1
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of
the things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were
delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and
ministers of the word, 3 it seemed good to me also, having carefully
investigated all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly
account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty
of the things which you have been taught.
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named
Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of
Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous
before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord
blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and
they were both well advanced in years. 8 Now while he was serving as
priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the
custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the
Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were
praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord
appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And
Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But
the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is
heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his
name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice
at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall
drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy
Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the
sons of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before him in the
spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a
people prepared for the Lord." 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, "How
shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in
years." 19 And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the
presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this
good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until
the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my
words, which will be fulfilled in their time." 21 And the people were
waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.
22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived
that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he made signs to them and
remained speechless. 23 And when his time of service was completed, he
went to his home. 24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and
for five months she hid herself, saying, 25 "Thus the Lord has done to me,
in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among
people."
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a
city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose
name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28
The angel went to her and said, "Hail, O highly favored one, the Lord is
with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at his saying, and considered
in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to
her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And
behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call
his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the
Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom
there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be,
since I am a virgin?" 35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit
will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow
you; therefore the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. 36
And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a
son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For
with God nothing will be impossible." 38 Then Mary said, "Behold, I am
the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the
angel departed from her.
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill
country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and
greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the
babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 And she exclaimed with a loud voice, "Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted me, that
the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, as soon as the
voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for
joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment
of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
46 And Mary said:
47 "My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has regarded the lowly state of his servant;
for behold, henceforth all generations
will call me blessed.
49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud
in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his seed forever."
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and
returned to her home.
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she
gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had
shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 On the eighth
day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him
Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said, "No; he shall be called
John." 61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is
called by that name." 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring
what he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and
wrote, "His name is John." And they all marveled. 64 And immediately
his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were
discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea; 66 and all who heard
them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?"
For the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 Now his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and
prophesied, saying:
68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people,
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath which he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to grant us that we,
being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him
all the days of our life.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 through the tender mercy of our God,
with which the sunrise from on high will visit us;
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace."
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in
the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
2
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a
census should be taken of all the world. 2 This was the first census that
took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be
registered, everyone to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from
Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is
called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to
be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 And
while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. 7 And she
gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and
laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And in that region there were shepherds living out in the
fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the
Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and
they were filled with fear. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be
afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all
the people. 11 For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign to you: you will find a
babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among men
with whom he is pleased!"
15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the
shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this
thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And
they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a
manger. 17 Now when they had seen him, they made widely known the
saying which had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who
heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept
all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard
and seen, as it had been told them.
21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he
was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in
the womb.
22 And when the time of their purification according to the law
of Moses was completed, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present
him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male
who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"), 24 and to offer a
sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of
turtledoves, or two young pigeons."
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon,
and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of
Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to
him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the
Lord's Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the
parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom
of the law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God, and said:
29 "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel."
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34
Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this
child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign
that will be spoken against 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own
soul also), so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with her
husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and as a widow till she was
eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, but worshipped with
fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she
gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the
redemption of Jerusalem.
39 And when they had performed everything according to the
law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and
the grace of God was upon him.
41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the
Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to the
Feast, according to the custom. 43 And when the feast was over, as they
were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did
not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's
journey, and they sought him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45
And when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the
teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who
heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And
when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him,
"Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been
looking for you anxiously." 49 And he said to them, "Why did you seek
me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 50 But they
did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. 51 Then he went
down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them, but his
mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in
wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
3
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee,
his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and
Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and
Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the
wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan,
preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is
written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill brought low;
the crooked places shall be made straight
and the rough ways smooth;
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by
him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to
come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin 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. 9 And
even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that
does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." 10 And the
multitudes asked him, "What then shall we do?" 11 And he answered
them, "He who has two tunics, let him share with him who has none; and
he who has food, let him do likewise." 12 Tax collectors also came to be
baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" 13 And he said to
them, "Collect no more than is appointed you." 14 Likewise the soldiers
asked him, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Rob no one by
violence or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."
15 As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in
their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, 16 John
answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but one mightier than I is
coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is
in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his
barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." 18 And with
many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But
Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his
brother's wife, and for all the other evil things Herod had done, 20 added
this to them all, that he shut up John in prison.
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was also
baptized. And as he was praying, the heaven was opened 22 and the Holy
Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him, and a voice came
from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
23 Now Jesus himself, when he began his ministry, was about
thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of
Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of
Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the
son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of
Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the
son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi,
the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of
Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of
Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son
of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the
son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse,
the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of
Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of
Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son
of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of
Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son
of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared,
the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of
Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
4
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was
led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the
devil. In those days he ate nothing, and when they had ended, he was
hungry. 3 And the devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command
this stone to become bread." 4 But Jesus answered him, "It is written,
'Man shall not live by bread alone.'" 5 Then the devil took him up to a
high place, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of
time. 6 And he said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their
glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If
you, then, will worship me, it shall all be yours." 8 And Jesus answered
him, "It is written,
'You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.'"
9 He took him to Jerusalem, set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and
said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here;
10 for it is written:
'He will give his angels charge of you,
to guard you,'
11 and,
'In their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.'"
12 And Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord
your God.'" 13 When the devil had ended every temptation, he departed
from him until an opportune time.
14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and
news of him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he
taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.
And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day,
and stood up to read. 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed
to him. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was
written:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to preach the good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
20 Then he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat
down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he
began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
22 And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which
proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" 23
He said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician,
heal yourself! Do here also in your own country what we have heard that
you did in Capernaum.'" 24 Then he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet
is accepted in his own country. 25 But I tell you truly, there were many
widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three
years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the
land; 26 but Elijah was sent to none of them except to Zarephath, in the
region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many
lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and not one of them was
cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." 28 When they heard this, all in
the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and cast him
out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was
built, that they might throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through
the midst of them, he went his way.
