Matthew Chapter 1
Genealogy of Jesus Christ
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.
4 Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon.
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse.
6 Jesse was the father of King David, and King David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah.
7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.
8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah.
9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah.
11 Josiah was the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
12 After the exile to Babylon, Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.
13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor.
14 Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud.
15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob;
16 and Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen; and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, fourteen.
Birth of Jesus Christ
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit.
19 Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.
20 But while he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21 She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, saying,
23 “ Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary as his wife.
25 But he did not know her until she gave birth to her firstborn son; and he named him Jesus.
Matthew Chapter 2
The visit of the Magi
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,
2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
6 And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
7 Then Herod, having secretly called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, And when you find him, let me know, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way.
Massacre of the Children
13 After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.”
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and left for Egypt,
15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16 When Herod realized that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old or under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men.
17 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee,
23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth, so that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
Matthew Chapter 3
Preaching of John the Baptist
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
4 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him,
6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
8 Therefore bear fruit worthy of repentance,
9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10 Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees, and every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
The baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.
14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew Chapter 4
Temptation of Jesus
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.
Jesus begins his ministry
12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.
13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, a town by the lake, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali—
14 to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them,
22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.
25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region across the Jordan followed him.
Matthew Chapter 5
The Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes
1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The salt of the earth
13 You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
The light of the world
14 You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Jesus and the law
17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter, not one stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
19 Therefore, anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus and the Wrath
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,
24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
25 Settle matters quickly with your adversary while you are with him on the way to court, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”
Jesus and adultery
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Jesus and divorce
31 “ It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’
32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Jesus and oaths
33 “ Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’
34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.
36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
Love for enemies
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew Chapter 6
Jesus and almsgiving
1 Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them; otherwise you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with a trumpet, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Jesus and prayer
5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.”
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Jesus and fasting
16 When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Treasures in Heaven
19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The body lamp
22 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
God and riches
24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
The eagerness and the anxiety
25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew Chapter 7
Judging others
1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 Do not give what is holy to dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Prayer, and the golden rule
7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The narrow door
13 Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
By their fruits you will know them.
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus, by their fruits you will recognize them
I never met you
21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
The two foundations
24 “ Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. ”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
29 because he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Matthew Chapter 8
Jesus heals a leper
1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him.
2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be clean.” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.
4 Then Jesus told him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
Jesus heals a centurion's servant
5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, pleading with him,
6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
7 Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But only say the word, and my servant will be healed.
9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.
11 I tell you, many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be no one to help them. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.
Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law
14 When Jesus came to Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on them.
16 That evening, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.
17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.”
Those who wanted to follow Jesus
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.
19 A scribe came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Jesus calms the storm
23 When he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.
24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was asleep.
25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
The Gadarene demoniacs
28 When he arrived at the other side, in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men came out of the tombs to meet him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.
29 They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
30 A large herd of pigs was feeding some distance away.
31 The demons begged him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the herd of pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
33 Those tending the pigs ran off and went into the town and reported everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.
34 And all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.
Matthew Chapter 9
Jesus heals a paralytic
1 Then Jesus got into the boat, crossed over, and came to his own town.
2 Some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
4 Aware of their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?
5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your bed and go home.”
7 Then the man got up and went home.
8 When the crowds saw this, they were amazed and praised God, who had given such authority to men.
Matthew's Calling
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.
11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
The question about fasting
14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
15 Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.
16 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.
17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out, and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Jairus' daughter, and the woman who touched Jesus' cloak
18 While he was saying these things to them, a ruler came and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
19 Jesus got up and followed him, along with his disciples.
20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment,
21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.”
22 But Jesus turned and, seeing her, said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.
23 When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd,
24 he said to them, “Go away, for the child is not dead but asleep.” And they laughed at him.
25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the child by the hand, and she got up.
26 And the news of this spread throughout all that land.
Two blind people receive their sight
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.”
30 And their sight was restored. Jesus gave them a strict warning, saying, “See that no one knows about this.”
31 But they went out and spread the news about him throughout all that region.
A mute speaks
32 As they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was mute was brought to him.
33 When the demon had been driven out, the mute man spoke, and the crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
34 But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”
The harvest is plentiful
35 Jesus went throughout all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew Chapter 10
The election of the twelve apostles
1 Then he called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of sickness and disease.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus (also known as Lebbaeus),
4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Mission of the Twelve
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.
6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.
7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
9 Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts—
10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.
11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay there until you leave.
12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting.
13 If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it. But even if it is not worthy, your peace will return to you.
