She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the LORD'S coming! Clear the road for him!
The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth.
And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.'"
When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, "You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee God's coming wrath?
That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don't just say to each other, 'We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.'
Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire."
The crowds asked, "What should we do?"
John replied, "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry."
Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, "Teacher, what should we do?"
He replied, "Collect no more taxes than the government requires."
"What should we do?" asked some soldiers. John replied, "Don't extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay."
Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah.
John answered their questions by saying, "I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am -- so much greater that I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."
John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.
John also publicly criticized Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, for marrying Herodias, his brother's wife, and for many other wrongs he had done.
So Herod put John in prison, adding this sin to his many others.
One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,
and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, "You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy."
Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. Jesus was known as the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli.
Luke 4. Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,
where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.
Then the devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, change this stone into a loaf of bread."
But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone.'"
Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
"I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them," the devil said, "because they are mine to give to anyone I please.
I will give it all to you if you will worship me."
Jesus replied, "The Scriptures say, 'You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.'"
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off!
For the Scriptures say, 'He will order his angels to protect and guard you.
And they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.'"
Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the LORD your God.'"
When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.
Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit's power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region.
He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures.
The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
Act13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,
and that the time of the LORD'S favor has come."
So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh;
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently.
Then he began to speak to them. "The Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled this very day!"
Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. "How can this be?" they asked. "Isn't this Joseph's son?"
Then he said, "You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: 'Physician, heal yourself' -- meaning, 'Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.'
But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.
"Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land.
Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner -- a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, the the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian."
When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious.
Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff,
but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way.
Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day.
There, too, the people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority.
Once when he was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon -- an evil spirit -- began shouting at Jesus,
"Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are -- the Holy One sent from God!"
Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Jesus cut him short. "Be quiet!" Come out of the man," he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.
Amazed, the people exclaimed, "What authority and power this man's words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!"
The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region.
After leaving the synagogue that day, Jesus went to Simon's home, where he found Simon's mother-in-law very sick with a high fever. "Please heal her," everyone begged.
Standing at her bedside, he rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and prepared a meal for them.
As the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one.
Many were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But because they knew he was the Messiah, he rebuked them and refused to let them speak.
Early the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them.
But he replied, "I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent."
So he continued to travel around, preaching in synagogues throughout Judea.
Luke 5. One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.
He noticed two empty boats at the water's edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.
Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish."
"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again."
And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!
A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, "Oh, Lord, please leave me -- I'm too much of a sinner to be around you."
For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.
His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, "Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for people!"
And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.
Meet Mr. Nice Guy. If good people go to heaven, he will be first in line. "Well -- I try to do what's right." "Have you kept the ten commandments?" "Pretty much".
And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.
In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. "Lord," he said, "if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean."
Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed!" And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, "Go to the priest and let him examine you.
Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed."
But despite Jesus' instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases.
But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby.
(It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord's healing power was strongly with Jesus.
With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.
Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus,
but they couldn't reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, "Young man, your sins are forgiven."
But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, "Who does he think he is? That's blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"
Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts?
Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'?
So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"
And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home, praising God.
Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, "We have seen amazing things today!"
Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him.
So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi's fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them.
But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with such scum?"
Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor -- sick people do.
I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent."
One day some people said to Jesus, "John the Baptist's disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?"
Jesus responded, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not.
But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast."
Then Jesus gave them this illustration: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn't even match the old garment.
"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins.
New wine must be stored in new wineskins.
But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. 'The old is just fine,' they say."
Luke 6. One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain.
But some Pharisees said, "Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?"
Jesus replied, "Haven't you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions."
And Jesus added, "The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath."
On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching.
The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.
But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone." So the man came forward.
Then Jesus said to his critics, "I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?"
He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!
At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.
One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.
What is this love, life given up for a friend, that's what You gave me. This fatherless child is one of the children of God, 'cause You ran to save me. So much love, there is no other.
At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:
When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds.
There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the sea-coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and Jesus also cast out many evil spirits.
Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.
Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.
God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.
What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man.
When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.
"What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now.
What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.
What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.
"But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.
Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.
Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back.
Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
"If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!
And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!
And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
"Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.
You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full -- pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back."
Then Jesus gave the following illustration: "Can one blind person lead another? Won't they both fall into a ditch?
Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
"And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?
How can you think of saying, 'Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye?
Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.
"A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.
A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs never grow on thornbushes, nor grapes on bramble bushes.
You are the Savior, faithful Redeemer, no greater love, no greater love. I am a sinner, blessed and forgiven, no greater love, no greater love than Yours.
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
"So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?
I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it.
It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the flood-waters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.
But anyone who hears and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins."
Luke 7. When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum.
At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death.
When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave.
So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. "If anyone deserves your help, he does," they said,
"for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us."
So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, "Lord, don't trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor.
I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.
I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, 'Go,' and they go, or 'Come,' and they come. And if I say to my slaves, 'Do this,' they do it."
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, "I tell you, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel!"
And when the officer's friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him.
A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow's only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her.
When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. "Don't cry!" he said.
Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. "Young man," he said, "I tell you, get up."
Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, "A mighty prophet has risen among us," and "God has visited his people today."
And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.
The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples,
and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?"
John's two disciples found Jesus and said to him, "John the Baptist sent us to ask, 'Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?'"
At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases and illnesses, and he cast out evil spirits and restored sight to many who were blind.
Then he told John's disciples, "Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard --
the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.
And tell him, 'God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.'"
After John's disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. "What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind?
Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces.
Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet.
John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, 'Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.'
I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!"
When they heard this, all the people -- even the tax collectors -- agreed that God's way was right, for they had been baptized by John.
But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God's plan for them, for they had refused John's baptism.
"To what can I compare the people of this generation?" Jesus asked. "How can I describe them?
They are like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, 'We played wedding songs, and you didn't dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn't weep.'
For John the Baptist didn't spend his time eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, 'He's possessed by a demon.'
The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, 'He's a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!'
But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it."
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.
When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume.
Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!"
Then Jesus answered his thoughts. "Simon," he said to the Pharisee, "I have something to say to you." "Go ahead, Teacher," Simon replied.
Then Jesus told him this story: "A man loaned money to two people -- 500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other.
But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?"
Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt." "That's right," Jesus said.
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet.
You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
"I tell you, her sins -- and there are many -- have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."
Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven."
The men at the table said among themselves, "Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?"
And Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Luke 8. Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him,
along with some women he had healed and from whom he had cast out evil spirits. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons;
Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.
One day Jesus told a story to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him:
"A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it.
Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture.
Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants.
Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!" When he had said this, he called out, "Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."
His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: 'When they look, they won't really see. When they hear, they won't understand.'
"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God's word.
The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved.
The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.
The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.
And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
"No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.
For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.
"So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them."
Then Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn't get to him because of the crowd.
Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to see you."
Jesus replied, "My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God's word and obey it."
One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and started out.
As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.
The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. The storm stopped and all was calm!
Then he asked them, "Where is you faith?" The disciples were terrified and amazed. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!"
So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee.
As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.
As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, "Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don't torture me!"
For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man.
Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon's power.
Jesus demanded, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, for he was filled with many demons.
The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.
There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs. So Jesus gave them permission.
Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran.
People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus' feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.
Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed.
And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake.
The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying,
"No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you." So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him.
Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come home with him.
His only daughter, who was twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds.
A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure.
Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.
"Who touched me?" Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, "Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you."
But Jesus said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me."
When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees before him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed.
"Daughter," he said to her, "your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, "Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now."
But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed."
When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn't let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the little girl's father and mother.
The house was filled with people weeping and wailing, but he said, "Stop the weeping! She isn't dead; she's only asleep."
But the crowd laughed at him because they all knew she had died.
Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, "My child, get up!"
And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.
Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened.
Luke 9. One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out demons and to heal all diseases.
Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
"Take nothing for your journey," he instructed them. "Don't take a walking stick, a traveler's bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes.
Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town.
And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate."
So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.
When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything Jesus was doing, he was puzzled. Some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead.
Others thought Jesus was Elijah or one of the other prophets risen from the dead.
"I beheaded John," Herod said, "So who is this man about whom I hear such stories?" And he kept trying to see him.
And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit;
When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida.
But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.
Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, "Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place."
But Jesus said, "You feed them." "But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered. "Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?"
For there were about 5,000 men there. Jesus replied, "Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each."
So the people all sat down.
Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people.
They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!
One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
"Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead."
Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah sent from God!"
Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was.
"The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things," he said. "He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead."
Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?
If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.
I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God."
About eight days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a mountain to pray.
And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white.
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him.
He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
They are reborn -- not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
Then two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus.
They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.
Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus' glory and the two men standing with him.
John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, 'Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'"
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.
For the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God. But the one and only Son is himself God and is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us.
This was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, "Who are you?"
He existed in the beginning with God.
He came right out and said, "I am not the Messiah."
"Well then, who are you?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No," he replied. "Are you the Prophet we are expecting?" "No."
"Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?"
John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: "I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Clear the way for the Lord's coming!'"
asked him, "If you aren't the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?"
John told them, "I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize."
Though his ministry follows mine, I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal."
This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'
I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel."
Then John testified, "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him.
I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Holy Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'
I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God."
As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!"
As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, "Master, it's wonderful for us to be here! Let's make three shelters as memorials -- one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
Jesus looked around and saw them following. "What do you want?" he asked them. They replied, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?"
But even as he was saying this, a cloud came over them, and terror gripped them as the cloud covered them.
"Come and see," he said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus.
Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means "Christ").
Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, "Your name is Simon, son of John -- but you will be called Cephas" (which means "Peter").
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Come, follow me."
Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter's hometown.
Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth."
"Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanael. "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" "Come and see for yourself," Philip replied.
As they approached, Jesus said, "Now here is a genuine son of Israel -- a man of complete integrity."
"How do you know about me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, "I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you."
Then Nathanael exclaimed, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God -- the King of Israel!"
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
Jesus asked him, "Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this."
Then he said, "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth."
God sent a man, John the Baptist, 
John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.
The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.
The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother told him, "They have no more wine."
"Dear woman, that's not our problem," Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
Then a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him."
When the voice finished, Jesus was there alone. They didn't tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
The next day, after they had come down the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus.
A man in the crowd called out to him, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, my only child.
An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone.
Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."
They said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, 'I came down from heaven'?"
For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.
A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick.
I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn't do it."
Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. 
Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, "Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?" 
"There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?"
"Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered 5,000.)
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.
After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, "Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted."
So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.
"You faithless and corrupt people," Jesus said, "how long must I be with you and put up with you?" Then he said to the man, "Bring your son here."
As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father.
They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified,
Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!
The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them.
Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten.
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. 
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.
But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval."
After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, 'Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.
For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.
And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.
For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."
Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.
he said, "Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies." So the servants followed his instructions.
When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.
"A host always serves the best wine first," he said. "Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!"
This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.
It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem.
In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money.
Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers' coins over the floor, and turned over their tables.
Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God's power. While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples,
Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, "Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!"
Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: "Passion for God's house will consume me."
But the Jewish leaders demanded, "What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it."
"All right," Jesus replied. "Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will raise it up."
"What!" they exclaimed. "It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?"
But when Jesus said "this temple," he meant his own body.
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.
Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him.
But Jesus didn't trust them, because he knew human nature.
No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like.
"Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies."
But they didn't know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn't understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest.
But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side.
Then he said to them, "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest."
John said to Jesus, "Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn't in our group."
But Jesus said, "Don't stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you."
As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival.
But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem.
When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, "Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?"
So Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.
But Jesus turned and rebuked them.
So they went on to another village.
As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, "I will follow you wherever you go."
But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head."
Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
He said to another person, "Come, follow me." The man agreed, but he said, "Lord, first let me return home and bury my father."
But Jesus told him, "Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God."
Another said, "Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family."
But Jesus told him, "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God."
Luke 10. The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit.
These were his instructions to them: "The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.
Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.
Don't take any money with you, nor a traveler's bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don't stop to greet anyone on the road.
"Whenever you enter someone's home, first say, 'May God's peace be on this house.'
If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you.
Don't move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don't hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.
Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, "Does this offend you?
"If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you.
Heal the sick, and tell them, 'The Kingdom of God is near you now.'
But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say,
'We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this -- the Kingdom of God is near!'
I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day.
"What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon,
their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse.
Yes, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.
And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead."
Then he said to the disciples, "Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me."
When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, "Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!"
