Matthew 4:12-25; Matthew 5; Matthew 6; Matthew 7; Matthew 8; Matthew 9; Matthew 10; Matthew 11; Matthew 12; Matthew 13; Matthew 14:1-12

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Matthew 4:12-25

12 When He heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee.

13 He left Nazareth behind and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.

14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

15 Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, along the sea road, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles!

16 The people who live in darkness have seen a great light, and for those living in the shadowland of death, light has dawned.

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!"

18 As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen.

19 "Follow Me," He told them, "and I will make you fish for people!"

20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them.

22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

23 Jesus was going all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

24 Then the news about Him spread throughout Syria. So they brought to Him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics. And He healed them.

25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Matthew 5

1 When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

2 Then He began to teach them, saying:

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

11 "Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me.

12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men.

14 "You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.

15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.

16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

17 "Don't assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

18 For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished.

19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches [these commandments] will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

21 "You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder , and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.

22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Fool!' will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, 'You moron!' will be subject to hellfire.

23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you're on the way with him, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.

26 I assure you: You will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny! / 64 of a daily wage

27 "You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery.

28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell!

31 "It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.

32 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, = fornication, or possibly a violation of Jewish marriage laws causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord.

34 But I tell you, don't take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God's throne;

35 or by the earth, because it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.

36 Neither should you swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.

37 But let your word 'yes' be 'yes,' and your 'no' be 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one.

38 "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

39 But I tell you, don't resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

40 As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well.

41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.

42 Give to the one who asks you, and don't turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43 "You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same?

47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don't even the Gentiles do the same?

48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 6

1 "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 So whenever you give to the poor, don't sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. I assure you: They've got their reward!

3 But when you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

5 "Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. I assure you: They've got their reward!

6 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 When you pray, don't babble like the idolaters, since they imagine they'll be heard for their many words.

8 Don't be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him.

9 "Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy.

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

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]

14 "For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.

15 But if you don't forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing.

16 "Whenever you fast, don't be sad-faced like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive so their fasting is obvious to people. I assure you: They've got their reward!

17 But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash your face,

18 so that you don't show your fasting to people but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

19 "Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

20 But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal.

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

22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness-how deep is that darkness!

24 "No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.

25 "This is why I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the sky: they don't sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they?

27 Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying?

28 And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don't labor or spin thread.

29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these!

30 If that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won't He do much more for you-you of little faith?

31 So don't worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'

32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

34 Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 7

1 "Do not judge, so that you won't be judged.

2 For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye?

4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and look, there's a log in your eye?

5 Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

6 Don't give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.

7 "Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

12 Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them-this is the Law and the Prophets.

13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it.

14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.

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

16 You'll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.

18 A good tree can't produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit.

19 Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 So you'll recognize them by their fruit.

21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but [only] the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.

22 On that day many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?'

23 Then I will announce to them, 'I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers! '

24 "Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock.

25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn't collapse, because its foundation was on the rock.

26 But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn't act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!"

28 When Jesus had finished this sermon, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,

29 because He was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes.

Matthew 8

1 When He came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.

2 Right away a man with a serious skin disease came up and knelt before Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."

3 Reaching out His hand He touched him, saying, "I am willing; be made clean." Immediately his disease was healed.

4 Then Jesus told him, "See that you don't tell anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed, as a testimony to them."

5 When He entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,

6 "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible agony!"

7 "I will come and heal him," He told him.

8 "Lord," the centurion replied, "I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But only say the word, and my servant will be cured.

9 For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes; and to another, 'Come!' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it."

10 Hearing this, Jesus was amazed and said to those following Him, "I assure you: I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith!

11 I tell you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

13 Then Jesus told the centurion, "Go. As you have believed, let it be done for you." And his servant was cured that very moment.

14 When Jesus went into Peter's house, He saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.

15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and began to serve Him.

16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick,

17 so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: He Himself took our weaknesses and carried our diseases.

18 When Jesus saw large crowds around Him, He gave the order to go to the other side [of the sea].

19 A scribe approached Him and said, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go!"

20 Jesus told him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."

21 "Lord," another of His disciples said, "first let me go bury my father."

22 But Jesus told him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

23 As He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.

24 Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves. But He was sleeping.

25 So the disciples came and woke Him up, saying, "Lord, save [us]! We're going to die!"

26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, you of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a great calm.

27 The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this?-even the winds and the sea obey Him!"

28 When He had come to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met Him as they came out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.

29 Suddenly they shouted, "What do You have to do with us, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"

30 Now a long way off from them, a large herd of pigs was feeding.

31 "If You drive us out," the demons begged Him, "send us into the herd of pigs."

