The Sermon on the Mount
1 eSeeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
The Beatitudes
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the fpoor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be gcomforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for hthey shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who ihunger and thirst for jrighteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the kmerciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the lpure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the mpeacemakers, for they shall be ncalled sons1 of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are opersecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 pRejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13 q“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the rlight of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 sNor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that2 they may tsee your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Christ Came to Fulfill the Law
17 “Do not think that I have come to uabolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to vfulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, wnot an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes xone of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called yleast in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never zenter the kingdom of heaven.
Anger
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, a‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 bBut I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother3 will be liable to judgment; whoever insults4 his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell5 of fire. 23 So cif you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 dCome to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out euntil you have paid the last penny.6
Lust
27 “You have heard that it was said, f‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who glooks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 hIf your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Divorce
31 “It was also said, i‘Whoever jdivorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that keveryone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Oaths
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, l‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, mDo not take an oath at all, either by nheaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the ocity of the great pKing. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 qLet what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.7
Retaliation
38 r“You have heard that it was said, s‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. tBut if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,8 let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 uGive to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, v‘You shall wlove your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, xLove your enemies and ypray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and zsends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers,9 what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be aperfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Giving to the Needy
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be bseen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be cpraised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
The Lord’s Prayer
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 d“And when you pray, do not eheap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their fmany words. 8 Do not be like them, gfor your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
10 Your ikingdom come,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our kdaily bread,12
12 and lforgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And mlead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.13
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 nbut if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Fasting
16 “And owhen you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their pfasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 q“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where rmoth and rust14 destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves streasures 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 will be also.
22 t“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 u“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 money.15
Do Not Be Anxious
25 v“Therefore I tell you, do not be wanxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the xbirds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of ymore value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can zadd a single hour to his span of life?16 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even aSolomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the bgrass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, cO you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and dyour heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 eBut seek first the kingdom of God and his frighteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about gtomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Judging Others
1 h“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and iwith the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
6 j“Do not kgive dogs what is holy, and do not throw your lpearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
Ask, and It Will Be Given
7 m“Ask, nand it will be given to you; oseek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, phow much more will your Father who is in heaven qgive good things to those who ask him!
The Golden Rule
12 “So rwhatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for sthis is the Law and the Prophets.
13 t“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy17 that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are ufew.
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 v“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wwolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. xAre grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 yEvery tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
I Never Knew You
21 z“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will aenter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who bdoes the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, c‘I never knew you; ddepart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Build Your House on the Rock
24 e“Everyone then who fhears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who ghears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
The Authority of Jesus
28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were hastonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had iauthority, and not as their scribes.
The Twelve Apostles
1 uAnd he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them vauthority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the wtwelve apostles are these: first, xSimon, who is called Peter, and yAndrew his brother; zJames the son of Zebedee, and aJohn his brother; 3 bPhilip and cBartholomew; dThomas and eMatthew the tax collector; fJames the son of Alphaeus, and gThaddaeus;1 4 hSimon the Zealot,2 and iJudas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
5 jThese twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere kamong the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the llost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And mproclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is nat hand.’3 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers,4 cast out demons. You received owithout paying; give pwithout pay. 9 Acquire qno gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics5 or sandals or a staff, for rthe laborer deserves his food. 11 And swhatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your tpeace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, ushake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be vmore bearable on the day of judgment for wthe land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
Persecution Will Come
16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of xwolves, so be ywise as serpents and zinnocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their asynagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before bgovernors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the cSpirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 dBrother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. eBut the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they fpersecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 g“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant6 above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. hIf they have called the master of the house iBeelzebul, jhow much more will they malign7 those of his household.
Have No Fear
26 k“So have no fear of them, for lnothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather mfear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.8 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?9 And nnot one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who oacknowledges me before men, I also will packnowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever qdenies me before men, I also will rdeny before my Father who is in heaven.
Not Peace, but a Sword
34 s“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set ta man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 uWhoever loves vfather or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not wtake his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 xWhoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Rewards
40 y“Whoever receives you receives me, and zwhoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And awhoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
The Parable of the Sower
1 zThat same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in aparables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the bsun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a chundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has dears,1 let him hear.”