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and he
was teaching them on the Sabbath. 32 And they were astonished at his
teaching, for his word was with authority. 33 And in the synagogue there
was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with
a loud voice, 34 "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us? I know who you areóthe Holy One of
God!" 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of
him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came
out of him without doing him any harm. 36 And they were all amazed and
said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he
commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!" 37 And the report
about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.
38 And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's
house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they
made request of him on her behalf. 39 So he stood over her and rebuked
the fever, and it left her. And immediately she rose and served them. 40
When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with
various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one
of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying,
"You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow
them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
42 Now when it was day, he departed and went into a deserted
place. And the people sought him and came to him, and tried to keep him
from leaving them; 43 but he said to them, "I must preach the good news
of the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because I was sent for this
purpose." 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
5
1 Now as the people pressed around him to hear the word of
God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. 2 And he saw two boats
by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing
their nets. 3 Then he got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and
asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught
the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to
Simon, "Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch." 5 And
Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and caught nothing! But at
your word I will let down the nets." 6 And when they had done this, they
caught a great number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 So they
signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And
they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When
Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me,
for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" 9 For he and all who were with him were
astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And
Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch
men." 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they left
everything and followed him.
12 While he was in one of the cities, a man who was full of
leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and begged him, "Lord, if you
are willing, you can make me clean." 13 And he stretched out his hand,
and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be clean." And immediately the
leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one, "But go and show
yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing as a
testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."15 But the report went
around concerning him all the more; and great multitudes came together
to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 16 But he often
withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.
17 One day as he was teaching, there were Pharisees and
teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee
and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present for
him to heal. 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was
paralyzed, and they sought to bring him in and lay him before Jesus. 19
When they could not find a way to bring him in, because of the crowd,
they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles
into the midst before Jesus. 20 When he saw their faith he said, "Man,
your sins are forgiven you." 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began
to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive
sins but God alone?" 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he
answered them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is
easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?
24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to
forgive sins"óhe said to the man who was paralyzedó "I say to you,
rise, take up your bed and go home." 25 Immediately he rose up before
them, took up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God.
26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with
awe, saying, "We have seen strange things today."
27 After this he went out, and saw a tax collector, named Levi,
sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." 28 And he left
everything, rose up and followed him. 29 Then Levi made him a great
feast in his house; and there were a great number of tax collectors and
others sitting at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes
complained against his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with
tax collectors and sinners?" 31 And Jesus answered them, "Those who are
well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not
come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
33 They said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer
prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink."
34 And Jesus said to them, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom
fast while he is with them? 35 But the days will come when the
bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those
days." 36 He told them a parable also: "No one tears a piece from a new
garment and puts it on an old one; if he does, he will tear the new
garment, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no
one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst
the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. 38 But new
wine must be put into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old
wine desires the new; for he says, 'The old is better.'"
6
1 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his
disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their
hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not
lawful to do on the Sabbath?" 3 Jesus answered them, "Have you not read
what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4
how he entered the house of God, took and ate the consecrated bread, and
also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the
priests to eat?" 5 And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the
Sabbath."
6 On another Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and
a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the
Pharisees watched him closely, to see whether he would heal on the
Sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. 8 But he knew
their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Rise and
stand here." And he rose and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I
ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save
life or to destroy it?" 10 And he looked around at them all, and said to the
man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was restored. 11
But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they
might do to Jesus.
12 In those days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all
night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, he called
his disciples to himself; and from them he chose twelve, whom he also
named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his
brother, James and John, Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, and
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the
Zealot, 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a
traitor.
17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place with
a crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea
and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to
hear him and be healed of their diseases, 18 and those who were troubled
with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch
him, for power came from him and healed them all.
20 He lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
"Blessed are you poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you shall be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you shall laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and
revile you, and cast out your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. 23
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in
heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
24 But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
25 Woe to you who are full now,
for you shall hunger.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to
the false prophets.
27 "But I say to you who hear: love your enemies, do good to
those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who
mistreat you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other
also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your
tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and from him who takes away
your goods do not ask them back. 31 And as you wish that men would do
to you, do so to them. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is
that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do
good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even
sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to
receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners,
to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend,
expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will
be sons of the Most High. For he is kind to the ungrateful and evil. 36 Be
merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37 "Judge not, and you will not be judged. Condemn not, and
you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give,
and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together
and running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use,
it will be measured back to you." 39 He also told them a parable: "Can a
blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A
disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be
like his teacher. 41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's
eye, but do not notice the plank in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say
to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,'
when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? You
hypocrite! First take the plank from out of your own eye, and then you
will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.
43 "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear
good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not
gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a bramble bush. 45
The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and
an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out
of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?
47 Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will
show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug
deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the
stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it was
well built. 49 But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who
built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the
stream broke, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was
great."
7
1 When he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the
people, he entered Capernaum. 2 A centurion's servant, who was dear to
him, was sick and ready to die. 3 When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him
elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when
they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to
have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and has built us our
synagogue." 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the
house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, do not
trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7
Therefore I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say
the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I am a man set under
authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes;
and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and
he does it." 9 When Jesus heard this, he marveled at him, and turned and
said to the crowd that followed him, "I tell you, I have not found such
great faith even in Israel." 10 And when those who had been sent returned
to the house, they found the servant well.
11 Soon afterward, he went to a city called Nain, and his
disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he came near the
gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of
his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was
with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said
to her, "Do not weep." 14 Then he came and touched the open coffin, and
those who carried him stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you,
arise." 15 The dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to
his mother. 16 Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A
great prophet has arisen among us;" and "God has visited his people." 17
And this report about him spread throughout all Judea and all the
surrounding country.
