MARK 15

Jesus before Pilate

1 Early in the morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes and the whole Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), immediately consulted together; and they bound Jesus, they took Him away [violently] and handed Him over to Pilate.

2 Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He replied to him,“It is as you say.”

3 The chief priestsbeganaccusing Him of many things.

4 Then Pilate again asked Him, “Have You no answer [to give]? See how many charges they are bringing against You!”

5 But Jesus gave no further answer; so Pilate was perplexed.

6 Now at the [Passover] feast Pilate used to set free for them any one prisoner whom they requested.

7 The man called Barabbas was imprisoned with the insurrectionists (revolutionaries) who had committed murder in the civil rebellion.

8 The crowd came up and began asking Pilate to do as he usually did for them.

9 Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to set free for you the King of the Jews?”

10 For he was aware that the chief priests had turned Jesus over to him because of envyandresentment.

11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to get him to release Barabbas for them instead.

12 Again Pilate answered, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”

13 They screamed back, “Crucify Him!”

14 But Pilate asked them, “Why, what has He done that is evil?” But they screamed all the more, “Crucify Him!”

15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, set Barabbas free for them; and after having Jesusscourged, he handed Him over [to his soldiers] to be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

16 The soldiers led Him away into the palace (that is, thePraetorium), and they called together the entire [Roman] battalion [of 600 soldiers].

17 They dressed Him up in [a ranking Roman officer’s robe of] purple, and after twisting [together] a crown of thorns, they placed it on Him;

18 and they began salutingandmocking Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”

19 They kept beating Him on the head with areed and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing in [mock] homage to Him.

20 After they had mocked Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes on Him. And they led Him out [of the city] to crucify Him.

21 They forced into service a passer-by coming in from the countryside, Simon ofCyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus),to carry His cross.

The Crucifixion

22 Then they brought Him to the place [called] Golgotha, which is translated, Place of aSkull.

23 They tried to give Himwine mixed with myrrh [to dull the pain], but He would not take it.

24 And they crucified Him, anddivided up His clothes among themselves, casting lots for them to see who should take what.

25 It was the third hour (9:00 a.m.) when they crucified Him.

26 The inscription of the accusation against Him had been written [above Him]: “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

27 They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left.

28 [And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “He was counted with the transgressors.”]

29 Those who were passing by were insulting Him with abusiveandinsolent language, wagging their heads [as a sign of contempt], and saying, “Ha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in [only] three days,

30 save Yourself by coming down from the cross!”

31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were ridiculingandmockingHimamong themselves and saying, “He saved others [from death]; He cannot save Himself!

32 Let the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believeandtrust [in Him]!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.

33 When the sixth hour (noon) came, darkness covered the whole land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.).

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice,“Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?”–which is translated,“MyGod, MyGod,why haveYou forsakenMe?”

35 Some of the bystanders heard Him and said, “Look! He is calling forElijah!”

36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah is coming to take Him down.”

37 But Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed out His last [voluntarily, sovereignly dismissing and releasing His spirit from His body in submission to His Father’s plan].

38 And the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two fromtop to bottom.

39 When the centurion, who was standing opposite Him, saw the way He breathed His last [being fully in control], he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

40 Now some women also were watching from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, andMary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, andSalome.

41 When Jesus was in Galilee, they used to accompany him and minister to Him; andthere werealso many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

Jesus Is Buried

42 When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,

43 Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominentandrespected member of the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God–and he courageously dared to go in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.

44 Pilatewondered if He was dead by this time [only six hours after being crucified], and he summoned the centurion and asked him whether He was already dead.

45 And when he learned from the centurion [that Jesus was in fact dead], he gave the body to Joseph [by granting him permission to remove it].

46 So Joseph purchased a [fine] linen cloth [forwrapping the body], and after taking Jesus down [from the cross], he wrapped Him in the linen cloth and placed Him in a tomb which had been cut out of rock. Then he rolled a [large, wheel-shaped] stone against the entrance of the tomb.

47 Mary Magdalene and Mary themotherof Joses were [carefully] watching to see where He was laid.

MARK 16

The Resurrection

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary themotherof James, and Salome purchased [sweet-smelling] spices, so that they might go andanoint Him.

2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”

4 Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, though it was extremely large.

5 Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right, wearing a [long, stately] white robe; and they were amazedandbewildered.

6 And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. See, [here is] the place where they laid Him.

7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there, just as He told you.’”

8 They went out and fled from the tomb, for they were seized with trembling and astonishment; and they said nothing [about it] to anyone, because they were afraid.

9 [Now Jesus, having risen [from death] early on the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.

