Amplified Bible (AMP)

Ministry of the Twelve

1 Now Jesus called together the twelve [disciples] and gave them [the right to exercise] power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases.

2 Then He sent them out [on a brief journey] to preachthe kingdom of God and to perform healing.

3 And He said to them,“Take nothing foryourjourney[that might encumber you]–neither a walking stick, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do notevenhave twotunics apiece.

4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city[to go to another].

5 And as for all those who do not welcome you, when you leave that city, shake the dust off your feet[breaking all ties with them]as a testimony against them[that they rejected My message].”

6 So theybegangoing from village to village, preaching the gospel and healingthe sickeverywhere.

7 Now Herod [Antipas] the tetrarch [who governed a portion of Palestine including Galilee and Perea] heard about all that was being done [by Jesus], and he was thoroughly perplexed, because it was said by some that John [the Baptist whom he had ordered beheaded] had been raised from the dead,

8 and by others that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the [other] prophets of old had been resurrected.

9 Herod said, “I personally had John beheaded. Who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see Jesus.

10 When the apostles returned, they told Him all that they had done. He took them with Him and He privately withdrew [across the Jordan] to a city called Bethsaida.

11 But when the crowds learned of it, they followed Him; and He welcomed them and Hebegantalking to them about the kingdom of God, and healing those who needed to be healed.

Five Thousand Fed

12 Now the day was ending, and the twelve [disciples] came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging, and get provisions; because here we are in an isolated place.”

13 But He said to them,“You give themsomethingto eat.”They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish–unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.”

14 (For there wereabout 5,000 men.) And He said to His disciples,“Have them sit downto eatin groups of about fifty each.”

15 They did so, and had them all sit down.

16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and He looked up to heaven [and gave thanks] and blessed them, and brokethemand kept givingthemto the disciples to set before the crowd.

17 They all ate and were [completely] satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were [abundant and were] picked up–twelve baskets full.

18 Now it happened that as Jesus was praying privately, the disciples were with Him, and He asked them,“Who do the crowds say that I am?”

19 They answered, “John the Baptist, and some say, Elijah; but others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back to life.”

20 And He said to them,“But who do you say that I am?”Peter replied, “The Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) of God!”

21 But He strictly warned and admonished them not to tell this to anyone,

22 saying,“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected[as the Messiah]by the elders and chief priests and scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), and be put to death, and on the third day be raised up[from death to life].”

23 And He was saying to them all,“If anyone wishes to follow Me[as My disciple],he must deny himself[set aside selfish interests],and take up his cross daily[expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come]and follow Me[believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].

24 For whoever wishes to save his life[in this world]will[eventually]lose it[through death],but whoever loses his life[in this world]for My sake, he is the one who will save it[from the consequences of sin and separation from God].

25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world[wealth, fame, success],and loses or forfeits himself?

26 For whoever is ashamed[here and now]of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory andthe gloryof the[heavenly]Father and of the holy angels.

27 But I tell you truthfully, there aresome among those standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration

28 Now about eight days after these teachings, He took along Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.

29 As He was praying, the appearance of His face became different [actually transformed], and His clothingbecamewhiteandflashing with the brilliance of lightning.

30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,

31 who appeared in glory, and were speaking of His departure [from earthly life], which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.

32 Now Peter and those who were with him had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His gloryandsplendorandmajesty, and the two men who were standing with Him.

33 And as these [men, Moses and Elijah] were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is delightfulandgood for us to be here; we should make three [sacred] tents; one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”–not realizing what he was saying.

34 But even as he was saying this, a cloud formed andbeganto overshadow them; and they were [greatly] afraid as they entered the cloud.

35 Thena voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, My Chosen One; listenandobeyandyield to Him!”

36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was foundtherealone. And they kept silent, and told no one at that time any of the things which they had seen [concerning the divine manifestation].

37 On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him.

38 And a man from the crowd shouted for help, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, because he is my only child;

39 and a spirit seizes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it throws him into a convulsion so that he foamsat the mouth;and only with [great] difficulty does it leave him, maulingandbruising himas it leaves.

40 I begged Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”

41 Jesus answered,“You unbelieving and perverted generation! How long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here[to Me].”

42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon slammed him down and threw him into a [violent] convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.

43 They were all amazed [practically overwhelmed] at the [evidence of the] greatness of GodandHis majestyandHis wondrous work.

But while they were still awed by everything Jesus was doing, He said to His disciples,

44 “Let these words sink into your ears: the Son of Man is going to be betrayedandhanded over to men[who are His enemies].”

45 However, they did not understand this statement. Its meaning was kept hidden from them so that they would not grasp it; and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

The Test of Greatness

46 An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest [surpassing the others in esteem and authority].

47 But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and had him stand beside Him,

48 and He told them,“Whoever welcomes this child in My name welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me[also]welcomes Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you[that is, the one who is genuinely humble–the one with a realistic self-view]–he is the one who is[truly]great.”

