Matthew 12:1-21; Mark 3; Luke 6

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Matthew 12:1-21

1 One Sabbath day Jesus walked through the grainfields. His disciples were hungry. So they began to break off some heads of grain and eat them.
2 The Pharisees saw this. They said to Jesus, "Look! It is against the Law to do this on the Sabbath. But your disciples are doing it anyway!"
3 Jesus answered, "Haven't you read about what David did? He and his men were hungry.
4 So he entered the house of God. He and his men ate the holy bread. Only priests were allowed to eat it.
5 Haven't you read the Law? It tells how every Sabbath day the priests in the temple have to do their work on that day. But they are not considered guilty.
6 "I tell you that one who is more important than the temple is here.
7 Scripture says, 'I want mercy and not sacrifice.'(Hosea 6:6) You don't know what those words mean. If you did, you would not bring charges against those who are not guilty.
8 The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day."
9 Going on from that place, Jesus went into their synagogue.
10 A man with a weak and twisted hand was there. The Pharisees were trying to find fault with Jesus. So they asked him, "Does the Law allow us to heal on the Sabbath day?"
11 He said to them, "What if one of your sheep falls into a pit on the Sabbath? Won't you take hold of it and lift it out?
12 A man is worth more than sheep! So the Law allows us to do good on the Sabbath day."
13 Then Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out. It was as good as new, just as good as the other hand.
14 But the Pharisees went out and planned how to kill Jesus.
15 Jesus knew all about the Pharisees' plans. So he left that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick people.
16 But he warned them not to tell who he was.
17 This was to make what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah come true. It says,
18 "Here is my servant. I have chosen him. He is the one I love. I am very pleased with him. I will put my Spirit on him. He will announce to the nations that everything will be made right.
19 He will not argue or cry out. No one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 He will not break a bent twig. He will not put out a dimly burning flame. He will make everything right.
21 The nations will put their hope in him." (Isaiah 42:1-4)
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica.   All rights reserved worldwide.

Mark 3

1 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue. A man with a weak and twisted hand was there.
2 Some Pharisees were trying to find fault with Jesus. They watched him closely. They wanted to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath day.
3 Jesus spoke to the man with the weak and twisted hand. "Stand up in front of everyone," he said.
4 Then Jesus asked them, "What does the Law say we should do on the Sabbath day? Should we do good? Or should we do evil? Should we save life? Or should we kill?" But no one answered.
5 Jesus looked around at them in anger. He was very upset because their hearts were stubborn. Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was as good as new.
6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to make plans with the Herodians. They wanted to kill Jesus.
7 Jesus went off to the Sea of Galilee with his disciples. A large crowd from Galilee followed.
8 People heard about all that Jesus was doing. And many came to him. They came from Judea, Jerusalem, and Idumea. They came from the lands east of the Jordan River. And they came from the area around Tyre and Sidon.
9 Because of the crowd, Jesus told his disciples to get a small boat ready for him. This would keep the people from crowding him.
10 Jesus had healed many people. So those who were sick were pushing forward to touch him.
11 When people with evil spirits saw him, they fell down in front of him. The spirits shouted, "You are the Son of God!"
12 But Jesus ordered them not to tell who he was.
13 Jesus went up on a mountainside. He called for certain people to come to him, and they came.
14 He appointed 12 of them and called them apostles. From that time on they would be with him. He would also send them out to preach.
15 They would have authority to drive out demons.
16 So Jesus appointed the Twelve. Simon was one of them. Jesus gave him the name Peter.
17 There were James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. Jesus gave them the name Boanerges. Boanerges means Sons of Thunder.
18 There were also Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, and James, son of Alphaeus. And there were Thaddaeus and Simon the Zealot.
19 Judas Iscariot was one of them too. He was the one who was later going to hand Jesus over to his enemies.
20 Jesus entered a house. Again a crowd gathered. It was so large that Jesus and his disciples were not even able to eat.
21 His family heard about this. So they went to take charge of him. They said, "He is out of his mind."
22 Some teachers of the law were there. They had come down from Jerusalem. They said, "He is controlled by Beelzebub! He is driving out demons by the power of the prince of demons."
23 So Jesus called them over and spoke to them by using stories. He said, "How can Satan drive out Satan?
24 If a kingdom fights against itself, it can't stand.
25 If a family is divided, it can't stand.
26 And if Satan fights against himself, and his helpers are divided, he can't stand. That is the end of him.
27 In fact, none of you can enter a strong man's house and just take what the man owns. You must first tie him up. Then you can rob his house.
28 "What I'm about to tell you is true. Everyone's sins and evil words against God will be forgiven.
29 But anyone who speaks evil things against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. His guilt will last forever."
30 Jesus said this because the teachers of the law were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
31 Jesus' mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to get him.
32 A crowd was sitting around Jesus. They told him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside. They are looking for you."
33 "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" he asked.
34 Then Jesus looked at the people sitting in a circle around him. He said, "Here is my mother! Here are my brothers!
35 Anyone who does what God wants is my brother or sister or mother."
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica.   All rights reserved worldwide.

