It is finished

 The Gospel of Mark

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. After confessing their sins many from the land of Judaea and from Jerusalem were baptized by him in the river of Jordan.

I have baptized you with water but He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

The spirit drove Him into the wilderness.

The kingdom of God

is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.

Come ye after me and I will make you fishers of men. 

They immediately left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.

He taught them as one with authority and not as the scribes.  

He cast out many devils and did not allow the devils to speak because they knew Him.

And Jesus preached in the synagogues throughout Galilee, and cast out devils. 

Those who are whole have no need of a physician, only those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but to call sinners to repentance.

The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath; therefore, the Son of man is Lord of the sabbath also.

Then Jesus said to them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill? But they remained silent.

Jesus looked at them with anger and was grieved for the hardness of their hearts. 

Unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried,  

Verily I say to you, All sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men, and blasphemies also, however they blaspheme. But he that blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.  

Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

When affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, they are offended.

And these are also the seed sown among the thorns of the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things. All these thorns enter in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 

And, finally, are those who are sown on good ground. In hearing the word, they receive it and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundredfold.

Take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you. And to you that hear, more shall be given. For he that has, to him shall be given. He that has not, from him shall be taken away even that which he has.

Then Jesus said, Such is the kingdom of God like a man who casts seed into the ground. He passes nights and days, and the seed springs up and grows, he knows not how. For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, and, after that, the full ear of corn. When the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts the sickle to it because the harvest is come.

And He said, Whereto shall we liken the kingdom of God? With what shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, it is less than all the seeds on earth. But when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all. It shoots out branches so great that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. 

To those without, Jesus spoke in parables. He explained all these things to His disciples when they were alone.

 

Jesus turned to the man saying, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 

And Jesus said, A prophet is without honour in his own country, among his own kin, and in his own house.

Jesus went there to do mighty works. He marvelled at their unbelief and, because of this, could do little but lay His hands upon and heal a few of the sick and teach in the villages around the area.

He gave them power over unclean spirits. 

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye leave there, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them. 

The disciples went out and preached that men should repent. They cast out many devils, 

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Jesus saw the multitude that had gathered and was moved with compassion toward them because they were as sheep without a shepherd. 

Jesus answered, Give ye them to eat. 

Jesus answered, Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites. It is written, This people honor me with their lips but their heart is far from me. 

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 

In laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups and many other things that ye do. 

And He said to them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition.

The things which come out of him are those that defile the man. 

Do ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without enters into the man it cannot defile him because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly and goes out into the draught, purging all meats? 

It is from inside, out of the heart of men, that proceed: evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the man.

For saying this, go thy way. The devil is gone from thy daughter. When she returned home she found her daughter at rest upon the bed and the devils cast out.

Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, I have compassion on the multitude because they have been with me three days and they have nothing to eat. 

 

Have ye still hardened hearts? Having eyes, see ye not? And having ears, hear ye not? 

But Jesus turned around, looked at His disciples, and rebuked Peter saying, Get behind me, Satan. Thou savor not the things of God, but the things of men.

Whosoever will save his life shall lose it. Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

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Then Jesus rebuked the foul spirit and said, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him. Enter into him no more. 

If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all and servant of all. 

Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receives me. And whosoever shall receive me, receives not me, but Him that sent me.

If thy hand offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter into life maimed than to have two hands and go into hell where the worm does not die and the fire is never quenched. 

And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter halt into life than to have two feet to be cast into hell where the worm does not die and the fire is never quenched. 

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out. It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes to be cast into hell fire. 

But, from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife. The two shall be one flesh: so then they are no more two, but one flesh. What, therefore, God has joined together, let no man put asunder.

The people brought young children that He should touch them but His disciples rebuked the people who brought them. Jesus was greatly displeased and said to the disciples, Suffer the little children to come to me. Forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God.

Verily I say to you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter in. Jesus took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them.

Jesus said, Why call me good? There is none good but one, that is, God. 

Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and mother.

Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him and said to him, You lack one thing: Go and sell whatever thou has and give the proceeds to the poor. Thou shall have treasure in heaven. Then come, take up the cross, and follow me. Upon hearing this the young man was sad and went away grieving because he had many possessions.

How hard it shall be for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Anyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, shall receive a hundredfold now and in eternal life. 

But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give. It shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

Whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister. 

Whosoever will be your master shall be servant to all. 

Even the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give His life as a ransom for many.

They came to Jerusalem and Jesus went into the temple. He cast out those who sold and bought in the temple. He overthrew the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves. He would not allow any man to carry any vessel through the temple. 

Jesus said to them all, It is written: My house shall be called, by all nations, the house of prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves.

If ye have anything against anyone, so that your Father which is in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 

If ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

A man planted a vineyard. He set a hedge around it. He dug a place for the winevat and built a tower. The man let it out to husbandmen and went into a far country. At the end of the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen to collect the fruit of the vineyard.

Finally, the man sent his only son whom he loved very much. He reasoned, They will respect my son. But the husbandmen said, This is the heir; come, let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours. They took the son, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What, then, shall the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen and let out the vineyard to others.

Master, we know that thou art true, and regard not the person of men, but teach the way of God.  

When they rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage. 

Jesus answered, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God is one Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. The second is, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

To love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love thy neighbour as thyself is worth more than all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. Jesus saw that he answered discreetly. He said to him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.

Beware of the scribes, who love to go in flowing robes, and love salutations in the marketplace, and the best seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts. These same devour widows' houses, and, for a pretence, make long prayers. They shall receive greater damnation.

This poor widow has cast more in than all the rest have cast into the treasury. They gave out of their abundance; but she cast in what she had to live upon.

Whatever ye need to say shall be given you in that hour, for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Ye shall be hated by all men for my name's sake. But he that shall endure to the end shall be saved.

But, of the day and the hour, no man knows, no, not the angels in heaven or the Son, but the Father only knows. 

What I say to you, I say to all, Watch.

He upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He was risen.

Then He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that does not believe shall be damned. 

 

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The Gospel of Luke

 

There was a priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 

He shall be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall not drink wine or strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

He shall turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God. He shall go in the spirit and power of Elias 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.

Fear not, Mary, for thou has found favor with God.  

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His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree. He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He has sent away empty. 

To serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life.

To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high has visited us to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace.

The shepherds said, Let us go to Bethlehem and see what has come to pass which the Lord has made known to us. .

A sword shall pierce thy soul that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

The child grew, became strong in spirit, and was filled with wisdom and the grace of God.

How is it that ye sought me? Do you not know that I must be about my Father's business? 

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

He went into all the country around Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  

Stop saying to yourselves, We have our father, Abraham: for I tell you, God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 

Now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

He that has two coats, let him give it to him that has none. 

He that has food, let him do likewise. 

The publicans who came to him to be baptized also asked, Master, what shall we do? He said to them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. The soldiers, likewise, asked, What shall we do? He said, Do violence to no man, do not accuse anyone falsely; and be content with your wages.

 

Jesus answered, It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Jesus said to him, Get thee behind me, Satan. It is written: Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shall thou serve.

Jesus said, Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.  

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, recover sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are bruised, and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

With authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out. 

I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also. 

 

From now on, thou shall catch men. 

Jesus withdrew Himself into the wilderness to pray.

One day He was teaching and the power of the Lord to heal was upon Him. 

He spoke also a parable to them. No man puts a piece of a new garment on an old one; if he does, the new makes a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. And no man puts new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man, having drunk old wine, straightway desires new, because he says, The old is better.

It came to pass that on the second sabbath after the first, Jesus passed through corn fields; and His disciples plucked ears of corn to eat, rubbing them in their hands. 

How he went into the house of God, took the showbread to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him; which is not lawful to eat and is only for the priests? Jesus said to them, The Son of man is also Lord of the sabbath.

It came to pass on another sabbath, He entered the synagogue and taught. There was a man whose right hand was withered. The scribes and Pharisees watched whether He would heal on the sabbath day so they might find an accusation against Him.

Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy it? 

It came to pass in those days, Jesus went up into a mountain to pray.