14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, leave that house or town and shake the dust off your feet.
15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Coming persecutions
16 “ Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
17 Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues.
18 On account of me you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. You will be given what to say at that time,
20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.
22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they malign the members of his household!
Who should be feared?
26 So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered up that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.
28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32 Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
33 And whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Jesus, cause of division
34 Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.
37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
Rewards
40 Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous person because he is righteous will receive a righteous person’s reward.
42 And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, truly I tell you, he will by no means lose his reward.
Matthew Chapter 11
The messengers of John the Baptist
1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their towns.
2 Now when John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent two of his disciples to him
3 to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:
5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
7 As the disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
8 Or what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces.”
9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10 This is the one about whom it is written: “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.”
11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and the violent have been trying to seize it.
13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
15 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to each other,
17 ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance,’ We mourned for you, and you did not grieve.
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is proved right by her deeds.
Woes upon the unrepentant cities
20 Then he began to rebuke the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.
21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
24 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
Come to me and rest
25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
27 All things have been committed to me by my Father. 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 you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew Chapter 12
The disciples pick grain on the Sabbath
1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.
2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
3 But he answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
4 He entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests.
5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent?
6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.
7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
The man with the dry hand
9 Going on from there, he went into their synagogue.
10 And behold, a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, so that they might have a basis for accusing him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
11 He said to them, “What man among you, if he has a sheep, and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?
12 How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other.
14 And the Pharisees went out and plotted against Jesus, how to destroy him.
The Chosen Servant
15 Knowing this, Jesus withdrew from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed all their sick.
16 He strictly charged them not to make him known,
17 to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 “ Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he brings justice to victory.
21 In his name the nations will put their hope.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
22 Then a demon-possessed man, blind and mute, was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man could both see and speak.
23 All the people were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.
26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?
27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.
28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
29 For how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
33 “Either make a good tree and its fruit will be good, or make a bad tree and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.”
34 “You brood of vipers! How can you, who are evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.
36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The perverse generation demands a signal
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
39 He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
42 The Queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”
The unclean spirit that returns
43 When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it goes through dry places seeking rest, but finds none.
44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it arrives, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they enter and dwell there; and the final condition of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this wicked generation.
Jesus' mother and brothers
46 While he was still speaking to the people, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.
47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
48 He replied to the one who told him this, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew Chapter 13
Parable of the Sower
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.
2 A large crowd gathered around him, so he got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore.
3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.
9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Purpose of the parables
10 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.’
15 For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Jesus explains the parable of the sower
18 Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
22 The seed falling among thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.
23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
24 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.
26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; But gather the wheat into my barn.
Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.
Parable of the Yeast
33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
Jesus' use of parables
34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.
35 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”
Jesus explains the parable of the weeds
36 Then, after dismissing the crowds, Jesus went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all lawbreakers,
42 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
The hidden treasure
44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
The high-priced pearl
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls,
46 who, having found one pearl of great value, went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The network
47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.
48 When it was full, the fishermen drew it ashore, and sitting down, they sorted the good fish into baskets but threw the bad away.
49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous
50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
New and old treasures
51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They answered, “Yes, Lord.”
52 He said to them, “Therefore every scribe trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
Jesus in Nazareth
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.
54 And coming to his hometown, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?
55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matthew Chapter 14
Death of John the Baptist
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about Jesus,
2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
4 because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
5 Herod wanted to kill him, but he feared the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
6 But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,
7 so he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.
8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
9 The king was distressed; But because of his oath and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted .
10 He then had John beheaded in the prison.
11 His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who presented it to her mother.
12 His disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Feeding the five thousand
13 When Jesus heard this, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard of it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
14 When he landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16 “They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.”
17 “We have here with only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said.
19 Then he directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the children picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus walks on the sea
22 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he had dismissed the crowd, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.
24 Now the boat was already a considerable distance from the lake, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 Peter replied, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water and went toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Jesus heals the sick in Gennesaret
34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.
35 When the people of that place recognized him, they sent word throughout all the surrounding region and brought to him all who were sick.
36 They begged him to let them touch even the fringe of his garment, and as many as touched it were healed.
Matthew Chapter 15
That which contaminates man
1 Then some scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus and asked,
2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.”
3 He answered, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’
5 But you say, ‘If anyone declares to their father or mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift dedicated to God,”
6 then they need not honor their father or mother.’ Thus you nullify the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition.
7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8 “ These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”
10 Then he called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand:
11 It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
12 His disciples came to him and said, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.
14 Leave them; they are blind guides of the blind. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
15 Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.”
