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MAT EN_UST en_English_ltr Thu Apr 06 2023 12:13:49 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time) tc

1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah. He is a descendant of King David, who was a descendant of Abraham, the ancestor of all Jewish people. 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and Judah’s older and younger brothers. 3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah. Their mother was Tamar. Perez was the father of Hezrom. Hezrom was the father of Aram. 4 Aram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. 5 Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz’s mother was Rahab. Boaz was the father of Obed. Obed’s mother was Ruth. Obed was the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon. Solomon’s mother was Bathsheba, who had been Uriah’s wife. 7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the father of Abijah. Abijah was the father of Asaph.

8 Asaph was the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the father of Joram. Joram was an ancestor of Ozias. 9 Ozias was the father of Jotham. Jotham was the father of Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Amos. Amos was the father of Josiah. 11 Josiah was the grandfather of Jechoniah and Jechoniah’s brothers. They lived at the time when the Babylonian army took the Israelites as captives to the country of Babylon.

12 After the Babylonian army took the Israelites as captives to the country of Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Salathiel. Salathiel was the father of Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim was the father of Azor. 14 Azor was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Achim. Achim was the father of Eliud. 15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob. 16 Jacob was the father of Joseph. Joseph was Mary’s husband. Mary was the mother of Jesus. Jesus is the one whom we call the Messiah.

17 So then, there are 14 ancestors when we count from Abraham to David. There are 14 ancestors when we count from David until when the Babylonian army took the Israelites as captives to the country of Babylon. There are 14 ancestors when we count from that to the Messiah.

18 I will tell you what happened when the mother of Jesus the Messiah gave birth to him. His mother Mary was about to marry a man named Joseph, and they had not yet had sex. Despite that, Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant with a baby that the Holy Spirit had given to her. 19 Joseph, who was about to marry her, thought that Mary had sex with another man. Joseph usually did what was right, and he also did not want to shame Mary. So, he decided to say in private that he would not marry her. 20 While Joseph was deciding what to do, he saw an angel from the Lord while he was sleeping! The angel said to him, “Joseph, King David’s descendant, do not be reluctant to marry Mary. I say that because it was the Holy Spirit who caused her to become pregnant. 21 She will have a male child. You should name him ‘Jesus,’ which means ‘the Lord rescues’. You should name him that because he will rescue his people from the sins that they have committed.” 22 When all those things happened, what the Lord said by speaking through the prophet Isaiah came true. Isaiah said, 23 “A young women who has never had sex will become pregnant! She will give birth to a male child. People will name him ‘Immanuel.’ ” The name Immanuel means, “God is with us.” 24 After Joseph woke up, he married Mary, which is what the angel from the Lord had told him to do. 25 However, he did not have sex with her before she gave birth to a male child. Joseph named the child Jesus.

2 Mary gave birth to Jesus in the town of Bethlehem in the region of Judea. During that time, Herod was the king there. Some time after Mary gave birth to Jesus, some scholars who studied the stars traveled from eastern countries to the city of Jerusalem! 2 They were asking people, “Where is the child who will be the king over the Jewish people? We saw a star appear in the sky that indicated that his mother had given birth to him. We traveled here so that we can worship him.”

3 When King Herod learned what these men were asking, he was upset. Many people in the city of Jerusalem also were upset. 4 So, King Herod summoned all the Jewish ruling priests and teachers of the Jewish law. He asked them about where the Messiah’s mother would give birth to him. 5 They answered him, “His mother will give birth to him in the town of Bethlehem in the region of Judea. We know that because of what the prophet Micah wrote. 6 ‘You who live in the town of Bethlehem in the land of Judah, your town is one of the important towns in Judah. That is because someone from your town will become a leader. That person will rule God’s people, the Israelites.’ ”

7 After that, King Herod summoned the scholars who studied the stars to talk with him privately. He asked them about exactly when they first saw the special star. 8 After that, he told them, “Go to the town of Bethlehem and look for the child. When you are sure that you know who he is, come back and tell me who he is. That way, I too can go and worship him.” Then, he sent them away.

9 The scholars listened to the king, and then they traveled to Bethlehem. The star which they saw when it appeared in the sky guided them! It moved in the sky until it was directly above the place where the child, Jesus, was living. 10 When they saw how the star moved and then stopped, they were extremely happy. 11 They went into the house above which the star had stopped. There, they saw the child Jesus and his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshiped him. Then, they unpacked the valuable things that they had brought with them. They gave Jesus gold, incense, and valuable tree resin. 12 After that, God used a dream to tell them not to go back to King Herod. So, they went home on a different road than the one on which they had come.

13 After the scholars who studied the stars went home, Joseph saw an angel from the Lord while he was sleeping! The angel told him, “King Herod wants to find the child so that he can kill him. So, when you wake up, escape to the land of Egypt with the child and his mother, your wife. Stay there until I tell you that you can return home.” 14 Then Joseph woke up. During that night, he left for the land of Egypt with the child and the child’s mother, his wife. 15 They lived in the land of Egypt while King Herod ruled. So, what the Lord said by speaking through the prophet Hosea came true:

“I have told my son to leave Egypt.”

16 When the scholars who studied the stars did not come back to King Herod, he realized that they had fooled him. He became furious. He had some of his soldiers go to the city of Bethlehem and the areas around it and kill every male child who was two years old or younger. He picked those ages because of what the scholars who studied the stars told him about the exact time when they first saw the star. 17 At that time, what God said by speaking through the prophet Jeremiah came true:

18 “People heard women in the town of Ramah lamenting loudly.

It was the descendants of Rachel mourning for their children.

Because their children were dead, they would not stop mourning.”

19 During this time, Joseph and his family were living in the land of Egypt. After Herod died, Joseph saw an angel from the Lord while he was sleeping! 20 The angel told him, “Everyone who wanted to kill the child has died. So, when you wake up, return to the country of Israel with the child and his mother, your wife.” 21 Then Joseph woke up. He went back to the country of Israel with the child and the child’s mother, his wife.

22 However, Joseph heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father, King Herod, as king over the region of Judea. So, he was afraid to live there. Further, while Joseph was sleeping, God instructed him to live somewhere else. So, Joseph decided to live in the region of Galilee. 23 When he and his family arrived in Galilee, they lived in the town of Nazareth. In that way, what God said by speaking through the prophets came true: “People will say that the Messiah is from Nazareth.”

3 While Jesus was living in Galilee, a man whom people called John the Baptizer went to a desolate area in the region of Judea. He proclaimed, 2 “Stop doing what is wrong! You should do that because God is about to establish his heavenly kingdom here.” 3 That man is the one about whom the Lord said, by speaking through the prophet Isaiah,

“In the desolate place, someone will be calling out to the people:

‘Prepare yourselves to receive the Lord!

Make yourselves ready for when he comes!’ ”

4 As for this man John, he wore rough clothes that he made out of camel’s hair. He fastened around his waist a belt that he made from animal skin. He ate grasshoppers and honey that he found in that desolate area. 5 At that time, people who lived in the city of Jerusalem, many people who lived in the region of Judea, and many people who lived near the Jordan River often went to listen to John. 6 Many of these people agreed that they had sinned. Then, John baptized them in the Jordan River.