18 Then the disciples of John told him about all these things. 19
And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord,
saying, "Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?"
20 When the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent
us to you, saying, 'Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for
another?'" 21 At that very hour he cured many of diseases and afflictions
and evil spirits, and to many that were blind he gave sight. 22 He
answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the
blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the
deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the good news preached to
them. 23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of me." 24 When
the messengers of John had departed, he began to speak to the crowds
concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed
shaken by the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man clothed
in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in
luxury are in kings' courts. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is
written:
'Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.'
28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than
John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
29 (And when they heard him, all the people, even the tax collectors,
justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the
Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not
having been baptized by him.)
31 "To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and
what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace
and calling to one another:
'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and
you say, 'He has a demon.' 34 The Son of Man has come eating and
drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax
collectors and sinners!' 35 But wisdom is justified by all her children."
36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went
to the Pharisee's house, and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, a
woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that Jesus was
reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of
perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began
to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head,
and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the perfume. 39 Now when
the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man
were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is
who is touching him, for she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answered him,
"Simon, I have something to say to you." And he said, "Teacher, say it."
41 "A certain creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii,
and the other fifty. 42 When they had nothing with which to pay him
back, he freely forgave them both. Now which of them will love him
more?" 43 Simon answered, "I suppose the one to whom he forgave
more." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." 44 Then he turned
toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered
your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet
with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave me
no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss my feet from the time I
came in. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my
feet with perfume. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are
forgiven, for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."
48 And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 49 Then those who
reclined at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is
this who even forgives sins?" 50 He said to the woman, "Your faith has
saved you; go in peace."
8
1 Soon afterward, he went on through every city and village,
preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the
twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of
evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven
demons had come out, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward,
and Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their means.
4 And when a great crowd came together and people from town
after town came to him, he said in a parable: 5 "A sower went out to sow
his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path; and it was trampled
down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on the rock; and as
it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell
among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 But others
fell on good soil, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When he
had said this he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
9 When his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he
said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of
God; but to others it is given in parables, so that
'Seeing they may not see,
and hearing they may not understand.'
11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12
The ones along the path are those who hear; then the devil comes and
takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be
saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the
word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while
and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And the ones that fell among the
thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are
choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does
not mature. 15 But the ones that fell on the good soil are those who,
having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit
with patience.
16 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or
puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, that those who enter may
see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor
anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore
take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and
whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from
him."
19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could
not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And it was told him, "Your
mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you." 21
But he said to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the
word of God and do it."
22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to
them, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." So they set out. 23 As
they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and
they were filling with water, and were in danger. 24 And they went and
woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then he awoke
and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there
was a calm. 25 He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were
afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that
he commands even the winds and water, and they obey him?"
26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is
opposite Galilee. 27 When he stepped out on land, there met him a man
from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes,
and he lived not in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he
cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What
have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do
not torment me!" 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come
out of the man. For many times it had seized him, and he was kept under
guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was
driven by the demon into the wilderness. 30 Jesus asked him, "What is
your name?" And he said, "Legion"; because many demons had entered
him. 31 And they begged him repeatedly not to command them to go into
the Abyss.
32 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside;
and they begged him to let them enter them. So he gave them permission.
33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the
herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. 34
When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they fled, and told
it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had
happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the
demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right
mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how he
who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then all the people of the
surrounding region of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for
they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38
The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with
him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 "Return to your home, and tell
how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming
throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they
were all waiting for him. 41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus,
who was a ruler of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus' feet and begged
him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve
years of age, and she was dying.
But as he went, the people pressed round him. 43 And a woman
who had a flow of blood for twelve years and could not be healed by
anyone, 44 came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment;
and immediately her flow of blood stopped. 45 And Jesus said, "Who
touched me?" When all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the multitudes
surround you and press upon you!" 46 But Jesus said, "Someone touched
me; for I know that power has gone out from me." 47 When the woman
saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before
him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him,
and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her,
"Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."
49 While he was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of
the synagogue's house and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble
the Teacher any more." 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, "Do
not be afraid; only believe, and she will be well." 51 When he came into
the house he permitted no one to go in with him except Peter, James, and
John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all were wailing and
mourning for her; but he said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but
sleeping." 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54
But he took her by the hand and called, saying, "Child, arise." 55 Then
her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something
should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but he
charged them to tell no one what had happened.
9
1 Then he called the twelve together and gave them power and
authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 And he sent them out to
preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 And he said to them,
"Take nothing for the journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money;
and do not have two tunics. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there, and
from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you
leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against
them." 6 So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the
gospel and healing everywhere.
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done; and he was
perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the
dead, 8 by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the
old prophets had risen again. 9 And Herod said, "John I have beheaded,
but who is this about whom I hear such things?" So he sought to see him.
10 And when the apostles returned, they told him what they had
done. Then he took them with him and withdrew apart to a city called
Bethsaida. 11 But when the crowds learned it, they followed him; and he
welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed
those who had need of healing. 12 Now the day began to wear away; and
the twelve came and said to him, "Send the crowd away, to go to the
surrounding villages and country, to lodge and get provisions; for we are
here in a deserted place." 13 But he said to them, "You give them
something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and
two fishóunless we go and buy food for all these people." 14 For there
were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, "Make them
sit down in groups of about fifty each." 15 And they did so, and made
them all sit down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking
up to heaven, he blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples
to set before the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and they took
up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone his disciples
were with him; and he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
19 So they answered, "John the Baptist; but others say Elijah; and others
say that one of the old prophets has risen again." 20 And he said to them,
"But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of
God."