He continued all night in prayer to God.  

The whole multitude sought to touch Him because virtue flowed out of Him and healed them all.

Jesus lifted His eyes to His disciples and said, Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 

Blessed are you who are hungry, for you shall be filled. 

Blessed are you who weep, for you shall laugh. 

Blessed are you when others hate you, separate you from their company, reproach you, and denounce your name as evil for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! Your reward in heaven is great. Their fathers treated the prophets the same way.

But woe to you who are rich! You have already received your consolation. 

Woe to you who are full! Later you be hungry. 

Woe to you who now laugh! You will mourn and weep. 

Woe to you, when everyone speaks well of you, because the ancestors treated the false prophets in the same way.

I say to you who hear, Love your enemies. 

Do good to those who hate you. 

Bless them that curse you. 

Pray for those who use you and treat you badly. 

To one who strikes you on the one cheek, offer also the other. 

To one who takes away your cloak let him take away your coat also. 

Give to everyone who asks. 

From one who takes your goods do not ask for them back. 

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

If ye love only those who love you, what thanks have ye? Sinners also love those who love them. 

If ye do good only to those who do good to you, what thanks have ye? Sinners do even the same also. 

And if ye lend only to those from whom ye expect to receive back, what thanks have ye? Sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again.

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return and your reward shall be great. 

Ye shall be the children of the Highest for He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. 

Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. 

Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. 

Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom. 

With the same measure that ye mete it shall be measured to you again.

Jesus spoke a parable to them, Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch? 

The disciple is not above his master; but everyone that is perfect shall be as his master.

And why behold the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but not perceive the beam that is in thine own eye? 

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam from your own eye, and only then shall thou see clearly enough to pull out the mote in thy brother's eye.

For a good tree does not bring forth corrupt fruit; and a corrupt tree does not bring forth good fruit. 

Every tree is known by its own fruit. Of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush do they gather grapes.

A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth that which is good. 

An evil man, out of the evil of his heart, brings forth that which is evil. 

Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

And why call me, Lord, Lord, and not do the things I say? 

Whoever comes to me, hears my sayings, and does them, I will tell you who he is like: He is like a man who built a house on a deep foundation of rock. When the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently on that house and could not shake it for it was founded upon a rock.

But he that hears and does not do the things I say is like a man that is without a foundation for he built a house upon the earth against which the stream beat vehemently. Immediately it fell and the ruin of that house was great.

When the Lord saw her, He had compassion and said to her, Weep not.  

To the poor the gospel is preached. 

Jesus then told the people about John. He said, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 

What went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who are gorgeously apparelled and live delicately are in kings' courts.

The Lord said, Those of this generation are like children sitting in the marketplace, and, calling one to another, saying, We have piped to you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. 

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He has a devil. 

The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! 

But wisdom is justified of all her children.

When a woman in the city, who was a sinner, heard that Jesus ate at the Pharisee's house, she came with an alabaster box of ointment and stood behind Him at His feet. She was weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, and wipe them with her hair. She kissed His feet and anointed them with the ointment.

Her sins, which are many, are forgiven for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. Jesus said to her, Thy sins are forgiven. 

Then Jesus said to the woman, Thy faith has saved thee; go in peace.

He went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, 

 

Other seed fell on good ground. It sprang up and bore fruit a hundredfold. 

Then He finished by saying, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are they that hear; then the devil comes and takes the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 

Those on the rock are they, who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. They have no root. For a while they believe but in time of temptation they fall away.

The seed which fell among thorns are they, who, when they have heard, they go forth. But they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life; and they bring no fruit to perfection. 

The seed on the good ground are they, who with an honest and good heart, have heard the word. They keep it and bring forth fruit with patience.

No man, when he has lighted a candle, covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed. Instead he sets it on a candlestick so those who enter in may see the light. 

Nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest and nothing is hidden that shall not be known and come to light. 

Take heed how ye hear: for whoever has understanding, to him more shall be given; and whoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have.

My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God, and do it.

Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. 

They came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the devils departed. He was sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind. The people were afraid. Those who saw it explained how the man possessed with the devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of the country around the Gadarenes besought Jesus to leave.

Jesus said to her, Daughter, be of good comfort. Thy faith has made thee whole. Go in peace..

Then He called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases. 

He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. 

Jesus said to them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; neither take two coats.

Whatever house ye enter, abide and depart from there. Whoever will not receive you, when ye leave that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them. 

He spoke to them of the kingdom of God 

Give ye them to eat. 

 

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

Whoever will save his life shall lose it. 

Whoever will lose his life for my sake, shall save it. 

For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? 

Bring thy son here. As the boy approached, the devil threw him down and tore him. Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit. He healed the child and delivered him again to his father.

Whoever shall receive this child in my name receives me. 

Whoever shall receive me, receives Him that sent me: 

He that is least among you all shall be great.

And it came to pass, when the time came that Jesus should be received up, He stedfastly set His face toward Jerusalem. 

Lord, if you will, command that we send fire to come down from heaven and consume them as Elias did? Jesus turned and rebuked them. He said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. The Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. 

Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head. 

Let the dead bury their dead but you go and preach the kingdom of God.

Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid farewell to those at my house. Jesus said, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

After this the Lord appointed seventy others to go ahead of Him, two by two, to the places He would visit. He said to them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Ask the master to send forth more laborers into his harvest.

Now, go your way. Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes; and salute no one along the way.

Into whatever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. If the Son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon it; if not, it shall return to you. 

Remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give; for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Do not go from house to house.

And into whatever city ye enter, from those who receive you, eat such things as are set before you. Heal the sick therein, and say to them, The kingdom of God is come near you.

But, into whatever city ye enter where they do not receive you, go out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaves to us, we wipe off against you and, be ye sure of this, the kingdom of God is come near to you.

They would have, long ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 

But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And Capernaum, exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hell. 

He that hears you hears me; and he that despises you despises me. He that despises me despises Him that sent me.

The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us through thy name. Jesus said to them, I beheld Satan as lightning falls from heaven. Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents, and scorpions, and all of the enemy. Nothing shall, in any way, hurt you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

No man knows who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.

Jesus turned to His disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes that see the things that ye see. Many prophets and kings have desired to see these things ye see and have not seen them; and to hear the things ye hear and have not heard them.

Saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said to him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? The lawyer answered, Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.

Jesus said to him, Thou has answered right. Do this and you shall have life. 

Then, wanting to justify himself, the lawyer asked Jesus, And who is my neighbor? Jesus answered this way, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves who stripped him, wounded him, and left him half dead. By chance, a priest came by. When he saw him, he crossed to the other side. Then, likewise, a Levite came by and looked at him. He also passed by on the other side.

Finally a Samaritan came up and, when he saw him, he had compassion and went to him. He bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine, and set him on his own beast. He brought him to an inn and took care of him.

When he departed the next morning, he took out some money, gave it to the host, and said, Take care of him. Whatever more you spend, I will repay you on my way back.

Now which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell among the thieves? The lawyer answered, He that showed mercy on him. Then Jesus said to him, Go, and do thou likewise.

She had a sister, Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.

Martha was concerned about the serving of the meal. She came to Jesus and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me. But Jesus said to her, Martha, Martha, thou art concerned and troubled about so many things. But only one thing is needful and Mary has chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.

When ye pray, say, Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us, day by day, our daily bread. Forgive our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. Let us not fall into temptation; but deliver us from evil..

So, ask, and it shall be given you; seek and you will find; knock and it shall be opened to you. For every friend that asks, receives; and he that seeks, finds; and to the one that knocks, it shall be opened.

If your son asks for bread, will you give him a stone? If he asks for a fish, will you give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will you offer him a scorpion?

If you, who are sinners, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?

Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.

No one with a lighted candle, puts it in a secret place or under a bushel. It is put on a candlestick so those who come in may see the light. 

The light of the body is the eye. 

When your eye is single, your whole body is also full of light. 

But when your eye is evil, your body is full of darkness.

Take heed, therefore, that the light that is in you be not darkness. 

If thy whole body is full of light, with no dark parts, the whole shall be full of light, and, like the bright shining of a candle, it gives off the light.