7 In fact, many men from the Pharisee sect and from the Sadducee sect went to John so that he would baptize them. When he saw them, he declared to them, “You people are sneaky and dangerous like poisonous snakes! You think that if I baptize you, God will spare you when he punishes sinners. But I did not say that! 8 You need to do the things that show that you have truly rejected your previous sinful way of living! 9 Do not think to yourselves, ‘Certainly God will not punish us, because we are descendants of Abraham!’ That does not impress God. Let me assure you, God could turn these stones into descendants of Abraham! 10 You are like fruit trees that do not produce good fruit. God is like a man who is positioning the head of his axe at the base of those trees, ready to chop them down and throw them into the fire. God is ready to punish you like that if you continue sinning.

11 I use water to baptize you so that you stop doing what is wrong. However, soon you will see someone else who is more powerful than I am. It is not appropriate for me to be even his servant.

He will give you the Holy Spirit and make you pure. 12 The Messiah is ready to do that, just like a farmer who has his winnowing fork ready to use. A farmer separates all the good grain from the useless chaff. He stores the grain safely in his barn, but he burns the chaff until it is all gone. Much like that farmer, the Messiah will preserve the people who obey God, and he will punish the people who disobey God.”

13 After John began preaching and baptizing people, Jesus traveled from the region of Galilee to where John was near the Jordan River. He wanted John to baptize him. 14 However, John did not want to baptize him. He said to Jesus, “You should not want me to baptize you. Actually, I need you to baptize me!” 15 Jesus answered him, “Please baptize me at this time. When you do, you and I will be acting appropriately by doing what God requires.” After Jesus said that, John agreed to baptize him.

16 Right after John baptized him, Jesus climbed out of the River Jordan. Then, God allowed him to see into heaven! He saw that the Holy Spirit, who looked like a small bird, was descending from heaven and landing on him. 17 Then God spoke from heaven! He declared, “This man is my Son, the one whom I love dearly. What he does pleases me.”

4 After that, the Holy Spirit took Jesus into a desolate area. That way, the ruling evil spirit could try to make him sin. 2 He did not eat any food for 40 days. After that, he was hungry. 3 Then the devil arrived. He wanted to make Jesus sin. He said to Jesus, “Show me that you really are God’s Son. Command these stones to become loaves of bread for you to eat.” 4 Jesus responded, “I will not do that, because Moses wrote in the Scriptures, ‘People need more than food to stay alive. They also need to do everything that God tells them to do.’ ” 5 After that, the ruling evil spirit transported Jesus to Jerusalem, the sacred city. He made him stand on the highest part of the temple. 6 Then, he said to Jesus, “Show me that you really are God’s Son. Jump from here! You will not hurt yourself, because it says in the Scriptures,

‘God will tell his angels to protect you.

They will carry you,

and you will not hurt yourself at all.’ ”

7 Jesus responded, “Again, I will not do that, because Moses wrote in the Scriptures, ‘Do not provoke the Lord your God to see what he will do.’ ” 8 Then, the devil transported Jesus onto the top of a very tall mountain. From there, he showed Jesus all the nations in the world. He showed Jesus how rich and powerful they were. 9 He told Jesus, “Bow down and worship me. Then, I will make you the ruler of all these countries.” 10 After that, Jesus responded, “Leave me, Satan! I will not worship you, because Moses wrote in the Scriptures, ‘You must only worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you may honor as God.’ ” 11 After Jesus said that, the ruling evil spirit went away. Then, angels arrived and took care of Jesus!

12 Soon afterward, Jesus learned that King Herod Antipas had put John the Baptizer in prison. So, Jesus went back to the region of Galilee. 13 After he visited the town of Nazareth, he went to live in the town of Capernaum. Capernaum is next to the Sea of Galilee in the region that used to belong to the tribe of Zebulun and the tribe of Naphtali. 14 So, what God said by speaking through the prophet Isaiah came true:

15 “I am speaking about people in the regions that belong to the tribe of Zebulun and to the tribe of Naphtali.

These regions are by the Sea of Galilee, on the other side of the Jordan River.

We call these regions Galilee, where many non-Jewish people live.

The people who live in those regions sin and despair. They are like people who sit in dark places.

However, God will rescue them. They will be like people who see a bright light.

Again, the people in those regions suffer and die. They are like people who sit in a dangerous place without any light.

However, God will save them. It will be as if a light shines on them.”

17 After he went to live in the town of Capernaum, Jesus started proclaiming, “Stop doing what is wrong! You should do that because God is about to establish his heavenly kingdom here.”

18 One day, Jesus was walking next to the Sea of Galilee. He saw two men: Simon, who also had the name Peter, and Simon’s younger brother Andrew. They earned money by catching and selling fish. When Jesus saw them, they were using nets to try to catch fish. 19 Jesus commanded them, “Come with me and be my apprentices. I will teach you how to gather people to be my apprentices, just as you have been gathering fish.” 20 As soon as Jesus said this, they stopped working. They went with him and were his apprentices.

21 Jesus kept walking next to the sea. Then, he saw two more men: James, the son of Zebedee, and James’ younger brother John. When Jesus saw them, they were preparing their fishing tools in a boat with their father, Zebedee. Jesus commanded them, “Come with me and be my apprentices.” 22 As soon as they heard what Jesus said, they got out of the boat and left their father. They went with Jesus and were his apprentices.

23 Jesus visited all the towns in the region of Galilee. He instructed people when they gathered in the Jewish meeting places. He proclaimed the good news about God’s kingdom. He cured many Jewish people who were sick in any way. 24 Many people who lived in the region of Syria heard about him. They took to him many people who were suffering, people who were sick or hurting, people with demons, and people who could not move or who had seizures. Jesus healed them. 25 Large groups of people went wherever Jesus went. These people came from the region of Galilee, from the region of the Ten Towns, from the city of Jerusalem, from the region of Judea, and from the east side of the Jordan River.

5 When Jesus saw these large groups of people, he went up on a hill. He sat down there, ready to teach, and his apprentices gathered around him to listen. 2 Then, he began to instruct them. He said,

3 “It is very good for those who do not have spiritual strength.

That is because they are part of God’s heavenly kingdom.

4 It is very good for those who grieve.

That is because God will encourage them.

5 It is very good for those who are gentle.

That is because God will give them the world when he renews it.

6 It is very good for those who greatly desire to do what is right.

That is because God will enable them to do what they desire to do.

7 It is very good for those who are merciful to other people.

That is because God will be merciful to them.

8 It is very good for those who only desire what is good.

That is because they will be with God.

9 It is very good for those who enable people to be peaceful with each other.

That is because God will regard them as his own children.

10 It is very good for those whom others mistreat because they do what is right.

That is because they are part of God’s heavenly kingdom.

11 It is very good for you whenever people act against you because you are my apprentices. They may shame you, mistreat you, and tell many hurtful lies about you. 12 When people treat you like that, God is ready to reward you greatly from heaven. So, you should rejoice very much! Further, people mistreated the Jewish prophets long ago just as people mistreat you now.