49 John replied, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name; and we tried to stop him because he does not follow along with us.”

50 But Jesus told him,“Do not stophim;for he who is not against you is for you.”

51 Now when the time was approaching for Him to be taken up [to heaven], He was determined to go to Jerusalem [to fulfill His purpose].

52 He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went into a Samaritan village to make arrangements for Him;

53 but the people would not welcome Him,because He was traveling toward Jerusalem.

54 When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and destroy them?”

55 But He turned and rebuked them[and He said,“You do not know what kind of spirit you are;

56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”]And they journeyed on to another village.

Exacting Discipleship

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.”

58 And Jesus told him,“Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

59 He said to another,“Follow Me[accepting Me as Master and Teacher].” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go andbury my father.”

60 But He said to him,“Allow the[spiritually]dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and spread the news about the kingdom of God.”

61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord [as Your disciple]; but first let me say goodbye to those at my home.”

62 But Jesus said to him,“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back[to the things left behind]is fit for the kingdom of God.”

The Seventy Sent Out

1 Now after this the Lord appointedseventy others, and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two, into every city and place where He was about to go.

2 He was saying to them,“The harvest is abundant[for there are many who need to hear the good news about salvation],but the workers[those available to proclaim the message of salvation]are few. Therefore,[prayerfully]ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.

3 Go your way; listen carefully: I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

4 Do not carry a money belt, a provision bag, or[extra]sandals; and do notgreet anyone along the way[who would delay you].

5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace[that is, a blessing of well-being and prosperity, the favor of God]to this house.’

6 And if anyone of peace is there[someone who is sweet-spirited and hospitable],your[blessing of]peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not move from house to house.

8 Whenever you go into a city and they welcome you, eat what is set before you;

9 and heal those in it who are sick[authenticating your message],and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

10 But whatever city you enter and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say,

11 ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe offin protestagainst you[breaking all ties];yet understand this, that the kingdom of God has come near[and you rejected it].’

12 I tell you, it will be more bearable in that day[of judgment]for Sodom than for that city.

13 “Woe (judgment is coming) to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repentedandchanged their minds long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes[to show deep regret for sin].

14 However, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.

15 And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades (the realm of the dead).

16 “The one who listens to you listens to Me; and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and the one who rejects Me rejects Him[My heavenly Father]who sent Me.”

The Joyous Results

17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

18 He said to them,“I watched Satan fall from heaven like[a flash of]lightning.

19 Listen carefully: I have given you authority[that you now possess]to tread onserpents and scorpions, and[the ability to exercise authority]over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will[in any way]harm you.

20 Nevertheless do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

21 In that very hour He was overjoyedandrejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and He said,“I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things[relating to salvation]from thewise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants[the childlike and untaught].Yes, Father, for this way was[Your gracious will and choice, and was]well-pleasing in Your sight.

22 All things have been transferredandturned over to Me by My Father and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.”

23 Then turning to His disciples, Jesus said privately,“Blessed[joyful, spiritually enlightened, and favored by God]are the eyes which see what you see,

24 for I say to you that many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, and they did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

25 And a certain lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law] stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 Jesus said to him,“What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”

27 And he replied, “You shall love theLord yourGod with all your heart,and with all your soul,and with all your strength,and with all your mind;and your neighbor as yourself.”

28 Jesus said to him,“You have answered correctly;do thishabituallyand you will live.”

29 But he, wishing to justifyandvindicate himself, asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Parable of the Good Samaritan

30 Jesus replied,“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he encountered robbers, who stripped him of his clothes[and belongings],beat him, and went their way[unconcerned],leaving him half dead.

31 Now by coincidence a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 Likewise a Levite also came down to the place and saw him, and passed by on the other side[of the road].

33 But a Samaritan (foreigner), who was traveling, came upon him; and when he saw him, he was deeply moved with compassion[for him],

34 and went to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine onthem[to sooth and disinfect the injuries];and he put him on his own pack-animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

35 On the next day he took out two denarii (two days’ wages) and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I return.’

36 Which of these three do you think proved himself a neighbor to the man who encountered the robbers?”

37 He answered, “The one who showed compassionandmercy to him.” Then Jesus said to him,“Go andconstantlydo the same.”

Martha and Mary

38 Now while they were on their way, Jesus entered a village [called Bethany], and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

39 She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and wascontinuallylistening to His teaching.

40 But Martha was very busyanddistracted with all of her serving responsibilities; and she approached Him and said, “Lord, is it of no concern to You that my sister has left me to do the serving alone? Tell her to help meanddo her part.”

41 But the Lord replied to her,“Martha, Martha, you are worried and botheredandanxious about so many things;

42 butonlyone thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part[that which is to her advantage],which will not be taken away from her.”

