Common - Matthew

Chapter 1

1:1  The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

1:2  Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

1:3  and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,

1:4  Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon,

1:5  Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,

1:6  and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,

1:7  Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa,

1:8  Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah,

1:9  Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

1:10  Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah,

1:11  and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

1:12  And after the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

1:13  Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor,

1:14  Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud,

1:15  Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob,

1:16  and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

1:17  So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the exile to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

1:18  Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way: when his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit.

1:19  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to put her to public shame, was resolved to divorce her quietly.

1:20  But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

1:21  And she will give birth to a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

1:22  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

1:23  "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel," which means, "God with us."

1:24  When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took his wife,

1:25  but did not know her until she had borne a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Chapter 2

2:1  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,

2:2  saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him."

2:3  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

2:4  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

2:5  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

2:6  ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’"

2:7  Then Herod called the wise men secretly and determined from them what time the star had appeared.

2:8  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring back word to me, so that I too may come and worship him."

2:9  When they had heard the king they went their way; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, until it came to rest over the place where the child was.

2:10  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

2:11  On coming into the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, and of frankincense, and of myrrh.

2:12  And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

2:13  Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."

2:14  When he rose, he took the young child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt,

2:15  and remained there until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."

2:16  Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all its region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

2:17  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

2:18  "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."

2:19  But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

2:20  saying, "Rise, take the young child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead."

2:21  And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.

2:22  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,

2:23  and he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the Prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

Chapter 3

3:1  In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

3:2  and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

3:3  For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

3:4  Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair, and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

3:5  Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan went out to him,

3:6  and confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

3:7  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

3:8  Bear fruit worthy of repentance,

3:9  and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

3:10  Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

3:11  I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

3:12  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire."

3:13  Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

3:14  But John tried to prevent him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

3:15  But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.

3:16  And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him.

3:17  And behold, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

Chapter 4

4:1  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

4:2  And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry.

4:3  And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."

4:4  But he answered, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’"

4:5  Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple,

4:6  and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge of you, ‘and ‘In their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’"

4:7  Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’"

4:8  Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory.

4:9  And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."

4:10  Then Jesus said to him, "Away, Satan! for it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’"

4:11  Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.

4:12  Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee.

4:13  And leaving Nazareth, he went and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

4:14  that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

4:15  "The land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

4:16  the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and on those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."

4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

4:18  As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

4:19  And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

4:20  Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

4:21  Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And he called them,

4:22  and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

4:23  And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.

4:24  Then his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.

4:25  Great crowds followed him—from Galilee, and from the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Chapter 5

5:1  Seeing the crowds, he went up on a mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him.

5:2  And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

5:3  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:4  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5:5  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

5:6  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

5:7  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

5:8  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

5:9  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

5:10  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:11  Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.

5:12  Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

5:13  "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, how shall it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

5:14  You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

5:15  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

5:17  "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

5:18  For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will by any means pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

5:19  Whoever then breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

5:20  For I tell you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

5:21  "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’

5:22  But I say to you that anyone who is angry with his brother shall be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca, ‘shall be answerable to the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fire of hell.

5:23  Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

5:24  leave your gift there before the altar, and go. First be reconciled to your brother; and then come and offer your gift.

5:25  Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him to court, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

5:26  Truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.

5:27  "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

5:28  But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

5:29  If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

5:30  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

5:31  "It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’

5:32  But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to become an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

5:33  "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’

5:34  But I say to you, do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

5:35  or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.

5:36  And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

5:37  Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes, ‘ and your ‘No, ‘‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

5:38  "You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’

5:39  But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. But if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

5:40  And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

5:41  And if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

5:42  Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

5:43  "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

5:44  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

5:45  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

5:46  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

5:47  And if you greet only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

5:48  You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Chapter 6

6:1  "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

6:2  "Thus, when you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

6:3  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

6:4  so that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

6:5  "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

6:6  But when you pray, go into your room, shut the door and pray to your Father, who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

6:7  And when you pray, do not use empty repetitions as the Gentiles do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

6:8  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

6:9  Pray, then, in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

6:10  Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

6:11  Give us this day our daily bread.

