Matthew 7:1-19:2

ISV(i) 1 Judging Others
“Stop judging, so that you won’t be judged, 2 because the way that you judge others will be the way that you will be judged, and you will be evaluated by the standard with which you evaluate others.
3 “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when the beam is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
6 Despising the Holy“Never give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them with their feet and then turn around and attack you.”
7 Ask, Search, Knock
“Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you. 8 Because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened.
9 “There isn’t a person among you who would give his son a stone if he asked for bread, is there? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, he wouldn’t give him a snake, would he? 11 So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who keep on asking him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want people to do for you, do the same for them, because this summarizes the Law and the Prophets.”
13 The Narrow Gate
“Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the road is spacious that leads to destruction, and many people are entering by it. 14 How narrow is the gate and how constricted is the road that leads to life, and there aren’t many people who find it!”
15 A Tree is Known by Its Fruit
“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are savage wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruit. Grapes aren’t gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles, are they? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a rotten tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a rotten tree cannot produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. 20 So by their fruit you will know them.”
21 I Never Knew You
“Not everyone who keeps saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom from heaven, but only the person who keeps doing the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name, drove out demons in your name, and performed many miracles in your name, didn’t we?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who practice evil!’”
24 The Two Foundations
“Therefore, everyone who listens to these messages of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation was on the rock.
26 “Everyone who keeps on hearing these messages of mine and never puts them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew and battered that house, and it collapsed—and its collapse was total.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, the crowds were utterly amazed at his teaching, 29 because he was teaching them like a person who had authority, and not like their scribes.
8 1 Jesus Cleanses a Leper
When Jesus came down from the hillside, large crowds followed him. 2 Suddenly, a leper came up to him, fell down before him, and said, “Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
3 So Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do want to. Be clean!” And instantly his leprosy was made clean. 4 Then Jesus told him, “See to it that you don’t speak to anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest, and then offer the sacrifice that Moses commanded as proof to the authorities.”
5 Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a centurion came up to him and begged him repeatedly, 6 “Sir, my servant is lying at home paralyzed and in terrible pain.”
7 Jesus told him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The centurion replied, “Sir, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed, 9 because I, too, am a man under authority and I have soldiers under me. I say to one of them ‘Go’ and he goes, to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my servant ‘Do this’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and told those who were following him, “I tell all of you with certainty, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith! 11 I tell all of you, many will come from east and west and will feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom from heaven. 12 But the unfaithful heirs of that kingdom will be thrown into the darkness outside. In that place there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
13 “Go,” Jesus told the centurion, “and it will be done for you, just as you have believed.” And his servant was healed that very hour.
14 Jesus Heals Many People
When Jesus went into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed, sick with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and began serving him.
16 When evening came, people brought to him many who were possessed by demons. He drove out the spirits by speaking a command and healed everyone who was sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “It was he who took our illnesses away and removed our diseases.”
18 The Would-be Followers of Jesus
When Jesus saw the large crowds around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 19 Just then, a scribe came up and told him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20 Jesus told him, “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest.”
21 Then another of his disciples told him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
23 Jesus Calms the Sea
When Jesus got into the boat, his disciples went with him. 24 Suddenly, a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat began to be swamped by the waves. Yet Jesus kept sleeping. 25 They went to him and woke him up. “Lord!” they cried, “Save us! We’re going to die!”
26 He asked them, “Why are you afraid, you who have little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27 The men were amazed. “What kind of man is this?” they asked. “Even the winds and the sea obey him!”
28 Jesus Heals Two Demon-Possessed Men
When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gerasenes, two demon-possessed men met him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could travel on that road. 29 Suddenly, they screamed, “What do you want with us, Son of God? Did you come here to torture us before the proper time?”
30 Now a large herd of pigs was grazing some distance away from them. 31 So the demons began to plead with Jesus, saying, “If you drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs.”
32 He told them, “Go,” and they came out and went into the pigs. Suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the cliff into the sea and drowned in the water.
