagles will gather.”

———

Persistent Trust and the True Riches

The Persistent Widow

Then Jesus told His disciples a parable

to show them that they should always pray and never give up.

He said:

“In a certain town there was a judge

who neither respected God nor cared what people thought.

And there was a widow in that town

who kept coming to him with the plea,

‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

For a while he refused.

But finally he said to himself,

‘Even though I don’t respect God or care what people think,

yet because this widow keeps bothering me,

I will see that she gets justice,

so she won’t eventually come and wear me out.’”

And the Lord said,

“Listen to what the unjust judge says.

And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones,

who cry out to Him day and night?

Will He keep putting them off?

I tell you,

He will see that they get justice, and quickly.

However, when the Son of Man comes,

will He find this kind of trust on the earth?”

The Exalted Humbled

To some who were confident in their own righteousness

and looked down on everyone else,

Jesus told this parable:

“Two men went up to the temple to pray,

one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed,

‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people—

robbers, evildoers, adulterers—

or even like this tax collector.

I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I receive.’

But the tax collector stood at a distance.

He wouldn’t even look up to heaven,

but beat his chest and said,

‘God, have mercy on me, a broken one.’

I tell you that this man, rather than the other,

went home in right standing with God.

For all who lift themselves up will be humbled,

and those who humble themselves will be lifted up.”

Let the Children Come

People were also bringing babies to Jesus

for Him to place His hands on them.

When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.

But Jesus called the children to Him and said,

“Let the little ones come to Me, and do not hinder them,

for the reign of God belongs to such as these.

Truly I tell you,

anyone who will not receive the reign of God like a little child

will never enter it.”

The Rich Ruler

A certain ruler asked Him,

“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit the life of the age to come?”

“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied.

“No one is good—except God alone.

You know the commandments:

‘Do not commit adultery,

do not murder,

do not steal,

do not give false testimony,

honor your father and mother.’”

“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

When Jesus heard this, He said to him,

“You still lack one thing:

Sell everything you have and give to the poor,

and you will have treasure in the heavens.

Then come, follow Me.”

When he heard this, he became very sad,

because he was extremely wealthy.

Jesus looked at him and said,

“How hard it is for the wealthy to enter the reign of God!

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

than for someone rich to enter the reign of God.”

Those who heard this asked,

“Then who can be saved?”

Jesus replied,

“What is impossible with people is possible with God.”

Peter said to Him,

“We have left all we had to follow You!”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said,

“no one who has left home or wife or siblings or parents or children

for the sake of the reign of God

will fail to receive many times more in this life—

and in the age to come, life that never ends.”

The Journey Foretold Again

Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them,

“We are going up to Jerusalem,

and everything written by the prophets about the Son of Man

will be fulfilled.

He will be handed over to the outsiders.

They will mock Him, insult Him, and spit on Him;

they will flog Him and kill Him.

On the third day He will rise again.”

But the disciples did not understand any of this.

Its meaning was hidden from them,

and they did not grasp what He was saying.

A Blind Man Receives Sight

As Jesus approached Jericho,

a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.

When he heard the crowd going by,

he asked what was happening.

They told him,

“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

He called out,

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet,

but he shouted all the more,

“Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to Him.

When he came near, Jesus asked him,

“What do you want Me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Jesus said to him,

“Receive your sight; your trust has made you whole.”

Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus,

praising God.

When all the people saw it,

they also praised God.

———

He Comes to Seek and Save

Zacchaeus the Restored One

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus;

he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

He wanted to see who Jesus was,

but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Him,

since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot,

He looked up and said to him,

“Zacchaeus, come down immediately.

I must stay at your house today.”

So he came down at once and welcomed Him joyfully.

All the people saw this and began to mutter,

“He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord,

“Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor,

and if I have cheated anyone out of anything,

I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him,

“Today, healing has come to this house,

because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to restore the lost.”

The Parable of the Entrusted Coins

While they were listening to this,

He went on to tell them a parable,

because He was near Jerusalem

and the people thought that the reign of God

was going to appear at once.

He said:

“A nobleman went to a distant country

to be appointed king and then to return.

So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten coins.

‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say,

‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

He was made king, however, and returned home.

Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money,

in order to find out what they had gained with it.

The first one came and said,

‘Sir, your coin has earned ten more.’

‘Well done, good servant!’ his master replied.