Instruction about Prayer

1 It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”

2 He said to them,

“When you pray,say:

‘Father,hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

3 ‘Give us each day ourdaily bread.

4 ‘And forgive us our sins,

For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us[who has offended or wronged us].

Andlead us not into temptation[but rescue us from evil].’”

Parable of Persistence

5 Then He said to them,“Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves[of bread];

6 for a friend of mine who is on a journey has just come tovisitme, and I have nothing to serve him’;

7 and from inside he answers, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give youanything.’

8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give himanything justbecause he is his friend, yet because of his persistenceandboldness he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

9 “So I say to you, askandkeep on asking, and it will be given to you; seekandkeep on seeking, and you will find; knockandkeep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

10 For everyone whokeeps on asking[persistently],receives; and he who keeps on seeking[persistently],finds; and to him who keeps on knocking[persistently],the door will be opened.

11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish?

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

13 If you, then, being evil[that is, sinful by nature],know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who askandcontinue to ask Him!”

Pharisees’ Blasphemy

14 And [at another time] Jesus was casting out a demon, and it was [controlling a man so as to make him] mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds were awed.

15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by [the power of]Beelzebul (Satan), the ruler of the demons.”

16 Others, trying to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven.

17 But He,wellaware of their thoughtsandpurpose, said to them,“Every kingdom divided against itself is doomed to destruction; and a housedividedagainst itself falls.

18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom standandcontinue to survive? For you are saying that I drive out demons by[the power of]Beelzebul.

19 Now if I drive out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons[the Jewish exorcists]drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

20 But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, thenthe kingdom of God has already come upon you.

21 When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his belongings are undisturbedandsecure.

22 But when someone stronger than he attacks and overpowers him, he robs him of all his armor on which he had relied and divides his[goods as]spoil.

23 He who is not with Me[believing in Me as Lord and Savior]is against Me[there is no impartial position];and he who does not gather with Me[assisting in My ministry],scatters.

24 “When the unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places in search[of a place]of rest; and not finding any, it says, ‘I will go back to my house (person) from which I came.’

25 And when it comes, it finds the place swept and put in order.

26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in[the person]and live there; and the last state of that person becomes worse than the first.”

27 Now while Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed (happy, favored by God) is the womb that gave birth to You and the breasts at which You nursed!”

28 But He said,“On the contrary, blessed (happy, favored by God) are those who hear the word of God and continually observe it.”

The Sign of Jonah

29 Now as the crowds were increasing [in number], He began to say,“This[present]generation is a wicked generation; it seeks a sign (attesting miracle), but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah[the prophet].

30 For just asJonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man also be[a sign]to this generation.

31 The Queen of the South (the kingdom of Sheba) will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and look, something greater than Solomon is here.

32 The men of Nineveh will stand up[as witnesses]at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and look, something greater than Jonah is here.

33 “No one lights a lamp and then puts it in a cellar nor under a basket[hiding the light],but[instead it is put]on the lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.

34 The eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is clear[spiritually perceptive, focused on God],your whole body also is full of light[benefiting from God’s precepts].But when it is bad[spiritually blind],your body also is full of darkness[devoid of God’s word].

35 Be careful, therefore, that the light that is in you is not darkness.

36 So if your whole body is illuminated, with no dark part, it will be entirely bright[with light],as when the lamp gives you light with its bright rays.”

Woes upon the Pharisees

37 Now after Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have lunch with him. He went in [the Pharisee’s home] and reclinedat the table[without ceremonially washing His hands].

38 The Pharisee noticed this and was surprised that Jesus did not first ceremonially wash before the meal.

39 But the Lord said to him,“Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and plate[as required by tradition];but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

40 You foolish ones[acting without reflection or intelligence]!Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?

41 But give that which is within as charity[that is, acts of mercy and compassion, not as a public display, but as an expression of your faithfulness to God],and then indeed all things are clean for you.

42 “But woe (judgment is coming) to you Pharisees, because you[self-righteously]tithe mint andrue and every[little]garden herb[tending to all the minutiae],and yet disregardandneglect justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done, without neglecting the others.

43 Woe to you Pharisees, because you love thebest seats in the synagogues and to be respectfully greeted in the market places.

44 Woe to you! For you are like graves which are unmarked, and people walk over them without being aware of it[and are ceremonially unclean].”

45 One of the lawyers [an expert in the Mosaic Law] answered Him, “Teacher, by saying this, You insult us too!”

46 But He said,“Woe to you lawyers as well, because you weigh men down with burdens[man-made rules, unreasonable requirements]which are hard to bear, and you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers[to lighten the load].

47 Woe to you! For you repairorbuildtombs for the prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them.

48 So you are witnesses and approve the deeds of your fathers, because they[actually]killed them, and you repairorbuild their tombs.