33 Now when those who had been taking care of the pigs ran away, they came into the city and reported everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and as soon as they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.
9 1 Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man
After getting into a boat, Jesus crossed to the other side and came to his own city. 2 All at once some people brought him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he told the paralyzed man, “Be courageous, son! Your sins are forgiven.”
3 Then some of the scribes told themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
4 But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, replied, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But so you will know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” he told the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home!”
7 So the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this, they became frightened and glorified God for giving such authority to humans.
9 Jesus Calls Matthew
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s desk and told him, “Follow me.” So he got up and followed him.
10 While he was having dinner at Matthew’s home, many tax collectors and sinners arrived and began eating with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 When Jesus heard that, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a physician, but sick people do. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ because I did not come to call righteous people, but sinners.”
14 A Question about Fasting
Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”
15 Jesus asked them, “The wedding guests can’t mourn as long as the groom is with them, can they? But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
16 The Unshrunk Cloth
“No one patches an old garment with a piece of unshrunk cloth, because the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. 17 Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill out, and the skins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
18 Jesus Heals a Woman and Resurrects a Girl
While Jesus was telling them these things, an official came up and fell down before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said. “But come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 So Jesus got up and followed him, along with his disciples.
20 Just then a woman who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel of his garment, 21 because she had been saying to herself, “If I just touch his robe, I will get well.”
22 When Jesus turned and saw her, he said, “Be courageous, daughter! Your faith has made you well.” And from that very hour the woman was well.
23 When Jesus came to the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away! The young lady hasn’t died, but is sleeping.” But they ridiculed him with laughter. 25 When the crowd had been driven outside, he went in, took her by the hand, and the young lady got up. 26 The news of this spread throughout that land.
27 Jesus Heals Two Blind MenAs Jesus was traveling on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28 When he had gone into the house, the blind men came to him.
Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can do this?”
They told him, “Yes, Lord!”
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith, let it be done for you!” 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly told them, “See to it that nobody knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that region.
32 Jesus Heals a Man who Couldn’t TalkAs the men were going out, a man who couldn’t talk because he was demon-possessed was brought to him. 33 As soon as the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”
34 But the Pharisees kept saying, “He drives out demons by the ruler of demons.”
35 The Compassion of JesusThen Jesus began traveling throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he was deeply moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he told his disciples, “The harvest is vast, but the workers are few. 38 So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”
10 1 Jesus Appoints Twelve Apostles
Then Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and every illness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus.
5 Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples
These were the Twelve whom Jesus sent out after he had given them these instructions: “Don’t turn on to the road that leads to the unbelievers, and don’t enter Samaritan towns. 6 Instead, go to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel. 7 As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom from heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. You have received without payment, so give without payment.
9 Don’t take any gold, silver, or copper in your moneybags, 10 or a traveling bag for the trip, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or a walking stick, because a worker deserves his food.
11 “Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is receptive in it and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet its occupants. 13 If the household is receptive, let your blessing of peace come on it. But if it isn’t receptive, let your blessing of peace return to you. 14 If no one welcomes you or listens to your words, as you leave that house or town, shake its dust off your feet. 15 I tell all of you with certainty, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!”
16 Future Persecutions
“Pay attention, now! I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves. 17 Watch out for people who will hand you over to the local councils and whip you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings because of me, to testify to them and to unbelievers. 19 When they hand you over, don’t worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, because in that hour what you are to say will be given to you. 20 It won’t be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 “Brother will hand brother over for execution, and a father his child. Children will rebel against parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved. 23 So when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, because I tell all of you with certainty that you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, and a slave is not above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher and a slave to be like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they do the same to those of his household!”
26 Fear God
“So never be afraid of them, because there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in darkness you must speak in the daylight, and what is whispered in your ear you must shout from the housetops. 28 Stop being afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell.
29 “Two sparrows are sold for a penny, aren’t they? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s permission. 30 Indeed, even the hairs on your head have all been counted! 31 So stop being afraid. You are worth more than a bunch of sparrows.”
