nights in the heart of the earth.
012:041 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation,
and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.
012:042 The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment
with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came
from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.
012:043 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man,
passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn't find it.
012:044 Then he says, 'I will return into my house from which I came out,'
and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept,
and put in order.
012:045 Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits
more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there.
The last state of that man becomes worse than the first.
Even so will it be also to this evil generation."
012:046 While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother
and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
012:047 One said to him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers
stand outside, seeking to speak to you."
012:048 But he answered him who spoke to him, "Who is my mother?
Who are my brothers?"
012:049 He stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said,
"Behold, my mother and my brothers!
012:050 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven,
he is my brother, and sister, and mother."
013:001 On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside.
013:002 Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat,
and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach.
013:003 He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold,
a farmer went out to sow.
013:004 As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds
came and devoured them.
013:005 Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn't have much soil,
and immediately they sprang up, because they had no
depth of earth.
013:006 When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they
had no root, they withered away.
013:007 Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them:
013:008 and others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit:
some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.
013:009 He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
013:010 The disciples came, and said to him, "Why do you speak
to them in parables?"
013:011 He answered them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries
of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
013:012 For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance,
but whoever doesn't have, from him will be taken away even
that which he has.
013:013 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don't see,
and hearing, they don't hear, neither do they understand.
013:014 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says,
'By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand;
Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive:
013:015 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull
of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps
they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears,
understand with their heart, and should turn again;
and I would heal them.'{Isaiah 6:9-10}
013:016 "But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears,
for they hear.
013:017 For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men
desired to see the things which you see, and didn't see them;
and to hear the things which you hear, and didn't hear them.
013:018 "Hear, then, the parable of the farmer.
013:019 When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn't understand it,
the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been
sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.
013:020 What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word,
and immediately with joy receives it;
013:021 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while.
When oppression or persecution arises because of the word,
immediately he stumbles.
013:022 What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word,
but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches
choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
013:023 What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word,
and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit,
and brings forth, some one hundred times as much, some sixty,
and some thirty."
013:024 He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom
of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,
013:025 but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds{darnel
is a weed grass (probably bearded darnel or lolium temulentum)
that looks very much like wheat until it is mature,
when the difference becomes very apparent.} also among the wheat,
and went away.
013:026 But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit,
then the darnel weeds appeared also.
013:027 The servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir,
didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did this
darnel come from?'
013:028 "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' "The servants
asked him, 'Do you want us to go and gather them up?'
013:029 "But he said, 'No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds,
you root up the wheat with them.
013:030 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time
I will tell the reapers, "First, gather up the darnel weeds,
and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat
into my barn."'"
013:031 He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom
of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took,
and sowed in his field;
013:032 which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown,
it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that
the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches."
013:033 He spoke another parable to them. "The Kingdom of Heaven is
like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures{literally,
three sata. 3 sata is about 39 litres or a bit more than
a bushel} of meal, until it was all leavened."
013:034 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes;
and without a parable, he didn't speak to them,
013:035 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet,
saying, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things
hidden from the foundation of the world."{Psalm 78:2}
013:036 Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house.
His disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable
of the darnel weeds of the field."
013:037 He answered them, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,
013:038 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children
of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children
of the evil one.
013:039 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end
of the age, and the reapers are angels.
013:040 As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire;
so will it be at the end of this age.
013:041 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will
gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling,
and those who do iniquity,
013:042 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be
weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
013:043 Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom
of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
013:044 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden
in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy,
he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
013:045 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant
seeking fine pearls,
013:046 who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold
all that he had, and bought it.
013:047 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast
into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind,
013:048 which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach.
They sat down, and gathered the good into containers,
but the bad they threw away.
013:049 So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come forth,
and separate the wicked from among the righteous,
013:050 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be
the weeping and the gnashing of teeth."
013:051 Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?"
They answered him, "Yes, Lord."
013:052 He said to them, "Therefore, every scribe who has been made a disciple
in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder,
who brings out of his treasure new and old things."
013:053 It happened that when Jesus had finished these parables,
he departed from there.