"Yes," he told them, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning!
Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.
But don't rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven."
Only God's word can do this...
At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
"My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen.
I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn't see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn't hear it."
One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: "Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus replied, "What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?"
The man answered, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you will live!"
The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus replied with a story: "A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
"By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.
A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
"Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.
Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.
The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, 'Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I'll pay you the next time I'm here.'
"Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?" Jesus asked.
The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy." Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same."
As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home.
Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what he taught.
But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me."
But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details!
There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her."
Luke 11. Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
Jesus said, "This is how you should pray: "Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.
Give us each day the food we need,
and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation."
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: "Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him,
'A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.'
And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, 'Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can't help you.'
But I tell you this -- though he won't do it for friendship's sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.
"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
"You fathers -- if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead?
Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not!
So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."
One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn't speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed,
but some of them said, "No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons."
Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.
But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you."
He knew their thoughts, so he said, "Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.
You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive?
Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. "After all," they said, "would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?"
When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus.
And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said.
But Jesus told them, "I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me.
You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going."
But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.
For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe --
What does he mean when he says, 'You will search for me but not find me,' and 'You cannot go where I am going'?"
until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.
Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'"
"Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.
"When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, 'I will return to the person I cam from.'
So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order.
Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before."
As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, "God bless your mother -- the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!"
Jesus replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice."
When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, "Why didn't you bring him in?"
As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, "This evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of Jonah.
What happened to him was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God had sent him. What happens to the Son of Man will be a sign to these people that he was sent by God.
"The queen of Sheba will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here -- but you refuse to listen.
The people of Nineveh will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here -- but you refuse to repent.
"No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.
"Have you been led astray, too?" the Pharisees mocked.
"Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness.
Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness.
If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light."
This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God's curse is on them!"
As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table.
His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom.
Then the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy -- full of greed and wickedness!
Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside?
So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.
"What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes,but do not neglect the more important things.
"What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces.
Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on."
"Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?" he asked.
"Teacher," said an expert in religious law, "you have insulted us, too, in what you just said."
"Yes," said Jesus, "what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with impossible religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden.
What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago.
But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building the monuments!
This is what God in his wisdom said about you: 'I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.'
"As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God's prophets from the creation of the world --
from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation.
"What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don't enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering."
As Jesus was leaving, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees became hostile and tried to provoke him with many questions.
They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him.
Luke 12. Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them,
"Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees -- their hypocrisy.
The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.
Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!
"Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.
But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he's the one to fear.
"What is the price of five sparrows -- two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.
And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
"I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God's angels.
But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God's angels.
Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
"And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don't worry about how to defend yourself or what to say,
for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said."
Then someone called from the crowd, "Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father's estate with me."
Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?"
Then he said, "Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own."
Then he told them a story: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.
He said to himself, 'What should I do? I don't have room for all my crops.'
Then he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.
And I'll sit back and say to myself, "My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!"
"But God said to him, 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?'
"Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."
Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life -- whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear.
For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing.
Look at the ravens. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
And if worry can't accomplish a little thing like that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?
"Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.
And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
"And don't be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don't worry about such things.
These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
"So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
"Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
"Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning,
as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.
The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!
He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.
"Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into.
You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected."
Peter asked, "Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?"
And the Lord replied, "A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.
If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.
I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.
For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning.
But what if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk?
The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.
He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in  him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
"And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn't prepared and doesn't carry out those instructions, will be severely punished.
But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly.
When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
"I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning!
Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don't listen because you don't belong to God.
I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished.
Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other!
From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against -- or two in favor and three against.
'Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.'"
Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, "When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, 'Here comes a shower.' And you are right.
When the south wind blows, you say, 'Today will be a scorcher.' And it is.
You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don't know how to interpret the present times.
"Why can't you decide for yourselves what is right?
When you are on the way to court with your accuser, try to settle the matter before you get there.
but you don't even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him.
Otherwise, your accuser may drag you before the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison.
And if that happens, you won't be free again until you have paid the very last penny."
Luke 13. About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple.
"Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?" Jesus asked. "Is that why they suffered?
Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.
And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem?
No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too."
Then Jesus told this story: "A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed.
At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth.
Finally, he said to his gardener, 'I've waited three years, and there hasn't been a single fig! Cut it down. It's just taking up space in the garden.'
"The gardener answered, 'Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I'll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer.
If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.'"
One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue,
"Rabbi," his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?"
he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight.
When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!"
Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!
But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day.
"There are six days of the week for working," he said to the crowd. "Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath."
But the Lord replied, "You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don't you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water?
This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn't it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?"
This shamed his enemies, but all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.
Then Jesus said, "What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it?
It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches."
He also asked, "What else is the Kingdom of God like?
Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes.
It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough."
Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem.
Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few be saved?" He replied,
"Work hard to enter the narrow door to God's Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail.
When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Lord, open the door for us!" But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'
Then you will say, 'But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'
And he will reply, 'I tell you, I don't know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.'
"There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out.
And people will come from all over the world -- from east and west, north and south -- to take their places in the Kingdom of God.
And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then."
At that time some some Pharisees said to him, "Get away from here if you want to live! Herod Antipas wants to kill you!"
Jesus replied, "Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose.
Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must proceed on my way. For it wouldn't do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem!
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers!
How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me.
And now, look, your house is abandoned. And you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!'"
Luke 14. One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely.
There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen.
Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, "Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?"
When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away.
Then he turned to them and said, "Which of you doesn't work on the Sabbath? If your son or your cow falls into a pit, don't you rush to get him out?"
Again they could not answer.
When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice:
"When you are invited to a wedding feast, don't sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited?
The host will come and say, 'Give this person your seat.' Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!
"Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, 'Friend, we have a better place for you!' Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests.
For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
Then he turned to his host. "When you put on a luncheon or a banquet," he said, "don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors.
For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward.
Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.
"But what did he do?" they asked. "How did he heal you?"
Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you."
"Look!" the man exclaimed. "I told you once. Didn't you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?"
Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, "What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!"
Then they cursed him and said, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses!
"Why, that's very strange!" the man replied. "He healed my eyes, and yet you don't know where he comes from?
Jesus replied with this story: "A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations.
When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, 'Come, the banquet is ready.'
But they all began making excuses. One said, 'I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.'
Another said, 'I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.'
"You were born a total sinner!" they answered. "Are you trying to teach us?" And they threw him out of the synagogue.
Another said, 'I now have a wife, so I can't come.'
"The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, 'Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.'
"Yes, Lord, I believe!" the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.
After the servant had done this, he reported, 'There is still room for more.'
So his master said, 'Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.
For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.'"
A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them,
Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, "Are you saying we're blind?"
"If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison -- your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters -- yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.
And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.
There was a man named Nicodemous, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.
After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. "Rabbi," he said, "we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you."
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."
Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.
Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.
So don't be surprised when I say, 'You must be born again.'
The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit."
Jesus replied, "You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things?
I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won't believe our testimony.
But if you don't believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven.
And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
"There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son.
And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.
But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."
Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people.
At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism.
(This was before John was thrown into prison.)
A debate broke out between John's disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing.
So John's disciples came to him and said, "Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us."
John replied, "No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.
You yourselves know how plainly I told you, 'I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.'
It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success.
He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
"He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.
He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them!
Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true.
For he is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit.
The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands.
And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment."
(though Jesus himself didn't baptize them -- his disciples did). 
Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.
Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." 
The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?"
Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water."
"But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?"
And besides, do you think you're greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?"
But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."
"Please, sir," the woman said, "give me this water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I won't have to come here to get water."
"I don't have a husband," the woman replied. Jesus said, "You're right! You don't have a husband --"
"-- for you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man you're living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!"
So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?"
Jesus replied, "Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.
You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews.
But the time is coming -- indeed it's here now -- when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."
The woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming -- the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."
Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, "What do you want with her?" or "Why are you talking to her?"
"Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?"
But Jesus replied, "I have a kind of food you know nothing about."
"Did someone bring him food while we were gone?" the disciples asked each other.
Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.
You know the saying, 'Four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.
The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!
I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest."
Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!"
When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 
Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world."
He himself had said that a prophet is not honored in his own hometown.
Yet the Galileans welcomed him, for they had been in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration and had seen everything he did there.
As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick.
When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die.
Jesus asked, "Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?"
Then Jesus told him, "Go back home. Your son will live!" And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.
He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, "Yesterday afternoon at one o'clock his fever suddenly disappeared!"
Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, "Your son will live." And he and his entire household believed in Jesus. 
"What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?"
so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches.
One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.
"I can't, sir," the sick man said, "for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me."
Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,
so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, "You can't work on the Sabbath! The law doesn't allow you to carry that sleeping mat!" 
But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you."
So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules.
So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.
So Jesus explained, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished.
For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. 
so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.
"I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
"And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it's here now, when the dead will hear my voice -- the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.
The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son.
Don't be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God's Son,
and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.
I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.
But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true.
Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved.
John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message.
But I have a greater witness than John -- my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me.
And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face,
"You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 
because I know you don't have God's love within you.
For I have come to you in my Father's name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them.
No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.
"Yet it isn't I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes.
If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.
"But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?
Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you.
They would say, 'There's the person who started that building and couldn't afford to finish it!'
And if he can't, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away.
Philippians Chapter One. This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God's holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the elders and deacons.
"Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again?
Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!"
"Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him?
So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Luke 15. Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.
This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people -- even eating with them!
So Jesus told them this story:
"If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?
And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.
When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'
In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!
"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it?
And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.'
In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents."
To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: "A man had two sons.
The younger son told his father, 'I want my share of your estate now before you die.'
So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
"A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.
About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.
He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.
The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
"When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, 'At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!
I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,
and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant."'
"So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.'
"But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.
And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast.
for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began.
"Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,
and he asked one of the servants what was going on.
'Your brother is back,' he was told, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.'
"The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him,
but he replied, 'All these years I've slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.
Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!'
"His father said to him, 'Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.
We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!'"
Luke 16. Jesus told this story to his disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer's money.
So the employer called him in and said, 'What's this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.'
"The manager thought to himself, 'Now what? My boss has fired me. I don't have the strength to dig ditches, and I'm too proud to beg.
Ah, I know how to ensure that I'll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.'
"So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe him?'
The man replied, 'I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.' So the manager told him, 'Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.'
"'And how much do you owe my employer?' he asked the next man. 'I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,' was the reply. 'Here,' the manager said, 'take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.'
"The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.
Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.
And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?
And if you are not faithful with other people's things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him.
Then he said to them, "You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.
"Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.
But that doesn't mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God's law to be overturned.
"For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."
Jesus said, "There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.
At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores.
As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man's table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.
"Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried,
and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.
"The rich man shouted, 'Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.'
"But Abraham said to him, 'Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.
(as sung by Sandi Patti, with signing during musical interludes) Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see.
And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.'
"Then the rich man said, "Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father's home.
When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun; we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun. We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun.
For I have five brothers and I want him to warn them so they don't end up in this place of torment.'
"But Abraham said, 'Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.'
"The rich man replied, 'No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.'
"But Abraham said, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even if someone rises from the dead.'"
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son.
Then the Pharisees who had been sent
The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples.
When John's two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.
The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
Jesus told the servants, "Fill the jars with water." When the jars had been filled,
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"How are these things possible?" Nicodemus asked.
Luke 17. One day Jesus said to his disciples, "There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!
It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.
So watch yourselves! "If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."
Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive."
The apostles said to the Lord, "Show us how to increase our faith."
"When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, 'Come in and eat with me'?
No, he says, 'Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.'
And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not.
In the same way, when you obey me you should say, 'We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.'"
As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria.
As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance,
crying out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Praise God!"
He fell to the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?
Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"
And Jesus said to the man, "Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you."
One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the Kingdom of God come?" Jesus replied, "The Kingdom of God can't be detected by visible signs.
You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's over there!' For the Kingdom of God is already among you."
Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the Son of Man returns, but you won't see it.
People will tell you, "Look, there is the Son of Man,' or 'Here he is,' but don't go out and follow them.
For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day when the Son of Man comes.
But first the Son of Man must suffer terribly and be rejected by this generation.
"When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day.
So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John.
He had to go through Samaria on the way.
He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.
"Go and get your husband," Jesus told her.
"Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet.
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 
Then Jesus told her, "I AM the Messiah!"
The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone,
So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, "Rabbi, eat something."
You know the saying, 'One plants and another harvests.' And it's true.
