Gospel of Matthew

Gospel of Matthew

The Anointed Lineage and the Birth of Trust

The Family Line of the Anointed One

This is the record of the lineage

of Jesus the Anointed,

son of David,

son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Aram,

Aram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of David the king.

David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,

Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,

Joram the father of Uzziah,

Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers

at the time of the exile to Babylon.

After the exile to Babylon:

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Achim,

Achim the father of Eliud,

Eliud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

and Jacob the father of Joseph,

the husband of Mary,

from whom was born Jesus,

who is called the Anointed.

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen,

from David to the exile to Babylon were fourteen,

and from the exile to the Anointed One — fourteen.

The Arrival of the Anointed

This is how the birth of Jesus the Anointed came about:

Mary, His mother, was pledged in marriage to Joseph.

But before they came together,

she was found to be with child

through the Set-Apart Spirit.

Because Joseph her husband was righteous

and did not want to disgrace her publicly,

he resolved to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this,

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

“Joseph, son of David,

do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,

for the child conceived in her

is from the Set-Apart Spirit.

She will give birth to a son,

and you are to name Him Jesus,

for He will save His people from their failures and brokenness.”

All this took place to fulfill

what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:

“Behold, a young woman will conceive

and bear a son,

and they will call His name Immanuel”

—which means, “God is with us.”

When Joseph woke up,

he did as the messenger of the Lord had commanded him.

He took Mary as his wife,

but he did not know her intimately

until she gave birth to a son.

And he named Him Jesus.

———

The King Not of This World

A Star Rises in the East

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

in the days of King Herod,

wise ones from the East came to Jerusalem,

saying,

“Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews?

For we saw His star in the east

and have come to honor Him.”

When Herod heard this,

he was deeply disturbed—

and all Jerusalem with him.

He gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people,

and inquired of them where the Anointed One was to be born.

“In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said,

“for this is what was written by the prophet:

‘And you, Bethlehem,

in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you will come a Ruler

who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

Then Herod secretly called the wise ones

and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said,

“Go and search carefully for the child.

When you find Him, report back to me,

so that I too may go and honor Him.”

After listening to the king,

they went on their way—

and behold, the star they had seen in the east

went ahead of them,

until it stopped over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star,

they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

They entered the house

and saw the child with Mary, His mother,

and they bowed down and honored Him.

Then they opened their treasures

and presented Him with gifts:

gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

But having been warned in a dream

not to return to Herod,

they departed for their own country

by another way.

Escape to the Land of Egypt

After they had gone,

a messenger of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying,

“Rise, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt.

Stay there until I tell you,

for Herod is going to search for the child

to destroy Him.”

So he rose and took the child and His mother during the night

and departed for Egypt.

They stayed there until the death of Herod.

This was to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

“Out of Egypt I called My son.”

The Children of Bethlehem

When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the wise ones,

he was enraged.

He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem

and in all its surrounding territory,

who were two years old and under—

based on the time he had learned from the wise ones.

Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“A voice was heard in Ramah,

weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children,

and she refused to be comforted,

because they are no more.”

Return to the Land of Promise

After Herod died,

a messenger of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

“Rise, take the child and His mother

and go to the land of Israel,

for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”

So Joseph got up,

took the child and His mother,

and returned to the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea

in place of his father Herod,

he was afraid to go there.

Being warned again in a dream,

he withdrew to the region of Galilee.

And he went and settled in a town called Nazareth.

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets:

“He will be called a Nazarene.”

———

A Voice in the Wilderness

The One Who Prepares the Way

In those days,

John the Immerser came proclaiming

in the wilderness of Judea:

“Turn back!

For the reign of the skies has drawn near.”

This is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice crying out in the wilderness:

Prepare the way of the Lord,

make straight paths for Him.”

John wore clothing made of camel’s hair,

with a leather belt around his waist,

and his food was locusts and wild honey.

People came out to him from Jerusalem

and all Judea,

and the whole region around the Jordan.

They were immersed by him in the Jordan River,

as they confessed their failures.

A Warning to the Religious Elite

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees

coming to where he was immersing,

he said to them:

“You offspring of serpents!

Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Produce fruit that matches a changed life.

And do not presume to say to yourselves,

‘We have Abraham as our father.’

I tell you,

God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones.

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

and every tree that does not bear good fruit

will be cut down and thrown into the fire of purification.”

The One Who Immerses with Breath and Fire

“I immerse you with water

for a turning of the heart.

But after me comes One who is stronger than I,

whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.

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

His winnowing fork is in His hand,

and He will clear His threshing floor,

gathering His wheat into the storehouse,

but burning the chaff

with unquenchable fire.”

The Anointed is Immersed

Then Jesus came from Galilee

to the Jordan,

to be immersed by John.

But John tried to stop Him, saying,

“I need to be immersed by You—

and do You come to me?”

Jesus replied,

“Let it be so now.

It is right for us to fulfill all that is upright.”

Then John allowed Him.

As soon as Jesus was immersed,

He came up from the water.

And behold—

the skies were opened to Him,

and He saw the Breath of God

descending like a dove

and resting upon Him.

And a voice from the skies said:

“This is My Son—

My Beloved—

in whom I delight.”

———

The Wilderness of Testing

Led by the Breath into the Wild

Then Jesus was led by the Set-Apart Breath

into the wilderness

to be tested by the accuser.

After fasting forty days and forty nights,

He was hungry.

The tester came to Him and said,

“If You are the Son of God,

command these stones to become bread.”

But Jesus replied,

“It is written:

‘A human being does not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the accuser took Him to the sacred city

and set Him on the highest point of the temple.

“If You are the Son of God,” he said,

“throw Yourself down.

For it is written:

‘He will command His messengers concerning You,

and they will lift You up in their hands,

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

Jesus answered,

“It is also written:

‘Do not test the Lord your God.’”

Again, the accuser took Him

to a very high mountain

and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world

and their splendor.

“All this I will give You,” he said,

“if You will bow down and honor me.”

Jesus said to him,

“Away from Me, deceiver!

For it is written:

‘Worship the Lord your God,

and serve Him only.’”

Then the accuser left Him,

and messengers came

and attended to Him.

The Light Begins to Shine

When Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody,

He withdrew into Galilee.

Leaving Nazareth,

He went and lived in Capernaum,

by the lake in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali—

to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,

by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,

Galilee of the nations—

the people sitting in darkness

have seen a great light;

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

a light has dawned.”

From that time on, Jesus began to proclaim,

“Turn back!

For the reign of the skies has drawn near.”

Calling the First Followers

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee,

He saw two brothers:

Simon, called Peter,

and Andrew his brother,

casting a net into the sea—

for they were fishermen.

He said to them,

“Follow Me,

and I will make you fishers of people.”

At once they left their nets and followed Him.

Going on from there,

He saw two other brothers:

James son of Zebedee and his brother John.

They were in a boat with their father Zebedee,

preparing their nets.

Jesus called them,

and immediately they left the boat and their father

and followed Him.

Healed Wholeness Everywhere He Went

Jesus went throughout Galilee,

teaching in their gathering places,

proclaiming the good news of the reign,

and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

News about Him spread all over Syria,

and people brought to Him

all who were ill with various afflictions—

those suffering severe pain,

the demon-oppressed,

those with seizures,

and the paralyzed—

and He made them whole.

Large crowds followed Him

from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea,

and from beyond the Jordan.

———

The Mountain of Blessing

When Jesus saw the crowds,

He went up on a mountainside and sat down.

His students gathered around Him,

and He began to teach them, saying:

The Blessings of the Way

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the reign of the skies.

Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the gentle and humble,

for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for things to be set right,

for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted

for the sake of what is right,

for theirs is the reign of the skies.

Blessed are you when people insult you,

persecute you,

and falsely speak all kinds of evil against you

because of Me.

Rejoice and be glad,

for your reward in the heavens is great—

for in the same way they persecuted the prophets

who came before you.

You Are the Salt and Light

You are the salt of the earth.

But if the salt loses its flavor,

how can it be made salty again?

It is no longer good for anything,

except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world.

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp

and put it under a bowl.

Instead, they set it on a stand,

and it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way,

let your light shine before others,

so they may see your good works

and honor your Father who is in the heavens.

The Fulfillment, Not the End, of the Law

Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets.

I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill.

Truly I tell you,

until the sky and the earth pass away,

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

will disappear from the Law

until everything is accomplished.

Therefore, whoever sets aside

even the least of these commands

and teaches others to do the same

will be called least in the reign of the skies.

But whoever practices and teaches them

will be called great in that reign.

For I tell you,

unless your way of living

goes beyond that of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will not enter the reign of the skies.

From Outward Action to Inward Truth

You have heard that it was said to those of old,

“Do not murder,”

and “Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.”

But I tell you,

anyone who is angry with a brother or sister

will be subject to judgment.

Again, anyone who says to a brother,

“Empty one!” will be answerable to the council.

And anyone who says,

“You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of destruction.

So if you are bringing your gift to the altar,

and there remember that your brother or sister

has something against you,

leave your gift there at the altar.

First go and make things right,

then come and offer your gift.

Settle matters quickly with your accuser

who is taking you to court.

Do it while you are still together on the way,

or your accuser may hand you over to the judge,

and the judge to the officer,

and you may be thrown into prison.

Truly I tell you,

you will not get out

until you have paid the last coin.

Desire, Covenant, and the Heart

You have heard it said,

“Do not commit adultery.”

But I tell you,

anyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent

has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

If your right eye causes you to stumble,

pluck it out and throw it away.

It is better to lose one part of your body

than for your whole body to be thrown into the valley of destruction.

And if your right hand causes you to stumble,

cut it off and throw it away.

It is better to lose one part of your body

than for your whole body to perish.

Covenant and Commitment

It has been said,

“Anyone who divorces his wife

must give her a certificate of divorce.”

But I tell you,

anyone who divorces his wife—except in the case of covenant unfaithfulness—

causes her to become an outsider to the covenant,

and anyone who marries such a woman also breaks the covenant.

Let Your Word Be Enough

Again, you have heard it said to the people of old:

“Do not break your oath,

but fulfill to the Lord what you have vowed.”

But I say to you:

Do not swear at all—

not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

not by the earth, for it is His footstool;

not by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.

Do not swear by your head,

for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

Let your yes be yes,

and your no be no.

Anything beyond this comes from the deceiver.

The Way of Non-Retaliation

You have heard that it was said,

“Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.”

But I tell you:

Do not resist one who is acting with evil intent.

If someone slaps you on the right cheek,

turn to them the other also.

If anyone wants to sue you and take your tunic,

let them have your cloak as well.

If someone forces you to go one mile,

go with them two.

Give to the one who asks you,

and do not turn away from the one

who wants to borrow from you.

Love Beyond Boundaries

You have heard that it was said,

“Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.”

But I tell you:

Love your enemies

and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be children of your Father

who is in the heavens.

He causes His sun to rise

on the evil and the good,

and sends rain

on the just and the unjust.

If you love only those who love you,

what reward will you get?

Even tax collectors do that.

