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The Gospel According to Matthew
Revised Standard
Version
Chapter 1
1: The
book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of
Abraham.
2: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of
Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
3: and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and
Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,
4: and Ram the father of Ammin'adab, and Ammin'adab the
father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon,
5: and Salmon the father of Bo'az by Rahab, and Bo'az the
father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,
6: and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the
father of Solomon by the wife of Uri'ah,
7: and Solomon the father of Rehobo'am, and Rehobo'am the
father of Abi'jah, and Abi'jah the father of Asa,
8: and Asa the father of Jehosh'aphat, and Jehosh'aphat the
father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzzi'ah,
9: and Uzzi'ah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of
Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezeki'ah,
10: and Hezeki'ah the father of Manas'seh, and Manas'seh the
father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josi'ah,
11: and Josi'ah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at
the time of the deportation to Babylon.
12: And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoni'ah was the
father of She-al'ti-el, and She-al'ti-el the father of Zerub'babel,
13: and Zerub'babel the father of Abi'ud, and Abi'ud the
father of Eli'akim, and Eli'akim the father of Azor,
14: and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of
Achim, and Achim the father of Eli'ud,
15: and Eli'ud the father of Elea'zar, and Elea'zar the
father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob,
16: and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of
whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
17: So all the generations from Abraham to David were
fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon
fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the
Christ fourteen generations.
18: Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.
When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came
together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit;
19: and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to
put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
20: But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do
not fear to take Mary 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 fulfil what the Lord had spoken by
the prophet:
23: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and
his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us).
24: When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the
Lord commanded him; he took his wife,
25: but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called
his name Jesus.
Chapter 2
1: Now
when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the
king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying,
2: "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For
we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship
him."
3: When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all
Jerusalem with him;
4: and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the
people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5: They told 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 from you shall come a
ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"
7: Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained
from them what time the star appeared;
8: and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search
diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word,
that I too may come and worship him."
9: When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo,
the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it
came to rest over the place where the child was.
10: When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with
great joy;
11: and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his
mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their
treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12: And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they
departed to their own country by another way.
13: Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child
and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you;
for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."
14: And he rose and took the child and his mother by night,
and departed to Egypt,
15: and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to
fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt
have I called my son."
16: Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the
wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male
children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old
or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the
wise men.
17: Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet
Jeremiah:
18: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud
lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be
consoled, because they were no more."
19: But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
20: "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the
land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are
dead."
21: And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went
to the land of Israel.
22: But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in
place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being
warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.
23: And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that
what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall
be called a Nazarene."
Chapter 3
1: In
those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of
Judea,
2: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
3: For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah
when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."
4: Now John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a leather
girdle around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5: Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the
region about the Jordan,
6: and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan,
confessing their sins.
7: But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees
coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who
warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8: Bear fruit that befits repentance,
9: and do not presume to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham
as our father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to
raise up children to Abraham.
10: Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every
tree therefore 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 with fire.
12: His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his
threshing floor and gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff
he will burn with unquenchable fire."
13: Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be
baptized by him.
14: John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be
baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
15: But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus
it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness." Then he
consented.
16: And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from
the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit
of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him;
17: and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my
beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Chapter 4
1: Then
Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by
the devil.
2: And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward
he was hungry.
3: And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the
Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."
4: But he answered, "It is written, `Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of
God.'"
5: Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on
the pinnacle of the temple,
6: and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw
yourself down; for it is written, `He will give his angels charge of
you,' and `On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike
your foot against a stone.'"
7: Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, `You shall
not tempt the Lord your God.'"
8: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and
showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them;
9: and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if
you will fall down and worship me."
10: Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, 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.
12: Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he
withdrew into Galilee;
13: and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caper'na-um by
the sea, in the territory of Zeb'ulun and Naph'tali,
14: that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be
fulfilled:
15: "The land of Zeb'ulun and the land of Naph'tali,
toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles --
16: the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has
dawned."
17: From that time Jesus began to preach, saying,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
18: As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into
the sea; for they were fishermen.
19: And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you
fishers of men."
20: Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
21: And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James
the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, in the boat with Zeb'edee
their father, mending their nets, and he called them.
22: Immediately they left the boat and their father, and
followed him.
23: And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every
disease and every infirmity among the people.
24: So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought
him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains,
demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.
25: And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the
Decap'olis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.
Chapter 5
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 shall be
comforted.
5: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the
earth.
6: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain
mercy.
8: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
God.
9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be
called sons of God.
10: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for
righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11: "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute
you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
12: Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven,
for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13: "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost
its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good
for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.
14: "You are the light of the world. A city set on a
hill cannot be hid.
15: Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on
a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
17: "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and
the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.
18: For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away,
not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is
accomplished.
19: Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these
commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the
kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be
called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20: For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of
the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of
heaven.
21: "You have heard that it was said to the men of old,
`You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.'
22: But I say to you that every one who is angry with his
brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother
shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall
be liable to the hell of fire.
23: So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there
remember that your brother has something against you,
24: leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be
reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25: Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are
going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the
judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison;
26: truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have
paid the last penny.
27: "You have heard that it was said, `You shall not
commit adultery.'
28: But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman
lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29: If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and
throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than
that your whole body be thrown into hell.
30: And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and
throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than
that your whole body go into hell.
31: "It was also said, `Whoever divorces his wife, let
him give her a certificate of divorce.'
32: But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife,
except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and
whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33: "Again you have heard that it was said to the men of
old, `You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord
what you have sworn.'
34: But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven,
for it is the throne of God,
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 one
hair white or black.
37: Let what you say be simply `Yes' or `No'; anything more
than this comes from evil.
38: "You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye
and a tooth for a tooth.'
39: But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if
any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;
40: and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him
have your cloak as well;
41: and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two
miles.
42: Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who
would borrow from you.
43: "You have heard that it was said, `You shall love
your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44: But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those
who persecute you,
45: so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;
for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends
rain on the just and on the unjust.
46: For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?
Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47: And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you
doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
48: You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father
is perfect.
