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

Viewing Multiple Passages

Matthew 4:12-25

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he went away to Galilee.

13 He did not stay in Nazareth, but went to live in Capernaum, a town by Lake Galilee, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali.

14 This was done to make come true what the prophet Isaiah had said,

15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, on the road to the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee, land of the Gentiles!

16 The people who live in darkness will see a great light. On those who live in the dark land of death the light will shine."

17 From that time Jesus began to preach his message: "Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of heaven is near!"

18 As Jesus walked along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers who were fishermen, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew, catching fish in the lake with a net.

19 Jesus said to them, "Come with me, and I will teach you to catch people."

20 At once they left their nets and went with him.

21 He went on and saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in their boat with their father Zebedee, getting their nets ready. Jesus called them,

22 and at once they left the boat and their father, and went with him.

23 Jesus went all over Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Good News about the Kingdom, and healing people who had all kinds of disease and sickness.

24 The news about him spread through the whole country of Syria, so that people brought to him all those who were sick, suffering from all kinds of diseases and disorders: people with demons, and epileptics, and paralytics - and Jesus healed them all.

25 Large crowds followed him from Galilee and the Ten Towns, from Jerusalem, Judea, and the land on the other side of the Jordan.

Matthew 5

1 Jesus saw the crowds and went up a hill, where he sat down. His disciples gathered around him,

2 and he began to teach them:

3 "Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

4 "Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them!

5 "Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised!

6 "Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully!

7 "Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them!

8 "Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God!

9 "Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children!

10 "Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

11 "Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers.

12 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted.

13 "You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it.

14 "You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.

15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house.

16 In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

17 "Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to make their teachings come true.

18 Remember that as long as heaven and earth last, not the least point nor the smallest detail of the Law will be done away with - not until the end of all things.

19 So then, whoever disobeys even the least important of the commandments and teaches others to do the same, will be least in the Kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys the Law and teaches others to do the same, will be great in the Kingdom of heaven.

20 I tell you, then, that you will be able to enter the Kingdom of heaven only if you are more faithful than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees in doing what God requires.

21 "You have heard that people were told in the past, "Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.'

22 But now I tell you: if you are angry with your brother you will be brought to trial, if you call your brother "You good-for-nothing!' you will be brought before the Council, and if you call your brother a worthless fool you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell.

23 So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God.

25 "If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, settle the dispute while there is time, before you get to court. Once you are there, you will be turned over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail.

26 There you will stay, I tell you, until you pay the last penny of your fine.

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

28 But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart.

29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell.

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

32 But now I tell you: if a man divorces his wife for any cause other than her unfaithfulness, then he is guilty of making her commit adultery if she marries again; and the man who marries her commits adultery also.

33 "You have also heard that people were told in the past, "Do not break your promise, but do what you have vowed to the Lord to do.'

34 But now I tell you: do not use any vow when you make a promise. Do not swear by heaven, for it is God's throne;

35 nor by earth, for it is the resting place for his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

36 Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.

37 Just say "Yes' or "No' - anything else you say comes 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 now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too.

40 And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well.

41 And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles.

42 When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something, lend it to him.

43 "You have heard that it was said, "Love your friends, hate your enemies.'

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

45 so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil.

46 Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that!

47 And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that!

48 You must be perfect - just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 6

1 "Make certain you do not perform your religious duties in public so that people will see what you do. If you do these things publicly, you will not have any reward from your Father in heaven.

2 "So when you give something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it, as the hypocrites do in the houses of worship and on the streets. They do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full.

3 But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it.

4 Then it will be a private matter. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.

5 "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites! They love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on the street corners, so that everyone will see them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full.

6 But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.

7 "When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, who think that their gods will hear them because their prayers are long.

8 Do not be like them. Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him.

9 This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven: May your holy name be honored;

10 may your Kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today the food we need.

12 Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.

13 Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One.'

14 "If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done.

16 "And when you fast, do not put on a sad face as the hypocrites do. They neglect their appearance so that everyone will see that they are fasting. I assure you, they have already been paid in full.