21 But he strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no
one, 22 saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected
by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third
day be raised." 23 Then he said to them all, "If anyone would come after
me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life
for my sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the
whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of
me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he
comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste
death before they see the kingdom of God."
28 Now about eight days after these sayings, he took with him
Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And
as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his robe
became white and glistening. 30 And behold, two men talked with him,
Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure,
which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 But Peter and those
with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they
saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 As the men were
parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here;
and let us make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for
Elijah"ónot knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud
came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the
cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my
Chosen; listen to him!" 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found
alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things
they had seen.
37 On the next day, when they had come down from the
mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 And behold, a man from the crowd
cried out, "Teacher, I beg you to look upon my son, for he is my only
child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it
convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and will hardly leave him,
bruising him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could
not." 41 Then Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how
long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here." 42
While he was coming, the demon threw him and convulsed him. But Jesus
rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his
father. 43 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.
But while everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to
his disciples, 44 "Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man
is about to be betrayed into the hands of men." 45 But they did not
understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not
perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
46 And an argument arose among them as to which of them
would be the greatest. 47 Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took
a little child and set him by him, 48 and said to them, "Whoever receives
this little child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives
him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is
great."
49 Now John answered, "Master, we saw a man casting out
demons in your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow
with us." 50 But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he that is not
against you is for you."
51 When the time drew near for him to be received up, he set his
face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went
and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; 53 but the
people did not receive him, because his face was set for Jerusalem. 54
And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do you
want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"
55 But he turned and rebuked them, 56 and they went on to another
village.
57 As they were going along the road, a man said to him, "I will
follow you wherever you go." 58 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." 59 To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let
me first go and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury
their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Still
another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say
farewell to those at my home." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts
his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
10
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them
ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself
was about to go. 2 And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs
among wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on
the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6
And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will
return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what
they give, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to
house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set
before you. 9 Heal the sick there and say to them, 'The kingdom of God
has come near to you.' 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not
receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your town
that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this,
that the kingdom of God has come near.' 12 I tell you, it will be more
tolerable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13 "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, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But
it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
15 And you, Capernaum,
will you be exalted to heaven?
You shall be brought down to Hades!
16 "He who hears you hears me, he who rejects you rejects me,
and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the
demons are subject to us in your name." 18 And he said to them, "I saw
Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you
authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of
the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in
this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are
written in heaven."
21 At that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I
thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these
things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Yes, Father,
for so it was your good pleasure. 22 All things have been delivered to me
by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and
who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son chooses
to reveal him." 23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately,
"Blessed are the eyes which see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many
prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to
hear what you hear, and did not hear it."
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying,
"Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him,
"What is written in the law? How do you read?" 27 And he answered,
"'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your
soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind'; and 'your
neighbor as yourself.'" 28 And he said to him, "You have answered right;
do this, and you will live." 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to
Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus said: "A man was going down
from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him
of his clothing, beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by
chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed
by on the other side. 32 So likewise, a Levite, when he came to the place
and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he
journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine;
then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care
of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the
innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I
will repay you when I come back.' 36 Which of these three do you think
was a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" 37 He said, "The
one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do
likewise."
38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a
woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a
sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his word. 40
But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and
said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell
her then to help me." 41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha,
you are worried and troubled about many things; 42 but only one thing is
needed. And Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken
away from her."
11
1 He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of
his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his
disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say:
'Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves also forgive everyone
who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.'"
5 And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go
to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a
friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to set
before him'; 7 and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the
door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and
give you anything'? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give to him
because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and
give him as much as he needs. 9 So I say to you, ask, and it will be given
to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who
knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a
fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he asks for an egg,
will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. So it was,
when the demon had gone out, that the mute man spoke; and the
multitudes marveled. 15 But some of them said, "He casts out demons by
Beelzebub, the prince of demons." 16 Others, testing him, sought from
him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them:
"Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a house divided
against itself falls. 18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will
his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub. 19
And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them
out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons by
the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When
a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.
22 But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he
takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 He
who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me
scatters.
24 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through
dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my
house from which I came.' 25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and
put in order. 26 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."
27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her
voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the
breasts that nursed you!" 28 But he said, "Blessed rather are those who
hear the word of God and keep it!"
29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This is
an evil generation. It seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except
the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also
the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will
rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them;
for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 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 behold, one greater
than Jonah is here.
33 "No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a secret place or under
a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light. 34
Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is good, your whole
body also is full of light. But when it is bad, your body also is full of
darkness. 35 Therefore be careful that the light in you is not darkness. 36
If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be
completely lighted, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."
37 While he was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with
him; so he went in and sat at table. 38 The Pharisee was surprised to see
that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 But the Lord said to him,
"Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you
are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish ones! Did not he who
made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give for alms those things
which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you. 42 But woe to
you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and
neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done,
without leaving the others undone. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you
love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
44 Woe to you! For you are like graves which are not seen, and men walk
over them without knowing it."
45 One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, by saying these
things you reproach us also." 46 And he said, "Woe to you also, lawyers!
For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not
touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you! For you build
the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 So you
witness that you approve of the deeds of your fathers; for they killed
them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore the wisdom of God also
said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill
and persecute,' 50 that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from
the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, 51 from
the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the
altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this
generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of
knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and you hindered those who
were entering." 53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the
Pharisees began to press him hard, and to provoke him to speak of many
things, 54 lying in wait for him, to catch at something he might say.
12
1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had
gathered together that they trampled one another, he began to say to his
disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is
hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, or
hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the
dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the ear in
the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.
4 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the
body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you
whom you should fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to
cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for
two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Indeed, the
very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value
than many sparrows.
