Day 70 of 90

¹He arose from there and came into the borders of Judea and beyond the Jordan. Multitudes came together to him again. As he usually did, he was again teaching them.

²Pharisees came to him testing him, and asked him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"

³He answered, "What did Moses command you?"

⁴They said, "Moses allowed a certificate of divorce to be written, and to divorce her."

⁵But Jesus said, "For your hardness of heart, he wrote you this commandment.

⁶But from the beginning of the creation, he made them male and female.

⁷For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will join to his wife,

⁸and the two will become one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh.

⁹What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."

¹⁰In the house, the disciples asked him again about the same matter.

¹¹He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery against her.

¹²If she herself divorces her husband, and marries another, she commits adultery."

¹³They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.

¹⁴But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, "Allow the little children to come to me! Do not forbid them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

¹⁵Truly I tell you, whoever will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it."

¹⁶And he took them in his arms, laying his hands on them, and blessed them.

¹⁷As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"

¹⁸Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except one-God.

¹⁹You know the commandments: 'Do not murder,' 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not give false testimony,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and mother.'"

²⁰And he said to him, "Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth."

²¹Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross."

²²But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions.

²³Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, "How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!"

²⁴The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, "Children, how hard is it to enter into the Kingdom of God!

²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God."

²⁶They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, "Then who can be saved?"

²⁷Jesus, looking at them, said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God."

²⁸Peter began to tell him, "Behold, we have left everything, and have followed you."

²⁹Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News,

³⁰but he will receive one hundred times more now in this time, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.

³¹But many who are first will be last; and the last first."

³²They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going in front of them, and they were amazed; and those who followed were afraid. He again took the twelve, and began to tell them the things that were going to happen to him.

³³"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the Gentiles.

³⁴They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. After three days he will rise again."

³⁵Jacob and John, the sons of Zebedee, came near to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we will ask."

³⁶He said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?"

³⁷They said to him, "Grant to us that we may sit, one at your right hand, and one at your left hand, in your glory."

³⁸But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

³⁹They said to him, "We are able." Jesus said to them, "You shall indeed drink the cup that I drink, and you shall be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with;

⁴⁰but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared."

⁴¹When the ten heard it, they began to be indignant towards Jacob and John.

⁴²Jesus summoned them, and said to them, "You know that they who are recognized as rulers over the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

⁴³But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant.

⁴⁴Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be bondservant of all.

⁴⁵For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

⁴⁶They came to Jericho. As he went out from Jericho, with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.

⁴⁷When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out, and say, "Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!"

⁴⁸Many rebuked him, that he should be quiet, but he shouted all the louder, "You son of David, have mercy on me!"

⁴⁹Jesus stood still, and said, "Call him." They called the blind man, saying to him, "Cheer up! Get up. He is calling you!"

⁵⁰He, casting away his cloak, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

⁵¹Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "Rabboni, that I may see again."

⁵²Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight, and followed himon the road.

¹When they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

²and said to them, "Go your way into the village that is opposite you. Immediately as you enter into it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has yet sat. Untie him, and bring him.

³If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs him;' and immediately he will send him back here."

⁴They went away, and found a colt tied at the door outside in the open street, and they untied him.

⁵Some of those who stood there asked them, "What are you doing, untying the young donkey?"

⁶They said to them just as Jesus had said, and they let them go.

⁷They brought the young donkey to Jesus, and threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it.

⁸Many spread their garments on the way, and others cut down branches from the trees.

⁹Those who went in front, and those who followed, shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

¹⁰Blessed is the kingdom of our father David. Hosanna in the highest!"

¹¹And he entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

¹²The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry.

¹³Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

¹⁴Jesus told it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" and his disciples heard it.

¹⁵They came to Jerusalem, and he entered into the temple, and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of those who sold the doves.

¹⁶He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the temple.

¹⁷He taught, saying to them, "Is not it written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?' But you have made it a den of robbers!"

¹⁸The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.

¹⁹When evening came, he went out of the city.

²⁰As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.

²¹Peter, remembering, said to him, "Teacher, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away."

²²Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.

²³Truly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; it will be done for him.

²⁴Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.

²⁵Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions."