"And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business -- eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building --
long enough for many more to hear his message and believe.
until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
At the end of the two days, Jesus went on to Galilee.
The official pleaded, "Lord, please come now before my little boy dies."
While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well.
This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.
Yes, it will be 'business as usual' right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day a person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return home.
Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days.
Remember what happened to Lot's wife!
Crowds of sick people -- blind, lame, or paralyzed -- lay on the porches.
If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.
That night two people will be asleep in one bed; one will be taken, the other left.
When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, "Would you like to get well?"
Jesus told him, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!"
But he replied, "The man who healed me told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'"
"Who said such a thing as that?" they demanded.
The man didn't know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd.
Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.
"Where will this happen, Lord?" the disciples asked. Jesus replied, "Just as the gathering of vultures show there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near."
But Jesus replied, "My Father is always working, and so am I."
In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge,
And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man.
"If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid.
In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true.
and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me -- the one he sent to you.
Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
"Your approval means nothing to me,
But since you don't believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?"
After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias.
(It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.)
He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.
Philip replied, "Even if we worked for months, we wouldn't have enough  money to feed them!"
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.
When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, "Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!"
That evening Jesus' disciples went down to the shore to wait for him.
But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn't come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum.
Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough.
but he called out to them, "Don't be afraid. I am here!"
They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
They replied, "We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?"
Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."
They answered, "Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do?
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven.
The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
"Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day."
From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God.(BBE)
But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me.
Luke 18. One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
But Jesus replied, "Stop complaining about what I said.
As it is written in the Scriptures, 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.
(Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)
"There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who neither feared God nor cared about people.
"I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.
A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.'
The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people,
Yes, I am the bread of life!
Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died.
Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh."
but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'"
But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.
Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me.
I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever."
He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Many of his disciples said, "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?"
Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again?
The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
But some of you do not believe me." (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn't believe, and he knew who would betray him.)
Then he said, "That is why I said that people can't come to me unless the Father gives them to me."
At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.
Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Are you also going to leave?"
Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.
We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God."
I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"
Then Jesus said, "I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil."
He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.
Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked.
Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up.
Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.
After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death.
But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters,
and Jesus' brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles!
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't cheat, I don't sin, and I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector!
I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.
You can't become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!"
For even his brothers didn't believe in him.
Jesus replied, "Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime.
The world can't hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil.
You go on. I'm not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come."
After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee.
"But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.'
I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view.
The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him.
There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, "He's a good man," but others said, "He's nothing but a fraud who deceives the people."
But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.
Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach.
One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.
The people were surprised when they heard him. "How does he know so much    when he hasn't been trained?" they asked.
Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.
So Jesus told them, "My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me.
I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies.
Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me."
The crowd replied, "You're demon possessed! Who's trying to kill you?"
Jesus replied, "I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed.
But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses' law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.)
God loves you three.
For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath?
Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly."
Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, "Isn't this the man they are trying to kill?
Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: "Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. "Only God is truly good.
But to answer your question, you know the commandments: 'You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.'"
The man replied, "I've carefully obeyed all these commandments since I was young."
But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah?
But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from."
While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I'm not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don't know him.
Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.
When Jesus heard his answer, he said, "There is still one thing you haven't done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
But when the man heard this he became sad, for he was very rich.
The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. "Where is he planning to go?" they asked. "Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands? Maybe he will even teach the Greeks!
On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!
(When he said "living water", he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, "Surely this man is the Prophet we've been expecting."
Others said, "He is the Messiah." Still others said, "But he can't be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee?
For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born."
So the crowd was divided about him.
Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.
When Jesus saw this, he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!
In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"
"We have never heard anyone speak like this!" the guards responded.
"Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him?
Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up.
They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself -- no prophet ever comes from Galilee!"
Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home.
Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives,
but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them.
As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
"Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?"
They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.
Those who heard this said, "Then who in the world can be saved?"
They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!"
Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.
Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?"
"No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
The Pharisees replied, "You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid."
Jesus told them, "These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don't know this about me.
You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone.
And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me.
Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact.
I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other."
"Where is your father?" they asked. Jesus answered, "Since you don't know who I am, you don't know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father."
Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet come.
Later Jesus said to them again, "I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going."
The people asked, "Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, 'You cannot come where I am going'?"
Jesus continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not.
That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins."
"Who are you?" they demanded. Jesus replied, "The one I have always claimed to be.
I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won't. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful."
But they still didn't understand that he was talking about his Father.
He replied, "What is impossible for people is possible with God."
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I AM he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me.
And the one who sent me is with me -- he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him."
Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.
And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
"But we are descendants of Abraham," they said. "We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, 'You will be set free'?"
Peter said, "We've left our homes to follow you."
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.
A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.
So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there's no room in your hearts for my message.
I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father."
"Our father is Abraham!" they declared. "No," Jesus replied, "for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.
"Yes," Jesus replied, "and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God,
No, you are imitating your real father." They replied, "We aren't illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father."
Jesus told them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me.
Why can't you understand what I am saying? It's because you can't even hear me!
So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don't believe me!
Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don't you believe me?
The people retorted, "You Samaritan devil! Didn't we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?"
"No," Jesus said, "I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father -- and you dishonor me.
And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge.
I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!"
The people said, "Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say, 'Anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!'
Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"
Jesus answered, "If I want glory for myself, it doesn't count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, 'He is our God',
Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad."
The people said, "You aren't even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?"
Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!"
Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing.
"It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.
We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.
But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world."
He told him, "Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "sent"). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!
His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, "Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?"
Some said he was, and others said, "No, he just looks like him!" But the beggar kept saying, "Yes, I am the same one!"
They asked, "Who healed you? What happened?"
He told them, "The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.' So I went and washed, and now I can see!"
"Where is he now?" they asked. "I don't know," he replied.
Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees,
because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him.
The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, "He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!"
Some of the Pharisees said, "This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath." Others said, "But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?" So there was a deep division of opinion among them.
Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, "What's your opinion about this man who healed you?" The man replied, "I think he must be a prophet."
The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents.
They asked them, "Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?"
His parents replied, "We know this is our son and that he was born blind,
but we don't know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself."
His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue.
That's why they said, "He is old enough. Ask him."
So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, "God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner."
"I don't know whether he is a sinner," the man replied. "But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!"
We know God spoke to Moses, but we don't even know where this man comes from."
We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will.
Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind.
If this man were not from God, he couldn't have done it."
Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, "Listen, we're going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true.
He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon.
They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again."
When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
The man answered, "Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him."
"You have seen him," Jesus said, "and he is speaking to you!"
Then Jesus told him, "I entered this world to render judgment -- to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind."
"If you were blind, you wouldn't be guilty," Jesus replied. "But you remain guilty because you claim you can see."
But they didn't understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.
As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road.
When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening.
They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by.
So he began shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
"I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!
But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.
They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't know his voice."
Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn't understand what he meant,
so he explained it to them: "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them.
"Be quiet!" the people in front yelled at him. but he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.
The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
"I am the good shepherd. The shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him,
A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don't belong to him and he isn't their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.
The hired hand runs away because he's working only for the money and doesn't really care about the sheep.
"I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,
just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.
"What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord," he said, "I want to see!"
I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
"The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again.
No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded."
When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him.
Some said, "He's demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?"
Others said, "This doesn't sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"
It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication.
He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon's Colonnade.
And Jesus said, "All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you."
Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.
Luke 19. Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.
The people surrounded him and asked, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly."
Jesus replied, "I have already told you, and you don't believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father's name.
There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.
But you don't believe me because you are not my sheep.
He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,
for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand.
The Father and I are one."
Once again the people picked up stones to kill him.
Jesus said, "At my Father's direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?"
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.
They replied, "We're stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God."
Jesus replied, "It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, 'I say, you are gods!'
And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God's message were called 'gods,'
why do you call it blasphemy when I say, 'I am the Son of God'? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world.
Don't believe me unless I carry out my Father's work.
But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don't believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father."
Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them.
He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there awhile.
And many followed him. "John didn't perform miraculous signs," they remarked to one another, "but everything he said about this man has come true."
And many who were there believed in Jesus.
When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today."
Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.
A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha.
But the people were displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled.
This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick.
So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, "Lord, your dear friend is very sick."
But when Jesus heard about it he said, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this."
So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus,
he stayed where he was for the next two days.
Finally, he said to his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea."
But his disciples objected. "Rabbi," they said, "only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?"
Jesus replied, "There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world.
But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light."
Then he said, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up."
The disciples said, "Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!"
They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.
So he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.
And for your sakes, I'm glad I wasn't there, for now you will really believe. Come, let's go see him."
Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let's go, too -- and die with Jesus."
When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days.
Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem,
and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss.
When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house.
Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.
Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!"
But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask."
Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again."
Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham.
For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost."
"Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day."
Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.
Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?"
"Yes, Lord," she told him. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God."
Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, "The Teacher is here and wants to see you."
So Mary immediately went to him.
Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him.
When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus's grave to weep. So they followed her there.
When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."
When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled.
"Where have you put him?" he asked them. They told him, "Lord, come and see."
Then Jesus wept.
The people who were standing nearby said, "See how much he loved him!"
But some said, "This man healed a blind man. Couldn't he have kept Lazarus from dying?"
Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance.
"Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man's sister, protested, "Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible."
Jesus responded, "Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believe?"
The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away.
So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thank you for hearing me.
You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me."
Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!"
And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave-clothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!"
Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.
But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. "What are we going to do?" they asked each other. "This man certainly  performs many miraculous signs.
If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation."
Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, "You don't know what you're talking about!
You don't realize that it's better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed."
He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation.
And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world.
So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus' death.
As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples.
It was now almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration, and many people from all over the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the purification ceremony before Passover began.
They kept looking for Jesus, but as they stood around in the Temple, they said to each other, "What do you think? He won't come for Passover, will he?"
He said, "A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return.
Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly ordered that anyone seeing Jesus must report it immediately so they could arrest him.
Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, 'Invest this for me while I am gone.'
But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We do not want him to be our king.'
"After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were.
The first servant reported, 'Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!'
"'Well done!' the king exclaimed. 'You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.'
Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus -- the man he had raised from the dead.
A dinner was prepared in Jesus' honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him.
Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.
But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said,
"That perfume was worth a year's wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor."
Not that he cared for the poor -- he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples' money, he often stole some for himself.
Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial.
You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
When all the people heard of Jesus' arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead.
Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too,
for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.
The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors
took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, "Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Hail to the King of Israel!"
"The next servant reported, 'Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.'
Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:
"Don't be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey's colt."
His disciples didn't understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.
"'Well done'! the king said. 'You will be governor over five cities.'
Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it.
That was the reason so many went out to meet him -- because they had heard about this miraculous sign.
Then the Pharisees said to each other, "There's nothing we can do. Look,  everyone has gone after him!"
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration
paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus."
Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
Jesus replied, "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels -- a plentiful harvest of new lives.
Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.
"But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, 'Master, I hid your money and kept it safe.
I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn't yours and harvesting crops you didn't plant.'
Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
"Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came!
"Father, bring glory to your name." Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again."
"'You wicked servant!' the king roared. 'Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I'm a hard man who takes what isn't mine and harvests crops I didn't plant,
why didn't you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.'
"Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, 'Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.'
When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine.
The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."
He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
The crowd responded, "We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?"
Jesus replied, "My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.
Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light." After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.
But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him.
This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: "LORD, who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?"
But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said,
The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts -- so that their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them.
"'But, master,' they said, 'he already has ten pounds!'
Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah's glory.
"'Yes,' the king replied, 'and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.
Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn't admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.
For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me.
For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.
And as for these enemies of mine who didn't want me to be their king -- bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.'"
After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples.
I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.
As they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead.
I will not judge those who hear me but don't obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.
But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.
I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.
"Go into that village over there," he told them. "As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say."
If anyone asks, 'Why are you untying that colt?' just say, 'The Lord needs it.'"
So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said.
And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, "Why are you untying that colt?"
And the disciples simply replied, "The Lord needs it."
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.
It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.
Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.
So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,
and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples' feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
Jesus replied, "You don't understand now what I am doing, but someday you will."
"No," Peter protested, "you will never ever wash my feet!" Jesus replied, "Unless I wash you, you won't belong to me."
Simon Peter exclaimed, "Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!"
Jesus replied, "A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you."
For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, "Not all of you are clean."
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing?
