Day 18 of 365

¹Then the Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,

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

³And he answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?

⁴For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'

⁵But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,"

⁶he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made the word of God void because of your tradition.

⁷You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

⁸'These people honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

⁹And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.'"

¹⁰He summoned the multitude, and said to them, "Hear, and understand.

¹¹That which enters into the mouth does not defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."

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

¹³But he answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.

¹⁴Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit."

¹⁵Peter answered him, "Explain the parable to us."

¹⁶So he said, "Do you also still not understand?

¹⁷Do you not understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body?

¹⁸But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.

¹⁹For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.

²⁰These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man."

²¹Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.

²²Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and started shouting, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely demonized!"

²³But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away; for she cries after us."

²⁴But he answered, "I was not sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

²⁵But she came and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, help me."

²⁶But he answered, "It is not appropriate to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

²⁷But she said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

²⁸Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that hour.

²⁹Jesus departed there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there.

³⁰Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, crippled, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them,

³¹so that the crowd wondered when they saw the mute speaking, injured whole, lame walking, and blind seeing-and they glorified the God of Israel.

³²Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way."

³³Then the disciples said to him, "Where should we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?"

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

³⁵He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;

³⁶and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.

³⁷They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.

³⁸Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

³⁹Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magadan.

¹The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

²But he answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.'

³In the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times!

⁴An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will be no sign given to it, except the sign of Jonah." He left them, and departed.

⁵The disciples came to the other side and had forgotten to take bread.

⁶Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

⁷They reasoned among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread."

⁸Jesus, perceiving it, said, "Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, because you have no bread?

⁹Do you not yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

¹⁰Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

¹¹How is it that you do not perceive that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

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

¹³Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that the Son of Man is?"

¹⁴They said, "Some say John the Baptist, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."

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

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

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

¹⁸I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

¹⁹I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven."

²⁰Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he is the Messiah.

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

²²Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you."

²³But he turned, and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men."

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

²⁵For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.

²⁶For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

²⁷For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds.

²⁸Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom."

¹After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, Jacob, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.

²He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.

³Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.

⁴Peter answered, and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let us make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

⁵While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. And behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him."

⁶When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid.

⁷Jesus came and touched them and said, "Get up, and do not be afraid."

⁸Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.

⁹As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Do not tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."

¹⁰The disciples asked him, saying, "Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

¹¹He answered them, "Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things,

¹²but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them."

¹³Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptist.

¹⁴When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him, saying,

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

¹⁶So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him."

¹⁷Jesus answered, "Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me."

¹⁸Jesus rebuked him, the demon went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.

¹⁹Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, "Why weren't we able to cast it out?"

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

²¹But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.]

²²While they were together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men,

²³and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up." They were exceedingly sorry.

²⁴When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins came to Peter, and said, "Does not your teacher pay the didrachma?"

²⁵He said, "Yes." When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?"

²⁶He said to him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Therefore the children are exempt.

²⁷But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take that, and give it to them for me and you."

¹I love you, Lord, my strength.

²The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.

³I call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies.

⁴The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

⁵The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me.

⁶In my distress I called on the Lord, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came into his ears.

⁷Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.

⁸Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.

⁹He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.

¹⁰He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.

¹¹He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

¹²At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.

¹³The Lord also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.

¹⁴He sent out his arrows, and scattered them; Yes, great lightning bolts, and routed them.

¹⁵Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

¹⁶He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters.

¹⁷He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

¹⁸They came on me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support.

¹⁹He brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

²⁰The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.

²¹For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

²²For all his ordinances were before me. I did not put away his statutes from me.

²³I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.

²⁴Therefore the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

²⁵With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.

²⁶With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.

²⁷For you will save the afflicted people, but the haughty eyes you will bring down.

²⁸For you will light my lamp, Lord. My God will light up my darkness.

²⁹For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.

³⁰As for God, his way is perfect. The word of the Lord is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

³¹For who is God, except the Lord? Who is a rock, besides our God,

³²the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?

³³He makes my feet like deer's feet, and sets me on my high places.

³⁴He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.

³⁵You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.

³⁶You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.

³⁷I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. Neither will I turn again until they are consumed.

³⁸I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet.

³⁹For you have girded me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

⁴⁰You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.

⁴¹They cried, but there was none to save; even to the Lord, but he did not answer them.

⁴²Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.

⁴³You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me.

⁴⁴As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.

⁴⁵The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their close places.

⁴⁶The Lord lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,

⁴⁷even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.

⁴⁸He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.

⁴⁹Therefore I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.

⁵⁰He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his seed, forevermore.

¹An unfriendly man pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.

²A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.

³When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.

⁴The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.

⁵To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.

⁶A fool's lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.

⁷A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

⁸The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person's innermost parts.

⁹One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

¹⁰The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.

¹¹The rich man's wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.

¹³He who gives answer before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.

¹⁴A man's spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?

¹⁵The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

¹⁶A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

¹⁷He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.

¹⁸The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.

¹⁹A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city; and disputes are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰A man's stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.

²²Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the Lord.

²³The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

²⁴A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.