Chapter 6
1: "Beware
of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for
then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2: "Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before
you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that
they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received
their reward.
3: But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know
what your right hand is doing,
4: so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who
sees in secret will reward you.
5: "And when you pray, you must not be like the
hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at
the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to
you, they have received their reward.
6: But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and
pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in
secret will reward you.
7: "And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the
Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many
words.
8: Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need
before you ask him.
9: Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in
heaven.
11: Give us this day 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.
14: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father also will forgive you;
15: but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither
will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16: "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the
hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be
seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
17: But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18: that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your
Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will
reward you.
19: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal,
20: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and
steal.
21: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be
also.
22: "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is
sound, your whole body will be full of light;
23: but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be
full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is
the darkness!
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 God and mammon.
25: "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your
life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your
body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the
body more than clothing?
26: Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap
nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are
you not of more value than they?
27: And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to
his span of life?
28: And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the
lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;
29: yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these.
30: But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today
is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more
clothe you, O men of little faith?
31: Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?'
or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'
32: For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly
Father knows that you need them all.
33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things shall be yours as well.
34: "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be
sufficient for the day.
Chapter 7
1: "Judge
not, that you be not judged.
2: For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged,
and the measure you give will be the measure you get.
3: Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4: Or how can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck
out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?
5: You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and
then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's
eye.
6: "Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your
pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to
attack you.
7: "Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will
find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8: For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks it will be opened.
9: Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will
give him a stone?
10: Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?
11: If you then, who are 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 whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to
them; for this is the law and the prophets.
13: "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and
the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by
it are many.
14: For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to
life, and those who find it are few.
15: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in
sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16: You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered
from thorns, or figs from thistles?
17: So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree
bears evil fruit.
18: A sound tree cannot bear evil 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 you will know them by their fruits.
21: "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall
enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father
who is in heaven.
22: On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many
mighty works in your name?'
23: And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you;
depart from me, you evildoers.'
24: "Every one then who hears these words of mine and
does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;
25: and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds
blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had
been founded on the rock.
26: And every one who hears these words of mine and does not
do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the
sand;
27: and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds
blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the
fall of it."
28: And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were
astonished at his teaching,
29: for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as
their scribes.
Chapter 8
1: When
he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him;
2: and behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him,
saying, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."
3: And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying,
"I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was
cleansed.
4: And Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to
any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift
that Moses commanded, for a proof to the people."
5: As he entered Caper'na-um, a centurion came forward to
him, beseeching him
6: and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at
home, in terrible distress."
7: And he said to him, "I will come and heal him."
8: But the centurion answered him, "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 am a man under authority, with soldiers under me;
and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he
comes, and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it."
10: When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who
followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I
found such faith.
11: I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at
table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,
12: while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the
outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth."
13: And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for
you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that
very moment.
14: And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his
mother-in-law lying sick with a fever;
15: he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose
and served him.
16: That evening they brought to him many who were possessed
with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all
who were sick.
17: This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah,
"He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."
18: Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave
orders to go over to the other side.
19: And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I
will follow you wherever you go."
20: And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds
of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his
head."
21: Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me
first go and bury my father."
22: But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the
dead to bury their own dead."
23: And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed
him.
24: And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that
the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.
25: And they went and woke him, saying, "Save, Lord; we
are perishing."
26: And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O men of
little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea;
and there was a great calm.
27: And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is
this, that even winds and sea obey him?"
28: And when he came to the other side, to the country of the
Gadarenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce
that no one could pass that way.
29: And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do
with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the
time?"
30: Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance
from them.
31: And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send
us away into the herd of swine."
32: And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and
went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the
steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33: The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told
everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs.
34: And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when
they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.
Chapter 9
1: And
getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.
2: And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his
bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic,
"Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."
3: And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves,
"This man is blaspheming."
4: But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you
think evil in your hearts?
5: For which is easier, to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or
to say, `Rise and walk'?
6: But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on
earth to forgive sins" -- he then said to the paralytic --
"Rise, take up your bed and go home."
7: And he rose and went home.
8: When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they
glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
9: As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew
sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow
me." And he rose and followed him.
10: And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax
collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his
disciples.
11: And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his
disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and
sinners?"
12: But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well
have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13: Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not
sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
14: Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why
do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"
15: And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests
mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come,
when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will
fast.
16: And no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old
garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear
is made.
17: Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the
skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed;
but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are
preserved."
18: While he was thus speaking to them, behold, a ruler came
in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died;
but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."
19: And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples.
20: And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage
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 shall be made well."
22: Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart,
daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the
woman was made well.
23: And when Jesus came to the ruler's house, and saw the
flute players, and the crowd making a tumult,
24: he said, "Depart; for the girl is not dead but
sleeping." And they laughed at him.
25: But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and
took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
26: And the report of this went through all that district.
27: And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed
him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David."
28: When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and
Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do
this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord."
29: Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to
your faith be it done to you."
30: And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged
them, "See that no one knows it."
31: But they went away and spread his fame through all that
district.
32: As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was
brought to him.
33: And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke;
and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this
seen in Israel."
34: But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the
prince of demons."
35: And Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the
kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity.
36: When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for 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 laborers are few;
38: pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into his harvest."
Chapter 10
1: And
he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over
unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and
every infirmity.
2: The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon,
who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of
Zeb'edee, and John his brother;
3: Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax
collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
4: Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5: These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go
nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,
6: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7: And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at
hand.'
8: Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out
demons. You received without paying, give without pay.
9: Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts,
10: no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor
a staff; for the laborer deserves his food.
11: And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is
worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart.
12: As you enter the house, salute it.
13: And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it;
but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14: And if any one will not receive you or listen to your
words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or
town.
15: Truly, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the
day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor'rah than for that
town.
16: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of
wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
17: Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils,
and flog you in their synagogues,
18: and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my
sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles.
19: When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are
to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be
given to you in that hour;
20: for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your
Father speaking through you.
