Mark 11 Cross References - LEB

¹ And when they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ² and said to them, "Go into the village before you, and right away as you* enter into it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.* ³ And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say* 'The Lord has need of it, and will send it here again at once.'" ⁴ And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. ⁵ And some of those who were standing there said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" ⁶ So they told them, just as Jesus had said, and they allowed them to take it.* ⁷ And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and he sat on it. ⁸ And many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread* leafy branches they* had cut from the fields. ⁹ And those who went ahead and those who were following were shouting,
"Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!* ¹⁰ Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"* ¹¹ And he went into Jerusalem to the temple, and after* looking around at everything, because* the hour was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. ¹² And on the next day as* they were departing from Bethany, he was hungry. ¹³ And when he* saw from a distance a fig tree that had leaves, he went to see if perhaps he would find anything on it. And when he* came up to it he found nothing except leaves, because it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ And he responded and* said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you any more _⌊forever_⌋!"* And his disciples heard it.* ¹⁵ And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered into the temple courts* and* began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple courts,* and overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves. ¹⁶ And he did not permit anyone to carry objects* through the temple courts.* ¹⁷ And he began to teach* and was saying to them, "Is it not written,
'My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations,'*
but you have made it a cave of robbers!" ¹⁸ And the chief priests and the scribes heard it,* and began considering* how they could destroy him. For they were afraid of him because the whole crowd was astounded by his teaching. ¹⁹ And when evening came they went out of the city. ²⁰ And as they* passed by early in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. ²¹ And Peter remembered and* said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered!" ²² And Jesus answered and* said to them, "Have faith in God! ²³ Truly I say to you that whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. ²⁴ For this reason I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it,* and it will be done for you. ²⁵ And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him,* so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your sins."* ²⁷ And they came again to Jerusalem. And as* he was walking in the temple courts,* the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came up to him ²⁸ and said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority that you do these things?" ²⁹ So Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ³⁰ The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer me!" ³¹ And they began to discuss* this* with one another, saying, "What should we say?* If we say 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' ³² But if we say, 'From men'"—they were afraid of the crowd, because they all looked upon John _⌊as truly a prophet_⌋.* ³³ And they replied to Jesus saying, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

³⁰ Now David was going up on the Ascent of the Olives, _⌊weeping as he went_⌋,* with his head covered and going barefoot. All the people who were with him each covered their head _⌊and wept as they went_⌋.*

⁴ On that day his feet will stand on _⌊the Mount of Olives_⌋,* which faces Jerusalem on the east; and _⌊the Mount of Olives_⌋* will be split _⌊in half_⌋,* from east to west, by a very great valley; and half of the mountain will withdraw toward the north, and the other half toward the south.

¹ And when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, "Go into the village before you, and right away you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie them* and* bring them* to me. ³ And if anyone says anything to you, you will say, 'The Lord _⌊needs them_⌋,'* and he will send them at once." ⁴ Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, ⁵ "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, and* on a colt, the foal of a pack animal.'"* ⁶ So the disciples went* and did* just as Jesus directed them, ⁷ and* brought the donkey and the colt and put their* cloaks on them, and he sat on them. ⁸ And a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them* on the road. ⁹ And the crowds who went ahead of him and the ones who followed were shouting, saying,
"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!* Hosanna in the highest heaven!"* ¹⁰ And when* he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" ¹¹ And the crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee!"

¹⁷ And leaving them, he went outside of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.

³ And as* he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came up to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

³⁰ And after they* had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

⁷ And he summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.

³ And as* he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

¹³ And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him,

²⁹ And it happened that when he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, to the hill* called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰ saying, 'Go into the village in front of you, in which as you* enter you will find a colt tied, on which _⌊no person has ever_⌋* sat, and untie it and* bring it.* ³¹ And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?'* you will say this: 'The Lord has need of it.'" ³² So those who were sent went and* found it* just as he had told them. ³³ And as* they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, 'Why are you untying the colt?' ³⁴ So they said, 'The Lord has need of it.' ³⁵ And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they put Jesus on it. ³⁶ And as* he was going along, they were spreading out their cloaks on the road. ³⁷ Now as* he was drawing near by this time to the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began rejoicing to praise God with a loud voice for all the miracles that they had seen, ³⁸ saying,
"Blessed is the king, the one who comes in the name of the Lord!* Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" ³⁹ And some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" ⁴⁰ And he answered and* said, "I tell you that* if these keep silent, the stones will cry out!"