49 For this reason also the wisdom of God said[in the Scriptures],‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will put to death and some they will persecute,

50 so that charges may be brought against this generation[holding them responsible]for the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world,

51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah[the priest],who was murdered between the altar and the houseof God.Yes, I tell you, charges will be brought against this generation.’

52 Woe to you lawyers, because you have taken away the key to knowledge (scriptural truth). You yourselves did not enter, and you held back those who were entering[by your flawed interpretation of God’s word and your man-made tradition].”

53 When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile [toward Him] and to interrogate Him on many subjects,

54 plotting against Him to catchHimin something He might say.

God Knows and Cares

1 In the meantime, after so many thousands of the people had gathered that they were stepping on one another, Jesus began speaking firstof allto His disciples,“Becontinuallyon your guard against theleaven of the Pharisees[that is, their pervasive, corrupting influence and teaching],which is hypocrisy[producing self-righteousness].

2 But there is nothing[so carefully]concealed that it will not be revealed, nor so hidden that it will not be made known.

3 For that reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.

4 “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do.

5 But I will point out to you whom you should fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authorityandpower to hurl[you]intohell; yes, I say to you,[stand in great awe of God and]fear Him!

6 Are not five sparrows sold for twocopper coins? Yet not one of them has[ever]been forgotten in the presence of God.

7 Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are far more valuable than many sparrows.

8 “I say to you, whoever declares openlyandconfesses Me before men[speaking freely of Me as his Lord],the Son of Man also will declare openlyandconfess him[as one of His own]before the angels of God.

9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he whoblasphemes against the Holy Spirit[that is, whoever intentionally discredits the Holy Spirit by attributing the authenticating miracles done by Me to Satan],it will not be forgiven him[for him there is no forgiveness].

11 When they bring you before the synagogues and the magistrates and the authorities, do not be worried about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say;

12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Covetousness Denounced

13 Someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide thefamilyinheritance with me.”

14 But He said to him,“Man, who appointed Me a judge or an arbitrator over[the two of]you?”

15 Then He said to them,“Watch out and guard yourselves against every form of greed; for not even when one has an overflowing abundance does his life consist ofnoris it derived from his possessions.”

Parable of the Wealthy Fool

16 Then He told them a parable, saying,“There was a rich man whose land was very fertileandproductive.

17 And he began thinking to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place[large enough in which]to store my crops?’

18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my storehouses and build larger ones, and I will store all my grain and my goods there.

19 ~‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many good things stored up,[enough]for many years; restandrelax, eat, drink and be merry (celebrate continually).”’

20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! Thisverynight your soul is required of you; andnowwho will own all the things you have prepared?’

21 So it is for the one who continues to store upandhoard possessions for himself, and is not rich[in his relationship]toward God.”

22 Jesus said to His disciples,“For this reason I tell you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; or about your body, as to what you will wear.

23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow[seed]nor reap[the crop];they have no storehouse or barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds!

25 And which of you by worrying can add one hour to his life’s span?

26 So if you are not even able to do a very little thing[such as that],why are you worried about the rest?

27 Consider the liliesandwildflowers, how they grow[in the open field].They neither labor nor spin[wool to make clothing];yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his gloryandsplendor dressed himself like one of these.

28 But if this is how God clothes the grass which is in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much morewill He clotheyou? You of little faith!

29 So as for you, do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink; nor have an anxiousandunsettled mind.

30 For all the[pagan]nations of the world greedily seek these things; and your[heavenly]Father[already]knows that you need them.

31 But[strive for and actively]seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32 Do not be afraidandanxious, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

33 “Sell your possessions (show compassion) and give[donations]to the poor. Provide money belts for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailingandinexhaustible treasure in the heavens, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Be in Readiness

35 “Be dressed and ready for active service, and keep your lamps continuously burning.

36 Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks they may immediately openthe doorfor him.

37 Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are those servants whom the master finds awakeandwatching when he arrives. I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, he will prepare himselfto serve,and will have them reclineat the table,and will come and wait on them.

38 Whether he comes in the second watch (before midnight), or even in the third (after midnight), and finds them so[prepared and ready],blessed are thoseservants.

39 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time the thief was coming, he[would have been awake and alert, and]would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

40 You too, becontinuallyready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

41 Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us [disciples], or to everyone else as well?”

Parable of the Faithful Steward

42 The Lord said,“Who then is the faithful and wise steward[of the estate],whom his master will put in charge over his household, to givehis servantstheir portion of food at the proper time?

43 Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is that servant whom his master finds so doing when he arrives.

44 I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is taking his time in coming,’ and begins to beat the servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk,

46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and willcut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and yet did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will be beaten with many lashes[of the whip],

48 but the one who did not know it and did things worthy of a beating, will receive only a few[lashes].From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Christ Divides Men

49 “I have come to cast fire (judgment) on the earth; and how I wish that it were already kindled!