The Purpose of the Parables
10 eThen the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, f“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For gto the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
h“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But iblessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people jlonged to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
18 k“Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the levil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or mpersecution arises on account of the word, immediately he nfalls away.2 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the ocares of the world and the pdeceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed qbears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
The Parable of the Weeds
24 He put another parable before them, saying, r“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds3 among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants4 of the master of the house came and said to him, s‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, t“Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
The Mustard Seed and the Leaven
31 uHe put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, vso that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
33 wHe told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Prophecy and Parables
34 xAll these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was yto fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:5
z“I will open my mouth in parables;
I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us athe parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the bsons of the cevil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The dharvest is the eend of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the ffiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the grighteous will hshine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like itreasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one jpearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a knet that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and lseparate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
New and Old Treasures
51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
53 mAnd when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his nhometown he otaught them in their synagogue, so that they were pastonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 qIs not this rthe carpenter’s6 son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they stook offense at him. But Jesus said to them, t“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
Who Is the Greatest?
1 yAt that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the zgreatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like achildren, you will never benter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever chumbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 d“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 ebut whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,1 fit would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Temptations to Sin
7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin!2 For it is necessary that temptations come, but gwoe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8 hAnd if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell3 of fire.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
10 i“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven jtheir angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.4 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and kgo in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 lSo it is not the will of my5 Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
If Your Brother Sins Against You
15 m“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, nbetween you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have ogained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established pby the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, qlet him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, rwhatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed6 in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, sif two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, tthere am I among them.”
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as useven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but vseventy-seven times.7
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to wsettle accounts with his servants.8 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand xtalents.9 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be ysold, with his wife and zchildren and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant10 fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and aforgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,11 and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 bAnd should not you have had cmercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the djailers,12 until he should pay all his debt. 35 eSo also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Teaching About Divorce
1 fNow when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 And Pharisees came up to him and gtested him by asking, “Is it lawful to hdivorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning imade them male and female, 5 and said, j‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to him, k“Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your lhardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: mwhoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”13
10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is ngiven. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs ofor the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”
Let the Children Come to Me
13 pThen children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples qrebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, r“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.
The Rich Young Man
16 sAnd behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, twhat good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. uIf you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, v“You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, wYou shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be xperfect, go, ysell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, zfollow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a arich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, bbut with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, cwe have dleft everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world,14 when the Son of Man will esit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also fsit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold15 and will ginherit eternal life. 30 hBut many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Laborers in the Vineyard
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his ivineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius16 a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and jpay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’17 16 kSo the last will be first, and the first last.”
Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time
17 lAnd as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be mdelivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the nthird day.”
A Mother’s Request
20 oThen the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to psit, qone at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the rcup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. sBut whoever would be great among you must be your servant,18 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,19 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to tserve, and to give his life as a uransom for many.”
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
29 vAnd as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were wtwo blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord,20 have mercy on us, xSon of David!” 31 The crowd yrebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
1 jJesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will knot be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Signs of the End of the Age
3 lAs he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your mcoming and of nthe oend of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9 p“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to qdeath, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away1 and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 rBut the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be sproclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then tthe end will come.
The Abomination of Desolation
15 u“So when you see vthe abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet wDaniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee xto the mountains. 17 yLet the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and zlet the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And aalas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be bgreat tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 cThen if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great dsigns and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the elightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 fWherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
The Coming of the Son of Man
29 g“Immediately after the tribulation of those days hthe sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the istars will fall from heaven, and the jpowers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then kall the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man lcoming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud mtrumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
32 n“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is onear, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, pthis generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
No One Knows That Day and Hour
36 q“But concerning that day and hour rno one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son,2 but the Father only. 37 For as were the sdays of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, tuntil the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, ustay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that vif the master of the house had known in what part of the night the wthief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 x“Who then is the faithful and wise servant,3 whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants4 and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be yweeping and gnashing of teeth.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1 z“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like aten virgins who took their lamps5 and went to meet the bbridegroom.6 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the cmarriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, d‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, eI do not know you.’ 13 fWatch therefore, for you know neither the gday nor the hour.
The Parable of the Talents
14 h“For it will be like a man igoing on a journey, who called his servants7 and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five jtalents,8 to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and ksettled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.9 You have been lfaithful over a little; I will mset you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and nslothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For oto everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And pcast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The Final Judgment
31 q“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered rall the nations, and he will sseparate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the tsheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, uinherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For vI was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you wgave me drink, I was a xstranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the yrighteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, zas you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,10 you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, a‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 bAnd these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