¹ But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

¹⁴ So Jesus found a young donkey and* sat on it, just as it is written, ¹⁵ "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion! Behold, your king is coming, seated on the foal of a donkey!"* ¹⁶ (His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and they did these things to him.) ¹⁷ So the crowd who was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were continuing to testify. ¹⁸ Because of this also the crowd went to meet him, for they had heard that he had performed this sign. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing! Behold, the world has gone after him."

¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain that is called Olive Grove* which is near Jerusalem, _⌊a Sabbath day's journey away_⌋.*

² saying to them, "Go into the village before you, and right away you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie them* and* bring them* to me. ³ And if anyone says anything to you, you will say, 'The Lord _⌊needs them_⌋,'* and he will send them at once."

³⁰ saying, 'Go into the village in front of you, in which as you* enter you will find a colt tied, on which _⌊no person has ever_⌋* sat, and untie it and* bring it.* ³¹ And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?'* you will say this: 'The Lord has need of it.'"

¹² And wealth and glory are from you, and you rule over all. And in your hand is power and might. And in your hand is power to make great and to give strength to all. ¹³ And now, our God, we give thanks to you and offer praise to the name of your splendor. ¹⁴ And indeed, who am I, and who are my people that we retain power to offer according to these offerings willingly? For everything is from you, and from your hand we have given to you. ¹⁵ For we are strangers before you and sojourners like all our ancestors.* Our days are like the shadow upon earth, and there is no hope of abiding. ¹⁶ O Yahweh our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build for you a house for your holy name is from your hand, and all of it is yours. ¹⁷ And I know, my God, that you yourself test the heart and are pleased with uprightness. I, in the uprightness of my heart, have willingly offered all these things, and now I have seen your people who are found here willingly offer to you. ¹⁸ O Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our ancestors,* keep this forever as a plan and thoughts of the heart of your people, and establish their heart toward you.

¹ A psalm of David.*
The earth is Yahweh's, with its fullness, the world and those who live in it,

³ Your people _⌊will volunteer_⌋* in the day of your power.* In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, you will have the dew of your youth.*

¹⁵ And he will show you a large upstairs room furnished* and* ready, and prepare for us there."

²⁴ And they prayed and* said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show clearly which one of these two you have chosen

³⁶ As for* the message that he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—this one is Lord of all—

²⁵ nor is he served by human hands as if he* needed anything, because* he himself gives to everyone life and breath and everything.

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he* was rich, for your sake he became poor, in order that you, by his poverty, may become rich.

⁷ You made him for a short time lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor;* ⁸ you subjected all things under his feet.*
For in subjecting all things,* he left nothing that was not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him, ⁹ but we see Jesus, for a short time made lower than the angels, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that apart from God* he might taste death on behalf of everyone.

⁶ So the disciples went* and did* just as Jesus directed them, ⁷ and* brought the donkey and the colt and put their* cloaks on them, and he sat on them.

¹⁹ And the disciples did as Jesus directed them, and they prepared the Passover.

³² So those who were sent went and* found it* just as he had told them. ³³ And as* they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, 'Why are you untying the colt?' ³⁴ So they said, 'The Lord has need of it.'

⁵ His mother said to the servants, "Whatever he says to you, do it!"*

⁸ By faith Abraham, when he* was called, obeyed to go out to a place that he was going to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

¹³ So they hastened each one to take his cloak, and they spread them under him on the bare steps, blew on the trumpet, and said, "Jehu is king!"

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king comes to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a male donkey, _⌊the foal of_⌋* a female donkey!

⁴ Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, ⁵ "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, and* on a colt, the foal of a pack animal.'"*

⁷ and* brought the donkey and the colt and put their* cloaks on them, and he sat on them. ⁸ And a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them* on the road.

³⁵ And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they put Jesus on it. ³⁶ And as* he was going along, they were spreading out their cloaks on the road.

¹² On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they* heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³ took the branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, and began crying out,
"Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord,* even the king of Israel!" ¹⁴ So Jesus found a young donkey and* sat on it, just as it is written, ¹⁵ "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion! Behold, your king is coming, seated on the foal of a donkey!"* ¹⁶ (His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and they did these things to him.)