16 Jesus said, “Are you still so dull?
17 Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?
18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.”
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.
The faith of the Canaanite woman
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer her a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24 He replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25 Then she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
26 He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then Jesus answered, “Woman, great is your faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
29 Leaving that place, Jesus went to the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down there.
30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the mute, the crippled, and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.
31 The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. and they glorified the God of Israel.
Feeding the four thousand
32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd; they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint on the way.”
33 His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”
34 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”
35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground.
36 Taking the seven loaves and the fish, he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
37 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
38 The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children.
39 Then, after dismissing the crowd, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magdala.
Matthew Chapter 16
The demand for a signal
1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to him to test him, and they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered them, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’
3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times!
4 An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.
The yeast of the Pharisees
5 When his disciples arrived at the other side, they had forgotten to bring bread.
6 Jesus said to them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 They discussed it among themselves, saying, “He said this because we didn’t bring bread.”
8 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you discussing among yourselves, you of little faith, that you have no bread?
9 Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
11 How is it that you do not understand that I did not tell you to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees because of bread?”
12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to beware of the yeast used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter's Confession
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
20 Then he commanded his disciples not to tell anyone that he was Jesus the Christ.
Jesus announces his death
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
26 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will repay each person according to what they have done.
28 Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
Matthew Chapter 17
The Transfiguration
1 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John, the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.
3 Just then Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.
7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”
8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”
10 His disciples asked him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
11 Jesus replied, “Elijah does come first, and he will restore all things.
12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.”
13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus heals a lunatic boy
14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him, saying,
15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, who is an epileptic and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.
16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
17 Jesus answered, “O faithless and perverse generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.”
18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why could we not cast it out?”
20 He replied, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
Jesus announces his death again
22 While they were in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men,
23 and they will kill him; and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And they were greatly distressed.
Temple tax payment
24 When they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the two-drachma tax?”
25 “Yes,” he replied. When Peter went into the house, Jesus was the first to speak to him. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty or taxes—from their own children or from others?”
26 “ From others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said.
27 “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
Matthew Chapter 18
Who is the oldest?
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 He called a little child to him and placed the child among them.
3 And he said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”
Opportunities to fall
6 And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!
8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
Parable of the Lost Sheep
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
11 For the Son of Man came to save the lost.
12 What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go to look for the one that wandered off?
13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not wander off.
14 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
How to forgive your brother
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
The two debtors
23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.
25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he, his wife, his children, and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 At this, the servant fell on his knees before him, pleading, “Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything.”
27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt, and let him go.
28 But that same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He seized him and began to choke him, demanding, “Pay me what you owe!”
29 His fellow servant fell to his knees before him and begged him, “Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything.”
30 But he refused. Instead, he went and had him thrown into prison until he paid the debt.
31 When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me to.
33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’
34 In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed.
35 This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.
Matthew Chapter 19
Jesus teaches about divorce
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the Judean countryside across the Jordan.
2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”
4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’
5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?
6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”
8 “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard,” he replied. “But it was not this way from the beginning.”
9 And I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery; and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
10 His disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry.”
11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it has been given.
12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
Jesus blesses the children
13 Then some children were brought to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray for them; and the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
15 And after he had laid his hands on them, he went away from there.
The rich young man
16 Then someone came to him and said, “Good Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
17 He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness.
19 Honor your father and mother; and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept since my youth. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had great possessions.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Matthew Chapter 20
The vineyard workers
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
2 After agreeing with the workers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 Going out about noon, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
4 He said to them, “You also go into my vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.” So they went.
5 Again he went out about noon and about noon and did the same.
6 About noon he went out and found others standing around doing nothing. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here idle all day?”
7 “ Because no one has hired us,” they answered. He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right will be yours.”
8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.”
9 Those hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.
10 So when those hired first came, they expected to receive more, but each of them also received a denarius.
11 When they received it, they grumbled against the landowner,
12 saying, “These last men worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.”
13 He answered one of them, “Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius?
14 Take what belongs to you and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?”
16 So the first will be last, and the last first; for many are called, but few are chosen.
Jesus announces his death again
17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,
18 “ We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death.
19 They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised to life.”
Petition of James and John
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to him with her sons, kneeling down before him and asking him for something.
21 He said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”
22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup I am going to drink, or to be baptized with the baptism I am going to be baptized with?” They said to him, “We are able.”
23 He said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup and be baptized with the baptism I am going to be baptized with, but to sit at my right and left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard this, they were indignant with the two brothers.