8 "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of
Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. 9 But he who
denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And
everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but
he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 Now
when they bring you before the synagogues and rulers and authorities, do
not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you are to say;
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to
say."
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother
to divide the inheritance with me." 14 But he said to him, "Man, who
made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" 15 And he said to them,
"Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not
consist in the abundance of his possessions." 16 And he told them a
parable, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17
And he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store
my crops?' 18 And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and
build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19
And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many
years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."' 20 But God said to him,
'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those
things be which you have prepared?' 21 So is he who lays up treasure for
himself, and is not rich toward God."
22 Then he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not
worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about your body, what you
will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than
clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have
neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more
value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by worrying can add a
single cubit to his span of life? 26 If you then are not able to do this very
little thing, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies,
how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in
all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes
the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the
oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do
not seek what you will eat or what you will drink, nor have an anxious
mind. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your
Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these
things will be given to you as well. 32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is
your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your
possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves purses that do not grow
old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches
and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will
be also.
35 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning, 36 and be
like men who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding
feast, so that they may open to him immediately when he comes and
knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds watching
when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have
them sit at table, and will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the
second watch, or in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those
servants. 39 But know this, that if the owner of the house had known at
what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to
be broken into. 40 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man
is coming at an hour you do not expect."
41 Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to all?"
42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom
his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food
at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find
so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all
his possessions. 45 But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is
delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the
maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 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, and he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place
with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master's will, and
did not ready himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with
many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, and committed things
deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. From everyone who has
been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted
much, of him they will ask the more.
49 "I came to cast fire on the earth, and how I wish it were
already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how
distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I came to
give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now
on there will be five in one house divided: three against two, and two
against three.
53 They will be divided, father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
54 He also said to the multitudes, "When you see a cloud rising
in the west, immediately you say, "A shower is coming'; and so it
happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There
will be hot weather'; and there is. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to
interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; but how is it you do not
know how to interpret this present time?
57 "And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58
As you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make an effort to settle
with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand
you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell
you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last copper."
13
1 There were some present at that very time who told him about
the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And
Jesus answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse
sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this way? 3 I
tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those
eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think
that they were worse sinners than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5
I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
6 He told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his
vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to
the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking
fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the
ground?' 8 And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I
dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if
not, you can cut it down.'"
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the
Sabbath. 11 And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for
eighteen years; she was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12
When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you
are freed from your infirmity." 13 And he laid his hands on her, and
immediately she was made straight, and praised God. 14 But the ruler of
the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said
to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come
on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." 15 Then the
Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the
Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall, and lead it away to
water it? 16 Then ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom
Satan has bound for eighteen years, be loosed on the Sabbath day from
this bond?" 17 When he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame;
and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by
him.
18 Then he said, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to
what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took
and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of
the air nested in its branches."
20 And again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of
God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures
of flour till it was all leavened."
22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching, and
journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then one said to him, "Lord, will those
who are saved be few?" And he said to them, 24 "Strive to enter through
the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be
able. 25 When once the owner of the house has risen up and shut the
door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying,
'Lord, open for us.' He will answer you, 'I do not know where you come
from.' 26 Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence,
and you taught in our streets.' 27 But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not
know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of
iniquity!'28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God,
and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And men will come from east and west,
and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And
behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be
last."
31 At that very time some Pharisees came, and said to him, "Get
away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." 32 And he said to them,
"Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today
and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.' 33 Nevertheless I
must journey today and tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be
that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. 34 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 brood under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 Behold, your
house is left to you desolate. And I tell you, you will not see me again
until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"
14
1 One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who
belonged to the Pharisees, they watched him. 2 And behold, there was a
man before him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus spoke to the lawyers and
Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?" 4 But they
kept silent. And he took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 Then he
said to them, "Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a
well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?" 6 And they
could not reply to this.
7 So he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noted
how they chose the places of honor, saying to them: 8 "When you are
invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor,
lest one more distinguished than you be invited by him; 9 and he who
invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and
then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you
are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes
he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will be honored in
the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts
himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
12 Then he also said to the one who invited him, "When you give a
luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers, your
relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be
repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the
lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay
you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
15 When one of those who sat at table with him heard this, he
said to him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"
16 Then he said to him, "A certain man gave a great banquet and invited
many. 17 And at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to
those who had been invited, 'Come, for all is now ready.' 18 But they all
alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field,
and I must go out and see it. I ask you to have me excused.' 19 And
another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test
them. I ask you to have me excused.' 20 Still another said, 'I have married
a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' 21 So the servant came back and
reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry
and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the
city and bring in the poor and the maimed, the blind and the lame.' 22
And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still
there is room.' 23 Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the
highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be
filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste
my banquet.'"
25 Now great multitudes went with him; and he turned and said
to them, 26 "If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and
mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and
come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to
build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has
enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid the foundation,
and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying,
'This man began to build, and was not able to finish.' 31 Or what king,
going to make war against another king, will not sit down first and
consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes
against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is still a
great way off, he sends a delegation and asks terms of peace. 33 So
likewise, whoever of you does not give up all that he has cannot be my
disciple.
34 Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall it be
seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill; men throw
it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
15
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to
hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This
man receives sinners and eats with them." 3 So he told them this parable:
4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them,
does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one
which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on
his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his
friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found
my sheep which was lost.' 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be
more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine
righteous persons who need no repentance.
8 "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin,
does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she
finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and
neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had
lost.' 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the
angels of God over one sinner who repents."