And if you greet only your own people,

what more are you doing than others?

Even those outside the covenant do that.

Be complete,

as your heavenly Father is complete.

———

The Hidden Place of the Heart

Practicing Righteousness in Secret

Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness

before others in order to be seen by them.

If you do, you will have no reward

from your Father who is in the unseen realm.

So when you give to those in need,

do not announce it with trumpets,

as the performers do in the gathering places

and on the streets, to be honored by others.

Truly I tell you,

they have already received their reward.

But when you give,

do not let your left hand know

what your right hand is doing,

so that your giving may be in secret.

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

will reward you.

When You Pray

And when you pray,

do not be like the pretenders,

for they love to stand in the gathering places and on street corners

to be seen by others.

Truly I tell you,

they have already received their reward.

But when you pray,

go into your inner room,

close the door,

and pray to your Father who is unseen.

Then your Father,

who sees what is done in secret,

will reward you.

When you pray, do not pile up empty words

like those of other nations,

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

Do not be like them,

for your Father knows what you need

before you ask Him.

The Prayer of the Sons and Daughters

Pray then in this way:

Our Father in the unseen realm,

let Your Name be made sacred.

Let Your reign come.

Let Your desire be done—

on earth as it is in the heavens.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive those indebted to us.

Lead us not into testing,

but rescue us from the deceiver.

For Yours is the reign,

and the power,

and the glory—forever.

Amen.

Forgiveness Sets the Heart Free

For if you forgive others their missteps,

your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive others,

your Father will not release you from your debts either.

When You Fast

When you fast,

do not look somber as the pretenders do,

for they disfigure their faces

to show others they are fasting.

Truly I tell you,

they have already received their reward.

But when you fast,

anoint your head and wash your face,

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

but only to your Father who is in the hidden place.

And your Father,

who sees what is done in secret,

will reward you.

Treasure That Cannot Be Stolen

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,

where moths and rust consume,

and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasure in the unseen realm,

where moths and rust do not consume,

and thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.

The Lamp of the Body

The eye is the lamp of the body.

If your eye is whole and generous,

your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eye is dark and greedy,

your whole body will be full of shadow.

If the light within you is darkness,

how deep is that darkness!

You Cannot Serve Two Masters

No one can serve two masters.

Either you will hate the one and love the other,

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

You cannot serve both God and wealth.

Freedom from Worry

Therefore I tell you:

Do not worry about your life—

what you will eat or drink;

nor about your body—what you will wear.

Is not life more than food,

and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the sky:

They do not sow or reap or gather into barns,

and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not of much greater worth than they?

Which of you by worrying

can add a single moment to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes?

Look 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 this is how God clothes the grass of the field—

here today and tomorrow thrown into the fire—

will He not much more clothe you,

O you of little trust?

So do not worry, saying,

“What shall we eat?” or

“What shall we drink?” or

“What shall we wear?”

For the nations run after all these things,

and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

Seek first His reign

and His way of making things right,

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

So do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own.

———

The Narrow Way of Wisdom

Do Not Sit in Judgment

Do not judge,

or you too will be judged.

For in the same way you judge others,

you will be judged,

and with the measure you use,

it will be measured to you.

Why do you look at the splinter

in your brother’s eye

but fail to notice the beam in your own?

How can you say,

“Let me take the splinter out of your eye,”

when all the while there is a beam in your own?

You pretender!

First remove the beam from your own eye,

and then you will see clearly

to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

———

The Touch That Makes Whole

He Heals a Man Marked as Unclean

When Jesus came down from the mountainside,

large crowds followed Him.

A man with a skin disease came and bowed before Him, saying,

“Master, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out His hand and touched him.

“I am willing,” He said. “Be made whole.”

And immediately he was cleansed.

Then Jesus said to him,

“See that you don’t tell anyone,

but go, show yourself to the priest

and offer the gift Moses commanded

as a testimony to them.”

Trust from an Outsider

When Jesus entered Capernaum,

a Roman centurion came to Him, pleading,

“Master, my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

Jesus said to him,

“I will come and make him whole.”

The centurion replied,

“Master, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof.

But just say the word,

and my servant will be healed.

For I too am a man under authority,

with soldiers under me.

I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;

and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes;

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

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed.

He said to those following Him:

“Truly I tell you,

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

I tell you,

many will come from the east and the west

and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

in the reign of the skies.

But the children of the reign

will be thrown outside,

into the darkness,

where there will be weeping

and grinding of teeth.”

Then Jesus said to the centurion,

“Go! Let it be done for you as you have trusted.”

And his servant was healed that very hour.

He Heals Peter’s Family and Many Others

When Jesus came into Peter’s house,

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

He touched her hand,

and the fever left her,

and she rose and began to serve Him.

That evening,

they brought to Him many who were oppressed by spirits,

and He cast them out with a word

and healed all who were unwell.

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took our weakness

and carried our diseases.”

The Cost of Following Him

When Jesus saw the crowd around Him,

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

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

“Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”

Jesus replied,

“Foxes have dens and birds have nests,

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

Another of His students said,

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

But Jesus told him,

“Follow Me,

and let the dead bury their own dead.”

He Calms the Storm

Then He got into the boat,

and His students followed Him.

Suddenly a violent storm rose on the lake,

so that the waves swept over the boat.

But Jesus was sleeping.

The disciples went and woke Him, crying out,

“Master, save us! We’re going to perish!”

He replied,

“Why are you afraid, O you of little trust?”

Then He got up,

rebuked the winds and the sea,

and there was a great calm.

The men were astonished and said,

“What kind of man is this?

Even the winds and the waves obey Him!”

The Tormented Ones Set Free

When He arrived on the other side,

in the region of the Gadarenes,

two men tormented by fierce inner turmoil, often described as unclean spirits, came out from the tombs.

They were so violent

that no one could pass that way.

They shouted,

“What do You want with us, Son of God?

Have You come to torment us before the time?”

A large herd of pigs was feeding nearby.

So the afflictions that overwhelmed them seemed to cry out through them,

“If You drive us out,

send us into the herd of pigs.”

He said, ‘Go.’ And the oppressive force lifted, and the men were freed, while the herd rushed into the waters below.

Those tending the pigs ran off,

went into the town,

and told everything—

including what had happened to the possessed men.

Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus.

And when they saw Him,

they pleaded with Him to leave their region.

———

The Authority to Heal and Forgive

The Paralyzed Man Walks Again

Jesus stepped into a boat,

crossed over the lake,

and came to His own town.

Some people brought to Him a paralyzed man,

lying on a mat.

When Jesus saw their trust,

He said to the paralyzed man,

“Take heart, child—your failures are forgiven.”

At this, some of the scribes said to themselves,

“This man is speaking blasphemy!”

But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said,

“Why do you entertain evil in your hearts?

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

or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?

But so that you may know

that the Son of Man has authority on earth

to forgive sins…”

He then said to the paralyzed man,

“Rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”

And the man rose and went home.

When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe

and gave glory to God,

who had given such authority to a human being.

A Tax Collector Called to Follow

As Jesus went on from there,

He saw a man named Matthew

sitting at the tax booth.

“Follow Me,” He said.

And Matthew got up and followed Him.

While Jesus was reclining at the table in the house,

many tax collectors and those considered immoral

came and ate with Him and His students.

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His students,

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and outcasts?”

When Jesus heard this, He said,

“It is not the healthy who need a healer,

but those who are unwell.

Go and learn what this means:

‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’

For I have not come to call the righteous,

but the ones who have missed the mark.”

New Wine in New Skins

Then John’s followers came to Him and asked,

“Why do we and the Pharisees fast often,

but Your students do not?”

Jesus answered,

“Can the wedding guests mourn

while the bridegroom is still with them?

The days will come when the bridegroom is taken from them—

and then they will fast.

No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth

onto an old garment,

for the patch will pull away from the garment

and the tear will be worse.

Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins.

If they do, the skins will burst,

the wine will spill,

and the skins will be ruined.

No, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins,

and both are preserved.”

A Daughter Raised and a Woman Healed

While He was speaking,

a synagogue leader came and knelt before Him and said,

“My daughter has just died.

But come and place Your hand on her,

and she will live.”

Jesus got up and went with him,

and so did His students.

Just then a woman

who had suffered bleeding for twelve years

came up behind Him

and touched the edge of His robe.

She said to herself,

“If I only touch His garment, I will be made whole.”

Jesus turned and saw her.

“Take heart, daughter,” He said,

“Your trust has made you whole.”

And the woman was healed from that moment.

When Jesus entered the ruler’s house

and saw the mourners and the noise,

He said,

“Go away. The girl is not dead—she is only sleeping.”

But they laughed at Him.

After the crowd was sent out,

He went in, took the girl by the hand,

and she arose.

News of this spread throughout the entire region.

Two Blind Men See

As Jesus went on from there,

two blind men followed Him, crying out,

“Son of David, have mercy on us!”

When He had entered the house,

the blind men came to Him,

and Jesus asked,

“Do you trust that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Master,” they replied.

Then He touched their eyes and said,

“Let it be done to you according to your trust.”

And their eyes were opened.

Jesus warned them sternly,

“See that no one knows about this.”

But they went out and spread the news about Him

throughout the whole region.

A Mute Spirit Cast Out

As they were going out,

a man who was mute and possessed by a spirit

was brought to Jesus.

After the spirit was driven out,

the man began to speak,

and the crowd was amazed and said,

“Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

But the Pharisees said,

“He casts out spirits by the ruler of spirits.”

Moved with Compassion

Jesus went through all the towns and villages,

teaching in their gathering places,

proclaiming the good news of the reign,

and healing every sickness and every affliction.

When He saw the crowds,

He was moved with deep compassion for them,

because they were harassed and helpless,

like sheep without a shepherd.

Then He said to His students:

“The harvest is great,

but the workers are few.

So ask the Lord of the harvest

to send out laborers

into His harvest field.”

———

The Twelve Are Sent

Those He Called and Empowered

Jesus called His twelve students to Himself

and gave them authority to drive out unclean spirits

and to heal every disease and every affliction.

These are the names of the twelve emissaries:

Simon (called Peter),

Andrew his brother,

James son of Zebedee,

John his brother,

Philip,

Bartholomew,

Thomas,

Matthew the tax collector,

James son of Alphaeus,

Thaddaeus,

Simon the Zealot,

Judas Iscariot, who later handed Him over.

The Mission of the Twelve

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions:

“Do not go among the nations

or enter any city of the Samaritans.

Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

As you go, proclaim this message:

‘The reign of the skies has drawn near.’

Heal the sick,

raise the dead,

cleanse those with skin disease,

cast out spirits.

Freely you have received—freely give.

Do not take gold or silver or copper in your belts.

Do not take a bag for the journey,

or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff—

for the worker is worthy of their provision.

Whatever town or village you enter,

search for someone worthy

and stay at their house until you leave.

As you enter the home, greet it with peace.

If the home is worthy, let your peace rest upon it.

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

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

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

Truly I tell you,

it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah

on the day of judgment

than for that town.”