6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’

6:14  For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

6:15  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

6:16  "And when you fast, do not look gloomy, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

6:17  But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

6:18  so that you do not appear to be fasting to men, but to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

6:19  "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

6:20  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

6:21  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

6:22  The lamp of the body is the eye. So if your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

6:23  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

6:24  No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

6:25  "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

6:26  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

6:27  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his span of life?

6:28  And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,

6:29  yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

6:30  Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

6:31  Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

6:32  For the Gentiles seek after all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

6:33  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you as well.

6:34  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Chapter 7

7:1  "Judge not, that you be not judged.

7:2  For with the same judgment you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

7:3  And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

7:4  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye, ‘when there is a plank in your own eye?

7:5  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

7:6  Do not give what is holy to the dogs; do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

7:7  "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

7:8  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

7:9  Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

7:10  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

7:11  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

7:12  So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

7:13  "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.

7:14  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and few are those who find it.

7:15  "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

7:16  You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?

7:17  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

7:18  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

7:19  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

7:20  Thus you will know them by their fruits.

7:21  "Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord, ‘shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

7:22  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

7:23  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers!’

7:24  "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

7:25  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

7:26  And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand;

7:27  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell. And great was its fall."

7:28  And when Jesus had finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,

7:29  for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Chapter 8

8:1  When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.

8:2  And behold, a leper came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."

8:3  Then Jesus put out his hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be clean." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

8:4  And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

8:5  When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help,

8:6  and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress."

8:7  And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."

8:8  But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

8:9  For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go, ‘and he goes; and to another, ‘Come, ‘and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this, ‘and he does it."

8:10  When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.

8:11  I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

8:12  But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

8:13  Then to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

8:14  When Jesus come into Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever.

8:15  He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and served him.

8:16  When evening had come, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed. And he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick.

8:17  This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases."

8:18  Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.

8:19  Then a certain scribe came and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

8:20  And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

8:21  Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."

8:22  But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

8:23  And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.

8:24  And behold, a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But he was asleep.

8:25  The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"

8:26  And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

8:27  And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

8:28  When he had come to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.

8:29  And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"

8:30  Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them.

8:31  And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine."

8:32  And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the water.

8:33  Then those who kept them fled, and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.

8:34  And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.

Chapter 9

9:1  And getting into a boat, he crossed over and came to his own city.

9:2  And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."

9:3  And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming!"

9:4  But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?

9:5  For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven, ‘or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?

9:6  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he then said to the paralytic—"Rise, take up your bed and go home."

9:7  And he rose and went home.

9:8  When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

9:9  As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.

9:10  And as Jesus sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

9:11  And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

9:12  But when Jesus heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

9:13  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

9:14  Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"

9:15  And Jesus said to them, "Can the guests of the bridegroom mourn as long as he is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

9:16  No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.

9:17  Neither do they put new wine into old wineskins; if they do, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and so both are preserved."

9:18  While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live."

9:19  So Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.

9:20  And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment.

9:21  For she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well."

9:22  Jesus turned, and when he saw her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that moment.

9:23  When Jesus came to the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd,

9:24  he said, "Depart; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him.

9:25  But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

9:26  And the report of this went through all that region.

9:27  And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David."

9:28  When he had entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord."

9:29  Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you."

9:30  And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, "See that no one knows it."

9:31  But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

9:32  As they were going out, behold, a mute and demon-possessed man was brought to him.

9:33  And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel."

9:34  But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons."

9:35  And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.

9:36  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

9:37  Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

9:38  Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Chapter 10

10:1  And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.

10:2  The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

10:3  Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

10:4  Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

10:5  These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them: "Do not go among the Gentiles, or enter any town of the Samaritans.