17 When you go without food, wash your face and comb your hair,

18 so that others cannot know that you are fasting - only your Father, who is unseen, will know. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.

19 "Do not store up riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal.

20 Instead, store up riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal.

21 For your heart will always be where your riches are.

22 "The eyes are like a lamp for the body. If your eyes are sound, your whole body will be full of light;

23 but if your eyes are no good, your body will be in darkness. So if the light in you is darkness, how terribly dark it will be!

24 "You cannot be a slave of two masters; you will hate one and love the other; you will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

25 "This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn't life worth more than food? And isn't the body worth more than clothes?

26 Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren't you worth much more than birds?

27 Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?

28 "And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves.

29 But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers.

30 It is God who clothes the wild grass - grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won't he be all the more sure to clothe you? What little faith you have!

31 "So do not start worrying: "Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?'

32 (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things.

33 Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things.

34 So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.

Matthew 7

1 "Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you,

2 for God will judge you in the same way you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others.

3 Why, then, do you look at the speck in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye?

4 How dare you say to your brother, "Please, let me take that speck out of your eye,' when you have a log in your own eye?

5 You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

6 "Do not give what is holy to dogs - they will only turn and attack you. Do not throw your pearls in front of pigs - they will only trample them underfoot.

7 "Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks will receive, and anyone who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock.

9 Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread?

10 Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish?

11 As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

12 "Do for others what you want them to do for you: this is the meaning of the Law of Moses and of the teachings of the prophets.

13 "Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it.

14 But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it.

15 "Be on your guard against false prophets; they come to you looking like sheep on the outside, but on the inside they are really like wild wolves.

16 You will know them by what they do. Thorn bushes do not bear grapes, and briers do not bear figs.

17 A healthy tree bears good fruit, but a poor tree bears bad fruit.

18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a poor tree cannot bear good fruit.

19 And any tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire.

20 So then, you will know the false prophets by what they do.

21 "Not everyone who calls me "Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants them to do.

22 When the Judgment Day comes, many will say to me, "Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God's message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!'

23 Then I will say to them, "I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!'

24 "So then, anyone who hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.

25 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, and the wind blew hard against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock.

26 "But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

27 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, the wind blew hard against that house, and it fell. And what a terrible fall that was!"

28 When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowd was amazed at the way he taught.

29 He wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.

Matthew 8

1 When Jesus came down from the hill, large crowds followed him.

2 Then a man suffering from a dreaded skin disease came to him, knelt down before him, and said, "Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean."

3 Jesus reached out and touched him. "I do want to," he answered. "Be clean!" At once the man was healed of his disease.

4 Then Jesus said to him, "Listen! Don't tell anyone, but go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then in order to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice that Moses ordered."

5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman officer met him and begged for help:

6 "Sir, my servant is sick in bed at home, unable to move and suffering terribly."

7 "I will go and make him well," Jesus said.

8 "Oh no, sir," answered the officer. "I do not deserve to have you come into my house. Just give the order, and my servant will get well.

9 I, too, am a man under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, "Go!' and he goes; and I order that one, "Come!' and he comes; and I order my slave, "Do this!' and he does it."

10 When Jesus heard this, he was surprised and said to the people following him, "I tell you, I have never found anyone in Israel with faith like this.

11 I assure you that many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of heaven.

12 But those who should be in the Kingdom will be thrown out into the darkness, where they will cry and gnash their teeth."

13 Then Jesus said to the officer, "Go home, and what you believe will be done for you." And the officer's servant was healed that very moment.

14 Jesus went to Peter's home, and there he saw Peter's mother-in-law sick in bed with a fever.

15 He touched her hand; the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

16 When evening came, people brought to Jesus many who had demons in them. Jesus drove out the evil spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.

17 He did this to make come true what the prophet Isaiah had said, "He himself took our sickness and carried away our diseases."