32 Acknowledging the Messiah
“Therefore, everyone who acknowledges me before people I, too, will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before people I, too, will deny before my Father in heaven.”
34 Not Peace, but Division
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword! 35 I came to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A person’s enemies will include members of his own family.’
37 The Cost of Discipleship
“The one who loves his father or mother more than me isn’t worthy of me, and the one who loves a son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. 38 The one who doesn’t take up his cross and follow me isn’t worthy of me. 39 The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of me will find it.”
40 Rewards
“The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 I tell all of you with certainty, whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple will never lose his reward.”
11 1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he left there to teach and preach in their home towns.
2 John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus
Now when John heard in prison about the activities of the Messiah, he sent a message by his disciples 3 and asked him, “Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?”
4 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and observe: 5 the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the destitute hear the good news. 6 How blessed is anyone who is not offended by me!”
7 As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? See, those who wear fancy clothes live in kings’ houses. 9 Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet! 10 This is the man about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’
11 I tell all of you with certainty, among those born of women no one has appeared who is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least important person in the kingdom from heaven is greater than he.
12 “From the days of John the Baptist until the present, the kingdom from heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people have been attacking it, 13 because the Law and all the Prophets prophesied up to the time of John. 14 If you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 Let the person who has ears listen!
16 “To what can I compare the people living today? They’re like little children who sit in the marketplaces and shout to each other, 17 ‘A wedding song we played for you, the dance you all did scorn. A woeful dirge we chanted, too, but then you would not mourn.’
18 Because John didn’t come eating or drinking, yet people say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Absolved from every act of sin, is wisdom by her kith and kin.”
20 Jesus Denounces Unrepentant Cities
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had taken place, because they didn’t repent. 21 “How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible it will be for you, Bethsaida! Because if the miracles that happened in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 Indeed I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on Judgment Day than for you!
23 “And you, Capernaum! You won’t be lifted up to heaven, will you? You’ll go down to Hell! Because if the miracles that happened in you had taken place in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 Indeed I tell you, it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on Judgment Day than for you!”
25 Jesus Praises the Father and Invites the Disciples to Come to Him
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from wise and intelligent people and have revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, because this is what was pleasing to you. 27 All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one fully knows the Son except the Father, and no one fully knows the Father except the Son and the person to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Place my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest for your souls, 30 because my yoke is pleasant, and my burden is light.”
12 1 Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath
At that time, Jesus walked through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples became hungry and began picking heads of grain to eat. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they told him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”
3 But he told them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 How is it that he went into the house of God and ate the Bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him and his companions to eat but was reserved for the priests? 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that on every Sabbath the priests in the Temple violate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 But I tell you, something greater than the Temple is here! 7 If you had known what ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice’ means, you would not have condemned the innocent, 8 for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9 Jesus Heals a Man with a Paralyzed Hand
Moving on from there, Jesus went into their synagogue. 10 Suddenly, a man with a paralyzed hand appeared. The people asked Jesus if it was lawful to heal on Sabbath days, intending to accuse him of doing something wrong.
11 But he asked them, “Is there a man among you who, if he had one sheep and it fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and pull it out? 12 How much more is a human being worth than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on Sabbath days.”
13 Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out and it became normal, as healthy as his other hand. 14 The Pharisees, however, went out and plotted against Jesus to kill him.
15 Jesus, God’s Chosen ServantWhen Jesus became aware of this, he left that place. Many crowds followed him, and he healed all of them, 16 ordering them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said, 18 “Here is my Servant whom I have chosen, whom I love, and with whom I am pleased! I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to unbelievers. 19 He will not quarrel or shout, and no one will hear him shouting in the streets. 20 He will not snap off a broken reed or snuff out a smoldering wick until he has brought justice through to victory. 21 And in his name unbelievers will hope.”