‘Because you have been trustworthy in a small matter,

take charge of ten cities.’

The second came and said,

‘Sir, your coin has earned five more.’

His master answered,

‘You take charge of five cities.’

Then another servant came and said,

‘Sir, here is your coin.

I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth.

I was afraid of you,

because you are a harsh man.

You take out what you did not put in

and reap what you did not sow.’

His master replied,

‘I will judge you by your own words, you unfaithful servant!

You knew, did you, that I am a harsh man,

taking out what I did not put in

and reaping what I did not sow?

Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit,

so that when I came back

I could have collected it with interest?’

Then he said to those standing by,

‘Take his coin away from him and give it to the one who has ten.’

‘But sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

He replied,

‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given,

but as for the one who has nothing,

even what they have will be taken away.

But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—

bring them here and remove them from among you.’”

The King Enters Jerusalem

After Jesus had said this,

He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

As He approached Bethphage and Bethany

at the hill called the Mount of Olives,

He sent two of His disciples, saying to them,

“Go to the village ahead of you,

and as you enter it,

you will find a colt tied there,

which no one has ever ridden.

Untie it and bring it here.

If anyone asks you,

‘Why are you untying it?’

say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as He had told them.

As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them,

“Why are you untying the colt?”

They replied,

“The Lord needs it.”

They brought it to Jesus,

threw their cloaks on the colt,

and put Jesus on it.

As He went along,

people spread their cloaks on the road.

When He came near the place

where the road goes down the Mount of Olives,

the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God

in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

“Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus,

“Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!”

“I tell you,” He replied,

“if they keep quiet,

the stones will cry out.”

He Weeps Over the City

As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city,

He wept over it and said,

“If you, even you, had only known on this day

what would bring you peace—

but now it is hidden from your eyes.

The days will come upon you

when your enemies will build an embankment against you

and encircle you and hem you in on every side.

They will dash you to the ground,

you and the children within your walls.

They will not leave one stone on another,

because you did not recognize the time

God came to visit you.”

Cleansing the Courts

When Jesus entered the temple courts,

He began to drive out those who were selling.

“It is written,” He said to them,

“‘My house will be a house of prayer’;

but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Every day He was teaching at the temple.

But the chief priests, the teachers of the law,

and the leaders among the people were trying to kill Him.

Yet they could not find any way to do it,

because all the people were captivated by what He said.

———

Challenging Authority, Exposing Motives

The Authority Questioned

One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts

and proclaiming the good news,

the chief priests and the teachers of the law,

together with the elders, came up to Him.

“Tell us,” they said,

“by what authority You are doing these things?

Who gave You this authority?”

He replied,

“I will also ask you a question. Tell Me:

John’s immersion—was it from heaven, or from people?”

They discussed it among themselves and said,

“If we say, ‘From heaven,’

He will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’

But if we say, ‘From people,’

all the people will stone us,

because they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

So they answered,

“We don’t know where it was from.”

Jesus said,

“Then neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Parable of the Vineyard

He went on to tell the people this parable:

“A man planted a vineyard,

rented it to some farmers,

and went away for a long time.

At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants

so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.

But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

He sent another servant,

but that one also they beat and treated shamefully

and sent away empty-handed.

He sent still a third,

and they wounded him and threw him out.

Then the owner of the vineyard said,

‘What shall I do?

I will send my beloved son;

perhaps they will respect him.’

But when the tenants saw him, they talked among themselves and said,

‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him,

and the inheritance will be ours.’

So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

He will come and destroy those tenants

and give the vineyard to others.”

When the people heard this, they said,

“God forbid!”

Jesus looked directly at them and asked,

“Then what is the meaning of that which is written:

‘The stone the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone’?

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces;

anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

Traps with Taxes

The teachers of the law and the chief priests

looked for a way to arrest Him immediately,

because they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

But they were afraid of the people.

Keeping a close watch on Him,

they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere.

They hoped to catch Jesus in something He said

so they could hand Him over to the authority of the governor.

So the spies questioned Him:

“Teacher, we know that You speak and teach what is right,

and that You do not show partiality

but teach the way of God in truth.

Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

He saw through their duplicity and said to them,

“Show Me a denarius.

Whose image and inscription are on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

He said to them,

“Then give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,

and to God what belongs to God.”