You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right, because that's what I am.
As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him.
When they reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.
And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet.
"Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!"
I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message.
Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
"I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, 'The one who eats my food has turned against me.'
I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I AM the Messiah.
I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me."
Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!"
The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean.
The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table.
Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, "Who's he talking about?"
So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, "Lord, who is it?"
But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, "Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!"
He replied, "If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!"
Jesus responded, "It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl." And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.
When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, "Hurry and do what you're going to do."
None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant.
Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor.
So Judas left at once, going out into the night.
As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him.
And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son.
Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can't come where I am going.
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
Simon Peter asked, "Lord, where are you going?" And Jesus replied, "You can't go with me now, but you will follow me later."
But as they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, he began to weep.
"How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.
Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side.
They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation."
Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices.
"But why can't I come now, Lord?" he asked. "I'm ready to die for you."
He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."
Jesus answered, "Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter -- before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me."
"Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me.
After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him.
But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.
When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
And you know where I am going and how to get there."
"No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We haven't any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is. From now on you know him and have seen him!"
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied."
Luke 20. One day as Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him.
They demanded, "By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?"
Jesus replied, "Philip, don't you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see him?
There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly.
Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.
Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of what you have seen me do.
"The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father.
Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!
"If you love me, obey my commandments.
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you.
He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
No, I will not abandon you as orphans -- I will come to you.
In just a little while the world will not see me again, but you will. For I will live again, and you will too.
When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them."
Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, "Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?"
Jesus replied, "All those who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and live with them.
Anyone who doesn't love me will not do what I say. And remember, my words are not my own. This message is from the Father who sent me.
I am telling you these things now while I am still with you.
But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative -- and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit -- he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.
"I am leaving you with a gift -- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid.
Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, because now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am.
I have told you these things before they happen so that you will believe when they do happen.
"I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the prince of this world approaches. He has no power over me,
but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let's be going.
"Let me ask you a question first," he replied.
He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.
"I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.
You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
"Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.
But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
"I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love.
I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.
There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command.
"Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?"
You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.
This is my command: Love each other.
"If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.
They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe John.
The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.
Do you remember what I told you? 'A slave is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.
They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the One who sent me.
They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet."
So they finally replied that they didn't know.
If I hadn't done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father.
This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: 'They hated me without cause.'
"But I will send you the Advocate -- the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.
And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.
"I have told you these things so that you won't abandon your faith.
For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God.
And Jesus responded, "Then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things."
This is because they have never known the Father or me.
Yes, I'm telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn't tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.
for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.
Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: "A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years.
"But now I am going away to the One who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going.
Instead, you grieve because of what I've told you.
But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Advocate won't come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.
And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.
The world's sin is that it refuses to believe in me.
Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more.
Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
"There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.
So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed.
All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, 'The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.'
"In a little while you won't see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again."
Some of the disciples asked each other, "What does he mean when he says, 'In a little while you won't see me, but then you will see me,' and 'I am going to the Father'?
And what does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand."
Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, "Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won't see me, but a little while after that you will see me again.
I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.
A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away.
"'What will I do?' the owner asked himself. 'I know! I'll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.'
It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world.
So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.
At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.
You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
"I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father.
Then you will ask in my name. I'm not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf,
for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.
Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father."
Then his disciples said, "At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively.
Now we understand that you know everything, and there's no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God."
Jesus asked, "Do you finally believe?
But the time is coming -- indeed it's here now -- when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."
After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.
For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him.
And this is the way to have eternal life -- to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.
"But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'
I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.
"I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you,
for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.
"My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you.
All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory.
So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. "What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?" Jesus asked.
Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.
During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
"Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.
I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.
They do not belong to this world any more than I do.
Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.
Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.
And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.
I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one -- as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
"I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.
I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!
"O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me.
I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them."
"I'll tell you -- he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others." "How terrible that such a thing should ever happen," his listeners protested.
Jesus looked at them and said, "Then what does this Scripture mean? 'The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.'
Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on."
The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them -- they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people's reaction.
Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus.
"Teacher," they said, "we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully.
After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees.
Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples.
Now tell us -- is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
But Jesus knew their evil motives. "You hypocrites!" he said. "Why are you trying to trap me?
He saw through their trickery and said,
The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove.
"Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?" "Caesar's," they replied.
Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. "Who are you looking for?" he asked.
"Jesus the Nazarene," they replied. "I AM he," Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.)
As Jesus said "I AM he," they all drew back and fell to the ground!
Once more he asked them, "Who are you looking for?" And again they replied, "Jesus the Nazarene."
"I told you that I AM he," Jesus said. "And since I am the one you want, let these others go."
He did this to fulfill his own statement: "I did not lose a single one of those you have given me."
Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest's slave.
"Well then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God."
But Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?"
So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up.
First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest at that time.
Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, "It's better that one man should die for the people."
So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent.
Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees -- religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead.
They posed this question: "Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother's name.
Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children.
Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciples. That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the high priest's courtyard with Jesus.
Peter  had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in.
The woman asked Peter, "You're not one of that man's disciples, are you?" "No," he said, "I am not."
Because it was cold, the household servants and the guards had made a charcoal fire. They stood around it, warming themselves, and Peter stood with them, warming himself.
Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about his followers and what he had been teaching them.
Jesus replied, "Everyone knows what I teach. I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple, where the people gather. I have not spoken in secret.
Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said."
Then one of the Temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. "Is that the way to answer the high priest?" he demanded.
So the second brother married the widow, but he also died.
Jesus replied, "If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I'm speaking the truth, why are you beating me?"
Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children.
Then Annas bound Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.
Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire, they asked him again, "You're not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it, saying, "No, I am not."
Finally, the woman also died.
So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!"
Jesus replied, "Marriage is for people here on earth.
But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.
And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.
"But now, as to whether the dead will be raised -- even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush.
Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'
So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him."
"Well said, Teacher!" remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there.
But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Didn't I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?"
Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.
Jesus' trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn't go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn't be allowed to celebrate the Passover.
And then no one dared to ask him any more questions.
So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, "What is your charge against this man?"
Then Jesus presented them with a question. "Why is it," he asked, "that the Messiah is said to be the son of David?
"We wouldn't have handed him over to you if he weren't a criminal!" they retorted.
"Then take him away and judge him by your own law," Pilate told them. "Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone," the Jewish leaders replied.
(This fulfilled Jesus' prediction about the way he would die.)
Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. "Are you the king of the Jews?" he asked him.
Jesus replied, "Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?"
"Am I a Jew?" Pilate retorted. "Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world."
Pilate said, "So you are a king?" Jesus responded, "You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true."
"What is truth?" Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, "He is not guilty of any  crime.
But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this 'King of the Jews'?"
But they shouted back, "No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!" (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)
For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms: 'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.'
Since David called the Messiah 'Lord,' how can the Messiah be his son?"
Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said,
"Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces.
And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.
Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished."
Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip.
The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him.
"Hail! King of the Jews!" they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.
Pilate went outside again and said to the people, "I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty."
Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, "Look, here is the man!"
When they saw him, the leading priess and Temple guards began shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" "Take him yourselves and crucify him," Pilate said. "I find him not guilty."
The Jewish leaders replied, "By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God."
When Pilate heard this, he was  more frightened than ever.
He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave no answer.
"Why don't you talk to me?" Pilate demanded. "Don't you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?"
Then Jesus said, "You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin."
Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, "If you release this man, you are no 'friend of Caesar.' Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar."
When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha).
It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, "Look, here is your king!"
"Away with him," they yelled. "Away with him! Crucify him!  "What? Crucify your king?" Pilate asked.  "We have no king but Caesar," the leading priests shouted back.
Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away.
Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgatha).
There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them.
And Pilate posted a sign over him that read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."
The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.
Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, "Change it from 'The King of the Jews' to 'He said, I am King of the Jews.'"
Pilate replied, "No, what I have written, I have written."
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
So they said, "Rather than tearing it apart, let's throw dice for it." This fulfilled the Scripture that says, "They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing." So that is what they did.
Standing near the cross were Jesus' mother, and his mother's sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Dear woman, here is your son."
And he said to this disciple, "Here is your mother." And from then on this disciple took her into his home.
Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, "I am thirsty."
A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips.
When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.
It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn't want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was the Passover). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs.
One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
(This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.)
These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, "Not one of his bones will be broken,"
and "They will look on the one they pierced."
Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus' body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth.
Luke 21. While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box.
The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before.
And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.
She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"
Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb.
They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn't go in.
Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there,
while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.
Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed --
for until then they still hadn't understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead.
Then they went home.
Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.
She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.
"Dear woman, why are you crying?" the angels asked her.  "Because they have taken away my Lord," she replied, "and I don't know where they have put him."
Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.
She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him.
"Dear woman, why are you crying?" Jesus asked her. "Who are you looking for?"  She thought he was the gardener. "Sir," she said, "if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him."
"Mary!" Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, "Rabboni!" (which is Hebrew for "Teacher").
"Don't cling to me," Jesus said, "for I haven't yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."
Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, "I have seen the Lord!" Then she gave them his message.
That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! "Peace be with you," he said.
As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!
Again he said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you."
Then he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.
They told him, "We have seen the Lord!"  But he replied, "I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side."
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. "Peace be with you," he said.
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!"
"My Lord and my God!" Thomas exclaimed.
Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me."
The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book.
But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.
"I tell you the truth," Jesus said, "this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them.
For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has."
Some of his disciples began talking about the majestic stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said,
Several of the disciples were there -- Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.
Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing." "We'll come, too," they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn't see who he was.
He called out, "Fellows, have you caught any fish?"  "No," they replied.
Then he said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get some!" So they did, and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.
Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, "It's the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.
The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore.
When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them -- fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.
"Bring some of the fish you've just caught," Jesus said.
So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn't torn.
"Now come and have some breakfast!" Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish.
This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon  Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?"  "Yes, Lord," Peter replied, "you know I love you."  "Then feed my lambs," Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: "Simon son of John, do you love me?"  "Yes, Lord," Peter said, "you know I love you."  "Then take care of my sheep," Jesus said.
"The time is coming when all these things will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!"
A third time he asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you." Jesus said, "Then feed my sheep.
I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don't want to go."
Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, "Follow me."
"Teacher," they asked, "when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to take place?"
Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved -- the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, "Lord, who will betray you?"
Peter asked Jesus, "What about him, Lord?"
Jesus replied, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me."
So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn't die. But that isn't what Jesus said at all. He only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"
This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate.
Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.
He replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and saying, 'The time has come!' But don't believe them.
And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don't panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won't follow immediately."
Then he added, "Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.
"But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers.
But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.
So don't worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you,
for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!
Even those closest to you -- your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends -- will betray you. They will even kill some of you.
And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.
But not a hair of your head will perish!
I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
By standing firm, you will win your souls.
"And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived.
Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city.
For those will be days of God's vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled.
How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people.
They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.
Once we were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta.
The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us.
As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand.
The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, "A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live."
The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn't harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.
But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.
Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days.
As it happened, Publius's father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him.
Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed.
As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.
"And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides.
People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory.
So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!"
Then he gave them this illustration: "Notice the fig tree, or any other tree.
When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near.
I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
Psalm 91. Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.
"Watch out! Don't let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don't let that day catch you unaware,
He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.
Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.
If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.
For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.
They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.
You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
The LORD says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name."
"When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them."
I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation."
like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth.
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
O LORD, I have so many enemies; so many are against me.
Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man."
So many are saying, "God will never rescue him!"
But you, O LORD, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain.
I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me.
I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side.
Every day Jesus went to the Temple to teach, and each evening he returned to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.
Arise, O LORD! Rescue me, my God! Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked!
Victory comes from you, O LORD. May you bless your people.
The crowds gathered at the Temple early each morning to hear him.
O LORD, don't rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage.
Have compassion on me, LORD, for I am weak. Heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.
I am sick at heart. How long, O LORD, until you restore me?
Return, O LORD, and rescue me. Save me because of your unfailing love.
For the dead do not remember you. Who can praise you from the grave?
I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears.
My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.
Go away, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.
The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD will answer my prayer.
May all my enemies be disgraced and terrified. May they suddenly turn back in shame.
Acts 26 verse 18. 'to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me.'
O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers -- the moon and the stars you set in place --
what are people that you should think about them, mere mortals that you should care for them?
You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority --
the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.
O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
Luke 22. The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching.