50 I have a baptism[of great suffering]with which to be baptized, and how[greatly]I am distressed until it is accomplished!

51 Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division[between believers and unbelievers];

52 for from now on five in one household will be divided[over Me],three against two and two against three.

53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

54 He also said to the crowds,“When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain,’ and that is how it turns out.

55 And when[you see that]a south wind is blowing, you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and it happens.

56 You hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders)! You know how to analyzeandintelligently interpret the appearance of the earth and sky[to forecast the weather],but why do you not intelligently interpret this present time?

57 “And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?

58 For while you are going with your opponent[at law]to appear before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle, so that he does not drag you before the judge, and the judge does not[rule against you and]turn you over to the officer, and the officer does not throw you into prison.

59 I say to you, you[absolutely]will not get out of there until you have paid the very lastcent.”

Call to Repent

1 Just at that time some people came who told Jesus about theGalileans whose blood Pilate [the governor] had mixed with their sacrifices.

2 Jesus replied to them,“Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than allotherGalileans because they have suffered in this way?

3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent[change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives],you will all likewise perish.

4 Or do you assume thatthose eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed were worse sinners than all the others who live in Jerusalem?

5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent[change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives],you will all likewise perish.”

Parable of the Fig Tree

6 Then Hebegantelling them this parable:“A certain man had a fig tree that had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find any;

7 so he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and have found none. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground[depleting the soil and blocking the sunlight]?’

8 But he replied to him, ‘Let it alone, sir,[just]one more year until I dig around it and put in fertilizer;

9 and if it bears fruit after this, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”

Healing on the Sabbath

10 Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

11 And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had an illness caused by a spirit (demon). She was bent double, and could not straighten up at all.

12 When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her,“Woman, you are released from your illness.”

13 Then He laid His hands on her; and immediately she stood erect again and shebeganglorifyingandpraising God.

14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath,begansaying to the crowd in response, “There are six days in which work ought to be done; so come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”

15 But the Lord replied to him,“You hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders)! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead it away to water it?

16 And this woman, a daughter (descendant) of Abraham whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?”

17 As He was saying this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things that were being done by Him.

Parables of Mustard Seed and Leaven

18 So this led Him to say,“What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?

19 It is like amustard seed, which a man took and planted in his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, andthe birds of the sky found shelterandnested in its branches.”

20 And again He said,“To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?

21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three peck measures of flour until it was all leavened.”

Teaching in the Villages

22 Jesus journeyed on through cities and villages, teaching and making His way toward Jerusalem.

23 And someone asked Him, “Lord, will only a few be saved [from the penalties of the last judgment]?” And He said to them,

24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door[force aside unbelief and the attractions of sin];for many, I tell you, will try to enter[by their own works]and will not be able.

25 Once the head of the house gets up and closes the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door[again and again],saying, ‘Lord, open to us!’ then He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you are from[for you are not of My household].’

26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’;

27 but He will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from;depart fromMe,all you evildoers!’

28 In that place there will be weeping[in sorrow and pain]and grinding of teeth[in distress and anger]when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown outanddriven away.

29 Andpeoplewill come from east and west, and from north and south, and they will sit down[and feast at the table]in the kingdom of God.

30 And behold,someare last who will be first, andsomeare first who will be last.”

31 At that very hour some Pharisees came up and said to Him, “Leave and go away from here, because Herod [Antipas] wants to kill You.”

32 And He said to them,“Go and tell that fox[that sly, cowardly man],‘Listen carefully: I cast out demons and perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the thirddayI reach My goal.’

33 Nevertheless I must travel on today and tomorrow and thedayafter that–for it cannot be that a prophet would die outside of Jerusalem.

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones[to death]those[messengers]who are sent to her[by God]!How often I have wanted to gather your children together[around Me],just as a hengathersher young under her wings, but you were not willing!

35 Listen carefully: your house is left to you desolate[abandoned by God and destitute of His protection];and I say to you, you will not see Me untilthe timecomes when you say, ‘Blessed[to be celebrated with praise]isHe who comes in the name of theLord!’”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

1 It happened one Sabbath, when He went for a meal at the house of one of the ruling Pharisees, that they were watching Him closelyandcarefully [hoping to entrap Him].

2 And there in front of Him was a man who haddropsy (extreme swelling).

3 And Jesus asked the lawyers and the Pharisees,“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?”

4 But they kept silent. Then He took hold of the man and healed him, and sent him on his way.

5 Then He said to them,“Which one of you, having a son or an ox that falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”

6 And they were unable to reply to this.

Parable of the Guests

7 Now Jesusbegantelling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been selecting the places of honorat the table,saying to them,

8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down[to eat]at the place of honor, since a more distinguished person than you may have been invited by the host,

9 and he who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place,’ and then, in disgrace you proceed to take the last place.