13 You are like salt since you make people in this world better, just as salt seasons food. However, if salt were to stop seasoning food well, no one could make it season food well again. No one can use it for anything. So, people throw it away, and others walk on it. In the same way, I will punish you if you do not make this world better. 14 You are like a light that illuminates everyone in this world since you tell people about me. You are like a town on a hill that everyone can see since everyone notices the good things that you do. 15 Further, when people light a lamp, they do not cover it with a basket. Instead, they put it on a lampstand. That way, it illuminates everyone in the house. 16 Just as the light from a lamp illuminates everyone in a house, so you should publicly do what is right. That way, people will notice the good things that you do. Then, they will praise God, your Father, who rules from heaven.

17 You should not conclude that I am here to abolish any parts of the Scriptures. I am not here to abolish them. Rather, I am here so that they come true. 18 Every part of the Scriptures will be authoritative as long as what God has created continues to exist. Further, the Scriptures will be authoritative until everything that their authors wrote about happens. What I have said is true. 19 So then, suppose that someone disregards even one of the most insignificant laws. Also, suppose that this person teaches other people to do the same thing. This person will be insignificant in God’s heavenly kingdom. In contrast, suppose that someone obeys the laws and teaches other people to do the same thing. This person will be very important in God’s heavenly kingdom. 20 Here is what I mean: You need to do what is right even more than the teachers of the Jewish law and the Pharisees do. That is the only way to participate in God’s heavenly kingdom.

21 You know that God said to our ancestors, ‘You must not murder anyone. People who murder someone deserve to have a judge decide they are guilty and punish them.’ 22 Now here is what I want to tell you: people who become angry with fellow believers deserve to have a judge decide they are guilty and punish them. People who insult fellow believers deserve to have the Jewish council decide they are guilty and punish them. People who say that fellow believers are foolish deserve to have God punish them in hell. 23 So then, suppose that you are standing near the altar in the temple to present something to God. Then, you recall that you have offended a fellow believer. 24 You should set down near the altar what you are presenting to God and depart to visit that fellow believer. You should resolve what happened to offend that fellow believer. Then, you can go back to the altar and present your gift to God. 25 Suppose that someone intends to say to a judge that you did something wrong. You should try to resolve what happened before that person can speak to the judge. That way, the person does not bring you to the judge, who would command one of the officials to put you in jail. 26 If you go to jail, you will never get out of there until you are able to pay every bit of what the judge says you owe. What I have said is true.

27 You know that God said, ‘Married people must remain sexually faithful to their spouses.’ 28 Now here is what I want to tell you: suppose that a man stares at a woman who is not his wife so that he can think about having sex with her. Simply because of what he desires, he has been sexually unfaithful to his wife. 29 Suppose that you sinned because you looked at something. You should never do that again, even if you have to remove your eyes to make sure of it! You should respond that drastically because it is better for you to have no eyes than to have a complete body but end up in hell. 30 Suppose that you sinned because you touched something. You should never do that again, even if you have to chop off your hands to make sure of it! You should respond that drastically because it is better for you to have no hands than to have a complete body but end up in hell.

31 God said, ‘Suppose that a man wants to divorce his wife. He must present her with a document that states that he is divorcing her.’ 32 Now here is what I want to tell you: a man may divorce his wife only if she has had improper sex. When a man divorces his wife for any other reason, he makes her disobey what God commanded about being sexually faithful to one’s spouse. Further, any man who marries a woman whose husband has divorced her also disobeys what God commanded about being sexually faithful to one’s spouse.

33 Here are more examples: you know that God said to our ancestors, ‘You must not promise to do anything that you will not do. Rather, you must always do what you promised the Lord that you would do.’ 34 Now here is what I want to tell you: you must never have someone or something guarantee what you promise. For example, you must not have heaven guarantee it. That is because heaven is where God rules. 35 You must not have the earth guarantee what you promise. That is because the earth is what God rules over. You must not have the city of Jerusalem guarantee it. That is because Jerusalem is a city that belongs to God, who is a powerful king.

36 You must not have your own head guarantee what you promise. That is because you cannot even control what color your hairs are. 37 When you promise something, just say ‘Yes, I will do it,’ or ‘No, I will not do it.’ When you say more to guarantee what you promised, you are doing what Satan wants you to do.

38 You know that God said, ‘You must punish people in a way that matches how they hurt others. For example, consider a person who blinded someone. You should punish that person by blinding him or her too. Consider a person who knocked out someone’s tooth. You should punish that person by knocking out his or her tooth too.’ 39 Now here is what I want to tell you: do not try to stop people who do bad things to you. Rather, suppose that someone insults you by hitting you on the right side of your face. You should turn your face so that the person can hit the left side also. 40 Suppose that someone wants to sue you for your shirt. You should give that person your coat as well. 41 Suppose that someone requires you to carry his or her burden for one section of road. You should continue to carry that person’s burden for a second section of road. 42 Suppose that someone requests something from you. You should give that person what they requested. Suppose that someone wants to receive a loan from you. You should lend money to that person.

43 You know that God said, ‘Care for your fellow Jews.’ Some people add, ‘Despise those who oppose you.’ 44 Now here is what I want to tell you: you should care for those who oppose you. You should pray for those who mistreat you. 45 God causes the sun to shine on people who are wicked and on people who are good. God makes it rain on people who do what is right and on people who do what is wrong. So, when you care and pray for people who oppose you, you are like children of God, your Father, who rules from heaven. 46 Further, if you care for only those who care for you, do not expect God to reward you for doing that. Even unkind tax collectors care for those who care for them. 47 If you say hello only to fellow believers, you are not behaving any differently than unbelievers do. Even unbelieving non-Jews say hello to their friends. 48 So, you should always do what is right, just as God, your Father, who rules from heaven, always does what is right.

6 When you do what God desires, make sure that you are not doing it so that people praise you for it. When you do what God desires so that others praise you, God your Father, who rules from heaven, will not reward you. 2 Whenever some people give money to help poor people, they have someone announce what they are doing by playing a loud instrument in the Jewish meeting places and in the main roads. They pretend to help others, but they just want other people to praise them. God will not reward them any more than that. What I have said is true. So, you should not behave like that. 3 Instead, when you give money to help poor people, you should do it as privately as possible. 4 That way, only God your Father will know that you have given money to help poor people. When he observes you doing that privately, he will reward you.

5 Whenever some people pray to God, they enjoy doing so while standing in the Jewish meeting places and on the street corners. They pretend to focus on praying, but they just want other people to recognize them. God will not reward them any more than that. What I have said is true. So, you should not behave like that. 6 In contrast, when you want to pray to God, you should go to a private room in your house and close the door. Then, you can pray to God your Father, who is there with you in private. When he observes you doing that privately, he will reward you. 7 Further, as you are praying, do not repeat yourself as non-Jews do. They suppose that their gods will listen to them if they use many words. 8 So then, do not pray to God as they do. In fact, before you ask him for anything that you need, God your Father is already aware of what you need. 9 Here is how you should pray to God:

‘I pray to God our Father, who rules from heaven.