18 When Jesus noticed the crowd around him, he ordered his disciples to go to the other side of the lake.

19 A teacher of the Law came to him. "Teacher," he said, "I am ready to go with you wherever you go."

20 Jesus answered him, "Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest."

21 Another man, who was a disciple, said, "Sir, first let me go back and bury my father."

22 "Follow me," Jesus answered, "and let the dead bury their own dead."

23 Jesus got into a boat, and his disciples went with him.

24 Suddenly a fierce storm hit the lake, and the boat was in danger of sinking. But Jesus was asleep.

25 The disciples went to him and woke him up. "Save us, Lord!" they said. "We are about to die!"

26 "Why are you so frightened?" Jesus answered. "What little faith you have!" Then he got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop, and there was a great calm.

27 Everyone was amazed. "What kind of man is this?" they said. "Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

28 When Jesus came to the territory of Gadara on the other side of the lake, he was met by two men who came out of the burial caves there. These men had demons in them and were so fierce that no one dared travel on that road.

29 At once they screamed, "What do you want with us, you Son of God? Have you come to punish us before the right time?"

30 Not far away there was a large herd of pigs feeding.

31 So the demons begged Jesus, "If you are going to drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs."

32 "Go," Jesus told them; so they left and went off into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the side of the cliff into the lake and was drowned.

33 The men who had been taking care of the pigs ran away and went into the town, where they told the whole story and what had happened to the men with the demons.

34 So everyone from the town went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their territory.

Matthew 9

1 Jesus got into the boat and went back across the lake to his own town,

2 where some people brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a bed. When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the paralyzed man, "Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven."

3 Then some teachers of the Law said to themselves, "This man is speaking blasphemy!"

4 Jesus perceived what they were thinking, and so he said, "Why are you thinking such evil things?

5 Is it easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, "Get up and walk'?

6 I will prove to you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, pick up your bed, and go home!"

7 The man got up and went home.

8 When the people saw it, they were afraid, and praised God for giving such authority to people.

9 Jesus left that place, and as he walked along, he saw a tax collector, named Matthew, sitting in his office. He said to him, "Follow me." Matthew got up and followed him.

10 While Jesus was having a meal in Matthew's house, many tax collectors and other outcasts came and joined Jesus and his disciples at the table.

11 Some Pharisees saw this and asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with such people?"

12 Jesus heard them and answered, "People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick.

13 Go and find out what is meant by the scripture that says: "It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.' I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts."

14 Then the followers of John the Baptist came to Jesus, asking, "Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don't fast at all?"

15 Jesus answered, "Do you expect the guests at a wedding party to be sad as long as the bridegroom is with them? Of course not! But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 "No one patches up an old coat with a piece of new cloth, for the new patch will shrink and make an even bigger hole in the coat.

17 Nor does anyone pour new wine into used wineskins, for the skins will burst, the wine will pour out, and the skins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins, and both will keep in good condition."

18 While Jesus was saying this, a Jewish official came to him, knelt down before him, and said, "My daughter has just died; but come and place your hands on her, and she will live."

19 So Jesus got up and followed him, and his disciples went along with him.

20 A woman who had suffered from severe bleeding for twelve years came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak.

21 She said to herself, "If only I touch his cloak, I will get well."

22 Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, my daughter! Your faith has made you well." At that very moment the woman became well.

23 Then Jesus went into the official's house. When he saw the musicians for the funeral and the people all stirred up,

24 he said, "Get out, everybody! The little girl is not dead - she is only sleeping!" Then they all started making fun of him.

25 But as soon as the people had been put out, Jesus went into the girl's room and took hold of her hand, and she got up.

26 The news about this spread all over that part of the country.

27 Jesus left that place, and as he walked along, two blind men started following him. "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" they shouted.

28 When Jesus had gone indoors, the two blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I can heal you?" "Yes, sir!" they answered.

29 Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, "Let it happen, then, just as you believe!" -

30 and their sight was restored. Jesus spoke sternly to them, "Don't tell this to anyone!"