Sent as Sheep Among Wolves

“Look, I am sending you out

like sheep among wolves.

So be as wise as serpents

and as gentle as doves.

Be on your guard.

You will be handed over to local councils

and flogged in their gathering places.

You will be brought before rulers and kings

because of Me—

as a testimony to them and to the nations.

But when they hand you over,

do not worry about how to speak

or what to say.

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

for it will not be you speaking,

but the Breath of your Father

speaking through you.

Brother will hand over brother to death,

and a father his child.

Children will rise against parents

and have them put to death.

You will be hated by all

because of My name,

but the one who endures to the end

will be rescued.

When they persecute you in one town,

flee to another.

Truly I tell you,

you will not finish going through the towns of Israel

before the Son of Man comes.”

The Path of the Disciple

“A student is not above the teacher,

nor a servant above the master.

It is enough for students to become like their teacher,

and servants like their master.

If the head of the house has been called

‘master of the unclean house’

how much more the members of his household!

So do not be afraid of them,

for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,

nothing hidden that will not be made known.

What I tell you in the darkness,

speak in the light.

What is whispered in your ear,

proclaim from the rooftops.

Do not be afraid of those

who kill the body

but cannot kill the living being.

Rather, fear the One

who can bring both body and being

to ruin in the valley of destruction.

Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?

Yet not one of them falls to the ground

outside your Father’s care.

Even the hairs on your head are all numbered.

So do not fear—

you are worth more than many sparrows.

Acknowledged or Denied

“Whoever acknowledges Me before others,

I will also acknowledge

before My Father in the unseen realm.

But whoever denies Me before others,

I will also deny

before My Father in the unseen realm.”

Not Peace, But a Sword of Division

“Do not think that I came to bring peace to the earth.

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

For I have come to set

a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother,

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

and a person’s enemies

will be the members of their own household.

Whoever loves father or mother more than Me

is not worthy of Me.

Whoever loves son or daughter more than Me

is not worthy of Me.

Whoever does not pick up their own cross

and follow Me

is not worthy of Me.

Whoever finds their life will lose it,

and whoever loses their life for My sake

will find it.”

The Honor of Receiving His Messengers

“Whoever welcomes you, welcomes Me,

and whoever welcomes Me,

welcomes the One who sent Me.

Whoever welcomes a prophet

as a prophet

will receive a prophet’s reward.

Whoever welcomes a just one

as a just one

will receive a just one’s reward.

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water

to one of these little ones

because they are My student—

truly I tell you,

they will not lose their reward.”

———

The Gentle Power of the Coming One

John’s Question from the Prison Cell

After Jesus had instructed His twelve students,

He went on from there to teach and proclaim

in the towns of that region.

Now John, who was in prison,

heard about the deeds of the Anointed One.

He sent his disciples to ask Him,

“Are You the One who is to come,

or should we wait for another?”

Jesus replied,

“Go back and report to John what you hear and see:

The blind receive sight,

the lame walk,

those with skin disease are made whole,

the deaf hear,

the dead are raised,

and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

Blessed is the one

who does not stumble on account of Me.”

The Greatness of John — Yet Greater Still to Come

As John’s disciples were leaving,

Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John:

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

A reed swayed by the wind?

If not, what did you go out to see?

A man dressed in soft clothing?

Those who wear fine clothes

live in royal houses.

Then what did you go out to see?

A prophet?

Yes, I tell you—

and more than a prophet.

This is the one about whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,

who will prepare Your way before You.’

Truly I tell you,

among those born of women

there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Immerser.

Yet even the least in the reign of the skies

is greater than he.

From the days of John until now,

the reign of the skies is breaking in with force,

and the passionate are laying hold of it.

For all the prophets and the Law

prophesied until John.

And if you are willing to receive it,

he is Elijah—the one who was to come.

Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

This Generation's Restless Heart

“To what can I compare this generation?

They are like children sitting in the marketplace,

calling out to others:

‘We played the flute for you,

but you did not dance.

We sang a dirge,

but you did not mourn.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking,

and they say, ‘He has a demon.’

The Son of Man came eating and drinking,

and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard,

a friend of tax collectors and outcasts!’

But wisdom is proven right

by her children.”

Woe to the Unresponsive Cities

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns

in which most of His mighty works had been done,

because they did not turn back.

“Woe to you, Chorazin!

Woe to you, Bethsaida!

For if the mighty works done in you

had been done in Tyre and Sidon,

they would have turned long ago

in sackcloth and ashes.

But I tell you,

it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon

on the day of judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum—

will you be lifted up to the skies?

No, you will be brought down to the realm of the dead.

For if the mighty works that were done in you

had been done in Sodom,

it would have remained to this day.

But I tell you,

it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom

on the day of judgment than for you.”

Revealed to the Humble, Hidden from the Proud

At that time Jesus said,

“I thank You, Father,

Lord of the skies and the earth,

because You have hidden these things

from the wise and learned,

and revealed them to little children.

Yes, Father,

for this was what delighted You.”

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

No one truly knows the Son except the Father,

and no one truly knows the Father except the Son—

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

Rest for the Weary

“Come to Me,

all you who are weary

and burdened,

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your whole being.

For My yoke is kind,

and My burden is light.”

———

Mercy Over Sacrifice

Grainfields on the Day of Rest

At that time,

Jesus went through the grainfields on the day of rest.

His students were hungry

and began to pick heads of grain and eat them.

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him,

“Look! Your students are doing what is not lawful on the day of rest.”

He answered,

“Have you not read what David did

when he and his companions were hungry?

How he entered the house of God

and they ate the sacred bread—

which was not lawful for them, but only for the priests?

Or have you not read in the Law

that the priests on duty in the temple

profane the day of rest and yet are held blameless?

I tell you,

One greater than the temple is here.

If you had known what these words mean,

‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’

you would not have condemned the innocent.

For the Son of Man is Master

even over the day of rest.”

He Restores a Withered Hand

Going on from that place,

He entered their gathering place,

and a man was there with a withered hand.

They asked Jesus,

“Is it lawful to heal on the day of rest?”

—so they might accuse Him.

He said to them,

“If any of you has a sheep

and it falls into a pit on the day of rest,

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

How much more valuable is a person than a sheep!

Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the day of rest.”

Then He said to the man,

“Stretch out your hand.”

The man stretched it out,

and it was made whole, just like the other.

But the Pharisees went out

and began plotting how they might destroy Him.

The Chosen Servant

Aware of this, Jesus withdrew.

Large crowds followed Him,

and He healed them all.

He warned them not to make Him known,

so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“Here is My servant whom I have chosen,

My beloved in whom My soul delights.

I will place My Spirit upon Him,

and He will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not quarrel or cry out;

no one will hear His voice in the streets.

A bruised reed He will not break,

and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out,

until He brings justice to victory.

In His name the nations will put their hope.”

Divided Kingdoms Cannot Stand

Then they brought to Him a man

who was possessed by a spirit, blind and mute.

Jesus healed him,

so that the man could both speak and see.

All the people were amazed and asked,

“Could this be the Son of David?”

But when the Pharisees heard this, they said,

“It is only by Beelzebul,

the ruler of demons,

that this man drives out spirits.”

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them:

“Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined,

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

If the deceiver casts out the deceiver,

he is divided against himself.

How then can his kingdom stand?

And if I cast out spirits by Beelzebul,

by whom do your own people drive them out?

So then, they will be your judges.

But if I drive out spirits

by the Breath of God,

then the reign of God has come upon you.

How can anyone enter a strong man’s house

and carry off his possessions

unless he first ties up the strong man?

Then he can plunder his house.

Whoever is not with Me is against Me,

and whoever does not gather with Me scatters.

Blasphemy Against the Sacred Breath

So I tell you,

every sin and slander

will be forgiven people,

but slander against the Set-Apart Breath

will not be forgiven.

Anyone who speaks a word

against the Son of Man will be forgiven,

but anyone who speaks against the Set-Apart Breath

will not be forgiven—either in this age

or in the age to come.

Make the tree good, and its fruit will be good,

or make the tree bad, and its fruit will be bad—

for a tree is known by its fruit.

You offspring of serpents!

How can you, being evil,

say anything good?

For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

A good person brings good things

out of the treasure stored within,

and an evil person brings out evil

from what is stored within.

But I tell you,

on the day of reckoning,

people will give account

for every careless word they have spoken.

For by your words you will be declared right,

and by your words you will be exposed.

The Sign of Jonah

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said,

“Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

He answered,

“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,

but no sign will be given to it

except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

For just as Jonah was three days and three nights

in the belly of the great sea creature,

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

in the heart of the earth.

The people of Nineveh will rise at the judgment

with this generation and condemn it,

for they turned back when Jonah preached—

and now One greater than Jonah is here.

The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment

with this generation and condemn it,

for she came from the ends of the earth

to hear the wisdom of Solomon—

and now One greater than Solomon is here.

Empty but Still Unchanged

“When an unclean spirit leaves a person,

it passes through waterless places seeking rest,

but finds none.

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

When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied,

swept clean and in order.

Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits

more wicked than itself,

and they go in and dwell there—

and the final state of that person

is worse than the first.

So it will be with this wicked generation.”

True Family in the Reign of God

While Jesus was still speaking to the crowd,

His mother and brothers stood outside,

wanting to speak with Him.

Someone told Him,

“Your mother and brothers are standing outside,

wanting to speak with You.”

He replied,

“Who is My mother,

and who are My brothers?”

And pointing to His students, He said,

“Here are My mother and My brothers.

For whoever does the will of My Father

in the unseen realm

is My brother and sister and mother.”

———

Mysteries of the Hidden Reign

The Sower and the Soils

That same day,

Jesus went out of the house

and sat beside the lake.

Large crowds gathered around Him,

so He got into a boat and sat down,

while the whole crowd stood on the shore.

Then He told them many things in parables, saying:

“A farmer went out to sow seed.

As he scattered it,

some fell along the path,

and the birds came and devoured it.

Some fell on rocky ground,

where it did not have much soil.

It sprang up quickly,

but because the soil was shallow,

when the sun rose it was scorched,

and since it had no root, it withered away.

Some seed fell among thorns,

which grew up and choked the plants.

But some fell on good soil,

where it produced a harvest—

some a hundredfold,

some sixty,

some thirty.

Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Why Parables?

The students came to Him and asked,

“Why do You speak to the people in parables?”

He replied,

“To you has been given the knowledge

of the secrets of the reign of the skies,

but to them it has not been given.

Whoever has will be given more,

and they will have abundance.

Whoever does not have,

even what they have will be taken away.

This is why I speak to them in parables:

Though seeing, they do not see;

though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

For this people’s heart has grown dull;

they have shut their ears and closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see, hear, and understand—

and turn back,

and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes because they see,

and your ears because they hear.

For truly I tell you,

many prophets and just ones longed to see what you see

but did not see it,

and to hear what you hear

but did not hear it.”

The Parable Explained

“Listen, then, to the meaning of the parable of the sower:

When anyone hears the word of the reign

but does not understand it,

the deceiver comes and snatches away

what was sown in their heart.