21: Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father
his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put
to death;
22: and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he
who endures to the end will be saved.
23: When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next;
for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone 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 master of the
house Be-el'zebul, how much more will they malign those of his
household.
26: "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered
that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
27: What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what
you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops.
28: And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill
the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in
hell.
29: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of
them will fall to the ground without your Father's will.
30: But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
31: Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many
sparrows.
32: So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will
acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven;
33: but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before
my Father who is in heaven.
34: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on
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 foes will be those of his own household.
37: He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy
of me;
38: and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not
worthy of me.
39: He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his
life for my sake will find it.
40: "He who receives you receives me, and he who
receives me receives him who sent me.
41: He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall
receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives a righteous man
because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's
reward.
42: And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup
of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he
shall not lose his reward."
Chapter 11
1: And
when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on
from there to teach and preach in their cities.
2: Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the
Christ, he sent word by his disciples
3: and said to him, "Are you he who is to come, or shall
we look for another?"
4: And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you
hear and see:
5: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers
are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the
poor have good news preached to them.
6: And blessed is he who takes no offense at me."
7: As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds
concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to
behold? A reed shaken by the wind?
8: Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft
raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings' houses.
9: Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell
you, and more than a prophet.
10: This is he of whom it is written, `Behold, I send my
messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.'
11: Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has
risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he 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 suffered violence, and men of violence take it by
force.
13: For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John;
14: and if you are willing to accept it, he is Eli'jah who is
to come.
15: He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
16: "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is
like children sitting in the market places and calling to their
playmates,
17: `We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and
you did not mourn.'
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,
`Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and
sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."
20: Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his
mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
21: "Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for
if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22: But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of
judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.
23: And you, Caper'na-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You
shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you
had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24: But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day
of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."
25: At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from
the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes;
26: yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.
27: All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no
one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father
except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest.
29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle
and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Chapter 12
1: At
that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his
disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to
eat.
2: But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him,
"Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the
sabbath."
3: He said to them, "Have you not read what David did,
when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
4: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the
Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who
were with him, but only for the priests?
5: Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the
priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?
6: I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.
7: And if you had known what this means, `I desire mercy, and
not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.
8: For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath."
9: And he went on from there, and entered their synagogue.
10: And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And
they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?" so
that they might accuse him.
11: He said to them, "What man of you, if he has one
sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of
it and lift it out?
12: Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is
lawful to do good on the sabbath."
13: Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your
hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, whole
like the other.
14: But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him,
how to destroy him.
15: Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many
followed him, and he healed them all,
16: and ordered them not to make him known.
17: This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
18: "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved
with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19: He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will any one hear
his voice in the streets;
20: he will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering
wick, till he brings justice to victory;
21: and in his name will the Gentiles hope."
22: Then a blind and dumb demoniac was brought to him, and he
healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw.
23: And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this
be the Son of David?"
24: But when the Pharisees heard it they said, "It is
only by Be-el'zebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out
demons."
25: Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every
kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house
divided against itself will stand;
26: and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against
himself; how then will his kingdom stand?
27: And if I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul, by whom do your
sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
28: But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons,
then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29: Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his
goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may
plunder his house.
30: He who is not with me is against me, and he who 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 says 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 the tree good, and its fruit good; or
make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its
fruit.
34: You brood of vipers! how can you speak good, when you are
evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35: The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good,
and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
36: I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render
account for every careless word they utter;
37: for by your words you will be justified, and by your
words you will be condemned."
38: Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him,
"Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."
39: But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous
generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except
the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly
of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights
in the heart of the earth.
41: The men of Nin'eveh will arise 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 arise 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.
43: "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he
passes through waterless places seeking rest, but he finds none.
44: Then he says, `I will return to my house from which I
came.' And when he comes he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
45: Then he goes and brings with him seven other spirits more
evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last
state of that man becomes worse than the first. So shall it be also
with this evil generation."
46: While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his
mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.
48: But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my
mother, and who are my brothers?"
49: And stretching out his hand toward 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."
Chapter 13
1: That
same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
2: And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a
boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach.
3: And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A
sower went out to sow.
4: And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the
birds came and devoured them.
5: Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much
soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of
soil,
6: but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they
had no root they withered away.
7: Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and
choked them.
8: Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain,
some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9: He who has ears, let him hear."
10: Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you
speak to them in parables?"
11: And he answered them, "To you it has been given to
know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not
been given.
12: For to him who has will more be given, and he will have
abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken
away.
13: This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing
they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they
understand.
14: With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah
which says: `You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you
shall indeed see but never perceive.
15: For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears
are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they
should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and
understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.'
16: But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears,
for they hear.
17: Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men
longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you
hear, and did not hear it.
18: "Hear then the parable of the sower.
19: When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not
understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in
his heart; this is what was sown along the path.
20: As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who
hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
21: yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while,
and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word,
immediately he falls away.
22: As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears
the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke
the word, and it proves unfruitful.
23: As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears
the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in
one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another
thirty."
24: Another parable he put before them, saying, "The
kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in
his field;
25: but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed
weeds among the wheat, and went away.
26: So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds
appeared also.
27: And the servants of the householder came and said to him,
`Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it
weeds?'
28: He said to them, `An enemy has done this.' The servants
said to him, `Then do you want us to go and gather them?'
29: But he said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up
the wheat along with them.
30: Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest
time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them
in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"
31: Another parable he put before them, saying, "The
kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took
and sowed in his field;
32: it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it
is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of
the air come and make nests in its branches."
33: He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven
is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of
flour, till it was all leavened."
34: All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he
said nothing to them without a parable.
35: This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet:
"I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been
hidden since the foundation of the world."
36: Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his
disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of
the weeds of the field."
37: He answered, "He who sows the good seed is the Son
of man;
38: the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons
of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one,
39: and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is
the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.
40: Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so
will it be at the close 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 evildoers,
42: and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will
weep and gnash their teeth.
43: Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom
of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
44: "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a
field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and
sells all that he has and buys that field.