Luke 6

1 One Sabbath day Jesus was walking through the grainfields. His disciples began to break off some heads of grain. They rubbed them in their hands and ate them.
2 Some of the Pharisees said, "It is against the Law to do this on the Sabbath. Why are you doing it?"
3 Jesus answered them, "Haven't you ever read about what David did? He and his men were hungry.
4 He entered the house of God and took the holy bread. He ate the bread that only priests were allowed to eat. David also gave some to his men."
5 Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day."
6 On another Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue and was teaching. A man whose right hand was weak and twisted was there.
7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were trying to find fault with Jesus. So they watched him closely. They wanted to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.
8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He spoke to the man who had the weak and twisted hand. "Get up and stand in front of everyone," he said. So the man got up and stood there.
9 Then Jesus said to them, "What does the Law say we should do on the Sabbath day? Should we do good? Or should we do evil? Should we save life? Or should we destroy it?"
10 He looked around at all of them. Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did, and his hand was as good as new.
11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were very angry. They began to talk to each other about what they might do to Jesus.
12 On one of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray. He spent the night praying to God.
13 When morning came, he called for his disciples to come to him. He chose 12 of them and made them apostles.
14 Simon was one of them. Jesus gave him the name Peter. There were also Simon's brother Andrew, James, John, Philip and Bartholomew.
15 And there were Matthew, Thomas, and James, son of Alphaeus. There were also Simon who was called the Zealot
16 and Judas, son of James. Judas Iscariot was one of them too. He was the one who would later hand Jesus over to his enemies.
17 Jesus went down the mountain with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there. A large number of other people were there too. They came from all over Judea, including Jerusalem. They also came from the coast of Tyre and Sidon.
18 They had all come to hear Jesus and to be healed of their sicknesses. People who were troubled by evil spirits were made well.
19 Everyone tried to touch Jesus. Power was coming from him and healing them all.
20 Jesus looked at his disciples. He said to them, "Blessed are you who are needy. God's kingdom belongs to you.
21 Blessed are you who are hungry now. You will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are sad now. You will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they have nothing to do with you and say bad things about you, and when they treat your name as something evil.
23 "Their people treated the prophets the same way long ago. When these things happen to you, be glad and jump for joy. You will receive many blessings in heaven.
24 "But how terrible it will be for you who are rich! You have already had your easy life.
25 How terrible for you who are well fed now! You will go hungry. How terrible for you who laugh now! You will cry and be sad.
26 How terrible for you when everyone says good things about you! Their people treated the false prophets the same way long ago.
27 "But here is what I tell you who hear me. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you.
28 Bless those who call down curses on you. And pray for those who treat you badly.
29 "Suppose someone hits you on one cheek. Turn your other cheek to him also. Suppose someone takes your coat. Don't stop him from taking your shirt.
30 "Give to everyone who asks you. And if anyone takes what belongs to you, don't ask to get it back.
31 Do to others as you want them to do to you.
32 "Suppose you love those who love you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even 'sinners' love those who love them.
33 And suppose you do good to those who are good to you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even 'sinners' do that.
34 And suppose you lend money to those who can pay you back. Should anyone praise you for that? Even a 'sinner' lends to 'sinners,' expecting them to pay everything back.
35 "But love your enemies. Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will receive a lot in return. And you will be sons of the Most High God. He is kind to people who are evil and are not thankful.
36 So have mercy, just as your Father has mercy.
37 "If you do not judge others, then you will not be judged. If you do not find others guilty, then you will not be found guilty. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good amount will be poured into your lap. It will be pressed down, shaken together, and running over. The same amount you give will be measured out to you."
39 Jesus also gave them another example. He asked, "Can a blind person lead another blind person? Won't they both fall into a pit?
40 Students are not better than their teachers. But everyone who is completely trained will be like his teacher.
41 "You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend's eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye.
42 How can you say to your friend, 'Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye'? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye? You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend's eye.
43 "A good tree doesn't bear bad fruit. And a bad tree doesn't bear good fruit.
44 You can tell each tree by the kind of fruit it bears. People do not pick figs from thorns. And they don't pick grapes from bushes.
45 "A good man says good things. These come from the good that is put away in his heart. An evil man says evil things. These come from the evil that is put away in his heart. Their mouths say everything that is in their hearts.
46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and still don't do what I say?
47 Some people come to me and listen to me and do what I say. I will show you what they are like.
48 They are like someone who builds a house. He digs down deep and sets it on solid rock. When a flood comes, the river rushes against the house. But the water can't shake it. The house is well built.
49 "But here is what happens when people listen to my words and do not obey them. They are like someone who builds a house on soft ground instead of solid rock. The moment the river rushes against that house, it falls down. It is completely destroyed."
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica.   All rights reserved worldwide.