The Holy New Covenant
2004 by Thomas Hackett
Mat 1:1 This is the record of the family names of Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, a descendant of Abraham:
Mat 1:2 Abraham fathered Isaac; Isaac fathered Jacob; Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers;
Mat 1:3 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar; Perez fathered Hezron; Hezron fathered Ram;
Mat 1:4 Ram fathered Amminadab; Amminadab fathered Nahshon; Nahshon fathered Salmon;
Mat 1:5 Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab; Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth; Obed fathered Jesse;
Mat 1:6 Jesse fathered David, the king; David fathered Solomon by the wife of Uriah;
Mat 1:7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam; Rehoboam fathered Abijah; Abijah fathered Asa;
Mat 1:8 Asa fathered Jehoshaphat; Jehoshaphat fathered Jehoram; Jehoram fathered Uzziah;
Mat 1:9 Uzziah fathered Jotham; Jotham fathered Ahaz; Ahaz fathered Hezekiah;
Mat 1:10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh; Manasseh fathered Amon; Amon fathered Josiah;
Mat 1:11 Josiah fathered Jehoiachin and his brothers when Israel was carried away to Babylon.
Mat 1:12 After Israel was carried away to Babylon, Jehoiachin fathered Shealtiel; Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel;
Mat 1:13 Zerubbabel fathered Abiud; Abiud fathered Eliakim; Eliakim fathered Azor;
Mat 1:14 Azor fathered Zadok; Zadok fathered Achim; Achim fathered Eliud;
Mat 1:15 Eliud fathered Eleazar; Eleazar fathered Matthan; Matthan fathered Jacob;
Mat 1:16 Jacob fathered Joseph, Mary's husband; Mary gave birth to Jesus, the one called the Messiah.
Mat 1:17 There was a total of 14 generations from the time of Abraham until David's time. There were 14 generations from the time of David until Israel was carried away to Babylon. And there were 14 generations from the time when Israel was carried away to Babylon until the time of the Messiah.
Mat 1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ occurred: Mary, the mother of Jesus, was engaged to be married to Joseph but before they were married, it was discovered that she was pregnant (by the Holy Spirit)!
Mat 1:19 However, Joseph, her husband-to-be, was a fair man; he did not want to disgrace her. So he decided to quietly call off the marriage.
Mat 1:20 He was thinking deeply upon these things when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, descendant of David, don't be afraid to take Mary to be your wife. The baby inside her comes from the Holy Spirit.
Mat 1:21 She will give birth to a son. You will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
Mat 1:22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord spoke about through the prophet:
Mat 1:23 'Listen! The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son. They will name him Emmanuel (which means, God is with us).'"
Mat 1:24 When Joseph woke up from sleeping, he did as the angel of the Lord had ordered him to do; he took Mary to be his wife.
Mat 1:25 He did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to the boy. Joseph named him Jesus.
Mat 2:1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a town in Judea, during the time of King Herod the Great. Some wise men from the east traveled to Jerusalem.
Mat 2:2 They asked, "Where is the one who was born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and we came to worship him."
Mat 2:3 When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed. Everyone else in Jerusalem was too.
Mat 2:4 He gathered all of the most important priests and teachers of the law from the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.
Mat 2:5 They answered, "In the town of Bethlehem in Judea because this was written by the prophet Micah:
Mat 2:6 'And you, Bethlehem, in the region of Judea, though small among the rulers, you are surely not the least, because a Leader will come out from you. He will shepherd my people, Israel.'"
Mat 2:7 Then in secret, Herod called for the wise men. From them he added up the exact time when the star appeared.
Mat 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go, search very carefully for information about the child. When you find him, report to me so that I too may come to worship him."
Mat 2:9 After they had listened to the king, they left. Suddenly the star which they had seen in the east was leading them. It finally stopped above the place where the child was.
Mat 2:10 When they saw the star, they were most happy.
Mat 2:11 They went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother. They bowed down to worship him. They opened their treasures and brought him gifts - gold, perfume, and precious spices.
Mat 2:12 But God used a dream to warn them that they should not return to Herod. So they returned to their country by a different road.
Mat 2:13 After they had gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel said, "Get up! Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I speak to you again. Herod is about to begin searching for the child to kill him."
Mat 2:14 So Joseph got up. He took the child and his mother at night and left for Egypt.
Mat 2:15 He stayed there until Herod died, to make what the Lord God had said through the prophet come true: "I called My Son out of Egypt."
Mat 2:16 When Herod realized that the wise men had made a fool out of him, he was very angry. He ordered his men to kill all the little boys in and around the town of Bethlehem - the boys who were two years old or younger (the time which Herod had figured out from the wise men).
Mat 2:17 Then what God had said through Jeremiah the prophet came true:
Mat 2:18 "A sound was heard in the town of Ramah, crying and loud screaming. Rachel is crying for her children; she will not let anyone comfort her because the children are dead."
Mat 2:19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream in Egypt.
Mat 2:20 The angel said, "Get up! Take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel. The people who were trying to kill the child have died."
Mat 2:21 So Joseph got up. He took the child and his mother and entered the land of Israel.
Mat 2:22 Joseph heard that Herod Archelaus was ruling Judea instead of his father, Herod the Great. Joseph was afraid to go back there but, in a dream, God told him to leave for the region of the Galilee.
Mat 2:23 So he went and lived in a town called Nazareth so that what God had said through the prophets would come true: "He will be called a Nazarene."
Mat 3:1 During those days, John (the one who immersed people) was preaching in the desert in the region of Judea.
Mat 3:2 He said, "Change your hearts! The kingdom of heaven is very near!"
Mat 3:3 This is the man whom God talked about through the prophet Isaiah: "There is a voice crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the Lord's way. Make His paths straight.'"
Mat 3:4 John always wore clothes made of camel hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. He ate grasshoppers and wild honey.
Mat 3:5 People from Jerusalem and all over the region of Judea and all the area around the Jordan River continued coming to John.
Mat 3:6 They were admitting that they had sinned. John immersed them in the Jordan River.
Mat 3:7 When John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was immersing, he said to them, "You are like poisonous snakes! Who told you to run away from God's punishment which is coming?
Mat 3:8 You must do the things which will show that you really have changed your hearts!
Mat 3:9 "Don't think this to yourselves: 'Abraham is our father!' I tell you that God could make children for Abraham from these rocks here.
Mat 3:10 The ax is now ready to cut the trees down. Every tree which does not produce good fruit is being cut down and thrown into fire.
Mat 3:11 "Whenever you change your hearts, I will immerse you in water. But there is one coming later who is more important than I am. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will immerse you in the Holy Spirit and in fire!
Mat 3:12 He will come ready to clean the grain. He will separate the good grain from the straw. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn. Then he will burn the straw with a fire which cannot be put out."
Mat 3:13 Then Jesus traveled from the Galilee to the Jordan River where John was, so that John could immerse him
Mat 3:14 but John was trying to stop him. John said, "I need you to immerse me, yet you are coming to me?"
Mat 3:15 Jesus answered him, "Allow this for now because this is the proper way for us to fulfill being made right." Then John did so.
Mat 3:16 After Jesus was immersed, he came up from the water immediately. Suddenly, the sky was opened for him. He saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove.
Mat 3:17 Suddenly a Voice came from heaven and said, "This is My son, and I give Myself to him, for his good, expecting nothing in return. I am very pleased with him!"
Mat 4:1 Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
Mat 4:2 Jesus did not eat anything for 40 days and nights. After this, Jesus was very hungry.
Mat 4:3 The devil came and said to Jesus, "Since you are the Son of God, command these rocks to become food."
Mat 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'A person does not live on food alone. Instead, he lives on every word which comes from the mouth of God.'"
Mat 4:5 Then the devil took Jesus into the holy city Jerusalem, and put him on the highest point of the temple.
Mat 4:6 He said to Jesus, "Since you are the Son of God, jump off! Because it is written: 'God will command His angels to take care of you.' and, 'Their hands will catch you so that you will not hit your foot against a rock.'"
Mat 4:7 Jesus answered him, "But this is also written: 'You must not test the Lord your God.'"
Mat 4:8 Suddenly, the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory which was in them.
Mat 4:9 The devil said to Jesus, "I will give you all of these things if you will only bow down to worship me."
Mat 4:10 Then Jesus said to the devil, "Go away, Satan, because it is written: 'You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only Him.'"
Mat 4:11 Then the devil left Jesus. Immediately, angels came and helped him.
Mat 4:12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he went up to the Galilee.
Mat 4:13 After leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, beside Lake Galilee, in the Zebulun and Naphtali area.
Mat 4:14 He did this to fulfill what God had said through the prophet Isaiah:
Mat 4:15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, the way to the Mediterranean Sea along the Jordan River, the Galilee of the non-Jews.
Mat 4:16 The people who live in darkness have seen a great light. The light has dawned upon the people who live in that area; in the fear of death."
Mat 4:17 From then on, Jesus began to teach: "Change your way of thinking because the kingdom of heaven is very near!"
Mat 4:18 While Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers. They were Simon (called Peter) and Andrew, his brother. They were fishermen and they were throwing their nets into the lake.
Mat 4:19 Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fishermen - of people!"
Mat 4:20 They left their nets immediately and followed him.
Mat 4:21 Jesus went farther and saw two more men. They were brothers - Jacob and John - sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with Zebedee, their father, preparing their nets. Jesus called them also.
Mat 4:22 Immediately they left the boat and their father to follow Jesus.
Mat 4:23 Jesus was going all around the Galilee, teaching the Good News of the kingdom in their houses of worship. Jesus was also healing people of all types of diseases and sicknesses.
Mat 4:24 The news about Jesus went all over the land of Syria. They brought him all the people who were sick. These people had all kinds of diseases; they were suffering with much pain. Some of them had demons inside them. Some were epileptics and some were paralyzed. Jesus healed them all.
Mat 4:25 Large crowds followed him, coming from the Galilee, from the area of the Ten Towns, from Jerusalem, from Judea, and from the area across the Jordan River.
Mat 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a hillside and sat down. His students came to him.
Mat 5:2 He started teaching them by saying:
Mat 5:3 "How blest are the people who are humble in spirit because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Mat 5:4 "How blest are the people who know what sorrow means because they will be comforted.
Mat 5:5 "How blest are the people who are humble because the earth will be given to them.
Mat 5:6 "How blest are the people who are hungry and thirsty for what is right because they will be filled.
Mat 5:7 "How blest are the people who give mercy to others because they will receive mercy.
Mat 5:8 "How blest are the people who have pure hearts because they will see God.
Mat 5:9 "How blest are the people who make peace because they will be called the sons of God.
Mat 5:10 "How blest are the people who are persecuted because they are doing right because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Mat 5:11 "How blest are you when people insult you, persecute you, and tell all kinds of lies against you because of me.
Mat 5:12 Be full of joy and be very glad because you will have great rewards in heaven. This was the way your ancestors persecuted the prophets before you.
Mat 5:13 "You are the earth's salt, but if the salt loses its salty taste, then it is no good. You cannot make it salty again. It is good for nothing. It is thrown outside where people walk on it.
Mat 5:14 "You are light for the world. It is not possible to hide a city which is built on a hill.
Mat 5:15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, the lamp is put on a table, and it shines for everyone in the house.
Mat 5:16 So let your light shine for people so that they will see the good things you do. Then they will give glory to your Father, who is in heaven.
Mat 5:17 "Do not think I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy them. I have come to complete them.