Turn and answer me, O LORD my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
Don't let my enemies gloat, saying, "We have defeated him!" Don't let them rejoice at my downfall.
But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the LORD because he is good to me.
Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!
The LORD looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!
The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people's reaction.
Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn't think of praying to the LORD.
Terror will grip them, for God is with those who obey him.
The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed, but the LORD will protect his people.
Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples,
Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel? When the LORD restores his people, Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.
I love you.
and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them.
They were delighted, and they promised to give him money.
So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren't around.
"This is my command -- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread arrived, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed.
Jesus sent Peter and John ahead and said, "Go and prepare the Passover meal, so we can eat it together."
"Where do you want us to prepare it?" they asked him.
He replied, "As soon as you enter Jerusalem, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. At the house he enters,
say to the owner, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?'
He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal."
They went off to the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.
When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table.
Jesus said, "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins.
For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God."
Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, "Take this and share it among yourselves.
For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come."
He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me."
After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people -- an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.
"But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me.
For it has been determined that the Son of Man must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him."
The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing.
Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them.
Jesus told them, "In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called 'friends of the people.'
But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.
Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.
"You have stayed with me in my time of trial.
And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right
to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
So now, come back to your God! Act on the principles of love and justice, and always live in confident dependence on your God.
"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.
But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers."
Deceit [is] in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counselors of peace [is] joy.
Peter said, "Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you."
But Jesus said, "Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me."
1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, with all your strength. These commandments that I give today should be upon your heart, upon your heart. Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again. The lame will leap, the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb.
Today in the town of David a Savior is born. He is the Messiah; He is Christ our Lord. Today in the town of David a Savior is born. He is the Messiah; He is Christ our Lord: 
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you did not have money, a traveler's bag, or extra clothing, did you need anything?" "No," they replied.
"But now," he said, "take your money and a traveler's bag. And if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one!
For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled: 'He was counted among the rebels.' Yes, everything written about me by the prophets will come true."
"Look, Lord," they replied, "we have two swords among us." "That's enough," he said.
Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives.
There he told them, "Pray that you will not give in to temptation."
He walked away, about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed,
O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth! O LORD our Lord, Your glory is above the heavens. 
"Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."
Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.
He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.
At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief.
"Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation."
But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas,one of his twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss.
But Jesus said, "Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?"
When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, "Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!"
And one of them struck at the high priest's slave, slashing off his right ear.
He was searching but he gave up in despair. God found him and through grace brought him to life again. They got closer and closer. At first they were friends but the relationship grew into love.
But Jesus said, "No more of this." And he touched the man's ear and healed him.
Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for him.
"Am I some dangerous revolutionary," he asked, "that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?
Why didn't you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns."
So they arrested him and led him to the high priest's home. And Peter followed at a distance.
The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there.
A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, "This man was one of Jesus' followers!"
But Peter denied it. "Woman," he said, "I don't even know him!"
After a while someone else looked at him and said, "You must be one of them!" "No, man, I'm not!" Peter retorted.
About an hour later someone else insisted, "This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too."
But Peter said, "Man, I don't know what you are talking about." And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him.
They blindfolded him and said, "Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?"
And they hurled all sorts of terrible insults at him.
This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.
God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.
The Good News is about his Son, Jesus. In his earthly life he was born into King David's family line,
and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.
God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.
One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.
For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.
When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.
I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles.
For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike.
So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes -- the Jew first and also the Gentile.
This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies.
They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.
And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.
Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.
They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.
They know God's justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples.
Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus,
so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God's eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord's commandments and regulations.
They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week.
As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar.
Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.
But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.
You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.
And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.
He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.
Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years."
Then the angel said, "I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!
But now, since you didn't believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time."
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long.
When he finally did come out, he couldn't speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.
When Zechariah's week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home.
Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months.
"How kind the Lord is!" she exclaimed. "He has taken away my disgrace of having no children."
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,
to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.
Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!"
Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
"Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God!
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.
And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!"
Mary asked the angel, "But how can this happen? I am a virgin."
The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she's now in her sixth month.
For nothing is impossible with God."
Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." And then the angel left her.
A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town
where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.
At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.
Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?
When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said."
Mary responded, "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.
For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever."
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.
When it was time for Elizabeth's baby to be born, she gave birth to a son.
And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.
When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father.
But Elizabeth said, "No! His name is John!"
"What?" they exclaimed. "There is no one in all your family by that name."
So they used gestures to ask the baby's father what he wanted to name him.
He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone's surprise he wrote, "His name is John."
Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.
Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.
Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, "What will this child turn out to be?" For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.
Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
"Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people.
He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David,
just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.
Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.
He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant --
the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham.
We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear,
in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.
"And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.
Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace."
John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
and they said, "Tell us are you the Messiah?" But he replied, "If I tell you, you won't believe me.
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.
And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things.
Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God's judgment when you do the same things?
Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
He will judge everyone according to what they have done.
He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.
But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.
There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil -- for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good -- for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
For God does not show favoritism.
When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God's written law. And the Jews, who do have God's law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it.
For merely listening to the law doesn't make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.
Even Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it.
They demonstrate that God's law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.
And this is the message I proclaim -- that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone's secret life.
You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God's law, and you boast about your special relationship with him.
You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law.
You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness.
You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God's law gives you complete knowledge and truth.
Well then, if you teach others, why don't you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?
You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?
You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it.
And if I ask you a question, you won't answer.
No wonder the Scriptures say, "The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you."
The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God's law. But if you don't obey God's law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile.
And if the Gentiles obey God's law, won't God declare them to be his own people?
In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God's law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God's law but don't obey it.
For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision.
No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
But from now on the Son of Man will be seated in the place of power at God's right hand."
They all shouted, "So, are you claiming to be the Son of God?" And he replied, "You say that I am."
Then what's the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?
Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.
True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful?
Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, "You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court."
"But," some might say, "our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn't it unfair, then, for him to punish us?" (This is merely a human point of view.)
Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?
"But," someone might still argue, "how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?"
And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, "The more we sin, the better it is!" Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.
Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.
"Why do we need other witnesses?" they said. "We ourselves heard him say it."
As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous -- not even one."
"No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God."
"All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one."
"Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies. Snake venom drips from their lips."
"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
"They rush to commit murder."
"Destruction and misery always follow them." 
"They don't know where to find peace." 
"They have no fear of God at all." 
Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.
For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.
Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held  back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,
for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.
So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is.
There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.
Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law. 
Luke 2. At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.
(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.
And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.
He took with him Mary, his fiancee, who was now obviously pregnant.
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.
She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified,
And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.
but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people."
The Savior -- yes, the Messiah, the Lord -- has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others -- the armies of heaven -- praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.
After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished,
but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.
Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD."
So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord -- "either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him
and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah.
That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required,
Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
"Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.
I have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared for all people.
He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!"
Jesus' parents were amazed at what was being said about him.
Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby's mother, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him.
As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."
Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years.
Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.
She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee.
There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God's favor was on him.
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years:
Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.
When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual.
After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first,
because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.
When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there.
Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.
All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
His parents didn't know what to think. "Son," his mother said to him, "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere."
"But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"
But they didn't understand what he meant.
and let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.
Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
Luke 23. Then the entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor.
They began to state their case: "This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king."
Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?
If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God's way.
So Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "You have said it."
For the Scriptures tell us, "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith."
When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.
But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.
David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
"Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight." 
"Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin."
Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, "I find nothing wrong with this man!"
Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith.
But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous -- even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Then they became insistent. "But he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes -- all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!"
"Oh, is he a Galilean?" Pilate asked.
Clearly, God's promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God's law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.
If God's promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.
For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
When they said that he was, Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was under Herod's jurisdiction, and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.
That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, "I have made you the father of many nations." This happened because Abraham  believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping -- believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!"
And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead -- and so was Sarah's womb.
Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.
He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as righteous.
And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It was recorded
He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he and heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle.
He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer.
Luke 3. It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler over Iturea and Traconitis; Lysanias was ruler over Abilene.
Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness.
Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had turned to God to receive forgiveness for their sins.
Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations.
Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.
(Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.)
Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people,
and he announced his verdict. "You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent.
Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty.
So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him." (*NOTE: no verse 17 in NLT)
Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, "Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!"
(Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.)
Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus.
But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching the inward parts of the belly.
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation.
For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.
Still, everyone died -- from the time of Adam to the time of Moses -- even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.
But there is a great difference between Adam's sin and God's gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.
For the third time he demanded, "Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him."
And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.
For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant.
So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?
Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?
For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 
And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.
We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.
When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.
So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.
Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.
Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!
Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.
Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.
Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin.
Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.
And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.
But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now, dear brothers and sisters -- you who are familiar with the law -- don't you know that the law applies only while a person is living?
For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her.
So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.
When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.
"And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens...And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
"And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world..."
"However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows."
But now we have been released from  the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power.
Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin.
I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, "You must not covet."
But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed.
But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.
So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded.
At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life,
and I died. So I discovered that the law's commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead.
Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me.
But still the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.
But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death.
So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God's good commands for its own evil purposes.
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.
I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.
So I am  not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't.
I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.
As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
I have discovered this principle of life -- that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
I love God's law with all my heart.
But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.
So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have.
And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will.
That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.
(And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)
And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women.
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.
For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. 
Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father."
For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.
And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.
We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don't need to hope for it.)
But if we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
But Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
For the days are coming when they will say, 'Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.'
People will beg the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and plead with the hills, 'Bury us.'
For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?
Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one -- for God himself has given us right standing with himself.
Who then will condemn us? No one -- for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us.
Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
(As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.")
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love.
Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow -- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.
For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
No power in the sky above or in the earth below -- indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it.
My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief
Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him.
for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed -- cut off from Christ! -- if that would save them.
They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God's adopted children. God revealed his glory to them.
He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God's people!
Being descendants of Abraham doesn't make them truly Abraham's children. For the Scriptures say, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted," though Abraham had other children, too.
This means that Abraham's physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham's children.
For God had promised, "I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."
This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.
But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes;
he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, "Your older son will serve your younger son."
In the words of the Scriptures, "I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau."
Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not!
For God said to Moses, "I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose."
So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, "I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth."
So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
Well then, you might say, "Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven't they simply done what he makes them do?"
No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, "Why have you made me like this?"
When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?
In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who were made for destruction.
He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.
Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, "Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before."
And, "Then, at the place where they were told, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'children of the living God.'"
And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out, "Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant will be saved."
"For the LORD will carry out his sentence upon the earth quickly and with finality."
And Isaiah said the same thing in another place: "If the LORD of Heaven's Armies had not spared a few of our children, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah."
What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God's standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.
But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.
Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.
God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."
Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.
I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.
For they don't understand God's way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God's way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.
For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
For Moses writes that the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.
But faith's way of getting right with God says, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will go up to heaven' (to bring Christ down to earth).
And don't say, 'Who will go down to the place of the dead' (to bring Christ back to life again)."
In fact, it says, "The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."
Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.
For "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved."
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"
But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, "LORD, who has believed our message?"
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have: "The message has gone throughout the earth, and the words to all the world."
But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said,
"I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation. I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles."
And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying, "I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me."
But regarding Israel, God said, "All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious."
I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very  beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,
"LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."
And do you remember God's reply? He said, "No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!"
It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God's grace -- his undeserved kindness in choosing them.
And since it is through God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's grace would not be what it really is -- free and undeserved.
So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have -- the ones God has chosen -- but the hearts of the rest were hardened.
As the Scriptures say, "God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear."
Likewise, David said, "Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve.
Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be  bent forever."
Did God's people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.
Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God's offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.
I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,
for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.
For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead!
And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy -- just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy.
For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.
But some of these branches from Abraham's tree -- some of the people of Israel -- have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in.
So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God's special olive tree.
But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.
"Well," you may say, "those branches were broken off to make room for me."
Yes, but remember -- those branches were broken off because they didn't believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don't think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.
For if God did not spare the original branches, he won't spare you either.
Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.
And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.
You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.
I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.
And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, "The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.
And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins."
Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.
Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead.
Now they are the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God's mercy.
For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.
Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
For who can know the LORD'S thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?
And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?
For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all  he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -- the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,
so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.
If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.
If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them.
Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.
Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD.
When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified -- one on his right and one on his left.
Instead, "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads."
Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.
For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.
The authorities are God's servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you.
They are God's servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.
So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.
Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do.
Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
Owe nothing to anyone -- except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God's law.
For the commandments say, "You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet." These -- and other such commandments -- are summed up in this one commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God's law.
This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.
Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.
Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.
For instance, one person believes it's all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.
Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don't. And those who don't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.
Who are you to condemn someone else's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord's help, they will do what is right and will receive his approval.
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.
The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. "He saved others," they said, "let him save himself if he is really God's Messiah, the Chosen One."
Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating.
And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.
For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves.
If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Christ died and rose again for this very purpose -- to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.
So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
For the Scriptures say, "'As surely as I live,'" says the LORD, 'every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.'"
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
So let's stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.
And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.
Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good.
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.
So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
Don't tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble.
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.
You may believe there's nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don't feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right.
But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.
We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me."
Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled.
May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.
Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.
Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors.
He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: "For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name."
And in another place it is written, "Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles."
And yet again, "Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles. Praise him, all you people of the earth."
And in another place Isaiah said, "The heir to David's throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him."
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit.
So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.
Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them.
They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God's Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.
My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.
I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says, "Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand."
In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.
But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you.
I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.
But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there.
For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.
They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially.
As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain.
And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.
Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.
Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem.
Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.
And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.
The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine.
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea.
Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God's people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to  many, and especially to me.
Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus.
In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches.
Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.
Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit.
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.
Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.
Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus.
Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet the Lord's people from the household of Narcissus.
Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord's workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord.
Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.
They called out to him, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
A sign was fastened to the cross above him with these words: "This is the King of the Jews."
Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who meet with them.
Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers who meet with them.
Greet each other in Christian love. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.
And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people's faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.
Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.
But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes  me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.
I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord's followers.
Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus.
Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.
But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.
All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.
One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself -- and us, too, while you're at it!"
But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?
In my soul there is a hole that can never be filled, but in my heart there is hope as you are with me still.
"Don't let your hearts be troubled."
We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong."
This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:
Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).
Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."
All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.
This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Joseph, her fiance, was a good man and did not want to disgrace  her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet:
"Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.'"
When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.
But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him."
King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.
He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, "Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?"
"In Bethlehem in Judea," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote:
'And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.'"
Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.
Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!"
After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.
They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother," the angel said. "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."
That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother,
and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: "I called my Son out of Egypt."
Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men's report of the star's first appearance.
Herod's brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
"A cry was heard in Ramah--weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead."
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
"Get up!" the angel said. "Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead."
So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother.
But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod's son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee.
So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: "He will be called a Nazarene."
In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was,
"Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."
The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the LORD'S coming! Clear the road for him!'"
John's clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.
People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John.
And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. "You brood of snakes!" he exclaimed. "Who warned you to flee God's coming wrath?
Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
Don't just say to each other, 'We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.' That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 
Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
"I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am--
so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."
Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth,
But John tried to talk him out of it. "I am the one who needs to be baptized by you," he said, "so why are you coming to me?"
But Jesus said, "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires." So John agreed to baptize him.
After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.
And a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy."
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.
For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.
During that time the devil came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread."
But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 
and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, 'He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.'"
Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the LORD your God.'"
Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him the kingdoms of the world and all their glory.
"I will give it all to you," he said, "if you will kneel down and worship me."
"Get out of here, Satan," Jesus told him. "For the Scriptures say, 'You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.'"
Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:
So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart.
"In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,
the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined."
From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."
And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers--Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew--throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.
Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!"
And they left their nets at once and followed him.
A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too.
They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.
Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.
News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon-possessed or epileptic or paralyzed--he healed them all.
Large crowds followed him wherever he went--people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.
One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him,
and he began to teach them.
"God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. 
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 
"God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.
Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
"You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses law or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.
By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock.
The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle.
Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last.
When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, "Surely this man was innocent."
And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow.
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 
So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
"But I warn you--unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
"You have heard that our ancestors were told, 'You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.'
But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
"So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,
leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
"When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison.
And if that happens, you surely won't be free again until you have paid the last penny.
But Jesus' friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching.
"You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.'
But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
So if your eye -- even your good eye -- causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
And if your hand--even your stronger hand--causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council,
"You have heard the law that says, 'A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.'
But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery. 
"You have also heard that our ancestors were told, 'You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the LORD.'
But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, 'By heaven!' because heaven is God's throne. 
And do not say, 'By the earth!' because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, 'By Jerusalem!' for Jerusalem is the city of the great King.
Do not even say, 'By my head!' for you can't turn one hair white or black.
Just say a simple, 'Yes, I will,' or 'No, I won't.' Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
"You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'
But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 
If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too.
If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.
Give to those who ask, and don't turn away from those who want to borrow. 
"You have heard the law that says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy.
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 
In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 
If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 
But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
"Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 
When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do -- blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity!
I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 
But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
"When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
"If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
"And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 
But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 
Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
"Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light.
But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?
Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
"And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing,
yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.
And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 
"So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?'
These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
"So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.
"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
"And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?
How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye?
Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.
"Don't waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.
but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.
"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
"You parents--if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?
Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!
So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. 
"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
"You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.
But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
"Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 
You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.
A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.
So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.
Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. 
"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed  many miracles in your name.'
But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'
"Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.
Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock.
But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.
When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
for he taught with real authority--quite unlike their teachers of religious law.
Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside.
Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. "Lord," the man said, "if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean."
Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed!" And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
Then Jesus said to him, "Don't tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed."
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him,
"Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain."
Jesus said, "I will come and heal him."
But the officer said, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.
I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, 'Go,' and they go, or 'Come,' and they come. And if I say to my slaves, 'Do this,' they do it."
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, "I tell you the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel!
He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.
And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world -- from east and west -- and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. 
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, "Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened." And the young servant was healed that same hour.
But many Israelites -- those for whom the Kingdom was prepared -- will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
When Jesus arrived at Peter's house, Peter's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever.
But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.
That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick.
This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, "He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases."
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake.
Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head."
Another of his disciples said, "Lord, first let me return home and bury my father."
But Jesus told him, "Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead."
Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples.
Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
Jesus responded, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly all was calm. 
The disciples were amazed. "Who is this man?" they asked. "Even the winds and waves obey him!"
When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They lived in a cemetery and were so violent that no one could go through that area.
They began screaming at him, "Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God's appointed time?"
There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance.
So the demons begged, "If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs."
"All right, go!" Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock.
The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men.
Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.
Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town.
Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven."
But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, "That's blasphemy! Does he think he's God?"
Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?
Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'?
This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.
So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"
Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority.
And the man jumped up and went home!
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.
But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with such scum?"
When Jesus heard this, he said, "Healthy people don't need a doctor -- sick people do." 
Then he added, "Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.' For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."
One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, "Why don't your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?"
Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
"Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved."
As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. "My daughter has just died," he said, "but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her."
So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him.
Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe,
for she thought, "If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed."
Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, "Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well." And the woman was healed at that moment.
As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed.
When Jesus arrived at the official's home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music.
"Get out!" he told them. "The girl isn't dead; she's only asleep." But the crowd laughed at him.
After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!
The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside.
After Jesus left the girl's home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, "Son of David, have mercy on us!"
They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, "Do you believe I can make you see?" "Yes, Lord," they told him, "we do."
Then he touched their eyes and said, "Because of your faith, it will happen."
Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, "Don't tell anyone about this."
But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region.
When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn't speak was brought to Jesus.
So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. "Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!" they exclaimed.
But the Pharisees said, "He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons."
Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.
Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
He said to his disciples, "The harvest is great, but the workers are few.
So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields."
Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.
Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: "Don't go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans,
but only to the people of Israel--God's lost sheep.
Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
"Don't take any money in your money belts--no gold, silver, or even copper coins.
Don't carry a traveler's bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don't hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.
"Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town.
"When you enter the home, give it your blessing.
If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing.
If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave.
I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.
Luke 24. But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.
"Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.
You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.
When you are arrested, don't worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time.
For it is not you who will be speaking--it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
"A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed.
And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. 
When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel. 
"Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master.
Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their  master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!
"But don't be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.
What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! 
"Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 
They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.
What is the price of two sparrows--one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 
And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.
So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
So they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus.
"Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. 
"Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.
'I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Your enemies will be right in your own household!'
"If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 
If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.
If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
"Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.
If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs.
And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded."
When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region.
Jesus told them, "Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen--
the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.
And tell him, 'God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.'"
As John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. "What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind?
Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces.
Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet.
John is the  man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, 'Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.'
"I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!
And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.
For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time.
And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come.
Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
"To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,
'We played wedding songs, and you didn't dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn't mourn.'
For John didn't spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, 'He's possessed by a demon.'
The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, 'He's a  glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!' But wisdom is shown to be right by its results."
Then Jesus  began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn't repented of their sins and turned to God.
"What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida!
For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse.
I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.
"And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.
For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today.
I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you."
At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!
"My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle and heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. 
But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, "Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath."
Jesus said to them, "Haven't you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
He went into the house of God, and they broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat.
And haven't you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath?
I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple!
But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.'
For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!"
Then Jesus went over to their synagogue,
And he answered, "If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn't you work to pull it out? Of course you would.
And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath."
Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one!
Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.
But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them,
but he warned them not to reveal who he was.
This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:
"Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public.
He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn't speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.
And his name will be the hope of all the world."
The crowd was amazed and asked, "Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?"
But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, "No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons."
Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, "Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.
And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive.
And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said.
But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.
For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger--someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.
"Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.
"Every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven--except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven.
Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.
"A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.
You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.  
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 
And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.
The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you."
One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, "Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority."
But Jesus replied, "Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.
For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
"The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here--but you refuse to repent.
The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here -- but you refuse to listen.
"When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none.
Then it says, 'I will return to the person I came from.' So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order.
Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation."
As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.
Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you."
Jesus asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"
Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "Look, these are my mother and brothers.
Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!"
Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake.
A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore.
He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: "Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.
As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.
Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.
But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn't have deep roots, they died.
Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.
Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."
His disciples came and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?"
He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.
To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.
That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don't really see. They hear, but they don't really listen or understand.
This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, 'When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.
For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes--so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.'
"But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn't see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn't hear it.
"Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:
The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.
The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.
But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.
The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.
The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
Here is another story Jesus told: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.
But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.
When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
"The farmer's workers went to him and said, "Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?'
"'An enemy has done this!' the farmer exclaimed. "'Should we pull out the weeds?' they asked.
"'No,' he replied, 'you'll uproot the wheat if you do.
Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat into the barn.'"
Here is another illustration Jesus used: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.
It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches."
Jesus also used this illustration: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough."
Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.
This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet: "I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world."
Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, "Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field."
Jesus replied, "The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed.
The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.
The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.
"Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world.
The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls.
When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind.
As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.
When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into the crates, but threw the bad ones away.
That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous,
throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Do you understand all these things?" "Yes," they said, "we do."
Then he added, "Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old."
When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country.
He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, "Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?"
Then they scoffed, "He's just the carpenter's son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers--James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.
All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?"
And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family."
And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.
When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about Jesus,
he said to his advisers, "This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles."
For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod's brother Philip).
John had been telling Herod, "It is against God's law for you to marry her."
Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.
But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias's daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him,
so he promised with a vow to give her anything she wanted.
At her mother's urging, the girl said, "I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!"
Then the king regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders.
So John was beheaded in the prison,
and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.
Later, John's disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened.
As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns.
Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."
But Jesus said, "That isn't necessary--you feed them."
"But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!" they answered.
"Bring them here," he said.
Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people.
They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers.
About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!
Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home.
After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.
Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.
About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.
When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, "It's a ghost!"
But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Take courage. I am here!"
Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water."
"Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.
Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?"
When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.
After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret.
Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed.
When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed.
They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.
Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus.
"Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition?" they demanded. "They ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat."
Jesus replied, "And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?
For instance, God says, 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.'
But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, 'Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.'
In this way, you say they don't need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.
The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?
You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.'"
Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. "Listen," he said, "and try to understand.
It's not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth."
Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?"
Jesus replied, "Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted,
so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch."
Then Peter said to Jesus, "Explain to us the parable that says people aren't defiled by what they eat."
"Don't you understand yet?" Jesus asked.
"Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.
But the words you speak come from the heart -- that's what defiles you.
For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.
These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you."
Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee,
A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely."
But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. "Tell her to go away," they said. "She is bothering us with all her begging."
Then Jesus said to the woman, "I was sent only to help God's lost sheep--the people of Israel."