31 But they left and spread the news about Jesus all over that part of the country.

32 As the men were leaving, some people brought to Jesus a man who could not talk because he had a demon.

33 But as soon as the demon was driven out, the man started talking, and everyone was amazed. "We have never seen anything like this in Israel!" they exclaimed.

34 But the Pharisees said, "It is the chief of the demons who gives Jesus the power to drive out demons."

35 Jesus went around visiting all the towns and villages. He taught in the synagogues, preached the Good News about the Kingdom, and healed people with every kind of disease and sickness.

36 As he saw the crowds, his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

37 So he said to his disciples, "The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in.

38 Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest."

Matthew 10

1 Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness.

2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee;

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

4 Simon the Patriot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

5 These twelve men were sent out by Jesus with the following instructions: "Do not go to any Gentile territory or any Samaritan towns.

6 Instead, you are to go to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.

7 Go and preach, "The Kingdom of heaven is near!'

8 Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive out demons. You have received without paying, so give without being paid.

9 Do not carry any gold, silver, or copper money in your pockets;

10 do not carry a beggar's bag for the trip or an extra shirt or shoes or a walking stick. Workers should be given what they need.

11 "When you come to a town or village, go in and look for someone who is willing to welcome you, and stay with him until you leave that place.

12 When you go into a house, say, "Peace be with you.'

13 If the people in that house welcome you, let your greeting of peace remain; but if they do not welcome you, then take back your greeting.

14 And if some home or town will not welcome you or listen to you, then leave that place and shake the dust off your feet.

15 I assure you that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah than to the people of that town!

16 "Listen! I am sending you out just like sheep to a pack of wolves. You must be as cautious as snakes and as gentle as doves.

17 Watch out, for there will be those who will arrest you and take you to court, and they will whip you in the synagogues.

18 For my sake you will be brought to trial before rulers and kings, to tell the Good News to them and to the Gentiles.

19 When they bring you to trial, do not worry about what you are going to say or how you will say it; when the time comes, you will be given what you will say.

20 For the words you will speak will not be yours; they will come from the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 "People will hand over their own brothers to be put to death, and fathers will do the same to their children; children will turn against their parents and have them put to death.

22 Everyone will hate you because of me. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved.

23 When they persecute you in one town, run away to another one. I assure you that you will not finish your work in all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 "No pupil is greater than his teacher; no slave is greater than his master.

25 So a pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and a slave like his master. If the head of the family is called Beelzebul, the members of the family will be called even worse names!

26 "So do not be afraid of people. Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known.

27 What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops.

28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell.

29 For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent.

30 As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted.

31 So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!

32 "Those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven.

33 But those who reject me publicly, I will reject before my Father in heaven.

34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35 I came to set sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law;

36 your worst enemies will be the members of your own family.

37 "Those who love their father or mother more than me are not fit to be my disciples; those who love their son or daughter more than me are not fit to be my disciples.

38 Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples.

39 Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.

40 "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.

41 Whoever welcomes God's messenger because he is God's messenger, will share in his reward. And whoever welcomes a good man because he is good, will share in his reward.

42 You can be sure that whoever gives even a drink of cold water to one of the least of these my followers because he is my follower, will certainly receive a reward."

Matthew 11

1 When Jesus finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he left that place and went off to teach and preach in the towns near there.

2 When John the Baptist heard in prison about the things that Christ was doing, he sent some of his disciples to him.

3 "Tell us," they asked Jesus, "are you the one John said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?"

4 Jesus answered, "Go back and tell John what you are hearing and seeing:

5 the blind can see, the lame can walk, those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are brought back to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor.

6 How happy are those who have no doubts about me!"

7 While John's disciples were leaving, Jesus spoke about him to the crowds: "When you went out to John in the desert, what did you expect to see? A blade of grass bending in the wind?

8 What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in fancy clothes? People who dress like that live in palaces!

9 Tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, but you saw much more than a prophet.

10 For John is the one of whom the scripture says: "God said, I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you.'

11 I assure you that John the Baptist is greater than anyone who has ever lived. But the one who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than John.

