Matthew 23; Luke 20; Luke 21

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his followers,

2 "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees have the authority to tell you what the law of Moses says.

3 So you should obey and follow whatever they tell you, but their lives are not good examples for you to follow. They tell you to do things, but they themselves don't do them.

4 They make strict rules and try to force people to obey them, but they are unwilling to help those who struggle under the weight of their rules

5 "They do good things so that other people will see them. They make the boxesn of Scriptures that they wear bigger, and they make their special prayer clothes very long.

6 Those Pharisees and teachers of the law love to have the most important seats at feasts and in the synagogues.

7 They love people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces, and they love to have people call them 'Teacher.'

8 "But you must not be called 'Teacher,' because you have only one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters together.

9 And don't call any person on earth 'Father,' because you have one Father, who is in heaven.

10 And you should not be called 'Master,' because you have only one Master, the Christ.

11 Whoever is your servant is the greatest among you.

12 Whoever makes himself great will be made humble. Whoever makes himself humble will be made great.

13 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You close the door for people to enter the kingdom of heaven. You yourselves don't enter, and you stop others who are trying to enter.

14

15 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You travel across land and sea to find one person who will change to your ways. When you find that person, you make him more fit for hell than you are.

16 "How terrible for you! You guide the people, but you are blind. You say, 'If people swear by the Temple when they make a promise, that means nothing. But if they swear by the gold that is in the Temple, they must keep that promise.'

17 You are blind fools! Which is greater: the gold or the Temple that makes that gold holy?

18 And you say, 'If people swear by the altar when they make a promise, that means nothing. But if they swear by the gift on the altar, they must keep that promise.'

19 You are blind! Which is greater: the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy

20 The person who swears by the altar is really using the altar and also everything on the altar.

21 And the person who swears by the Temple is really using the Temple and also everything in the Temple

22 The person who swears by heaven is also using God's throne and the One who sits on that throne.

23 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You give to God one-tenth of everything you earn -- even your mint, dill, and cumin. But you don't obey the really important teachings of the law -- justice, mercy, and being loyal. These are the things you should do, as well as those other things.

24 You guide the people, but you are blind! You are like a person who picks a fly out of a drink and then swallows a camel!

25 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You wash the outside of your cups and dishes, but inside they are full of things you got by cheating others and by pleasing only yourselves.

26 Pharisees, you are blind! First make the inside of the cup clean, and then the outside of the cup can be truly clean.

27 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs that are painted white. Outside, those tombs look fine, but inside, they are full of the bones of dead people and all kinds of unclean things.

28 It is the same with you. People look at you and think you are good, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and evil.

29 "How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets, and you show honor to the graves of those who lived good lives.

30 You say, 'If we had lived during the time of our ancestors, we would not have helped them kill the prophets.'

31 But you give proof that you are children of those who murdered the prophets.

32 And you will complete the sin that your ancestors started.

33 "You are snakes! A family of poisonous snakes! How are you going to escape God's judgment?

34 So I tell you this: I am sending to you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify. Some of them you will beat in your synagogues and chase from town to town.

35 So you will be guilty for the death of all the good people who have been killed on earth -- from the murder of that good man Abel to the murder of Zechariahn son of Berakiah, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar.

36 I tell you the truth, all of these things will happen to you people who are living now

37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and stone to death those who are sent to you. Many times I wanted to gather your people as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you did not let me.

38 Now your house will be left completely empty

39 I tell you, you will not see me again until that time when you will say, 'God bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

1 One day Jesus was in the Temple, teaching the people and telling them the Good News. The leading priests, teachers of the law, and older Jewish leaders came up to talk with him,

2 saying, "Tell us what authority you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?"

3 Jesus answered, "I will also ask you a question. Tell me:

4 When John baptized people, was that authority from God or just from other people?"

5 They argued about this, saying, "If we answer, 'John's baptism was from God,' Jesus will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?'

6 But if we say, 'It was from other people,' all the people will stone us to death, because they believe John was a prophet."

7 So they answered that they didn't know where it came from.

8 Jesus said to them, "Then I won't tell you what authority I have to do these things."

9 Then Jesus told the people this story: "A man planted a vineyard and leased it to some farmers. Then he went away for a long time.

10 When it was time for the grapes to be picked, he sent a servant to the farmers to get some of the grapes. But they beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed.

11 Then he sent another servant. They beat this servant also, and showed no respect for him, and sent him away empty-handed.

12 So the man sent a third servant. The farmers wounded him and threw him out.

13 The owner of the vineyard said, 'What will I do now? I will send my son whom I love. Maybe they will respect him.'

14 But when the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, 'This son will inherit the vineyard. If we kill him, it will be ours.'

15 So the farmers threw the son out of the vineyard and killed him. "What will the owner of this vineyard do to them?

16 He will come and kill those farmers and will give the vineyard to other farmers." When the people heard this story, they said, "Let this never happen!"

17 But Jesus looked at them and said, "Then what does this verse mean: 'The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone'?

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken, and the person on whom it falls, that person will be crushed!"

19 The teachers of the law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus at once, because they knew the story was about them. But they were afraid of what the people would do.