Later, a Pharisee who had invited Him to dinner marvelled that He had not first washed before sitting at the meal. Jesus said to him, You Pharisees make the outside of the cup and the platter clean; but inside they are full of poison and wickedness. Fools, did not He who made what is on the outside, make what is inside also? Give of what you have, then all things will be clean to you.

But woe to you, Pharisees! You tithe mint and rue and all kinds of herbs, and ignore judgment and the love of God. These you ought to have done without ignoring the others also.

Woe to you, Pharisees! You love the best seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are as empty as graves that others walk over and do not see.

One of the lawyers said, Master, in saying this you reproach us also. Jesus said, Woe to you also, ye lawyers! You load men with unbearable burdens and you yourselves do not so much as lay a finger on one of these burdens.

Woe to you! You build shrines to the prophets and your fathers killed them. You bear witness that you sanction the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them and you build their shrines..

Woe to you, lawyers! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You entered not in yourselves but prevented any others from entering in. 

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 

There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; nor hidden that shall not be known. 

Therefore, whatever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have whispered shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. 

My friends, Be not afraid of those who kill the body because, after that, there is no more they can do. But I will forewarn you who to fear. 

Fear the one who, after he has killed, has power to cast you into hell. Yes, fear him.

Whoever confesses me before men, the Son of man will also confess before the angels of God. 

But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven.

Now, when they bring you to the synagogues, and before magistrates and powers, take no thought how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say. The Holy Spirit shall tell you what to say on the spot.

One of the group said, Master, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. Jesus replied, Who made me a judge or a divider over you? 

Take heed, and beware of covetousness. A man's life does not consist of the abundance of things he possesses.

The ground of a rich man yielded a plentiful harvest. He wondered and said, What shall I do? I have no room to store my fruit. Finally he said, I will pull down my barns and build larger ones and there will I store my fruit and all my goods. I will say to my soul, Thou has enough goods laid up to last many years. It is time to take ease; eat, drink, and be merry. But God said to him, Thou fool, tonight thy soul shall be required of thee; then to whom shall all those things belong which thou has stored away? 

So it is with whoever lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; or for the body, what ye shall put on. 

Life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

Consider the ravens. They neither sow nor reap. They have no storehouse or barn. God feeds them. How much better than the fowls are ye? 

And who of you, by thinking or reasoning, can add to his stature one cubit? If you are not able to do that which is so little, why take thought for the rest?

Consider the lilies and how they grow! They toil not, they spin not; and yet, I say to you, Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. 

If God, then, so clothes the grass, which is today in the field and tomorrow cast into the oven; how much more will He clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Seek not what ye shall eat or drink. Neither be of a doubtful mind. For these same things do all the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that ye have need of these things. 

Instead, seek ye the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you.

It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 

Sell what you have and give alms. 

Provide yourselves with purses that do not wear out, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches, nor moth corrupts. 

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Let your loins be girded about and your lights kept burning. 

Be like those who wait for their lord to return from the wedding that, when he comes and knocks, they are ready to welcome him instantly. 

Blessed are those servants, who, when the lord comes, He finds ready and waiting.

And consider this, if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not suffered his house to be broken into. 

So, be ready because the Son of man comes at an hour when you think not.

Who, then, is that faithful and wise steward whom his lord shall make ruler over his household to justly give out the portions of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he comes, shall find already doing so. I tell you, he will make him ruler over all that he has.

But if a servant says in his heart, My lord delays his coming; and so begins to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink to excess; the lord of that servant will come in a day when the servant does not look for him and at an hour when he is not aware. His lord will cast him aside and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. That servant, who knew his lord's will but did not prepare or act according to his lord's will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

But he that did not know and committed things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten lightly. 

To whomever much is given, of him much is required. 

To whomever much is entrusted, of him even much more will be demanded.

I came to set the earth on fire; and I wish it was already kindled. 

Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, No; but rather division. 

From now on there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Then Jesus said to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, ye say, A shower is coming; and so it is. When ye see the south wind blow, ye say, It is going to be hot; and it comes to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? 

And why do you not judge, within yourselves, what is right?

When you go with your adversary to court, settle along the way so you may be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. You will not leave there until you have paid every last cent.

Do you suppose these Galilaeans were sinners above all other Galilaeans because they suffered such things? I tell you, No: but, unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish. 

Unless you repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came out to get some fruit and found none. He said to the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and found none. Cut it down; why have it take up space? His dresser said to him, Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit, all is well, and, if not, then afterward it shall be cut down.

He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. He saw a woman who, for eighteen years, had been bowed over and could not stand upright. When Jesus recognized her, He called her to Him, and said, Woman, thou art loosed from this infirmity. He laid His hands on her and, immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

The ruler of the synagogue, filled with indignation because Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, said to the people, There are six days in which men ought to work. On those days, therefore, come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

The Lord said to the ruler of the synagogue, Thou hypocrite, does not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him to be watered? 

Then He said, I will tell you what the the Kingdom of God is like. It is like a grain of mustard seed, which was cast into a garden. It grew up and turned into such a great tree that the fowls of the air lodged in its branches. 

And He said, The kingdom of God is like leaven that is put in a few small measures of meal and, in a while, the whole batch is leavened.

Journeying toward Jerusalem, Jesus stopped and taught in many cities and villages along the way. 

And a follower came forward and asked, Lord, are there only a few that can be saved? Jesus looked out on the group and replied, Strive to enter in at the strait gate. Many, I tell you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

Once the master of the house is risen up, the door is closed. From outside you will knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open the door to us; but He will answer, I do not know who you are.

Then you will say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou has taught in our streets. But He shall say, I tell you, I do not know you; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you are left outside.

The last shall be first, and the first shall be last.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and ye would not have it! 

 

He said, When you are invited to a wedding, do not sit down in the highest room; lest one more honorable than you has been invited. The host would have to come and tell you the room was for someone else and, with shame, you move to the lowest room. Instead, sit down in the lowest room. Then the host may come to you and say, Friend, go up higher. You will, then, have the respect of the other guests. Whoever exalts himself shall be abased; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.

Then Jesus said to his host, When you make a dinner or a supper, do not call your friends, or your brethren, or kinsmen, or rich neighbors; lest they also invite you in return, and you incur an obligation. When you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. You will be blessed because they cannot repay you; you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.

A man made a great supper and invited many people. When it was supper time he sent his servant to say to those who were invited, Come. All things are now ready. One after another, each one made an excuse. 

The first said, I have bought some land and I must go to see it. Please have me excused. 

Another said, I just purchased five yoke of oxen and I must go to claim them. Please have me excused. 

Another said, I have just married and cannot come.

Then the master of the house became angry and said, Go out into the streets and lanes of the city. Gather the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind and bring them here.

The servant returned and said, Lord, it is done as you commanded, and there is still room. The lord said, Go out, then, into all the highways and compel them to come in so my house may be filled. 

For I say to you, None of those who were invited shall taste of my supper.

If any man comes to me, and does not forsake his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 

Whoever does not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, to see whether you have what is needed to finish it? Lest, after you have laid the foundation, and are not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock you and say, This man began to build but was not able to finish.

Or what king, contemplating war against another king, does not first sit and consult whether he is able, with ten thousand, to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? If not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends his ambassadors to discuss conditions of peace.

So likewise, any of you that does not forsake all he has, cannot be my disciple. 

Salt is good: but if the salt has lost its savour, with what can it be seasoned? It is not fit for the land, yet not ready for the dunghill; so men cast it aside. 

He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

Seeing how Jesus was often surrounded by publicans and sinners who listened closely to His sayings, .

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me. I have found my sheep which was lost. 

I say to you, there is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

What woman, having ten pieces of silver, if she loses one piece, does not light a candle, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me. I have found the piece that was lost. 

I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.

And He said, A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of my inheritance. The father gave him his portion and the younger son journeyed into a far country.

After he spent everything on riotous living and had nothing left, there arose a mighty famine in that land. He began to be in want and the only work he could get was feeding swine in a countryman's field. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine ate because he had nothing to eat.

