24
"When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it travels through dry places, looking for a place to rest. But when it finds no place, it says, 'I will go back to the house I left.'
25
And when it comes back, it finds that house swept clean and made neat.
26
Then the evil spirit goes out and brings seven other spirits more evil than it is, and they go in and live there. So the person has even more trouble than before."
27
As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out to Jesus, "Happy is the mother who gave birth to you and nursed you."
28
But Jesus said, "No, happy are those who hear the teaching of God and obey it."
29
As the crowd grew larger, Jesus said, "The people who live today are evil. They want to see a miracle for a sign, but no sign will be given them, except the sign of Jonah.
30
As Jonah was a sign for those people who lived in Nineveh, the Son of Man will be a sign for the people of this time.
31
On the Judgment Day the Queen of the Southn will stand up with the people who live now. She will show they are guilty, because she came from far away to listen to Solomon's wise teaching. And I tell you that someone greater than Solomon is here.
32
On the Judgment Day the people of Nineveh will stand up with the people who live now, and they will show that you are guilty. When Jonah preached to them, they were sorry and changed their lives. And I tell you that someone greater than Jonah is here.
33
"No one lights a lamp and puts it in a secret place or under a bowl, but on a lampstand so the people who come in can see.
34
Your eye is a light for the body. When your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But when your eyes are evil, your whole body will be full of darkness.
35
So be careful not to let the light in you become darkness.
36
If your whole body is full of light, and none of it is dark, then you will shine bright, as when a lamp shines on you."
37
After Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee asked Jesus to eat with him. So Jesus went in and sat at the table.
38
But the Pharisee was surprised when he saw that Jesus did not wash his handsn before the meal.
39
The Lord said to him, "You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are full of greed and evil.
40
You foolish people! The same one who made what is outside also made what is inside.
41
So give what is in your dishes to the poor, and then you will be fully clean.
42
How terrible for you Pharisees! You give God one-tenth of even your mint, your rue, and every other plant in your garden. But you fail to be fair to others and to love God. These are the things you should do while continuing to do those other things.
43
How terrible for you Pharisees, because you love to have the most important seats in the synagogues, and you love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces.
44
How terrible for you, because you are like hidden graves, which people walk on without knowing."
45
One of the experts on the law said to Jesus, "Teacher, when you say these things, you are insulting us, too."
46
Jesus answered, "How terrible for you, you experts on the law! You make strict rules that are very hard for people to obey, but you yourselves don't even try to follow those rules.
47
How terrible for you, because you build tombs for the prophets whom your ancestors killed!
48
And now you show that you approve of what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you build tombs for them!