45: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in
search of fine pearls,
46: who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold
all that he had and bought it.
47: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which
was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind;
48: when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and
sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad.
49: So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will
come out and separate the evil from the righteous,
50: and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will
weep and gnash their teeth.
51: "Have you understood all this?" They said to
him, "Yes."
52: And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has
been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who
brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."
53: And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away
from there,
54: and coming to his own country he taught them in their
synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did
this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
55: Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called
Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
56: And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this
man get all this?"
57: And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them,
"A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and
in his own house."
58: And he did not do many mighty works there, because of
their unbelief.
Chapter 14
1: At
that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus;
2: and he said to his servants, "This is John the
Baptist, he has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers
are at work in him."
3: For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in
prison, for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife;
4: because John said to him, "It is not lawful for you
to have her."
5: And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the
people, because they held him to be a prophet.
6: But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Hero'di-as
danced before the company, and pleased Herod,
7: so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she
might ask.
8: Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head
of John the Baptist here on a platter."
9: And the king was sorry; but because of his oaths and his
guests he commanded it to be given;
10: he sent and had John beheaded in the prison,
11: and his head was brought on a platter and given to the
girl, and she brought it to her mother.
12: And his disciples came and took the body and buried it;
and they went and told Jesus.
13: Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a
boat to a lonely place apart. But when the crowds heard it, they
followed him on foot from the towns.
14: As he went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had
compassion on them, and healed their sick.
15: When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said,
"This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the
crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for
themselves."
16: Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them
something to eat."
17: They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and
two fish."
18: And he said, "Bring them here to me."
19: Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and
taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and
blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the
disciples gave them to the crowds.
20: And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up
twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.
21: And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides
women and children.
22: Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go
before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
23: And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the
mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
24: but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from
the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them.
25: And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them,
walking on the sea.
26: But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they
were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried
out for fear.
27: But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take
heart, it is I; have no fear."
28: And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me
come to you on the water."
29: He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat
and walked on the water and came to Jesus;
30: but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to
sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."
31: Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him,
saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?"
32: And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33: And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly
you are the Son of God."
34: And when they had crossed over, they came to land at
Gennesaret.
35: And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent
round to all that region and brought to him all that were sick,
36: and besought him that they might only touch the fringe of
his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.
Chapter 15
1: Then
Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
2: "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of
the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
3: He answered them, "And why do you transgress the
commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
4: For God commanded, `Honor your father and your mother,'
and, `He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.'
5: But you say, `If any one tells his father or his mother,
What you would have gained from me is given to God, he need not
honor his father.'
6: So, for the sake of your tradition, you have made void the
word of God.
7: You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he
said:
8: `This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is
far from me;
9: in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the
precepts of men.'"
10: And he called the people to him and said to them,
"Hear and understand:
11: not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what
comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."
12: Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you
know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this
saying?"
13: He answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father
has not planted will be rooted up.
14: Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man
leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
15: But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to
us."
16: And he said, "Are you also still without
understanding?
17: Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes
into the stomach, and so passes on?
18: But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart,
and this defiles a man.
19: For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder,
adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.
20: These are what defile a man; but to eat with unwashed
hands does not defile a man."
21: And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the
district of Tyre and Sidon.
22: And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out
and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter
is severely possessed by a demon."
23: But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came
and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after
us."
24: He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of
the house of Israel."
25: But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord,
help me."
26: And he answered, "It is not fair 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 her, "O woman, great is your
faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was
healed instantly.
29: And Jesus went on from there and passed along the Sea of
Galilee. And he went up on the mountain, and sat down there.
30: And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the
lame, the maimed, the blind, the dumb, and many others, and they put
them at his feet, and he healed them,
31: so that the throng wondered, when they saw the dumb
speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing;
and they glorified the God of Israel.
32: Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I
have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now
three days, and have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them
away hungry, lest they faint on the way."
33: And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get
bread enough in the desert to feed so great a crowd?"
34: And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves have
you?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish."
35: And commanding the crowd to sit down on the ground,
36: he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given
thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the
disciples gave them to the crowds.
37: And they all ate and were satisfied; and they took up
seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over.
38: Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and
children.
39: And sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and
went to the region of Mag'adan.
Chapter 16
1: And
the Pharisees and Sad'ducees came, and to test him they asked him to
show them a sign from heaven.
2: He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, `It
will be fair weather; for the sky is red.'
3: And in the morning, `It will be stormy today, for the sky
is red and threatening.' 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 seeks for a sign, but no
sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah." So he left
them and departed.
5: When the disciples reached the other side, they had
forgotten to bring any bread.
6: Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the
leaven of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees."
7: And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "We
brought no bread."
8: But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O men of little
faith, why do you discuss among yourselves the fact that you have no
bread?
9: Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five
loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
10: Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many
baskets you gathered?
11: How is it that you fail to perceive that I did not speak
about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and
Sad'ducees."
12: Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware
of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and
Sad'ducees.
13: Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a
Philip'pi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son
of man is?"
14: And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others
say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15: He said to them, "But who do you say that I
am?"
16: Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God."
17: And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon
Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my
Father who is in heaven.
18: And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will
build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against
it.
19: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever
you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
20: Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one
that he was the Christ.
21: From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he
must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and
chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be
raised.
22: And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying,
"God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you."
23: But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me,
Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of
God, but of men."
24: Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would
come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow
me.
25: For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever
loses his life for my sake will find it.
26: For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole
world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for
his life?
27: For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the
glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he
has done.
28: Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who
will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his
kingdom."
Chapter 17
1: And
after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his
brother, and led them up a high mountain apart.
2: And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone
like the sun, and his garments became white as light.
3: And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Eli'jah,
talking with him.
4: And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we
are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you
and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah."
5: He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud
overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my
beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."
6: When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces,
and were filled with awe.
7: But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and
have no fear."
8: And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but
Jesus only.
9: And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded
them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised
from the dead."
10: And the disciples asked him, "Then why do the
scribes say that first Eli'jah must come?"