12 From the time John preached his message until this very day the Kingdom of heaven has suffered violent attacks, and violent men try to seize it.

13 Until the time of John all the prophets and the Law of Moses spoke about the Kingdom;

14 and if you are willing to believe their message, John is Elijah, whose coming was predicted.

15 Listen, then, if you have ears!

16 "Now, to what can I compare the people of this day? They are like children sitting in the marketplace. One group shouts to the other,

17 "We played wedding music for you, but you wouldn't dance! We sang funeral songs, but you wouldn't cry!'

18 When John came, he fasted and drank no wine, and everyone said, "He has a demon in him!'

19 When the Son of Man came, he ate and drank, and everyone said, "Look at this man! He is a glutton and wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and other outcasts!' God's wisdom, however, is shown to be true by its results."

20 The people in the towns where Jesus had performed most of his miracles did not turn from their sins, so he reproached those towns.

21 "How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible for you too, Bethsaida! If the miracles which were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have long ago put on sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on themselves, to show that they had turned from their sins!

22 I assure you that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to the people of Tyre and Sidon than to you!

23 And as for you, Capernaum! Did you want to lift yourself up to heaven? You will be thrown down to hell! If the miracles which were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would still be in existence today!

24 You can be sure that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to Sodom than to you!"

25 At that time Jesus said, "Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned.

26 Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen.

27 "My Father has given me all things. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 "Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.

30 For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light."

Matthew 12

1 Not long afterward Jesus was walking through some wheat fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began to pick heads of wheat and eat the grain.

2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus, "Look, it is against our Law for your disciples to do this on the Sabbath!"

3 Jesus answered, "Have you never read what David did that time when he and his men were hungry?

4 He went into the house of God, and he and his men ate the bread offered to God, even though it was against the Law for them to eat it - only the priests were allowed to eat that bread.

5 Or have you not read in the Law of Moses that every Sabbath the priests in the Temple actually break the Sabbath law, yet they are not guilty?

6 I tell you that there is something here greater than the Temple.

7 The scripture says, "It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.' If you really knew what this means, you would not condemn people who are not guilty;

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

9 Jesus left that place and went to a synagogue,

10 where there was a man who had a paralyzed hand. Some people were there who wanted to accuse Jesus of doing wrong, so they asked him, "Is it against our Law to heal on the Sabbath?"

11 Jesus answered, "What if one of you has a sheep and it falls into a deep hole on the Sabbath? Will you not take hold of it and lift it out?

12 And a human being is worth much more than a sheep! So then, our Law does allow us to help someone on the Sabbath."

13 Then he said to the man with the paralyzed hand, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and it became well again, just like the other one.

14 Then the Pharisees left and made plans to kill Jesus.

15 When Jesus heard about the plot against him, he went away from that place; and large crowds followed him. He healed all the sick

16 and gave them orders not to tell others about him.

17 He did this so as to make come true what God had said through the prophet Isaiah:

18 "Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, the one I love, and with whom I am pleased. I will send my Spirit upon him, and he will announce my judgment to the nations.

19 He will not argue or shout, or make loud speeches in the streets.

20 He will not break off a bent reed, nor put out a flickering lamp. He will persist until he causes justice to triumph,

21 and on him all peoples will put their hope."

22 Then some people brought to Jesus a man who was blind and could not talk because he had a demon. Jesus healed the man, so that he was able to talk and see.

23 The crowds were all amazed at what Jesus had done. "Could he be the Son of David?" they asked.

24 When the Pharisees heard this, they replied, "He drives out demons only because their ruler Beelzebul gives him power to do so."

25 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and so he said to them, "Any country that divides itself into groups which fight each other will not last very long. And any town or family that divides itself into groups which fight each other will fall apart.

26 So if one group is fighting another in Satan's kingdom, this means that it is already divided into groups and will soon fall apart!

27 You say that I drive out demons because Beelzebul gives me the power to do so. Well, then, who gives your followers the power to drive them out? What your own followers do proves that you are wrong!