But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, "Lord, help me!"
Jesus responded, "It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs."
She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their master's table."
"Dear woman," Jesus said to her, "your faith is great. Your request is granted." And her daughter was instantly healed.
Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down.
A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn't speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all.
The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn't been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel.
Then Jesus called his disciples and told them, "I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way."
The disciples replied, "Where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?"
Jesus asked, "How much bread do you have?" They replied, "Seven loaves, and a few small fish."
So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground.
Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to the disciples, who distributed the food to the crowd.
They all ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food.
There were 4,000 men who were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children.
Then Jesus sent the people home, and he got into a boat and crossed over to the region of Magadan.
One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.
He replied, "You know the saying, 'Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow;
red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.' You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don't know how to interpret the signs of the times!
Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah." Then Jesus left them and went away.
Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread.
"Watch out!" Jesus warned them. "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn't brought any bread.
Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, "You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread?
Don't you understand even yet? Don't you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up?
Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up?
Why can't you understand that I'm not talking about bread? So again I say, 'Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'"
Then at last they understood that he wasn't speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
"Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."
Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?"
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.
Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means 'rock'), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."
Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.
But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. "Heaven forbid, Lord," he said. "This will never happen to you!"
Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.
And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom."
Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone.
As the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.
Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.
Peter blurted out, "Lord, it's wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I'll make three shelters as memorials--one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
But even as he spoke, a bright cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him."
The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.
Then Jesus came over and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid."
And when they looked, they saw only Jesus.
As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
Then his disciples asked him, "Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?"
Jesus replied, "Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready for the Messiah.
But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn't recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer."
Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.
At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said,
"Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.
So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."
Jesus replied, "You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.
Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"
Then they remembered that he had said this.
So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples -- and everyone else -- what had happened.
After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.
He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead." And the disciples were filled with grief.
On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, "Doesn't your teacher pay the Temple tax?"
"Yes, he does," Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, "What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?"
"They tax the people they have conquered," Peter replied. "Well, then," Jesus said, "the citizens are free!
However, we don't want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us."
About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"
Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.
Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
"And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.
But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
"What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.
So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It's better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet.
And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It's better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened.
"If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?
And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn't wander away!
In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish.
"If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.
But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.
If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
"I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
"I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.
For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."
Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?"
"No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven!"
"Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him.
In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.
He couldn't pay, so his master ordered that he be sold--along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned--to pay the debt.
"But the man fell down before his master and begged him, 'Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.'
Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.
"But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.
"His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it,' he pleaded.
But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
"When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened.
Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.
Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?'
Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.
"That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart."
When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River.
Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick.
But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn't believe it.
Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: "Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?"
"Haven't you read the Scriptures?" Jesus replied. "They record that from the beginning 'God made them male and female.'
And he said, 'This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.'
Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together."
"Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?" they asked.
Jesus replied, "Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended.
And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery--unless his wife had been unfaithful."
Jesus' disciples then said to him, "If this is the case, it is better not to marry!"
However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again wondering what had happened.
"Not everyone can accept this statement," Jesus said. "Only those whom God helps.
Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can."
One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."
And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.
Someone came to Jesus with this question: "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?"
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.
"Why ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. But to answer your question--if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments."
"Which ones?" the man asked. And Jesus replied: "'You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely.
Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"I've obeyed all these commandments," the young man replied. "What else must I do?"
Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
But when the young man heard this, he went away very sad, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
I'll say it again -- it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"
The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible."
Then Peter said to him, 'We've given up everything to follow you. What will we get?"
"Yes," Jesus replied, "and I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.
"For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.
"At nine o'clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.
So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day.
So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three  o'clock he did the same thing.
"At five o'clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, 'Why haven't you been working today?'
"They replied, 'Because no one hired us.' "The landowner told them,'Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.'
"That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.
When those hired at five o'clock were paid, each received a full day's wage.
When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day's wage. 
When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,
'Those people worked only one hour, and yet you've paid them just as  much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.'
"He answered one of them, 'Friend, I haven't been unfair! Didn't you agree to work all day for the usual wage?
Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you.
Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?'
"So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last."
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him.
"Listen," he said, "we're going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die.
Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead."
Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor.
"What is your request?" he asked. She replied, "In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left."
But Jesus answered by saying to them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?" "Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!"
Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."
When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.
That same day two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem.
As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened.
But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.
But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,
and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind.
Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
"Be quiet!" the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, "What do you want me to do for you?"
"Lord," they said, "we want to see!"
As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them.
Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.
As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead.
"Go into the village over there," he said, "and you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them, and bring them here.
If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, 'The Lord needs them," and he will immediately send them." 
This was done to fulfill the prophesy,
"Tell the people of Israel, 'Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey -- even on a donkey's colt.'"
The two disciples did as Jesus said.
They brought the animals to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it. 
Most of the crowd spread their coats on the road ahead of Jesus, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
He was in the center of the procession, and the crowds all around him were shouting, "Praise God for the Son of David! Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in the highest heaven!"
The entire city of Jerusalem was stirred as he entered. "Who is this?" they asked.
And the crowds replied, "It's Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.
He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves!"
The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them.
The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, "Praise God for the Son of David." But the leaders were indignant.
They asked Jesus, "Do you hear what these children are saying?" "Yes," Jesus replied. "Haven't you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, 'You have taught children and infants to give you praise.'"
Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight.
In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry,
and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" And immediately the fig tree withered up.
The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?"
Then Jesus told them, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don't doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen.
You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it."
When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, "By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?"
"I'll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied.
"Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?" They talked it it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn't believe John.
But if we say it was merely human, we'll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet."
So they finally replied, "We don't know." And Jesus responded, "Then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things.
"But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
The son answered, 'No, I won't go,' but later he changed his mind and went anyway.
Then the father told the other son, 'You go,' and he said, 'Yes, sir, I will." But he didn't go.
"Which of the two obeyed his father?" They replied, "The first." Then Jesus explained his meaning: "I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.
For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn't believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.
But God kept them from recognizing him.
"Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.
At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop.
But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.
"Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.'
"But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'
So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.
"When the owner of the vineyard returns," Jesus asked, "what do you think he will do to those farmers?"
The religious leaders replied, "He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest."
Then Jesus asked them, "Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures? 'The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the LORD'S doing, and it is wonderful to see.'
I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.
Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on." 
When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them--they were the wicked farmers.
They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.
"The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son.
When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!
"So he sent other servants to tell them, 'The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!"
But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business.
Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.
"The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town.
And he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren't worthy of the honor.
Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.'
So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.
"But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn't wearing the proper clothes for a wedding.
'Friend,' he asked, 'how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?' But the man had no reply.
He asked them, "What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?" They stopped short, sadness written across their faces.
Then the king said to his aides, 'Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
"For many are called, but few are chosen."
Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.
They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. "Teacher," they said, "we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don't play favorites.
Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
But Jesus knew their evil motives. "You hypocrites!" he said. "Why are you trying to trap me?
Here, show me the coin used for the tax." When they handed him a Roman coin, 
he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?"
"Caesar's," they replied. "Well, then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God."
His reply amazed them, and they went away.
That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadducees -- religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question:
"Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother's name.'
Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow.
But the second brother also died, and the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them.
Last of all, the woman also died.
So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her."
Jesus replied, "Your  mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God.
For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.
"But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead -- haven't you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said,
'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' So he is the God of the living, not the dead."
When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching.
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again.
One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question:
"Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?"
Jesus replied, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.'
This is the first and greatest commandment.
A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."
Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question:
"What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They replied, "He is the son of David."
Jesus responded, "Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah 'my Lord"? For David said,
'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.'
Since David called the Messiah 'my Lord,' how can the Messiah be his son?"
No one could answer him. and after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. 
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
"The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.
So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach.
They crush people with impossible religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
"Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.
And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues.
They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi.'
"Don't let anyone call you 'Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.
And don't address anyone here on earth as 'Father,' for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father.
And don't let anyone call you 'Teacher,' for you have only one teacher, the Messiah.
The greatest among you must be a servant.
But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!
"Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear 'by God's Temple,' but that it is binding to swear 'by the gold in the Temple.'
Blind fools! Which is more important--the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred?
And you say that to swear 'by the altar' is not binding, but to swear 'by the gifts on the altar' is binding.
How blind! For which is more important--the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
When you swear 'by the altar,' you are swearing by it and by everything on it.
And when you swear 'by the Temple,' you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it.
And when you swear 'by heaven,' you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law -- justice, mercy, and faith.
You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
Blind guides! You strain your water so you won't accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy -- full of greed and self-indulgence!
You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs--beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity.
Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed.
Then you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.'
"But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started.
Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?
"Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city.
As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time--from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar.
I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me.
And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate.
For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!'"
As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings.
But he responded, "Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!"
Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us, when will all this  happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?"
Jesus told them, "Don't let anyone mislead you,
for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah.' They will deceive many.
And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don't panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately.
Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.
But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
"Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are  my followers.
And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.
And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.
Sin will be rampant everywhere and the love of many will grow cold.
But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.
"The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about -- the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place." (Reader, pay attention!)
"Then those in Judea must flee to the hills.
A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack.
A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat.
How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days.
And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath.
Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days."
For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again.
In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God's chosen ones.
"Then if anyone tells you, 'Look, here is the Messiah,' or 'There he is,' don't believe it.
For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive if possible, even God's chosen ones.
See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.
"So if someone tells you, 'Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,' don't bother to go and look. Or, 'Look, he is hiding here,' don't believe it!
For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes.
Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.
"Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world -- from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
"Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.
I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.
Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
"However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.
"When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. 
In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 
People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.
"Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left.
Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.
"So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming.
You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
"A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.
If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.
I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.
But what if the servant is evil and thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,'
"What things?" Jesus asked. "The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth," they said. "He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people.
and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk?
The master will return unannounced and unexpected,
But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him.
and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
The five who were foolish didn't take enough olive oil for their lamps,
but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.
When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
"At midnight they were roused by the shout, 'Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!'
"All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps.
Then the five foolish ones asked the others, 'Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.'
We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.
"But the others replied, 'We don't have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.'
"But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.
Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, 'Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!'
"But he called back, 'Believe me, I don't know you!'
"So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.
He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last -- dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.
"The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more.
The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more.
But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master's money.
"After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money.
"Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report.
The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, 'Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.'
"The master was full of praise. 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'
"The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.'
"The master said, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'
"Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, 'Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn't plant and gathering crops you didn't cultivate.
I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.'
"But the master replied, 'You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn't plant and gathered crops I didn't cultivate,
why didn't you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.'
"Then he ordered, 'Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver.
To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.
Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.
All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.
I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'
"Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?
Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?
When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?'
"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'
Then Jesus said to them, "You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures.
"Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, 'Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.
For I was hungry, and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn't give me a drink.
They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive!
I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn't give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'
"Then they will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?'
"And he will answer, 'I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.'
"And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,
"As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."
At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest,
plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him.
"But not during the Passover celebration," they agreed, "or the people may riot."
Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy.
While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.
The disciples were indignant when they saw this. "What a waste of money," they said.
"It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor."
But Jesus, aware of this, replied, "Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me?
You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.
She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial.
I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be remembered and discussed."
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests
and asked, "How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?" And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.
From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?"
"As you go into the city," he told them, "you will see a certain man. Tell him, 'The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.'"
So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there.
When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the twelve disciples.
While they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me."
Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, "Am I the one, Lord?"
He replied, "One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me.
For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if had had never been born!"
Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, "Rabbi, am I the one?" And Jesus told him, "You have said it."
As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take this and eat it, for this is my body."
And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, "Each of you drink from it,
for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.
Mark my words--I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom."
Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
On the way, Jesus told them, "Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, 'God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there."
Peter declared, "Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you."
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, Peter -- this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me." 
"No!" Peter insisted. "Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!" And all the other disciples vowed the same.
Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, "Sit here while I go over there to pray."
He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed.
He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."
Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, "Couldn't you watch with me even one hour?
Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!"
Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, "My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done."
Don't you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?
But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?"
Then Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn't you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day.
But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures." At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Then the people who had arrested Jesus led him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of religious law and the elders had gathered.
Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and came to the high priest's courtyard. He went in and sat with the guards and waited to see how it would all end.
Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find witnesses who would lie about Jesus, so they could put him to death.
But even though they found many who agreed to give false witness, they could not use anyone's testimony. Finally, two men came forward
who declared, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Well, aren't you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?"
But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, "I demand in the name of the living God--tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God."