This is the seed sown along the path.

The seed sown on rocky ground

refers to someone who hears the word

and receives it with joy,

but they have no root—

they last only a short time.

When trouble or persecution comes,

they quickly fall away.

The seed among the thorns

is one who hears the word,

but the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth

choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

But the seed sown on good soil

is one who hears the word and understands it—

they produce a harvest,

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

More Parables of the Hidden Reign

The Weeds Among the Wheat

“The reign of the skies is like a man

who sowed good seed in his field.

But while everyone was sleeping,

his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat

and went away.

When the wheat sprouted and formed heads,

then the weeds also appeared.

The servants came and said,

‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed?

Where then did the weeds come from?’

‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

The servants asked,

‘Do you want us to pull them up?’

‘No,’ he answered,

‘because while you gather the weeds,

you may uproot the wheat with them.

Let both grow together until the harvest.

At that time I will tell the harvesters:

First gather the weeds

and tie them in bundles to be burned;

then gather the wheat

and bring it into my barn.’”

The Mustard Seed

“The reign of the skies

is like a mustard seed,

which a man took and planted in his field.

Though it is the smallest of all seeds,

yet when it grows,

it becomes the largest of garden plants

and becomes a tree,

so that birds come and make nests in its branches.”

The Yeast in the Dough

“The reign of the skies

is like yeast

that a woman mixed into three measures of flour

until it worked all through the dough.”

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables;

He did not say anything without using a parable—

to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open My mouth in parables,

I will proclaim things hidden

since the foundation of the world.”

The Weeds Explained

Then He left the crowd and went into the house.

His students came to Him and said,

“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

He answered:

“The one who sows the good seed

is the Son of Man.

The field is the world,

and the good seed stands for the children of the reign.

The weeds are the children of the deceiver,

and the enemy who sows them is the accuser.

The harvest is the end of the age,

and the harvesters are messengers.

As the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire,

so it will be at the end of the age.

The Son of Man will send out His messengers,

and they will gather out of His reign

all who cause others to stumble

and those who live lawlessly.

They will be thrown into the blazing furnace,

where there will be weeping

and grinding of teeth.

Then the just will shine like the sun

in the reign of their Father.

Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

The Hidden Treasure

“The reign of the skies

is like treasure hidden in a field.

When someone finds it, they hide it again,

and in their joy go and sell all they have

to buy that field.”

The Pearl of Great Worth

“Again, the reign of the skies

is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.

When he finds one of great worth,

he goes and sells everything he has

and buys it.”

The Net Cast Wide

“Once more, the reign of the skies

is like a net that was let down into the lake

and caught all kinds of fish.

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

Then they sat down

and collected the good fish in baskets,

but threw the bad away.

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

The messengers will come

and separate the wicked from the just

and throw them into the blazing furnace,

where there will be weeping

and grinding of teeth.”

A Scribe of the New and the Old

“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

He said to them,

“Therefore every scribe

who has been trained for the reign of the skies

is like the owner of a house

who brings out of his storehouse

new treasures as well as old.”

Rejected in His Hometown

When Jesus had finished these parables,

He left that place

and came to His hometown.

He taught in their gathering place,

and the people were amazed.

They asked,

“Where did this man get such wisdom

and these powerful works?

Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?

Isn’t His mother’s name Mary,

and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judah?

Aren’t all His sisters with us?

Where then did this man get all these things?”

And they were offended by Him.

But Jesus said to them,

“A prophet is honored everywhere

except in his hometown

and in his own household.”

And He did not perform many powerful works there

because of their lack of trust.

———

The Cost and Compassion of the Anointed One

The Death of John the Immerser

At that time, Herod the tetrarch

heard the reports about Jesus,

and he said to his servants,

“This is John the Immerser.

He has risen from the dead!

That is why these powers are at work in Him.”

Now Herod had arrested John,

bound him,

and put him in prison

because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife—

for John had been saying to him,

“It is not lawful for you to have her.”

Herod wanted to kill John,

but he was afraid of the people,

because they regarded him as a prophet.

On Herod’s birthday,

the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests

and pleased Herod so much

that he promised with an oath

to give her whatever she asked.

Prompted by her mother, she said,

“Give me here on a platter

the head of John the Immerser.”

The king was distressed,

but because of his oaths and his guests,

he ordered that her request be granted

and sent word to have John beheaded in the prison.

His head was brought on a platter

and given to the girl,

who carried it to her mother.

John’s disciples came and took his body

and buried it.

Then they went and told Jesus.

He Feeds the Hungry Multitude

When Jesus heard this,

He withdrew by boat privately

to a solitary place.

But the crowds heard and followed Him on foot

from the towns.

When He landed and saw the great crowd,

He was moved with deep compassion

and healed their sick.

As evening approached,

the disciples came to Him and said,

“This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late.

Send the crowds away

so they can go to the villages

and buy themselves some food.”

Jesus replied,

“They do not need to go away.

You give them something to eat.”

They answered,

“We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

“Bring them here to Me,” He said.

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

Taking the five loaves and the two fish,

He looked up to the skies,

gave thanks,

and broke the loaves.

Then He gave them to the disciples,

and the disciples gave them to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied,

and the disciples picked up twelve baskets

full of leftover pieces.

The number of those who ate

was about five thousand men,

besides women and children.

Walking on the Waters of Chaos

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat

and go ahead of Him to the other side,

while He dismissed the crowd.

After He had sent them away,

He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray.

When evening came, He was there alone,

but the boat was already far from land,

buffeted by the waves

because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn,

Jesus came to them,

walking on the sea.

When the disciples saw Him walking on the water,

they were terrified.

“It’s a spirit!” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them,

“Take courage!

It is I.

Do not be afraid.”

Peter answered Him,

“Master, if it is You,

tell me to come to You on the water.”

“Come,” He said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat,

walked on the water,

and came toward Jesus.

But when he saw the wind,

he became afraid

and began to sink.

“Master, save me!” he cried.

Immediately Jesus reached out His hand

and caught him.

“You of little trust,” He said,

“Why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat,

the wind ceased.

Then those in the boat worshiped Him, saying,

“Truly You are the Son of God.”

He Heals All Who Touch Him

When they had crossed over,

they landed at Gennesaret.

And when the people of that place recognized Jesus,

they sent word to all the surrounding region.

They brought all who were sick to Him

and begged Him to let the sick

just touch the edge of His garment.

And all who touched it

were made whole.

———

True Cleanliness Comes from the Heart

Confronting Human Traditions

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law

came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,

“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders?

They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

Jesus replied,

“And why do you break the command of God

for the sake of your tradition?

For God said,

‘Honor your father and mother,’

and, ‘Anyone who speaks evil of father or mother

must be put to death.’

But you say that if someone declares,

‘What I would have given to support you

I have devoted to God,’

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

Thus you nullify the word of God

for the sake of your tradition.

You pretenders!

Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

‘These people honor Me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from Me.

They worship Me in vain;

their teachings are merely human rules.’”

What Truly Makes a Person Unclean

Jesus called the crowd to Him and said,

“Listen and understand.

What goes into someone’s mouth

does not make them unclean,

but what comes out of their mouth—

that is what defiles them.”

Then His students came to Him and said,

“Do You know that the Pharisees were offended

when they heard this?”

He replied,

“Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted

will be pulled up by the roots.

Let them be.

They are blind guides.

If the blind lead the blind,

both will fall into a pit.”

Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”

Jesus said,

“Are you still so dull?

Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth

goes into the stomach

and then out of the body?

But the things that come out of a person’s mouth

come from the heart,

and these defile them.

For from the heart come

evil thoughts, murder, betrayal,

sexual distortion, theft, lies, and slander.

These are what defile a person—

but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

The Outsider with Unshakable Trust

Leaving that place,

Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

A Canaanite woman from that territory came to Him,

crying out,

“Master, Son of David, have mercy on me!

My daughter is severely tormented by a spirit.”

But Jesus did not answer a word.

So His disciples came and urged Him,

“Send her away,

for she keeps crying out after us.”

He answered,

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

The woman came and bowed down before Him.

“Master, help me!” she said.

He replied,

“It is not right to take the children’s bread

and throw it to the little dogs.”

“Yes, Master,” she said,

“but even the dogs eat the crumbs

that fall from their master’s table.”

Then Jesus said to her,

“O woman, great is your trust!

Let it be done for you just as you desire.”

And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

He Heals the Crowds on the Mountain

Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee.

He went up on a mountainside and sat down.

Great crowds came to Him,

bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute,

and many others,

and laid them at His feet.

And He healed them.

The people were amazed

when they saw the mute speaking,

the crippled made whole,

the lame walking,

and the blind seeing.

And they glorified the God of Israel.

He Feeds the Four Thousand

Jesus called His students to Him and said,

“I have compassion for these people;

they have already been with Me three days

and have nothing to eat.

I do not want to send them away hungry,

or they may collapse on the way.”

His disciples answered,

“Where could we get enough bread in this remote place

to feed such a crowd?”

“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

He told the crowd to sit down on the ground.

Then He took the seven loaves and the fish,

and when He had given thanks,

He broke them and gave them to the disciples,

and they in turn to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied.

Afterward the disciples picked up seven baskets

full of broken pieces that were left over.

The number of those who ate

was four thousand men,

besides women and children.

After Jesus had sent the crowd away,

He got into the boat

and went to the region of Magadan.

———

Signs, Revelation, and the Coming Sacrifice

Demanding a Sign from the Sky

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus.

They asked Him to show them a sign from the sky.

He replied,

“When evening comes, you say,

‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’

and in the morning,

‘Today it will storm, for the sky is red and overcast.’

You know how to interpret the face of the sky,

but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

A wicked and unfaithful generation asks for a sign,

but none will be given to it

except the sign of Jonah.”

Then He left them and went away.

The Leaven of the Religious Elite

When they crossed to the other side of the lake,

the disciples had forgotten to bring bread.

“Be careful,” Jesus said to them.

“Watch out for the leaven

of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

They discussed this among themselves and said,

“It’s because we didn’t bring any bread.”

Aware of this, Jesus said,

“You of little trust,

why are you talking among yourselves

about having no bread?

Do you still not understand?

Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand

and how many baskets you gathered?

Or the seven loaves for the four thousand,

and how many baskets you gathered?

How is it you don’t understand

that I was not talking to you about bread?

But be on your guard

against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Then they understood

that He was not telling them to guard against bread,

but against the teachings and influence

of the religious elite.

The Question of Identity

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi,

He asked His disciples,

“Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They replied,

“Some say John the Immerser;

others say Elijah;

and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” He asked.

“Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered,

“You are the Anointed One—

the Son of the Living God.”

Jesus replied,

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,

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

but by My Father in the unseen realm.

And I tell you, you are Peter,

and on this rock I will build My called-out assembly,

and the gates of the realm of death

will not overcome it.

I will give you the keys

to the reign of the skies.

Whatever you bind on earth

will be bound in the unseen realm,

and whatever you release on earth

will be released in the unseen realm.”

Then He ordered His disciples

not to tell anyone that He was the Anointed One.