11: He replied, "Eli'jah does come, and he is to restore
all things;
12: but I tell you that Eli'jah has already come, and they
did not know 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 of John the Baptist.
14: And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and
kneeling before him said,
15: "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic
and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often
into the water.
16: And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not
heal him."
17: And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse
generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with
you? Bring him here to me."
18: And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and
the boy was cured instantly.
19: Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said,
"Why could we not cast it out?"
20: He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For
truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,' and it
will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."
22: As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them,
"The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men,
23: and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the
third day." And they were greatly distressed.
24: When they came to Caper'na-um, the collectors of the
half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, "Does not your
teacher pay the tax?"
25: He said, "Yes." And when he came home, Jesus
spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From
whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or
from others?"
26: And when he said, "From others," Jesus said to
him, "Then the sons are free.
27: However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and
cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and when you
open its mouth you will find a shekel; take that and give it to them
for me and for yourself."
Chapter 18
1: At
that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2: And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of
them,
3: and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and
become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4: Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5: "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives
me;
6: but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in
me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone
fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
7: "Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is
necessary that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom the
temptation comes!
8: And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it
off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or
lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal
fire.
9: And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw
it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than with
two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
10: "See that you do not despise one of these little
ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the
face of my Father who is in heaven.
12: What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one
of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the
mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?
13: And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over
it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
14: So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that
one of these little ones should perish.
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 word may be confirmed by the evidence 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, let him be to you as
a Gentile and a tax collector.
18: Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven.
19: Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about
anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20: For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am
I in the midst of them."
21: Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often
shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven
times?"
22: Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times,
but seventy times seven.
23: "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to
a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
24: When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who
owed him ten thousand talents;
25: and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold,
with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be
made.
26: So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord,
have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'
27: And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released
him and forgave him the debt.
28: But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of
his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him
by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.'
29: So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have
patience with me, and I will pay you.'
30: He refused and went and put him in prison till he should
pay the debt.
31: When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they
were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord
all that had taken place.
32: Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked
servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me;
33: and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant,
as I had mercy on you?'
34: And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till
he should pay all his debt.
35: So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you,
if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
Chapter 19
1: Now
when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and
entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan;
2: and large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3: And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking,
"Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?"
4: He answered, "Have you not read that he who made them
from the beginning made them male and female,
5: and said, `For this reason a man shall leave his father
and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one
flesh'?
6: So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore
God has joined together, let not man put asunder."
7: They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to
give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"
8: He said to them, "For your hardness of heart Moses
allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not
so.
9: And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for
unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery."
10: The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a
man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry."
11: But he said to them, "Not all men can receive this
saying, but only those to whom it is given.
12: For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and
there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are
eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom
of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."
13: Then children were brought to him that he might lay his
hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people;
14: but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do
not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
15: And he laid his hands on them and went away.
16: And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher,
what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?"
17: And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is
good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the
commandments."
18: He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said,
"You shall not kill, 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
observed; what do I still lack?"
21: Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go,
sell what you possess 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 sorrowful; for
he had great possessions.
23: And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to
you, it will be hard for a rich man 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 a rich man to enter the kingdom of
God."
25: When the disciples heard this they were greatly
astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"
26: But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men
this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
27: Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left
everything and followed you. What then shall we have?"
28: Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new
world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who
have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel.
29: And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will
receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
30: But many that are first will be last, and the last first.
Chapter 20
1: "For
the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in
the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2: After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he
sent them into his vineyard.
3: And going out about the third hour he saw others standing
idle in the market place;
4: and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and
whatever is right I will give you.' So they went.
5: Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour,
he did the same.
6: And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others
standing; and he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?'
7: They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said
to them, `You go into the vineyard too.'
8: And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to
his steward, `Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning
with the last, up to the first.'
9: And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of
them received a denarius.
10: Now when the first came, they thought they would receive
more; but each of them also received a denarius.
11: And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder,
12: saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have
made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the
scorching heat.'
13: But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no
wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?
14: Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to
this last as I give to you.
15: Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to
me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'
16: So the last will be first, and the first last."
17: And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the
twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,
18: "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son
of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they
will condemn him to death,
19: and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged
and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."
20: Then the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee came up to him,
with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.
21: And he said to her, "What do you want?" She
said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one
at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom."
22: But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are
asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They
said to him, "We are able."
23: He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit
at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for
those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
24: And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two
brothers.
25: But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know
that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great
men exercise authority over them.
26: It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great
among you must be your servant,
27: and whoever would be first among you must be your slave;
28: even as the Son of man came not to be served but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
29: And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed
him.
30: And behold, two blind men sitting by the roadside, when
they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Have mercy on
us, Son of David!"
31: The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent; but
they cried out the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of
David!"
32: And Jesus stopped and called them, saying, "What do
you want me to do for you?"
33: They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be
opened."
34: And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately
they received their sight and followed him.
Chapter 21
1: And
when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Beth'phage, to the
Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
2: saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately you will find an ass tied, and a colt with her;
untie them and bring them to me.
3: If any one says anything to you, you shall say, `The Lord
has need of them,' and he will send them immediately."
4: This took place to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet,
saying,
5: "Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is
coming to you, humble, and mounted on an ass, and on a colt, the
foal of an ass."
6: The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them;
7: they brought the ass and the colt, and put their garments
on them, and he sat thereon.
8: Most of the crowd spread their garments 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 that followed him
shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
10: And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred,
saying, "Who is this?"
11: And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus from
Nazareth of Galilee."
12: And Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who
sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the
money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.
13: He said to them, "It is written, `My house shall be
called a house of prayer'; but you make it a den of robbers."
14: And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and
he healed them.
15: But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the
wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the
temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were
indignant;
16: and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are
saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never
read, `Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast brought
perfect praise'?"
17: And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and
lodged there.
18: In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was
hungry.
19: And seeing a fig tree by the wayside he went to it, and
found nothing on it but leaves only. And he said to it, "May no
fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at
once.