When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. I am no longer worthy to be called thy son; but make me one of thy hired servants.

He arose and went to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion. He ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am not worthy to be called thy son.

But the father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. Butcher the fatted calf. Let us eat and be merry for my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate...

The father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was fitting for us to celebrate and be glad for this, thy brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost and now is found.

The children of this world are better at dealing with their own generation than the children of light. But, I tell you, use what you have wisely and do good with it and you shall find favor in heavenly houses.

The one who is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much. 

The one that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. 

If you are not trustworthy with worldly goods, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 

If you have not been faithful in that which belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 

No servant can serve two masters: either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will cleave to the one, and despise the other. 

You cannot serve God and mammon.

The Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things and derided Him. Jesus said to them, Ye are they who justify yourselves before men but God knows your hearts. 

That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

The law and the prophets lasted up until John. From that time the kingdom of God is proclaimed and every man presses into it. 

Whoever puts away his wife and marries another, commits adultery. 

Whoever marries a woman that has been put away from her husband commits adultery.

There was a rich man who wore clothes of purple and fine linen, and who dined sumptuously each day. Lying at his gate, was a poor man named Lazarus. He was covered with sores, and often the dogs came and licked them. He would gladly accept the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.

When the poor man died, he was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and, from hell, he lifted his eyes, in torment, and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his bosom. He cried out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am tormented in this flame.

But Abraham said, Son, remember that you received your good things during your lifetime and Lazarus got the evil things. Now he is comforted, and you are tormented. 

And, beside all this, there is a great gulf between us that cannot be crossed from either side..

Abraham answered, They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. 

If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded by one who rose from the dead.

But woe to him, through whom they come! It would be better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck and he be cast into the sea, than to have offended one of these little ones.

Take heed: If thy brother trespasses against thee, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. If he trespasses against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day, repents; forgive him.  .

Who among you, when your servant comes in from plowing or feeding cattle, will say, Go and sit down to eat? Instead, you say to him, Wash yourself and change your clothes; prepare and serve me my supper; and then you shall eat and drink. 

Does the servant deserve thanks because he did what he was obliged to do? 

Likewise, when you have done all the things which are required of you, say, I am an unprofitable servant. I have done that which was my duty to do.

When one of them, a Samaritan, saw that he was healed, he turned back, and with a loud voice, glorified God. He fell down at Jesus' feet and thanked Him. 

Jesus said, Were there not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 

Of the ten, the only one to return thanks to God is the foreigner. Jesus said to him, Arise and go thy way. Thy faith has made thee whole.

When the Pharisees demanded to know when the kingdom of God should come, He answered, The kingdom of God does not come by observation. No one will say, Look here! or, look there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

But first you must suffer many things, and be rejected by this 

 

Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life will save it

The Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said. Shall God not avenge His own elect, who cry day and night to Him, though He has great patience with them? I tell you, He will avenge them speedily. 

Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?

He spoke this parable to those who trusted in their own righteousness, and despised others: Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed, God, I thank thee that I am not like other men who are extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even publicans. I fast twice a week and I give tithes of all that I possess.

The publican, standing far off, would not so much as lift his eyes to heaven, but struck his breast, said, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this second man went home justified, but not the first man, for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.

Let the little children come to me. Do not forbid them for of such is the kingdom of God. 

Whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no way enter therein.

Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one, that is, God. 

Know the commandments. Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honor thy father and thy mother.

Yet you lack one thing. Sell all you have and give to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.

When he heard this, he was very sorrowful because he was very rich and had many possessions. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, He said, How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 

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

There is no one who has left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive a great reward in this present time and in life everlasting.

When the people saw this, they all murmured and said that Jesus was gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.

Then Zacchaeus said, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. 

If I have taken anything from any one by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Jesus said to him, Today salvation comes to this house, for now you are also a son of Abraham. 

The Son of man is come to seek and to save those who were lost.

A nobleman went a great distance to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. He called his ten servants together and delivered over to them ten talents. He said to them, Handle my business until I return. 

But the citizens hated this nobleman, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man reign over us.

After he received the kingdom, he returned and called the servants to him for an accounting of what they had done with the talents. The first servant said, Lord, thy talent has gained ten more. He said to him, Very good. Because you have been faithful in this little matter, you now have authority over ten cities. 

The second servant said, Lord, the talent has gained another five. He said likewise to him, You now have authority over five cities.

Then came another servant who said, Lord, here is your talent which I have kept tied up in a cloth for I feared thee because thou art a hard man. You take up what you have not laid down and reap what you have not sown.

He said to this servant, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. If you knew that I was a hard man, taking up what I laid not down, and reaping what I did not sow, why, then, did you not put the talents in the bank, that, on my return, I would get my own back with interest? Give this talent to the servant who gained ten more. 

To every one who has, more shall be given. And from him who has not, even the little he has shall be taken away from him. 

 

Jesus went into the temple and began to cast out those who sold and those who bought; saying to them, It is written: My house is the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Finally, they told Jesus that they could not tell where it came from. And Jesus said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. 

Then Jesus told the people a parable. A man planted a vineyard, then let it out to husbandmen, and he went into a far country for a long time. At the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen to get the fruit of the vineyard, but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.

Again he sent another servant. They beat him also, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third servant. They wounded him and cast him out.

Then the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. They will respect him when they see him. But, when the husbandmen saw him, they said, This is the heir. Let us kill him so the inheritance will be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

What, therefore, shall the lord of the vineyard do to them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others.   

Jesus perceived their craftiness and said, Why test me?  

 

Jesus said to them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage. But those who are worthy of obtaining that world and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage, nor can they die anymore. They are equal to the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. 

Beware of the scribes who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts. They devour widows' houses, and, for a show, make long prayers. They shall receive greater damnation.

Jesus watched as the rich men cast their gifts into the treasury. Then He noticed a poor widow casting in two small coins. He said to His disciples, this widow has cast in more than all the rest put together. The rich have given out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, cast in all the living she had.

Jesus said, Take heed so you are not deceived, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ. Do not go after them. 

They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you. They shall deliver you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, and before kings and rulers for my name's sake. It will fall on you to give a testimony. Settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand about what ye shall answer. I will give you the words and wisdom which your adversaries shall not be able to refute or deny.

You shall be betrayed by parents, brethren, kinsfolks, and friends; some of you shall they cause to be put to death. 

And ye shall be hated by all men for my name's sake. 

In your patience carefully guard your souls. 

And watch yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with self-indulgence, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day comes and you are unaware and unprepared. For, as a snare, it shall come on all who dwell on the face of the earth. 

Watch, therefore, and pray always, so you may be counted worthy to escape these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

During the day Jesus taught in the temple. At night He went out of the city and abode in the mount called the mount of Olives. 

Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot who was one of the twelve. 

There was also a strife among them about which of them should be counted the greatest.

Jesus said, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But, among you this shall not be so 

For he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, let him be as he that serves. 

Which is greater, he that sits at the table or he that serves? Is it not he that sits at the table? Yet I am among you as He that serves.

You are the ones who have stood by me in my temptations. I appoint to you a kingdom, as my Father has appointed to me, so you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Then He said to them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, did you lack anything? And they said, Nothing. 

Pray that you do not enter into temptation. 

Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.

There appeared an angel from heaven to strengthen Him because He was in agony. 

He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like great drops of blood falling on the ground. 

Why sleep? Rise and pray lest you enter into temptation.

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders in the crowd, Why do you come out armed with staves and swords as against a thief when I was daily with you in the temple and you could have stretched forth your hands against me? 

But this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Then they took Him, and led Him into the high priest's house.

Jesus turned to them and said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and your children. The days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed. Then they shall say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. 

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. 

The people who stood looking on, and the rulers with them, derided Him, saying, He saved others.

And the soldiers mocked Him, coming to Him and offering Him vinegar. They said, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. 

 

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, and He took His last breath.

They gave Him a piece of broiled fish and a piece of a honeycomb. He took it and ate it before them. 

Repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be preached

Amen.

—

The Gospel of Matthew

Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 

It is also written, Thou shalt not test the Lord thy God.

