Bible in 90 Days
Chapter 5
The Sermon on the Mount. 1 [a]When he saw the crowds,[b] he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 He began to teach them, saying:
The Beatitudes[c]
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,[d]
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(A)
4 [e]Blessed are they who mourn,(B)
for they will be comforted.
5 [f]Blessed are the meek,(C)
for they will inherit the land.
6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,[g]
for they will be satisfied.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.(D)
8 [h]Blessed are the clean of heart,(E)
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,[i]
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(F)
11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me.(G) 12 [j]Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.(H) Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The Similes of Salt and Light.[k] 13 (I)“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.[l] 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.(J) 15 Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.(K) 16 Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.(L)
Teaching About the Law. 17 [m]“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.(M) 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.[n] 20 I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Teaching About Anger.[o] 21 “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,(N) ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’[p] 22 [q]But I say to you, whoever is angry[r] with his brother will be liable to judgment,(O) and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. 23 Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you,(P) 24 leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.(Q) Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
Teaching About Adultery. 27 [s]“You have heard that it was said,(R) ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 [t]If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.(S) It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
Teaching About Divorce. 31 [u]“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.’(T) 32 But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.(U)
Teaching About Oaths. 33 [v](V)“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.’ 34 (W)But I say to you, do not swear at all;[w] not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 [x]Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.
Teaching About Retaliation. 38 [y]“You have heard that it was said,(X) ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 (Y)But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on [your] right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. 40 If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. 41 Should anyone press you into service for one mile,[z] go with him for two miles.(Z) 42 Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.(AA)
Love of Enemies.[aa] 43 (AB)“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’(AC) 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors[ab] do the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same?[ac] 48 So be perfect,[ad] just as your heavenly Father is perfect.(AD)
Chapter 6
Teaching About Almsgiving.[ae] 1 “[But] take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them;(AE) otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 2 When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites[af] do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.(AF) 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
Teaching About Prayer. 5 “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 7 [ag]In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.[ah] 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
The Lord’s Prayer. 9 [ai]“This is how you are to pray:(AG)
Our Father in heaven,[aj]
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,[ak]
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.(AH)
11 [al](AI)Give us today our daily bread;
12 and forgive us our debts,[am]
as we forgive our debtors;(AJ)
13 and do not subject us to the final test,[an]
but deliver us from the evil one.(AK)
14 [ao]If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.(AL) 15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.(AM)
Teaching About Fasting. 16 “When you fast,[ap] do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.
Treasure in Heaven. 19 [aq]“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.(AN) 20 But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.(AO)
The Light of the Body.[ar] 22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.(AP)
God and Money. 24 [as]“No one can serve two masters.(AQ) He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Dependence on God.[at] 25 (AR)“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?(AS) 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?[au] 28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. 29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 30 [av]If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ 32 All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness,[aw] and all these things will be given you besides. 34 Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.
Chapter 7
Judging Others. 1 [ax](AT)“Stop judging,[ay] that you may not be judged.(AU) 2 For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.(AV) 3 Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? 5 You hypocrite,[az] remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.
Pearls Before Swine. 6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs,[ba] or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.(AW)
The Answer to Prayers. 7 (AX)“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.(AY) 8 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.(AZ) 9 Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread,[bb] 10 or a snake when he asks for a fish? 11 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.(BA)
The Golden Rule. 12 [bc]“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.(BB) This is the law and the prophets.
The Narrow Gate. 13 [bd]“Enter through the narrow gate;[be] for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many.(BC) 14 How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.
False Prophets.[bf] 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.(BD) 16 (BE)By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them.(BF)
The True Disciple. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,[bg] but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.(BG) 22 Many will say to me on that day,(BH) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’(BI) 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you.[bh] Depart from me, you evildoers.’(BJ)
The Two Foundations. 24 [bi]“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.(BK) 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.(BL) But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
28 [bj]When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 [bk](BM)for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
III. Ministry and Mission in Galilee[bl]
Chapter 8
The Cleansing of a Leper. 1 (BN)When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And then a leper[bm] approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” 3 He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. 4 [bn]Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed;(BO) that will be proof for them.”