10:6  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

10:7  And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

10:8  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

10:9  Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts,

10:10  nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the worker is worthy of his food.

10:11  Now whatever village or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go out.

10:12  As you enter the house, give it your greeting.

10:13  And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

10:14  And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.

10:15  Truly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

10:16  "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

10:17  But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in their synagogues.

10:18  You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

10:19  But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour;

10:20  for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

10:21  Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.

10:22  And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

10:23  When they persecute you in one city, flee to another. For truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

10:24  "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

10:25  It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!

10:26  "So do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

10:27  What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops.

10:28  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

10:29  Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father’s will.

10:30  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

10:31  Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

10:32  "Therefore whoever acknowledges me before men, him I will also acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.

10:33  But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

10:34  "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

10:35  For I have come to set a man ‘against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

10:36  and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’

10:37  He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

10:38  and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

10:39  He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

10:40  "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

10:41  He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

10:42  And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."

Chapter 11

11:1  And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

11:2  Now when John heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples

11:3  and said to him, "Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?"

11:4  And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:

11:5  the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

11:6  And blessed is he who is not offended because of me."

11:7  As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

11:8  But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

11:9  Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

11:10  For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

11:11  Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

11:12  From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force.

11:13  For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

11:14  And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.

11:15  He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

11:16  "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions,

11:17  ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

11:18  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’

11:19  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her deeds."

11:20  Then he began to rebuke the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

11:21  "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

11:22  But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

11:23  And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

11:24  But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."

11:25  At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to babes.

11:26  Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

11:27  "All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

11:28  Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Chapter 12

12:1  At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

12:2  But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."

12:3  He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:

12:4  how he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

12:5  Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are innocent?

12:6  I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.

12:7  And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ‘you would not have condemned the guiltless.

12:8  For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

12:9  And he went on from there, and went into their synagogue.

12:10  And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" so that they might accuse him.

12:11  He said to them, "What man of you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?

12:12  Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

12:13  Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.

12:14  But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, how they might destroy him.

12:15  Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all,

12:16  and ordered them not to make him known.

12:17  This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

12:18  "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased! I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

12:19  He will not quarrel or cry out; nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

12:20  A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, till he sends forth justice to victory;

12:21  and in his name will the Gentiles hope."

12:22  Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and he healed him, so that the mute man both spoke and saw.

12:23  And all the people were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"

12:24  But when the Pharisees heard this they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."

12:25  Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

12:26  If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

12:27  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

12:28  But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

12:29  Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

12:30  He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.

12:31  Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

12:32  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

12:33  "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

12:34  You brood of vipers! how can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

12:35  The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

12:36  But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

12:37  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

12:38  Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you."

12:39  But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

12:40  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

12:41  The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

12:42  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 behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

12:43  "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.

12:44  Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

12:45  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."

12:46  While he was still talking to the people, behold, his mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.

12:47  Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."

12:48  But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"

12:49  And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!

12:50  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

Chapter 13

13:1  That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.

13:2  And great crowds gathered around him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the shore.

13:3  Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow his seed.

13:4  And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.

13:5  Some fell on rocky places, where they did not have much soil, and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of soil.

13:6  But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

13:7  Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

13:8  But other seed fell on good soil and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

13:9  He who has ears, let him hear."

13:10  The disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"

13:11  And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

13:12  For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

13:13  This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

13:14  In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand; and seeing you will see and not perceive.

13:15  For this people’s heart has grown dull. And their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and they understand with their hearts, and turn so that I should heal them.’

13:16  But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear.

13:17  For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

13:18  "Hear then the parable of the sower:

13:19  when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

13:20  But he who received the seed on rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

13:21  yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. And when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.

13:22  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

13:23  But the one who received seed on the good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

13:24  Another parable he put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;

13:25  but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.

13:26  So when the plants sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.

13:27  And the servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?’

13:28  He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them up?’

13:29  But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the weeds you also root up the wheat with them.