²⁶No text for this verse number in this edition.

²⁷They came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders came to him,

²⁸and they began saying to him, "By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority to do these things?"

²⁹Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

³⁰The baptism of John-was it from heaven, or from man? Answer me."

³¹They reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we should say, 'From heaven;' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'

³²If we should say, 'From man'"-they feared the crowd, for all held John to really be a prophet.

³³They answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." Jesus said to them, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things."

¹He began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the winepress, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went on a journey.

²When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard.

³They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty.

⁴Again, he sent another servant to them; and they wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.

⁵And he sent another; and they killed him; and many others, beating some, and killing some.

⁶He had one left, a beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

⁷But those farmers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'

⁸They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

⁹What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.

¹⁰Haven't you even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner.

¹¹This was from the Lord, it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

¹²They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him, and went away.

¹³They sent some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words.

¹⁴When they had come, they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you are honest, and do not defer to anyone; for you are not partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

¹⁵Shall we give, or shall we not give?" But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it."

¹⁶They brought it. He said to them, "Whose is this image and inscription?" They said to him, "Caesar's."

¹⁷And Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." They marveled greatly at him.

¹⁸There came to him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. They asked him, saying,

¹⁹"Teacher, Moses wrote to us, 'If a man's brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take the wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.'

²⁰There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring.

²¹The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise;

²²and the seven left no children. Last of all the woman also died.

²³In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife."

²⁴Jesus said to them, "Is not this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God?

²⁵For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

²⁶But about the dead, that they are raised; have not you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken."

²⁸And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the greatest of all?"

²⁹Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:

³⁰you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'

³¹The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

³²The scribe said to him, "Truly, Teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he,

³³and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." No one dared ask him any question after that.

³⁵Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David?

³⁶David himself said in the Holy Spirit, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet."'

³⁷David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?" The common people heard him gladly.

³⁸In his teaching he said to them, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces,

³⁹and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts:

⁴⁰those who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

⁴¹And he sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.

⁴²A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin.

⁴³He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury,

⁴⁴for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on."

¹As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings!"

²And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone on another, which will not be thrown down."

³As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, Jacob, John, and Andrew asked him privately,

⁴"Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are all about to be fulfilled?"

⁵And Jesus began to say to them, "Be careful that no one leads you astray.

⁶Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and will lead many astray.

⁷"When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled. Such things must happen, but the end is not yet.

⁸For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These things are the beginning of birth pains.

⁹But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them.

¹⁰The Good News must first be preached to all the nations.

¹¹When they lead you away and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

¹²"Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

¹³You will be hated by all men for my name's sake, but he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.

¹⁴But when you see the abomination of desolation, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,

¹⁵and let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house.

¹⁶Let him who is in the field not return back to take his cloak.

¹⁷But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days!

¹⁸And pray that it won't be in the winter.

¹⁹For in those days there will be oppression, such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be.

²⁰Unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen ones, whom he picked out, he shortened the days.

²¹Then if anyone tells you, 'Look, here is the Messiah!' or, 'Look, there!' do not believe it.

²²For there will arise false messiahs and false prophets, and will show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the chosen ones.

²³But you watch. "I have told you all things beforehand.

²⁴But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light,

²⁵the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.

²⁶Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

²⁷Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.

²⁸"Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near;

²⁹even so you also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, at the doors.

³⁰Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen.

³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

³²But of that day or the hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

³³Watch, keep alert; for you do not know when the time is.

³⁴"It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.

³⁵Watch therefore, for you do not know when the lord of the house is coming -- at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning;

³⁶lest coming suddenly he might find you sleeping.

³⁷What I tell you, I tell all: Watch."

¹It was now two days before the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might seize him by deception, and kill him.

²For they said, "Not during the feast, because there might be a riot of the people."

³While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard-very costly. She broke the jar, and poured it over his head.

⁴But there were some who were indignant among themselves, "Why has this ointment been wasted?

⁵For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor." They grumbled against her.

⁶But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me.

⁷For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me.

⁸She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.

⁹Truly I tell you, wherever this Good News may be preached throughout the whole world, that which this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her."

¹⁰Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them.

¹¹They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him.