20: When the disciples saw it they marveled, saying,
"How did the fig tree wither at once?"
21: And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if
you have faith and never doubt, you will not only do what has been
done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, `Be
taken up and cast into the sea,' it will be done.
22: And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you
have faith."
23: And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the
elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said,
"By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you
this authority?"
24: Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you a
question; and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you
by what authority I do these things.
25: The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven or from
men?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, `From
heaven,' he will say to us, `Why then did you not believe him?'
26: But if we say, `From men,' we are afraid of the
multitude; for all hold that John was a prophet."
27: So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And
he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I
do these things.
28: "What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went
to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.'
29: And he answered, `I will not'; but afterward he repented
and went.
30: And he went to the second and said the same; and he
answered, `I go, sir,' but did not go.
31: Which of the two did the will of his father?" They
said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say
to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of
God before you.
32: For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you
did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed
him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and
believe him.
33: "Hear another parable. There was a householder who
planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press
in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into
another country.
34: When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants
to the tenants, to get his fruit;
35: and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed
another, and stoned another.
36: Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and
they did the same to them.
37: Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, `They will
respect my son.'
38: But when the tenants saw the son, they said to
themselves, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his
inheritance.'
39: And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and
killed him.
40: When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will
he do to those tenants?"
41: They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a
miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will
give him the fruits in their seasons."
42: Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the
scriptures: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become
the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing, and it is
marvelous in our eyes'?
43: Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken
away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of
it."
45: When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his
parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.
46: But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the
multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet.
Chapter 22
1: And
again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying,
2: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who
gave a marriage feast for his son,
3: and sent his servants to call those who were invited to
the marriage feast; but they would not come.
4: Again he sent other servants, saying, `Tell those who are
invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat
calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage
feast.'
5: But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm,
another to his business,
6: while the rest seized his servants, treated them
shamefully, and killed them.
7: The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed
those murderers and burned their city.
8: Then he said to his servants, `The wedding is ready, but
those invited were not worthy.
9: Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the
marriage feast as many as you find.'
10: And those servants went out into the streets and gathered
all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was
filled with guests.
11: "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he
saw there a man who had no wedding garment;
12: and he said to him, `Friend, how did you get in here
without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.
13: Then the king said to the attendants, `Bind him hand and
foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and
gnash their teeth.'
14: For many are called, but few are chosen."
15: Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle
him in his talk.
16: And they sent their disciples to him, along with the
Hero'di-ans, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and
teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not
regard the position of men.
17: Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes
to Caesar, or not?"
18: But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me
to the test, you hypocrites?
19: Show me the money for the tax." And they brought him
a coin.
20: And Jesus said to them, "Whose likeness and
inscription is this?"
21: They said, "Caesar's." Then he said to them,
"Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and
to God the things that are God's."
22: When they heard it, they marveled; and they left him and
went away.
23: The same day Sad'ducees came to him, who say that there
is no resurrection; and they asked him a question,
24: saying, "Teacher, Moses said, `If a man dies, having
no children, his brother must marry the widow, and raise up children
for his brother.'
25: Now there were seven brothers among us; the first
married, and died, and having no children left his wife to his
brother.
26: So too the second and third, down to the seventh.
27: After them all, the woman died.
28: In the resurrection, therefore, to which of the seven
will she be wife? For they all had her."
29: But Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you
know neither the scriptures nor the power of God.
30: For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given
in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
31: And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not
read what was said to you by God,
32: `I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living."
33: And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his
teaching.
34: But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the
Sad'ducees, they came together.
35: And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test
him.
36: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the
law?"
37: And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
mind.
38: This is the great and first commandment.
39: And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.
40: On these two commandments depend all the law and the
prophets."
41: Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus
asked them a question,
42: saying, "What do you think of the Christ? Whose son
is he?" They said to him, "The son of David."
43: He said to them, "How is it then that David,
inspired by the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,
44: `The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I
put thy enemies under thy feet'?
45: If David thus calls him Lord, how is he his son?"
46: And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that
day did any one dare to ask him any more questions.
Chapter 23
1: Then
said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples,
2: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat;
3: so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not
what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.
4: They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on
men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their
finger.
5: They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make
their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
6: and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best
seats in the synagogues,
7: and salutations in the market places, and being called
rabbi by men.
8: But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one
teacher, and you are all brethren.
9: And call no man your father on earth, for you have one
Father, who is in heaven.
10: Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the
Christ.
11: He who is greatest among you shall be your servant;
12: whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever
humbles himself will be exalted.
13: "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither
enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in.
15: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you
traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he
becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as
yourselves.
16: "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `If any one
swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the
gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'
17: You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the
temple that has made the gold sacred?
18: And you say, `If any one swears by the altar, it is
nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he
is bound by his oath.'
19: You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the
altar that makes the gift sacred?
20: So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by
everything on it;
21: and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him
who dwells in it;
22: and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God
and by him who sits upon it.
23: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier
matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to
have done, without neglecting the others.
24: You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a
camel!
25: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they
are full of extortion and rapacity.
26: You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup
and of the plate, 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 they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
28: So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within
you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the
righteous,
30: saying, `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 witness against yourselves, that you are sons of
those who murdered the prophets.
32: Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.
33: You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape
being sentenced to hell?
34: Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes,
some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in
your synagogues and persecute from town to town,
35: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on
earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah
the son of Barachi'ah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and
the altar.
36: Truly, I say to you, all this will come upon this
generation.
37: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and
stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered
your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
and you would not!
38: Behold, your house is forsaken and 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.'"
Chapter 24
1: Jesus
left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point
out to him the buildings of the temple.
2: But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not?
Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon
another, that will not be thrown down."
3: As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to
him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what
will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?"
4: And Jesus answered them, "Take heed that no one leads
you astray.
5: For many will come in my name, saying, `I am the Christ,'
and they will lead many astray.
6: And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you
are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
7: For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various
places:
8: all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs.
9: "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and
put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name's
sake.
10: And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and
hate one another.