10 She went and reported it to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.

11 When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe it.

12 After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were walking along the way to the country.

13 They returned [to Jerusalem] and told the others, but they did not believe them either.

The Disciples Commissioned

14 Later, Jesus appeared to the eleven [disciples] themselves as they were recliningat the table;and He called them to account for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen [from death].

15 And He said to them,“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

16 He who has believed[in Me]and has been baptized will be saved[from the penalty of God’s wrath and judgment];but he who has not believed will be condemned.

17 These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues;

18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord was working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed.]

MATTHEW 1

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

1 The record of the genealogy ofJesus theMessiah, the son (descendant) ofDavid, the son (descendant) of Abraham:

2 Abrahamwas the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father ofJudah and his brothers [who became the twelve tribes of Israel].

3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.

4 Ram was the father of Aminadab, Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon.

5 Salmon was the father of Boaz byRahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse.

6 Jesse was the father ofDavid the king.

David was the father of Solomon byBathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah.

7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.

8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah.

9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.

10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah.

11 Josiah became the father of Jeconiah [also called Coniah and Jehoiachin] and his brothers, at the time of the deportation (exile) to Babylon.

12 After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.

13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor.

14 Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud.

15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob.

16 Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, bywhom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah (Christ).

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen; from David to the Babylonian deportation (exile), fourteen generations; and from the Babylonian deportation to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Conception and Birth of Jesus

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had beenbetrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by [the power of] the Holy Spirit.

19 And Joseph her [promised] husband, being a justandrighteous man and not wanting to expose her publicly to shame, planned to send her awayanddivorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the Child who has beenconceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

21 She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lordis salvation), for He willsave His people from their sins.”

22 All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through theprophet [Isaiah]:

23 “Behold,thevirgin shall be with child and give birth to aSon,and they shall callHis nameImmanuel”–which, when translated, means, “God with us.”

24 Then Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and he tookMary[to his home] as his wife,

25 but he kept her a virgin until she had given birth to a Son [her firstborn child]; and he named Him Jesus (The Lordis salvation).

MATTHEW 2

The Visit of the Magi

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days ofHerod the king (Herod the Great),magi (wise men) from the east came to Jerusalem, asking,

2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His starin the east and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 So he called together all the chief priests andscribes of the people and [anxiously] asked them where the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) was to be born.

5 They replied to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what has been written by the prophet [Micah]:

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem,in the land ofJudah,

are not in any way least among the leaders ofJudah;

For from you shall come aRuler

Who willshepherdMy peopleIsrael.’”

7 Then Herod secretly sent for the magi and learned from themthe [exact] time the star [had first] appeared.

8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”

9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them [continually leading the way] until it came and stood overthe placewhere the young Child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

11 And after entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, after opening their treasure chests, they presented to Him gifts [fit for a king, gifts] of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 And having been warned [by God] in a dream not to go back to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

The Flight to Egypt

13 Now when they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod intends to search for the Child in order to destroy Him.”

14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.

15 He remained there until the death of Herod.This wasto fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet [Hosea]: “Out ofEgyptIcalledMySon.”

Herod Slaughters the Babies

16 Then Herod, when he realized that he had been tricked by the magi, was extremely angry, and he sent [soldiers] and put to death all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that area who were two years old and under, according to the date which he had learned from the magi.

17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

18 “Avoice was heard inRamah,

Weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children;

She refused to be comforted,

Because they were no more.”

19 But whenHerod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said,

20 “Get up! Take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.”

21 Then Joseph got up, and took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judeain place of his father Herod [the Great], he was afraid to go there. Then being warnedby Godin a dream, he left for the region of Galilee,

23 and went and settled in a city called Nazareth.This wasto fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called aNazarene.”

MATTHEW 3

The Preaching of John the Baptist

1 In those daysJohn the Baptist appeared, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea [along the western side of the Dead Sea] and saying,

2 “Repent [change your inner self–your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

3 This is the one who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the road for theLord,

MakeHis highways straight(level, direct)!’”

4 Now this same John had clothing made of camel’s hair and a [wide] leatherband around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

5 At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan;

6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

7 But when he saw many of thePharisees andSadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the [divine] wrathandjudgment to come?

8 So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin];

9 and do not presume to say to yourselves [as a defense], ‘We have Abraham for our father [so our inheritance assures us of salvation]’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham.

10 And already the axe [of God’s judgment] isswinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, I baptize youwith water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self–your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] withfire (judgment).

12 Hiswinnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat (believers) into His barn (kingdom), but He will burn up the chaff (the unrepentant) with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan [River], to be baptized by him.