32 "Go!" He told them. So when they had come out, they entered the pigs. And suddenly the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water.

33 Then the men who tended them fled. They went into the city and reported everything-especially what had happened to those who were demon-possessed.

34 At that, the whole town went out to meet Jesus. When they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region.

Matthew 9

1 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town.

2 Just then some men brought to Him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, "Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven."

3 At this, some of the scribes said among themselves, "He's blaspheming!"

4 But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?

5 For which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?

6 But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -then He told the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home."

7 And he got up and went home.

8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God who had given such authority to men.

9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" So he got up and followed Him.

10 While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat with Jesus and His disciples.

11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

12 But when He heard this, He said, "Those who are well don't need a doctor, but the sick do.

13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners."

14 Then John's disciples came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?"

15 Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them? The days will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 No one patches an old garment with unshrunk cloth, because the patch pulls away from the garment and makes the tear worse.

17 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."

18 As He was telling them these things, suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before Him, saying, "My daughter is near death, but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live."

19 So Jesus and His disciples got up and followed him.

20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years approached from behind and touched the tassel on His robe,

21 for she said to herself, "If I can just touch His robe, I'll be made well!"

22 But Jesus turned and saw her. "Have courage, daughter," He said. "Your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that moment.

23 When Jesus came to the leader's house, He saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly.

24 "Leave," He said, "because the girl isn't dead, but sleeping." And they started laughing at Him.

25 But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.

26 And this news spread throughout that whole area.

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, shouting, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"

28 When He entered the house, the blind men approached Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they answered Him.

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "Let it be done for you according to your faith!"

30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, "Be sure that no one finds out!"

31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that whole area.

32 Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to Him.

33 When the demon had been driven out, the man spoke. And the crowds were amazed, saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"

34 But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!"

35 Then Jesus went to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.

36 When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd.

37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few.

38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

Matthew 10

1 Summoning His 12 disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.

2 These are the names of the 12 apostles: First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

5 Jesus sent out these 12 after giving them instructions: "Don't take the road leading to other nations, and don't enter any Samaritan town.

6 Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 As you go, announce this: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.'

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons. You have received free of charge; give free of charge.

9 Don't take along gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.

10 Don't take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a walking stick, for the worker is worthy of his food.

11 "When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave.

12 Greet a household when you enter it,

13 and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it. But if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.

14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town.

15 I assure you: It will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

16 "Look, I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.

17 Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins and flog you in their synagogues, beware of them.

18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations.

19 But when they hand you over, don't worry about how or what you should speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour,

20 because you are not speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you.

21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death.

22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.

23 When they persecute you in one town, escape to another. For I assure you: You will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 A disciple is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.

25 It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house 'Beelzebul,' how much more the members of his household!

26 "Therefore, don't be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won't be uncovered, and nothing hidden that won't be made known.

27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops.

28 Don't fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29 Aren't two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's consent.

30 But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.

31 Don't be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 "Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.

33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.

34 Don't assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

36 and a man's enemies will be the members of his household.

37 The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

38 And whoever doesn't take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.

39 Anyone finding his life will lose it, and anyone losing his life because of Me will find it.

40 "The one who welcomes you welcomes Me, and the one who welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me.

41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he's righteous will receive a righteous person's reward.

42 And whoever gives just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple -I assure you: He will never lose his reward!"

Matthew 11

1 When Jesus had finished giving orders to His 12 disciples, He moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.

2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent [a message] by his disciples

3 and asked Him, "Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?"

4 Jesus replied to them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see:

5 the blind see, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news.

6 And if anyone is not offended because of Me, he is blessed."

7 As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? Look, those who wear soft clothes are in kings' palaces.

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

10 This is the one it is written about: Look, I am sending My messenger ahead of You; he will prepare Your way before You.

11 "I assure you: Among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared, but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force.

13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John;

14 if you're willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.

15 Anyone who has ears should listen!

16 "To what should I compare this generation? It's like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to each other:

17 We played the flute for you, but you didn't dance; we sang a lament, but you didn't mourn!

18 For John did not come eating or drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!'

19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

20 Then He proceeded to denounce the towns where most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent:

21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago!

22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today.

24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants.

26 Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure.

27 All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal Him.

28 "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29 All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.

30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Matthew 12

1 At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain.

2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!"

3 He said to them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry-

4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?

5 Or haven't you read in the Law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?

6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here!

7 If you had known what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice , you would not have condemned the innocent.

8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

9 Moving on from there, He entered their synagogue.

10 There He saw a man who had a paralyzed hand. And in order to accuse Him they asked Him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

11 But He said to them, "What man among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn't take hold of it and lift it out?