10 But when you are invited, go and sit down[to eat]at the last place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; and then you will be honored in the presence of all who are at the table with you.

11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled[before others],and he whohabituallyhumbles himself (keeps a realistic self-view) will be exalted.”

12 Jesus also went on to say to the one who had invited Him,“When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or wealthy neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment.

13 But when you give a banquetora reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind,

14 and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of therighteous (the just, the upright).”

15 When one of those who were recliningat the tablewith Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

Parable of the Dinner

16 But Jesus said to him,“A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited manyguests;

17 and at the dinner hour he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is ready now.’

18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have purchased a piece of land and I have to go out and see it; please consider me excused.’

19 Another one said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’

20 And another said, ‘I have[recently]married a wife, and for that reason I am unable to come.’

21 So the servant came back and reported this to his master. Then[his master,]the head of the household, became angry[at the rejections of his invitation]and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and the lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and the disabled and the blind and the lame.’

22 And the servant[after returning]said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’

23 Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled[with guests].

24 ~‘For I tell you, not one of those who were invited[and declined]will taste my dinner.’”

Discipleship Tested

25 Now large crowds were going along with Jesus; and He turned and said to them,

26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does nothate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life[in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God]–he cannot be My disciple.

27 Whoever does not carry his own cross[expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come]and follow after Me[believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]cannot be My disciple.

28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a watchtower[for his guards],does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to finish it?

29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is unable to finish[the building],all who see it will begin to ridicule him,

30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish!’

31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one who is coming against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else[if he feels he is not powerful enough],while the other[king]is still a far distance away, he sends an envoy and asks for terms of peace.

33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not[carefully consider the cost and then for My sake]give up all his own possessions.

34 “Therefore, salt is good; but if salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned?

35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hearandheed My words.”

The Lost Sheep

1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews] were coming near Jesus to listen to Him.

2 Both the Pharisees and the scribesbeganmutteringandcomplaining, saying, “This man acceptsandwelcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 So He told them this parable:

4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost,[searching]until he finds it?

5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he gets home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’

7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

The Lost Coin

8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins[each one equal to a day’s wages]and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?

9 And when she has found it, she calls together her[women]friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I found the lost coin!’

10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents[that is, changes his inner self–his old way of thinking, regrets past sins, lives his life in a way that proves repentance; and seeks God’s purpose for his life].”

The Prodigal Son

11 Then He said,“A certain man had two sons.

12 The younger of them[inappropriately]said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’ So he divided the estate between them.

13 A few days later, the younger son gathered together everything[that he had]and traveled to a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in recklessandimmoral living.

14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to do withoutandbe in need.

15 So he went and forced himself on one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields tofeed pigs.

16 He would have gladly eaten the[carob]pods that the pigs were eating[but they could not satisfy his hunger],and no one was givinganythingto him.

17 But when he[finally]came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough food, while I am dying here of hunger!

18 ~‘I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son;[just]treat me like one of your hired men.”’

20 So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassionfor him,and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe[for the guest of honor]and put it on him; and give him aring for his hand, and sandals for his feet.

23 ~‘And bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let us[invite everyone and]feast and celebrate;

24 for this son of mine was[as good as]dead and is alive again; he was lost and has been found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field; and when he returned and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

26 So he summoned one of the servants andbeganasking what this[celebration]meant.

27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’

28 But the elder brother became angryanddeeply resentful and was not willing to go in; and his father came out andbeganpleading with him.

29 But he said to his father, ‘Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never neglectedordisobeyed your command. Yet you have never given me[so much as]a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;

30 but when this[other]son of yours arrived, who has devoured your estate with immoral women, you slaughtered that fattened calf for him!’

31 The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

32 ~‘But it was fitting to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was[as good as]dead andhas begunto live. He was lost and has been found.’”

The Unjust Steward (Manager)

1 Now Jesus was also saying to the disciples,“There was a certain rich man who had a manager[of his estate],and accusations[against this man]were brought to him, that this man was squandering his[master’s]possessions.

2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management[of my affairs],for you can no longer be[my]manager.’

3 The manager[of the estate]said to himself, ‘What will I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig[for a living],and I am ashamed to beg.

4 ~‘I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from the management, people[who are my master’s debtors]will welcome me into their homes.’

5 So he summoned his master’s debtors one by one, and he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

6 He said, ‘A hundredmeasures of[olive]oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and writefifty.’

7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundredmeasures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’

8 And his master commended the unjust manager[not for his misdeeds, but]because he had acted shrewdly[by preparing for his future unemployment];for the sons of this age[the non-believers]are shrewder in relation to their own kind[that is, to the ways of the secular world]than are the sons of light[the believers].