The Healing of a Centurion’s Servant.[bo] 5 (BP)When he entered Capernaum,[bp] a centurion approached him and appealed to him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” 7 He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” 8 The centurion said in reply,[bq] “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel[br] have I found such faith. 11 (BQ)I say to you,[bs] many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, 12 but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” And at that very hour [his] servant was healed.
The Cure of Peter’s Mother-in-Law.[bt] 14 (BR)Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him.(BS)
Other Healings. 16 When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word[bu] and cured all the sick, 17 to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet:[bv](BT)
“He took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.”
The Would-be Followers of Jesus.[bw] 18 (BU)When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side.[bx] 19 (BV)A scribe approached and said to him, “Teacher,[by] I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man[bz] has nowhere to rest his head.” 21 Another of [his] disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” 22 [ca]But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”
The Calming of the Storm at Sea. 23 [cb](BW)He got into a boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a violent storm[cc] came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. 25 (BX)They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us![cd] We are perishing!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”[ce] Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. 27 The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”
The Healing of the Gadarene Demoniacs. 28 (BY)When he came to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarenes,[cf] two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. 29 They cried out, “What have you to do with us,[cg] Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” 30 Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.[ch] 31 The demons pleaded with him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”(BZ) 32 And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. 33 The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.
Chapter 9
The Healing of a Paralytic. 1 [ci](CA)He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town. 2 And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”(CB) 3 At that, some of the scribes[cj] said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 [ck]But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”(CC) 7 He rose and went home. 8 [cl]When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.
The Call of Matthew.[cm] 9 As Jesus passed on from there,(CD) he saw a man named Matthew[cn] sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10 While he was at table in his house,[co] many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples.(CE) 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher[cp] eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.[cq] 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words,(CF) ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[cr] I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
The Question About Fasting. 14 (CG)Then the disciples of John approached him and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast [much], but your disciples do not fast?” 15 Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.[cs] 16 No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth,[ct] for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. 17 People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
The Official’s Daughter and the Woman with a Hemorrhage. 18 [cu]While he was saying these things to them,(CH) an official[cv] came forward, knelt down before him, and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. 20 A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel[cw] on his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”(CI) 22 Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured.
23 When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”[cx] And they ridiculed him. 25 When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. 26 And news of this spread throughout all that land.
The Healing of Two Blind Men.[cy] 27 (CJ)And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed [him], crying out, “Son of David,[cz] have pity on us!”(CK) 28 When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.
The Healing of a Mute Person. 32 (CL)As they were going out,[da] a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, 33 and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”(CM) 34 [db]But the Pharisees said,(CN) “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”
The Compassion of Jesus. 35 [dc](CO)Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. 36 (CP)At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned,[dd] like sheep without a shepherd. 37 [de](CQ)Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; 38 so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Chapter 10
The Mission of the Twelve. 1 [df]Then he summoned his twelve disciples[dg] and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.(CR) 2 The names of the twelve apostles[dh] are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; 4 Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
The Commissioning of the Twelve. 5 (CS)Jesus sent out these twelve[di] after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. 6 (CT)Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’(CU) 8 [dj]Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. 9 (CV)Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; 10 (CW)no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. 11 (CX)Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter a house, wish it peace. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you.[dk] 14 [dl](CY)Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. 15 Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.(CZ)
Coming Persecutions. 16 (DA)“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. 17 [dm]But beware of people,(DB) for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues,(DC) 18 and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. 19 When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say.(DD) 20 For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 [dn](DE)Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end[do] will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.[dp] 24 (DF)No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul,[dq] how much more those of his household!
Courage Under Persecution. 26 (DG)“Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.[dr](DH) 27 What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.(DI) 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. 30 Even all the hairs of your head are counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 [ds]Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.(DJ)
Jesus: A Cause of Division. 34 (DK)“Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. 35 For I have come to set
a man ‘against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and one’s enemies will be those of his household.’