11 Then he said: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 And
the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of
property that falls to me.' So he divided his living between them. 13 Not
many days after, the younger son gathered together all he had and took his
journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose
living. 14 And when he had spent everything, there arose a severe famine
in that country, and he began to be in want. 15 So he went and joined
himself to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed
swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that
the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to
himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread
enough and to spare, and here I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go
to my father and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven
and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me
like one of your hired servants."' 20 And he arose and came to his father.
But while he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had
compassion for him, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And
the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 But the father said to his
servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his
hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf and kill it, and
let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he
was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.
25 "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and
drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one
of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him,
'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because
he has received him safe and sound.' 28 But he was angry and refused to
go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered
his father, 'Behold, these many years I have been serving you, and I never
disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a young goat, that I
might make merry with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came,
who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted
calf!' 31 And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I
have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for
this your brother was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.'"
16
1 He also said to his disciples: "There was a certain rich man
who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man
was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I
hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no
longer be steward.' 3 The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, since
my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong
enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do, so
that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the
stewardship.' 5 So he called in each one of his master's debtors, and he
said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 And he said, 'A
hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down
quickly and write fifty.' 7 Then he said to another, 'And how much do
you owe?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him,
'Take your bill, and write eighty.' 8 So the master commended the
dishonest steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this
world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons
of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of
unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the
eternal dwellings. 10 He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in
much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.
11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who
will trust you with the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in
what is another's, who will give you what is your own? 13 No servant can
serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or
else he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and mammon."
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and
they scoffed at him. 15 He said to them, "You are those who justify
yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly
esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 16 The law
and the prophets were until John. Since that time the good news of the
kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. 17
But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one dot of the
law to fail. 18 Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her
husband commits adultery.
19 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and
fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And a certain beggar
named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 longing to be fed
with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and
licked his sores. 22 So the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to
Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And in
Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have
mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and
cool my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said,
'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and
Lazarus received evil things; but now he is comforted here and you are in
agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has
been fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor
can anyone cross over from there to us.' 27 And he said, ' Then I beg you,
father, to send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, so
that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' 29
Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear
them.' 30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them
from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear
Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one
should rise from the dead.'"
17
1 Then he said to his disciples, "Things that cause people to sin
are bound to come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It
would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he
were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little
ones to sin. 3 Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him,
and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in
a day, and turns to you seven times, and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive
him."
5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 So the
Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this
mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey
you.
7 "Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping
sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and
sit down to eat'? 8 Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare my supper, and
gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat
and drink'? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what he was
commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that is commanded
you, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our
duty.'"
11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between
Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten men who were lepers
met him, who stood at a distance. 13 And they lifted up their voices and
said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said to
them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were
cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned
back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus'
feet, giving him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then said Jesus,
"Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to
return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 And he said to
him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."
20 Now when he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom
of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God does not
come with observation; 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!'
for behold, the kingdom of God is within you." 22 Then he said to the
disciples, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the
days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to
you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!' Do not go after them or follow them.
24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one part to the
other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. 25 But first he must suffer
many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 Just as it was in the
days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They
ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day
when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28
Likewise as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought,
they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day when Lot went out
from Sodom fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all. 30
So will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day,
let him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come
down to take them away. And likewise let him who is in the field not turn
back. 32 Remember Lot's wife. 33 Whoever seeks to keep his life will
lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, on that
night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35
Two women will be grinding together; one will be taken and the other
left." 37 And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where
the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."
18
1 Then he told them a parable, to show that they ought always to
pray and not lose heart. 2 He said: "In a certain city there was a judge who
neither feared God nor regarded man. 3 And there was a widow in that
city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Grant me justice against my
adversary.' 4 For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself,
'Though I neither fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow
bothers me, I will give her justice, or she will wear me out by her
continual coming.'" 6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge
says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his elect, who cry to him
day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you that he will
bring about justice for them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man
comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
9 Also he told this parable to some who trusted in themselves
that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 "Two men went up to
the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The
Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am
not like other menóextortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax
collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' 13 But the
tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven,
but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 I tell
you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for
everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted."
15 Now they were also bringing infants to him that he might
touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But
Jesus called them to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and
do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I
say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little
child will not enter it."
18 Now a certain ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I
do to inherit eternal life?" 19 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me
good? No one is good but God alone. 20 You know the commandments:
'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false
witness, Honor your father and mother.'" 21 And he said, "All these I
have kept from my youth." 22 When Jesus heard it, he said to him, "One
thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 23 But when he
heard this, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.
24 Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for those who
have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For 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." 26 Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" 27 But he
said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." 28 Then Peter
said, "Behold, we have left all and followed you." 29 So he said to them,
"Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or
brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who
will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come
eternal life."
31 Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we
are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of
Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered to
the Gentiles, and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. 33 They will
scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise again." 34 But
they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them,
and they did not know what he was talking about.
35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the
roadside begging. 36 And hearing a multitude going by, he asked what
this meant. 37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." 38 And
he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39 And those who
led the way rebuked him, telling him to be quiet; but he cried out all the
more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 40 So Jesus stopped, and
commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked
him, 41 "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, I want to
receive my sight." 42 And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your
faith has made you well." 43 And immediately he received his sight and
followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave
praise to God.
19
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 Now behold,
there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and he
was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of
the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed
up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. 5 And
when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus,
make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." 6 So he
made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they
saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is
a sinner." 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, the
half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of
anything, I restore it fourfold." 9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation
has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the
Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
11 As they heard these things, he went on to tell a parable,
because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the
kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 Therefore he said: "A
certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom
and then return. 13 So he called ten of his servants, gave them ten minas,
and said to them, 'Do business till I come.' 14 But his citizens hated him
and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign
over us.' 15 And so it was that when he returned, having received the
kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the
money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by
trading. 16 Then came the first, saying, ' Master, your mina has earned
ten minas more.' 17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant!