9 And I tell you[learn from this],make friends for yourselves[for eternity]by means of thewealth of unrighteousness[that is, use material resources as a way to further the work of God],so that when it runs out, they will welcome you into the eternal dwellings.

10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little thing is also dishonest in much.

11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in theuse ofearthly wealth, who will entrust the truerichesto you?

12 And if you have not been faithful inthe use ofthat[earthly wealth]which belongs to another[whether God or man, and of which you are a trustee],who will give you that which is your own?

13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand devotedly by the one and despise the other. You cannot servebothGod and mammon[that is, your earthly possessions or anything else you trust in and rely on instead of God].”

14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were sneeringandridiculing Him.

15 So He said to them,“You are the ones who declare yourselves justandupright in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts[your thoughts, your desires, your secrets];for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

16 “The Law and the[writings of the]Prophets were proclaimed until John; since then the gospel of the kingdom of God has beenandcontinues to be preached, and everyone tries forcefully to go into it.

17 Yet it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a letter of the Law to failandbecome void.

18 “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “Now there was a certain rich man who was habitually dressed in expensive purple and fine linen, and celebratedandlived joyously in splendor every day.

20 And a poor man named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, covered with sores.

21 He[eagerly]longed to eat thecrumbswhich fell from the rich man’s table. Besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.

22 Now it happened that the poor man died and his spirit was carried away by the angels to Abraham’sbosom (paradise); and the rich man also died and was buried.

23 In Hades (the realm of the dead), being in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom (paradise).

24 And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in severe agony in this flame.’

25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things[all the comforts and delights],and Lazarus likewise bad things[all the discomforts and distresses];but now he is comforted here[in paradise],while you are in severe agony.

26 ~‘And besides all this, between us and you[people]a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to come over from here to you will not be able, and none may cross over from there to us.’

27 So the rich man said, ‘Then, father[Abraham],I beg you to send Lazarus to my father’s house–

28 for I have five brothers–in order that he maysolemnlywarn themandwitness to them, so that they too will not come to this place of torment.’

29 But Abraham said, ‘They have[the Scriptures given by]Moses and the[writings of the]Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 He replied, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent[they will change their old way of thinking and seek God and His righteousness].’

31 And he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to[the messages of]Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Instructions

1 Jesus said to His disciples,“Stumbling blocks[temptations and traps set to lure one to sin]are sure to come, but woe (judgment is coming) to him through whom they come!

2 It would be better for him if a millstone[as large as one turned by a donkey]were hung around his neck and he were hurled into the sea, than for him to cause one of theselittle ones to stumble[in sin and lose faith].

3 Pay attentionandalways be on guard[looking out for one another]!If your brother sinsanddisregards God’s precepts, solemnly warn him; and if he repentsandchanges, forgive him.

4 Even if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him[that is, give up resentment and consider the offense recalled and annulled].”

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith [our ability to confidently trust in God and in His power].”

6 And the Lord said,“If youhave[confident, abiding]faith in God[even as small]as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree[which has very strong roots],‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea’; and[if the request was in agreement with the will of God]it would have obeyed you.

7 “Which of you who has a servant plowing or tending sheep will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat?’

8 Will he not instead say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, andappropriatelyclothe yourself[for service]and serve me while I eat and drink; then afterward you may eat and drink?’

9 He does not thank the servant just because he did what he was ordered to do, does he?

10 So you too, when you have done everything that was assignedandcommanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants[undeserving of praise or a reward, for we have not gone beyond our obligation];we havemerelydone what we ought to do.’”

Ten Lepers Cleansed

11 While Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing [along the border] between Samaria and Galilee.

12 As He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers who stood at a distance;

13 and they raised their voices and called out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 When He saw them, He said to them,“Go and show yourselves to the priests.”And as they went, they were [miraculously] healedandmade clean.

15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifyingandpraisingandhonoring God with a loud voice;

16 and he lay face downward at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him [over and over]. He was aSamaritan.

17 Then Jesus asked,“Were not ten[of you]cleansed? Where are the[other]nine?

18 Was there no one found to return and to give thanksandpraise to God, except this foreigner?”

19 Jesus said to him,“Get up and go[on your way].Your faith[your personal trust in Me and your confidence in God’s power]has restored you to health.”

20 Now having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied,“The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observedorwith a visible display;

21 nor will people say, ‘Look! Here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For the kingdom of God is among you[because of My presence].”

Second Coming Foretold

22 Then He said to the disciples,“The time will come when you will long to see[even]one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.

23 They will say to you, ‘Look[the Messiah is]there!’or‘Look[He is]here!’ Do not go away[to see Him],and do not run afterthem.

24 For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one partof the sky, gives light to the other partof the sky, so[visible]will the Son of Man be in His day.

25 But first He must suffer many things and be repudiatedandrejectedandconsidered unfit[to be the Messiah]by this[unbelieving]generation.