The Conditions of Discipleship. 37 (DL)“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up his cross[dt] and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39 [du](DM)Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Rewards. 40 “Whoever receives you receives me,[dv] and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.(DN) 41 [dw]Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”(DO)
Chapter 11
1 When Jesus finished giving these commands to his twelve disciples,[dx] he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
IV. Opposition from Israel
The Messengers from John the Baptist. 2 [dy](DP)When John heard in prison[dz] of the works of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to him 3 [ea]with this question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 4 Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 [eb]the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.(DQ) 6 And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”
Jesus’ Testimony to John.[ec] 7 As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?(DR) 8 Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. 9 Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?[ed] Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
‘Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.’(DS)
11 Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.[ee] 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence,[ef] and the violent are taking it by force.(DT) 13 All the prophets and the law[eg] prophesied up to the time of John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come.(DU) 15 Whoever has ears ought to hear.
16 (DV)“To what shall I compare this generation?[eh] It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, 17 ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’(DW) 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”(DX)
Reproaches to Unrepentant Towns. 20 (DY)Then he began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon,[ei] they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.(DZ) 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 [ej]And as for you, Capernaum:
‘Will you be exalted to heaven?(EA)
You will go down to the netherworld.’
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”(EB)
The Praise of the Father. 25 (EC)At that time Jesus said in reply,[ek] “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.(ED)
The Gentle Mastery of Christ. 28 [el]“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,[em] and I will give you rest. 29 [en](EE)Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Chapter 12
Picking Grain on the Sabbath. 1 [eo]At that time Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath.(EF) His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads[ep] of grain and eat them.(EG) 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.” 3 He said to them,[eq] “Have you not read what David(EH) did when he and his companions were hungry, 4 how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering,(EI) which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? 5 [er]Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent?(EJ) 6 I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 [es]If you knew what this meant, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’(EK) you would not have condemned these innocent men. 8 [et](EL)For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”
The Man with a Withered Hand. 9 (EM)Moving on from there, he went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man there who had a withered hand. They questioned him, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?”[eu] so that they might accuse him. 11 [ev]He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep that falls into a pit on the sabbath will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable a person is than a sheep. So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and it was restored as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees[ew] went out and took counsel against him to put him to death.(EN)
The Chosen Servant.[ex] 15 When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many [people] followed him, and he cured them all,[ey] 16 but he warned them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,(EO)
my beloved in whom I delight;
I shall place my spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not contend[ez] or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory.
21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”[fa]
Jesus and Beelzebul.[fb] 22 (EP)Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute. He cured the mute person so that he could speak and see. 23 [fc](EQ)All the crowd was astounded, and said, “Could this perhaps be the Son of David?” 24 [fd](ER)But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons.” 25 (ES)But he knew what they were thinking and said to them,[fe] “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; how, then, will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people[ff] drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 [fg](ET)But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 [fh]How can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. 30 [fi](EU)Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 (EV)Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit[fj] will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
A Tree and Its Fruits. 33 (EW)“Either declare[fk] the tree good and its fruit is good, or declare the tree rotten and its fruit is rotten, for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 [fl](EX)You brood of vipers, how can you say good things when you are evil? For from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good person brings forth good out of a store of goodness, but an evil person brings forth evil out of a store of evil. 36 [fm](EY)I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. 37 By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Demand for a Sign.[fn] 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher,[fo] we wish to see a sign from you.”(EZ) 39 He said to them in reply, “An evil and unfaithful[fp] generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 40 Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights,[fq] so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41 [fr]At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. 42 At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.(FA)
The Return of the Unclean Spirit.[fs] 43 (FB)“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there; and the last condition of that person is worse than the first. Thus it will be with this evil generation.”
The True Family of Jesus.[ft] 46 (FC)While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. 47 [Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.”][fu] 48 But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Chapter 13
The Parable of the Sower. 1 [fv]On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.(FD) 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. 3 [fw]And he spoke to them at length in parables,[fx] saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, 6 and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. 7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. 9 Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
The Purpose of Parables. 10 The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 [fy]He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. 12 (FE)To anyone who has, more will be given[fz] and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 [ga](FF)This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’ 14 (FG)Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
‘You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
15 Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart and be converted,
and I heal them.’