The First Prediction of Suffering

From that time on,

Jesus began to explain to His students

that He must go to Jerusalem

and suffer many things

at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law,

and that He must be killed

and on the third day be raised to life.

Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

“Never, Master!” he said.

“This shall never happen to You!”

But Jesus turned and said to Peter,

“Get behind Me, accuser!

You are a stumbling block to Me.

You do not have in mind the things of God,

but the things of man.”

The Way of the Cross

Then Jesus said to His students,

“If anyone wants to follow Me,

they must deny themselves,

pick up their cross,

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 will it do someone

to gain the whole world

and yet forfeit their very being?

Or what can anyone give

in exchange for their being?

For the Son of Man is going to come

in the glory of His Father with His messengers,

and then He will repay each person

according to what they have done.

Truly I tell you,

there are some standing here

who will not taste death

before they see the Son of Man

coming in His reign.”

———

The Glory, the Voice, and the Hidden Power

The Transfiguration on the Mountain

After six days,

Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John his brother,

and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

There He was transformed before them.

His face shone like the sun,

and His clothes became as bright as light.

Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared before them,

speaking with Him.

Peter said to Jesus,

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

If You wish, I will put up three shelters—

one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

And in that moment, a voice stirred the skies—heard in the heart and echoed in the air—‘This is My Son—My Beloved—in whom I delight.

Listen to Him.”

When the disciples heard this,

they fell facedown, terrified.

But Jesus came and touched them.

“Rise,” He said,

“Do not be afraid.”

And when they looked up,

they saw no one except Jesus alone.

As they were coming down the mountain,

Jesus instructed them,

“Do not tell anyone what you have seen

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

The disciples asked Him,

“Why then do the scribes say

that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus replied,

“Elijah does come,

and will restore all things.

But I tell you, Elijah has already come,

and they did not recognize him,

but did to him whatever they wished.

In the same way, the Son of Man

will suffer at their hands.”

Then the disciples understood

that He was speaking to them about John the Immerser.

A Father’s Plea and a Struggling Crowd

When they came to the crowd,

a man approached Jesus and knelt before Him.

“Master,” he said,

“have mercy on my son.

He has seizures and suffers terribly.

Often he falls into the fire

or into the water.

I brought him to Your disciples,

but they could not heal him.”

Jesus replied,

“O unbelieving and twisted generation,

how long shall I stay with you?

How long shall I bear with you?

Bring the boy here to Me.”

Jesus rebuked the spirit,

and it came out of the boy,

and he was healed from that moment.

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked,

“Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

He replied,

“Because of your little trust.

Truly I tell you,

if you have trust like a mustard seed,

you can say to this mountain,

‘Move from here to there,’

and it will move.

Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Second Warning of His Death

As they gathered in Galilee,

Jesus said to them,

“The Son of Man

is going to be delivered into human hands.

They will kill Him,

and on the third day

He will be raised to life.”

And the disciples were filled with grief.

The Temple Tax and the Hidden Provision

When they arrived in Capernaum,

the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax

came to Peter and asked,

“Does your teacher pay the temple tax?”

“Yes, He does,” Peter replied.

When Peter came into the house,

Jesus was first to speak.

“What do you think, Simon?” He asked.

“From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—

from their own children or from others?”

“From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are free,” Jesus said.

“But so that we do not cause offense,

go to the lake,

cast in a line,

and take the first fish you catch.

Open its mouth,

and you will find a coin.

Take it

and give it to them for My tax and yours.”

———

The Way of the Little Ones and the Power of Mercy

The Greatest in the Reign

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked,

“Who, then, is the greatest in the reign of the skies?”

Jesus called a little child to stand among them.

And He said:

“Truly I tell you,

unless you turn back and become like little children,

you will never enter the reign of the skies.

Whoever humbles themselves like this child

is the greatest in the reign of the skies.

And whoever receives one such child in My name

receives Me.”

Warning Against Leading the Vulnerable Astray

“But if anyone causes one of these little ones—

those who trust in Me—

to stumble,

it would be better for them

to have a large millstone hung around their neck

and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Woe to the world because of things that cause stumbling!

Such things must come,

but woe to the one through whom they come.

If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble,

cut it off and throw it away.

It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame

than to have two hands or two feet

and be thrown into the everlasting fire.

And if your eye causes you to stumble,

gouge it out and throw it away.

It is better for you to enter life with one eye

than to have two eyes

and be thrown into the fire of destruction.”

The Lost Are Never Forgotten

“See that you do not look down

on one of these little ones.

For I tell you

that their messengers in the unseen realm

always behold the face of My Father in the skies.

What do you think?

If a man owns a hundred sheep,

and one of them wanders away,

will he not leave the ninety-nine

on the hills

and go to look for the one that wandered off?

And if he finds it,

truly I tell you,

he is more joyful about that one sheep

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

In the same way,

your Father in the skies

is not willing that even one

of these little ones should be lost.”

The Way of Reconciliation

“If your brother or sister sins against you,

go and show them their fault—just between the two of you.

If they listen to you,

you have won them back.

But if they will not listen,

take one or two others along,

so that every matter may be established

by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

If they still refuse to listen,

tell it to the community.

And if they refuse to listen even to the community,

treat them as you would a foreigner or a tax collector.”

The Authority to Bind and Release

“Truly I tell you,

whatever you bind on earth

will be bound in the unseen realm,

and whatever you release on earth

will be released in the unseen realm.

Again, truly I tell you,

if two of you on earth

agree about anything they ask for,

it will be done for them

by My Father in the skies.

For where two or three

gather in My name,

there I am

in the midst of them.”

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked,

“Master, how many times shall I forgive

my brother or sister who sins against me?

Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered,

“I tell you, not seven times,

but seventy times seven.

Therefore, the reign of the skies

is like a king who wanted to settle accounts

with his servants.

As he began the settlement,

a man who owed him ten thousand talents

was brought to him.

Since he was not able to pay,

the master ordered that he and his wife and children

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

At this the servant fell on his knees before him.

‘Be patient with me,’ he begged,

‘and I will pay back everything.’

The master took pity on him,

released him,

and forgave the debt.

But when that servant went out,

he found one of his fellow servants

who owed him a hundred silver coins.

He grabbed him and began to choke him.

‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him,

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

But he refused.

Instead, he went off

and had the man thrown into prison

until he could pay the debt.

When the other servants saw what had happened,

they were greatly distressed

and went and told their master everything.

Then the master called the servant in.

‘You wicked servant,’ he said,

‘I forgave you all that debt

because you pleaded with me.

Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant

just as I had on you?’

In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers

to be tortured,

until he should pay back all he owed.

This is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you

unless you forgive your brother or sister

from the heart.”

———

Covenant, Children, and the Call to Let Go

Teaching on Marriage and Divorce

When Jesus had finished saying these things,

He left Galilee

and went into the region of Judea

beyond the Jordan.

Large crowds followed Him,

and He healed them there.

Some Pharisees came to test Him.

They asked,

“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife

for any reason at all?”

He answered,

“Have you not read

that in the beginning

the Creator made them male and female, and said,

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

and be joined to his wife,

and the two will become one flesh’?

So they are no longer two, but one.

Therefore, what God has joined together,

let no one separate.”

They asked Him,

“Why then did Moses command

that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce

and send her away?”

Jesus replied,

“Moses permitted you to divorce your wives

because your hearts were hard.

But it was not so from the beginning.

I tell you:

Whoever divorces his wife—except for unfaithfulness—

and marries another, commits adultery.”

The disciples said to Him,

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

it is better not to marry.”

Jesus replied,

“Not everyone can receive this word—only those to whom it is given.

For some are eunuchs because they were born that way,

others were made so by people,

and others choose to live this way

for the sake of the reign of the skies.

The one who can receive this

should receive it.”

Let the Children Come

Then little children were brought to Jesus

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

But the disciples rebuked them.

Jesus said,

“Let the little children come to Me,

and do not hinder them,

for the reign of the skies belongs to such as these.”

And He laid His hands on them

and went on from there.

The Rich Young Man

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked,

“Teacher, what good thing must I do

to have eternal life?”

Jesus replied,

“Why do you ask Me about what is good?

There is only One who is good.

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

“Which ones?” the man asked.

Jesus replied:

“Do not murder,

do not commit adultery,

do not steal,

do not give false testimony,

honor your father and mother,

and love your neighbor as yourself.”

“All these I have kept,” the young man said.

“What do I still lack?”

Jesus answered,

“If you want to be whole,

go—sell what you have

and give to the poor,

and you will have treasure in the skies.

Then come, follow Me.”

When the young man heard this,

he went away sorrowful,

because he had great possessions.

The Danger of Riches

Then Jesus said to His disciples,

“Truly I tell you,

it is hard for the rich to enter the reign of the skies.

Again I tell you,

it is easier for a camel

to pass through the eye of a needle

than for someone who is rich

to enter the reign of God.”

When the disciples heard this,

they were greatly astonished and asked,

“Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said,

“With human strength this is impossible,

but with God, all things are possible.”

The Reward of Letting Go

Peter answered Him,

“We have left everything to follow You.

What then will there be for us?”

Jesus said to them,

“Truly I tell you,

at the renewal of all things,

when the Son of Man sits on His throne of glory,

you who have followed Me

will also sit on twelve thrones,

judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And everyone who has left houses,

or brothers or sisters,

or father or mother,

or children or fields for My name’s sake,

will receive back a hundredfold,

and will inherit the life of the age to come.

But many who are first will be last,

and many who are last will be first.”

———

The Last Will Be First, and the First Will Be Last

The Parable of the Vineyard Wages

“For the reign of the skies

is like a landowner

who went out early in the morning

to hire laborers for his vineyard.

He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day

and sent them into his vineyard.

About the third hour,

he went out and saw others

standing in the marketplace doing nothing.

He said to them,

‘You also go and work in My vineyard,

and I will pay you what is right.’

So they went.

He went out again about the sixth hour

and the ninth hour and did the same.

About the eleventh hour,

he went out and found still others standing around.

He asked them,

‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?’

‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

He said to them,

‘You also go and work in My vineyard.’”

The Surprise at the End of the Day

“When evening came,

the owner of the vineyard said to his manager,

‘Call the workers and pay them their wages,

beginning with the last ones hired

and going on to the first.’

The workers who were hired at the eleventh hour came

and each received a denarius.

So when those who were hired first came,

they expected to receive more.

But each one of them also received a denarius.

When they received it, they began to grumble

against the landowner:

‘These who were hired last

worked only one hour,’ they said,

‘and You have made them equal to us

who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’

But He answered one of them,

‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you.

Did you not agree to work for a denarius?

Take what is yours and go.

I want to give to the one hired last

the same as I gave you.

Am I not allowed to do what I choose

with what is Mine?

Or is your eye evil

because I am generous?’

So the last will be first,

and the first will be last.”

The Third Prediction of His Suffering

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,

He took the twelve aside

and said to them on the way:

“Look,

We are going up to Jerusalem,

and the Son of Man will be handed over

to the chief priests and the scribes.