Then Jesus said, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve. 

His teaching of repentance because the kingdom of God is at hand.

Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

Preaching the gospel of the kingdom, 

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. 

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. 

Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God. 

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. 

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are you when men revile and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Great is your reward in heaven. And, likewise, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Let your light so shine that others see your good works reflecting only your Father in heaven.

Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you shall enter the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment. 

Whoever shows contempt toward his brother shall be in danger of the council. 

But whosoever curses his brother is in danger of hell fire.

Whoever looks on a woman in lust has already committed adultery in his heart. 

But I say, Do not resist evil. 

Whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 

And, if any one lawfully sues you and takes away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 

Whoever compels you to go a mile, go with him two. 

Give to him who asks of you. 

From him who would borrow from you, do not turn away.

Ye have heard it said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy. 

But I say, Love your enemy. 

Bless those who curse you. 

Do good to those who hate you. 

Pray for those who spitefully use and persecute you.

Do this that ye may be the children of your Father in heaven. 

He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good. 

He sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 

If ye love only those who love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans do this? 

And if ye greet your friends only, what do ye do more than others? Do not even the publicans do this? 

Instead be ye as perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.

When thou pray, thou shalt not be like the hypocrites. .

Pray like this: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. 

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

If ye forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 

But if ye do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Moreover, when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites. They disfigure their faces and look sad so they may appear to others to fast. Verily, I say unto you, They have their reward.

However, when thou fast, anoint thy head and wash thy face so you do not appear to fast. Keep secret except unto thy Father, who is in secret, and thy Father shall reward thee openly.

Do not lay up treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupts, and where thieves break in and steal them. 

Instead, lay up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupts, nor thieves can break in and steal. 

For, where your treasure is, there, also, will be your heart.

The light of the body is the eye. If your eye is clear, your whole body is full of light. 

But, if your eye is clouded with evil, your whole body is full of darkness. 

And, if that light in you grows dark, how much greater will that darkness be!

No one can serve two masters. He will either hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other. 

Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

Therefore, I say unto you, Take no concern for your life: what ye shall eat, what ye shall drink; nor for your body: what ye shall put on. 

Is not life more than food and the body more than raiment? 

Behold the fowls of the air. They sow not, and neither do they reap nor gather into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Are ye not worth as much as they are? 

And, who of you, by worrying, can add one cubit to his stature? So why take thought for raiment?

Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow. They toil not and neither do they spin. Even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of them. 

So, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is here and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not clothe you even more, O ye of little faith?

So, take no concern by saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, How shall we be clothed? Your heavenly Father knows that ye need all these things. 

Instead, seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Then all these things shall be added unto you. Take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take care of itself. 

The cares of today are sufficient for today.

Judge not that ye be not judged, for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged. 

And with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Why behold the mote in thy brother's eye, but not consider the beam in thine own eye? 

How can you say to thy brother, Let me pull the mote out of thine eye when, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite. 

First, cast out the beam from thine own eye, then thou shall see clearly enough to cast the mote from thy brother's eye.

Do not give that which is holy to dogs. 

And do not cast your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn around and rend you.

Ask and it shall be given you. 

Seek and ye shall find. 

Knock and it shall be opened to you. 

Who of you is there who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or, if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him? 

Therefore, all things ye would have others do to you, do so to them. This is the law and the meaning of the prophets.

Enter in at the narrow gate. 

Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction. Many go that way. Because the gate and the way that leads to life is narrow, few find it.

Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves. 

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 

No, every good tree brings forth good fruit. A corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. 

Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. So, by their fruits ye shall know them.

Now, not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

Only he who does the will of my Father in heaven shall enter. 

Many will say to me, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? In thy name have we not cast out devils? And, in thy name, have we not done many wonderful works? Then will I say to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Whoever hears these sayings and does them, I liken to a wise man who built his house upon a rock. When the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon the house, it did not fall because it was founded upon a rock.

Whoever hears these sayings and does not do them I liken to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. When the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, it fell. And a great fall it was.

When Jesus finished these sayings, people were astonished at His teaching because He spoke as one having authority different from the scribes..

When Jesus heard this, He marvelled and said to those who followed, Verily, I say unto you, I have not found such great faith anywhere, no, not even in Israel. 

And I say to you, Many shall come from the east and west and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

Jesus said to the centurion, Go thy way. As thou has believed, so be it done unto thee. And the servant was healed that same hour.

That evening they brought to Him many who were possessed with devils and He cast out the spirits with His word. 

He took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.

Another came to Him and said, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. But Jesus replied, Follow me and let the dead bury their dead. 

He met two men coming out of the tombs who were possessed with devils so fierce that no man dared pass them. They cried out, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come here to torment us before the time?

At a distance from them was a herd of swine. The devils said to Him, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go into the herd of swine. Jesus said to them, Go. When they came out of the men, they went into the herd of swine. Behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea and perished in the waters. The herders who kept them fled into the city and told people what happened to those possessed by the devils. Then the whole city went to see Jesus and, when they saw Him, they besought Him to depart from their coasts.

 As Jesus sat at dinner, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 

Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick do. 

I will have mercy and not revenge because I have not come to call the righteous, but to call sinners to repentance.

No one uses a piece of new cloth to patch an old garment for the piece that is put in to cover the space takes from the garment and the rent is worse than before. 

Nor does anyone put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, the wine runs out and the bottles perish. They put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved.    

But when He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered like sheep without a shepherd. 

Then He said to His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray to the Lord so He will send forth laborers to His harvest.

Jesus called together His twelve disciples and gave them power to cast out unclean spirits 

As ye go, preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 

Cast out devils. Freely ye have received, freely give.

Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses. Take no scrip for your journey. Neither take two coats, nor shoes, nor staves because the workman is worthy of his food. 

Into whatever city or town ye enter, enquire who in it is worthy. Abide there until ye go on. When ye come into a house, salute it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it. If it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 

Whoever shall not receive you or hear your words, when ye leave that house or city, shake the dust from your feet. Verily, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment than for that city.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 

Beware of men. They will deliver you up to the councils. They will scourge you in their synagogues. Ye shall be brought before governors and kings for a testimony against them and the Gentiles because of me. 

But when they deliver you up, do not worry how or what ye shall speak. It will be given you at the time ye speak because it is not ye that will speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks through you.

When they persecute you in one city, flee to another.

It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord.

What I tell you in darkness, speak it in light. And what ye hear in the ear, preach it from the housetops. 

Fear not those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Whoever confesses me before all, I will confess him before my Father in heaven. 

Do not think that I came to earth to bring peace. I came not to bring peace, but a sword. 

My coming will set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. One's foes shall be those of his own household.

Anyone who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.

Anyone who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

And anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy

of me.

He who finds his life will lose it. He who loses his life for my sake will find it. 

And whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of the little ones in the name of a disciple, will never lose his reward.

The poor have the gospel preached to them. 

As they departed, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. He said, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 

What went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 

What went ye out to see? A prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written: Behold, I send my messenger who shall prepare the way before thee.

Truly, I tell you, of all those born of woman, there is none greater than John the Baptist, who would make himself least in the kingdom of heaven. 

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffered violence and the violent took it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied of John. If ye will receive it, this is Elias, who was to come.

Then He began to upbraid the cities where most of His mighty works were done because they did not repent. 

 

All things are delivered to me by my Father. 

No man knows the Son but the Father. 

Neither knows any man the Father except the Son. 

He is revealed to whomever the Son will reveal Him.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. 

Take up my yoke and learn from me. I am meek and lowly in heart. You will find rest for your souls because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

The Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

What man is there among you who has one sheep and, if it falls into a pit on the sabbath day, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? How much more is a man worth than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.  

The one who is not with me is against me. 

He who does not gather around me, scatters abroad. 

So, I say to you, all kinds of sin and blasphemy against men will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, will be forgiven. 

But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, will not be forgiven; not in this world and not in the world to come. 

Either make the tree good and its fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? 

Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 

A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, brings forth good things. 