¹²On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make ready that you may eat the Passover?"

¹³He sent two of his disciples, and said to them, "Go into the city, and there you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him,

¹⁴and wherever he enters in, tell the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'

¹⁵He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make ready for us there."

¹⁶The disciples went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

¹⁷When it was evening he came with the twelve.

¹⁸As they sat and were eating, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me-he who eats with me."

¹⁹They began to be sorrowful, and to ask him one by one, "Surely not I?"

²⁰He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish.

²¹For the Son of Man goes, even as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born."

²²As they were eating, he took bread, and when he had blessed, he broke it, and gave to them, and said, "Take; this is my body."

²³He took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it.

²⁴He said to them, "This is my blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many.

²⁵Truly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in the Kingdom of God."

²⁶When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

²⁷Jesus said to them, "All of you will fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

²⁸However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee."

²⁹But Peter said to him, "Although all will be offended, yet I will not."

³⁰Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."

³¹But he insisted, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." They all said the same thing.

³²They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I pray."

³³He took with him Peter, Jacob, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed.

³⁴He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch."

³⁵He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him.

³⁶He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire."

³⁷He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could not you watch one hour?

³⁸Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

³⁹Again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words.

⁴⁰Again he came and found them sleeping again, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.

⁴¹He came the third time, and said to them, "Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

⁴²Arise, let us be going. Behold, he who betrays me is near."

⁴³Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came-and with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.

⁴⁴Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I will kiss, that is he. Seize him, and lead him away safely."

⁴⁵When he had come, immediately he came to him, and said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him.

⁴⁶They laid hands on him, and seized him.

⁴⁷But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

⁴⁸Jesus answered them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me?

⁴⁹I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this is so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled."

⁵⁰They all left him, and fled.

⁵¹And a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around himself, over his naked body. And they grabbed him,

⁵²but he left the linen cloth, and fled naked.

⁵³They led Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes came together.

⁵⁴Peter had followed him from a distance, until he came into the court of the high priest. He was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire.

⁵⁵Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against Jesus to put him to death, and found none.

⁵⁶For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree with each other.

⁵⁷Some stood up, and gave false testimony against him, saying,

⁵⁸"We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.'"

⁵⁹Even so, their testimony did not agree.

⁶⁰The high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?"

⁶¹But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?"

⁶²Jesus said, "I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky."

⁶³The high priest tore his clothes, and said, "What further need have we of witnesses?

⁶⁴You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" They all condemned him to be worthy of death.

⁶⁵Some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with fists, and to tell him, "Prophesy!" The officers struck him with the palms of their hands.

⁶⁶As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came,

⁶⁷and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, "You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!"

⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, "I neither know, nor understand what you are saying." He went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.

⁶⁹The maid saw him, and began again to tell those who stood by, "This is one of them."

⁷⁰But he again denied it. After a little while again those who stood by said to Peter, "You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean."

⁷¹But he began to curse, and to swear, "I do not know this man of whom you speak!"

⁷²And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the word, how that Jesus said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." When he thought about that, he wept.

¹Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate.

²Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered, "So you say."

³The chief priests accused him of many things.

⁴Pilate again asked him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they testify against you!"

⁵But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled.

⁶Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whom they requested.

⁷There was one called Barabbas, bound with those who had made insurrection, men who in the insurrection had committed murder.

⁸And the multitude went up and began to ask him to do as he always did for them.

⁹Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

¹⁰For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up.

¹¹But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead.

¹²Pilate again asked them, "What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?"

¹³They shouted again, "Crucify him!"

¹⁴Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"

¹⁵Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.

¹⁶The soldiers led him away within the court, which is the Praetorium; and they called together the whole cohort.

¹⁷They clothed him with purple, and weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on him.

¹⁸They began to salute him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

¹⁹They struck his head with a reed, and spat on him, and bowing their knees, did homage to him.

²⁰When they had mocked him, they took the purple off of him, and put his own garments on him. They led him out to crucify him.

²¹They compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross.

²²They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, "The place of a skull."

²³They offered him wine mixed with myrrh to drink, but he did not take it.

²⁴Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take.

²⁵It was the third hour, and they crucified him.

