The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 On a certain Sabbath Jesus was walking through a field of ripe grain. His disciples were pulling off heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands to get rid of the chaff, and eating them.
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On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.
2 Some Pharisees said, "Why are you doing that, breaking a Sabbath rule?"
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But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath? ”
3 But Jesus stood up for them. "Have you never read what David and those with him did when they were hungry?
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And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
4 How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? He also handed it out to his companions."
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how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him? ”
5 Then he said, "The Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath; he's in charge."
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And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath. ”
6 On another Sabbath he went to the meeting place and taught. There was a man there with a crippled right hand.
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On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.
7 The religion scholars and Pharisees had their eye on Jesus to see if he would heal the man, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction.
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And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.
8 He knew what they were up to and spoke to the man with the crippled hand: "Get up and stand here before us." He did.
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But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here. ”And he rose and stood there.
9 Then Jesus addressed them, "Let me ask you something: What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?"
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And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it? ”
10 He looked around, looked each one in the eye. He said to the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out - it was as good as new!
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And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand. ”And he did so, and his hand was restored.
11 They were beside themselves with anger, and started plotting how they might get even with him.
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But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
12 At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God.
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In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
13 The next day he summoned his disciples; from them he selected twelve he designated as apostles:
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And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:
14 Simon, whom he named Peter, Andrew, his brother, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
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Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James, son of Alphaeus, Simon, called the Zealot,
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and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,
16 Judas, son of James, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
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and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
17 Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon.
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And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon,
18 They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed.
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who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.
19 Everyone was trying to touch him - so much energy surging from him, so many people healed!
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And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
20 Then he spoke: You're blessed when you've lost it all. God's kingdom is there for the finding.
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And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. Then you're ready for the Messianic meal. You're blessed when the tears flow freely. Joy comes with the morning.
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“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
22 "Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable.
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“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
23 You can be glad when that happens - skip like a lamb, if you like! - for even though they don't like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this. Give Away Your Life
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Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
24 But it's trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you'll ever get.
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“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25 And it's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long. And it's trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games. There's suffering to be met, and you're going to meet it.
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“Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
26 "There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests - look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.
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“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
27 "To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.
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“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person.
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bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
29 If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it.
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To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.
30 If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
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Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.
31 "Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them!
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And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
32 If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that.
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“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that.
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And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.
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And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
35 "I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never - I promise - regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst.
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But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
36 Our Father is kind; you be kind.
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Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
37 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier.
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“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
38 Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back - given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."
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give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. ”
39 He quoted a proverb: "'Can a blind man guide a blind man?' Wouldn't they both end up in the ditch?
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He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
40 An apprentice doesn't lecture the master. The point is to be careful who you follow as your teacher.
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A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
41 "It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.
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Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
42 Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
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How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye, ’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
43 "You don't get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree.
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“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,
44 The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives.
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for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.
45 It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.
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The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
46 "Why are you so polite with me, always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's right, sir,' but never doing a thing I tell you?
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“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord, ’ and not do what I tell you?
47 These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.
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Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
48 "If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last.
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he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
49 But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss."
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But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great. ”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025