Mat 5:18 I am telling you the truth: so long as heaven and earth stand, not even a single dot or a comma can be changed in the law until everything is completed.
Mat 5:19 Anyone who disobeys even one of the smallest commands and teaches this action to others will not be important in the kingdom of heaven. But anyone who obeys and teaches the right action will be important in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:20 For I tell you, if your 'good action' is no better than that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:21 "You have heard that this was said to the people long ago: 'Do not murder. Anyone who commits murder will be punished.'
Mat 5:22 But I tell you, anyone who is angry with his brother will be condemned. Anyone who says, 'You idiot!' to his brother must answer to the Jewish Council. Anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be punished in hell fire.
Mat 5:23 Suppose you are bringing your gift to God at the altar. While there, you remember that your brother has something against you.
Mat 5:24 Leave your gift right there in front of the altar. The important thing is to go and make friends with your brother. When you come back, offer your gift to God.
Mat 5:25 "When someone is trying to sue you, settle things out of court quickly. Do this while you are still with him on the way to court, or he might give you to the judge. And the judge might give you to the officer and then you might be thrown into jail.
Mat 5:26 I am telling you the truth: you may never get out of there, until you pay the last penny of what you owe.
Mat 5:27 "You have heard this said: 'You must not commit unlawful sexual intercourse.'
Mat 5:28 But I am telling you that when any man continues looking at a woman because he wants her sexually, he has already, in his heart, committed unlawful sexual intercourse with her.
Mat 5:29 "If your right eye is making you sin, take it out and throw it away! You would be better off to destroy one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.
Mat 5:30 Or, if your right hand is making you sin, cut it off and throw it away! You would be better off to destroy one member of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Mat 5:31 "This has been said: 'A man who divorces his wife must give her divorce papers.'
Mat 5:32 But I am telling you, unless the reason is her unlawful sexual intercourse, any man who divorces his wife causes her to commit unlawful sexual intercourse, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits unlawful sexual intercourse, too.
Mat 5:33 "Again, you have heard that this was said to the people long ago: 'Do not break your vow by God; do what you promised!'
Mat 5:34 But I am telling you this: do not make vows by God! Don't make a vow by heaven because heaven is God's throne.
Mat 5:35 Don't do it by the earth because the earth is God's footstool. Don't do it by Jerusalem because that is the city of the great king.
Mat 5:36 Don't do it by your head because you are not able to change one hair to be white or black.
Mat 5:37 Your yes answer should mean 'yes' and your no answer should mean 'no'. Saying any more than this is bad.
Mat 5:38 "You have heard that this was said: 'An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.'
Mat 5:39 But I am telling you this: do not fight back against evil. Instead, if a person hits you on the right side of your face, turn the other side to him also!
Mat 5:40 If someone wants to sue you in order to take your shirt, let him have your coat too!
Mat 5:41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go two miles with him!
Mat 5:42 "Give to every person who asks you. When someone wants to borrow something, lend it to him.
Mat 5:43 You have heard that this was said: 'Give yourself to your friend, for his good, expecting nothing in return, and hate your enemy.'
Mat 5:44 But I say this to you: give yourself to your enemies, for their good, expecting nothing in return! Pray for those who are cruel to you
Mat 5:45 so that you will become sons of your Father, who is in heaven. God's sun shines upon good people and bad people. It rains upon the people who do right and upon those who do wrong.
Mat 5:46 If you give yourself, expecting something in return, to those who give themselves to you for their good, expecting something in return, then you are not any better than anyone else. Even tax collectors do the same thing!
Mat 5:47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing? Even people without God do the same thing!
Mat 5:48 You must be perfect, as your Father in heaven is.
Mat 6:1 "Be careful not to do your good deeds in front of people so that they will notice you. If you do that, you will not receive a reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Mat 6:2 When you help poor people, don't sound a trumpet before you. The hypocrites act like that in the houses of worship and on the streets so that people will praise them. I am telling you the truth: they have received their reward.
Mat 6:3 Instead, when you are helping poor people, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing
Mat 6:4 so that your action will be in secret. Your heavenly Father sees this in secret; He will repay you.
Mat 6:5 "And when you pray, don't be like the two-faced people. They love to stand praying in the houses of worship and on the street corners so that other people will see them. I am telling you the truth: they have received their reward.
Mat 6:6 Instead, when you pray, go into your private room and close the door. Then pray secretly to your heavenly Father. He sees this in secret; He will repay you.
Mat 6:7 When you pray, don't use words without thinking, as people of the world do. They think that by saying many words they will be listened to.
Mat 6:8 Don't be like them. Your heavenly Father knows the things you need, even before you ask Him.
Mat 6:9 "This is the way you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, may Your name always be kept holy.
Mat 6:10 May Your kingdom come. May what You want done be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 'Give us the food we need each day.
Mat 6:12 'Forgive us of the sins we have committed, as we forgive everyone who has done wrong to us.
Mat 6:13 'Keep us away from temptation. Rescue us from the evil one. 'For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'
Mat 6:14 "If you forgive people of the things they have done wrong to you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Mat 6:15 However, if you do not forgive people, then your Father will not forgive the wrong things which you have done.
Mat 6:16 "And when you fast, do not wear a sad face as the hypocrites do. They make their faces look serious so that people will realize that they are fasting. I am telling you the truth: they are receiving their reward.
Mat 6:17 Instead, when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face
Mat 6:18 so that people will not realize that you are fasting. Your heavenly Father sees it in secret; He will repay you openly.
Mat 6:19 "Do not store your treasures on the earth where moths and rust destroy and where robbers dig through to steal.
Mat 6:20 Instead, store your treasures in heaven where moths and rust cannot destroy and where robbers cannot dig through to steal.
Mat 6:21 The place where your treasure is, is also the place where your heart is.
Mat 6:22 "Your eye is like a lamp for the body. If your eye can see clearly, then the whole body is made bright.
Mat 6:23 But if your eye is dark with sin, then your whole body is made dark. If the light in you becomes dark, how great is that darkness!
Mat 6:24 "No slave can serve two masters at the same time. The slave will give himself to one, for his good, expecting nothing in return, over the other. Or, he will be more loyal to one and look down on the other. You cannot be a slave for God and Money at the same time.
Mat 6:25 Because of this, I am telling you, you should not worry about what you will eat to stay alive. Don't worry about what clothes you will wear. Living is more important than eating, and the body is more important than clothes.
Mat 6:26 Look at the wild birds of the sky. Birds do not plant seeds or harvest them or gather them into barns, but your heavenly Father takes care of them. Are you not worth much more than birds? Of course!
Mat 6:27 "None of you can grow a half meter taller by worrying about your height.
Mat 6:28 And why worry about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work hard or make threads for clothes.
Mat 6:29 I tell you, even Solomon, with all his beautiful clothes, was not dressed as well as one of these flowers.
Mat 6:30 Look how well God clothes the grass in the fields! But the grass is here today and thrown into the oven tomorrow to be burned. Will not God dress you much better? Oh, you have such little faith!
Mat 6:31 "So, don't worry, thinking to yourself, 'What will we eat?' or, 'What will we drink?' or, 'What will we wear?'
Mat 6:32 People without God put all these things first. Your heavenly Father knows you need all these things.
Mat 6:33 So put first God's kingdom and what is right. Then all the things you need will be given to you.
Mat 6:34 Don't worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will have its own worries. There is enough trouble in just one day.
Mat 7:1 "Don't pass judgment on others. Then you won't be condemned.
Mat 7:2 You will be judged by the standard which you use to judge others. You will be measured by the measure you use to measure others.
Mat 7:3 Why do you see the small speck which is in your brother's eye, but you don't notice the wooden beam which is in your own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or, how can you say this to your brother: 'Let me take that little speck out of your eye!'? When, look, there is a wooden beam in your own eye!
Mat 7:5 You are a hypocrite! First, take the beam out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly how to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Mat 7:6 "Don't give what is holy to dogs. Don't throw your pearls in front of pigs. They might walk on them, then turn and attack you!
Mat 7:7 "So I tell you, continue asking, and it will be given to you. Keep on searching and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you.
Mat 7:8 You will receive, if you will always ask. You will find, if you continue looking. And the door will open for you, if you continue knocking.
Mat 7:9 Do any of you have a son? What would you do if your son asked you for bread? Would you give him a rock?
Mat 7:10 What if he asked you for a fish? Would you give him a snake?
Mat 7:11 You are evil people, and yet you know how to give good gifts to your children. Surely your heavenly Father knows how to give good things to those people who ask Him.
Mat 7:12 "Do for other people all the things which you would like them to do for you. This is the meaning of the law and the prophets.
Mat 7:13 Go through the narrow gate which leads to eternal life. The gate is wide and the road is broad which leads to destruction. Many people are entering through it.
Mat 7:14 The gate is small which leads to life and the road is narrow. Only a few people are finding it.
Mat 7:15 "Be careful of false prophets. They come to you wearing clothes to make them look like sheep, but they are actually fierce wolves.
Mat 7:16 They can be recognized by the things they produce. Do people get grapes from thorn bushes? Do they gather figs from thorny weeds?
Mat 7:17 So every tree which is a good tree produces good fruit. But a bad tree produces bad fruit.
Mat 7:18 It is not possible for a good tree to yield bad fruit. A bad tree cannot yield good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree which does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into fire.
Mat 7:20 Therefore, you can recognize them by the fruit they produce.
Mat 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only the person who does what my heavenly Father wants him to do will enter it.
Mat 7:22 On that Day, many people will say this to me: 'Lord! Lord! Isn't it true that we have prophesied, using your name? And by your name, we performed many miracles.'
Mat 7:23 But then, I will say this openly to them: 'You people who are doing wrong, go away from me because I never knew you!'
Mat 7:24 "Every person who listens to my words and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house upon rock.
Mat 7:25 It rained and the river overflowed. The winds blew hard against that house, but the house did not fall because it was built upon rock!
Mat 7:26 However, every person who listens to my words and does not obey them is like a foolish man; he built his house upon sand.
Mat 7:27 The rain came down and the river overflowed. The winds blew hard against that house and it fell down. It was a terrible fall!"
Mat 7:28 And when Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were greatly amazed at his teaching.
Mat 7:29 Jesus was teaching them as one having authority, not like the teachers of the law.
Mat 8:1 When Jesus came down from the hillside, large crowds followed him.
Mat 8:2 Then a man with leprosy came to him. He bowed down in front of Jesus. The leper said, "Lord, you can heal me if you want to."
Mat 8:3 Jesus said, "I do want to heal you - be healed!" Then Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the man. Immediately the man's leprosy was healed.
Mat 8:4 Jesus said to him, "Don't tell anyone what happened. Go show yourself to the priest. Then give a gift to God because you have been healed. This is what the law of Moses commands. It will prove to the priests that you are healed."
Mat 8:5 Jesus went into the town of Capernaum. A Roman army officer came to him, begging him, saying,
Mat 8:6 "Lord, my boy is at home, sick in bed. He cannot move and he is suffering badly."
Mat 8:7 Jesus said to him, "I will go heal him."
Mat 8:8 The army officer answered, "Lord, you don't need to come into my house. I am not good enough to be with you. You only need to give the order and my boy will be healed.
Mat 8:9 I am a person under authority too. And there are soldiers below me whom I command. I can say to one, 'Go!' and he goes. I can say to another man, 'Come!' and he will come. Or, if I say to my slave, 'Do this!' he will do it."
Mat 8:10 When Jesus heard this, he was surprised. Jesus turned to the people who were following him and he said, "I am telling you the truth: I have not found this much faith anywhere - not even in Israel!