An evil man, out of the evil of the heart, brings forth evil things.

For every idle word that you speak, you will account for it in the day of judgment. 

By your words you shall be justified; and by your words you shall be condemned.  

Behold, my mother and my brethren! Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.

By hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand. 

And by seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive. 

For the people's hearts are hardened. 

Their ears are dull of hearing. 

They have closed their eyes. 

They do not see or hear for fear they will be converted and have to change their hearts.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 

When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the wicked one snatches away all that was sown in his heart. This is the one who received seed by the wayside. 

Now he who received the seed in the stony places, received the word with joy. But he has no deep root and endures only for a while. When tribulation or persecution arises he is uprooted. 

But is too much ensnared by things of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. 

Finally, the one who received seed in the good ground is he who hears the word, understands it, and bears fruit. He brings forth a hundredfold or sixty or thirty.

.

They will clear His kingdom of all that offends and does iniquity. They will cast it into a furnace. 

Then the righteous will shine as bright as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man discovers it, he buries it again. Then, joyfully, he goes and sells all he has in order to buy that field. 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of good pearls. When he finds even one pearl of great price, he gladly sells all he has to buy it.

The angels will come and sever the wicked from the just and cast them into the furnace.

He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

As Jesus went along, He saw a great multitude. He was moved with compassion for them and He healed their sick. 

But Jesus said, They need not depart. Give them food to eat. 

Your tradition has made the commandment of God useless.

This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips. But their hearts are far from me. 

In vain do they worship me. They teach the commandments of men as doctrines.

That which comes out of the mouth defiles a man.

Every plant that was not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted. Ignore them. 

They are blind leaders of the blind. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch.

But those things which come out of the mouth come from the heart. They defile the man because out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies. These are the things that defile a man. 

To eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.

I am not here for the lost sheep of the house of Israel only.

I have compassion on the multitude because they have been with me three days and have nothing to eat.

The Pharisees and the Sadducees came and, testing Jesus, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said, When it is evening, ye say it will be fair weather because the sky is red. In the morning, ye say it will be foul weather because the sky is red.

O ye hypocrites. Ye can discern the face of the sky but cannot discern the signs of the times! 

It is a wicked and adulterous generation that seeks a sign. There shall be no sign given except the sign of the prophet, Jonah. 

Jesus uttered, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 

Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.

From that time, Jesus instructed His disciples about how He must go into Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes. He told them He would be killed and be raised again on the third day. Peter began to rebuke Him and said, Far be it from thee, Lord. This shall not be. Jesus turned quickly, stopped Peter, and said, Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou art an offence to me. Thou savor not the things of God, but those of men.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. Whoever saves his life shall lose it. Whoever loses his life, for my sake, shall find it.

What is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? 

What can a man give in exchange for his soul? 

The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father, with His angels and shall reward every man according to his works. 

But I tell you that Elias has already come. 

They knew him not and caused him to suffer at their hands. 

O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? ?

This kind of devil goes out only after much strengthening of faith by prayer and fasting.

Should the kings of the earth take custom or tribute from their own children or from strangers? Peter replied, From strangers. Jesus said, So then, the children are free.

Then Jesus added, Nonetheless, so we do not offend them, 

Unless you are converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

Whoever humbles himself like this little child, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever receives a little child in my name receives me. 

But whoever offends one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck and he drown in the deep of the sea.

Be careful not to despise one of these little ones; for I tell you, in heaven, their angels always look upon the face of my Father.

The Son of man is here to save what was lost. 

Consider this. If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go into the mountains in search of the one gone astray? And, if he finds it, he rejoices more over that sheep than of the ninety-nine that did not stray. So, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

If your brother trespasses against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, then take another with you, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he ignores them, tell it to the church. But if he ignores the church, let him be treated as a heathen and a publican.

Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Until seven times? Jesus replied, I say unto thee, not until seven times but until seventy times seven.

The servant fell down and worshipped him saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay it all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

His lord was angry and delivered him to the tormentors until he paid all that was due. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you if ye do not forgive other's trespasses.

What God has joined together, let no one put asunder.

Whoever divorces his wife, except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery. 

Whoever marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.

His disciples said, If this is the case with man and wife, it is not good to marry. Jesus said, All men cannot accept this, only those to whom God gives it. There are some who were born eunuchs. There are some who were made that way by men. And there are some who do not marry for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.

Allow these little children and do not forbid them to come to me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. .

Jesus answered, If you will enter into life, keep the commandments. The young man asked, Which? Jesus said, 

Thou shalt not murder. 

Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

Thou shalt not steal. 

Thou shalt not bear false witness. 

Honor thy father and thy mother. 

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

The young man said, I have kept all these from my youth up. What do I yet lack? Jesus answered, If thou will be perfect, go and sell what you have and give to the poor. Thou shalt have treasure in heaven. 

Then said Jesus to His disciples, Hardly a rich man shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. 

With men, it is impossible; but with God, all things are possible!.

Everyone who has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 

But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

When evening came, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning from the last unto the first. When those who were hired about the eleventh hour came, every man received a coin. But when the first came, supposing they should receive more, they each also received a coin. When they received it, they murmured against the good man of the house and said, These last have worked only an hour and you have made them equal to those of us who have borne the burden and heat of the day.

He answered one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong. Did thou not agree with me for a coin? Take what is thine and go thy way. I will give to the last the same as I give to thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own coins? 

Must you see evil in my goodness? 

So, the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few are chosen.

Ye know that the princes of worldliness and ambition influence them. But it shall not be so among you. 

Whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. 

Whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. 

Likewise, the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes

Jesus went into the temple and cast out all who bought and sold. 

He overthrew the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves. 

He said to them, it is written: My house shall be called a house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

In the morning Jesus, being very hungry, started out to return to the city.

On His way He saw a fig tree. As He came to it He found nothing on it but leaves. He said, Let no fruit ever grow on thee. The fig tree withered away.

 A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, Son, today go to work in my vineyard. The son answered, I will not. But, afterward he repented and went to work. Then the man went to the second son and said the same thing. The second son said, I will go, sir; but he did not go. Which of these two did the will of his father? They answered, The first son.

Jesus said, Verily I say, The publicans and the harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 

John came to you in the way of righteousness and ye believed him not. But the publicans and the harlots believed him. And yet, even after you had seen, you did not repent that you believed him.

There was a householder who planted a vineyard. He hedged it all around, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. 

When the time of the harvest drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandsmen to receive the fruits of it. The husbandsmen took his servants, beat one, stoned one, and killed another. 

Finally, he sent his son, saying, They will respect my son. But when the husbandsmen saw the son, they said, This is the heir. Let us kill him and seize his inheritance. So they caught him, cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When, therefore, the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these husbandsmen?

They said to Jesus, He will destroy these miserable and wicked men…

… and he will rent out his vineyard to others who will render him the fruits in their seasons.

I tell you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation that brings forth its fruits. 

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who arranged a marriage feast for his son. 

He sent his servants forth to call those who were invited to the wedding but they did not come. 

He sent other servants to say, Dinner is prepared. The king's oxen and fatlings are killed. Everything is ready. Come to the marriage. 

Those who were invited made light of it and went their ways. One went out to his farm. Another attended to his merchandise. 

The others took the king's servants, treated them spitefully, and then slew them.

Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, invite them to the marriage feast. 

These servants went out and gathered together all those they found, both bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Ye err. You do not know the scriptures nor the power of God. In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. Concerning the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus answered, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments rests all the law and the prophets.

He said, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' place. Whatever they bid you to observe and do, ye shall observe and do. But do not follow after their works because what they say, they do not do themselves. They bind heavy burdens, grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders. But they, themselves, will not even lay so much as a finger on one of them. 

All their works they do for show to other men. 

They love the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues. 

They like greetings in the markets and to be called out to, Rabbi, Rabbi.

But be ye not called Rabbi. Only one is your teacher, even Christ; and ye are all brethren. 

Call no one on earth your father, for only one is your Father, who is in heaven. 

Neither be ye called masters, for only one is your Master, even Christ. 