They were unable to trap Him in what He had said

there in public.

Astonished by His answer,

they became silent.

Question About Resurrection

Some of the Sadducees,

who say there is no resurrection,

came to Jesus with a question:

“Teacher,” they said,

“Moses wrote for us that

if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children,

the man must marry the widow

and raise up offspring for his brother.

Now there were seven brothers.

The first one married a woman and died childless.

The second and then the third married her,

and in the same way the seven died,

leaving no children.

Finally, the woman died too.

Now then, at the resurrection,

whose wife will she be,

since the seven were married to her?”

Jesus replied,

“The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.

But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come

and in the resurrection from the dead

will neither marry nor be given in marriage.

They can no longer die;

they are like the messengers of God.

They are children of the resurrection—

children of God.

But in the account of the burning bush,

even Moses showed that the dead rise,

for he calls the Lord

‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

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

for to Him all are alive.”

Some of the teachers of the law responded,

“Well said, Teacher!”

And no one dared to ask Him any more questions.

David’s Lord

Then Jesus said to them,

“Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David?

David himself declares in the book of Psalms:

‘The Lord said to my Lord:

Sit at My right hand

until I make Your enemies

a footstool for Your feet.’

David calls Him ‘Lord.’

How then can He be his son?”

Warning Against Showy Religion

While all the people were listening,

Jesus said to His disciples,

“Beware of the teachers of the law.

They like to walk around in flowing robes

and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces

and have the most important seats in the synagogues

and the places of honor at banquets.

They devour widows’ houses

and for a show make lengthy prayers.

These men will be judged most severely.”

———

Endurance in the Midst of Shaking

The Widow’s Offering

As Jesus looked up,

He saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.

He also saw a poor widow put in two small coins.

“I tell you the truth,” He said,

“this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth,

but she, out of her lack,

put in all she had to live on.”

Signs of Collapse and Promise

Some of His disciples were remarking about

how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones

and gifts dedicated to God.

But Jesus said,

“As for what you see here,

the time will come

when not one stone will be left on another;

every one of them will be thrown down.”

“Teacher,” they asked,

“when will these things happen?

And what will be the sign

that they are about to take place?”

He replied,

“Watch out that you are not misled.

For many will come in My name, claiming,

‘I am He,’ and,

‘The time is near.’

Do not follow them.

When you hear of wars and uprisings,

do not be terrified.

These things must happen first,

but the end will not come right away.”

Then He said to them:

“Nation will rise against nation,

and kingdom against kingdom.

There will be great earthquakes,

famines and plagues in various places,

and fearful events and great signs from the sky.

But before all this,

they will seize you and persecute you.

They will hand you over to synagogues and prisons,

and you will be brought before kings and governors,

all on account of My name.

And so you will bear witness before them.

But make up your mind not to worry beforehand

how you will defend yourselves.

For I will give you words and wisdom

that none of your adversaries

will be able to resist or contradict.

You will be betrayed

even by parents, siblings, relatives, and friends,

and they will put some of you to death.

Everyone will hate you because of Me.

But not a hair of your head will perish.

Stand firm, and you will gain your lives.”

The Fall of Jerusalem

“When you see Jerusalem

being surrounded by armies,

you will know that its desolation is near.

Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,

let those in the city get out,

and let those in the country not enter the city.

For this is the time of punishment

in fulfillment of all that has been written.

How dreadful it will be in those days

for pregnant women and nursing mothers!

There will be great distress in the land

and wrath against this people.

They will fall by the sword

and will be taken as captives to all the nations.

Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations

until the times of the nations are fulfilled.”

The Son of Man and the Sky

“There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars.

On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity

at the roaring and tossing of the sea.

People will faint from terror,

apprehensive of what is coming on the world,

for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

At that time they will see the Son of Man

coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

When these things begin to take place,

stand up and lift up your heads,

because your redemption is drawing near.”

The Fig Tree Lesson

He told them this parable:

“Look at the fig tree and all the trees.

When they sprout leaves,

you can see for yourselves and know

that summer is near.

Even so, when you see these things happening,

you know that the reign of God is near.

Truly I tell you,

this generation will certainly not pass away

until all these things have happened.

Heaven and earth will pass away,

but My words will never pass away.”

Be Awake and Ready

“Be careful,

or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing,

drunkenness, and the anxieties of life,

and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.