²⁶The superscription of his accusation was written over him, "THE KING OF THE JEWS."

²⁷With him they crucified two robbers; one on his right hand, and one on his left. [The Scripture was fulfilled, which says, "He was numbered with transgressors.]

²⁸No text for this verse number in this edition.

²⁹Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ha! You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days,

³⁰save yourself, and come down from the cross!"

³¹Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, "He saved others. He cannot save himself.

³²Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him." Those who were crucified with him insulted him.

³³When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

³⁴At the ninth hour Jesus called out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which is, being interpreted, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

³⁵Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah."

³⁶One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Let him be. Let us see whether Elijah comes to take him down."

³⁷Jesus gave a loud cry, and gave up the spirit.

³⁸The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.

³⁹When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he died like this and breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"

⁴⁰There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Jacob the younger and of Joses, and Salome;

⁴¹who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and served him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

⁴²When evening had now come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,

⁴³Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for the Kingdom of God, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.

⁴⁴Pilate marveled if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead long.

⁴⁵When he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

⁴⁶He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and placed him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.

⁴⁷Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was placed.

¹When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Jacob, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.

²Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

³They were saying among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"

⁴for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.

⁵Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed.

⁶He said to them, "Do not be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they put him!

⁷But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.'"

⁸They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.

⁹Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.

¹⁰She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

¹¹When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved.

¹²After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country.

¹³They went away and told it to the rest. They did not believe them, either.

¹⁴Afterward he was revealed to the Eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

¹⁵He said to them, "Go into all the world, and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation.

¹⁶He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.

¹⁷These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages;

¹⁸they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

¹⁹So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

²⁰They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed.

¹Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,

²even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,

³it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;

⁴that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.

⁵There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

⁶They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

⁷But they had no child, because Elisabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.

⁸Now it happened, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his division,

⁹according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

¹⁰The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

¹¹An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

¹²Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

¹³But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elisabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

¹⁴You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.

¹⁵For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

¹⁶He will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord, their God.

¹⁷He 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."

¹⁸Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

¹⁹The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

²⁰Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."

²¹The people were waiting for Zechariah, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple.

²²When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.

²³It happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.

²⁴After these days Elisabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,

²⁵"Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among people."

²⁶Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

²⁷to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

²⁸Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you!"

²⁹But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.

³⁰The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

³¹Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name 'Jesus.'

³²He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David,

³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom."

³⁴Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?"

³⁵The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born will be called the Son of God.

³⁶Behold, Elisabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

³⁷For everything spoken by God is possible."

³⁸Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." The angel departed from her.

³⁹Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,

⁴⁰and entered into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elisabeth.

⁴¹It happened, when Elisabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the baby leaped in her womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

⁴²She called out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

⁴³Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

⁴⁴For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!

⁴⁵Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!"

⁴⁶Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord.

⁴⁷My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

⁴⁸for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

⁴⁹For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

⁵⁰His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.

⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

⁵²He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.

⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,

⁵⁵As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever."

⁵⁶Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.

⁵⁷Now the time that Elisabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son.

⁵⁸Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁹It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zechariah, after the name of the father.

⁶⁰His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John."

⁶¹They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."

⁶²They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.

⁶³He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." They all marveled.

⁶⁴His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.

⁶⁵Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.

⁶⁶All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.

⁶⁷His father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people;

⁶⁹and 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 who have been from of old),

⁷¹salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;

⁷²to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,

⁷³the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father,

⁷⁴to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,

⁷⁵In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

⁷⁶And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his ways,

⁷⁷to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,

⁷⁸because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,

⁷⁹to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace."

⁸⁰The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

¹Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.

²This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

³All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.

⁴Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;

⁵to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him, being pregnant.

⁶It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth.

⁷She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and placed him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.

⁹Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

¹⁰The 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.

¹¹For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Messiah, the Lord.

¹²This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."

¹³Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,

¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased."

¹⁵It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the men, the shepherds, said one to another, "Let us go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

¹⁶They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.

¹⁷When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.

¹⁸All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.

¹⁹But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.

²¹When eight days were fulfilled to circumcise him, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

²²When the days of their purification according to the Law of Moses were fulfilled, 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"),

²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

²⁵Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.