26 And just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in thetime of[the second coming of]the Son of Man:

27 the people wereeating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage,[they were indifferent to God]until the day that Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 It was the same as it was in the days of Lot. People were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building[carrying on business as usual, without regard for their sins];

29 but on the[very]day that Lot left Sodom it rained fire and brimstone (burning sulfur) from heaven and destroyed them all.

30 It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

31 On that day, whoever is on the housetop, with his belongings in the house, must not come down[and go inside]to take them out; and likewise whoever is in the field must not turn back.

32 Remember[what happened to]Lot’s wife[when she looked back]!

33 Whoever seeks to save hislife will[eventually]lose it[through death],and whoever loseshis life[in this world]will keep it[from the consequences of sin and separation from God].

34 I tell you, on that night[when Messiah comes again]there will be two[sleeping]in one bed; theone (the non-believer) will be taken[away in judgment]and theother (the believer) will be left.

35 There will be two women grinding[at the mill]together; theone (the non-believer) will be taken[away in judgment]and the other (the believer) will be left.

36 [Two men will be in the field;one will be taken and the other will be left.”]

37 And they asked Him, “Where, Lord?” He answered,“Where the corpse is, there the vultures will be gathered.”

Parables on Prayer

1 Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that at all times they ought to pray and not give upandlose heart,

2 saying,“In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and had no respect for man.

3 There was a[desperate]widow in that city and she kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justiceandlegal protection from my adversary.’

4 For a time he would not; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,

5 yet because this widowcontinuesto bother me, I will give her justiceandlegal protection; otherwiseby continually coming she[will be an intolerable annoyance and she]will wear me out.’”

6 Then the Lord said,“Listen to what the unjust judge says!

7 And will not[our just]God defendandavenge His elect[His chosen ones]who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay[in providing justice]on their behalf?

8 I tell you that He will defendandavenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find[this kind of persistent]faith on the earth?”

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselvesandwere confident that they were righteous [posing outwardly as upright and in right standing with God], and who viewed others with contempt:

10 “Two men went up into the temple[enclosure]to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11 The Pharisee stood[ostentatiously]and began praying to himself[in a self-righteous way, saying]:‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men–swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers–or even like this tax collector.

12 ~‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’

13 But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but was striking his chest[in humility and repentance],saying, ‘God, be mercifulandgracious to me, the[especially wicked]sinner[that I am]!’

14 I tell you, this man went to his home justified[forgiven of the guilt of sin and placed in right standing with God]rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself[forsaking self-righteous pride]will be exalted.”

15 Now they were also bringing their babies to Him, so that He would touchandbless them, and when the disciples noticed it, theybeganreprimanding them.

16 But Jesus called them to Himself, saying [to the apostles],“Allow the children to come to Me, and do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

17 I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God[with faith and humility]like a child will not enter it at all.”

The Rich Young Ruler

18 A certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher [You who are essentially and morally good], what shall I do to inherit eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?”

19 Jesus said to him,“Why do you call Me good? No one is[essentially and morally]good except God alone.

20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not testify falsely, Honor your father and your mother.’”

21 He replied, “I have kept all these things from my youth.”

22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him,“You still lack one thing; sell everything that you have and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have[abundant]treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me[becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].”

23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

24 Jesus looked at him and said,“How difficult it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!

25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man[who places his faith in wealth or status]to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 And those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”

27 But He said,“The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

28 Peter said, “Look, we have left all [things–homes, families, businesses] and followed You.”

29 And He said to them,“I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God,

30 who will not receive many times as much in this present age and in the age to come, eternal life.”

31 Then taking thetwelve [disciples] aside, He said to them,“Listen carefully: we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that have been written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilledandcompleted.

32 He will be betrayedandhanded over to the Gentiles (Roman authorities), and will be mockedandridiculed and insultedandabused and spit on,

33 and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and on the third day He will rise[from the dead].”

34 But the disciples understood none of these things [about the approaching death and resurrection of Jesus]. This statement was hidden from them, and they did not grasp the [meaning of the] things that were said [by Jesus].

Bartimaeus Receives Sight

35 As He was approaching Jericho [on His way to Jerusalem], it happened that a blind man was sitting beside the road begging.

36 Now when he heard a crowd going by, hebeganto ask what this was [about].

37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

38 So he shouted out, saying, “Jesus,Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!”

39 Those who were leading the way were sternly telling him to keep quiet; but he screamed all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40 Then Jesus stopped and ordered that the blind man be led to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him,

41 “What do you want Me to do for you?”He said, “Lord, let me regain my sight!”

42 Jesus said to him,“Regain your sight; your[personal trust and confident]faith[in Me]has made you well.”

43 Immediately he regained his sight andbeganfollowing Jesus, glorifyingandpraisingandhonoring God. And all the people, when they saw it, praised God.