May all people glorify you.

10 May you establish your kingdom.

May everyone do what you want

here on earth, just as they already do in heaven.

11 Please give us the food we need each day.

12 We have forgiven people for when they did not treat us rightly.

In the same way, please forgive us for when we do not act rightly.

13 Please protect us from everything that tries to make us sin.

Please rescue us when Satan tries to harm us.’

14 God your Father, who rules from heaven, will forgive you as long as you forgive the people who sin against you. 15 However, God your Father will not forgive you when you sin against him as long as you do not forgive other people.

16 Whenever some people do not eat in order to please God, they change how their faces look. They pretend to be sad, but they just want other people to recognize that they are not eating. God will not reward them any more than that. What I have said is true. So, you should not behave like that. 17 In contrast, when you do not eat in order to please God, you should keep yourselves neat and clean. 18 That way, other people do not know that you are not eating. Only God your Father, who is there with you in private, will know. When he observes you doing that privately, he will reward you

19 You should not collect many valuable things for yourselves in this world. In this world, insects eat clothes, and metal objects corrode. Further, robbers force their way into people’s houses to take their goods. 20 Rather, you should collect many valuable things for yourselves in heaven. In heaven, insects do not eat clothes, and metal objects do not corrode. Further, robbers do not force their way into people’s houses to take their goods. 21 That is important because you think and care most about the place where you collect valuable things.

22 Your eyes are like a lamp since they enable you to see. If your eyes are working properly, then your whole body will benefit. 23 However, if your eyes are not working properly, then your whole body does not benefit at all. So consider how bad it is when what you see as bright light is actually very dark!

24 Servants cannot serve two different masters at the same time. If they tried to do that, they would hate one of them and love the other one, or they would be loyal to one of them and consider the other one to be unimportant. In the same way, you cannot devote your life to serving God if you are also devoting your life to acquiring money and other material possessions.

25 So then, here is what I want to tell you: do not worry about whether you will have enough to eat or drink to stay alive. Do not worry about whether you will have enough clothes to wear to stay warm. After all, your life is more important than the food you eat, and your body is more important than the clothes you put on it. 26 Think about the birds that fly in the sky. They do not plant seeds, and they do not harvest crops. They do not store crops, but God your Father, who rules from heaven, provides food for them. You are certainly much more important than they are, so you can be sure that God will give you what you need. 27 You cannot add even a minute to your life by worrying about it!

28 So, you should not worry about whether you will have enough clothes to wear. Observe the way that flowers grow in a field. They do not work to earn money, and they do not make their own clothes. 29 However, here is what I want to tell you: King Solomon, who lived long ago and wore glorious clothes, never dressed as beautifully as a single flower. 30 God makes plants beautiful, even though they grow for only a short time. Then people cut them down and throw them into the fire. But you are very precious to God. He will care for you even more than he cares for the plants. You should trust God more than you do! 31 So then, do not worry by asking about whether you have anything to eat or drink, or whether you have clothes to wear. 32 The people who do not know God worry about such things. However, you should not worry about such things because God your Father, who rules from heaven, knows that you need them all. 33 You should concentrate primarily on what you can do for God’s kingdom and on doing what God considers to be right. When you do those things, you can trust God to provide everything you need. 34 So then, do not worry about what will happen tomorrow. You can worry tomorrow about what will happen during that day. Enough bad things happen each day that you should not worry about bad things that might happen tomorrow.

7 Do not harshly criticize other people. That way, God will not harshly criticize you. 2 I say that because God will harshly criticize you in the same way that you harshly criticize others. In fact, God will treat you in the same way that you treat others. 3 None of you should concentrate on the small faults of another person. You should concentrate on your own serious faults. Otherwise, that would be like noticing a speck in the eye of that person while not noticing a huge wooden plank in your own eye. 4 You should not tell another believer, ‘Let me help you correct your faults,’ while you have not yet dealt with your own faults. 5 If you do that, you are a hypocrite! You should first stop committing your own sins. That will be like removing a large plank from your own eye. Then, as a result, you will have the spiritual insight you need to help others get rid of the smaller faults that are like little specks in their eyes.

6 Apply this saying to how you live: do not present sacred things to dogs, and do not put valuable things in front of pigs. I say that because the pigs will crush your valuable things, and the dogs will destroy the sacred things and then attack you.

7 Keep asking God for the things you need, and he will give them to you. Keep seeking those things from God, and you will receive them. Ask God to make things possible for you, and he will act on your behalf. 8 You should do those things because everyone who keeps asking God for the things they need will receive them. Everyone who seeks those things from God will receive them. If people ask God to make things possible for them, God will act on their behalf.

9 Suppose one of you had a child who asked you for bread to eat. You certainly would not give your child a rock to eat! 10 Similarly, suppose that your child asked you for a fish to eat. You certainly would not give your child a poisonous snake to eat! 11 So, even though you people are sinful, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. Therefore, it is even more certain that God your Father, who rules from heaven, will give good things to those who ask him.

12 In conclusion, in whatever way you want others to act toward you, that is the way you should act toward them. Then, you will be doing what it says in all the parts of the Scriptures.

13-14 13-14When you choose how to live, you are like a traveler choosing which path to take. There is an easy path and a large gate, and many people go that way. However, if you go that way, God will punish you. There is also a hard path and a small gate, and only a few people go that way. You should use that small gate, because that is how you will truly live.

15 Watch out for people who lie when they claim to speak messages from God. They may look like they are part of God’s people, but really they want to hurt God’s people. 16 You can tell what people are really like by the things that they do. So, people are like plants in this way. A bush with thorns does not produce grapes. A thorny plant does not produce figs. 17 Similarly, all healthy fruit trees produce fruit that is good to eat. All unhealthy fruit trees produce fruit that is bad to eat. 18 Healthy fruit trees cannot produce fruit that is bad to eat. Unhealthy fruit trees cannot produce fruit that is good to eat. 19 People chop down every tree that does not produce fruit that is good to eat. Then, they burn those trees for fuel. In the same way, God will punish everyone who does not do what is right. 20 Therefore, you can tell if a plant is healthy or unhealthy by what kind of fruit it produces. In the same way, you can tell what people are really like by the things that they do.

21 Just calling me your Lord is not enough for you to participate in God’s heavenly kingdom. Rather, you need to do what God my Father, who rules from heaven, wants you to do. 22 On the day when God will judge everyone, many people will tell me, ‘Our Lord, we represented you when we proclaimed what God says! We represented you when we drove evil spiritual beings out of people! We represented you when we did many powerful things!’ 23 I will then respond to them, ‘You were never part of my people. You do what is wrong. Leave me!’ ”

24 So, all people who hear my teachings and obey them are like wise people who construct their homes on top of solid rock. 25 There may be heavy rain, and there may be floods, and there may be strong winds that buffet those homes. However, they will not collapse. That is because the wise people constructed them on top of solid rock. 26 However, all people who hear my teachings and do not obey them are like foolish people who construct their homes on top of shifting sand. 27 There may be heavy rain, and there may be floods, and there may be strong winds that buffet those homes. Then, they will collapse completely.”