They will condemn Him to death

and deliver Him over to the nations

to be mocked, flogged, and crucified.

On the third day

He will be raised.”

A Mother's Bold Request

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee

came to Jesus with her sons.

Kneeling down, she asked a favor of Him.

“What is it you want?” He asked.

She said,

“Declare that in Your reign

these two sons of mine may sit—

one at Your right hand and the other at Your left.”

Jesus said,

“You do not know what you are asking.

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

“We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them,

“You will indeed drink My cup,

but to sit at My right or left

is not for Me to grant.

These places belong to those

for whom they have been prepared by My Father.”

When the ten heard about this,

they were indignant with the two brothers.

Jesus called them together and said,

“You know that the rulers of the nations

lord it over them,

and the great ones exercise authority over them.

It shall not be so among you.

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you

must be your servant,

and whoever wants to be first

must be your slave—

just as the Son of Man

did not come to be served,

but to serve,

and to give His life

as a ransom for many.”

Two Blind Men See the Anointed One

As Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho,

a large crowd followed Him.

Two blind men were sitting by the roadside,

and when they heard that Jesus was passing by,

they cried out,

“Master, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet,

but they shouted all the louder,

“Master, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Jesus stopped and called them.

“What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked.

“Master,” they answered,

“we want our eyes to be opened.”

Moved with deep compassion,

Jesus touched their eyes.

Immediately they received their sight

and followed Him.

———

The King Enters, the Temple Trembles, and the Cornerstone Is Revealed

The Anointed One Enters Jerusalem

As they approached Jerusalem

and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,

Jesus sent two disciples, saying:

“Go to the village ahead of you,

and at once you will find a donkey tied there,

with her colt beside her.

Untie them and bring them to Me.

If anyone says anything to you,

say that the Master needs them,

and they will let them go.”

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

“Say to the daughter of Zion,

‘Look, your King comes to you,

gentle and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.

They brought the donkey and the colt

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

A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road,

while others cut branches from the trees

and spread them on the path.

The crowds that went ahead of Him

and those that followed shouted:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

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

Hosanna in the highest!”

When Jesus entered Jerusalem,

the whole city was stirred and asked,

“Who is this?”

The crowds answered,

“This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

The Temple Is Cleansed

Jesus entered the temple courts

and drove out all who were buying and selling there.

He overturned the tables of the money changers

and the benches of those selling doves.

“It is written,” He said to them,

“‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’

but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

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

and He healed them.

But when the chief priests and the scribes

saw the wonderful things He did,

and the children shouting in the temple courts,

“Hosanna to the Son of David,”

they were indignant.

“Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked Him.

“Yes,” Jesus replied.

“Have you never read:

‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babies

You have prepared praise’?”

And He left them

and went out of the city to Bethany,

where He spent the night.

The Fig Tree Withers

Early in the morning,

as Jesus was returning to the city,

He was hungry.

Seeing a fig tree by the road,

He went up to it

but found nothing on it except leaves.

Then He said to it,

“May no fruit ever grow from you again.”

Immediately the tree withered.

When the disciples saw this, they were amazed.

“How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

Jesus replied,

“Truly I tell you,

if you have trust and do not doubt,

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

but even say to this mountain,

‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’

and it will happen.

Whatever you ask in trust, in prayer—

believing—

you will receive.”

By What Authority?

Jesus entered the temple courts,

and while He was teaching,

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

“By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked.

“And who gave You this authority?”

Jesus replied,

“I will also ask you one question,

and if you answer Me,

I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

John’s immersion—where did it come from?

Was it from heaven, or from human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said,

“If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask,

‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’

But if we say, ‘From human origin,’

we fear the people,

for they all regard John as a prophet.”

So they answered Jesus,

“We do not know.”

Then He said,

“Neither will I tell you

by what authority I do these things.”

The Parable of Two Sons

“What do you think?

There was a man who had two sons.

He went to the first and said,

‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

‘I will not,’ he answered,

but later he changed his mind and went.

Then the father went to the other son

and said the same thing.

He answered, ‘I will, sir,’

but he did not go.

Which of the two did the will of his father?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them,

“Truly I tell you,

tax collectors and prostitutes

are entering the reign of God ahead of you.

For John came to you

in the way of righteousness,

and you did not believe him.

But the tax collectors and prostitutes did.

And even after you saw this,

you did not turn back

and believe him.”

The Parable of the Vineyard Tenants

“Listen to another parable:

There was a landowner

who planted a vineyard.

He put a wall around it,

dug a winepress in it,

and built a watchtower.

Then he rented it to some farmers

and moved away.

When the season came,

he sent his servants to the tenants

to collect his fruit.

But the tenants seized his servants;

they beat one, killed another,

and stoned a third.

Then he sent other servants,

more than the first time,

and the tenants treated them the same.

Last of all, he sent his son to them.

‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

But when the tenants saw the son,

they said to one another,

‘This is the heir.

Come, let’s kill him

and take his inheritance.’

So they seized him,

threw him out of the vineyard,

and killed him.

Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes,

what will he do to those tenants?”

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

“and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants,

who will give him his share of the harvest at the right time.”

Jesus said to them,

“Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;

the Lord has done this,

and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Therefore I tell you

that the reign of God

will be taken away from you

and given to a people

producing its fruit.

Anyone who falls on this stone

will be broken to pieces;

and anyone on whom it falls

will be crushed.”

When the chief priests and the Pharisees

heard His parables,

they knew He was speaking about them.

They looked for a way to arrest Him,

but they were afraid of the crowd,

because the people regarded Him as a prophet.

———

The Invitation of the King and the Wisdom of Heaven

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Jesus continued speaking to them in parables:

“The reign of the skies

is like a king

who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

He sent his servants

to call those who had been invited to the feast,

but they would not come.

Then he sent more servants and said,

‘Tell those who are invited:

Look, I have prepared my banquet,

my oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered,

and everything is ready.

Come to the wedding feast.’

But they paid no attention and went off—

one to his field,

another to his business.

The rest seized his servants,

mistreated them, and killed them.

The king was enraged.

He sent his armies,

destroyed those murderers,

and burned their city.

Then he said to his servants,

‘The wedding banquet is ready,

but those I invited were not worthy.

So go to the street corners

and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’

So the servants went out into the streets

and gathered all they could find—

both good and bad—

and the wedding hall was filled with guests.”

The Guest Without Wedding Garments

“But when the king came in

to see the guests,

he noticed a man there

who was not wearing wedding clothes.

He asked,

‘Friend, how did you get in here

without wedding garments?’

The man was speechless.

Then the king told the attendants,

‘Tie him hand and foot,

and throw him outside,

into the outer darkness,

where there will be weeping

and grinding of teeth.’

For many are called,

but few are chosen.”

Trap by the Herodians: Taxes to Caesar

Then the Pharisees went out

and laid plans to trap Him in His words.

They sent their disciples to Him

along with the Herodians.

“Teacher,” they said,

“we know that You are truthful

and teach the way of God in truth.

You’re not swayed by appearances

because You don’t play favorites.

Tell us then, what is Your view?

Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said,

“Why are you testing Me, you pretenders?

Show Me the coin used for the tax.”

They brought Him a denarius.

He asked them,

“Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then He said to them,

“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s,

and to God what is God’s.”

When they heard this, they were amazed.

So they left Him and went away.

Trap by the Sadducees: Marriage and Resurrection

That same day the Sadducees,

who say there is no resurrection,

came to Him with a question:

“Teacher,” they said,

“Moses told us that if a man dies without children,

his brother must marry the widow

and raise up offspring for him.

Now there were seven brothers among us.

The first one married and died,

and since he had no children,

he left his wife to his brother.

The same happened with the second

and the third, right on down to the seventh.

Last of all, the woman died.

Now then, at the resurrection,

whose wife will she be of the seven,

since all of them were married to her?”

Jesus replied,

“You are mistaken,

because you do not know

the Scriptures or the power of God.

At the resurrection,

people will neither marry

nor be given in marriage;

they will be like messengers in the skies.

But concerning the resurrection of the dead—

have you not read what God said to you:

‘I am the God of Abraham,

the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob’?

He is not the God of the dead,

but of the living.”

When the crowds heard this,

they were astonished at His teaching.

The Greatest Commandment

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,

the Pharisees gathered together.

One of them, a teacher of the law,

tested Him with this question:

“Teacher,

which commandment in the Law

is the greatest?”

Jesus replied:

“‘Love the Lord your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it:

‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

All the Law and the Prophets

hang on these two commandments.”

The Question No One Could Answer

While the Pharisees were gathered together,

Jesus asked them:

“What do you think about the Anointed One?

Whose son is He?”

“The son of David,” they replied.

He said to them,

“How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit,

calls Him ‘Master’? For he says:

‘The Lord said to my Master:

Sit at My right hand

until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’

If then David calls Him ‘Master,’

how can He be his son?”

No one could say a word in reply,

and from that day on

no one dared to ask Him any more questions.

———

Woes to the Pretenders and a Lament Over Jerusalem

Warning Against Religious Hypocrisy

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:

“The scribes and the Pharisees

sit in the seat of Moses.

So practice and observe what they tell you—

but do not do what they do,

for they do not practice what they preach.

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,

and lay them on people’s shoulders,

but they themselves are not willing

to lift a finger to move them.

Everything they do is for show.

They make their tefillin wide

and their tassels long.

They love the places of honor at feasts,

the best seats in the synagogues,

greetings in the marketplaces,

and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’

for you have one Teacher,

and you are all brothers and sisters.

And do not call anyone on earth your father,

for you have one Father—He who is in the skies.

Nor are you to be called instructors,

for you have one Instructor—

the Anointed One.

The greatest among you

will be your servant.

For those who lift themselves up

will be brought low,

and those who humble themselves

will be lifted high.”

Seven Woes to the Pretenders

Woe 1 – Shut the Door of the Reign

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—pretenders!

You shut the door of the reign of the skies

in people’s faces.

You yourselves do not enter,

and you do not allow those who are trying to enter to go in.”

Woe 2 – Devouring the Vulnerable

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—pretenders!

You devour widows’ houses

and for a show make long prayers.

Because of this,

you will receive greater condemnation.”

Woe 3 – Disciples of Condemnation

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—pretenders!

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

and when you succeed,

you make them twice as much a child of destruction as yourselves.”

Woe 4 – Blind Guides of Gold

“Woe to you, blind guides! You say,

‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing;

but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, they are bound.’

You blind fools!

Which is greater—

the gold,

or the temple that makes the gold sacred?

And you say,

‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing;

but if anyone swears by the gift on the altar, they are bound.’

You blind ones!

Which is greater—

the gift,

or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

So whoever swears by the altar

swears by it and by everything on it.

And whoever swears by the temple

swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.

And whoever swears by the skies

swears by the throne of God

and by the One who sits on it.”

Woe 5 – Majoring in the Minors

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—pretenders!

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

but you have neglected the weightier matters of the Law—

justice, mercy, and trust.

You should have practiced the latter

without neglecting the former.