013:054 Coming into 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?
013:055 Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother called Mary,
and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas{or, Judah}?
013:056 Aren't all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man
get all of these things?"
013:057 They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them,
"A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country,
and in his own house."
013:058 He didn't do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
014:001 At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus,
014:002 and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptizer.
He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers
work in him."
014:003 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.
014:004 For John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
014:005 When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude,
because they counted him as a prophet.
014:006 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced
among them and pleased Herod.
014:007 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever
she should ask.
014:008 She, being prompted by her mother, said, "Give me here on
a platter the head of John the Baptizer."
014:009 The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths,
and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it
to be given,
014:010 and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.
014:011 His head was brought on a platter, and given to the young lady:
and she brought it to her mother.
014:012 His disciples came, and took the body, and buried it;
and they went and told Jesus.
014:013 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat,
to a deserted place apart. When the multitudes heard it,
they followed him on foot from the cities.
014:014 Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion
on them, and healed their sick.
014:015 When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying,
"This place is deserted, and the hour is already late.
Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages,
and buy themselves food."
014:016 But Jesus said to them, "They don't need to go away.
You give them something to eat."
014:017 They told him, "We only have here five loaves and two fish."
014:018 He said, "Bring them here to me."
014:019 He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took
the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples,
and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
014:020 They all ate, and were filled. They took up twelve baskets
full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces.
014:021 Those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women
and children.
014:022 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat,
and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent
the multitudes away.
014:023 After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into
the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come,
he was there alone.
014:024 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by
the waves, for the wind was contrary.
014:025 In the fourth watch of the night,{The night was equally divided
into four watches, so the fourth watch is approximately 3:00
A. M. to sunrise.} Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.
014:026 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled,
saying, "It's a ghost!" and they cried out for fear.
014:027 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying "Cheer up!
It is I!{or, I AM!} Don't be afraid."
014:028 Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is you, command me
to come to you on the waters."
014:029 He said, "Come!" Peter stepped down from the boat, and walked
on the waters to come to Jesus.
014:030 But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid,
and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
014:031 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him,
and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
014:032 When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased.
014:033 Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying,
"You are truly the Son of God!"
014:034 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.
014:035 When the people of that place recognized him, they sent into all
that surrounding region, and brought to him all who were sick,
014:036 and they begged him that they might just touch the fringe{or,
tassel} of his garment. As many as touched it were made whole.
015:001 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,
015:002 "Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders?
For they don't wash their hands when they eat bread."
015:003 He answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment
of God because of your tradition?
015:004 For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,'{Exodus 20:12;
Deuteronomy 5:16} and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother,
let him be put to death.'{Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9}
015:005 But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother,
"Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is
a gift devoted to God,"
015:006 he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made
the commandment of God void because of your tradition.
015:007 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
015:008 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me
with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
015:009 And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules
made by men.'"{Isaiah 29:13}
015:010 He summoned the multitude, and said to them, "Hear, and understand.
015:011 That which enters into the mouth doesn't defile the man;
but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."
015:012 Then the disciples came, and said to him, "Do you know that
the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?"
015:013 But he answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father didn't
plant will be uprooted.
015:014 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind.
If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit."
015:015 Peter answered him, "Explain the parable to us."
015:016 So Jesus said, "Do you also still not understand?
015:017 Don't you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes
into the belly, and then out of the body?
015:018 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart,
and they defile the man.
015:019 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
015:020 These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with
unwashed hands doesn't defile the man."
015:021 Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region
of Tyre and Sidon.
015:022 Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders,
and cried, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, you son
of David! My daughter is severely demonized!"
015:023 But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and
begged him, saying, "Send her away; for she cries after us."
015:024 But he answered, "I wasn't sent to anyone but the lost sheep
of the house of Israel."
015:025 But she came and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, help me."
015:026 But he answered, "It is not appropriate to take the children's
bread and throw it to the dogs."
015:027 But she said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs
which fall from their masters' table."
015:028 Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith!
Be it done to you even as you desire." And her daughter
was healed from that hour.