12 A man is worth far more than a sheep, so it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

13 Then He told the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out, and it was restored, as good as the other.

14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.

15 When Jesus became aware of this, He withdrew from there. Huge crowds followed Him, and He healed them all.

16 He warned them not to make Him known,

17 so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

18 Here is My Servant whom I have chosen, My beloved in whom My soul delights; I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.

19 He will not argue or shout, and no one will hear His voice in the streets.

20 He will not break a bruised reed, and He will not put out a smoldering wick, until He has led justice to victory.

21 The nations will put their hope in His name.

22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to Him. He healed him, so that the man could both speak and see.

23 And all the crowds were astounded and said, "Perhaps this is the Son of David!"

24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, "The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons."

25 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.

26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges.

28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

29 How can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.

30 Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters.

31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.

33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

35 A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.

36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.

37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."

39 But He answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah's proclamation; and look-something greater than Jonah is here!

42 The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look-something greater than Solomon is here!

43 "When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn't find any.

44 Then it says, 'I'll go back to my house that I came from.' And when it arrives, it finds [the house] vacant, swept, and put in order.

45 Then off it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man's last condition is worse than the first. That's how it will also be with this evil generation."

46 He was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly His mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to Him.

47 Someone told Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You."

48 But He replied to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"

49 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!

50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven, that person is My brother and sister and mother."

Matthew 13

1 On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.

2 Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while the whole crowd stood on the shore.

3 Then He told them many things in parables, saying: "Consider the sower who went out to sow.

4 As he was sowing, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and ate them up.

5 Others fell on rocky ground, where there wasn't much soil, and they sprang up quickly since the soil wasn't deep.

6 But when the sun came up they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered.

7 Others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them.

8 Still others fell on good ground, and produced a crop: some 100, some 60, and some 30 times [what was sown].

9 Anyone who has ears should listen!"

10 Then the disciples came up and asked Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"

11 He answered them, "Because the secrets does not mean "mysteries" in the Eng sense; it means what we can know only by divine revelation. of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.

12 For whoever has, [more] will be given to him, and he will have more than enough. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

13 For this reason I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand.

14 Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive.

15 For this people's heart has grown callous; their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn back- and I would cure them.

16 "But your eyes are blessed because they do see, and your ears because they do hear!

17 For I assure you: Many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see yet didn't see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn't hear them.

18 "You, then, listen to the parable of the sower:

19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path.

20 And the one sown on rocky ground-this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.

21 Yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

22 Now the one sown among the thorns-this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

23 But the one sown on the good ground-this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times [what was sown]."

24 He presented another parable to them: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

25 But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.

26 When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.

27 The landowner's slaves came to him and said, 'Master, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?'

28 " 'An enemy did this!' he told them. " 'So, do you want us to go and gather them up?' the slaves asked him.

29 " 'No,' he said. 'When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I'll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn. ' "

31 He presented another parable to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.

32 It's the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it's taller than the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches."

33 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds of flour until it spread through all of it."

34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and He would not speak anything to them without a parable,

35 so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: I will open My mouth in parables; I will declare things kept secret from the foundation of the world.

36 Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, "Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us."

37 He replied: "The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man;

38 the field is the world; and the good seed-these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and

39 the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40 Therefore just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.

41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness.

42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.

45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.

46 When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had, and bought it.

47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind [of fish],

48 and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good [fish] into containers, but threw out the worthless ones.

49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous,

50 and throw them into the blazing furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 "Have you understood all these things?" "Yes," they told Him.

52 "Therefore," He said to them, "every student of Scripture instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who brings out of his storeroom what is new and what is old."

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, He left there.

54 He went to His hometown and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "How did this wisdom and these miracles come to Him?

55 Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't His mother called Mary, and His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

56 And His sisters, aren't they all with us? So where does He get all these things?"

57 And they were offended by Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household."

58 And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Matthew 14:1-12

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus.

2 "This is John the Baptist!" he told his servants. "He has been raised from the dead, and that's why supernatural powers are at work in him."

3 For Herod had arrested John, chained him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,

4 since John had been telling him, "It's not lawful for you to have her!"

5 Though he wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd, since they regarded him as a prophet.

6 But when Herod's birthday celebration came, Herodias' daughter danced before them and pleased Herod.

7 So he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

8 And prompted by her mother, she answered, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter!"

9 Although the king regretted it, he commanded that it be granted because of his oaths and his guests.

10 So he sent orders and had John beheaded in the prison.

11 His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.

12 Then his disciples came, removed the corpse, buried it, and went and reported to Jesus.