⁴⁰ And on the first day you shall take for yourselves the first fruit of majestic trees, branches of palm trees and branches* of a leafy tree and of a brook's poplar trees, and you shall rejoice _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh your God for seven days.

²⁵ O Yahweh, please save; O Yahweh, please grant success. ²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh. We bless you* from the house* of Yahweh.

⁹ And the crowds who went ahead of him and the ones who followed were shouting, saying,
"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!* Hosanna in the highest heaven!"*

³⁹ For I tell you, you will never see me from now on until you say,
'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!'"*

³⁷ Now as* he was drawing near by this time to the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began rejoicing to praise God with a loud voice for all the miracles that they had seen, ³⁸ saying,
"Blessed is the king, the one who comes in the name of the Lord!* Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

¹³ took the branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, and began crying out,
"Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord,* even the king of Israel!"

¹⁵ Then those shouted, "Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your king?" The chief priests replied, "We do not have a king except Caesar!"

¹ Praise Yah.* Praise Yahweh from the heavens; praise him in the heights.

⁶ For a child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. And the dominion will be on his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ _⌊His dominion will grow continually, and to peace there will be no end_⌋* on* the throne of David and over* his kingdom, to establish it* and sustain it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.

¹⁵ In those days and in that time I will make a branch of righteousness sprout for David, and he will execute justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶ In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell _⌊safely_⌋,* and this is what they shall call it: "Yahweh is our righteousness." ' ¹⁷ For thus says Yahweh: 'A man who sits on the throne of the house of Israel will not be cut off for David.

²⁶ then the offspring of Jacob and David my servant I would reject, from choosing rulers from his offspring over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; for I will restore their fortunes* and I will have compassion on them.'"

²³ And I will set up over them one shepherd, and he will feed them; that is, my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be for them as* a shepherd. ²⁴ And I, Yahweh, I will be for them _⌊as God_⌋,* and my servant David will be a leader in the midst of them. I, Yahweh, I have spoken.

²⁴ " '"And my servant David will be king over them, and one shepherd will be for all of them, and in my regulations they will go, and my statutes they will observe, and they will do them. ²⁵ And they will dwell on the land that I gave to my servant, to Jacob, _⌊in which your ancestors dwelled_⌋,* and they will dwell on it, they and their children and the children of their children _⌊forever_⌋,* and my servant David will be a leader for them _⌊forever_⌋.*

⁵ Afterward the children of Israel will return and seek Yahweh their God and David their king. They will come in fear to Yahweh and to his goodness at the end of days.

¹¹ On that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, and I will repair its breaches and will raise up its ruins and will build it like the days of old. ¹² Thus they may take possession of the remnant of Edom and all the nations _⌊who are called by my name_⌋,"* _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, who does this.

³¹ And behold, you will conceive in the womb and will give birth to a son, and you will call his name Jesus. ³² This one will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. ³³ And he will reign over the house of Jacob _⌊forever_⌋,* and of his kingdom there will be no end.

¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people _⌊with whom he is pleased_⌋!"*

⁹ And he said to me, "Come and see the detestable things, the evil that they are doing* here.

¹² And it shall be that at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men _⌊whose senses are dulled from drinking_⌋,* who say in their hearts, 'Yahweh will not do good, nor will he do evil.'

¹ "Look! I am going to send my messenger,* and he will prepare* the way _⌊before me_⌋.* And the Lord whom you are seeking will come suddenly to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you are taking pleasure—look!—he is about to come," says Yahweh of hosts.

¹⁰ And when* he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" ¹¹ And the crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee!" ¹² And Jesus entered the temple courts* and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves. ¹³ And he said to them, "It is written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer,'* but you have made it a cave of robbers!" ¹⁴ And the blind and the lame came up to him in the temple courts* and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when* the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children shouting in the temple courts* and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant. ¹⁶ And they said to him, "Do you hear what these children* are saying?" So Jesus said to them, "Yes, have you never read, 'Out of the mouths of children and nursing babies you have prepared for yourself praise'?"* ¹⁷ And leaving them, he went outside of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.