Blind guides!

You strain out a gnat

but swallow a camel.”

Woe 6 – Clean on the Outside, Dead Within

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—pretenders!

You clean the outside of the cup and dish,

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

Blind Pharisee!

First clean the inside of the cup and dish,

so that the outside may also become clean.”

Woe 7 – Whitewashed Tombs

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—pretenders!

You are like whitewashed tombs,

which look beautiful on the outside,

but inside are full of the bones of the dead

and every kind of impurity.

In the same way,

on the outside you appear righteous to others,

but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Woe to the Murderers of the Prophets

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—pretenders!

You build tombs for the prophets

and decorate the graves of the righteous.

And you say,

‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors,

we would not have joined them

in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

So you testify against yourselves

that you are the descendants

of those who murdered the prophets.

Go ahead then—

fill up the measure of your ancestors’ sin!

You serpents!

Offspring of vipers!

How will you escape the sentence of Gehenna?

Because of this, I am sending you prophets,

wise men, and scribes.

Some of them you will kill and crucify;

others you will flog in your synagogues

and pursue from town to town.

So upon you will come

all the righteous blood that has been shed on the earth—

from the blood of righteous Abel

to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah,

whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

Truly I tell you,

all these things will come upon this generation.”

Lament Over Jerusalem

“O 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.

For I tell you,

you will not see Me again

until you say:

‘Blessed is He

who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

———

Signs of Collapse, the Coming of the Son of Man, and the Call to Stay Awake

The Stones Will Fall

Jesus left the temple and was walking away

when His disciples came up to call His attention

to the buildings.

He said to them,

“Do you see all these things?

Truly I tell you,

not one stone here will be left on another;

every one will be thrown down.”

The Private Conversation on the Mount

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives,

the disciples came to Him privately.

“Tell us,” they said,

“when will this happen,

and what will be the sign of Your coming

and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered:

“Watch out that no one deceives you.

For many will come in My name, claiming,

‘I am the Anointed One,’

and will deceive many.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars,

but see to it that you are not alarmed.

Such things must happen,

but the end is still to come.

Nation will rise against nation,

and kingdom against kingdom.

There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

The Time of Trial

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and killed,

and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

At that time many will turn away from the path

and will betray and hate each other.

Many false prophets will appear

and deceive many.

Because of the increase of lawlessness,

the love of many will grow cold.

But the one who endures to the end

will be delivered.

And this good news of the reign

will be proclaimed in the whole world

as a testimony to all peoples,

and then the end will come.”

The Abomination and the Flight

“So when you see

‘the abomination that causes desolation,’

spoken of through the prophet Daniel,

standing in the holy place

(let the reader understand),

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

Let no one on the housetop go down

to take anything out of the house.

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

How dreadful it will be in those days

for pregnant women and nursing mothers!

Pray that your flight

will not take place in winter

or on the Sabbath.

For then there will be great suffering,

unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—

and never to be equaled again.

If those days had not been shortened,

no one would survive,

but for the sake of the chosen,

those days will be shortened.”

Do Not Be Deceived

“At that time if anyone says to you,

‘Look, here is the Anointed One!’

or, ‘There He is!’—do not believe it.

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear

and perform great signs and wonders

to deceive, if possible, even the chosen ones.

See, I have told you ahead of time.

So if anyone tells you,

‘He is out in the wilderness,’ do not go out;

or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

For as lightning comes from the east

and flashes to the west,

so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Wherever the corpse is,

there the vultures will gather.”

The Coming of the Son of Man

“Immediately after the suffering of those days:

‘The sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light;

the stars will fall from the skies,

and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’

Then the sign of the Son of Man

will appear in the skies,

and all the tribes of the earth will mourn.

They will see the Son of Man

coming on the clouds of heaven

with power and great glory.

And He will send out His messengers

with a loud trumpet call,

and they will gather His chosen ones

from the four winds,

from one end of the skies to the other.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree:

As soon as its branches become tender

and put out leaves,

you know that summer is near.

In the same way,

when you see all these things,

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

Truly I tell you,

this generation will not pass away

until all these things have happened.

The skies and the earth will pass away,

but My words will never pass away.”

Stay Awake and Ready

“But about that day or hour no one knows—

not even the messengers of heaven,

nor the Son,

but only the Father.

As it was in the days of Noah,

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

For in the days before the flood,

people were eating and drinking,

marrying and being given in marriage,

up to the day Noah entered the ark.

They knew nothing

until the flood came and swept them all away.

That is how it will be

at the coming of the Son of Man.

Two men will be in the field;

one will be taken and the other left.

Two women will be grinding with a hand mill;

one will be taken and the other left.

So stay awake,

because you do not know

on what day your Master will come.”

The Faithful and Unfaithful Servant

“But understand this:

If the owner of the house had known

at what time of night the thief was coming,

he would have stayed awake

and not let his house be broken into.

So you also must be ready,

because the Son of Man will come

at an hour when you do not expect Him.

Who then is the faithful and wise servant,

whom the master has put in charge of his household

to give them food at the proper time?

Blessed is 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 if that servant is wicked and says to himself,

‘My master is delayed,’

and begins to beat his fellow servants

and eat and drink with drunkards,

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 pretenders,

where there will be weeping

and grinding of teeth.”

———

The Watchful, the Faithful, and the Merciful Shall Enter the Reign

The Parable of the Ten Maidens

“Then the reign of the skies

will be like ten maidens

who took their lamps

and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Five of them were foolish,

and five were wise.

The foolish ones took their lamps

but did not take oil with them.

The wise, however,

took oil in jars along with their lamps.

The bridegroom was delayed,

and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight the cry rang out:

‘Behold! The bridegroom!

Come out to meet him!’

Then all the maidens woke up and trimmed their lamps.

The foolish said to the wise,

‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

‘No,’ they replied,

‘there may not be enough for both us and you.

Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

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

the bridegroom arrived.

The maidens who were ready

went in with him to the wedding banquet.

And the door was shut.

Later the others also came.

‘Master! Master!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’

But he replied,

‘Truly I tell you,

I do not know you.’

Therefore stay awake,

because you do not know the day or the hour.”

The Parable of the Talents

“For it will be like a man going on a journey,

who called his servants

and entrusted his wealth to them.

To one he gave five talents,

to another two,

and to another one—each according to their ability.

Then he went on his journey.

The one who had received five talents

went at once and put his money to work

and gained five more.

So also the one with two talents

gained two more.

But the one who had received one talent

went off, dug a hole in the ground,

and hid his master’s money.

After a long time

the master of those servants returned

and settled accounts with them.

The one who had received five talents

brought the other five.

‘Master,’ he said,

‘you entrusted me with five talents.

See, I have gained five more.’

His master replied,

‘Well done, good and faithful servant!

You have been faithful over a little;

I will put you in charge of much.

Enter into the joy of your master.’

The one with two talents also came.

‘Master,’ he said,

‘you entrusted me with two talents.

See, I have gained two more.’

His master replied,

‘Well done, good and faithful servant!

You have been faithful with a few things;

I will put you in charge of many things.

Enter into the joy of your master.’

Then the one who had received one talent came.

‘Master,’ he said,

‘I knew that you are a hard man,

harvesting where you did not sow

and gathering where you scattered no seed.

So I was afraid

and went out and hid your talent in the ground.

Here is what belongs to you.’

His master replied,

‘You wicked and lazy servant!

So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown

and gather where I have not scattered?

Then you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers,

so that when I returned,

I would have received it back with interest.

Take the talent from him

and give it to the one who has ten talents.

For whoever has

will be given more, and they will have in abundance.

Whoever does not have,

even what they have will be taken from them.

And throw that worthless servant outside,

into the outer darkness,

where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’”

The Judgment of the Nations

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory,

and all the messengers with Him,

He will sit on His glorious throne.

All the nations will be gathered before Him,

and He will separate the people

one from another

as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

He will place the sheep on His right

and the goats on His left.

Then the King will say to those on His right:

‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father;

inherit the reign prepared for you

from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave Me food,

I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink,

I was a stranger and you welcomed Me,

I was naked and you clothed Me,

I was sick and you looked after Me,

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

Then the righteous will answer Him,

‘Master, when did we see You hungry and feed You,

or thirsty and give You something to drink?

When did we see You a stranger and welcome You,

or naked and clothe You?

When did we see You sick or in prison

and visit You?’

And the King will reply,

‘Truly I tell you,

whatever you did

for one of the least of these My brothers and sisters,

you did it for Me.’

Then He will say to those on His left:

‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed,

into the eternal fire

prepared for the accuser and his messengers.

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

I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,

I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me,

naked and you did not clothe Me,

sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.’

They also will answer,

‘Master, when did we see You hungry or thirsty

or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison,

and did not help You?’

He will reply,

‘Truly I tell you,

whatever you did not do

for one of the least of these,

you did not do for Me.’

Then they will go away

into the age of correction,

but the righteous into the life of the age to come.”

———

The Plot, the Supper, the Garden, and the Arrest of the Anointed One

The Final Countdown Begins

When Jesus had finished all these teachings,

He said to His disciples,

“You know that in two days the Passover arrives,

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

Then the chief priests and elders of the people

gathered in the courtyard of the high priest,

whose name was Caiaphas.

They conspired to arrest Jesus secretly and kill Him.

“But not during the feast,” they said,

“or there may be an uproar among the people.”

Anointing for Burial in Bethany

While Jesus was in Bethany,

reclining at the table in the home of Simon the leper,

a woman came to Him

with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume

and poured it on His head as He was eating.

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant.

“Why this waste?” they asked.

“This perfume could have been sold for a high price

and the money given to the poor.”

Aware of this, Jesus said to them,

“Why are you troubling this woman?

She has done a beautiful thing to Me.

The poor you will always have with you,

but you will not always have Me.

When she poured this perfume on My body,

she did it to prepare Me for burial.

Truly I tell you,

wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world,

what she has done will also be told,

in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray

Then one of the Twelve—Judas Iscariot—

went to the chief priests and asked,

“What are you willing to give me

if I deliver Him to you?”

So they counted out thirty pieces of silver.

From then on, Judas watched for an opportunity

to hand Him over.

Preparing the Final Meal

On the first day of Unleavened Bread,

the disciples came to Jesus and asked,

“Where do You want us to make preparations

for You to eat the Passover?”

He replied,

“Go into the city to a certain man and say to him,

‘The Teacher says: My time is near.

I will celebrate the Passover

with My disciples at your house.’”

So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them

and prepared the Passover meal.

The Last Supper Begins

When evening came,

Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.

And while they were eating, He said,

“Truly I tell you,

one of you will betray Me.”

They were very sorrowful

and began to say to Him one after another,

“Surely not I, Master?”

Jesus replied,

“The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me

will betray Me.

The Son of Man will go

just as it is written about Him.

But woe to the one who betrays the Son of Man—

it would be better for him if he had not been born.”

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

“Surely not I, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered,

“You have said it.”

The Bread and the Cup

While they were eating,

Jesus took bread,

and after giving thanks, He broke it

and gave it to His disciples, saying,

“Take, eat—this is My body.”