²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

²⁷He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the requirement of the Law,

²⁸then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

²⁹"Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace;

³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation,

³¹which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;

³²a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel."

³³And his father and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him,

³⁴and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.

³⁵Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

³⁶There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,

³⁷and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who did not depart from the temple, worshipping with fastings and petitions night and day.

³⁸Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

³⁹When they had accomplished all things that were according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

⁴⁰The child was growing, and was becoming strong, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

⁴¹His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.

⁴²When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the feast,

⁴³and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,

⁴⁴but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.

⁴⁵When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.

⁴⁶It happened after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.

⁴⁷All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

⁴⁸When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you."

⁴⁹He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

⁵⁰They did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.

⁵¹And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

¹Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

²in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.

³He came into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.

⁴As it is written in the scroll of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.

⁵Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.

⁶All flesh will see God's salvation.'"

⁷He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, "You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father;' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!

⁹Even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire."

¹⁰The multitudes asked him, "What then must we do?"

¹¹He answered them, "He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise."

¹²Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what must we do?"

¹³He said to them, "Collect no more than that which is appointed to you."

¹⁴Soldiers also asked him, saying, "What about us? What must we do?" He said to them, "Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages."

¹⁵As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Messiah,

¹⁶John answered them all, "I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire,

¹⁷whose fan is in his hand, to thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

¹⁸Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people,

¹⁹but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,

²⁰added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.

²¹Now it happened, when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized, and was praying. The sky was opened,

²²and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying "You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased."

²³Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Eli,

²⁴the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

²⁵the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

²⁶the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Shimei, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,

²⁷the son of John, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

²⁸the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

²⁹the son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

³⁰the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

³¹the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

³²the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

³³the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

³⁴the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

³⁵the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

³⁶the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

³⁷the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan,

³⁸the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

¹Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

²for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. When they were completed, he was hungry.

³The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."

⁴Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone.'"

⁵He led him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

⁶The devil said to him, "I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want.

⁷If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours."

⁸Jesus answered and said to him, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.'"

⁹He led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here,

¹⁰for it is written, 'He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;'

¹¹and, 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.'"

¹²Jesus answering, said to him, "It is said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

¹³When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time.

¹⁴Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area.

¹⁵He taught in their synagogues, being praised by all.

¹⁶He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

¹⁷The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the scroll, and found the place where it was written,

¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,

¹⁹and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

²⁰He closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.

²¹He began to tell them, "Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

²²All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?"

²³He said to them, "Doubtless you will tell me this parable, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.'"

²⁴He said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

²⁵But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land.

²⁶Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

²⁷There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian."

²⁸They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things.

²⁹They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff.

³⁰But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way.

³¹He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. He was teaching them on the Sabbath day,

³²and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.

³³In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon, and he shouted with a loud voice,

³⁴saying, "Ah! what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!"

³⁵Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" When the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.

³⁶Amazement came on all, and they spoke together, one with another, saying, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"

³⁷News about him went out into every place of the surrounding region.

³⁸He rose up from the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a great fever, and they begged him for her.

³⁹He stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her. Immediately she rose up and served them.

⁴⁰When the sun was setting, all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

⁴¹Demons also came out from many, crying out, and saying, "You are the Son of God!" Rebuking them, he did not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Messiah.

⁴²When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place, and the multitudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he would not go away from them.

⁴³But he said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent."

⁴⁴He was proclaiming in the synagogues of Judea.

¹Now it happened, while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.

²He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

³He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

⁴When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch."

⁵Simon answered him, "Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the nets."

⁶When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking.

⁷They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came, and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

⁸But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord."

⁹For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;

¹⁰and so also were Jacob and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will be catching men."

¹¹When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.

¹²It happened, while he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and begged him, saying, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean."

¹³And he stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be made clean." Immediately the leprosy left him.

¹⁴He commanded him to tell no one, "But go your way, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."

¹⁵But the report concerning him spread much more, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities.

¹⁶But he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed.

¹⁷It happened on one of those days, that he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the Law sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal.

¹⁸Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus.

¹⁹Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the midst before Jesus.

²⁰Seeing their faith, he said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."

²¹The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?"