13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers. Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’"

13:31  Another parable he put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field;

13:32  it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."

13:33  He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour till it was all leavened."

13:34  All these things Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables; and without a parable he did not speak to them.

13:35  So was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world."

13:36  Then he left the crowd and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."

13:37  He answered, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man;

13:38  the field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

13:39  and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

13:40  Therefore as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.

13:41  The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil,

13:42  and will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13:43  Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

13:44  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and then in his joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

13:45  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

13:46  who, when he had found one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

13:47  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind;

13:48  which, when it was full, they drew it up on the shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.

13:49  So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous

13:50  and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

13:51  Jesus asked, "Have you understood all these things?" "Yes," they said to him.

13:52  And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been instructed for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."

13:53  When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.

13:54  And coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

13:55  Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

13:56  And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"

13:57  And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."

13:58  And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Chapter 14

14:1  At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,

14:2  and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist, he has risen from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him."

14:3  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,

14:4  because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

14:5  And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.

14:6  But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,

14:7  so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

14:8  Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist."

14:9  And the king was sorry; but, because of his oaths and his guests, he commanded it to be given to her;

14:10  so he sent and had John beheaded in prison.

14:11  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

14:12  Then his disciples came and took the body and buried it; and they went and told Jesus.

14:13  Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

14:14  When Jesus went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick.

14:15  When it was evening, 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."

14:16  Jesus said, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."

14:17  They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish."

14:18  He said, "Bring them here to me,"

14:19  Then he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave them to the multitudes.

14:20  And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.

14:21  Now those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

14:22  Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the multitudes.

14:23  And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

14:24  but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them.

14:25  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

14:26  But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.

14:27  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage! It is I; do not be afraid."

14:28  And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."

14:29  So he said, "Come". Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.

14:30  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me!"

14:31  Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

14:32  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

14:33  Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

14:34  When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.

14:35  And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent to all that surrounding region and brought to him all who were sick,

14:36  and begged him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.

Chapter 15

15:1  Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus and said,

15:2  "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."

15:3  He answered them, "And why do you transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?

15:4  For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’

15:5  But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might have received from me is a gift to God’

15:6  he is not to honor his father with it. Thus you have made the word of God of no effect for the sake of your tradition.

15:7  You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, when he said:

15:8  ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

15:9  In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’"

15:10  And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand:

15:11  not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."

15:12  Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"

15:13  He answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.

15:14  Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

15:15  But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to us."

15:16  So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?

15:17  Do you not yet see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?

15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.

15:19  For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornications, theft, false witness, slander.

15:20  These are what defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

15:21  And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

15:22  And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried to him, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed."

15:23  But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying out after us."

15:24  He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

15:25  But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me!"

15:26  And he answered, "It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs."

15:27  "Yes, Lord," she said, "yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table."

15:28  Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

15:29  And Jesus went on from there and passed along the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain, and sat down there.

15:30  Then great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others; and they laid them down at his feet, and he healed them.

15:31  So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

15:32  Now Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have been with me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."

15:33  Then his disciples said to him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to feed such a great crowd?"

15:34  And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish."

15:35  He told the crowd to sit down on the ground.

15:36  Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

15:37  And they all ate and were satisfied; and they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.

15:38  Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

15:39  And he sent away the crowds, got into the boat, and went to the region of Magadan.

Chapter 16

16:1  Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

16:2  He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.’

16:3  And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

16:4  A wicked and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah." So he left them and departed.

16:5  When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

16:6  Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."

16:7  And they discussed among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread."

16:8  But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?

16:9  Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?

16:10  Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?

16:11  How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

16:12  Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

16:13  When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of Man is?"

16:14  And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

16:15  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

16:16  Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

16:17  And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

16:18  And I tell you, that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

16:19  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

16:20  Then he strictly charged his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

16:21  From that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day.

16:22  Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying, "Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!"