11: And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
12: And because wickedness is multiplied, most men's love
will grow cold.
13: But he who endures to the end will be saved.
14: And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached
throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then
the end will come.
15: "So when you see the desolating sacrilege 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 what
is in his house;
18: and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his
mantle.
19: And alas for those who are with child and for those who
give suck in those days!
20: Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a
sabbath.
21: For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not
been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will
be.
22: And if those days had not been shortened, no human being
would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be
shortened.
23: Then if any one says to you, `Lo, here is the Christ!' or
`There he is!' do not believe it.
24: For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show
great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the
elect.
25: Lo, I have told you beforehand.
26: So, if they say to you, `Lo, he is in the wilderness,' do
not go out; if they say, `Lo, he is in the inner rooms,' do not
believe it.
27: For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as
far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man.
28: Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered
together.
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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be
shaken;
30: then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven,
and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see
the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great
glory;
31: and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call,
and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of
heaven to the other.
32: "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its
branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that
summer is near.
33: So also, when you see all these things, you know that he
is near, at the very gates.
34: Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
till all these things take place.
35: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not
pass away.
36: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the
angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
37: As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the
Son of man.
38: For as in those days before the flood they were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when
Noah entered the ark,
39: and they did not know until the flood came and swept them
all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man.
40: Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one
is left.
41: Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and
one is left.
42: Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your
Lord is coming.
43: But know this, that if the householder had known in what
part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and
would not have let his house be broken into.
44: Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is
coming at an hour you do not expect.
45: "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his
master has set over his household, to give them their food at the
proper time?
46: Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes
will find so doing.
47: Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his
possessions.
48: But if that wicked servant says to himself, `My master is
delayed,'
49: and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and
drinks with the drunken,
50: the master of that servant will come on a day when he
does not expect him and at an hour he does not know,
51: and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites;
there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
Chapter 25
1: "Then
the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took
their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
2: Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
3: For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil
with them;
4: but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
5: As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and
slept.
6: But at midnight there was a cry, `Behold, the bridegroom!
Come out to meet him.'
7: Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps.
8: And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your
oil, for our lamps are going out.'
9: But the wise replied, `Perhaps there will not be enough
for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for
yourselves.'
10: And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and
those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the
door was shut.
11: Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, `Lord,
lord, open to us.'
12: But he replied, `Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
13: Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the
hour.
14: "For it will be as when a man going on a journey
called his servants and entrusted to them his property;
15: to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another
one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16: He who had received the five talents went at once and
traded with them; and he made five talents more.
17: So also, he who had the two talents made two talents
more.
18: But he who had received the one talent went and dug in
the ground and hid his master's money.
19: Now after a long time the master of those servants came
and settled accounts with them.
20: And he who had received the five talents came forward,
bringing five talents more, saying, `Master, you delivered to me
five talents; here I have made five talents more.'
21: His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful
servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over
much; enter into the joy of your master.'
22: And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying,
`Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two
talents more.'
23: His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful
servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over
much; enter into the joy of your master.'
24: He also who had received the one talent came forward,
saying, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did
not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow;
25: so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the
ground. Here you have what is yours.'
26: But his master answered him, `You wicked and slothful
servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather
where I have not winnowed?
27: Then you ought to have invested my money with the
bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own
with interest.
28: So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has
the ten talents.
29: For to every one who has will more be given, and he will
have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be
taken away.
30: And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness;
there men will weep and gnash their teeth.'
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 them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep
from the goats,
33: and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the
goats at the left.
34: Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come,
O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world;
35: for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and
you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36: I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you
visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
37: Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we
see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?
38: And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or
naked and clothe thee?
39: And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit
thee?'
40: And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as
you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to
me.'
41: Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from
me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his
angels;
42: for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty
and you gave me no drink,
43: I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and
you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'
44: Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and
did not minister to thee?'
45: Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you
did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'
46: And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the
righteous into eternal life."
Chapter 26
1: When
Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,
2: "You know that after two days the Passover is coming,
and the Son of man will be delivered up to be crucified."
3: Then the chief priests and the elders of the people
gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Ca'iaphas,
4: and took counsel together in order to arrest Jesus by
stealth and kill him.
5: But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be a
tumult among the people."
6: Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the
leper,
7: a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very
expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head, as he sat at
table.
8: But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant,
saying, "Why this waste?
9: For this ointment might have been sold for a large sum,
and given to the poor."
10: But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you
trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.
11: For you always have the poor with you, but you will not
always have me.
12: In pouring this ointment on my body she has done it to
prepare me for burial.
13: Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in
the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of
her."
14: Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests
15: and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to
you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.
16: And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray
him.
17: Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples
came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you
to eat the passover?"
18: He said, "Go into the city to a certain one, and say
to him, `The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the
passover at your house with my disciples.'"
19: And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and
they prepared the passover.
20: When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve
disciples;
21: and as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to
you, one of you will betray me."
22: And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one
after another, "Is it I, Lord?"
23: He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish
with me, will betray me.
24: The Son of man goes as it is written of 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: Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Is it I,
Master?" He said to him, "You have said so."
26: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed,
and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take,
eat; this is my body."
27: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave
it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you;
28: for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out
for many for the forgiveness of sins.
29: I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the
vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's
kingdom."
30: And 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 am raised up, I will go before you to
Galilee."
33: Peter declared to him, "Though they all fall away
because of you, I will never fall away."
34: Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, this very
night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times."
35: Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I
will not deny you." And so said all the disciples.
36: Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsem'ane,
and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go yonder and
pray."
37: And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zeb'edee,
he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
38: Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful,
even to death; remain here, and watch with me."
39: And going a little farther he fell on his face and
prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from
me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt."
40: And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and
he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour?
41: Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation;
the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
42: Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed,
"My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, thy will be
done."
43: And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes
were heavy.
44: So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the
third time, saying the same words.
45: Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Are
you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at
hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46: Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."
47: While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the
twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the
chief priests and the elders of the people.
48: Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The
one I shall kiss is the man; seize him."
49: And he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Hail,
Master!" And he kissed him.