For it will come on all those

who live on the face of the whole earth.

Be always on the watch,

and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen,

and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

His Daily Pattern

Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple,

and each evening He went out

to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives.

And all the people came early in the morning

to hear Him at the temple.

———

The Final Meal, the Deepest Trial

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread,

called the Passover, was approaching,

and the chief priests and the teachers of the law

were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus,

for they were afraid of the people.

Then the accuser entered Judas, called Iscariot,

one of the Twelve.

He went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard

and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.

They were delighted and agreed to give him money.

He consented, and watched for an opportunity

to hand Jesus over to them

when no crowd was present.

Preparing the Passover

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread

on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.

Jesus sent Peter and John, saying,

“Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

“Where do You want us to prepare for it?” they asked.

He replied,

“As you enter the city,

a man carrying a jar of water will meet you.

Follow him to the house that he enters,

and say to the owner of the house,

‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room

where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’

He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished.

Make preparations there.”

They left and found things just as Jesus had told them.

So they prepared the Passover.

The Last Supper

When the hour came,

Jesus and His apostles reclined at the table.

And He said to them,

“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

For I tell you,

I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment

in the reign of God.”

After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said,

“Take this and divide it among you.

For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine

until the reign of God comes.”

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it,

and gave it to them, saying,

“This is My body, given for you;

do this in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying,

“This cup is the new covenant in My blood,

which is poured out for you.

But the hand of the one who is going to betray Me

is with Mine on the table.

The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed.

But woe to that one who betrays Him!”

They began to question among themselves

which of them it might be who would do this.

Who Is Greatest?

A dispute also arose among them

as to which of them was considered to be the greatest.

Jesus said to them,

“The kings of the nations rule over them,

and those who exercise authority call themselves benefactors.

But you are not to be like that.

Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest,

and the one who leads like the one who serves.

For who is greater,

the one who is at the table or the one who serves?

Is it not the one at the table?

But I am among you as one who serves.

You are those who have stood by Me in My trials.

And I confer on you a kingdom,

just as My Father conferred one on Me,

so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom

and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Peter’s Test

“Simon, Simon,

the accuser has asked to sift all of you like wheat.

But I have prayed for you, Simon,

that your trust may not fail.

And when you have turned back,

strengthen your brothers.”

But Peter replied,

“Lord, I am ready to go with You to prison and to death.”

Jesus answered,

“I tell you, Peter,

before the rooster crows today,

you will deny three times that you know Me.”

A New Season

Then Jesus asked them,

“When I sent you without purse, bag, or sandals,

did you lack anything?”

“Nothing,” they answered.

He said to them,

“But now if you have a purse, take it,

and also a bag;

and if you don’t have a sword,

sell your cloak and buy one.

It is written:

‘He was numbered with the transgressors’;

and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in Me.

Yes, what is written about Me is reaching its completion.”

The disciples said,

“See, Lord, here are two swords.”

“That’s enough,” He replied.

The Garden Trial

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives,

and His disciples followed Him.

On reaching the place, He said to them,

“Pray that you will not fall into testing.”

He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them,

knelt down and prayed,

“Father, if You are willing,

take this cup from Me;

yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.

And being in anguish,

He prayed more earnestly,

and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

When He rose from prayer

and went back to the disciples,

He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.

“Why are you sleeping?” He asked them.

“Get up and pray so that you will not fall into testing.”

Betrayal and Arrest

While He was still speaking,

a crowd came up,

and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve,

was leading them.

He approached Jesus to kiss Him.

But Jesus asked him,

“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said,

“Lord, should we strike with our swords?”

And one of them struck the servant of the high priest,

cutting off his right ear.

But Jesus answered,

“No more of this!”

And He touched the man’s ear and healed him.

Then Jesus said to the chief priests,

the officers of the temple guard,

and the elders who had come for Him,

“Am I leading a rebellion,

that you have come with swords and clubs?

Every day I was with you in the temple courts,

and you did not lay a hand on Me.

But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”

Peter Denies Him

Then seizing Him,

they led Him away

and took Him into the house of the high priest.

Peter followed at a distance.

And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard

and had sat down together,

Peter sat down with them.

A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight.

She looked closely at him and said,

“This man was with Him.”

But he denied it.

“Woman, I don’t know Him,” he said.