14 But John tried to prevent Him [vigorously protesting], saying, “It is I who need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”

15 But Jesus replied to him,“Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for usto fulfill all righteousness.”Then John permitted [it and baptized] Him.

16 After Jesus was baptized, He came up immediately out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he (John) saw theSpirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him (Jesus),

17 and behold, avoice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleasedanddelighted!”

MATTHEW 4

The Temptation of Jesus

1 Then Jesus was led by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

2 After He had gone without food for forty days and forty nights, He became hungry.

3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

4 But Jesus replied,“It is writtenandforever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,but by every word that comes out of the mouth ofGod.’”

5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city [Jerusalem] and placed Him on the pinnacle (highest point) of the temple.

6 And he said [mockingly] to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will commandHis angels concerningYou[to serve, care for, protect and watch over You]’;

and

‘They will lift you up ontheirhands,

So thatYou will not strikeYour foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus said to him,“On the other hand, it is writtenandforever remains written, ‘You shall not test theLord yourGod.’”

8 Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory [splendor, magnificence, and excellence] of them;

9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”

10 Then Jesus said to him,“Go away, Satan! For it is writtenandforever remains written, ‘You shall worship theLord yourGod,and serveHim only.’”

11 Then the devil left Him; and angels came and ministered to Him [bringing Him food and serving Him].

Jesus Begins His Ministry

12 Now when Jesus heard that John [the Baptist] had been arrestedandput in prison, He left for Galilee.

13 And leaving Nazareth, He went and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the country of Zebulun and Naphtali.

14 This wasto fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

15 “The land ofZebulun and the land ofNaphtali,

By the way of the sea,beyond theJordan, Galilee[in the district]of theGentiles–

16 “The people who were sitting(living)in[spiritual]darkness have seen a greatLight,

And for those who were sitting(living)in the land and shadow of[spiritual and moral]death,

Upon them aLight has dawned.”

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say,“Repent[change your inner self–your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life],for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The First Disciples

18 As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He noticed two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

19 And He said to them,“Follow Me[as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk],and I will make you fishers of men.”

20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example].

21 And going on [further] from there He noticed two other brothers, James thesonof Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their fatherZebedee, mending their nets; and He called them [to follow Him as His disciples].

22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example].

Ministry in Galilee

23 And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people [demonstrating and revealing that He was indeed the promised Messiah].

24 So the news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were sick, those suffering with various diseases and pains, those under the power of demons, and epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.

25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and theDecapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and the other side of the Jordan.

MATTHEW 5

The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes

1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, Hisdisciples came to Him.

2 Then Hebeganto teach them, saying,

3 “Blessed[spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired]are the poor in spirit[those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant],for theirs is the kingdom of heaven[both now and forever].

4 “Blessed[forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace]are those who mourn[over their sins and repent],for they will be comforted[when the burden of sin is lifted].

5 “Blessed[inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect]are thegentle[the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled],for they will inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed[joyful, nourished by God’s goodness]are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness[those who actively seek right standing with God],for they will be[completely]satisfied.

7 “Blessed[content, sheltered by God’s promises]are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 “Blessed[anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature]are the pure in heart[those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character],for they will see God.

9 “Blessed[spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor]are the makersandmaintainers of peace, for they will[express His character and]be called the sons of God.

10 “Blessed[comforted by inner peace and God’s love]are those who are persecuted fordoing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven[both now and forever].

11 “Blessed[morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness]are you whenpeopleinsult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of[your association with]Me.

12 Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great[absolutely inexhaustible];for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Disciples and the World

13 “You are thesalt of the earth; but if the salt haslost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people[when the walkways are wet and slippery].

14 “You are the light of[Christ to]the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

15 nor doesanyonelight a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deedsandmoral excellence, and[recognize and honor and]glorify your Father who is in heaven.

17 “Do not think that I came to do away withorundo theLaw[of Moses]or the[writings of the]Prophets; I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

18 For I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke[of the pen]will pass from the Law until all things[which it foreshadows]are accomplished.

19 So whoever breaks one of the least[important]of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least[important]in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Personal Relationships

21 “You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever murders shall beguilty before the court.’

22 But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brotherorharbors malice against him shall be guilty before the court; and whoever speaks[contemptuously and insultingly]to his brother,‘Raca (You empty-headed idiot)!’ shall be guilty before the supreme court (Sanhedrin); and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of thefiery hell.

23 So if you are presenting your offering at the altar, andwhilethere you remember that your brother has something[such as a grievance or legitimate complaint]against you,

24 leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering.