015:029 Jesus departed there, and came near to the sea of Galilee;
and he went up into the mountain, and sat there.
015:030 Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind,
mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet.
He healed them,
015:031 so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking,
injured whole, lame walking, and blind seeing--and they
glorified the God of Israel.
015:032 Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "I have compassion on
the multitude, because they continue with me now three days
and have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away fasting,
or they might faint on the way."
015:033 The disciples said to him, "Where should we get so many loaves
in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?"
015:034 Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"
They said, "Seven, and a few small fish."
015:035 He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;
015:036 and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks
and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples
to the multitudes.
015:037 They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets
full of the broken pieces that were left over.
015:038 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.
015:039 Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came
into the borders of Magdala.
016:001 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him
to show them a sign from heaven.
016:002 But he answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will
be fair weather, for the sky is red.'
016:003 In the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky
is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern
the appearance of the sky, but you can't discern the signs
of the times!
016:004 An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there
will be no sign given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah."
He left them, and departed.
016:005 The disciples came to the other side and had forgotten
to take bread.
016:006 Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the yeast
of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
016:007 They reasoned among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread."
016:008 Jesus, perceiving it, said, "Why do you reason among yourselves,
you of little faith, 'because you have brought no bread?'
016:009 Don't you yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves
for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?
016:010 Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets
you took up?
016:011 How is it that you don't perceive that I didn't speak
to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the
Pharisees and Sadducees."
016:012 Then they understood that he didn't tell them to beware of the yeast
of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
016:013 Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi,
he asked his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I,
the Son of Man, am?"
016:014 They said, "Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others,
Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."
016:015 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
016:016 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God."
016:017 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.
016:018 I also tell you that you are Peter,{Peter's name, Petros in Greek,
is the word for a specific rock or stone.} and on this rock{Greek,
petra, a rock mass or bedrock.} I will build my assembly,
and the gates of Hades{or, Hell} will not prevail against it.
016:019 I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever
you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever
you release on earth will have been released in heaven."
016:020 Then he charged the disciples that they should tell no one
that he is Jesus the Christ.
016:021 From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must
go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders,
chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day
be raised up.
016:022 Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be
it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you."
016:023 But he turned, and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are
a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind
on the things of God, but on the things of men."
016:024 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone desires to come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross,
and follow me.
016:025 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever
will lose his life for my sake will find it.
016:026 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world,
and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange
for his life?
016:027 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with
his angels, and then he will render to everyone according
to his deeds.
016:028 Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who
will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man
coming in his Kingdom."
017:001 After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John
his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.
017:002 He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun,
and his garments became as white as the light.
017:003 Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.
017:004 Peter answered, and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us
to be here. If you want, let's make three tents here:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
017:005 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud,
saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Listen to him."
017:006 When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces,
and were very afraid.
017:007 Jesus came and touched them and said, "Get up, and don't be afraid."
017:008 Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.
017:009 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them,
saying, "Don't tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man
has risen from the dead."
017:010 His disciples asked him, saying, "Then why do the scribes say
that Elijah must come first?"
017:011 Jesus answered them, "Elijah indeed comes first, and will
restore all things,
017:012 but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn't
recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to.
Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them."
017:013 Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of
John the Baptizer.
017:014 When they came to the multitude, a man came to him,
kneeling down to him, saying,
017:015 "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic,
and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire,
and often into the water.
017:016 So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him."
017:017 Jesus answered, "Faithless and perverse generation!
How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you?
Bring him here to me."
017:018 Jesus rebuked him, the demon went out of him, and the boy
was cured from that hour.
017:019 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said,
"Why weren't we able to cast it out?"
017:020 He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly
I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed,
you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,'
and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
017:021 But this kind doesn't go out except by prayer and fasting."
017:022 While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son
of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men,
017:023 and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up."
They were exceedingly sorry.
017:024 When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma
coins{A didrachma is a Greek silver coin worth 2 drachmas,
about as much as 2 Roman denarii, or about 2 days' wages.
It was commonly used to pay the half-shekel temple tax,