16:23  But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

16:24  Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

16:25  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

16:26  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

16:27  For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each man according to what he has done.

16:28  Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

Chapter 17

17:1  After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

17:2  And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

17:3  And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

17:4  And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make here three tabernacles—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

17:5  While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

17:6  When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe.

17:7  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Rise. Don’t be afraid."

17:8  And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

17:9  And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead."

17:10  And the disciples asked him, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

17:11  Jesus replied, "Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.

17:12  But I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands."

17:13  Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

17:14  And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and kneeling before him said,

17:15  "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.

17:16  And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."

17:17  Then Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to me."

17:18  And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured from that moment.

17:19  Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

17:20  So he said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there, ‘and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."

17:22  Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men,

17:23  and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." And they were greatly distressed.

17:24  When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, "Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?"

17:25  He said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from others?"

17:26  And when Peter said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.

17:27  Nevertheless, so that we may not offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you open its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for me and you."

Chapter 18

18:1  At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

18:2  He called to him a little child, and put him in the midst of them,

18:3  and he said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

18:4  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

18:5  Whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives me.

18:6  "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

18:7  Woe to the world because of temptations to sin! For temptations must come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!

18:8  And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.

18:9  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck 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 hell.

18:10  "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

18:12  What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains in search of the one that went astray?

18:13  And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

18:14  So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

18:15  "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

18:16  But if he will not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every matter may be established by the word of two or three witnesses.’

18:17  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

18:18  "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

18:19  Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

18:21  Then Peter came to him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"

18:22  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

18:23  Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

18:24  When he began the settlement, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

18:25  And as he was not able to pay, his master ordered that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

18:26  So the servant fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’

18:27  The master of that servant took pity on him, released him, and forgave him the debt.

18:28  But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe.’

18:29  So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’

18:30  But he refused, and went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.

18:31  When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and went and told their master all that had happened.

18:32  Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.

18:33  Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’

18:34  And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

18:35  So also my heavenly Father will do to each of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

Chapter 19

19:1  Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.

19:2  And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

19:3  Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"

19:4  And he answered them, "Have you not read that he who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female, ‘

19:5  and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?

19:6  So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

19:7  They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"

19:8  He said to them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

19:9  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

19:10  The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry."

19:11  But he said to them, "Not all men can accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given.

19:12  For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

19:13  Then little children were brought to him that he might put his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.

19:14  But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."

19:15  And he laid his hands on them and went from there.

19:16  Now behold, one came up and said to him, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?"

19:17  And he said to him, "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."

19:18  He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness,

19:19  honor your father and mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"

19:20  The young man said to him, "All these I have kept. What do I still lack?"

19:21  Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."

19:22  But when the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

19:23  Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

19:24  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

19:25  When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"

19:26  But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

19:27  Then Peter answered him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?"

19:28  Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

19:29  And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.

19:30  But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Chapter 20

20:1  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

20:2  Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

20:3  And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

20:4  and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.

20:5  Again he went out about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, and did the same thing.

20:6  And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’

20:7  They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’

20:8  And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’

20:9  And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.

20:10  So when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.

20:11  And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,

20:12  saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’

20:13  But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

20:14  Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as I gave to you.

20:15  Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

20:16  So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

20:17  Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,

20:18  "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn him to death,

20:19  and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."

20:20  Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to him with her sons and, kneeling down, asked something of him.

20:21  And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom."

20:22  But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."

20:23  He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right or my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

20:24  And when the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.

20:25  But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.

20:26  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you must be your servant.

20:27  And whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—

20:28  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."

20:29  And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him.

20:30  And behold, two blind men sitting by the roadside, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"

20:31  The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be quiet; but they cried out all the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"

20:32  And Jesus stopped and called them, saying, "What do you want me to do for you?"

20:33  They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened."

20:34  And Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Chapter 21

21:1  Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,

21:2  saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.

21:3  If any one says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them, ‘and he will send them immediately."

21:4  This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying:

21:5  "Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’"

21:6  The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.