Because you have been faithful in a very little, be in authority over ten
cities.' 18 And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned
five minas.' 19 Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.' 20
Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept
laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a
hard man. You take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did
not sow.' 22 He said to him, 'I will judge you out of your own mouth, you
wicked servant! You knew that I was a hard man, taking up what I did not
lay down and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put
my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with
interest?' 24 And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from
him, and give it to him who has ten minas.' 25 And they said to him,
'Master, he has ten minas already!' 26 'I tell you, that to every one who
has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will
be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine, who did not want me to
reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.'"
28 When he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to
Jerusalem. 29 When he came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the
mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, "Go
into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied,
on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If any one asks
you, 'Why are you untying it?' you shall say to him, 'The Lord has need
of it.'" 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had
told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them,
"Why are you untying the colt?" 34 And they said, "The Lord has need of
it." 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and they threw their garments on the
colt and set Jesus on it. 36 And as he went along, many spread their
garments on the road.
37 And, as he was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of
Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise
God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying,
"Blessed is the King
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest!"
39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke
your disciples." 40 He answered, "I tell you, if these keep silent, the
stones would cry out."
41 And when he drew near and saw the city he wept over it, 42
saying, "If you had known, even you, this day, the things that make for
peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will
come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around
you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, 44 and dash you to
the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one
stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your
visitation."
45 Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who
sold, 46 saying to them, "It is written,
'My house shall be a house of prayer';
but you have made it a den of robbers."
47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests
the scribes and the leaders of the people sought to destroy him, 48 but
they could not find anything they could do, for all the people hung upon
his words.
20
1 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple and
preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, together with the
elders, came up to him 2 and said to him, "Tell us by what authority are
you doing these things? Or who it is that gave you this authority." 3 He
answered them, "I also will ask you a question; now tell me, 4 the baptism
of Johnówas it from heaven or from men?" 5 And they reasoned among
themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you
not believe him?' 6 But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone
us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet." 7 So they answered
that they did not know where it was from. 8 And Jesus said to them,
"Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
9 Then he began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a
vineyard, leased it to vine-dressers, and went into another country for a
long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants, that they
would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him
and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He sent another servant; him also
they beat and treated shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 He
sent a third; and they wounded him and cast him out. 13 Then the owner
of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son;
perhaps they will respect him.' 14 But when the tenants saw him, they
reasoned among themselves and said, 'This is the heir. Let us kill him,
that the inheritance may be ours.' 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard
and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16
He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others."
When they heard this, they said, "May this never be!" 17 But he looked at
them and said, "What then is this that is written:
'The stone which the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone'?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on
whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." 19 The chief priests and
the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the
peopleófor they knew that he had spoken this parable against them.
20 So they watched him, and sent spies who pretended to be
righteous, that they might catch him on what he said, in order to deliver
him up to the power and authority of the governor. 21 And they asked
him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and you do not
show partiality, but teach the way of God in truth. 22 Is it lawful for us to
pay taxes to Caesar or not?" 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said
to them, 24 "Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it
have?" They said, "Caesar's." 25 He said to them, "Then render to Caesar
the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." 26
And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him by what
he said. But marveling at his answer they were silent.
27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,
came to him, 28 and they questioned him, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us
that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must
take the wife and raise up children for his brother. 29 Now there were
seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And
the second 31 and then the third took her, and in the same way the seven
died, and they left no children. 32 Finally the woman died also. 33 In the
resurrection, therefore, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as
wife." 34 And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are
given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy to attain that
age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in
marriage, 36 nor can they die any more, for they are equal to the angels
and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead
are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he
calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of
Jacob.' 38 Now he is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live
to him." 39 And some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you have spoken
well." 40 For they no longer dared to ask him any question.
41 And he said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the
Son of David? 42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms,
'The Lord said to my Lord,
"Sit at my right hand,
43 till I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet."'
44 David therefore calls him 'Lord,' and how is he his son?"
45 And in the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples,
46 "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and love
greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the
places of honor at feasts, 47 who devour widows' houses and for a
pretense make long prayers. They will receive greater condemnation."
21
1 He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the
treasury, 2 and he also saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. 3 So
he said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of the
others; 4 for these all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of
her poverty put in all that she had to live on."
5 And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with
beautiful stones and offerings, he said, 6 "As for these things which you
see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon
another that will not be thrown down."
7 So they asked him, "Teacher, when will these things be? And
what will be the sign when they are about to take place?" 8 And he said:
"Take heed that you not are deceived. For many will come in my name,
saying, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not go after them. 9 And
when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified; for these
things must first take place, but the end will not come immediately." 10
Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom
against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various
places famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great
signs from heaven. 12 But before all this, they will lay their hands on you
and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. And
you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13
This will turn into an opportunity for you to bear testimony. 14 Therefore
settle it in your minds not to meditate beforehand how you will answer;
15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your adversaries
will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by
parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you
to death. 17 You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18 But not a
hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your
lives.
20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then
know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those in Judea flee to the
mountains, let those who are in the city depart, and let not those who are
out in the country enter it. 22 For these are days of vengeance, to fulfil all
that is written. 23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are
nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land
and wrath upon this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword,
and be led captive to all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled by the
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25 "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the
earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the
waves, 26 men fainting from fear and foreboding of what is coming on the
world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see
the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now
when these things begin to take place, look up and lift up your heads,
because your redemption is drawing near."
29 He told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.
30 When they are sprouting, you see and know for yourselves that
summer is already near. 31 So you also, when you see these things
happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away till all things take place. 33 Heaven and
earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
34 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed
down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that
Day come on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all
those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch at all times, and
pray always that you may have strength to escape all these things that will
take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."