28 No, it is not Beelzebul, but God's Spirit, who gives me the power to drive out demons, which proves that the Kingdom of God has already come upon you.

29 "No one can break into a strong man's house and take away his belongings unless he first ties up the strong man; then he can plunder his house.

30 "Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering.

31 For this reason I tell you: people can be forgiven any sin and any evil thing they say; but whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

32 Anyone who says something against the Son of Man can be forgiven; but whoever says something against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven - now or ever.

33 "To have good fruit you must have a healthy tree; if you have a poor tree, you will have bad fruit. A tree is known by the kind of fruit it bears.

34 You snakes - how can you say good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

35 A good person brings good things out of a treasure of good things; a bad person brings bad things out of a treasure of bad things.

36 "You can be sure that on the Judgment Day you will have to give account of every useless word you have ever spoken.

37 Your words will be used to judge you - to declare you either innocent or guilty."

38 Then some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees spoke up. "Teacher," they said, "we want to see you perform a miracle."

39 "How evil and godless are the people of this day!" Jesus exclaimed. "You ask me for a miracle? No! The only miracle you will be given is the miracle of the prophet Jonah.

40 In the same way that Jonah spent three days and nights in the big fish, so will the Son of Man spend three days and nights in the depths of the earth.

41 On the Judgment Day the people of Nineveh will stand up and accuse you, because they turned from their sins when they heard Jonah preach; and I tell you that there is something here greater than Jonah!

42 On the Judgment Day the Queen of Sheba will stand up and accuse you, because she traveled all the way from her country to listen to King Solomon's wise teaching; and I assure you that there is something here greater than Solomon!

43 "When an evil spirit goes out of a person, it travels over dry country looking for a place to rest. If it can't find one,

44 it says to itself, "I will go back to my house.' So it goes back and finds the house empty, clean, and all fixed up.

45 Then it goes out and brings along seven other spirits even worse than itself, and they come and live there. So when it is all over, that person is in worse shape than at the beginning. This is what will happen to the evil people of this day."

46 Jesus was still talking to the people when his mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside, asking to speak with him.

47 So one of the people there said to him, "Look, your mother and brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak with you."

48 Jesus answered, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"

49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "Look! Here are my mother and my brothers!

50 Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother, my sister, and my mother."

Matthew 13

1 That same day Jesus left the house and went to the lakeside, where he sat down to teach.

2 The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it, while the crowd stood on the shore.

3 He used parables to tell them many things. "Once there was a man who went out to sow grain.

4 As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

5 Some of it fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The seeds soon sprouted, because the soil wasn't deep.

6 But when the sun came up, it burned the young plants; and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up.

7 Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up and choked the plants.

8 But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants bore grain: some had one hundred grains, others sixty, and others thirty."

9 And Jesus concluded, "Listen, then, if you have ears!"

10 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?"

11 Jesus answered, "The knowledge about the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

12 For the person who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing will have taken away from him even the little he has.

13 The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand.

14 So the prophecy of Isaiah applies to them: "This people will listen and listen, but not understand; they will look and look, but not see,

15 because their minds are dull, and they have stopped up their ears and have closed their eyes. Otherwise, their eyes would see, their ears would hear, their minds would understand, and they would turn to me, says God, and I would heal them.'

16 "As for you, how fortunate you are! Your eyes see and your ears hear.

17 I assure you that many prophets and many of God's people wanted very much to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear, but they did not.

18 "Listen, then, and learn what the parable of the sower means.

19 Those who hear the message about the Kingdom but do not understand it are like the seeds that fell along the path. The Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in them.

20 The seeds that fell on rocky ground stand for those who receive the message gladly as soon as they hear it.

21 But it does not sink deep into them, and they don't last long. So when trouble or persecution comes because of the message, they give up at once.

22 The seeds that fell among thorn bushes stand for those who hear the message; but the worries about this life and the love for riches choke the message, and they don't bear fruit.