22 Jesus is Accused of Working with Beelzebul
Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to talk was brought to him. Jesus healed him so that the man could speak and see. 23 All the crowds were amazed and kept saying, “This man isn’t the Son of David, is he?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”
25 He knew what they were thinking and told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 So if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom stand? 27 If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own followers drive them out? That is why they will be your judges! 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29 How can someone go into a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions without first tying up the strong man? Then he can ransack his house. 30 The person who isn’t with me is against me, and the person who isn’t gathering with me is scattering. 31 So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.”
33 A Tree is Known by Its Fruit
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten, because a tree is known by its fruit. 34 You children of serpents! How can you say anything good when you are evil? The mouth speaks about what overflows from the heart. 35 A good person brings good things out of a good treasure house, and an evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure house. 36 I tell you, on Judgment Day people will give an account for every thoughtless word they have uttered, 37 because by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
38 The Sign of Jonah
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees told Jesus, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39 But he replied to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign. Yet no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah, 40 because just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea creature for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look—something greater than Jonah is here! 42 The queen of the south will stand up and condemn the people living today, because she came from so far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look! Something greater than Solomon is here!”
43 The Return of the Unclean Spirit
“Whenever an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through waterless places looking for a place to rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will go back to my home that I left.’ When it arrives, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and settle there. And so the final condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That’s just what will happen to this evil generation!”
46 The True Family of Jesus
While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Look! Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you.”
48 He asked the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Then pointing with his hand at his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers, 50 because whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
13 1 The Parable about a Farmer
That day Jesus left the house and sat down beside the sea. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, while the entire crowd stood on the shore. 3 Then he began to tell them many things in parables. He said, “Listen! A farmer went out to sow. 4 As he was sowing, some seeds fell along the path, and birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on stony ground, where they did not have a lot of soil. They sprouted at once because the soil wasn’t deep. 6 But when the sun came up, they were scorched. Since they did not have any roots, they dried up. 7 Other seeds fell among thorn bushes, and the thorn bushes grew higher and choked them out. 8 But other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop, some 100, some 60, and some 30 times what was sown. 9 Let the person who has ears listen!”
10 The Purpose of the Parables
Then the disciples came and asked Jesus, “Why do you speak to people in parables?”
11 He answered them, “You have been given knowledge about the secrets of the kingdom from heaven, but it hasn’t been given to them, 12 because to anyone who has something, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who doesn’t have anything, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 That’s why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but don’t see, and they listen but don’t hear or understand.’
14 “With them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says: ‘You will listen and listen but never understand. You will look and look but never comprehend, 15 for this people’s heart has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing. They have shut their eyes so that they might not see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 “How blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear! 17 I tell all of you with certainty, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but did not see them, and to hear the things you hear but did not hear them.”
18 Jesus Explains the Parable about the Farmer
“Listen, then, to the parable about the farmer. 19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom yet doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on the stony ground, this is the person who hears the word and accepts it joyfully at once, 21 but since he doesn’t have any root in himself, he lasts for only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes along because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 As for what was sown among the thorn bushes, this is the person who hears the word, but the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of wealth choke the word so that it can’t produce a crop. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word, understands it, and produces a crop that yields 100, 60, or 30 times what was sown.”
24 The Parable about the Weeds among the WheatHe presented another parable to them: “The kingdom from heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 While people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 When the crop came up and bore grain, the weeds appeared, too.
27 “The owner’s servants came and asked him, ‘Master, you sowed good seed in your field, didn’t you? Then where did these weeds come from?’
28 “He told them, ‘An enemy did this!’
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them out?’
29 “He said, ‘No! If you pull out the weeds, you might pull out the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles for burning, but bring the wheat into my barn.”’”
31 The Parables about a Mustard Seed and Yeast
He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom from heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field. 32 Although it is the smallest of all seeds, when it is fully grown it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, and the birds in the sky come and nest in its branches.”