21:7  They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.

21:8  And a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

21:9  The crowds that went before him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

21:10  And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?"

21:11  So the crowds said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

21:12  And Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves.

21:13  And he said to them, "It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer, ‘but you have made it a ‘den of robbers.’"

21:14  And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.

21:15  But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant;

21:16  and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise’?"

21:17  Then he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and he lodged there.

21:18  In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry.

21:19  And seeing a fig tree by the road he went to it, and found nothing on it but leaves only. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And immediately the fig tree withered.

21:20  And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?"

21:21  And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea, ‘it will be done.

21:22  And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."

21:23  And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

21:24  Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you one question; and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.

21:25  The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, ‘From heaven, ‘he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

21:26  But if we say, ‘From men, ‘we are afraid of the multitude; for all hold that John was a prophet."

21:27  So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

21:28  "What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’

21:29  He answered, ‘I will not, ‘but afterward he regretted it and went.

21:30  Then he went to the second and said the same thing. And he answered, ‘I go, sir, ‘but he did not go.

21:31  Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

21:32  For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him.

21:33  "Hear another parable: there was a landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vine dressers and went into a far country.

21:34  When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit.

21:35  And the tenants took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.

21:36  Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did the same to them.

21:37  Last of all, he sent his son to them saying, ‘They will respect my son, ‘

21:38  But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’

21:39  So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

21:40  Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"

21:41  They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons."

21:42  Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

21:43  "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.

21:44  And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

21:45  When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.

21:46  But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet.

Chapter 22

22:1  And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying:

22:2  "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who arranged a marriage for his son,

22:3  and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; but they were not willing to come.

22:4  Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding.’"

22:5  But they made light of it and went off, one to his own farm, another to his business.

22:6  And the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.

22:7  The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

22:8  Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.

22:9  Go therefore to the highways, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.’

22:10  And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

22:11  But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.

22:12  And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.

22:13  Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen."

22:15  Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk.

22:16  And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God in truth, and you care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men.

22:17  Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"

22:18  But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?

22:19  Show me the money for the tax." And they brought him a denarius.

22:20  And he said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"

22:21  They said, "Caesar’s." Then he said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s."

22:22  When they heard it, they marveled; and they left him and went away.

22:23  That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question,

22:24  saying, "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother must marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.

22:25  Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and having no children, he left his wife to his brother.

22:26  So the second also, and the third, down to the seventh.

22:27  After them all, the woman died.

22:28  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her."

22:29  But Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

22:30  For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

22:31  But as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God,

22:32  ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

22:33  And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

22:34  But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.

22:35  And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him.

22:36  "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"

22:37  Jesus said to him, "‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

22:38  This is the great and first commandment.

22:39  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

22:40  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

22:41  While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

22:42  "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David."

22:43  He said to them, "How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’, saying,

22:44  ‘The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, till I put your enemies under your feet"‘?

22:45  If David then calls him ‘Lord, ‘how is he his son?"

22:46  And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did any one dare to ask him any more questions.

Chapter 23

23:1  Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,

23:2  "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.

23:3  So you must observe and do whatever they tell you. But do not do what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.

23:4  They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.

23:5  But they do all their works to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and the tassels of their garments long.

23:6  And they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues,

23:7  and greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi.’

23:8  But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi, ‘for you have only one Master, and you are all brethren.

23:9  And do not call anyone on earth your ‘Father, ‘for you have one Father, he who is in heaven.

23:10  Nor are you to be called ‘Teacher, ‘for you have one Teacher, the Christ.

23:11  He who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

23:12  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

23:13  "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who would enter to go in.

23:15  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win a single proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

23:16  "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’

23:17  You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?

23:18  And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift that is on it, he is bound by his oath.’

23:19  You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

23:20  Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

23:21  And he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it.

23:22  And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it.

23:23  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law, justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

23:24  You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

23:25  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.