²²But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, "Why are you reasoning so in your hearts?

²³Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you;' or to say, 'Arise and walk?'

²⁴But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (he said to the paralyzed man), "I tell you, arise, and take up your cot, and go to your house."

²⁵Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God.

²⁶Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today."

²⁷After these things he went out, and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and said to him, "Follow me!"

²⁸He left everything, and rose up and followed him.

²⁹Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them.

³⁰The Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?"

³¹Jesus answered them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

³²I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

³³They said to him, "The disciples of John often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink."

³⁴He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

³⁵But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days."

³⁶He also told a parable to them. "No one having torn a piece from a new garment puts it on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old.

³⁷And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.

³⁸But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.

³⁹No man having drunk old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is better.'"

¹Now it happened on a Sabbath that he was going through the grain fields. His disciples plucked the heads of grain, and ate, rubbing them in their hands.

²But some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why do you do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?"

³Jesus, answering them, said, "Have not you read what David did when he was hungry, he, and those who were with him;

⁴how he entered into the house of God, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?"

⁵He said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."

⁶It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.

⁷The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.

⁸But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Rise up, and stand in the middle." He arose and stood.

⁹Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to destroy it?"

¹⁰He looked around at them all, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did, and his hand was restored.

¹¹But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.

¹²It happened in these days, that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.

¹³When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:

¹⁴Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; Jacob; John; Philip; Bartholomew;

¹⁵Matthew; Thomas; Jacob, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot;

¹⁶Judas the son of Jacob; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor.

¹⁷He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a large crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;

¹⁸as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed.

¹⁹All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

²⁰He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.

²¹Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

²²Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.

²³Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.

²⁴"But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.

²⁵Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

²⁶Woe, when men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.

²⁷"But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

²⁸bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.

²⁹To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your coat also.

³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again.

³¹"Treat others as you would have them treat you.

³²If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

³³If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

³⁴If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.

³⁵But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

³⁶Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.

³⁷Do not judge, and you won't be judged. Do not condemn, and you won't be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.

³⁸"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you."

³⁹He spoke a parable to them. "Can the blind guide the blind? Won't they both fall into a pit?

⁴⁰A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

⁴¹And why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye, but do not consider the log that is in your own eye?

⁴²Or how can you tell your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the log from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye.

⁴³For there is no good tree that brings forth rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that brings forth good fruit.

⁴⁴For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.

⁴⁵The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.

⁴⁶"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?

⁴⁷Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like.

⁴⁸He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

⁴⁹But he who hears, and does not do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."

¹After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

²A certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death.

³When he heard about Jesus, he sent to him Jewish elders, asking him to come and save his servant.

⁴When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy for you to do this for him,

⁵for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us."

⁶Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.

⁷Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed.

⁸For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go!' and he goes; and to another, 'Come!' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

⁹When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel."

¹⁰Those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant was well.

¹¹It happened soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain. His disciples, along with a great multitude, went with him.

¹²Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her.

¹³When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, "Do not cry."

¹⁴He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!"

¹⁵He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.

¹⁶Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited his people!"

¹⁷This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.

¹⁸The disciples of John told him about all these things.

¹⁹John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?"

²⁰When 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 should we look for another?'"

²¹In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.

²²Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

²³Blessed is he who is not offended by me."

²⁴When John's messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

²⁵But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

²⁶But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

²⁷This is he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'

²⁸"For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John, yet he who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."

²⁹When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John's baptism.

³⁰But the Pharisees and the Law scholars rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.

³¹"To what then will I liken the people of this generation? What are they like?

³²They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call one to another, saying, 'We piped to you, and you did not dance. We mourned, and you did not weep.'

³³For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'

³⁴The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

³⁵Wisdom is justified by all her children."

³⁶One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee's house, and sat at the table.

³⁷Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment.

³⁸Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

³⁹Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner."

⁴⁰Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." He said, "Teacher, say on."

⁴¹"A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

⁴²When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?"

⁴³Simon answered, "He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most." He said to him, "You have judged correctly."

⁴⁴Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.

⁴⁵You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.

⁴⁶You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

⁴⁷Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."

⁴⁸He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

⁴⁹Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

⁵⁰He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."