25 Come to terms quickly[at the earliest opportunity]with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way[to court], so that your opponent does not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you are thrown into prison.

26 I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid the lastcent.

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’;

28 but I say to you that everyone who[so much as]looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 If your right eye makes you stumbleandleads you to sin, tear it out and throw it away[that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation];for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

30 If your right hand makes you stumbleandleads you to sin, cut it off and throw it away[that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation];for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

31 “It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife is to give her a certificate of divorce’;

32 but I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on grounds of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who has been divorced commits adultery.

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not make false vows,but you shall fulfill your vows to theLord[as a religious duty].’

34 But I say to you, do not make an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God;

35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; or by Jerusalem, for it isthe city of theGreatKing.

36 Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you are not able to make a single hair white or black.

37 But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’[a firm yes or no];anything more than that comes from the evil one.

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye,and a tooth for a tooth[punishment that fits the offense].’

39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person[who insults you or violates your rights];but whoeverslaps you on the right cheek, turn the other toward him also[simply ignore insignificant insults or trivial losses and do not bother to retaliate–maintain your dignity, your self-respect, your poise].

40 If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt,let him have your coat also[for the Lord repays the offender].

41 And whoeverforces you to go one mile, go with him two.

42 Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor(fellow man) and hate your enemy.’

44 But I say to you,love[that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for]your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may[show yourselves to]be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous[those who are morally upright]and the unrighteous[the unrepentant, those who oppose Him].

46 For if you love[only]those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

47 And if you greet only your brothers[wishing them God’s blessing and peace],what more[than others]are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles[who do not know the Lord]do that?

48 You, therefore, will be perfect[growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life],as your heavenly Father is perfect.

MATTHEW 6

Giving to the Poor and Prayer

1 “Be[very]careful not to do yourgood deeds publicly, to be seen by men; otherwise you will have no reward[prepared and awaiting you]with your Father who is in heaven.

2 “So whenever you give to the pooranddo acts of kindness, do not blow a trumpet before you[to advertise it],as the hypocrites do[like actors acting out a role]in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honoredandrecognizedandpraised by men. I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, they[already]have their reward in full.

3 But when you give to the pooranddo acts of kindness, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing[give in complete secrecy],

4 so that your charitable acts will be done in secret; and your Father who sees[what is done]in secret will reward you.

5 “Also, when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to pray[publicly]standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets so that they may be seen by men. I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, they[already]have their reward in full.

6 But when you pray, go into your most private room, close the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees[what is done]in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

8 So do not be like them[praying as they do];for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

9 “Pray, then,in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 ‘Your kingdom come,

Yourwill be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 ‘Give us this day ourdaily bread.

12 ‘And forgive us ourdebts, as we have forgiven our debtors[letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].

13 ‘And do notlead us into temptation, but deliver us fromevil.[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’

14 For if you forgiveothers their trespasses[their reckless and willful sins],your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive others[nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God],then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.

Fasting, The True Treasure, Wealth (Mammon)

16 “And whenever you are fasting, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they put on a sad and dismal face[like actors, discoloring their faces with ashes or dirt]so that their fasting may be seen by men. I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, they[already]have their reward in full.

17 But when you fast, put oil on your head[as you normally would to groom your hair]and wash your face

18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by people, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees[what is done]in secret will reward you.

19 “Do not store up for yourselves[material]treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal;

21 for where your treasure is, there your heart[your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers]will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear[spiritually perceptive],your whole body will be full of light[benefiting from God’s precepts].

23 But if your eye is bad[spiritually blind],your whole body will be full of darkness[devoid of God’s precepts].So if the[very]light inside you[your inner self, your heart, your conscience]is darkness, how greatandterrible is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon[money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].

The Cure for Anxiety

25 “Therefore I tell you, stop being worriedoranxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow[seed]nor reap[the harvest]nor gather[the crops]into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?

27 And who of you by worrying can add onehour to[the length of]his life?

28 And why are you worried about clothes? See how the liliesandwildflowers of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin[wool to make clothing],

29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his gloryandsplendor dressed himself like one of these.

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is aliveandgreen today and tomorrow is[cut and]thrown[as fuel]into the furnace,will Henot much moreclotheyou? You of little faith!

31 Therefore do not worryorbe anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’

32 For the[pagan]Gentiles eagerly seek all these things;[but do not worry,]for your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

33 But firstandmost importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness[His way of doing and being right–the attitude and character of God],and all these things will be given to you also.

34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

MATTHEW 7

Judging Others

1 “Do not judgeandcriticizeandcondemn[others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge],so that you will not be judged[unfairly].