Jesus replied, "You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, "Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy.
What is your verdict?" "Guilty!" they shouted. "He deserves to die!"
Then they began to spit in Jesus' face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him,
jeering, "Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?"
Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, "You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean."
But Peter denied it in front of everyone. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.
Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."
Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. "I don't even know the man," he said.
A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, "You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent."
Peter swore, "A curse on me if I'm lying -- I don't know the man! And immediately the rooster crowed.
Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me." And he went away, weeping bitterly. 
Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death.
Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.
When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders.
"I have sinned," he declared, "for I have betrayed an innocent man." "What do we care?" they retorted. "That's your problem."
Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.
The leading priests picked up the coins. "It wouldn't be right to put this money in the Temple treasury," they said, "since it was payment for murder."
After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter's field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners.
That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood.
This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says, "They took the thirty pieces of silver--the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,
and purchased the potter's field, as the LORD directed."
Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. "Are you the king of the Jews?" the governor asked him. Jesus replied, "You have said it."
But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent.
"Don't you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?" Pilate demanded.
But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor's surprise.
Now it was the governor's custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd -- anyone they wanted.
This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas.
As the crowds gathered before Pilate's house that morning, he asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you -- Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?"
(He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)
Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: "Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night."
Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death.
So the governor asked again, "Which of these two do you want me to release to you?" The crowd shouted back, "Barabbas!"
Pilate responded, "Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?" They shouted back, "Crucify him!"
"Why?" Pilate demanded. "What crime has he committed?" But the mob roared even louder, "Crucify him!"
Pilate saw that he wasn't getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood. The responsibility is yours!"
And all the people yelled back, "We will take responsibility for his death--we and our children!"
So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.
Some of the governor's soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment.
They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.
They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, "Hail! King of the Jews!"
And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it.
When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.
Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus' cross.
And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means "Place of the Skull").
The soldiers gave him wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.
After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 
Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there.
A sign was fastened to the cross above Jesus' head, announcing the charge against him. It read: "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."
Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery.
"Look at you now!" they yelled at him. "You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!"
The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus.
"He saved others," they scoffed, "but he can't save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him!
He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"
Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.
At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock.
At about three o'clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"
Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah.
One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink.
But the rest said, "Wait! Let's see whether Elijah comes to save him."
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit.
At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,
and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.
They left the cemetery after Jesus' resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.
The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, "This man truly was the Son of God!"
And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance.
Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee.
As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus,
went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him.
Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth.
He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left.
Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching.
The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate.
They told him, "Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: 'After three days I will rise from the dead.'
So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we'll be worse off than we were at first."
Pilate replied, "Take guards and secure it the best you can."
So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.
Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.
His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.
The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.
Then the angel spoke to the women. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.
And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you."
The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel's message.
And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him.
Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there."
As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened.
A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe.
They told the soldiers, "You must say, 'Jesus' disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.' 
If the governor hears about it, we'll stand up for you so you won't get in trouble."
So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.
Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
When they saw him, they worshiped him -- but some of them doubted!
Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." 
Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said."
Wasn't it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?"
Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on,
but they begged him, "Stay the night with us, since it is getting late." So he went home with them.
As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it Then he broke it and gave it to them.
Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?"
Anyone who hates me also hates my Father.
And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them,
who said, "The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter."
Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread.
And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. "Peace be with you," he said.
But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!
"Why are you frightened?" he asked. "Why are your hearts filled with doubt?
This translation of the Gospel According to John is dedicated to Dr. Alvin J. Fray, who went home to be with the Lord Jesus on September 18, 2002.
Nancy Romero is an ASL interpreter, certified through the National Association of the Deaf. Nancy is also a SignWriting expert, with 30 years of experience.
Nancy has also translated 2 other Books of the Bible -- The Gospel According to Matthew and the Book of Romans, soon to be published.
Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it's really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do."
Nancy attends Maranatha Chapel, where she is the lead ASL interpreter.
As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.
Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"
Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
and he ate it as they watched.
Then he said, "When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled."
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.
29:19 ¶ A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.
A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
Psalm 34.  I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the LORD'S greatness; let us exalt his name together.
I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.
For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
Fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing.
Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD.
Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?
Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!
Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.
But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth.
The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.
For the LORD protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!
Calamity will surely overtake the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
But the LORD will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
Psalm 139. O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!
I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night --
but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous -- how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers!
They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name.
O LORD, shouldn't I hate those who hate you? Shouldn't I despise those who oppose you?
Yes, I hate them with total hatred, for your enemies are my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Psalm 121. I look up to the mountains -- does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.
The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.
The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
Psalm 27. The LORD is my light and my salvation -- so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.
The one thing I ask of the LORD -- the thing I seek most -- is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD'S perfections and meditating in his Temple.
For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the LORD with music.
Hear me as I pray O LORD. Be merciful and answer me!
My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "LORD, I am coming."
Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don't leave me now; don't abandon me, O God of my salvation!
Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.
Teach me how to live, O LORD. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.
Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I've never done; with every breath they threaten me with violence.
And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day.
Yet I am confident I will see the LORD'S goodness while I am here in the land of the living.
Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.
Psalm 62. I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.
So many enemies against one man -- all of them trying to kill me. To them I'm just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence.
They plan to topple me from my high position. They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts.
Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.
My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.
Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be. If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air.
Don't make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don't make it the center of your life.
God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you;
unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done.
Psalm 37. Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires.
Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.
He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: 'There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.'
Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper -- it only leads to harm.
For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land.
Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone.
The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity.
The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.
But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.
The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right.
But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
You are witnesses of all these things.
It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich.
For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the LORD takes care of the godly.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.
They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.
But the wicked will die. The LORD'S enemies are like flowers in a field -- they will disappear like smoke.
The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.
Those the LORD blesses will possess the land, but those he curses will die.
The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.
Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.
The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.
Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever.
For the LORD loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly. He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die.
The godly will possess the land and will live there forever.
The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong.
They have made God's law their own, so they will never slip from his path.
The wicked wait in ambush for the godly, looking for an excuse to kill them.
But the LORD will not let the wicked succeed or let the godly be condemned when they are put on trial.
Put your hope in the LORD. Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.
I have seen the wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!
Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future.
The LORD rescues the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble.
The LORD helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in him.
Psalm 19. The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.
"And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven."
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.
The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat.
The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living.
Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.
They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 30. I will exalt you. LORD, for you rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health.
You brought me up from the grave, O LORD. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
When I was prosperous, I said, "Nothing can stop me now!"
Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.
I cried out to you, O LORD. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
"What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me. Help me, O LORD."
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!
Psalm 56. O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long.
I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me.
But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.
I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?
Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them.
They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me.
They come together to spy on me -- watching my every step, eager to kill me.
Don't let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, bring them down.
My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side!
I praise God for what he has promised; Yes, I praise the LORD for what he has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?
I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.
For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.
Psalm 103. Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle's!
The LORD gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel.
The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.
Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone -- as though we had never been here.
But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children's children
The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.
While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.
Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands.
Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!
Praise the LORD, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the LORD.
So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
Peter 1. This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God's chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,
and we have a priceless inheritance -- an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold -- though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.
So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.
They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his great glory afterward.
They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.
So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then.
But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.
For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy."
And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do.
So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as "foreigners in the land."
For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.
It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.
Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.
You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.
But the word of the Lord remains forever." And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.
2. So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.
Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,
now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.
You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.
And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests.
Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
As the Scriptures say, "I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."
Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, "The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone."
And, "He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they do not obey God's word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
"Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God's mercy."
Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors.
Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
For the Lord's sake, respect all human authority -- whether the king as head of state,
or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.
It is God's will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.
For you are free, yet you are God's slaves, so don't use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.
Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king.
You who are slaves must accept the authority of your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you -- not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel.
For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment.
Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.
For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.
He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.
He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.
3. In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over
The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
by observing your pure and reverent lives.
Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.
You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.
:27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands.
For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.
In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together.
She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.
Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.
For the Scriptures say, "If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.
Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil."
Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?
But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats.
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.
But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.
Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!
Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.
So he went and preached to the spirits in prison --
those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.
And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.
4. So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.
You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy -- their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.
Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.
But remember that they will have to face God, who will judge everyone, both the living and the dead.
That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead -- so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit.
The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.
Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.
No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.
Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.
Instead, be very glad -- for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.
If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs.
But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!
For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News?
And also, "If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?"
So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.
 5. And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:
Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly -- not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.
Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.
And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.
In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for "God opposes the proud but favors the humble."
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
All power to him forever! Amen.
I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God's grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.
Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark.
Greet each other with Christian love. Peace be with all of you who are in Christ.
Peter 1. This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,
And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.
Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Therefore, I will always remind you about these things -- even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught.
And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live.
For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life,
so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone.
For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes
when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy."
We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place -- until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.
Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet's own understanding,
or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.
 2. But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.
Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.
In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: and it was so.
For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.
And God did not spare the ancient world -- except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God's righteous judgment.
So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood.
Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people.
But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him.
Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.
So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.
He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority.
These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings without so much as trembling.
But the angels, who are far greater in power and strength, do not dare to bring from the Lord a charge of blasphemy against those supernatural beings.
These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed.
Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals.
They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God's curse.
They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong.
But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice.
These people are as useless as dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed to blackest darkness.
They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception.
They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.
And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before.
It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.
They prove the truth of this proverb: "A dog returns to its vomit." And another says, "A washed pig returns to the mud."
 3. This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory.
I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.
Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires.
They will say, "What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created."
They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water.
Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood.
And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.
But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.
The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live,
looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.
But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness.
And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.
And remember, the Lord's patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him --
speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.
I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.
Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.
Luke 1. Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us.
And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.
So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.
These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.
God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.
May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation -- the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ -- for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.
For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.
And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear.
It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives.
They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News.
Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me.
But that doesn't matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.
For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.
For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.
For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.
But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better.
I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.
But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith.
And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.
Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.
Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing side by side, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.
Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.
For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.
We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.
Chapter 2. Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Do everything without complaining and arguing,
so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.
But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.
Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.
If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along.
I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare.
All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.
But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News.
I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here.
And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.
Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need.
I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill.
And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him -- and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.
So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you.
Welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve.
For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn't do from far away.
Chapter 3. Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.
Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved.
For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,
For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,
though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!
I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin -- a real Hebrew if there ever was one!
I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.
I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ
and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,
so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.
But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.
Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.
For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.
They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
Chapter 4. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.
Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement.
And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News.
They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.
Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me -- everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn't have the chance to help me.
Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.
I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.
As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this.
Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once.
I don't say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.
At the moment I have all I need -- and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus.
They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
Give my greetings to each of God's holy people -- all who belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you their greetings.
And all the rest of God's people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar's household.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again -- rejoice!
Corinthians 13 14. that grace of Lord Jesus Christ, and love of God, and fellowship of holy spirit, those three with you all. Amen.
Chapter 1. This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God's holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.
He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure.
And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ -- everything in heaven and on earth.
Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
God's purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.
And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere,
I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly,
asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called -- his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power
that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.
Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else -- not only in this world but also in the world to come.
God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.
And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.
Chapter 2. Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil -- the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else.
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)
For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called "uncircumcised heathens" by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.
In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.
Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.
He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.
Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family.
Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.
We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.
Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
Chapter 3. When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles...
assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles.
As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me.
As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ.
God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.
And this is God's plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children.
Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.
By God's grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
Though I am the least deserving of all God's people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.
God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence.
So please don't lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,
the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.
And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Chapter 4. Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.
Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.
That is why the Scriptures say, "When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people."
Notice that it says "he ascended." This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world.
And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.
This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching.
We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
With the Lord's authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.
Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.
They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
But that isn't what you learned about Christ.
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,
throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.
Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
Put on your new nature, created to be like God -- truly righteous and holy.
So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
And "don't sin by letting anger control you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry,
for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.
Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Chapter 5. Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people.
Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes -- these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.
Don't participate in the things these people do.
For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.
It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungoldly people do in secret.
But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,
for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise.
Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.
As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her
to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word.
He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.
And we are members of his body.
As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one."
This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.
So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Chapter 6. Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.
"Honor your father and mother." This is the first commandment with a promise:
If you honor your father and mother, "things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth".
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.
Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.
Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.
Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don't threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.
Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness.
For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.
Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God's mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.
I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God's ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord's work.
I have sent him to you for this very purpose -- to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.
Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness.
May God's grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.