Mat 8:11 I tell you, many people will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 8:12 Those who were sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the dark. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth."
Mat 8:13 Then Jesus said to the army officer, "Go, it will happen for you as you believed." The boy was healed in that same hour.
Mat 8:14 As Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law. She was sick in bed with a fever.
Mat 8:15 Jesus touched her hand and the fever left her. She got up and began to serve Jesus.
Mat 8:16 When it was late, they brought many people with demons to Jesus. With one word, he cast out the spirits. He healed all the people who were sick,
Mat 8:17 so that what God had said through the prophet Isaiah would come true: "He took our sicknesses and carried away our diseases."
Mat 8:18 When Jesus saw that there was a crowd around him, he ordered, "Let us go across the lake."
Mat 8:19 A teacher of the law came near and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go!"
Mat 8:20 Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes to live in. The wild birds have nests in which to live, but I have no place where I can rest my head."
Mat 8:21 Another one who was hearing said to Jesus, "Lord, let me go and bury my father first."
Mat 8:22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me! Let the 'dead' bury their own dead!"
Mat 8:23 Jesus got into a boat and his students did too.
Mat 8:24 Soon there was such a big storm on the lake that the waves were breaking into the boat, but Jesus was asleep.
Mat 8:25 The students went to Jesus and woke him up. They said, "Lord, save us! We are going to drown!"
Mat 8:26 Then Jesus said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Oh, you have such little faith!" Then Jesus got up and gave an order to the wind and the waves of the lake. The lake became very calm.
Mat 8:27 The men were amazed. They said, "What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Mat 8:28 Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake in the area of the Gadarene people. Two men met him. They had demons in them. These men came out of the tombs. They were so fierce that no one could pass by on that road.
Mat 8:29 They yelled, "What do you want with us, Jesus, you Son of God? Did you come here to punish us ahead of time?"
Mat 8:30 A long way off there was a large herd of pigs that was feeding.
Mat 8:31 The demons begged Jesus, "Since you must throw us out, send us into the herd of pigs."
Mat 8:32 Jesus said to them, "Go!" And they came out and went into the pigs. Suddenly the whole herd ran down the steep hill and into the lake. They drowned.
Mat 8:33 Some men had been taking care of these pigs. They ran away. When they came into the town, they told the whole story about the two men with demons.
Mat 8:34 Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged him to leave their area.
Mat 9:1 Jesus got into a boat and went back across the lake. He came to his own town.
Mat 9:2 There was a man who was paralyzed. He was lying on a small bed and some men were carrying him. When Jesus saw that these men believed, he said to the paralyzed man, "Be strong, friend; your sins are forgiven."
Mat 9:3 Some of the teachers of the law thought to themselves, "This man is speaking as if he were God!"
Mat 9:4 Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said, "Why are you thinking evil thoughts in your hearts?
Mat 9:5 Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven', or to say, 'Stand up and walk'?
Mat 9:6 I will prove to you that, on earth, I have the authority to forgive sins." Then Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Stand up! Pick up your bed and go home!"
Mat 9:7 Then the man stood up and went home.
Mat 9:8 When the crowds saw this, they had awesome respect for Jesus; they praised God for giving such power to men.
Mat 9:9 As Jesus was leaving that place, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. Jesus said to him, "Follow me!" Matthew got up and followed him.
Mat 9:10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinful people came and joined Jesus and his students for dinner.
Mat 9:11 Some Pharisees saw this. They asked Jesus' students, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinful people?"
Mat 9:12 When Jesus heard about it, he said, "Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do.
Mat 9:13 Go and learn what this means: 'I want mercy more than I want animal sacrifices.' I came to invite sinners to change their hearts, not people made 'right'."
Mat 9:14 Then the students of John came to Jesus, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your students do not fast?"
Mat 9:15 Jesus asked them, "Would it be right for the friends of the groom to be sad while he is still with them? But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then his friends will fast.
Mat 9:16 "No one sews a piece of cloth, which hasn't been washed, into an old garment because it would shrink and tear away and the hole would become worse.
Mat 9:17 No one puts new wine into old wine skins. If they did, the old wine skins would break open, the wine would spill out, and the wine skins would be ruined. Instead, people put new wine into new wine skins and both are preserved."
Mat 9:18 While Jesus was talking to them, suddenly a ruler of the house of worship came near and began to bow down in front of Jesus. The man said, "My daughter has just died! But if you come and put your hand on her, she will come back to life."
Mat 9:19 Jesus stood up and started to follow him. Jesus' students did too.
Mat 9:20 But there was a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She went behind Jesus and touched the edge of his robe.
Mat 9:21 She was thinking to herself, "If only I can touch his robe, then I will be made well!"
Mat 9:22 But Jesus turned around and saw her. He said, "Be strong, dear woman, you are made well because you believed." And from that moment on the woman was made well.
Mat 9:23 When Jesus came to the ruler's house, he saw the men playing flutes and the crowd making noise.
Mat 9:24 Jesus said, "Go away! The little girl did not die; she is only sleeping." But they laughed at him.
Mat 9:25 When the crowd had been put outside, Jesus went in and took her hand, and the little girl stood up.
Mat 9:26 And the news about this went out all over that region.
Mat 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him. They were shouting, "Son of David! Please help us!"
Mat 9:28 After Jesus had gone into a house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord."
Mat 9:29 Then Jesus touched their eyes. He said, "May this happen to you because you believed!"
Mat 9:30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them, "Don't tell anyone about this!"
Mat 9:31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that whole area.
Mat 9:32 While they were leaving the house, a man was brought to Jesus. The man could not talk. He had a demon in him.
Mat 9:33 After the demon had been thrown out, the man who had not been able to talk began to talk. The crowds were amazed. They said, "No one has ever seen anything like this happen in Israel!"
Mat 9:34 However, the Pharisees continued to say, "Jesus makes demons go away by using the power of the ruler of the demons!"
Mat 9:35 Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their houses of worship and preaching the Good News about the kingdom. He was healing all kinds of sicknesses and diseases.
Mat 9:36 When Jesus saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them because they were worried and helpless, like sheep that didn't have a shepherd.
Mat 9:37 Then Jesus said to his students, "There is a big harvest but there are not many workers.
Mat 9:38 So pray that the Owner of the harvest will send more workers into the harvest field."
Mat 10:1 Jesus called his twelve special students. He gave them the authority to throw out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and sickness.
Mat 10:2 These are the names of the twelve delegates: first, there was Simon (called Peter), Andrew (Peter's brother), Jacob (the son of Zebedee), John (Jacob's brother),
Mat 10:3 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), Jacob (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus,
Mat 10:4 Simon the Revolutionary, Judas Iscariot (he is the one that turned against Jesus).
Mat 10:5 Jesus sent out these twelve men with these orders: "Don't go off into any non-Jewish area. Don't go into any Samaritan town.
Mat 10:6 Instead, go to the lost sheep - the people of Israel.
Mat 10:7 As you are going, preach this: 'The kingdom of heaven is very near!'
Mat 10:8 "Heal sick people. Raise people from death. Make lepers well. Throw out demons. You received freely; give freely.
Mat 10:9 Don't take along any gold, silver, or copper in your money belts.
Mat 10:10 Don't take a bag for the trip, an extra suit of clothes, shoes, or a walking cane. A worker should be given his pay.
Mat 10:11 When you enter a town or a village, find someone there who is worthy. Stay there until it is time to leave.
Mat 10:12 When you go into his house, give your greeting to it.
Mat 10:13 If the household is worthy, let your greeting of peace be upon it. However, if the household is not worthy, let your greeting of peace come back to you.
Mat 10:14 Whenever someone does not welcome you or listen to your words, go outside that town or house and shake the dust off your feet.
Mat 10:15 I tell you the truth: on the Judgment Day, God will punish the people of that town more than He will punish the people of Sodom and Gomorrah!
Mat 10:16 "Listen! I am sending you like sheep into a pack of wolves. Be wise like snakes, yet as gentle as doves.
Mat 10:17 Watch out for some people! They will betray you to the local courts. They will whip you in their houses of worship.
Mat 10:18 Men will take you to be judged before governors and kings because you are associated with me. You can tell them and the nations of the world all of the things you have seen me do.
Mat 10:19 When they turn against you, don't worry about what or how you will speak. At that time what you should say will be given to you.
Mat 10:20 You will not be doing the talking; it will be the Spirit of your heavenly Father who will be speaking through you.
Mat 10:21 "A brother will hand over his own brother - to have him put to death! A father will do the same thing to his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.
Mat 10:22 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the person who holds out to the end will be saved.
Mat 10:23 When they persecute you in one town, quickly go to another town. I am telling you the truth: I will come before you finish teaching in the towns of Israel.
Mat 10:24 "A student is not higher than the teacher. A slave is not higher than his master.
Mat 10:25 The student should be satisfied to become like his teacher. The slave should be satisfied to become like his master. Since they called the owner of the house 'Beelzebub', they will call the members of the owner's family by names which are even worse.
Mat 10:26 Don't be afraid of people because everything which is hidden will be found out and everything which is secret will be made known.
Mat 10:27 What I am telling you in the dark, you must tell in the light. What you hear whispered, you must announce from the top of the houses.
Mat 10:28 "Don't be afraid of people. People can kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul. Instead, you should be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mat 10:29 Two sparrows are sold for only a small coin and yet, not one sparrow falls to the ground without your heavenly Father knowing it.
Mat 10:30 God even knows how many hairs you have on your head.
Mat 10:31 Don't be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
Mat 10:32 "If anyone confesses in front of other people that he believes in me, then I will speak for him in front of my Father in heaven.
Mat 10:33 But if anyone is ashamed of me in front of people, then I will be ashamed of him in front of my Father in heaven.
Mat 10:34 Don't think that I came to give peace to the world. No, I came to bring a sword.
Mat 10:35 I came to divide: 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother,
Mat 10:36 a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. The enemies of a person will be the members of his own family.'
Mat 10:37 "The person who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. The person who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38 The person who does not accept his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 The person who finds his life will lose it, but the person who gives his life to others because of me will find it.
Mat 10:40 "The person who welcomes you welcomes me. The person who is welcoming me is welcoming the One who sent me.
Mat 10:41 The person, who welcomes a prophet as a true prophet, will receive a prophet's reward. A person who receives a good man as a truly good man will receive a good man's reward.
Mat 10:42 If anyone gives one of these precious little ones a drink of cold water because he is my student, I tell you the truth, that person will certainly not lose his reward."
Mat 11:1 When Jesus finished giving these orders to his twelve students he left there to teach and to preach among their towns in the Galilee.
Mat 11:2 John was in prison. He heard about the thing which the Messiah was doing. So he sent his students to ask Jesus this question:
Mat 11:3 "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Mat 11:4 Jesus answered them, "Go tell John the things you see and hear.
Mat 11:5 The blind people can see again. Crippled people can walk. People with leprosy are made well. The deaf can hear. Dead people are given life. And the Good News is given to the poor people.
Mat 11:6 The person who is not ashamed of me is truly happy!"
Mat 11:7 After these men left, Jesus began to tell the crowds about John: "What did you people go into the desert to see? A stalk of grass being blown by the wind?
Mat 11:8 Why did you go out there? Did you go to see a man dressed in fine clothes? Listen, the people who wear fine clothes live in palaces.
Mat 11:9 Really, what did you go out there to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, John is even more than a prophet.
Mat 11:10 This was written about John: 'Listen! I am sending my messenger to go ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you!'
Mat 11:11 "I am telling you the truth: John (the one who immersed people) is greater than any man ever born, but the person who is least important in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John.
Mat 11:12 From the time when John appeared until now, the kingdom of heaven is being attacked; violent men are trying to capture it.
Mat 11:13 Until the time of John, the law of Moses and all the prophets prophesied about it.
Mat 11:14 And if you are willing to accept it, John is the Elijah who was to appear.
Mat 11:15 The person, who has ears to hear with, should use them.
Mat 11:16 "Now I will compare the people of this time to something else: what are they like? The people of this time are like little children sitting in the marketplaces,
Mat 11:17 calling to each other: 'We played a happy song, but you did not dance. We played a sad song, but you did not cry!'
Mat 11:18 John came neither eating normal food nor drinking wine. And they say, 'He has a demon inside him!'
Mat 11:19 I came eating and drinking. And they say, 'Look, he eats too much and drinks too much wine! He is the friend of tax collectors and other sinful people!' True wisdom is shown to be right by the things it does."
Mat 11:20 Then Jesus began to criticize the towns where most of his miracles had occurred. The people had not changed their hearts.
Mat 11:21 "It will be horrible for you, O town of Chorazin! It will be horrible for you, Bethsaida! Many miracles have occurred in you. If these same miracles had occurred in the cities of Tyre and Sidon, then those people in Tyre and Sidon would have changed their hearts and actions long ago.
Mat 11:22 But on the Judgment Day, God will punish you more than the people of Tyre and Sidon.
Mat 11:23 And you, Capernaum, do you think you will be lifted up to heaven? You will be thrown down to Hades! Many miracles have occurred in you. If these same miracles had occurred in Sodom, that city would still be standing today.
Mat 11:24 But on the Judgment Day, God will punish you more than He will punish the people of Sodom!"
Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus said, "Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I praise You because You have hidden these teachings from the 'wise' and 'intelligent' people but You show Your teachings to little children.
Mat 11:26 Yes, Father, I praise You because this is what You really wanted to do.
Mat 11:27 "My Father has given me all things. Only the Father knows who the Son is. And only the Son knows who the Father is. The only people who will know about the Father are those people whom the Son chooses to tell.
Mat 11:28 "Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads. If you will, I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take the task I give you. Learn from me because I am gentle and humble in heart. You will find rest for your lives.
Mat 11:30 The task I give you is easy. The load I put upon you is not heavy."
Mat 12:1 At that time Jesus was traveling through a field of grain on a Sabbath day. His students were hungry. They began to pick the grain and eat it.
Mat 12:2 The Pharisees saw this and said to Jesus, "Look! Your students are doing what is not right to do on the Sabbath day."
Mat 12:3 Jesus said to them, "Do you remember reading about what David did when he and his men were hungry?
Mat 12:4 David went into the house of God. They ate the holy loaves of bread. The law did not permit David or his men to eat them - only the priests could eat them.
Mat 12:5 "You have read in the law of Moses that every Sabbath day the priests in the temple courtyard disobey the laws of the Sabbath. And yet, they have no guilt.
Mat 12:6 But I'm telling you, there is one here who is more important than the temple!
Mat 12:7 Have you read this: 'I want mercy more than I want animal sacrifices.'? If you had read this, you would not have condemned innocent people!
Mat 12:8 I am Lord over the Sabbath day."
Mat 12:9 Jesus moved on from that place. He went into their house of worship.
Mat 12:10 A man with a crippled hand was there. They asked Jesus, "Is it right to heal people on the Sabbath day?" (They wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong.)
Mat 12:11 Jesus said to them, "Suppose one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath day. Wouldn't you grab it and pull it out?
Mat 12:12 A human being is so much more important than a sheep. So it is right to do good on the Sabbath day."
Mat 12:13 Then Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" The man did this. His hand was made as healthy as his other hand.
Mat 12:14 The Pharisees left. They made plans to kill Jesus.
Mat 12:15 When Jesus learned about this, he left that place. Many people followed him. Jesus healed them all.
Mat 12:16 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Mat 12:17 What God said through the prophet Isaiah came true:
Mat 12:18 "Look at My special servant! He is the one I have chosen. I give Myself to him, for his good, expecting nothing in return, and I am very pleased with him. I will put My Spirit upon him. He will announce justice for the nations.
Mat 12:19 He will not argue or yell. No one will hear his voice in the streets.
Mat 12:20 He will not break the stem of a plant that has been bent. He will not even put out the flame of a wick which is barely burning until he causes justice to win.
Mat 12:21 The nations will put their hope in his name."
Mat 12:22 Then they brought a man with a demon in him to Jesus. This man was blind and he could not talk. Jesus healed him. The man was able to speak and see.
Mat 12:23 All the crowds were amazed. They kept saying, "This man is not the son of David, is he?"
Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man throws demons out only by using the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!"
Mat 12:25 Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to them, "Every kingdom which is divided against itself will be ruined. Every town or family which is divided against itself will not hold together.
Mat 12:26 If Satan were throwing out Satan, then he would be divided against himself. How could his kingdom stay together?
Mat 12:27 But if I throw out demons by using the power of Beelzebul, then whose power do your own people use to throw them out? This is why your own people prove you are wrong!
Mat 12:28 However, if it is true that I use the Spirit of God to throw out demons, then God's kingdom has come upon you!
Mat 12:29 "How can someone go into a strong man's house and take away his possessions? He must first tie up the strong man. Then he can rob the strong man's house.
Mat 12:30 "If a person is not with me, he is against me. The person, who does not gather with me, scatters.
Mat 12:31 This is why I am telling you that people may be forgiven of any sin or any evil thing said against God. But they cannot be forgiven of saying evil things against the Holy Spirit!
Mat 12:32 If someone says something against me, he can be forgiven. However, if someone says something against the Holy Spirit, he cannot be forgiven - not in this age nor the next one.
Mat 12:33 Either call the tree good and its fruit good, or call the tree bad and its fruit rotten. A tree can be known by its fruit.
Mat 12:34 "You are like poisonous snakes. You are evil. How can you say good things? A person speaks what flows out of his heart.
Mat 12:35 A good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, but an evil man brings out evil things from an evil heart.
Mat 12:36 I tell you, sometimes people talk without thinking. On the Judgment Day they will be held responsible for every word.
Mat 12:37 Your words can make you right with God or your words can condemn you."
Mat 12:38 Then some of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees answered Jesus, "Teacher, we want to see you do a miracle."
Mat 12:39 Jesus answered them, "The people living today are very evil. They are not faithful to God. They ask for proof from God, but no proof will be given to them. The only proof will be the miracle which God worked for Jonah the prophet.
Mat 12:40 Jonah was in the belly of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, I will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
Mat 12:41 On the Judgment Day, the men from the city of Nineveh will condemn the people of this time. "Why? Because when Jonah preached to them, they listened and changed their hearts. Listen! I am greater than Jonah.
Mat 12:42 The Queen of Sheba will rise up on the Judgment Day with the men of this time and she will condemn them. Why? Because she came a very long way to listen to the wisdom of Solomon. Listen! I am greater than Solomon!"
Mat 12:43 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. If the spirit does not find a place,
Mat 12:44 it says, 'I will go back to the house from which I came.' So it goes and finds that house empty, cleaned up, and in order.
Mat 12:45 Then the evil spirit goes and brings seven other spirits worse than itself, and they go into that man and live there. And that man has even more trouble than he had before. The evil people of this time will be the same way."
Mat 12:46 While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, at that time his mother and his brothers stood outside. They were wanting to speak with him.
Mat 12:47 Someone said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside; they want to speak with you."
Mat 12:48 Jesus answered that person, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"
Mat 12:49 Then Jesus pointed to his students and said, "Look, all these people are my mother and my brothers!
Mat 12:50 If a person does what my Father in heaven wants him to do, he is my brother, my sister, or my mother!"
Mat 13:1 That day Jesus left the house and he was sitting beside the Lake of Galilee.
Mat 13:2 There were so many people who came to Jesus that he had to get into a boat. He sat in the boat and all the crowd stood on the shore.
Mat 13:3 Jesus used many examples to speak with them: "A farmer went out to plant his seed.
Mat 13:4 While he was planting, some seeds fell along the road. The wild birds ate them up.
Mat 13:5 Some other seeds fell on rocky soil. There was not much soil there. The little plants grew up quickly because the soil was not deep.
Mat 13:6 But when the sun came up, the plants were burned because their roots dried up.
Mat 13:7 Some more seeds fell among thorny weeds. But the thorny weeds came up and killed them off.
Mat 13:8 And some seeds fell on good soil. Some were producing fruit 100 times more, some were producing 60 times more, and some 30 times more.
Mat 13:9 The person who has ears must use them!"
Mat 13:10 Jesus' students came and asked him, "Why do you use examples to speak to us?"
Mat 13:11 Jesus answered, "You have been chosen to learn the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but these secrets have not been given to others.
Mat 13:12 The person who has something will get more. However, what will happen to the one who has almost nothing? Even what he has will be taken away from him!
Mat 13:13 This is why I use stories when I talk with them: so that they look but do not see, and they listen but they do not understand.
Mat 13:14 They have made Isaiah's prophecy come true: 'You will certainly hear, but you won't understand! You will certainly see, but you won't understand!
Mat 13:15 The heart of this people has become hard. They have ears, but they do not listen. They have shut their eyes. Otherwise, they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, and then turn. I would heal them.'
Mat 13:16 You are very blessed to see what you now see, and to hear what you now hear.
Mat 13:17 I am telling you the truth: many prophets and upright men wanted to see what you now see, but they did not see it. And they wanted to hear what you now hear, but they did not hear it."
Mat 13:18 "Listen to the meaning of the example about the farmer:
Mat 13:19 A person hears the message about the kingdom, but he does not understand it. Then the evil one comes and takes away what was planted in the person's heart. This is the meaning of what was planted along the road.
Mat 13:20 What was planted on rocky soil is the person who hears the message and accepts it with gladness right away.
Mat 13:21 However he does not have deep roots in himself; he doesn't last long. When, because of the message, trouble or persecution comes, he soon gets discouraged and gives up.
Mat 13:22 That which was planted among the thorny weeds is the one who hears the message, but the worries of thisage and deceiving riches choke out the message. It never produces fruit.
Mat 13:23 What was planted on good soil is the one who listens to the message and understands it. He produces fruit - some of it is 100 times more, some is 60 times more, and some is 30 times more."
Mat 13:24 Jesus used another story. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like this: a man planted some good wheat seed in his field.
Mat 13:25 While his men were sleeping, the man's enemy came and planted some weeds among the wheat. Then he went away.
Mat 13:26 When the wheat came up and started making heads of wheat, the weeds appeared too.
Mat 13:27 The slaves went to the owner and said to him, 'Lord, you planted good wheat seed in your field. Where did the weeds come from?'
Mat 13:28 The man said to them, 'An enemy did this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go out and collect the weeds?'
Mat 13:29 He said, 'No, because while you are collecting the weeds, you might tear up the wheat which is next to the weeds.
Mat 13:30 Let the wheat and the weeds grow together until harvest time. At that time I will tell the workers to gather up the weeds first. Then they can tie them together in bundles to burn them, but they will gather the wheat into my barn.'"
Mat 13:31 As Jesus was talking to them, he used another story: "What is the kingdom of heaven like? It is like the seed of the mustard plant. A person plants the seed in his garden.
Mat 13:32 It is one of the smallest seeds of all. But when it grows up, it is the largest garden plant - it becomes a tree. The wild birds build nests in its branches."
Mat 13:33 Jesus spoke to them with another example: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast which a woman mixes into a tub of flour to make the bread rise."
Mat 13:34 Jesus used examples to say all these things to the crowds. He always spoke to them with a comparison story.
Mat 13:35 What God said through the prophet came true: "When I open my mouth to speak, I will use examples. I will tell things which have been hidden since the world was created."
Mat 13:36 Then Jesus left the crowds and went back to the house. His students came to him and said, "Tell us plainly the meaning of the story about the weeds in the field."
Mat 13:37 Jesus answered, "I am the one who planted the good seed.
Mat 13:38 The field is the world. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one.
Mat 13:39 The enemy who sowed the weeds is the devil. Harvest time is the end of the age. And the workers are angels.
Mat 13:40 The weeds will be collected and burned in fire. It will be like this at the end of the age.
Mat 13:41 I will send my angels. They will collect everything which makes people sin and the people who do wrong, and put them out of his kingdom.
Mat 13:42 The angels will throw them into a hot oven. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth.
Mat 13:43 Then the good people will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The person who has ears should use them!"
Mat 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a buried treasure. A man finds it buried in a field. He is so happy that he goes and sells everything he owns and buys that field."
Mat 13:45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a businessman who is always looking for good pearls.
Mat 13:46 One day he found a very beautiful pearl. He went and sold everything he owned and bought that pearl."
Mat 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a big net which is thrown into the lake. It catches every kind of fish.
Mat 13:48 When the net is full, the men pull it onto the shore. Then they sit down and pick out the good fish. They throw the good fish on the beach but they throw the worthless fish away.
Mat 13:49 It will be like this at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the good people from the bad people.
Mat 13:50 The angels will throw the bad people into a hot oven. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth."
Mat 13:51 Jesus said to his students, "Do you understand these things?" They said to him, "Yes."
Mat 13:52 Jesus said to them, "Every teacher of the law who becomes trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is the head of his house. He brings new things and old things out of his treasure."
Mat 13:53 When Jesus finished all these examples, he left that place.
Mat 13:54 He came to his own hometown. He was teaching them in their house of worship. They were greatly amazed at him. They asked, "Where did Jesus get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?
Mat 13:55 Isn't it true that he is the son of Joseph, the craftsman, and that his mother's name is Mary? His brothers are: Jacob, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.
Mat 13:56 His sisters are here with us too. So where did he get all these things?"
Mat 13:57 They were offended at Jesus. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not accepted in his own hometown or by his own family."
Mat 13:58 So because they did not believe, Jesus did not perform many miracles there.
Mat 14:1 At that time Herod Antipas, the ruler, heard the report about Jesus.
Mat 14:2 He said to his servants, "This is John (the one who immersed people)! He has come back to life! That is why these powers are working in him."
Mat 14:3 Before this time Herod had ordered his men to arrest John, tie him up, and put him in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.
Mat 14:4 John had been saying to Herod, "It is not right for you to have her!"
Mat 14:5 Herod wanted to kill John but he was afraid of the crowd. (The people thought of John as a prophet.)
Mat 14:6 When it was Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced in front of everyone. She pleased Herod.
Mat 14:7 He vowed to give her anything she asked for.
Mat 14:8 Her mother prompted her: "Give me, here on a plate, the head of John the Immerser!"
Mat 14:9 The king was very sad but because of the vow and the guests, Herod ordered that it be done.
Mat 14:10 He sent some men to the prison to cut off John's head.
Mat 14:11 His head was brought on a plate and given to the girl. She gave it to her mother.
Mat 14:12 John's students came and carried the body away and buried it. Then they went to tell Jesus about it.
Mat 14:13 When Jesus heard this, he left there in a boat to be all alone. He went to a place where no one lived. However, the crowds found out where Jesus had gone and on foot they followed him from the towns.
Mat 14:14 When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd; he felt sorry for them. He healed their sick people.
Mat 14:15 Since evening was coming, Jesus' students came to him and said, "No one lives in this place and it is already late. Tell the people to go away. They need to buy food for themselves in the villages around here."
Mat 14:16 Jesus said to them, "They don't need to go away. You give them something to eat!"
Mat 14:17 But they said to him, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish."
Mat 14:18 Jesus said, "Bring them here to me."
Mat 14:19 Jesus ordered the people to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves of bread and two fish. Then he looked up to heaven. He thanked God for the food and divided it. Then he began giving the loaves of bread to his students and they gave it to the people.
Mat 14:20 Everyone ate and was full. They gathered up all the pieces of the food which were left over. They filled twelve large baskets with this food.
Mat 14:21 (There were about 5,000 men, not including the women and children, who were eating.)
Mat 14:22 Soon Jesus made his students get into the boat. He wanted them to go on ahead of him across the lake while he sent the people away.
Mat 14:23 After Jesus sent the people away, he went up to a mountain to be alone and to pray. It was evening and Jesus was the only one there.
Mat 14:24 The boat was already a long way from the shore. The waves were beating against the boat; they were heading into the wind.
Mat 14:25 It was after three o'clock in the morning when Jesus came to them. He was walking on the lake.
Mat 14:26 When Jesus' students saw him walking on the lake, they were alarmed. They shouted with fear, "It's a ghost!"
Mat 14:27 Immediately Jesus spoke to them, "Be strong! It is I. Don't be afraid."
Mat 14:28 Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you on the water!"
Mat 14:29 Jesus said: "Come!" Then Peter got down from the boat and went toward Jesus, walking on the water.
Mat 14:30 But when Peter saw the way the wind was blowing, he was afraid. He began to sink. Peter cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Mat 14:31 Immediately, Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him. Jesus said to him, "Oh, you have so little faith; why did you doubt?"
Mat 14:32 When they climbed into the boat, the wind stopped.
Mat 14:33 They all worshipped him, saying, "You really are the Son of God!"
Mat 14:34 After they crossed over, they came to the shore at Gennesaret.
Mat 14:35 The men from that place recognized Jesus. They sent people all over that area, bringing all of their sick people to Jesus.
Mat 14:36 The people were begging him; they only wanted to touch the tassel of his robe. And all those who did touch it were made well.
Mat 15:1 Then some teachers of the law and some Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus. They asked,
Mat 15:2 "Why are your students breaking the tradition of the elders? When your students eat, they do not wash their hands."
Mat 15:3 Jesus answered them, "Why do you break God's command for the sake of tradition of your own?
Mat 15:4 God commanded, 'You must honor and obey your father and mother.' and 'The person who curses his father or mother must die.'
Mat 15:5 But you say if anyone says to his father or mother, 'Whatever you might have gotten from me, I have given to God instead!'
Mat 15:6 So he will never respect his father or his mother. Because of your tradition you are taking away the authority of God's teaching!
Mat 15:7 Hypocrites! How right Isaiah was when he prophesied about you:
Mat 15:8 'These people respect me with their lips but their heart is far away from Me.
Mat 15:9 It does no good for them to worship Me. They teach commands made by men, not God.'"
Mat 15:10 Jesus called the crowd. He said to them, "Listen, and understand!
Mat 15:11 What goes into the mouth does not make a person unholy. No, it's what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unholy."
Mat 15:12 Then Jesus' students came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were insulted when they heard this teaching?"
Mat 15:13 Jesus answered, "Every plant which was not planted by my heavenly Father will be pulled up by the roots.
Mat 15:14 Leave them alone! They are blind guides. If a blind man guides another blind man, both of them will fall into a pit."
Mat 15:15 Peter said to Jesus, "Explain this story to us."
Mat 15:16 Jesus said, "Do you still not understand?
Mat 15:17 You know that everything which goes into the mouth goes into the stomach. Then it comes out as waste.
Mat 15:18 But the things which are coming from the mouth are really coming from the heart - these things make a person unholy.
Mat 15:19 These things come from the heart: evil thoughts, murder, unlawful sexual intercourse, sexual sin, stealing, lying, slander.
Mat 15:20 These are the things which make a person unholy. Eating with unwashed hands does not make a person unholy!"
Mat 15:21 Jesus left there and went to the area of the cities of Tyre and Sidon.
Mat 15:22 A Canaanite woman from that area came out to Jesus. She shouted, "Lord! Son of David! Please help me! My daughter has a demon inside her; she is suffering terribly!"
Mat 15:23 But Jesus did not say a word to her. His students came begging him, "Send her away! She is always following us around, shouting."
Mat 15:24 Jesus answered her, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the family of Israel."
Mat 15:25 But she came to Jesus and bowed down in front of him. She said, "Lord, help me!"
Mat 15:26 Jesus answered, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
Mat 15:27 But the woman said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
Mat 15:28 Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, you have a strong faith. What you want will be done for you!" At that moment her daughter was healed.
Mat 15:29 Jesus went away from there and came down to Lake Galilee. He went up a hillside and sat down there.
Mat 15:30 Many people came to him. They had their sick people with them: the lame, the blind, the crippled, the deaf, and many others. They laid them at Jesus' feet and he healed them all.
Mat 15:31 The crowd was amazed when they saw the deaf talking, crippled people healthy, the lame walking, and blind people seeing. They praised the God of Israel.
Mat 15:32 Jesus called his students. He said to them, "I feel sorry for the people. For three days they have stayed with me without eating anything. I don't want to send them away hungry; they might faint along the road."
Mat 15:33 His students said to him, "Where can we get enough bread in this remote place to satisfy such a large crowd?"
Mat 15:34 Jesus said to them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They answered, "Seven ... and a few little fish."
Mat 15:35 Jesus ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.
Mat 15:36 He took the seven loaves of bread and the fish. After he thanked God, he divided the food and began giving it to his students who then gave it to the crowd.
Mat 15:37 Everyone ate and was full. They gathered up all the pieces of food which were left over. With this food, they filled seven small baskets.
Mat 15:38 (There were 4,000 men, not including the women and children, who ate.)
Mat 15:39 Jesus sent the crowds away. Then he climbed into the boat and he came to the Magdalah area.
Mat 16:1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus. They were trying to make Jesus prove to them that he came from heaven.
Mat 16:2 Jesus answered them, "When evening begins, you say, 'It will be good weather tomorrow because the sky is red.'
Mat 16:3 And, in the morning, you say, 'Today it will be stormy because the sky is red and dark.' You can understand changes in the sky which show a change in the weather, but you cannot understand the signs of change of this time.
Mat 16:4 The people who are living today are evil and not faithful to God. They ask for a proof from God, but no proof will be given to them except the Jonah miracle." Then Jesus left them and went away.
Mat 16:5 When Jesus' students went across Lake Galilee, they forgot to bring along some bread.
Mat 16:6 Jesus said to them, "Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."
Mat 16:7 They started thinking to themselves, "Jesus must have said this because we didn't bring along any bread."
Mat 16:8 Jesus knew what was on their minds. He said, "Oh, you have so little faith! Why are you thinking to yourselves, '... that you have no bread'?
Mat 16:9 Do you still not understand? Do you remember the five loaves of bread which fed the 5,000 men? Do you remember how many large baskets of leftovers you picked up?
Mat 16:10 Do you remember the seven loaves of bread which fed the 4,000 men? Do you remember how many small baskets of leftovers you picked up?
Mat 16:11 Why could you not understand what I was saying to you? When I said, 'Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees', I was not talking about bread."
Mat 16:12 Then they understood that Jesus was not wanting them to stay away from the yeast used for bread. Instead, he wanted them to stay away from the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Mat 16:13 When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he began to ask his students, "Who do people say I am?"
Mat 16:14 They answered, "Some people say you are John (the one who immersed people). Other people say you are Elijah. And some people say you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
Mat 16:15 Jesus asked them, "But who do you say I am?"
Mat 16:16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!"
Mat 16:17 "Blessed are you, Simon, son of John. My Father in heaven, not man, showed that to you.
Mat 16:18 Upon this rock foundation," Jesus answered, "I will build my called out people. Death will not overpower them. You are a piece of rock.
Mat 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have already been bound in heaven. And whatever you loosen on earth will have already been loosened in heaven."
Mat 16:20 Then Jesus warned his students not to tell anyone that he is the Messiah.
Mat 16:21 From then on Jesus began to show his students that he must go away to Jerusalem; that the Jewish elders, the most important priests, and the teachers of the law would make him suffer many things; that he would be killed, yet on the third day, he would rise from death.
Mat 16:22 But Peter came to him and began to correct him, "This will never happen to you, Lord!"
Mat 16:23 Jesus turned around and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking something which might cause me to sin. You are not thinking the way that God thinks, but as man thinks."
Mat 16:24 Then Jesus said to his students, "If anyone wants to follow me, he must carry his cross and follow me. He must say no to his own desires.
Mat 16:25 The person who wants to save his life will lose it, but every person who gives his life to others for me will find it.
Mat 16:26 What good is it, if a person gains the whole world, but loses his own life? What can a person use to buy back his life?
Mat 16:27 I am ready to come with my angels in the glory of my Father. I will repay every person according to the kind of life he lived.
Mat 16:28 I am telling you the truth: there are some people standing here who will see me coming into my kingdom."
Mat 17:1 After six days, Jesus took along Peter and the two brothers, Jacob and John. He went up on a tall mountain to be alone.
Mat 17:2 Jesus' appearance began to change in front of them. His face was shining like the sun. His clothes became white as light.
Mat 17:3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them. They were talking with Jesus.
Mat 17:4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three holy tents here; one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
Mat 17:5 While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud came all around them. Suddenly, a Voice spoke from the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, and I give Myself to him, for his good, expecting nothing in return. I am very pleased with him. He is the one to whom you must listen!"
Mat 17:6 When Peter, Jacob, and John heard this, they fell to the ground and bowed. They were very frightened.
Mat 17:7 Jesus came to them and touched them. He said, "Get up. Don't be afraid."
Mat 17:8 They looked up. They saw no one else but Jesus.
Mat 17:9 As they were going down the mountain, Jesus gave them this command, "Don't tell anyone about this vision until after I rise from death."
Mat 17:10 They asked Jesus, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come before the Messiah?"
Mat 17:11 Jesus answered, "Elijah comes and makes all things right.
Mat 17:12 But I am telling you, Elijah has already come! They did not acknowledge him. Instead, they treated him as they wished. In the same way, I am about to suffer many things from them."
Mat 17:13 Then the students understood that Jesus was talking to them about John (the one who immersed people).
Mat 17:14 When they got to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus. Kneeling down,
Mat 17:15 he said, "Lord, please help my son. He has a very bad case of seizures. Many times he falls into the fire. Often he falls into the water.
Mat 17:16 I brought him to your students, but they could not heal him."
Mat 17:17 Jesus said to them, "You are a generation of unbelieving and difficult people. How long must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here to me."
Mat 17:18 Jesus gave an order and the demon came out of him. The boy was healed from that moment on.
Mat 17:19 Then Jesus' students came to him alone. They asked, "Why were we not able to throw out the demon?"
Mat 17:20 Jesus answered them, "Because you have so little faith. I am telling you the truth: if your faith were the size of the small seed of the mustard plant, then you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there!' and the mountain would move. Nothing would be impossible for you.
Mat 17:21 This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
Mat 17:22 When they returned to the Galilee, Jesus said to them, "I am about to be handed over to some men.
Mat 17:23 They will kill me." (This made the students feel very sad.) "However, on the third day I will rise from death."
Mat 17:24 They came to the town of Capernaum. The temple tax collectors came to Peter and said, "Your teacher pays the temple tax, doesn't he?"
Mat 17:25 Peter said, "Yes." When Peter went into the house, before Peter could say anything, Jesus spoke, "Simon, what do you think? From whom do kings on earth take their taxes or tariffs? From their own sons or from other people?"
Mat 17:26 Peter said, "From other people." Jesus said to him, "So their sons are free from being taxed.
Mat 17:27 However, we don't want to offend them. Go to the lake and throw in your hook. Take the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a coin. Take it and use it to pay the temple tax for you and me."
Mat 18:1 At that time the students came to Jesus. They asked, "Who is the most important in the kingdom of heaven?"
Mat 18:2 So Jesus called for a little child and placed the child in the middle of them.
Mat 18:3 He said, "I am telling you the truth: if you don't change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4 The person who humbles himself like this little child is the most important one in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:5 The person who, in my name, welcomes a little child such as this one welcomes me.
Mat 18:6 If someone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large rock hanging around his neck and to be drowned in the deep sea.
Mat 18:7 "It will be horrible for the world because of the things which cause people to sin. Things will surely happen which will cause people to sin. But it will be horrible for the person who causes this to happen.
Mat 18:8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you! It would be better for you to enter eternal life injured or crippled than to be thrown into eternal fire with two hands or two feet.
Mat 18:9 If your eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away from you! It would be better for you to enter eternal life with one eye than to be thrown into hell fire with two eyes.
Mat 18:10 Don't treat one of these little ones as if they were not important. I tell you, their angels in heaven are always looking at my heavenly Father's face.
Mat 18:11 "For I came to save that which was lost.
Mat 18:12 What do you think? Suppose a man has 100 sheep, but one of them wanders away. Then he will leave the other 99 on the hillside and go out and look for the sheep that wandered away.
Mat 18:13 I am telling you the truth: when he finds it, he will be happier about it than the 99 sheep that did not wander away.
Mat 18:14 In the same way, your heavenly Father doesn't want any of these little ones to be lost.
Mat 18:15 If your brother or sister does something wrong, go to him or her. Give that person a private warning, just between you and that person. If he or she listens to you, you have won a brother or sister.
Mat 18:16 But if he or she will not listen to you, take one or two people along with you because: 'The testimony of two or three people is true.'
Mat 18:17 If that person doesn't want to listen to them, then tell the called out people. And if he or she won't listen to the called out people, have nothing to do with them. Treat him like tax collectors or infidels.
Mat 18:18 I am telling you the truth: whatever you bind on earth will have already been bound in heaven. Whatever you loosen on earth will have already been loosened in heaven.
Mat 18:19 "Again, I am telling you, if two people on earth agree to ask God for anything, my heavenly Father will make it happen for them.
Mat 18:20 Wherever two or three people have gathered in my name, I am there."
Mat 18:21 Then Peter came to Jesus and said, "Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Seven times?"
Mat 18:22 Jesus said to him, "I am not saying seven, but seven times seventy!
Mat 18:23 The kingdom of heaven is like a man who is ruling. He wanted to make his slaves give an account.
Mat 18:24 When the audit began, a man who owed the ruler several kilograms of gold came to him.
Mat 18:25 The man couldn't repay. So the master ordered that his wife, children, and everything he owned be sold to pay the debt.
Mat 18:26 The slave fell down and began bowing to him. He said, 'Be patient with me! I will pay you back everything!'
Mat 18:27 The master felt sorry for that slave. He canceled his debt and allowed him to leave.
Mat 18:28 "However, the same slave went out and found another slave who owed him three months' wages. He grabbed that slave and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay me what you owe me!'
Mat 18:29 The slave fell down and began to beg him, 'Be patient with me! I will pay you back!'
Mat 18:30 But he wouldn't do it. Instead, he went and threw the slave in jail until he could repay what he owed.
Mat 18:31 When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they felt very sad. They went and told the whole story to their master.
Mat 18:32 Then the master of the first slave came to him and said, 'You evil slave! You begged me, so I cancelled your whole debt.
Mat 18:33 You should have given mercy to your fellow slave as I did to you!'
Mat 18:34 The master became very angry. He handed the slave over to some men to punish him until he paid back everything he owed.
Mat 18:35 My heavenly Father will treat you the same way if each of you does not forgive his brother or sister from his heart."
Mat 19:1 When Jesus finished saying these words, he left the Galilee. He went to the part of Judea which is on the other side of the Jordan River.
Mat 19:2 Large crowds followed him. Jesus healed some of them there.
Mat 19:3 Some Pharisees came to Jesus. They were testing him with this question: "Is it all right for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?"
Mat 19:4 Jesus answered, "You have read this: 'In the beginning, when God created people, he made them male and female.'
Mat 19:5 He said, 'A man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The husband and wife will become one flesh.'
Mat 19:6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Man must not separate what God has joined together."
Mat 19:7 The Pharisees said to Jesus, "Then why did Moses give this command: 'A man who divorces his wife must give her divorce papers.'?"
Mat 19:8 Jesus said to them, "Your hearts were hard so Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like that from the very beginning.
Mat 19:9 I am telling you, unless her sexual sin is the reason, if a man divorces his wife and marries another woman, he is committing unlawful sexual intercourse."
Mat 19:10 Jesus' students said to him, "If this is the true relationship between a husband and his wife, it would be better not to marry!"
Mat 19:11 But Jesus said to them, "Not everyone can accept this teaching - only those to whom it has been given.
Mat 19:12 There are some men who cannot have sexual relations; they were born like this. Others were made that way by man. And some did this to themselves because of the kingdom of heaven. Let the person who is able to accept it accept it."
Mat 19:13 Then some people brought their small children to Jesus, so that he could put his hands on them and pray. But his students told the people not to do this.
Mat 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children."
Mat 19:15 Then Jesus placed his hands on them. Later he left there.
Mat 19:16 A man came to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
Mat 19:17 Jesus said to him, "Why are you asking me about goodness? God is the only One who is good. Since you want to enter eternal life, obey the commands of God."
Mat 19:18 The man said to Jesus, "Which commands?" Jesus said, "'You must not commit murder.' 'You must not commit unlawful sexual intercourse.' 'You must not steal.' 'You must not lie.'
Mat 19:19 'You must honor and obey your father and your mother.' 'You must give yourself to other people, for their good, expecting nothing in return, the same way you give to yourself.'"
Mat 19:20 However, the young man said to Jesus, "But I have obeyed all these things! What do I still need to do?"
Mat 19:21 Jesus answered him, "If you want to be all that God wants you to be, go sell everything you have and give the money to the poor people. Then you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me!"
Mat 19:22 When the young man heard these words, he went away sad because he owned many things and he wanted to keep them.
Mat 19:23 Jesus said this to his students, "I am telling you the truth: it will be hard for a person with lots of money to enter the kingdom of heaven!
Mat 19:24 I am telling you again: it will be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Mat 19:25 When Jesus' students heard this, they were very surprised. They asked, "Then who can be saved?"
Mat 19:26 Jesus looked into their eyes and said, "For men, this is impossible but for God, all things are possible!"
Mat 19:27 Then Peter answered Jesus, "Look, we have left everything and followed you! What will there be for us?"
Mat 19:28 Jesus said to them, "I am telling you the truth: you have followed me. At the time when things will be made right, when I sit on my glorious throne, you will also sit on twelve thrones. You will judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29 Every person who has left his home, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or fields, because of my name, will receive many rewards and, after that person dies, he will receive eternal life with God.
Mat 19:30 Many people who seem as if they are not important now will be important at that time. Those who seem important now will not be important then."
Mat 20:1 "The kingdom of heaven is like the man who owned some land. He went out early in the morning to hire some workers for his vineyard.
Mat 20:2 He agreed to pay them one silver coin per day. Then he sent them into his vineyard.
Mat 20:3 At about nine o'clock in the morning, he went out again and saw some men standing around in the marketplace. They were not working.
Mat 20:4 He said to them, 'You go into my vineyard, too. I will pay you whatever is fair.'
Mat 20:5 So they went. In the same way, the owner went out about noon and again around three o'clock in the afternoon.
Mat 20:6 About five o'clock in the afternoon, he went out and found some more men standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing around here all day long? Why weren't you working?'
Mat 20:7 They answered him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into my vineyard, too.'
Mat 20:8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager. 'Call the workers and give them their pay.' He began paying the ones who had come to work last before the ones who came first.
Mat 20:9 The men who came to work at five o'clock received one silver coin each!
Mat 20:10 The men who came to work first thought they would be paid more than a silver coin, but they also received only one silver coin.
Mat 20:11 They took the money, but they began to complain against the owner of the farm.
Mat 20:12 They said, 'The men who came last worked only one hour. You are paying them the same amount as us! We did most of the work all day long - and it was hot, too!'
Mat 20:13 But the owner said to one, 'Friend, I was not unfair to you. You agreed to work for me for one silver coin.
Mat 20:14 Take this coin. It belongs to you. Go! I want to give to this man who came to work last the same amount that I gave to you.
Mat 20:15 It is not wrong for me to do what I desire with what is mine! Do you have a jealous eye because I am generous?'
Mat 20:16 The people who seem as though they are not important now will be important later. Those who seem important now will not be important then."
Mat 20:17 Jesus was ready to go up to Jerusalem. Along the road, he took the twelve students aside. He said to them,
Mat 20:18 "Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The most important priests and the teachers of the law will turn against me. They will condemn me to death.
Mat 20:19 Then they will give me to non-Jewish men who will laugh at me, beat me with whips, and nail me to a stake. However, I will rise from death on the third day."
Mat 20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee, Jacob and John, came to Jesus with her sons. She bowed down and asked him for something.
Mat 20:21 Jesus said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Promise me that these two sons of mine will sit on thrones in your kingdom, one at your right side and one at your left side."
Mat 20:22 Jesus answered them, "You don't know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup of suffering which I am about to drink?" They said to Jesus, "We are able."
Mat 20:23 Jesus said to them, "Yes, you will drink from the cup of suffering which I will drink, but the privilege of sitting at my right side or my left side is not mine to give. Instead, those places belong to those for whom my Father prepared them."
Mat 20:24 When the other ten delegates heard about this, they were very angry with the two brothers.
Mat 20:25 Jesus called for them and said, "You know that the rulers of the world lord it over their people. Important men use their authority over them,
Mat 20:26 but you must not think that way. Instead, if one of you wants to be great, that person should be your servant.
Mat 20:27 If one of you wants to be important, he should be your slave.
Mat 20:28 I did not come to be served. Instead, I came to serve and to give my life to pay the price for many people's sins."
Mat 20:29 As they were coming out of Jericho, a large crowd was following Jesus.
Mat 20:30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When these men heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, "Lord! Son of David! Please help us!"
Mat 20:31 Some of the people told them to be quiet. But they shouted even louder, "Lord! Son of David! Please help us!"
Mat 20:32 Jesus stopped there and called for them. He asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"
Mat 20:33 They answered, "Lord, heal us! Let us be able to see again!"
Mat 20:34 Jesus felt sorry for them so he touched their eyes. Immediately the men were able to see again. They followed Jesus.
Mat 21:1 When they came near Jerusalem, they went into the town of Bethphage on the Hill of Olives. Then Jesus sent two of his students on ahead.
Mat 21:2 He said to them, "Go into the village just ahead of you. You will soon find a donkey tied up. A young donkey will be with her. Untie them and bring them to me.
Mat 21:3 And if anyone says anything to you, say, 'The Lord needs them.' Then he will send them right away."
Mat 21:4 This took place to make what God said through the prophet come true:
Mat 21:5 "Tell this to the city of Jerusalem: 'Listen! Your King is coming to you. He is gentle; he is riding on a donkey, even upon a young donkey, born of a work animal.'"
Mat 21:6 The two students went into town. They did exactly as Jesus told them.
Mat 21:7 They brought the mother donkey and her young colt. They put their robes on top of the colt. Jesus took his seat upon the robes.
Mat 21:8 A very large crowd spread their robes on the road for Jesus. Other people began to cut down branches from trees and to spread them on the road.
Mat 21:9 The crowds were shouting. Some people were in front of Jesus and some were behind him. They said, "Hosanna to the son of David! Give praise to this one who is coming with the authority of the Lord God. Hosanna to God!"
Mat 21:10 When Jesus came into Jerusalem, the whole city was excited, asking, "Who is this man?"
Mat 21:11 The crowds continued to say, "He is Jesus, the prophet from the town of Nazareth in the Galilee."
Mat 21:12 Jesus went into the courtyard of God's temple. He threw out all the people who were selling and buying things there. He turned the money-exchangers' tables upside down. He also turned over the chairs of the people who were selling pigeons.
Mat 21:13 Jesus said to them, "It is written, 'My house will be called the place for praying.' but you have changed it into a hiding place for thieves!"
Mat 21:14 Blind people and crippled people came to Jesus in the temple courtyard. He healed them.
Mat 21:15 The most important priests and teachers of the law became very angry. They saw the amazing things which Jesus did. They saw children crying out in the temple courtyard, "Hosanna to the son of David!"
Mat 21:16 The most important priests and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Do you hear what they are saying?" Jesus answered them, "Yes! Have you not read this: 'I will make praise complete by using the words of small children and babies.'"
Mat 21:17 Then Jesus left them and went outside of Jerusalem to the town of Bethany where he spent the night.
Mat 21:18 Early the next morning, when Jesus was going back into Jerusalem, he was hungry.
Mat 21:19 He saw a fig tree next to the road. He went to it but found no fruit on it - only leaves. Then Jesus spoke to the tree, "May no fruit ever come from you!" The fig tree soon dried up.
Mat 21:20 When Jesus' students saw this, they were amazed. They asked, "How could the fig tree dry up so quickly?"
Mat 21:21 Jesus answered them, "I am telling you the truth: if you have faith and don't doubt, you will be able to perform this too! You can even say to this mountain, 'Pick yourself up and throw yourself into the sea!' and it will happen.
Mat 21:22 If you believe, then you will receive everything you ask for in prayer."
Mat 21:23 Jesus went into the temple courtyard. He was teaching the people. The most important priests and some of the Jewish elders came to him. They asked, "What sort of authority do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?"
Mat 21:24 Jesus answered them, "I will ask you a question too. If you answer me, I will tell you what sort of authority I have to do these things:
Mat 21:25 Where did John's immersion come from? Was it from God or from man?" They began thinking to themselves: "If we say, 'From God', then he will say this to us: 'Why didn't you believe John?'
Mat 21:26 But if we say, 'From man', we are afraid of the people - all of them thought of John as a prophet."
Mat 21:27 They answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus said to them, "Then I am not telling you what sort of authority I have to do these things."
Mat 21:28 Jesus said to them "What do you think? A man had two sons. The man came to the first son and said, 'Son, go work in the vineyard today.'
Mat 21:29 He answered, 'Yes sir,' but he did not go. Then the man went to the second son and said the same thing. The son answered, 'I don't want to!' but later he changed his mind and went. Which of the two sons did what their father wanted?" The Jewish leaders answered, "The second one." Jesus said to them, "I am telling you the truth: the tax collectors and prostitutes will go into the kingdom of God before you ever do!
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Mat 21:32 John came to you preaching the way of being made right but you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. You saw this but you did not change your mind later to believe what John was saying."
Mat 21:33 "Listen to another story: there was a man who owned some land. He planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a hole for the wine press, and built a lookout tower. Then he rented the land to some farmers and went away on a trip.
Mat 21:34 When harvest time was near, he sent his slaves to the farmers to receive his part of the grapes.
Mat 21:35 But the farmers grabbed his slaves. They beat one and killed another. They threw stones at another slave until he died.
Mat 21:36 Again the owner sent slaves, more than before, but they did the same thing to those slaves.
Mat 21:37 "Finally, the owner sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.'
Mat 21:38 But when the farmers saw the son, they thought to themselves, 'When the owner dies, his son will own the vineyard. Come, let us kill him and we will get his field!'
Mat 21:39 So they took the son, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
Mat 21:40 When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?"
Mat 21:41 The Jewish leaders answered Jesus, "He will kill those evil men! After that he will give the field to some other farmers who will share the fruits with him at harvest time."
Mat 21:42 Jesus said to them, "You have read this in the Scriptures: 'The stone that the builders did not want will become the cornerstone. The Lord God makes this happen. It is a wonderful thing for us to see.'
Mat 21:43 This is why I am telling you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will make it produce fruit.
Mat 21:44 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken. If that stone falls on you, it will crush you!"
Mat 21:45 When the most important priests and the Pharisees heard these stories, they knew that he was talking about them.
Mat 21:46 They wanted to arrest Jesus, but they were afraid of what the crowds might do to them because the people believed that Jesus was a prophet.
Mat 22:1 Again Jesus used an example to answer them:
Mat 22:2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding party for his son.
Mat 22:3 The king sent his slaves to invite the guests to the wedding party, but the guests didn't want to come.
Mat 22:4 Again, the king sent more slaves saying, 'Tell the guests, "Look, I have prepared the dinner - the steers and fattened calves have been killed - everything is ready!"'
Mat 22:5 However, the guests didn't care. They left. One went to his field. One went to his business.
Mat 22:6 The others grabbed the king's slaves, insulted them, and killed them.
Mat 22:7 The king was very angry. He sent his army to destroy those murderers and to burn their city.
Mat 22:8 Then the king said to his slaves, 'The wedding party is still ready, but the guests were not worthy enough to come.
Mat 22:9 So go to the street corners and invite whomever you can find to the wedding party.'
Mat 22:10 Those slaves went out to the streets and gathered up everyone they could find, good people and bad people. Then the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Mat 22:11 The king entered and looked at the guests. He saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
Mat 22:12 The king said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without being dressed for the wedding?' The man had nothing to say.
Mat 22:13 Then the king said to the slaves, 'Tie his hands and feet and throw him outside in the dark. In that place there will be screaming and grinding of teeth.'
Mat 22:14 Many people are invited, but few people are chosen."
Mat 22:15 Then the Pharisees came. They had made a plan to trap Jesus with a question.
Mat 22:16 The Pharisees sent some of their students and the students of Herod Antipas to him. They said, "Teacher, we know that you are true and you teach God's true way. It does not matter to you what people think. You don't pay attention to how important someone is.
Mat 22:17 So tell us, what do you think? Is it right that we should pay taxes to Caesar? Yes or no?"
Mat 22:18 But Jesus knew their evil plan. He said, "You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me?
Mat 22:19 Show me the coin for the tax." They brought a silver coin.
Mat 22:20 Jesus said to them, "Whose name and picture is on it?"
Mat 22:21 They answered, "Caesar's". Jesus said to them, "Then give to Caesar the things which are Caesar's and give to God the things which belong to God."
Mat 22:22 When they heard this, they were amazed. They left him and went away.
Mat 22:23 That same day some Sadducees came to Jesus. (Sadducees believed that no one will rise from death.) They asked Jesus,
Mat 22:24 "Teacher, Moses said that if someone has no children and he dies, his brother must marry the widow. Then they will have children for the dead brother.
Mat 22:25 There were seven brothers among us. The first one got married, but died. He left his wife with no children.
Mat 22:26 In the same way the second brother, the third brother - all seven brothers - died without having children.
Mat 22:27 Last of all, the woman died.
Mat 22:28 All seven men had married her. So when this woman rises from death, whose wife will she be?"
Mat 22:29 Jesus answered them, "You are wrong. You don't know the Scriptures or God's power.
Mat 22:30 When people rise from death, they don't marry one another. Instead, they are like angels in heaven.
Mat 22:31 Do people rise from death? I know you have read what God said to Moses:
Mat 22:32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' God is not a God of dead people; He is the God of people who are alive!"
Mat 22:33 When the crowds heard this, they were very surprised at his teaching.
Mat 22:34 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
Mat 22:35 One of them, an expert on the law of Moses, tried to trap Jesus. He asked,
Mat 22:36 "Teacher, what is the most important command in the law?"
Mat 22:37 Jesus answered him, "'You must give yourself to the Lord your God, for His good, expecting nothing in return, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
Mat 22:38 This is the most important command.
Mat 22:39 The second most important command is like it: 'You must give yourself to your neighbor, for his good, expecting nothing in return, the same way you give to yourself.'
Mat 22:40 These two commands are the foundation of the whole law and the prophets."
Mat 22:41 When some Pharisees gathered, Jesus asked them,
Mat 22:42 "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They answered Jesus, "David's son."
Mat 22:43 Jesus asked them, "Then why did the Spirit (through David) call the Messiah 'Lord'? David wrote:
Mat 22:44 'The Lord God said to my Lord: Sit at My right side until I put your enemies under your feet.'
Mat 22:45 Since David called him 'Lord', how could Messiah be David's son?"
Mat 22:46 No one was able to answer Jesus. From that time on, no one dared to ask him any more trick questions.
Mat 23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his students.
Mat 23:2 He said, "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat of authority.
Mat 23:3 Therefore, do everything they tell you. Obey them. But don't act as they do because they say one thing and do another.
Mat 23:4 They bind heavy loads and put them on people's shoulders, but they don't want to lift a finger to help move them.
Mat 23:5 Everything they do, they do so that people will notice them. They show off their phylacteries and they make their tassels long.
Mat 23:6 They like to have the best seats at the dinners and the most important seats in the houses of worship.
Mat 23:7 They like the greetings of respect which people give them in the marketplaces. They like people to call them, 'Master'.
Mat 23:8 You should not be called 'Master' because there is only one teacher for you. You are all brothers.
Mat 23:9 On earth you should not be called 'Father' because you have only one Father - the heavenly Father.
Mat 23:10 You should not be called 'Leader' because the Messiah is your only Leader.
Mat 23:11 The most important one among you will be your slave.
Mat 23:12 Every person who acts as though he is important will be made ashamed, but every person who truly humbles himself will be made important.
Mat 23:13 "It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom of heaven in people's faces! You will not go in and you stop those who are trying to get in.
Mat 23:14 It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites, because you rob widows' houses while you make long prayers for a show. You will receive greater condemnation.
Mat 23:15 It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You travel all over the world to make one convert. And when you convert him, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are!
Mat 23:16 "It will be horrible for you, you blind guides who say, 'It is not important if someone makes a vow to God by the temple sanctuary. But if someone makes a vow to God by the gold in the temple sanctuary, he is guilty!'
Mat 23:17 You are foolish and blind! What is more important? The gold or the temple sanctuary which makes the gold holy?
Mat 23:18 You also say, 'If someone vows to God by the altar, it does not matter. But if someone vows to God by the gift on the altar, he is guilty!'
Mat 23:19 You blind men! Which is more important? The gift or the altar which makes the gift holy?
Mat 23:20 The person who vows to God by the altar vows to God by the altar and everything on the altar.
Mat 23:21 The person who vows to God by the temple sanctuary vows by the sanctuary and by the One who dwells there.
Mat 23:22 The person who vows to God by heaven vows to God by God's throne and the One who sits upon it.
Mat 23:23 "It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! It is true that you give God ten percent of everything you have. You even give Him ten percent of your spices - mint, dill, and cumin. But you forget about more important things in the law: being fair to other people, giving mercy, and faith. You should always tithe, but you must remember to do the more important things too.
Mat 23:24 You blind guides! You strain out the gnat, but you swallow the camel!
Mat 23:25 "It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You wash the outside of the cup or the bowl. But inside, there are the things you got by cheating other people and pleasing yourselves.
Mat 23:26 Blind Pharisees! Make the inside of the cup clean first, so that the outside of it will be clean too.
Mat 23:27 "It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You are like tombs which have been painted white. They seem to be very beautiful outside, but inside they are full of all kinds of filth and the bones of dead people.
Mat 23:28 You are the same way. Outside you seem good to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and sin.
Mat 23:29 "It will be horrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets. You make the graves of good people beautiful.
Mat 23:30 You claim, 'If we had lived in the time of our ancestors, we would not have helped them kill the prophets.'
Mat 23:31 So you are admitting you are the sons of the men who murdered the prophets!
Mat 23:32 You are finishing what your ancestors started.
Mat 23:33 You snakes! You are from a family of poisonous snakes! How will you escape the judgment of hell?
Mat 23:34 Look! I am sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers of the law. You will kill some of them and you will nail others to crosses. You will whip some of them in your houses of worship. You will chase them from town to town.
Mat 23:35 You will have to answer for the death of every good person who has been killed on earth. You will have to answer for all the spilled blood from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, the son of Barachiah. You murdered Zechariah between the temple sanctuary and the altar.
Mat 23:36 "I am telling you the truth: all these things will happen to the people of this generation!
Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets. God sent you His men, but you stoned them to death. I have often wanted to gather up your people, as a hen gathers up her baby chicks under her wings, but you refused.
Mat 23:38 Listen! Your house is completely abandoned.
Mat 23:39 I tell you, you will never see me again until you say, 'Praise to the one who is coming with the authority of the Lord God.'"
Mat 24:1 Jesus left the temple courtyard. While he was walking away, his students came to him to show him the beautiful things of the temple area.
Mat 24:2 Jesus said to them, "Do you see all these things? I am telling you the truth: everything you see here will be destroyed. No stone will stay on top of another. Everything will be completely destroyed!"
Mat 24:3 While Jesus was sitting on Olive Hillside, his students came to him alone. They asked, "Tell us, when will these things happen? How will we know when it is the time for you to return? When will the end of the age be?"
Mat 24:4 Jesus answered them, "Be careful! Don't let anyone fool you.
Mat 24:5 Many people will come to you using my name. They will say, 'I am the Messiah!' And they will fool many people.
Mat 24:6 You will hear about wars and wars that are about to begin. Be sure that you don't get upset. These things must happen, but the end will come later.
Mat 24:7 One country will fight against another country. Kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. There will not be enough food to eat. Everywhere there will be earthquakes,
Mat 24:8 but all these things are only the beginning of the pain.
Mat 24:9 Then they will hand you over to some men for torturing. They will kill you. All people will hate you because of my name.
Mat 24:10 Then many people will feel discouraged; they will turn against one another. They will hate each other.
Mat 24:11 Many false prophets will appear. They will fool many people.
Mat 24:12 Because the influence of sin will be so strong, the giving of self to others, for their good, expecting nothing in return of many people, will grow cold.
Mat 24:13 But the person who endures until the end will be saved.
Mat 24:14 This Good News about the kingdom will be preached in the whole world so that all nations may hear the truth. And then the end will come.
Mat 24:15 "When you see what God talked about through Daniel the prophet - 'The Abomination of Desolation' - standing in the holy place (let the reader note the meaning),
Mat 24:16 then those people who are in Judea must run away to the mountains.
Mat 24:17 The person who is on top of his house must not come down to carry things in the house away with him.
Mat 24:18 The person who is in the field must not turn back to get his robe.
Mat 24:19 At that time it will be horrible for pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Mat 24:20 Pray that the time when you escape will not be during winter or on a Sabbath day.
Mat 24:21 There will be great suffering. Never has there been such suffering since the beginning of the world until the present time and there will never be such suffering in the future.
Mat 24:22 If that period of time were to last any longer, then no one would be left alive. But those times will be cut short because of the people chosen by God.
Mat 24:23 "At that time if someone says to you, 'Look, here is the Messiah!' or, 'There he is!' don't believe him.
Mat 24:24 False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will perform such great proofs and miracles to fool people - even God's chosen people, if that were possible.
Mat 24:25 Listen! I am telling you ahead of time.
Mat 24:26 If they say this to you, 'Look, he is in the desert!' don't go out there! or, 'He is in secret rooms!' don't believe them!
Mat 24:27 "I will return. On the day when I come, I will shine, as lightning flashes across the sky, from the east to the west.
Mat 24:28 People can always know where a dead body is - they can see the vultures gathering.
Mat 24:29 Soon after the trouble of those times, 'The sun will become dark. The light of the moon will not be seen The stars will fall from the sky. The powers in the universe will be moved.'
Mat 24:30 Then my sign will appear in the sky - all men on earth will see me coming on the clouds with power and great glory; they will mourn.
Mat 24:31 I will use a loud trumpet to send out my angels. From all directions the angels will gather together my chosen people.
Mat 24:32 "Learn from the story about the fig tree: when its branches start to become soft and green, and new leaves begin to grow, you know that summer is near.
Mat 24:33 In the same way, when you see all these things happening, you will know that the time is very, very near.
Mat 24:34 I am telling you the truth: all these things will happen in this generation.
Mat 24:35 The world will be destroyed, but my words will never be destroyed!
Mat 24:36 No one knows when that exact time will be. The angels of heaven do not know it. The Son doesn't know it. Only the heavenly Father knows.
Mat 24:37 "When I come, it will be just as it was in Noah's time.
Mat 24:38 People were eating, drinking, getting married, giving their daughters away in marriage - even on the day when Noah entered the ark.
Mat 24:39 The people did not know the truth until the flood came and swept them all away. That is how it will be when I come.
Mat 24:40 At that time there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.
Mat 24:41 Two women will be grinding grain; one will be taken and the other will be left.
Mat 24:42 So watch! You don't know on what day your Lord is coming.
Mat 24:43 Know this: if a homeowner knew what time of night a robber was coming, he would watch for the robber and not let him break into his house.
Mat 24:44 This is why you must be ready. I will come at a time when you are not expecting me.
Mat 24:45 "Who is the wise and trusted slave? Who is the slave whom the master can choose to take care of the master's family and the other slaves by giving them food at the right time?
Mat 24:46 When the master comes and finds that slave doing the work he gave him, that slave will be very happy.
Mat 24:47 I am telling you the truth: the master will choose that slave to take care of everything which the master owns.
Mat 24:48 However, if that slave thinks his master will not come back soon,
Mat 24:49 then he may begin to beat the other slaves. That slave may also eat all the food and get drunk with other men.
Mat 24:50 Then the master of that slave will come when that slave is not ready, at a time when that slave is not expecting him.
Mat 24:51 Then the master will punish that slave and send him away. This is what the master does to all the slaves he cannot trust. In that place there will be screaming and grinding o