25 Then Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.
26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Two blind people receive their sight
29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him.
30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside when they heard that Jesus was passing by. They called out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
33 “Lord,” they replied, “we want our sight.”
34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Matthew Chapter 21
The triumphal entry into Jerusalem
1 When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
2 telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.
3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them here at once.”
4 All this took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.
8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, And others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
9 And the crowds that went before him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?”
11 And the crowds said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Purification of the temple
12 Then Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.
13 He said to them, “It is written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.
15 When the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he was doing, and the children shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David!” in the temple courts, they were indignant.
16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Have you never read, ‘Out of the lips of infants and nursing babies you have ordained praise’?”
17 Leaving the children, he went out of the city to Bethany and stayed there.
Curse of the barren fig tree
18 Early in the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry.
19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the fig tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”
21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.
22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
The authority of Jesus
23 When he came to the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and asked, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus answered, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all hold John to be a prophet.”
27 “We don’t know,” Jesus replied. “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Parable of the Two Sons
28 But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, “Son, go and work today in my vineyard.”
29 He answered, “I will not,” but later he changed his mind and went.
30 Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, “I will, sir,” but he did not go.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father? They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”
The wicked farmers
33 Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it to some tenants and went away on a journey.
34 When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit.
35 But the tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.
36 Then he sent other servants, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.
37 Finally, he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.”
38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, “This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.”
39 So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
40 So when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?
41 They answered, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and rent the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they realized he was speaking about them.
46 But when they wanted to arrest him, they were afraid of the people, because the people held him to be a prophet.
Matthew Chapter 22
Parable of the wedding feast
1 Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying:
2 “ The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.
3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4 Again he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 But they paid no attention and went off—one to his farm, another to his business.
6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.
7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.’”
9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.
10 So the servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
12 And he said to him, “Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?” But he was speechless.
13 Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, and throw him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
The issue of taxation
15 Then the Pharisees went away and plotted how to trap him in his words.
16 They sent their disciples to him with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.
17 Tell us, then, what you think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “Why are you trying to trap me, you hypocrites?
19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius,
20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this, and whose inscription?”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
22 When they heard this, they were amazed, and they left him and went away.
The question about the resurrection
23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.
24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses said that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.
25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother.
26 The same thing happened to the second, and the third, down to the seventh.
27 Finally, the woman died too.
28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them had her?”
29 Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they will neither marry nor be given in marriage, but will be like the angels of God in heaven.
31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying,
32 ‘ I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.
The great commandment
34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35 One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.
36 “Teacher,” he said, “which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Whose son is Christ?
41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.”
43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,
44 ‘ The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”’?
45 If David calls him Lord, how can he be his son?”
46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
Matthew Chapter 23
Jesus accuses the scribes and Pharisees
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying:
2 “ The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 Everything they do is done for people to see. They make their phylacteries broad and their tassels long,
6 and they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues,
7 and greetings in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.”
9 And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
10 Nor are you to be called teachers, for you have one Teacher, the Messiah.
11 The greatest among you will be your servant.
12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
14 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” For you travel across land and sea to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
16 Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath. ’
17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath. ’
19 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20 Therefore, whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.
22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it.
23Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
Blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 “Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, so that the outside also may be clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.
28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous,
30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
31 Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt!”
33 You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.
35 So on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
Jesus' Lament over Jerusalem
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.
39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Matthew Chapter 24
Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple
1 As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, his disciples came to him to point out its buildings.
2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
Signs Before the End
3 As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered, “Watch out that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and many will deceive.
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.”
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of most will grow cold.
13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
15 So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house,
18 and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak.
19 And woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days!
20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.
24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 So if they tell you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
27For as lightning that comes from the east is visible in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
28 For wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather.
The coming of the Son of Man
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
32 Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
36 But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
39 And they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.
41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 So you also must be ready. For the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master puts in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?
46 Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.
47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’
49 and he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
51He will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew Chapter 25
Parable of the Ten Virgins
1 Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were wise and five were foolish.
3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any extra oil with them.
4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 But the wise ones replied, ‘No, there may not be enough for us and for you. Instead, go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’
10 But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. And those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us!”
12 But he answered and said, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.”
13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come.
Parable of the Talents
14 For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and entrusted his property to them.
15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
16 The one who had received five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.
17 So also, the one who had received two talents gained two more.
18 But the one who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
20 The one who had received five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted me with five talents; see, I have gained five more.’
21 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 The one who had received two talents also came and said, “Master, you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.”