Then He took a cup,

and after giving thanks,

He gave it to them, saying,

“Drink from it, all of you.

This is My blood of the covenant,

which is poured out for many

for the forgiveness of sins.

I tell you,

I will not drink again from this fruit of the vine

until the day I drink it new with you

in the reign of My Father.”

When they had sung a hymn,

they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Peter’s Denial Foretold

Then Jesus said to them,

“This very night you will all fall away

on account of Me, for it is written:

‘I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

But after I have been raised,

I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

Peter replied,

“Even if all fall away on account of You,

I never will.”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered,

“this very night, before the rooster crows,

you will deny Me three times.”

But Peter declared,

“Even if I have to die with You,

I will never deny You.”

And all the other disciples said the same.

The Garden of Gethsemane

Then Jesus went with them

to a place called Gethsemane.

He said to His disciples,

“Sit here while I go over there to pray.”

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

and He began to be sorrowful and troubled.

He said to them,

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow,

to the point of death.

Stay here and keep watch with Me.”

Going a little farther,

He fell with His face to the ground and prayed,

“My Father,

if it is possible,

let this cup pass from Me.

Yet not as I will,

but as You will.”

Then He returned to His disciples

and found them sleeping.

“Could you not keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.

“Watch and pray

so that you will not fall into temptation.

The spirit is willing,

but the flesh is weak.”

He went away a second time and prayed,

“My Father,

if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it,

let Your will be done.”

Again He returned and found them sleeping,

for their eyes were heavy.

So He left them and went away once more

and prayed a third time, saying the same words.

Then He returned to the disciples and said,

“Are you still sleeping and resting?

Look, the hour has come,

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

Rise, let us go.

Look—My betrayer is near.”

Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested

While He was still speaking,

Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived.

With him was a large crowd

armed with swords and clubs,

sent by the chief priests and elders.

Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them:

“The one I kiss is the man—arrest Him.”

Going at once to Jesus, Judas said,

“Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

Jesus replied,

“Friend, do what you came to do.”

Then the men stepped forward,

seized Jesus,

and arrested Him.

With that, one of Jesus’ companions

drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest,

cutting off his ear.

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

“For all who draw the sword

will die by the sword.

Do you think I cannot call on My Father,

and He would at once put at My disposal

more than twelve legions of messengers?

But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled

that say it must happen in this way?”

At that hour Jesus said to the crowd,

“Have you come out with swords and clubs

as though I were a criminal?

Every day I sat in the temple teaching,

and you did not seize Me.

But all this has taken place

that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.”

Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

Those who had arrested Jesus

took Him to Caiaphas the high priest,

where the scribes and elders had assembled.

Peter followed Him at a distance,

right up to the courtyard of the high priest.

He entered and sat down with the guards

to see how it would end.

The chief priests and the entire council

were seeking false testimony against Jesus

so they could put Him to death.

But they found none,

though many false witnesses came forward.

At last two came forward and declared,

“This man said,

‘I am able to destroy the temple of God

and rebuild it in three days.’”

Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus,

“Are You not going to answer?

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

But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to Him,

“I charge You under oath by the living God:

Tell us if You are the Anointed One, the Son of God.”

Jesus said,

“You have said it yourself.

But I tell you:

From now on you will see

the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power

and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his robes and said,

“He has spoken blasphemy!

Why do we need any more witnesses?

Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered.

Then they spit in His face and struck Him.

Others slapped Him and said,

“Prophesy to us, Anointed One! Who hit You?”

Peter Denies the Master

Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard,

and a servant girl came to him.

“You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

But he denied it before them all.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

Then he went out to the gateway,

where another servant girl saw him and said,

“This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

Again he denied it with an oath:

“I do not know the man!”

After a little while,

those standing there went up to Peter and said,

“Surely you are one of them;

your accent gives you away.”

Then he began to call down curses,

and he swore to them,

“I do not know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed.

Then Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken:

“Before the rooster crows,

you will deny Me three times.”

And he went outside and wept bitterly.

———

The Lamb Is Handed Over, Crucified, and Buried

Judas’s Remorse and Death

Early in the morning,

all the chief priests and elders of the people

conferred together against Jesus

to put Him to death.

They bound Him, led Him away,

and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.

When Judas, who had betrayed Him,

saw that Jesus had been condemned,

he was seized with remorse.

He returned the thirty pieces of silver

to the chief priests and elders.

“I have sinned,” he said,

“I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied.

“That’s your responsibility.”

So Judas threw the silver into the temple

and left.

Then he went away and hanged himself.

The chief priests picked up the coins and said,

“It is not lawful to put this into the temple treasury,

since it is blood money.”

So they decided to use the money

to buy the potter’s field

as a burial place for foreigners.

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

Then what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“They took the thirty pieces of silver,

the price set on Him by the people of Israel,

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

as the Lord directed me.”

Jesus Before Pilate

Now Jesus stood before the governor,

and the governor asked Him,

“Are You the King of the Jews?”

“You have said it,” Jesus replied.

When He was accused by the chief priests and elders,

He gave no answer.

Then Pilate asked Him,

“Don’t You hear the testimony they are bringing against You?”

But Jesus made no reply,

not even to a single charge—

to the great amazement of the governor.

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival

to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.

At that time they had a notorious prisoner

named Barabbas.

So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them,

“Which one do you want me to release to you:

Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Anointed?”

For he knew it was out of envy

that they had handed Jesus over.

While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,

his wife sent him a message:

“Have nothing to do with that righteous man,

for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

But the chief priests and elders

persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas

and to have Jesus executed.

“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

“What then shall I do with Jesus

who is called the Anointed?” Pilate asked.

They all answered,

“Crucify Him!”

“Why? What evil has He done?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder,

“Crucify Him!”

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere,

but that a riot was starting,

he took water and washed his hands

before the crowd.

“I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said.

“It is your responsibility!”

All the people answered,

“His blood is on us and on our children!”

Then he released Barabbas to them.

But he had Jesus flogged,

and handed Him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus

into the Praetorium

and gathered the whole cohort around Him.

They stripped Him

and put a scarlet robe on Him,

and twisted together a crown of thorns

and set it on His head.

They put a staff in His right hand,

then knelt in front of Him and mocked Him, saying,

“Hail, King of the Jews!”

They spit on Him,

took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again.

After they had mocked Him,

they took off the robe

and put His own clothes back on Him.

Then they led Him away to crucify Him.

The Crucifixion

As they were going out,

they found a man from Cyrene named Simon,

and they forced him to carry the execution stake.

They came to a place called Golgotha

(which means “Place of the Skull”).

There they offered Jesus wine

mixed with bitter gall,

but after tasting it,

He refused to drink it.

When they had crucified Him,

they divided up His garments by casting lots.

And sitting down,

they kept watch over Him there.

Above His head they placed the written charge against Him:

THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS

Two rebels were crucified with Him,

one on His right and one on His left.

Those who passed by hurled insults at Him,

shaking their heads and saying,

“You who are going to destroy the temple

and rebuild it in three days—

save Yourself! Come down from the stake,

if You are the Son of God!”

In the same way the chief priests,

scribes, and elders mocked Him.

“He saved others,” they said,

“but He can’t save Himself!

He’s the King of Israel!

Let Him come down now from the stake,

and we will believe in Him.

He trusts in God—let God rescue Him now,

if He wants Him.

For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

Even the rebels crucified with Him

heaped insults on Him.

The Death of the Anointed One

From noon until three in the afternoon,

darkness came over the whole land.

About three in the afternoon

Jesus cried out in a loud voice,

“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”

(“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”)

When some of those standing there heard this, they said,

“He’s calling Elijah.”

Immediately one of them ran

and got a sponge.

He filled it with sour wine,

put it on a staff,

and offered it to Jesus to drink.

The rest said,

“Leave Him alone.

Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him.”

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice

and gave up His spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple

was torn in two

from top to bottom.

The earth shook,

the rocks split,

and the tombs broke open.

The bodies of many holy ones who had died

were raised to life.

After Jesus’ resurrection,

they came out of the tombs

and appeared to many in the holy city.

When the centurion and those with him

who were guarding Jesus

saw the earthquake and all that had happened,

they were terrified and exclaimed,

“Truly, this was the Son of God!”

The Women and the Burial

Many women were there, watching from a distance.

They had followed Jesus from Galilee

to care for His needs.

Among them were

Mary Magdalene,

Mary the mother of James and Joseph,

and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

As evening approached,

there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph,

who had become a disciple of Jesus.

Going to Pilate,

he asked for Jesus’ body,

and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.

Joseph took the body,

wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

and placed it in his own new tomb

that he had cut out of the rock.

He rolled a large stone in front of the entrance

and went away.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary

were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

The next day,

the one after Preparation Day,

the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.

“Sir,” they said,

“we remember that while He was still alive,

that deceiver said,

‘After three days I will rise again.’

So give the order

for the tomb to be made secure until the third day.

Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal the body

and tell the people

that He has been raised from the dead.

This last deception will be worse than the first.”

Pilate said,

“You have a guard;

go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.”

So they went and made the tomb secure

by sealing the stone

and setting a guard.

———

The Dawn, the Risen King, and the Great Commission

The Empty Tomb at First Light

After the Sabbath,

as the first light of the new week began to rise,

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary

went to look at the tomb.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake,

for a messenger of the Lord

descended from the skies,

rolled back the stone,

and sat upon it.

His appearance was like lightning,

and his garments white as snow.

The guards trembled in fear

and became like dead men.

But the messenger said to the women,

“Do not be afraid,

for I know you are looking for Jesus,

the One who was crucified.

He is not here—

He has been raised, just as He said.

Come and see the place where He lay.

Then go quickly and tell His disciples:

‘He has been raised from the dead

and is going ahead of you into Galilee.

There you will see Him.’

Look—I have told you.”

So they hurried away from the tomb,

filled with awe and joy,

and ran to bring the message to His disciples.

The Risen One Appears

Suddenly, Jesus met them.

“Greetings,” He said.

They came to Him,

clasped His feet,

and worshiped Him.

Then Jesus said to them,

“Do not be afraid.

Go and tell My brothers

to go to Galilee—

there they will see Me.”

The Guards’ Report and the Cover-Up

While the women were on their way,

some of the guards went into the city

and reported to the chief priests

everything that had happened.

When the chief priests had met with the elders

and devised a plan,

they gave the soldiers a large sum of money,

telling them,

“You are to say,

‘His disciples came during the night

and stole Him away while we were asleep.’

If this comes to the governor’s ears,

we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

So the soldiers took the money

and did as they were instructed.

And this story has been circulated

among the people to this day.

The Great Commission

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee,

to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.

When they saw Him,

they worshiped Him—

though some still wavered.

Then Jesus came near and said to them,

“All authority in the skies and on earth

has been given to Me.

Therefore go—

make disciples of all nations,

immersing them into the Name—

of the Father, the Son, and the Sacred Breath—

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And behold—

I am with you always,

to the very end of the age.”