28 When Jesus finished teaching, the large groups of people who had listened to him felt amazed at the way he taught. 29 They felt amazed because he did not teach as the teachers of the Jewish law did. Rather, he taught them like someone whom God had authorized to do so.

8 When Jesus went down from the hill, large groups of people went wherever he went. 2 Then, a man who had a skin disease came and knelt before Jesus. He said to Jesus, “Lord, please heal me! I know that you are able to heal me if you are willing!” 3 Then Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the man. He said, “I am willing to heal you, and I heal you now!” At that time, Jesus healed the man from his skin disease. 4 Then Jesus told him, “Do not tell anyone what just happened. Instead, go and show yourself to a priest so that he can examine you and see that you no longer have the skin disease. Also, present the offering that Moses required for people whom God has healed from skin disease. This will prove to the community that you no longer have the skin disease.”

5 While Jesus was visiting the city of Capernaum, an important Roman officer came to him. He urged Jesus to help him. 6 He said, “Lord, one of my servants is lying in bed at my home because he cannot move. He is suffering very much. Please help him.” 7 Jesus answered, “I will go to your home and cure him.” 8 The important officer responded, “Lord, I am not important enough for you to come into my house. Instead of going to my house, you can cure my servant just by speaking a command. 9 I know that you can do this because I myself am a man who must obey the orders of my superiors. I also have soldiers who must obey my orders. When I say to one of them, ‘Go there!’ he goes there. When I say to another one, ‘Come here!’ he comes to me. When I say to my slave, ‘Perform this task!’ he does it.” 10 What the officer said impressed Jesus. Jesus declared to the people who were with him, “I have not met any Israelite who trusts me as much as this man does! What I have said is true.” 11 So, here is what I want to tell you: many people from every part of the world, including many non-Jewish people, will arrive in God’s heavenly kingdom. They will feast along with our Jewish ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 12 However, God will cast out many people who think that they will participate in his kingdom. He will punish them in a dark place, where they will cry and sorrowfully grind their teeth.” 13 Then, Jesus told the important officer, “Return home. I will do for you what you have trusted me to do.” Jesus healed the servant at that exact time.

14 After that, Jesus went to Peter’s home. There, he saw that Peter’s mother-in-law was lying in bed because she had a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and she recovered from the fever. Then, she stood up and offered Jesus some food.

16 When it was evening, people brought to Jesus many men and women whom evil spiritual beings controlled. Jesus drove these evil spiritual beings out of those men and women just by speaking words. Also, he cured everyone who was sick. 17 So, what God said by speaking through the prophet Isaiah came true: “When we were feeble, he helped us. When we were sick, he cured us.”

18 When Jesus saw that there was a large group of people around him, he told his disciples to take him by boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 19 Before they got into the boat, a teacher of the Jewish law came up to Jesus and said to him, “My instructor, I want to go with you and be your apprentice.” 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes in the ground to live in, and birds have nests to live in, but I, the Son of Man, do not have a home to sleep in!” 21 A different person who was one of Jesus’ apprentices said to him, “Lord, let me first go home and stay there until I bury my father. Then I will go with you.” 22 Jesus responded, “Come with me and be my apprentice now. You cannot help anyone who has died.”

23 After that, Jesus got on the boat, and his apprentices went with him. They started sailing to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 24 As they were sailing a strong windstorm developed over the Sea of Galilee! Very high waves were splashing into the boat and filling it, but Jesus was asleep. 25 So Jesus’ disciples came over to wake him up. They said to him, “Lord, please help us! We are all going to die!” 26 Jesus answered, “You should not be so afraid. You should trust God more than you do!” Then he stood up. He scolded the wind and the water, and everything became calm. 27 What happened impressed the apprentices. They asked, “What kind of person is Jesus? The wind and the water do what he says!”

28 After that, they arrived on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, in the region where the Gadarene people lived. When they landed, two men whom demons controlled came up to Jesus. They came from the burial caves. They were strong and dangerous. Because of them, no one could travel on the road that went near the burial caves. 29 They shouted to Jesus, “Leave us alone, you who are God’s Son! You should not arrive to punish us before it is the time that God has appointed.” 30 Now there was a large herd of pigs grazing relatively far away from them. 31 The demons pleaded with Jesus, “When you drive us out of these two men, please allow us to control that herd of pigs!” 32 Jesus answered, “I will allow that!” So, the demons left the men and began to control the pigs. Then, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the steep bank into the Sea of Galilee! They died there in the sea. 33 Then those who were taking care of the pigs ran away. They went to the nearby town, where they told people about everything that had happened, including what had happened to the men whom the demons had controlled. 34 Then many people who lived in that town went to see Jesus! When they met him, they pleaded with him to leave their area.

9 After that, Jesus and his apprentices got into a boat. They sailed across the Sea of Galilee and arrived back in the city of Capernaum, where Jesus was living. 2 Some people brought to Jesus a man who could not move! He was lying on a sleeping pad. Jesus perceived that these people believed that he could heal the man. So, he said to the man who could not move, “Do not worry, young man. I forgive you for your sins!” 3 Some teachers of the Jewish law thought to themselves, “He is insulting God!” 4 Jesus realized what they were thinking. He said, “You should not be thinking what is wrong! 5 You may think that it is easy to claim to forgive other people for their sins, since it is difficult to prove whether this has happened. Similarly, you may think that it is difficult to tell someone who cannot move to stand up and walk around, since it is easy to prove whether this has happened. 6 However, I want you to know that God has authorized me, the Son of Man, to forgive people on earth for their sins.” So, he said to the man who could not move, “Stand up, carry your sleeping pad, and go home!” 7 Then, the man stood up and went home. 8 Once the large groups of people who were near Jesus saw what had happened, they felt afraid. Also, they praised God for enabling people to do such amazing things.

9 As Jesus was walking away from that place, he noticed a man whom people called Matthew. Matthew was sitting in the booth where the people came to pay him the taxes that the government required. Jesus said to him, “Come with me and be my apprentice!” So Matthew stood up and went with him as his apprentice. 10 Later, Jesus was feasting in Matthew’s home. Many people who collected taxes and other sinful people arrived! They feasted with Jesus and his apprentices. 11 When the Pharisees saw what Jesus was doing, they told Jesus’ apprentices, “Your instructor should not be feasting with people who collect taxes and other sinful people.” 12 Jesus learned what they said. He answered, “People who are well do not need a doctor. Rather, people who are sick need a doctor. 13 You should study and learn from what God has said in the Scriptures: ‘What I most want is that people treat each other mercifully, not that people present offerings to me.’ Much like that, I am here not to invite those who think they are righteous to come to me. Rather, I invite those who know that they have sinned to come to me.”

14 Sometime later, the apprentices of John the Baptizer visited Jesus. They asked him, “We and the Pharisees frequently do not eat in order to please God. However, your apprentices do not do so. Why not?” 15 Jesus answered, “The friends of the bridegroom do not grieve while the wedding celebration is still going on. However, some day the bridegroom will no longer be with his friends. Then they will not eat.