23:26  Blind Pharisee! First cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

23:27  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which outwardly appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

23:28  Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

23:29  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,

23:30  And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

23:31  Thus you witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

23:32  Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt.

23:33  You serpents! You brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?

23:34  Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,

23:35  that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

23:36  Truly, I say to you, all this will come upon this generation.

23:37  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are 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!

23:38  Behold, your house is left to you desolate.

23:39  For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’"

Chapter 24

24:1  Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came up to point out to him the buildings of the temple.

24:2  But he answered them, "You see all these things, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down."

24:3  Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?"

24:4  And Jesus answered them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.

24:5  For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ, ‘and will deceive many.

24:6  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

24:7  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

24:8  All these are the beginning of birth pains.

24:9  Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.

24:10  And then many will fall away, and will betray one another, and hate one another.

24:11  And many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

24:12  And because wickedness will increase, the love of most will grow cold.

24:13  But he who endures to the end will be saved.

24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

24:15  "So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation, ‘spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand)

24:16  then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

24:17  Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.

24:18  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.

24:19  But woe for those who are pregnant and for those who are nursing babies in those days!

24:20  Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.

24:21  For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

24:22  And if those days had not been shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

24:23  Then if any one says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.

24:24  For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

24:25  See, I have told you beforehand.

24:26  So if they say to you, ‘There he is, out in the desert, ‘do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms, ‘do not believe it.

24:27  For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

24:28  Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

24:29  "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

24:30  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

24:31  And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

24:32  "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.

24:33  So also, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.

24:34  Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place.

24:35  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

24:36  "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

24:37  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

24:38  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

24:39  and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

24:40  Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

24:41  Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left.

24:42  Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

24:43  But know this, that if the owner of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into.

24:44  Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

24:45  "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?

24:46  Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing.

24:47  Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

24:48  But if that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time, ‘

24:49  and he then begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,

24:50  the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of,

24:51  and he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Chapter 25

25:1  "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

25:2  Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

25:3  For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;

25:4  but the wise took oil in their flasks with their lamps.

25:5  While the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

25:6  But at midnight there was a cry: ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’

25:7  Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.

25:8  And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

25:9  But the wise replied, ‘No, there may not be enough for both us and you; go rather to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

25:10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

25:11  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us!’

25:12  But he replied, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

25:13  Therefore keep watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

25:14  "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.

25:15  To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

25:16  He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more.

25:17  So also, he who had the two talents gained two more.

25:18  But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

25:19  Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

25:20  So he who had received the five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents.’

25:21  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’

25:22  He also who had received the two talents came and said, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents.’

25:23  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’

25:24  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

25:25  So I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’

25:26  But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed?

25:27  Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

25:28  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.

25:29  For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

25:30  And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

25:31  "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

25:32  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

25:33  And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

25:34  Then the King will say to those on his right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

25:35  for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in,

25:36  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

25:37  Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

25:38  When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you?

25:39  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

25:40  And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’

25:41  "Then he will say to those on his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

25:42  for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

25:43  I was a stranger and you did not take me in, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

25:44  Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’

25:45  Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’

25:46  And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Chapter 26

26:1  When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,

26:2  "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."

26:3  Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

26:4  and they plotted to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

26:5  But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be a riot among the people."

26:6  Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,

26:7  a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.

26:8  But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste?

26:9  For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and given to the poor."

26:10  But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.

26:11  For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.

26:12  For in pouring this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.

26:13  Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her."

26:14  Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

26:15  and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.

26:16  And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

26:17  Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

26:18  He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, my time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’"

26:19  So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

26:20  When evening had come, he sat at the table with the twelve.

26:21  And as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

26:22  And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?"

26:23  He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me.

26:24  The Son of Man goes just as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born."

26:25  Then Judas, who was betraying him, answered, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."

26:26  Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."

26:27  Then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.

26:28  For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

26:29  I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom."

26:30  And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

26:31  Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

26:32  But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."