2 For just as you[hypocritically]judge others[when you are sinful and unrepentant],so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure[used to pass out judgment],judgment will be measured to you.

3 Why do you look at the[insignificant]speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not noticeandacknowledge the[egregious]log that is in your own eye?

4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye?

5 You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give that which is holy todogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, for they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Prayer and the Golden Rule

7 “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.

8 For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened.

9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will[instead]give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will[instead]give him a snake?

11 If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give goodandadvantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven[perfect as He is]give what is goodandadvantageous to those who keep on asking Him.

12 “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is[the essence of]the Law and the[writings of the]Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broadandeasy to travel is the path that leads the way to destructionandeternal loss, and there are many who enter through it.

14 But small is the gate and narrowanddifficult to travel is the path that leads the way to[everlasting]life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the false prophets,[teachers]who come to you dressed as sheep[appearing gentle and innocent],but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16 By their fruit you will recognize them[that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus].Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?

17 Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them[as false prophets].

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me on that day[when I judge them],‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’

23 And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you;depart fromMe[you are banished from My presence],you who act wickedly[disregarding My commands].’

The Two Foundations

24 “So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man[a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man]who built his house on the rock.

25 And the rain fell, and the floodsandtorrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

26 And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish (stupid) man who built his house on the sand.

27 And the rain fell, and the floodsandtorrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell–and greatandcomplete was its fall.”

28 When Jesus had finished [speaking] these words [on the mountain], the crowds were astonishedandoverwhelmed at His teaching;

29 for He was teaching them as one who had authority [to teach entirely of His own volition], and not as their scribes [who relied on others to confirm their authority].

MATTHEW 8

Jesus Cleanses a Leper; The Centurion’s Faith

1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowdsfollowed Him.

2 And a leper came up to Him and bowed down before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You are able to make me clean (well).”

3 Jesus reached out His hand and touched him, saying,“I am willing; be cleansed.”Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus said to him,“See that you tell no one[about this];but go, show yourself to the priest[for inspection]and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony (evidence) to them[of your healing].”

5 As Jesus went into Capernaum, acenturion came up to Him, begging Him [for help],

6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, with intenseandterrible, tormenting pain.”

7 Jesus said to him,“I will come and heal him.”

8 But the centurion replied to Him, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

9 For I also am a man subject to authority [of a higher rank], with soldiers subject to me; and I say to one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those who were following Him,“I tell you truthfully, I have not found such great faith[as this]with anyone in Israel.

11 I say to you that many[Gentiles]will come from east and west, and will sit down[to feast at the table, and enjoy God’s promises]with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven[because they accepted Me as Savior],

12 while the sonsandheirs of the kingdom[the descendants of Abraham who will not recognize Me as Messiah]will be thrown out into the outer darkness; in that place[which is farthest removed from the kingdom]there will be weeping[in sorrow and pain]and grinding of teeth[in distress and anger].”

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion,“Go; it will be done for you as you have believed.”And the servant was restored to health at that very hour.

Peter’s Mother-in-law and Many Others Healed

14 When Jesus went into Peter’s house [in Capernaum], He saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever.

15 He touched her hand and the fever left her; and she got up and served Him.

16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were under the power of demons; and He cast out theevilspirits with a word, and restored to health all who were sick [exhibiting His authority as Messiah],

17 so that He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “HeHimself took our infirmities[upon Himself]and carried away our diseases.”

Discipleship Tested

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to cast off for the other sideof the Sea of Galilee.

19 Then [on His way to board the boat] a scribe [who was a respected and authoritative interpreter of the Law] came and said to Him, “Master, I will accompany You [as Your student] wherever You go.”

20 Jesus replied to him,“Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but theSon of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

21 Another of thedisciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go andbury my father (collect my inheritance).”

22 But Jesus said to him,“Follow Me[believing in Me as Master and Teacher],and allow the[spiritually]dead to bury their own dead.”

23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.

24 And suddenly a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping.

25 And the disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us, we are going to die!”

26 He said to them,“Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?”Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was [at once] a greatandwonderful calm [a perfect peacefulness].

27 The men wondered in amazement, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Jesus Casts Out Demons

28 When He arrived at the other side in the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming out of the tombs met Him.They wereso extremely fierceandviolent that no one could pass by that way.

29 And they screamed out, “What business do we have [in common] with each other, Son of God? Have You come to torment us before the appointed time [of judgment]?”

30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was grazing.

31 The demonsbeganbegging Him, “If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

32 And He said to them,“Go!”So they came out [of the men] and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and died in the water.

33 The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the men under the power of demons.

34 And the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and as soon as they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region.