23 His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
24 Then the one who had received one talent came and said, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter.
25 So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here is what belongs to you.”
26 His master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?
27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, so that at my coming I would have received back what was mine with interest.
28 So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents.”
29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The judgment of the nations
31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
37 Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?”
38 “When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”
40 The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
41 Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick or in prison and you did not look after me.”
44 They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?”
45 Then he will answer them, saying, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Matthew Chapter 26
The plot to arrest Jesus
1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,
2 “You know that in two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
4 and plotted to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
5 But they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”
Jesus is anointed in Bethany
6 While Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper,
7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?
9 This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 Aware of their concern, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me.
11 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.
13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Judas offers to betray Jesus
14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,
15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.
16 From then on he sought an opportunity to betray him.
Institution of the Lord's Supper
17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’
” 19 The disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover meal.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.
21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me. ”
22 They were deeply distressed and began to ask him one after another, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
23 He replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.
24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.
25 Then Judas, who betrayed him, answered, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you;
28 for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
29 I tell you, I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
Jesus foretells Peter's denial
30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away because of you, I never will.”
34 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
35 Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the disciples said the same.
Jesus prays in Gethsemane
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37 Taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.
41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again he went away and prayed a second time, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot be taken from me unless I drink it, your will be done.”
43 Again he came and found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.
44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Arrest of Jesus
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.”
49 Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then they came forward, seized Jesus, and arrested him.
51 But one of those with Jesus reached for his sword and drew it out. He struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”
54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me, as against a robber? Every day I sat with you teaching in the temple, and you did not arrest me.
56 But all this has happened so that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Jesus before the council
57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled.
58 Peter followed at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. He went in and sat with the officers to see the outcome.
59 The chief priests, the elders, and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death.
60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two false witnesses came forward
61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
62 The high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you nothing to say? What is this testimony that these men bring against you?”
63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so; And I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, you have now heard his blasphemy.
66 What do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”
67 Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him,
68 saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is it that struck you?”
Peter denies Jesus
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
71 When he went out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 But he again denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man.”
73 A little later, those standing there came to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for even your accent gives you away.”
74 Then he began to curse and swear, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.
75 Then Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Matthew Chapter 27
Jesus before Pilate
1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put him to death.
2 They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
Death of Judas
3 Then Judas, who had betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,
4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself!”
5 So he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.”
7 So they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury foreigners in.
8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “So they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by the Israelites,
10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Pilate questions Jesus
11 Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You say so.”
12 When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer.
13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?”
14 But Jesus gave him no answer, not even a word, so that the governor was greatly amazed.
Jesus sentenced to death
15 Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release to the people one prisoner whom they wanted.
16 And they had at that time a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over.
19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.
21 And the governor answered them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas.”
22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let him be crucified!”
23 The governor asked them, “Why, what crime has he committed?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
25 All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
27 The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered a whole cohort around him.
28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,
29 and after twisting together a crown of thorns, they placed it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. Kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
30 And spitting on him, they took the reed and struck him on the head.
31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
Crucifixion and death of Jesus
32 As they were leaving, they met a man from Cyrene named Simon, and they compelled him to carry the cross.
33 When they came to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”),
34 they offered him vinegar mixed with gall to drink, but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.
35 When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots, so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
36 And they sat down and kept watch over him there.
37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
38 Then they crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.
39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads
40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
41 In the same way the chief priests, the Pharisees, and the elders mocked him, saying,
42 He saved others; he cannot save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
43 He trusts in God; let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, “I am the Son of God.”
44 The robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him in the same way.
45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.
46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He is calling for Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and offered it to him to drink.
49 But the others said, “Leave him alone. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
50 And Jesus, having cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up his spirit.
51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split;
52 and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
55 Many women were there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.
56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Jesus is buried
57 When evening came, a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had also become a disciple of Jesus, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate ordered that it be given to him.
59 Then Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out of the rock. After rolling a large stone against the entrance of the tomb, he went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
The guard at the tomb
62 The next day, the day after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate.
63 They said, “Sir, we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’
64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body away and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go and make it as secure as you know how.”
66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
Matthew Chapter 28
The resurrection
1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and, coming to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
8 So they left the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples.
9 As they were going to tell them, Jesus met them. “Greetings!” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.
10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
The guard's report
11 While they were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.
12 When they had met with the elders and taken counsel, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money,
13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’
14 If this report gets to the governor, we will persuade him and keep you out of trouble.”
15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this day.
The Great Commission
16 But the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Amen.