37 And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he
went out to spend the night on the mount called Olivet. 38 And early in
the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.
22
1 Now the feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called
the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to
kill him, for they feared the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called
Iscariot, who was numbered of the twelve. 4 So he went his way and
conferred with the chief priests and officers, how he might betray him to
them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he
consented, and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the
absence of the multitude.
7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the
Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So he sent Peter and John, saying,
"Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat." 9 They said to
him, "Where do you want us to prepare it?" 10 He said to them, "Behold,
when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet
you; follow him into the house which he enters. 11 And say to the owner
of the house, 'The Teacher says to you: Where is the guest room, where I
may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 12 He will show you a large,
furnished upper room; there make ready." 13 So they went, and found it
just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
14 When the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with
him. 15 And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover
with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is
fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17 Then he took the cup, and gave
thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I tell
you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God
comes." 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to
them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you; do this in
remembrance of me." 20 Likewise he took the cup after supper, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
21 But behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22
For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man
by whom he is betrayed!" 23 Then they began to question among
themselves, which of them it was who would do this.
24 A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be
considered the greatest. 25 And he said to them, "The kings of the
Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those who exercise authority
over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so among you; on the
contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the youngest, and he
who leads as one who serves. 27 For who is greater, one who sits at the
table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at the table? But I am
among you as One who serves. 28 You are those who have continued with
me in my trials. 29 And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as my Father
bestowed one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my
kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has asked to have you, that he
might sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith may
not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren." 33
But he said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to
death." 34 He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day
before you deny three times that you know me."
35 And he said to them, "When I sent you out with no purse or
bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" They said, "Nothing." 36 He said
to them, "But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag;
and let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one. 37 For I tell you
that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, 'And he was numbered with
transgressors'; for what is written about me has its fulfillment." 38 They
said, "Look, Lord, here are two swords." And he said to them, "It is
enough."
39 He came out, and went to the Mount of Olives, as was his
custom, and his disciples followed him. 40 When he came to the place, he
said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." 41 And he
withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed,
42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; nevertheless not my
will, but yours, be done." 43 An angel appeared to him from heaven, and
strengthened him. 44 And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly, and
his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he
rose from prayer, and came to his disciples, he found them sleeping from
sorrow. 46 He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you
may not enter into temptation."
47 While he was still speaking, a crowd came, and the man who
was called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to
Jesus to kiss him; 48 but Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the
Son of Man with a kiss?" 49 When those around him saw what was going
to happen, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" 50 And one
of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51
But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched his ear and
healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, officers of the temple,
and the elders who had come to him, "Have you come out as against a
robber, with swords and clubs? 53 When I was with you day after day in
the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the
power of darkness."
54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the
high priest's house. Peter followed at a distance. 55 When they had
kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter
sat among them. 56 And a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the
firelight, looked at him, and said, "This man also was with him." 57 But
he denied it, saying, "Woman, I do not know him." 58 And a little later
some one else saw him and said, "You also are of them." But Peter said,
"Man, I am not!" 59 Then after about an hour had passed, another
insisted, saying, "Certainly this fellow also was with him, for he is a
Galilean." 60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!"
Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the
Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the
Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the rooster crows today, you will
deny me three times." 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.
63 Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat
him. 64 They blindfolded him and asked him, "Prophesy! Who is the one
who struck you?" 65 And they spoke many other things against him,
blaspheming.
66 As soon as it was day, the council of the elders of the people
came together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to
their council chamber, saying, 67 "If you are the Christ, tell us." But he
said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe. 68 And if I ask you, you
will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the
right hand of the power of God." 70 They all said, "Are you the Son of
God, then?" He said to them, "You said what I am." 71 And they said,
"What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his
own lips."
23
1 Then the whole body of them arose and led him to Pilate. 2
And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting our
nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that he himself is
Christ, a king." 3 So Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"
He answered him, "It is as you say." 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests
and the crowd, "I find no crime in this man." 5 But they were urgent,
saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from
Galilee to this place."
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7
And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent
him to Herod, who also was in Jerusalem at that time. 8 Now when Herod
saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had desired to see him for a long time,
because he had heard about him, and he hoped to see some miracle done
by him. 9 Then he questioned him with many words, but he gave him no
answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently
accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt
and mocked him; then, dressing him in a gorgeous robe, he sent him back
to Pilate. 12 That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each
other, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the
people, 14 and said to them, "You have brought this man to me as one
who was inciting the people to rebellion. And behold, having examined
him in your presence, I have found no guilt in this man concerning those
charges which you make against him; 15 neither did Herod, for he sent
him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him;
16 I will therefore chastise him and release him." 18 But they all cried out
together, "Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas"ó 19 a man
who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for
murder. 20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed to them again. 21
But they shouted, "Crucify him, crucify him!" 22 Then he said to them
the third time, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime
deserving death. I will therefore chastise him and release him." 23 But
they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that he be crucified. And
their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate gave sentence that their demand
should be granted. 25 And he released the man who had been thrown into
prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for; but Jesus he
delivered up to their will.
26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene,
who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it
behind Jesus. 27 And a great multitude of the people followed him, and
women who also mourned and lamented him. 28 But Jesus turning to
them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for
yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming
when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore,
and the breasts that never nursed!'
30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains,
'Fall on us!'
and to the hills,
'Cover us!'
31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen
when it is dry?"
32 Two others, criminals, were also led with him to be put to
death. 33 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they
crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do." And they divided his garments and cast lots. 35 And the people
stood watching; but even the rulers sneered at him, saying, "He saved
others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him wine
vinegar, 37 and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself."
38 There was also an inscription written over him: