Matthew 5; Matthew 1–9

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Matthew 5

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.


Matthew 1–9

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

1 The abook of the genealogy of Jesus bChrist, the cson of David, the dson of Abraham.

2 eAbraham was the father of Isaac, and fIsaac the father of Jacob, and gJacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and hJudah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,1 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by iRahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and jJesse the father of David the king.

And kDavid was the father of Solomon by the lwife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,2 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,3 and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the mdeportation to Babylon.

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,4 and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of nJoseph the husband of Mary, oof whom Jesus was born, who is pcalled Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18 qNow the birth of Jesus Christ5 took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been rbetrothed6 to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child sfrom the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to tdivorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an uangel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall vcall his name Jesus, for he will wsave his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place xto fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23  y“Behold, the zvirgin ashall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name bImmanuel”

(which means, cGod dwith us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but eknew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

The Visit of the Wise Men

1 Now after Jesus was fborn in Bethlehem of Judea gin the days of Herod the king, behold, hwise men7 ifrom the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born jking of the Jews? For we saw his kstar when it rose8 and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the lChrist was to be born. 5 They told him, m“In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6  n“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who will oshepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, pgold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

The Flight to Egypt

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an qangel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and rflee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, sto destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was tto fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, u“Out of Egypt I called vmy son.”

Herod Kills the Children

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the wmale children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18  x“A voice was heard in Ramah,

weeping and loud lamentation,

Rachel weeping for her children;

she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

The Return to Nazareth

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for ythose who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a zNazarene.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 aIn those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 b“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is cat hand.”9 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

d“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare10 the way of the Lord;

make his paths straight.’”

4 Now John wore a garment of ecamel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You fbrood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the gwrath to come? 8 Bear fruit hin keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have iAbraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. jEvery tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you kwith water for repentance, but lhe who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you mwith the Holy Spirit and nfire. 12 His owinnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and pgather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with qunquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 rThen Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all srighteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, tthe heavens were opened to him,11 and he saw the uSpirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, v“This is my wbeloved Son,12 xwith whom I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

1 yThen Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the zwilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after afasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the bSon of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,

c“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,

dbut by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

e“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

f“‘On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, g‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a hvery high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you iwill fall down and jworship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

k“‘You shall worship the Lord your God

and him only shall you serve.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and behold, langels came and were ministering to him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

12 mNow when he heard that John had been narrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in oCapernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be pfulfilled:

15  q“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

16  the people dwelling in darkness

have seen a great light,

and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,

on them a light has rdawned.”

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, s“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is tat hand.”13

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

18 uWhile walking by the vSea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, w“Follow me, and I will make you xfishers of men.”14 20 Immediately they yleft their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds

23 zAnd he went throughout all Galilee, ateaching in their synagogues and bproclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his cfame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having dseizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

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 sons15 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 that16 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 brother17 will be liable to judgment; whoever insults18 his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell19 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.20

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.21

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,22 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,23 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,

hhallowed be your name.24

10  Your ikingdom come,

jyour will be done,25

on earth as it is in heaven.

11  Give us this day our kdaily bread,26

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.27

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 rust28 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.29

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?30 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 easy31 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.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

1 jWhen he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a kleper32 came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 3 And Jesus33 stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” lAnd immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, mshow yourself to the priest and offer the gift nthat Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

The Faith of a Centurion

5 oWhen he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “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 too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant,34 ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, pwith no one in Israel35 have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with qAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be rthrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you sas you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Jesus Heals Many

14 tAnd when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. 16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 This was uto fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: v“He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

The Cost of Following Jesus

18 wNow when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the xSon of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, ylet me first go and bury my father.” 22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms a Storm

23 zAnd when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great astorm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was basleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are cperishing.” 26 And he said to them, d“Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and ethere was a fgreat calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, g“What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

Jesus Heals Two Men with Demons

28 hAnd when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes,36 two demon-possessed37 men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, iO Son of God? Have you come here to torment us jbefore the time?” 30 Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. 31 And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” 32 And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. 33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they kbegged him to leave their region.

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

1 lAnd getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; myour sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is nblaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing38 their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has oauthority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they pglorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Jesus Calls Matthew

9 qAs Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, r“Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

10 And as Jesus39 reclined at table in the house, behold, smany tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher teat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: u‘I desire vmercy, and not sacrifice.’ For wI came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

A Question About Fasting

14 xThen the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast,40 but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the ybridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

18 zWhile he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a adischarge of blood for twelve years bcame up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; cyour faith has made you well.” And instantly41 the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is dnot dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put eoutside, he went in and ftook her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the greport of this went through all that district.

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

27 And as Jesus passed on from there, htwo blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, iSon of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, j“According to your faith let it be done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, k“See that no one knows about it.” 31 lBut they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

Jesus Heals a Man Unable to Speak

32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mmute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds nmarveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, o“He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and pproclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had qcompassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like rsheep swithout a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, t“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”