A little later someone else saw him and said,

“You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

About an hour later another asserted,

“Certainly this fellow was with Him,

for he is a Galilean.”

Peter replied,

“Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.

The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.

Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him:

“Before the rooster crows today,

you will deny Me three times.”

And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Mocked and Beaten

The guards who were holding Jesus

began mocking and beating Him.

They blindfolded Him and demanded,

“Prophesy! Who hit You?”

And they said many other insulting things to Him.

Before the Council

At daybreak, the council of the elders of the people,

both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together,

and Jesus was led before them.

“If You are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered,

“If I tell you, you will not believe Me,

and if I asked you, you would not answer.

But from now on,

the Son of Man will be seated

at the right hand of the power of God.”

They all asked,

“Are You then the Son of God?”

He replied,

“You say that I am.”

Then they said,

“Why do we need any more testimony?

We have heard it from His own lips.”

———

The Innocent One Condemned

Before Pilate

Then the whole assembly rose and led Jesus off to Pilate.

And they began to accuse Him, saying,

“We have found this man misleading our nation.

He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar

and claims to be Messiah, a king.”

So Pilate asked Jesus,

“Are You the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd,

“I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

But they insisted,

“He stirs up the people all over Judea by His teaching.

He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

Before Herod

On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean.

When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction,

he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

When Herod saw Jesus,

he was greatly pleased,

because for a long time he had been wanting to see Him.

From what he had heard,

he hoped to see Him perform some sign.

He plied Him with many questions,

but Jesus gave him no answer.

The chief priests and the teachers of the law

were standing there, accusing Him.

Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him.

Dressing Him in an elegant robe,

they sent Him back to Pilate.

That day Herod and Pilate became friends—

before this they had been enemies.

The Verdict

Pilate called together the chief priests,

the rulers and the people, and said to them,

“You brought me this man

as one who was inciting the people to rebellion.

I have examined Him in your presence

and have found no basis for your charges against Him.

Neither has Herod,

for he sent Him back to us;

as you can see, He has done nothing to deserve death.

Therefore, I will punish Him and then release Him.”

[Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival

to release one prisoner to the people.]

But the whole crowd shouted,

“Away with this man!

Release Barabbas to us!”

(Barabbas had been thrown into prison

for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

Wanting to release Jesus,

Pilate appealed to them again.

But they kept shouting,

“Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

For the third time he spoke to them:

“Why? What crime has this man committed?

I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty.

Therefore I will have Him punished and then release Him.”

But with loud shouts they insistently demanded

that He be crucified,

and their voices prevailed.

So Pilate decided to grant their demand.

He released the man who had been thrown into prison

for insurrection and murder,

the one they asked for,

and surrendered Jesus to their will.

On the Way to the Skull

As the soldiers led Him away,

they seized Simon from Cyrene,

who was on his way in from the country,

and put the cross on him

and made him carry it behind Jesus.

A large number of people followed Him,

including women who mourned and wailed for Him.

Jesus turned and said to them,

“Daughters of Jerusalem,

do not weep for Me;

weep for yourselves and for your children.

For the time will come when you will say,

‘Blessed are the childless women,

the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’

Then they will say to the mountains,

‘Fall on us!’

and to the hills,

‘Cover us!’

For if people do these things when the tree is green,

what will happen when it is dry?”

Two others, both criminals,

were also led out with Him to be executed.

The Crucifixion

When they came to the place called The Skull,

they crucified Him there, along with the criminals—

one on His right, the other on His left.

Jesus said,

“Father, forgive them,

for they do not know what they are doing.”

And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.

The people stood watching,

and the rulers even sneered at Him.

They said,

“He saved others; let Him save Himself

if He is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

The soldiers also came up and mocked Him.

They offered Him wine vinegar and said,

“If You are the king of the Jews, save Yourself.”

There was a written notice above Him,

which read:

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The Two Criminals

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him:

“Aren’t You the Messiah?

Save Yourself and us!”

But the other criminal rebuked him.

“Don’t you fear God,” he said,

“since you are under the same sentence?

We are punished justly,

for we are getting what our actions deserve.

But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said,

“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Jesus answered him,

“Truly I tell you,

today you will be with Me in paradise.”

The Death of Jesus

It was now about noon,

and darkness came over the whole land

until three in the afternoon,

for the sun stopped shining.

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

Jesus called out with a loud voice,

“Father, into Your hands I commit My breath.”

When He had said this,

He breathed His last.

The centurion, seeing what had happened,

praised God and said,

“Surely this was a righteous man.”

When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight

saw what took place,

they beat their chests and went away.

But all those who knew Him,

including the women who had followed Him from Galilee,

stood at a distance, watching these things.

The Burial

Now there was a man named Joseph,

a member of the Council,

a good and upright man,

who had not consented to their decision and action.

He came from the Judean town of Arimathea,

and he himself was waiting for the reign of God.

Going to Pilate,

he asked for Jesus’ body.

Then he took it down,

wrapped it in linen cloth

and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock,

one in which no one had yet been laid.

It was Preparation Day,

and the Sabbath was about to begin.

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee

followed Joseph and saw the tomb

and how His body was laid in it.

Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes.

But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the command.

———

He Is Not Here—He Is Risen

The Empty Tomb

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning,

the women took the spices they had prepared

and went to the tomb.

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,

but when they entered,

they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

While they were wondering about this,

suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning

stood beside them.

In their fright the women bowed down

with their faces to the ground,

but the men said to them,

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?

He is not here; He has risen!

Remember how He told you,

while He was still with you in Galilee:

‘The Son of Man must be delivered

into the hands of sinners,

be crucified,

and on the third day be raised again.’”

Then they remembered His words.

When they came back from the tomb,

they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.

It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna,

Mary the mother of James,

and the others with them who told this to the apostles.

But they did not believe the women,

because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb.

Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves,

and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

Now that same day

two of them were going to a village called Emmaus,

about seven miles from Jerusalem.

They were talking with each other

about everything that had happened.

As they talked and discussed these things,

Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them;

but they were kept from recognizing Him.

He asked them,

“What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast.

One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him,

“Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem

who does not know the things

that have happened there in these days?”

“What things?” He asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

“He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.

The chief priests and our rulers

handed Him over to be sentenced to death,

and they crucified Him;

but we had hoped that He was the one

who was going to redeem Israel.

And what is more,

it is the third day since all this took place.

In addition, some of our women amazed us.

They went to the tomb early this morning

but didn’t find His body.

They came and told us

that they had seen a vision of messengers,

who said He was alive.

Then some of our companions went to the tomb

and found it just as the women had said,

but they did not see Jesus.”

He said to them,

“How foolish you are,

and how slow to believe

all that the prophets have spoken!

Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things

and then enter His glory?”

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets,

He explained to them

what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.

Recognized in the Breaking of Bread

As they approached the village to which they were going,

Jesus continued on as if He were going farther.

But they urged Him strongly,

“Stay with us,

for it is nearly evening;

the day is almost over.”

So He went in to stay with them.

When He was at the table with them,

He took bread, gave thanks, broke it

and began to give it to them.

Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him,

and He disappeared from their sight.

They asked each other,

“Were not our hearts burning within us

while He talked with us on the road

and opened the Scriptures to us?”

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem.

There they found the Eleven and those with them,

assembled together and saying,

“It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”

Then the two told what had happened on the way,

and how Jesus was recognized by them

when He broke the bread.

Jesus Appears Among Them

While they were still talking about this,

Jesus Himself stood among them and said,

“Peace be with you.”

They were startled and frightened,

thinking they saw a spirit.

He said to them,

“Why are you troubled,

and why do doubts rise in your minds?

Look at My hands and My feet.

It is I Myself!

Touch Me and see;

a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

When He had said this,

He showed them His hands and feet.

And while they still did not believe it

because of joy and amazement,

He asked them,

“Do you have anything here to eat?”

They gave Him a piece of broiled fish,

and He took it and ate it in their presence.

Fulfilled in the Scriptures

He said to them,

“This is what I told you while I was still with you:

Everything must be fulfilled

that is written about Me

in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

Then He opened their minds

so they could understand the Scriptures.

He told them,

“This is what is written:

The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

and repentance for the forgiveness of sins

will be proclaimed in His name to all nations,

beginning at Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things.

I am going to send you what My Father has promised;

but stay in the city until you have been clothed

with power from on high.”

The Ascension

When He had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany,

He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

While He was blessing them,

He left them and was taken up into the sky.

Then they worshiped Him

and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

And they stayed continually at the temple,

praising God.