26:33  Peter declared to him, "Even if all fall away because of you, I will never fall away."

26:34  Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."

26:35  Peter said to him, "Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you." And so said all the disciples.

26:36  Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."

26:37  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

26:38  Then he said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me."

26:39  And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, "O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

26:40  Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour?

26:41  Watch and pray, so that you will not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

26:42  Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, "O my Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink it, your will be done."

26:43  And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

26:44  So he left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

26:45  Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

26:46  Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

26:47  While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.

26:48  Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I kiss is the man; seize him."

26:49  And at once he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him.

26:50  Jesus said to him, "Friend, why are you here?" Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him.

26:51  And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

26:52  But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

26:53  Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

26:54  But how then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen in this way?"

26:55  At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.

26:56  But all this has taken place, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.

26:57  And those who had seized Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled.

26:58  But 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 the end.

26:59  Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death,

26:60  but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward

26:61  and said, "This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.’"

26:62  And the high priest stood up and said, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?"

26:63  But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."

26:64  Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. But I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."

26:65  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard his blasphemy.

26:66  What do you think?" They answered, "He is worthy of death."

26:67  Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists; and others slapped him,

26:68  saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck you?"

26:69  Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee."

26:70  But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about."

26:71  And when he went out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth."

26:72  But again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man!"

26:73  After a little while those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you."

26:74  Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately the rooster crowed.

26:75  And Peter remembered the word Jesus had said, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly.

Chapter 27

27:1  When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.

27:2  And they bound him, and led him away and delivered him to Pilate the governor.

27:3  When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,

27:4  saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!"

27:5  Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.

27:6  But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are the money of blood."

27:7  So they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.

27:8  Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

27:9  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel,

27:10  and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me."

27:11  Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" So Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."

27:12  But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer.

27:13  Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?"

27:14  But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge; so that the governor wondered greatly.

27:15  Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.

27:16  And at that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.

27:17  So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you, Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?"

27:18  For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed him over.

27:19  While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered greatly today in a dream because of him."

27:20  But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

27:21  The governor answered them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!"

27:22  Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!"

27:23  And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!"

27:24  When Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man’s blood. See to it yourselves."

27:25  And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"

27:26  Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

27:27  Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around him.

27:28  And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,

27:29  and when they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And they bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

27:30  And they spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.

27:31  And when they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.

27:32  Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to carry his cross.

27:33  And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull),

27:34  they offered him wine to drink, mingled with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.

27:35  And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots;

27:36  and sitting down, they kept watch over him there.

27:37  And they put up over his head the charge written against him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

27:38  Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.

27:39  And those who passed by hurled insults at him, wagging their heads

27:40  and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

27:41  So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying,

27:42  "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

27:43  He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’"

27:44  And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

27:45  Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.

27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

27:47  When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "This man is calling Elijah."

27:48  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with wine vinegar and put it on a reed, and offered it to him to drink.

27:49  The rest said, "Let him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save him."

27:50  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.

27:51  And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split;

27:52  the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,

27:53  and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

27:54  So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified, and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

27:55  And many women were also there, looking on from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him;

27:56  among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

27:57  And when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself also become a disciple of Jesus.

27:58  He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.

27:59  When Joseph took the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

27:60  and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.

27:61  Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

27:62  The next day, the one after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered to Pilate

27:63  and said, "Sir, we remember how that deceiver said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’

27:64  Therefore order that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first."

27:65  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."

27:66  So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Chapter 28

28:1  Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

28:2  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.

28:3  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

28:4  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

28:5  But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

28:6  He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

28:7  Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead. And behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Behold, I have told you."

28:8  So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

28:9  And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Hail!" And they came to him and took hold of his feet and worshipped him.

28:10  Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee; and there they will see me."

28:11  Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.

28:12  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

28:13  and said, "Tell them, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’

28:14  And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble."

28:15  So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

28:16  Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.

28:17  When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.

28:18  And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

28:19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

28:20  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."