16 People do not place a piece of unshrunken cloth on old clothing in order to mend a hole. That is because, when they washed the garment, the new piece of cloth would shrink and completely rip out of the clothing. As a result, the hole would become even bigger! 17 Similarly, people do not put fresh wine into old skin bags to store it. If they did that, the skin bags would tear open because they would not stretch when the fresh wine fermented and expanded. That would ruin the skin bags, and the wine would spill out. On the contrary, people put fresh wine into new skin bags. That way, they do not ruin the wine and the bags.

18 As Jesus was speaking to John’s disciples, an important man arrived! He knelt before Jesus and said, “My daughter just died. Please come with me and touch her. That way, she will live again.” 19 Jesus and his apprentices stood up, and they went with the man.20-21 20-21Now there was a woman who had been suffering for 12 years from a disease that caused continual bleeding. She thought, “Just touching Jesus’ robe will cure me.” So, she approached Jesus from behind, and she touched the hem of his robe. 22 After the woman touched Jesus’ robe, Jesus turned around and looked at her. He said to her, “Do not worry, young woman. Because you believed that I could heal you, you are now well.” At that very moment, the woman became well.

23 After that, Jesus arrived at the important man’s home. He saw people grieving there. Some people were playing instruments, and many people were making much noise. 24 He said to these people, “Leave! The young woman is not dead! She is only sleeping.” Then, the people made fun of him for saying that. 25 After those people left, Jesus went to where the girl was. He took hold of her hand, and she became alive again and stood up. 26 After that, people throughout that whole area heard about what Jesus had done.

27 When Jesus left the important man’s house, two men who were blind went with him. They were shouting, “You who are a descendant of King David, help us!” 28 After Jesus entered the house where he was staying, the blind men approached him. Jesus asked them, “Do you believe that I can heal you?” They answered, “Yes, Lord, we do!” 29 After they said that, he touched their eyes. He declared, “I will do for you what you have trusted me to do.” 30 Then, they could see. Jesus sternly told them, “Do not tell anyone about what just happened!” 31 However, after the two men left, they told people throughout that whole area about what Jesus had done.

32 While the two men were leaving, some people brought a man to Jesus! A demon was controlling him and keeping him from speaking. 33 Jesus drove the demon out of the man, and he was able to speak. What Jesus had done impressed the large groups of people who were nearby. They declared, “We have not seen anything like this before in our country Israel!” 34 However, the Pharisees declared, “It is the leader of the demons who enables this man to drive out demons!”

35 Jesus traveled to many of the cities and towns in that area. He instructed people when they gathered in the Jewish meeting places. He proclaimed the good news about God’s kingdom. He cured people who were sick in any way. 36 Jesus observed that the large groups of people who traveled wherever he went seemed upset and confused. They were like sheep who did not have a sheepherder to lead them and to take care of them. So, Jesus pitied them. 37 So he told his apprentices, “Many people are ready to believe in me, but there are only a few people whom I can send out to help them. 38 So pray to God, who wants all of those people to believe, and plead with him for more people who can go and help them.

10 Then, Jesus told his 12 apprentices to come to him. He authorized them to drive demons out of people and to cure people who were sick in any way. 2 Here is a list of the names of the Twelve Representatives: Simon, whom people also call Peter; Andrew, Peter’s younger brother; James, Zebedee’s son; John, James’ younger brother; 3 Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew, a man who collected taxes; James, Alphaeus’ son; Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who eventually helped to arrest Jesus.

5 Jesus sent those Twelve Representatives. Before they went, he told them, “Do not travel to places where non-Jews live. Do not visit Samaritan towns. 6 Instead, go to your fellow Israelites. They are like sheep who have wandered off and need help. 7 While you are traveling, proclaim to people, ‘God is about to establish his heavenly kingdom here.’ 8 Cure people who are sick. Make people who have died alive again. Heal people with skin diseases. Drive demons out of people. I have not charged you money as I enable you to do these things. So, you should not charge other people money to do these things for them. 9 Do not pack any money to take with you. 10 Do not pack a traveler’s bag, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or a walking stick. I tell you not to bring these things because people who work deserve their food. So, the people whom you help will give you what you need. 11 When you visit a city or town, look for someone who lives there who welcomes you. When you find such a person, stay in that person’s home until you leave that area. 12 When you go into that person’s home, say hello to the people who live there and pray that God will make them peaceful. 13 Suppose that the people who live in that house really do welcome you. Then, God will make them peaceful, as you prayed. However, suppose that the people who live in that house do not welcome you. Then, God will not make them peaceful. 14 Whenever people do not welcome you or listen to what you say, you should leave that home or city. As you are going, shake the dust from that place off your feet to show that you reject those people. 15 God will judge and punish any people who reject you more severely than he will judge and punish the wicked people who lived in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. What I have said is true.

16 I am sending you out to represent me to people who will be hostile to you, so you will be like sheep among wolves. Therefore, you need to be as clever as snakes are. You also need to be as innocent as small birds are. 17 Watch out for certain people. They will arrest you and accuse you in front of groups of important people. They will beat you in the Jewish meeting places. 18 Because you are my apprentices, people will accuse you before local rulers and kings. That way, you will tell those rulers and the rest of the non-Jews about me. 19 Whenever people arrest you and accuse you, do not worry about how you will respond. At that time, God will reveal to you what you should say. 20 You can be sure of that because the Holy Spirit, whom God your Father sends, will reveal to you what to say. You will not speak for yourself. 21 Men will have someone arrest their own brothers, and they will ask the judge to execute them. Fathers will do the same thing to their own children. Children will rebel against their parents and cause them to die. 22 Because you are my apprentices, many people will be hostile to you. However, if you persevere in being my apprentices while people harm you, God will rescue you. 23 When people in one city try to harm you, you should quickly travel to another city. You should do that because I, the Son of Man, will return before you have proclaimed the good news in every town in Israel. What I have said is true.

24 Apprentices are not greater than their teacher. Similarly, servants are not greater than their master. 25 Those apprentices should be content when they become like their teacher. Similarly, those servants should be content when they become like their master. Since people called the person who leads the family Satan, they will also call the people who are part of the family bad names.

26 So then, do not be afraid of those people. I say that because someday God will let everyone know everything people are trying to hide. 27 You should declare publicly everything I have said to you privately. You should shout for everyone to hear what you have heard me say quietly. 28 Do not be afraid of people. They can kill you physically, but they cannot kill you spiritually. Instead, you should be afraid of God. He can destroy you both spiritually and physically in hell. 29 Think about the sparrows. They have so little value that you can buy two of them for only one small coin. However, God your Father knows about it whenever one sparrow dies. 30 God even knows how many hairs there are on your head. 31 So, do not be afraid, because you are more precious to God than many sparrows. 32 If people tell others that they are my apprentices, then I will say to God my Father, who rules from heaven, that those people are my apprentices. 33 However, if they tell others that they are not my apprentices, then I will say to God my Father, who rules from heaven, that those people are not my disciples.