23 And the seeds sown in the good soil stand for those who hear the message and understand it: they bear fruit, some as much as one hundred, others sixty, and others thirty."

24 Jesus told them another parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man sowed good seed in his field.

25 One night, when everyone was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

26 When the plants grew and the heads of grain began to form, then the weeds showed up.

27 The man's servants came to him and said, "Sir, it was good seed you sowed in your field; where did the weeds come from?'

28 "It was some enemy who did this,' he answered. "Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?' they asked him.

29 "No,' he answered, "because as you gather the weeds you might pull up some of the wheat along with them.

30 Let the wheat and the weeds both grow together until harvest. Then I will tell the harvest workers to pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them, and then to gather in the wheat and put it in my barn.' "

31 Jesus told them another parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man takes a mustard seed and sows it in his field.

32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows up, it is the biggest of all plants. It becomes a tree, so that birds come and make their nests in its branches."

33 Jesus told them still another parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A woman takes some yeast and mixes it with a bushel of flour until the whole batch of dough rises."

34 Jesus used parables to tell all these things to the crowds; he would not say a thing to them without using a parable.

35 He did this to make come true what the prophet had said, "I will use parables when I speak to them; I will tell them things unknown since the creation of the world."

36 When Jesus had left the crowd and gone indoors, his disciples came to him and said, "Tell us what the parable about the weeds in the field means."

37 Jesus answered, "The man who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man;

38 the field is the world; the good seed is the people who belong to the Kingdom; the weeds are the people who belong to the Evil One;

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

40 Just as the weeds are gathered up and burned in the fire, so the same thing will happen at the end of the age:

41 the Son of Man will send out his angels to gather up out of his Kingdom all those who cause people to sin and all others who do evil things,

42 and they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will cry and gnash their teeth.

43 Then God's people will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Listen, then, if you have ears!

44 "The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man happens to find a treasure hidden in a field. He covers it up again, and is so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back and buys that field.

45 "Also, the Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man is looking for fine pearls,

46 and when he finds one that is unusually fine, he goes and sells everything he has, and buys that pearl.

47 "Also, the Kingdom of heaven is like this. Some fishermen throw their net out in the lake and catch all kinds of fish.

48 When the net is full, they pull it to shore and sit down to divide the fish: the good ones go into the buckets, the worthless ones are thrown away.

49 It will be like this at the end of the age: the angels will go out and gather up the evil people from among the good

50 and will throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will cry and gnash their teeth.

51 "Do you understand these things?" Jesus asked them. "Yes," they answered.

52 So he replied, "This means, then, that every teacher of the Law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who takes new and old things out of his storage room."

53 When Jesus finished telling these parables, he left that place

54 and went back to his hometown. He taught in the synagogue, and those who heard him were amazed. "Where did he get such wisdom?" they asked. "And what about his miracles?

55 Isn't he the carpenter's son? Isn't Mary his mother, and aren't James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers?

56 Aren't all his sisters living here? Where did he get all this?"

57 And so they rejected him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is respected everywhere except in his hometown and by his own family."

58 Because they did not have faith, he did not perform many miracles there.

Matthew 14:1-12

1 At that time Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard about Jesus.

2 "He is really John the Baptist, who has come back to life," he told his officials. "That is why he has this power to perform miracles."

3 For Herod had earlier ordered John's arrest, and he had him tied up and put in prison. He had done this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.

4 For some time John the Baptist had told Herod, "It isn't right for you to be married to Herodias!"

5 Herod wanted to kill him, but he was afraid of the Jewish people, because they considered John to be a prophet.

6 On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced in front of the whole group. Herod was so pleased

7 that he promised her, "I swear that I will give you anything you ask for!"

8 At her mother's suggestion she asked him, "Give me here and now the head of John the Baptist on a plate!"

9 The king was sad, but because of the promise he had made in front of all his guests he gave orders that her wish be granted.

10 So he had John beheaded in prison.

11 The head was brought in on a plate and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.

12 John's disciples came, carried away his body, and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.