Also, he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 

Whosoever exalts himself will be abased; and he who is humble will be exalted.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites! Ye shut men out of the kingdom of heaven. Yet, you do not enter in yourselves, and you do not allow others to attempt to enter. 

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites! 

Ye devour widows' houses 

and, for a pretence, make long prayers. Therefore, you will receive the greater damnation.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites! You venture over land and sea for one proselyte. Then, when you have him, you make him two times more the child of hell than yourselves. 

Woe unto you, ye blind guides who say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, is worth nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, makes a good pledge! Ye fools and blind men. What is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits thereon.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites! Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, but ye have ignored the weightier matters of the law; judgment, mercy, and faith. 

Ye blind guides who strain from your drink a gnat and swallow a camel.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites! Ye make the outside of the cup and platter clean, but inside they are full of extortion and excess. 

Thou blind Pharisee. First clean the inside of the cup and platter, so the outside may be clean also.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites! Ye are like whited sepulchres, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and uncleanness. 

Even if, on the outside, you appear righteous to others, inside you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites! Ye build the tombs for the prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous. Ye say, If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Be witnesses unto yourselves. Ye are the children of those who killed the prophets and ye fill up what your fathers measured out.

Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? I send prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them ye shall kill and crucify. Some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city. 

On your hands shall be the blood of all the righteous shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. All these things shall come upon this generation.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killed the prophets, and stoned those sent to thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not have it! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 

They will deliver you up to be afflicted. They will kill you. You will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 

Many will be offended and will betray and hate one another. 

False prophets will arise and deceive. 

And, because iniquity will abound, the love of many will wax cold. 

But those who endure until the end will be saved.

Thus, if anyone says to you, Lo, here is Christ, or there He is; do not believe it. 

There will arise false Christs and false prophets. They will show great signs and wonders; so much that, if at all possible, they will deceive the very elect.

I am telling you all this beforehand, so, if they say to you, Behold, He is in the desert, do not go forth. Or, behold, He is in the secret chambers, do not believe it. For, just as the lightning comes out of the east and shines over unto the west, so, also, will be the coming of the Son of man.

This generation shall not pass away until all these things are fulfilled. 

The coming of the Son of man shall be like in the days of Noah. Before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark. They knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. 

So, also, will be the coming of the Son of man. At that time, two shall be in the field. One shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill. One shall be taken and the other left. Watch, for ye know not what hour your Lord comes.

Therefore, be ready. At an hour that ye think the Son of man will not come, then He will come.

It is a faithful and wise servant who, his lord having given him charge over the household, prepares the foods in due season. Blessed is that servant who, when his lord arrives, shall find him doing so. He shall make the servant ruler over all his goods.

It is an evil servant who says, My lord delays his coming so I shall take advantage. He smites his fellowservants and eats and drinks until drunken. The lord of that servant shall come in a day when the servant does not expect him. At a time when the servant is unaware, he shall be cut asunder and thrown out with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The kingdom of heaven is likened unto ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise. Five were foolish. The foolish took their lamps but no extra oil with them. The wise took oil in their vessels along with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered. At midnight there was a cry, Behold, the bridegroom is coming. Go out to meet Him. All the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  Those who were ready went in with him to the marriage and the door was shut. Much later, the other virgins arrived and called, Lord, Lord, open the door to us. But He answered and said, I do not know you. 

Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comes.

The kingdom of heaven is like a man who travels into a far country. Before he leaves, he calls his servants and turns his goods over to them. To one he gives five talents. To another he gives two talents. To another he gives one. He gives to every man according to his ability. 

The servant who received the five talents traded and made another five talents. 

He who received two, gained another two. 

But the servant that received one, dug a hole in the earth and hid his lord's money.

After a long time, the lord returned from his journey and reckoned with his servants. He who received five talents came and brought another five talents. He said, Lord, thou delivered five talents to me. Behold, I have gained five more talents besides them. His lord said, Well done. Thou has been faithful over a few things so I will make thee ruler over many things. 

Enter into the joy of thy lord!

He who received two talents came and said, Lord, thou delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained two more talents beside them. His lord said, Well done. Thou has been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things. 

Enter into the joy of thy lord!

Then the servant who received the one talent came and said, Lord, I know that thou art a hard man who reaps where he has not sown and gathers where he has not toiled. I was afraid, so I hid thy talent in the earth. Here, now thou has what is thine.

His lord cried, Thou wicked and slothful servant. Thou knew that I reap where I sow not and gather where I do not toil. Thou ought to have, at least, put my money out to the exchangers so, upon my return, I should have received my own money with interest. Take the talent and give it to the one who has ten talents.

To the one who uses his talent wisely, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But to the one who does not, any talent he has shall be taken away. 

The unprofitable servant shall be cast into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then the King shall say to those on His right, Come, ye blessed of my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. 

For I was hungry and ye gave me food. 

I was thirsty and ye gave me a drink. 

I was a stranger and ye took me in. 

I was naked and ye clothed me. 

I was sick and ye visited me. 

I was in prison and ye came to me.

Then the righteous shall ask Him, Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee? Or thirsty and gave thee drink? When did we see thee a stranger and take thee in? Or naked and clothe thee? When did we see thee sick, or in prison and come to thee? The King shall answer, Verily, I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it to me.

Then He shall say to those on the left, Depart from me into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry and ye gave me no food. I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink. I was a stranger and ye did not take me in. I was naked and ye did not clothe me. I was sick and in prison and ye did not visit me.

Then they shall also ask Him, Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and not minister unto thee? He shall answer them, Inasmuch as ye did not do these things to one of the least of my brethren, ye did not do it to me. These shall go to everlasting punishment. And the righteous shall have life eternal.

Son of man will be betrayed and crucified.

To what purpose is this waste? This ointment could have been sold for much and the money given to the poor. When Jesus overheard them He said, Why bother this woman? She has wrought a good work upon me. 

Then, one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. He asked, What will you give me if I will deliver Jesus to you? They agreed on thirty pieces of silver  

My soul is exceedingly sorrowful and heavy unto death. Stay here and watch with me.

Put thy sword back into its place. All who take to the sword shall perish by the sword. 

Think thou that I cannot pray to my Father and He shall give me more than twelve legions of angels? But, then, how shall the scriptures be fulfilled that this is the way it must be?

When they took hold of Jesus, all the disciples left Him and fled.  

Later, one of the bystanders came up to Peter and said, Surely, by thy voice I know thou art one of them. Peter began to curse and swear and said, I know not the man. Then the cock crowed. Peter remembered the words of Jesus to him: Before the cock crows, thou shall deny me thrice. He went out and wept bitterly.

The bodies of many saints who slept rose up and, after His resurrection, 

Teach them to observe all the things I have commanded you.

Amen.. 

—

The Gospel of John

In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. 

The light shines in darkness; and the darkness cannot overtake it.

John was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. 

That was the true light, which enlightens everyone who comes into the world.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name; those who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory of the only son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John bore witness of Him and cried, saying, This is He of whom I spoke. He who comes after me is above me because He existed before me. We have all received of His fullness, grace for grace. 

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 

No man has seen God at any time. The only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has revealed Him.

John bore record saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remain on Him. I knew Him not except the one who sent me to baptize told me, On whomever you see the Spirit descending and remaining, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. I saw Him, and now witness that this is the Son of God.

Since the feast of Passover was at hand, Jesus went to Jerusalem. There He found, sitting in the temple, all those who sold oxen and sheep and doves and changers of money. When He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple. He overthrew the tables. He said to those who sold doves, Take these things away. Make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. 

Unless one is born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said, You must be born again. 

The wind blows and you hear the sound but cannot tell from where it comes or to where it goes. So it is with those born of the Spirit.

And this is the condemnation: light came into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 

Everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come into the light lest his deeds be exposed. But whoever lives the truth, comes to the light that his deeds may be shown as a reflection of God.

But the hour comes, and is now, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. 

The Father seeks such people to worship Him. God is a Spirit. Those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

At this time His disciples came back. They marvelled that He talked with the woman. Yet no one asked, Why do you talk to her?