34 You should not think that I am here so that people will live together peacefully. Indeed, I am here so that people quarrel, not so that they live peacefully. 35 In fact, I am here so that family members oppose each other. A man will oppose his father. A woman will oppose her mother. A woman who married a man will oppose her husband’s mother. 36 People who are part of a person’s family will be those who oppose that person. 37 People who care for their fathers or mothers more than they care for me are not behaving as my apprentices should. People who care for their sons or daughters more than they care for me are not behaving as my apprentices should. 38 People who are not willing to suffer or die, as if they were carrying their own crosses, when they come with me as my apprentices are not behaving as my apprentices should. 39 People who do anything to stay alive will not truly live. However, people who are willing to die because they are my apprentices will truly live.

40 When people welcome you, it is the same as welcoming me. When people welcome me, it is the same as welcoming God the Father, who sent me here. 41 As for those who welcome someone because they know that person speaks for God, God will reward them in the same way that he rewards people who speak for him. As for those who welcome someone because they know that person does what is right, God will reward them in the same way that he rewards people who do what is right. 42 As for those who offer an unimportant person cold water to drink just because they know that person is my apprentice, God will most certainly reward them. What I have said is true.

11 So, Jesus completed instructing his 12 apprentices about what they should do. Then, he left that place in order to proclaim the good news to people in the towns throughout the area.

2 Meanwhile, John the Baptizer was in jail. People told him about what Jesus the Messiah was doing. So, he sent some of his apprentices 3 to ask Jesus, “Are you the one whom God promised would come, or should we be waiting for someone else?” 4 So Jesus answered John’s apprentices, “Go back and tell John what you have heard and seen. 5 People who were blind are now seeing. People who could not walk are now walking. People who had skin diseases no longer have them. People who were deaf can now hear. People who were dead are alive again. I am proclaiming good news to poor people. 6 God will bless anyone who sees what I do and hears what I teach and continues to believe in me.”

7 When John’s apprentices left, Jesus started to talk to the large groups of people about John. He said, “Surely you did not travel to John in the desolate area to see someone who often changed his mind, who was like the thin stalk of a plant that the wind shakes. 8 Surely you did not travel to the desolate area to see someone who wore fancy clothes. You know very well that the people who wear fancy clothes live in palaces, not in desolate areas. 9 Surely you traveled to the desolate area to see a man who spoke for God. Yes, that is who John is! But I want to tell you that John is more significant than other people who speak for God. 10 He is the one about whom a prophet wrote in the Scriptures:

‘Listen, I am sending my messenger ahead of you. He will make things ready for when you come.’

11 Of all the people who have ever lived, there has been no one more important than John the Baptizer. However, the most insignificant people who participate in God’s heavenly kingdom are more important than John. What I have said is true. 12 From the time when John the Baptizer began to preach publicly until this time, people have attacked God’s heavenly kingdom. Indeed, violent people try to conquer it. 13 Further, before John began to preach, the laws that God gave Moses and the things that the prophets wrote predicted what is now happening. 14 In fact, if you trust what I say, you can know that John is the one whom God promised would come, the one who is like the prophet Elijah. 15 You should think carefully about what you just heard me say!

16 I will tell you what you people who live in this time period are like. You are like children playing games in an open area. They call out to their friends, 17 ‘We played happy music for you on the flute, but you did not dance! Then we sang sad funeral songs for you, but you did not grieve!’ 18 Similarly, when John came to you and often did not eat or drink, people rejected him and said, ‘A demon is controlling him!’ 19 But when I, the Son of Man, came to you and I enjoyed food and drink, people rejected me and said, ‘Look! This man eats too much food and drinks too much wine, and he associates with people who collect taxes and other sinful people!’ But those who are wise themselves recognize that what John and I do is also wise.”

20 Now people who lived in the towns where Jesus had done many powerful things did not stop doing what was wrong. So, Jesus began to scold them: 21 “How terrible it will be for you people who live in the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida! I say this because I did powerful things while I was in your cities. If I had done those same powerful things in the ancient cities of Tyre and Sidon, the wicked people who lived there would have stopped doing what was wrong. They would have shown how sorry they were by wearing coarse clothing and putting ashes on their heads. 22 So I want to tell you that when God judges everyone, he will punish you more severely than the wicked people who lived in Tyre and Sidon. 23 I also have something to say to you people who live in the town of Capernaum. You may think that God is going to give you great rewards. No, God is not going to reward you at all! I say this because I did powerful things while I was in your town. If I had done those same powerful things in the city of Sodom, the wicked people who lived there would have stopped doing what was wrong, and God would not have destroyed them. 24 So I want to tell you that when God judges everyone, he will punish you more severely than the wicked people who lived in the region of Sodom.

25 Then Jesus responded by praying, “God my Father, you are Lord over everything you have made. I praise you that you have prevented people who think they are smart from understanding things. Instead, you have revealed them to people who accept what you say as readily as little children do. 26 That is true, my Father, and you have done that because it pleased you to do so.

27 God, my Father, has given everything to me. Only my Father really knows me, his Son. And only I, his Son, really know my Father. But I do choose to show some people who he is. 28 Many of you feel tired and are struggling. Become my apprentices! I will enable you to rest. 29 I am not forceful or proud, and I will help you to rest. So, do what I command and listen to what I teach. 30 I say that because you can easily do what I command. Indeed, you can easily do what I ask you to do.

12 Some time later, Jesus and his apprentices were walking through grain fields during one of the Jewish day of rest. His apprentices became hungry, so they started to pick some grain and eat it. 2 Some Pharisees saw the apprentices picking grain. They said to Jesus, “Look! Your apprentices are working on the Jewish day of rest. Our law forbids us to do that.” 3 Jesus replied, “Consider the story in the Scriptures about what King David did when he and the men who were with him became very hungry. 4 As you know, David entered the sacred tent. He ate some of the bread that had been on display before God, even though the law prohibited him and the men who were with him from doing that. Only priests could eat that bread. 5 Likewise, consider the laws in the Scriptures that permit priests to work during the Jewish days of rest because they are serving in the Jewish sanctuary. 6 However, I want you to know that there is now something even more important than the Jewish sanctuary. 7 Suppose that you truly understood what God has said in the Scriptures: ‘What I most want is that people treat each other mercifully, not that people present offerings to me.’ Then, you would not have declared my apprentices guilty when they have actually not disobeyed the laws about the Jewish day of rest. 8 I say those things because I, the Son of Man, can decide what is right for people to do during the Jewish day of rest!”

9 Then Jesus left the grain fields and visited one of the Jewish meeting places. 10 Now there was a man there who could not move his hand. The Pharisees wanted to accuse Jesus of disobeying the laws about not working on the Sabbath. So, they asked Jesus, “Does our law allow us to cure people from their diseases during Jewish days of rest?” 11 Jesus replied, “Suppose that one of you had a single sheep. Also suppose that this sheep fell into a deep hole on a Jewish day of rest. You would certainly pull it out of the hole, even though this would be doing work on the Jewish day of rest! 12 Therefore, since people are more important than sheep, you should help others even more than you help sheep on Jewish days of rest. So then, the laws that God gave Moses allow people to do what is good on Jewish days of rest.” 13 After saying that, Jesus commanded the man, “Extend the hand that you cannot move!” The man extended his hand, and he could move it just as well as his other hand. 14 Then the Pharisees left the Jewish meeting place. They started planning how they could kill Jesus.