20 So they watched Jesus and sent some spies who acted as if they were sincere. They wanted to trap Jesus in saying something wrong so they could hand him over to the authority and power of the governor.

21 So the spies asked Jesus, "Teacher, we know that what you say and teach is true. You pay no attention to who people are, and you always teach the truth about God's way.

22 Tell us, is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

23 But Jesus, knowing they were trying to trick him, said,

24 "Show me a coin. Whose image and name are on it?" They said, "Caesar's."

25 Jesus said to them, "Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and give to God the things that are God's."

26 So they were not able to trap Jesus in anything he said in the presence of the people. And being amazed at his answer, they became silent.

27 Some Sadducees, who believed people would not rise from the dead, came to Jesus.

28 They asked, "Teacher, Moses wrote that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, then that man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.

29 Once there were seven brothers. The first brother married and died, but had no children.

30 Then the second brother married the widow, and he died.

31 And the third brother married the widow, and he died. The same thing happened with all seven brothers; they died and had no children.

32 Finally, the woman died also.

33 Since all seven brothers had married her, whose wife will she be when people rise from the dead?"

34 Jesus said to them, "On earth, people marry and are given to someone to marry.

35 But those who will be worthy to be raised from the dead and live again will not marry, nor will they be given to someone to marry.

36 In that life they are like angels and cannot die. They are children of God, because they have been raised from the dead.

37 Even Moses clearly showed that the dead are raised to life. When he wrote about the burning bush, he said that the Lord is 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'

38 God is the God of the living, not the dead, because all people are alive to him."

39 Some of the teachers of the law said, "Teacher, your answer was good."

40 No one was brave enough to ask him another question.

41 Then Jesus said, "Why do people say that the Christ is the Son of David?

42 In the book of Psalms, David himself says: 'The Lord said to my Lord: Sit by me at my right side,

43 until I put your enemies under your control.'

44 David calls the Christ 'Lord,' so how can the Christ be his son?"

45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his followers,

46 "Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around wearing fancy clothes, and they love for people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces. They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues and at feasts.

47 But they cheat widows and steal their houses and then try to make themselves look good by saying long prayers. They will receive a greater punishment."

1 As Jesus looked up, he saw some rich people putting their gifts into the Temple money box.

2 Then he saw a poor widow putting two small copper coins into the box.

3 He said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people.

4 They gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had to live on."

5 Some people were talking about the Temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts offered to God. But Jesus said,

6 "As for these things you are looking at, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another. Every stone will be thrown down."

7 They asked Jesus, "Teacher, when will these things happen? What will be the sign that they are about to take place?"

8 Jesus said, "Be careful so you are not fooled. Many people will come in my name, saying, 'I am the One' and, 'The time has come!' But don't follow them.

9 When you hear about wars and riots, don't be afraid, because these things must happen first, but the end will come later."

10 Then he said to them, "Nations will fight against other nations, and kingdoms against other kingdoms.

11 In various places there will be great earthquakes, sicknesses, and a lack of food. Fearful events and great signs will come from heaven.

12 "But before all these things happen, people will arrest you and treat you cruelly. They will judge you in their synagogues and put you in jail and force you to stand before kings and governors, because you follow me.

13 But this will give you an opportunity to tell about me.

14 Make up your minds not to worry ahead of time about what you will say.

15 I will give you the wisdom to say things that none of your enemies will be able to stand against or prove wrong.

16 Even your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will turn against you, and they will kill some of you.

17 All people will hate you because you follow me.

18 But none of these things can really harm you.

19 By continuing to have faith you will save your lives.

20 "When you see armies all around Jerusalem, you will know it will soon be destroyed.

21 At that time, the people in Judea should run away to the mountains. The people in Jerusalem must get out, and those who are near the city should not go in.

22 These are the days of punishment to bring about all that is written in the Scriptures.

23 How terrible it will be for women who are pregnant or have nursing babies! Great trouble will come upon this land, and God will be angry with these people.

24 They will be killed by the sword and taken as prisoners to all nations. Jerusalem will be crushed by non-Jewish people until their time is over.

25 "There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On earth, nations will be afraid and confused because of the roar and fury of the sea.

26 People will be so afraid they will faint, wondering what is happening to the world, because the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

27 Then people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 When these things begin to happen, look up and hold your heads high, because the time when God will free you is near!"

29 Then Jesus told this story: "Look at the fig tree and all the other trees.

30 When their leaves appear, you know that summer is near.

31 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know that God's kingdom is near.

32 "I tell you the truth, all these things will happen while the people of this time are still living.

33 Earth and sky will be destroyed, but the words I have spoken will never be destroyed.

34 "Be careful not to spend your time feasting, drinking, or worrying about worldly things. If you do, that day might come on you suddenly,

35 like a trap on all people on earth.

36 So be ready all the time. Pray that you will be strong enough to escape all these things that will happen and that you will be able to stand before the Son of Man."

37 During the day, Jesus taught the people in the Temple, and at night he went out of the city and stayed on the Mount of Olives.

38 Every morning all the people got up early to go to the Temple to listen to him.