My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to complete His work. 

He who reaps now receives wages and gathers fruit for life eternal, so that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.  

Sin no more lest a worse thing comes to you. 

. 

My Father works now, so I work.

He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

Those who have done good will go to the resurrection of life. 

Those who have done evil will go to the resurrection of condemnation.

 I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me.

Have the love of God in you. 

How can you believe when you only value honors from each other and do not seek the honor that can come only from God? 

The one who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you trust. If you really believed Moses you would believe me because he wrote about me. 

 

You seek me not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 

Do not labor for food that perishes but for the food that endures for life everlasting. 

My Father gave you the true bread from heaven; for the bread of God is He who came down from heaven to give life to the world. 

I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never hunger. He who believes in me will never thirst. 

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him to me. 

He who feeds on me will also live by me. 

He who partakes of this bread will live forever.  

It is the spirit that is life. The flesh means nothing. 

The words I speak are about spirit and about life. But there are some of you who do not believe. 

No man can come to me unless it is granted by my Father. From that time many of His followers went back and walked with Him no more.

The world cannot hate you but it hates me because I testify that the ways of the world are evil. 

There was much murmuring among the people about Him. Some said, He is a good man. Others said, No; He deceives the people. 

How does He know all this since He has no training? Jesus answered, My teachings are not mine but the teachings of the one who sent me. If any man does His will he will know whether the doctrine is from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own seeks his own glory. He who seeks the glory of the one who sent Him is truthful and has nothing false in Him.

Do not judge by appearances, but judge by what is just.

If any man thirsts, let Him come to me and drink. 

He who believes in me, it is written in the scripture: out of his belly will flow rivers of living water. Jesus said this to signify the Spirit which those who believe in Him would receive.  

 

But Jesus stooped down and, with His finger, wrote on the ground as if He did not hear them. When they repeated the question to Him, He stood up and said to them, He who is without sin, let him cast a stone at her. Then He stooped down again and wrote on the ground.

Those who heard this were stricken by their own consciences. One by one, they went out, beginning with the eldest and down to the youngest. 

Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you? She said, No one, Lord. Then Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.

I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.  

You judge according to the flesh. 

But I judge no man. And yet, if I judge, my judgment is true because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me are one.

You neither know me nor my Father. If you had known me you would have known my Father also.  

The Father has not left me alone because I always do what pleases Him. 

If you remain in my word, then you are my disciples indeed. 

You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.

Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin. 

The servant does not abide in the house forever, but the Son does abide forever. If the Son will make you free, you will be free indeed.

I know you are Abraham's seed; but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you. 

I speak about what I have seen with my Father; and you do what you have seen from your father. 

If you were Abraham's children you would do the works of Abraham. 

You do the wicked deeds of your ancestors.

If God were your Father you would love me because I proceeded forth and came from God. 

You are of your father the devil and you will do the wicked deeds of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning. 

He who is of God hears God's words. You do not hear them because you are not of God.

I tell you, if anyone keeps my word he will never see death.

I know Him and keep His word.  

The night comes when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

If any man is a worshipper of God and does His will, He hears him. 

I came into this world for judgment; so those who do not see may see, and those who see become blind. 

If you were blind, you would have no sin; but you say, We see; so your sin remains.

I tell you, the one who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but gets in through some other way is a thief and a robber. But the one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter opens the gate. The sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them. And when he calls together his own sheep, he goes before them and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger because they do not know the voice of strangers. From a stranger they will flee. 

I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 

I am the door. If any man enters by me he will be saved. He will go in and out and find pasture. 

A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they might have life and have it more abundantly.

I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 

But he that is a hireling and not the shepherd, whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming, leaves the sheep and runs away. The wolf catches and scatters them. 

The hired man flees because he works for wages and does not care about the sheep.

I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and I am known by my sheep. 

The Father knows me, even as I know the Father. 

I lay down my life for the sheep. 

I also have other sheep who are not of this fold. I must also call them and they will hear my voice. There will be One Fold and One Shepherd.

But you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 

As I said to you, My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. And I give them eternal life. They will never perish, nor will any man pluck them out of my hand.

If He called them gods, to whom the word of God was given, 

If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me. 

John did no miracles but all the things John said were true. 

When Jesus saw her weeping, and those who came with her also weeping, He became troubled and was very upset. 

Jesus wept.

What can we do? This man does many miracles? If we leave Him alone, everyone will believe in Him and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.

Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but also for the children of God who were scattered abroad.

There were certain Greeks among those who came to worship at the feast. 

Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. 

He who loves his life in this world will lose it; and he who hates his life will have life eternal.

If any man will serve me, let him follow me. 

Where I am, there also will my servant be. 

If any man serves me, my Father will honor him. 

While you have light, believe in the light, so you may be called the children of light.

They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. 

Jesus said, He who believes in me, believes not in me, but in the one who sent me. 

He who sees me sees Him who sent me. 

I came into the world as a light so that whoever believes in me will not dwell in darkness.

Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 

I am the way, the truth, and the life. 

No one can come to the Father except through me. 

If you know me, you know my Father also, and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.

He who has seen me has seen the Father. 

Why say, Show us the Father? 

He who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And greater works than these will he do also. 

Whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

If you ask anything in my name I will do it. 

If you love me, keep my commandments.

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter to abide with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth which the world cannot receive because it will not see Him and will not know Him. But you will know Him for He will dwell with you and will be in you. 

I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you.

In a little while the world will see me no more. But you will see me because I will live and you will live also. 

On that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you. 

He who has my commandments and keeps them, loves me. 

And he who loves me will be loved by my Father. I will love him and show myself to him.

If a man loves me, he will keep my words and my Father will love him. We will come to him and make our abode with him. 

He who does not love me does not keep my words. 

The word you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

If you love me then rejoice, because I am going to my Father who is greater than I am. 

What I do, I do so the world may know that I love the Father and do as the Father commanded me. 

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, He prunes and purges so it may bring forth more fruit. 

Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you. 

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abide in the vine, no more can you unless you abide in me.

I am the vine. You are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, brings forth much fruit; for, without me, you can do nothing. 

If anyone does not abide in me he is a branch that is cut off and will wither. Men gather these and cast them into the fire to be burned. 

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, all that you ask will be done. This is how my Father is glorified; that you bear much fruit and, by doing so, are my disciples.

Continue in my love.

If you keep my commandments you will abide in my love as I have kept my

Father's commandments and abide in His love. 

I  tell you this so that my joy will remain in you and your joy will be full.

This is my commandment, That you love one another as I have loved you. 

Greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his friends. 

You are my friends. If you do what I command you, I do not call you servants. The servant does not know what his lord does. But I call you friends because all that I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you.

These things I command you, that you love one another.

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But you are not of the world. 

If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. 

They will do all these things to you for my name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent me.

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would be innocent of sin.

But now they have no cloke to hide their sin. He who hates me hates my

Father also. 

They hated me without a cause.

The time will come when whoever kills you will think that he does God a service. 

And they will do these things to you because they have not known the Father nor me.  

You will be sorrowful but your grief will be turned into joy. 

When a woman is in labor she is troubled because her hour has come. But as soon as she delivers the child she remembers her anguish no more because of her joy over a new birth to the world. 

So you now have sorrow. But I will see you again. And your heart will rejoice. And no one can take your joy from you.

I am not alone because the Father is with me. 

So He could give eternal life to as many as you have given Him. This is life eternal, that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 

I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work that you gave me to do.

Holy Father. Keep, through your own name, those you have given me, so they may be one, just as we are one.

Now I come to you and speak these things in the world so they will have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Perfect them through your truth. Your word is truth. 

As you have sent me into the world, so I have also sent them into the world. And, for their sakes, I sanctify myself that they also might be perfected through the truth.

Neither do I pray for these alone. But I pray also for those who will believe in me through their word so that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you. 

But I have known you, and the ones you have sent me have known you.

And I declare that the love, with which you have loved me, be in them, and I in them.

 

For this I was born and for this reason I came into the world: to bear witness to the truth. 

Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.  

Amen. ——-