33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom from heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”
34 Why Jesus Used Parables
Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet when he said, “I will open my mouth to speak in parables. I will declare what has been hidden since the creation of the world.”
36 Jesus Explains the Parable about the WeedsThen Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to him and asked, “Explain to us the parable about the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered, “The person who sowed good seed is the Son of Man, 38 while the field is the world. The good seed are those who belong to the kingdom, while the weeds are those who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Just as weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes others to sin and those who practice lawlessness 42 and they will throw them into a blazing furnace. In that place there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let the person who has ears listen!”
44 The Parable about a Hidden Treasure“The kingdom from heaven is like treasure hidden in a field that a man found and hid. In his excitement he went and sold everything he had and bought that field.”
45 The Parable about a Valuable Pearl“Again, the kingdom from heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he found a very valuable pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.”
47 The Parable about a Net“Again, the kingdom from heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea that gathered all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen hauled it ashore. Then they sat down, sorted the good fish into containers, and threw the bad ones away. 49 That is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, cull out the evil people from among the righteous ones, 50 and will throw them into a blazing furnace. In that place there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
51 New and Old Treasures“Do you understand all these things?”
They told him, “Yes.”
52 Then he told them, “That is why every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom from heaven is like the master of a household who brings both new and old things out of his treasure chest.”
53 Jesus is Rejected at Nazareth
When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place. 54 He went to his hometown and began teaching the people in their synagogue in such a way that they were amazed and asked, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miracles? 55 This is the builder’s son, isn’t it? His mother is named Mary, isn’t she? His brothers are James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas, aren’t they? 56 And his sisters are all with us, aren’t they? So where did this man get all these things?” 57 And they were offended by him.
But Jesus told them, “A prophet is without honor only in his hometown and in his own home.” 58 He did not perform many miracles there because of their unbelief.
14 1 The Death of John the Baptist
At that time Herod the tetrarch, hearing about the fame of Jesus, 2 told his servants, “This is John the Baptist! He has been raised from the dead, and that’s why these miracles are being done by him.” 3 Herod had arrested John, bound him with chains, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
4 John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Although Herod wanted to kill him, he was afraid of the crowd, since they regarded John as a prophet.
6 But when Herod’s birthday celebration was held, the daughter of Herodias danced before the guests. She pleased Herod 7 so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked for. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me, right here on a platter, the head of John the Baptist.” 9 Under pressure because of his promises and his assembled guests, the king ordered that it be done. 10 So he sent word and had John beheaded in prison. 11 His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she took it to her mother. 12 When John’s disciples came, they carried off the body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
13 Jesus Feeds More than Five Thousand People
When Jesus heard this, he left that place and went by boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of it and followed him on foot from the neighboring towns. 14 When he got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. He had compassion for them and healed their sick. 15 When evening had come, the disciples went to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and it’s already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
16 But Jesus told them, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 They told him, “We don’t have anything here except five loaves of bread and two fish.”
18 He said, “Bring them to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke the loaves in pieces and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 All of them ate and were filled. Then the disciples picked up what was left of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 Now those who had eaten were about 5,000 men, besides women and children.
22 Jesus Walks on the Sea
Jesus immediately had the disciples get into a boat and cross to the other side ahead of him, while he sent the crowds away. 23 After dismissing the crowds, he went up on a hillside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. 24 By this time the boat was in the middle of the sea and was being battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. 25 Shortly before dawn, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and cried out, “It’s a ghost!” And they screamed in terror.
27 “Have courage!” Jesus immediately told them. “It’s me. Stop being afraid!”
28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it’s you, order me to come to you on the water.”
29 Jesus said, “Come on!” So Peter got down out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came to Jesus.
30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he was frightened. As he began to sink, he shouted, “Lord, save me!”
31 At once Jesus reached out his hand, caught him, and asked him, “You who have so little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 As they got into the boat, the wind stopped blowing.
33 Then the men in the boat began to worship Jesus, saying, “You certainly are the Son of God!”
34 Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret
They crossed over and came ashore at Gennesaret. 35 When the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word throughout that region and brought him everyone who was sick. 36 They kept begging him to let them touch just the tassel of his garment, and everyone who touched it was completely healed.
15 1 Jesus Challenges the Tradition of the Elders
Then some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands when they eat.”
3 But he answered them, “Why do you also disregard the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 Because God said, ‘You are to honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever curses father or mother must certainly be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or his mother, “Whatever support you might have received from me has been given to God,” 6 does not have to honor his father.’ Because of your tradition, then, you have disregarded the authority of God’s word. 7 You hypocrites! How well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said, 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 Their worship of me is empty, because they teach human rules as doctrines.’”
10 Then calling out to the crowd, he addressed them, “Listen and understand! 11 It is not what goes into the mouth that makes a person unclean. It is what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean.”
12 Then the disciples came and asked him, “Do you realize that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?”
13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If one blind person leads another blind person, both will fall into a ditch.”
15 Then Peter told him, “Explain to us this parable.”
16 Jesus said, “Are you still so ignorant? 17 Don’t you know that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and then is expelled as waste? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and it is those things that make a person unclean. 19 It is out of the heart that evil thoughts come, as well as murder, adultery, sexual immorality, stealing, false testimony, and slander. 20 These are the things that make a person unclean. But eating with unwashed hands doesn’t make a person unclean.”
21 A Canaanite Woman’s Faith
Then Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Suddenly, a Canaanite woman from that territory came near and began to shout, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed!” 23 But he didn’t answer her at all.
Then his disciples came up and kept urging him, “Send her away, because she keeps on screaming as she follows us.”
24 But he replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”
25 Then she came and fell down before him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
26 He replied, “It’s not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the puppies.”
27 She said, “Yes, Lord. But even the puppies eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ tables.”
28 Then Jesus answered her, “Lady, your faith is great! What you want is granted.” That very hour her daughter was healed.
29 Jesus Heals Many PeopleJesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a hillside and sat down. 30 Large crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, those unable to talk, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he healed them. 31 As a result, the crowd was amazed to see those who were unable to talk speaking, the crippled healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. So they praised the God of Israel.
32 Jesus Feeds More than Four Thousand People
Then Jesus called his disciples and said, “I have compassion for the crowd because they have already been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away without food, or they may faint on the road.”
33 The disciples asked him, “Where in the wilderness are we to get enough bread to feed such a crowd?”
34 Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”
They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
35 Ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks. Then he broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 All of them ate until they were filled, then the disciples picked up what was left of the broken pieces—seven baskets full. 38 Now those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 After he sent the crowds away, he got into a boat and went to the region of Magadan.
16 1 Interpreting the Time
When the Pharisees and Sadducees arrived, in order to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He replied to them, “You say, ‘Red sky at night, what a delight! 3 Red sky in the morning, cloudy and storming.’
You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, yet you can’t interpret the signs of the times? 4 An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.
5 The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees
When his disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to take any bread along. 6 Jesus told them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
7 As they began to discuss this among themselves, they kept saying, “We didn’t bring along any bread.”
8 Knowing this, Jesus asked them, “You who have little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you don’t have any bread? 9 Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the 5,000 and how many baskets you collected, 10 or the seven loaves for the 4,000 and how many baskets you collected? 11 How can you fail to understand that I wasn’t talking to you about bread? Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
12 Then they understood that he did not say to beware of the yeast used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13 Peter Declares His Faith in Jesus
When Jesus had come to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They said, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”
17 Then Jesus told him, “How blessed you are, Simon son of Jonah, since flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, though my Father in heaven has. 18 I tell you that you are Peter, and it is on this rock that I will build my congregation, and the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom from heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven.”
20 Then he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
21 Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he would have to go to Jerusalem and suffer a great deal because of the elders, the high priests, and the scribes. Then he would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God be merciful to you, Lord! This must never happen to you!”
23 But Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an offense to me, because you are not thinking God’s thoughts but human thoughts!”
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow me continuously. 25 Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it, 26 because what profit will a person have if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life? 27 The Son of Man is going to come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to what he has done. 28 I tell all of you with certainty, some people standing here will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
17 1 Jesus’ Appearance is Changed
Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 His appearance was changed in front of them, his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.
4 Then Peter told Jesus, “Lord, it’s good that we’re here! If you want, I’ll set up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when a bright cloud suddenly overshadowed them.
A voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with him. Keep on listening to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
7 But Jesus came up to them and touched them, saying, “Get up, and stop being afraid.” 8 When they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus all by himself.
9 On their way down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Don’t tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
10 So the disciples asked him, “Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
11 He answered them, “Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, yet people did not recognize him and treated him just as they pleased. In the same way, the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he had been speaking to them about John the Baptist.
14 Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon
As they approached the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, knelt down in front of him, 15 and said, “Sir, have mercy on my son, because he is an epileptic and suffers terribly. Often he falls into fire and often into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”
17 Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverted generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed that very hour.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20 He told them, “Because of your lack of faith. I tell all of you with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.”
22 Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection
While they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands. 23 They will kill him, but he will be raised on the third day.” Then they were filled with grief.
24 Questions about the Temple TaxWhen they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came up to Peter and asked, “Your teacher pays the temple tax, doesn’t he?”
25 He answered, “Yes.”
When Peter went home, Jesus spoke to him first and asked him, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings on the earth collect tolls or tributes? From their own subjects, or from foreigners?”
26 “From foreigners,” he replied.
So Jesus told him, “In that case, the subjects are exempt. 27 However, so that we don’t offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you.”
18 1 True Greatness
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom from heaven?”
2 Calling a little child forward, he had him stand among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell all of you with certainty, unless you change and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom from heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom from heaven, 5 and whoever receives a little child like this in my name receives me.”
6 Causing Others to Sin
“If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned at the bottom of the sea. 7 How terrible it will be for the world due to its temptations to sin! Temptations to sin are bound to happen, but how terrible it will be for that person who causes someone to sin!
8 “So if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life injured or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell fire.
10 “See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, because I tell you, their angels in heaven always have access to my Father in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man came to save the lost.”
12 The Parable about the Faithful Shepherd
“What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays, he leaves the 99 in the hills and goes to look for the one that has strayed, doesn’t he? 13 If he finds it, I tell all of you with certainty that he rejoices over it more than over the 99 that haven’t strayed. 14 In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.”
15 Dealing with a Brother who Sins
“If your brother sins against you, go and confront him while the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two others with you so that ‘every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If, however, he ignores them, tell it to the congregation. If he also ignores the congregation, regard him as an unbeliever and a tax collector.
18 “I tell all of you with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven. 19 Furthermore, I tell all of you with certainty that if two of you agree on earth about anything you request, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven, 20 because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.”
21 The Parable about an Unforgiving ServantThen Peter came up and asked him, “Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? Seven times?”
22 Jesus told him, “I tell you, not just seven times, but 77 times! 23 “That is why the kingdom from heaven may be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he had begun to settle the accounts, a person who owed him 10,000 talents was brought to him. 25 Because he couldn’t pay, his master ordered him, his wife, his children, and everything that he owned to be sold so that payment could be made. 26 Then the servant fell down and bowed low before him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything!’ 27 The master of that servant had compassion and released him, canceling his debt.
28 “But when that servant went away, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, seized him by the throat, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29 Then his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me and I will repay you!’ 30 But he refused and had him thrown into prison until he could repay the debt.
31 “When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very disturbed and went and reported to their master everything that had occurred. 32 Then his master sent for him and told him, ‘You evil servant! I canceled that entire debt for you because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers until he could repay the entire debt. 35 This is how my heavenly Father will treat each one of you unless you forgive your brother from your hearts.”
19 1 Teaching about Divorce
When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went to the territory of Judea on the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.