The Privilege of Discipleship.[gb] 16 (FH)“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. 17 Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
The Explanation of the Parable of the Sower.[gc] 18 (FI)“Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. 21 But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. 23 But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
The Parable of the Weeds Among the Wheat. 24 He proposed another parable to them.[gd] “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds[ge] all through the wheat, and then went off. 26 When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. 27 The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let them grow together until harvest;[gf] then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”(FJ)
The Parable of the Mustard Seed.[gg] 31 (FK)He proposed another parable to them. “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. 32 [gh](FL)It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”
The Parable of the Yeast. 33 He spoke to them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast[gi] that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.”(FM)
The Use of Parables. 34 [gj](FN)All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, 35 to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:[gk]
“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation [of the world].”(FO)
The Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds. 36 Then, dismissing the crowds,[gl] he went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 [gm]He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, 38 the field is the world,[gn] the good seed the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age,[go] and the harvesters are angels. 40 Just as weeds are collected and burned [up] with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom[gp] all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. 42 (FP)They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. 43 [gq](FQ)Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.
More Parables.[gr] 44 (FR)“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,[gs] which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. 48 When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. 49 Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Treasures New and Old. 51 “Do you understand[gt] all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” 52 [gu]And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” 53 When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.
V. Jesus, the Kingdom, and the Church
The Rejection at Nazareth. 54 [gv]He came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.(FS) They were astonished[gw] and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?(FT) 55 Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?(FU) 56 Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.”(FV) 58 And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.
Chapter 14
Herod’s Opinion of Jesus. 1 [gx](FW)At that time Herod the tetrarch[gy](FX) heard of the reputation of Jesus(FY) 2 and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”
The Death of John the Baptist. 3 (FZ)Now Herod had arrested John, bound [him], and put him in prison on account of Herodias,[gz] the wife of his brother Philip, 4 (GA)for John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 (GB)Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. 6 But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod 7 so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, 10 and he had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
The Return of the Twelve and the Feeding of the Five Thousand.[ha] 13 (GC)When Jesus heard of it, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. 14 When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 [Jesus] said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” 17 But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” 18 Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” 19 and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking[hb] the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over[hc]—twelve wicker baskets full. 21 Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.
The Walking on the Water.[hd] 22 (GD)Then he made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 (GE)After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night,[he] he came toward them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. 27 At once [Jesus] spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I;[hf] do not be afraid.” 28 Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. 30 (GF)But when he saw how [strong] the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith,[hg] why did you doubt?” 32 After they got into the boat, the wind died down. 33 [hh](GG)Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
The Healings at Gennesaret. 34 (GH)After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought to him all those who were sick 36 (GI)and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak, and as many as touched it were healed.
Chapter 15
The Tradition of the Elders.[hi] 1 (GJ)Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 (GK)“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?[hj] They do not wash [their] hands when they eat a meal.” 3 He said to them in reply, “And why do you break the commandment of God[hk] for the sake of your tradition? 4 (GL)For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’ 5 [hl]But you say, ‘Whoever says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is dedicated to God,” 6 need not honor his father.’ You have nullified the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said:
8 (GM)‘This people honors me with their lips,[hm]
but their hearts are far from me;
9 (GN)in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.’”
10 (GO)He summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand. 11 It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.” 12 Then his disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” 13 He said in reply,[hn] “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 (GP)Let them alone; they are blind guides (of the blind). If a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a pit.” 15 Then Peter[ho] said to him in reply, “Explain [this] parable to us.” 16 He said to them, “Are even you still without understanding? 17 Do you not realize that everything that enters the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled into the latrine? 18 (GQ)But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile. 19 [hp]For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”
The Canaanite Woman’s Faith.[hq] 21 (GR)Then Jesus went from that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23 But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” 24 [hr]He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 (GS)But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children[hs] and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” 28 (GT)Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith![ht] Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
The Healing of Many People. 29 Moving on from there Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. 30 (GU)Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. 31 The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel.
The Feeding of the Four Thousand.[hu] 32 (GV)Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way.” 33 The disciples said to him, “Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?” 34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” 35 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks,[hv] broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. 37 (GW)They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over—seven baskets full. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, not counting women and children. 39 And when he had dismissed the crowds, he got into the boat and came to the district of Magadan.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.