⁴¹ And when he approached and* saw the city, he wept over it, ⁴² saying, "If you had known on this day—even you—the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ For days will come upon you and your enemies will put up an embankment* against you, and will surround you and press you hard from all directions. ⁴⁴ And they will raze you to the ground, you and your children within you, and will not leave a stone upon a stone within you, _⌊because_⌋* you did not recognize the time of your visitation." ⁴⁵ And he entered into the temple courts* and* began to drive out those who were selling,

³⁷ So throughout the days he was teaching in the temple courts,* and throughout the nights he was going out and* spending the night on the hill that is called the Mount of Olives. ³⁸ And all the people were getting up very early in the morning to come* to him in the temple courts* to listen to him.

¹ But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ² Now early in the morning he came again to the temple courts.* And all the people were coming,* and he sat down and* began to teach* them.

² and after he* had fasted forty days and forty nights, then he was hungry.

¹⁸ Now early in the morning, as he* was returning to the city, he was hungry. ¹⁹ And seeing a single fig tree by the road, he went to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And he said to it, "May there be no more fruit from you _⌊forever_⌋,* and the fig tree withered at once. ²⁰ And when they* saw it,* the disciples were astonished, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?" ²¹ And Jesus answered and* said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will do not only what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea," it will happen! ²² And whatever you ask in prayer, if you* believe, you will receive."

² forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days, and when* they were completed, he was hungry.

⁶ And Jacob's well was there, so Jesus, because he had become tired from the journey, simply sat down at the well. It was about the sixth hour. ⁷ A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me water* to drink."

³¹ In the meanwhile the disciples were asking him, saying, "Rabbi, eat something!"* ³² But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." ³³ So the disciples began to say* to one another, "No one brought him anything* to eat, did they?"*

²⁸ After this, Jesus, knowing that now at last everything was completed, in order that the scripture would be fulfilled, said, "I am thirsty."

¹⁷ Therefore he was obligated to be made like his brothers in all respects, in order that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in the things relating to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people.

³ So she went and came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. And she happened by chance upon the tract of field _⌊belonging to_⌋* Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.

⁹ You must watch; if it goes up by the way of its territory to Beth Shemesh, he has caused this great disaster to come on us. But if not, then we will know his hand has not struck us; it was by chance that this happened to us.

⁷ For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts is the house of Israel, and the man* of Judah is the plantation of his delight. And he waited for justice,* but look! Bloodshed!* For righteousness,* but look! A cry of distress!*

¹⁹ And seeing a single fig tree by the road, he went to it and found nothing on it except leaves only. And he said to it, "May there be no more fruit from you _⌊forever_⌋,* and the fig tree withered at once.

³¹ Now by coincidence a certain priest was going down on that road, and when he* saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God. ⁷ But even the hairs of your head are all numbered! Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

⁶ And he told this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any.* ⁷ So he said to the gardener, 'Behold, _⌊for three years_⌋* I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and did not find any.* Cut it down!* Why should it even exhaust the soil?' ⁸ But he answered and* said to him, 'Sir, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put manure on it.* ⁹ And if indeed it produces fruit in the coming year, so much the better,* but if not, you can cut it down.'"

⁴ "Hear, Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is unique.* ⁵ And you shall love Yahweh your God with all of your heart* and with all of your soul* and with all of your might. ⁶ And these words that I am commanding you _⌊today_⌋* shall be on* your heart.* ⁷ And you shall recite them to your children, and you shall talk about them at the time of your living in your house and at the time of your going on the road and at the time of your lying down and at the time of your rising up. ⁸ And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as an emblem between your eyes.

²⁶ "See, I am setting _⌊before you_⌋* _⌊today_⌋* a blessing and a curse: ²⁷ the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God that I am commanding you _⌊today_⌋,* ²⁸ and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, but rather you turn from the way that I am commanding you _⌊today_⌋* to go after other gods that you have not known. ²⁹ "And it will happen that when Yahweh your God has brought you to _⌊the land that you are going to_⌋,* to take possession of it, then* you shall pronounce the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. ³⁰ (Are they not beyond the Jordan, _⌊toward the west_⌋,* in the land of the Canaanites living in the Jordan Valley,* opposite Gilgal beside the terebinth* of Moreh?) ³¹ For you are now about to cross the Jordan to go to take possession of the land that Yahweh, your God, is giving to you, and you will take possession of it and live in it,

⁵ And now let me tell you what I myself am about to do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge, and it shall become a devastation. I will break down its wall, and it shall become a trampling. ⁶ And I will make it a wasteland; it shall not be pruned and hoed, and it shall be overgrown with briers* and thornbushes.* And concerning the clouds, I will command _⌊them not to send_⌋* rain down upon it.