15 Jesus knew that the Pharisees were planning to kill him. So, he left that area. Many people went with him, and he cured all of them who were sick. 16 Jesus commanded them strongly that they should not tell other people about him. 17 So, what God said by speaking through the prophet Isaiah came true:

18 “Consider the one who serves me, whom I selected.

I love him, and what he does pleases me.

I will empower him with the Holy Spirit.

He will declare to the non-Jews that I do what is right.

19 He will not quarrel with people. He will not shout loudly.

He will not speak to many people in public areas.

He will be gentle with weak people.

He will be kind to feeble people.

He will do those things until he successfully completes doing what is right. 21 Non-Jewish people will confidently trust in him.”

22 After that, some people brought a man to Jesus. A demon was controlling him and keeping him from seeing or speaking. Jesus cured the man, and he was able to speak and see. 23 What Jesus had done impressed all the large groups of people who were nearby. They declared to each other, “Perhaps this man is the special descendant of King David.” 24 However, the Pharisees heard them saying that. They responded, “This man forces out demons only because Beelzebul, who rules the demons, enables him to do so.” 25 Jesus realized what they were thinking. So he said to them, “When the people in one nation fight against each other, they will destroy their nation. When people who live in the same town or household fight against each other, that town or household will not last. 26 Suppose that Satan enabled people to force out his own demons. In that case, he would be fighting against himself. So, he would soon cease to rule over the demons! 27 Further, suppose that Beelzebul is enabling me to force out demons. Then, it must also be true that he is enabling your apprentices to force out demons. But you know that is not true. So your own apprentices prove that you are wrong. 28 Actually, the Holy Spirit enables me to force out demons. That means that God is establishing his kingdom among you.

29 Before thieves can break into the home of a strong man and take his belongings, they must first tie up the strong man. After that, they can take the belongings from his home.

30 Anyone who is not supporting me is opposing me. Anyone who is not bringing people to me is sending them away from me.

31 So then, here is what I want to tell you: God will forgive many people who sin in many ways or say bad things about God or others. However, God will not forgive people who say bad things about the Holy Spirit. 32 Further, God will forgive people who say bad things about me, the Son of Man. However, God will not forgive people who say bad things about the Holy Spirit. He will not forgive them right now or at any later time.

33 You must decide either that both a tree and its fruit are healthy or that both a tree and its fruit are unhealthy. I say that because you can tell if a tree is healthy or unhealthy by what kind of fruit it produces. Similarly, you can tell what people are really like by the things that they do. 34 You people are sneaky and dangerous like poisonous snakes! Because you are wicked, you cannot speak anything good. I say that because people speak based on what they are thinking about. 35 Good people say good things because they think good things. Evil people say evil things because they think evil things. 36 Here is what I want you to know: when God judges everyone, he will hold people responsible for all the useless things that they have said. 37 In fact, God will declare that you are either innocent or guilty based on what you have said.”

38 After Jesus said those things, some teachers of the Jewish law and some Pharisees responded, “Instructor, we want to see you perform a miracle that proves that God sent you.” 39 Then Jesus replied to them, “You people who are alive right now are wicked and faithless. You want me to do a miracle that proves that God sent me. However, the only miracle you will see is a miracle like the one that happened to the prophet Jonah. 40 A huge fish swallowed Jonah, and he was inside this fish for three whole days. Then, God had the fish spit him out. Similarly, people will bury me, the Son of Man, and I will be in a tomb for three whole days. Then, I will live again. 41 The people who lived in the ancient city of Nineveh stopped sinning when Jonah preached to them. And now there is something even more important than the prophet Jonah. However, you have not stopped sinning. Therefore, when God judges everyone, the people who lived in Nineveh will stand up and condemn the people who are alive right now. 42 Long ago the Queen of Sheba traveled a great distance to listen to the wise things that King Solomon said. And now there is something even more important than Solomon. However, you have not really listened to what I say. Therefore, when God judges everyone, she will stand up and condemn the people who are alive right now.

43 Listen to this story: an evil spirit leaves someone and wanders around in desolate areas looking for someone else to live in. However, it does not find anyone there. 44 After that, it says to itself, ‘I am going to go back to the person I used to live in!’ So it goes back and finds that the person is like a house that someone has cleaned and organized, but no one is living in it. 45 Then this evil spirit goes and gets seven other spirits that are even more evil than it is. They all enter that person and begin living in him. That person experienced bad things before, but now he will experience worse things. Something like that is what you wicked people who are alive right now will experience.”

46 As Jesus was saying those things to the large groups of people, his mother and his younger brothers arrived and waited outside where he was. They wanted to talk with him. 47 A person told him, “Your mother and your younger brothers are waiting outside. They want to talk with you.” 48 Jesus replied, “I will tell you whom I consider to be my mother and my brothers.” 49 He pointed to his apprentices and said, “These are the people whom I consider to be my mother and my brothers! 50 In fact, when a person does what God my Father, who rules from heaven, wants, I consider that person to be my brother or sister or mother.”

13 That same day, Jesus left the house where he had been teaching. He walked to the Sea of Galilee and sat down to teach next to it. 2 Then large groups of people came to where Jesus was. Because there were so many people, he got into a boat and sat down there to teach. All the people stood on the shore of the Sea of Galilee to listen to him. 3 Jesus began to use stories to instruct them about many things. He said, “Listen to this: a farmer began to plant some grain seeds. 4 As he was scattering them over the soil, some of the seeds fell on the path. Then some birds flew down and ate those seeds up. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil on top of a layer of rocks. Because they were growing in shallow soil, the seeds sprouted very quickly. 6 However, the sun shone on the new plants and dried them up. Then, because they did not have good roots, the plants died. 7 Other seeds fell onto an area full of thorny plants. These thorny plants grew quickly and crowded out the grain plants. 8 Finally, other seeds fell on fertile soil. They sprouted, and the plants produced a crop. Some plants produced 100 grains of wheat each, others produced 60 grains each, and others produced 30 grains each. 9 You should think carefully about what you just heard me say!”

10 Then, the apprentices came to Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use stories to instruct these people?” 11 Jesus replied, “God has revealed to you hidden things about his heavenly kingdom. However, he has not revealed those things to these people. 12 I say that because God will reveal even more to people who already know some things about God’s heavenly kingdom. They will know many things. In contrast, God will cause people who know very little about God’s heavenly kingdom to know nothing about it at all. 13 I use stories to instruct these people because they can look at things, but they do not really see them. They can hear what people say, but they do not really listen to it or learn from it. 14 What God said by speaking through the prophet Isaiah has come true for them:

‘You will hear things, but you will not learn from them.

You will look at things, but you will not really see them.