50: Jesus said to him, "Friend, why are you here?"
Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him.
51: And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched
out his hand and drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high
priest, and cut off his ear.
52: Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into
its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
53: Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he
will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?
54: But how then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that it
must be so?"
55: At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you
come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?
Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize
me.
56: But all this has taken place, that the scriptures of the
prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook
him and fled.
57: Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Ca'iaphas the
high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.
58: But Peter followed him at a distance, as far as the
courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the
guards to see the end.
59: Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false
testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death,
60: but they found none, though many false witnesses came
forward. At last two came forward
61: and said, "This fellow said, `I am able to destroy
the temple of God, and to build it in three days.'"
62: And the high priest stood up and said, "Have you no
answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?"
63: But Jesus was silent. And 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. But I tell
you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand
of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."
65: Then the high priest tore his robes, and said, "He
has uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have now
heard his blasphemy.
66: What is your judgment?" They answered, "He
deserves death."
67: Then they spat in his face, and struck him; and some
slapped him,
68: saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that
struck you?"
69: Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a
maid came up to him, and said, "You also were with Jesus the
Galilean."
70: But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not
know what you mean."
71: And when he went out to the porch, another maid saw him,
and she said to the bystanders, "This man was with Jesus of
Nazareth."
72: And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know
the man."
73: After a little while the bystanders came up and said to
Peter, "Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent
betrays you."
74: Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear,
"I do not know the man." And immediately the cock crowed.
75: And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before
the cock crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out
and wept bitterly.
Chapter 27
1: When
morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people
took counsel against Jesus to put him to death;
2: and they bound him and led him away and delivered him to
Pilate the governor.
3: When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he
repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief
priests and the elders,
4: saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocent
blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it
yourself."
5: And throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he
departed; and he went and hanged himself.
6: But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said,
"It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are
blood money."
7: So they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's
field, to bury strangers in.
8: Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to
this day.
9: Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet
Jeremiah, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver,
the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of
Israel,
10: and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord
directed me."
11: Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor
asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said,
"You have said so."
12: But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,
he made no answer.
13: Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many
things they testify against you?"
14: But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge;
so that the governor wondered greatly.
15: Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release
for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.
16: And they had then a notorious prisoner, called Barab'bas.
17: So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them,
"Whom do you want me to release for you, Barab'bas or Jesus who
is called Christ?"
18: For he knew that it was out of envy that they had
delivered him up.
19: Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his
wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous
man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream."
20: Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the people
to ask for Barab'bas and destroy Jesus.
21: The governor again said to them, "Which of the two
do you want me to release for you?" And they said,
"Barab'bas."
22: Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with
Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be
crucified."
23: And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But
they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified."
24: So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but
rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands
before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood;
see to it yourselves."
25: And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and
on our children!"
26: Then he released for them Barab'bas, and having scourged
Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
27: Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the
praetorium, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.
28: And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe upon him,
29: and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on his head,
and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him they
mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
30: And they spat upon him, and took the reed and struck him
on the head.
31: And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the
robe, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify
him.
32: As they went out, they came upon a man of Cyre'ne, Simon
by name; this man they compelled to carry his cross.
33: And when they came to a place called Gol'gotha (which
means the place of a skull),
34: they offered him wine to drink, mingled with gall; but
when he tasted it, he would not drink it.
35: And when they had crucified him, they divided his
garments among them by casting lots;
36: then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
37: And over his head they put the charge against him, which
read, "This is Jesus the King of the Jews."
38: Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the
right and one on the left.
39: And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads
40: and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and
build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God,
come down from the cross."
41: So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders,
mocked him, saying,
42: "He saved others; he cannot save himself. 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 deliver him now, if he desires
him; for he said, `I am the Son of God.'"
44: And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled
him in the same way.
45: Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the
land until the ninth hour.
46: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,
"Eli, Eli, la'ma sabach-tha'ni?" that is, "My God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
47: And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "This
man is calling Eli'jah."
48: And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it
with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink.
49: But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether
Eli'jah will come to save him."
50: And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up
his spirit.
51: And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two,
from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split;
52: the tombs also 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 who were with him, keeping
watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were
filled with awe, and said, "Truly this was the Son of
God!"
55: There were also many women there, looking on from afar,
who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him;
56: among whom were Mary Mag'dalene, and Mary the mother of
James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee.
57: When it was evening, there came a rich man from
Arimathe'a, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.
58: He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then
Pilate ordered it to be given to him.
59: And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen
shroud,
60: and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the
rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and
departed.
61: Mary Mag'dalene and the other Mary were there, sitting
opposite the sepulchre.
62: Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the
chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate
63: and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said,
while he was still alive, `After three days I will rise again.'
64: Therefore order the sepulchre to be made secure until the
third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away, and tell the
people, `He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be
worse than the first."
65: Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers;
go, make it as secure as you can."
66: So they went and made the sepulchre secure by sealing the
stone and setting a guard.
Chapter 28
1: Now
after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week,
Mary Mag'dalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre.
2: And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of
the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone,
and sat upon it.
3: His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white
as snow.
4: And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like
dead men.
5: But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid;
for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
6: He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see
the place where he lay.
7: Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen
from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there
you will see him. Lo, I have told you."
8: So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great
joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
9: And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Hail!" And
they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
10: Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and
tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."
11: While they were going, behold, some of the guard went
into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place.
12: And when they had assembled with the elders and taken
counsel, they gave a sum of money to the soldiers
13: and said, "Tell people, `His disciples came by night
and stole him away while we were asleep.'
14: And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy
him and keep you out of trouble."
15: So they took the money and did as they were directed; and
this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
16: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain
to which Jesus had directed them.
17: And when they saw him they worshiped him; but some
doubted.
18: And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit,
20: teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you;
and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."
~ ~ ~
This Gospel is
available here online courtesy of the Electronic Text Center,
University of Virginia Library.
~ ~ ~
A.M.D.G.
Ad majorem Dei
gloriam -|- To the greater glory of God
|