¹⁰ Already now the ax is positioned at the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

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

³³ "Either make the tree good and its fruit is good, or make the tree bad and its fruit is bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴ Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say good things when you* are evil? For from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ The good person from his* good treasury brings out good things, and the evil person from his* evil treasury brings out evil things.

³³ "Listen to another parable: There was a man—a master of a house—who planted a vineyard, and put a fence around it, and dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower, and leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey.

⁴⁴ And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls—it will crush him!"

²⁰ And as they* passed by early in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. ²¹ And Peter remembered and* said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered!"

⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw them* into the fire, and they are burned.

²⁰ For if, after they* have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord* and Savior Jesus Christ, and they are again entangled in these things and succumb to them, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

¹¹ The one who does evil, let him do evil still, and the defiled, let him be defiled still, and the righteous, let him practice righteousness still, and the holy, let him be holy still."

²⁵ then in that case _⌊you may exchange for money_⌋,* and you shall take* the money to your hand and go to the place that Yahweh your God will choose. ²⁶ You may spend the money for anything _⌊that you desire_⌋,* for oxen or for sheep or for wine or for strong drink or for anything _⌊that you desire_⌋,* and you shall eat it there _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.

¹² And Jesus entered the temple courts* and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves. ¹³ And he said to them, "It is written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer,'* but you have made it a cave of robbers!" ¹⁴ And the blind and the lame came up to him in the temple courts* and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when* the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children shouting in the temple courts* and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant. ¹⁶ And they said to him, "Do you hear what these children* are saying?" So Jesus said to them, "Yes, have you never read, 'Out of the mouths of children and nursing babies you have prepared for yourself praise'?"*

⁴⁵ And he entered into the temple courts* and* began to drive out those who were selling, ⁴⁶ saying to them, "It is written, 'And my house will be a house of prayer,'* but you have made it a cave of robbers!" ⁴⁷ And he was teaching every day in the temple courts,* and the chief priests and the scribes and the most prominent men of the people were seeking to destroy him.

¹³ And the Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he found in the temple courts* those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated. ¹⁵ And he made a whip of cords and* drove them* all out of the temple courts,* both the sheep and the oxen, and he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their* tables. ¹⁶ And to the ones selling the doves he said, "Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father's house _⌊a marketplace_⌋!"* ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it is written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."*

⁴¹ Also for the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, and he comes from a distant land because of your name, ⁴² (for they shall hear of your great name and your powerful hand and your outstretched arm), and he shall come and pray toward this house, ⁴³ you shall hear in heaven, the place of your dwelling, and act according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you as your people Israel, and to know that your name has been invoked over this house that I have built. ⁴⁴ If your people go out to battle against his enemy in the way that you shall send them and they pray to Yahweh, toward the city which you have chosen and the house which I have built for your name, ⁴⁵ then you shall hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and you shall _⌊vindicate_⌋* them. ⁴⁶ "If they sin against you (for there is not a person who does not sin) and you are angry with them and you give them to an enemy and they take them captive to the land of the enemy far or near, ⁴⁷ and then they return their heart in the land where they have been taken captive and they return and plead to you in the land of their captivity, saying, 'We have sinned and we did wrong. We acted wickedly,' ⁴⁸ if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive and they pray to you toward their land which you gave to their ancestors,* the city that you have chosen and the house that you* built for your name,

⁷ I will bring them to _⌊my holy mountain_⌋;* I will make them merry in my house of prayer. their burnt offerings and their sacrifices _⌊will be accepted_⌋* on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples,"

⁷ All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth shall serve you. They shall present a sacrifice for favor on my altar, and I will glorify _⌊my honorable house_⌋.*

¹¹ Has this house, which is called _⌊by my name_⌋,* become a cave of robbers in your eyes? Look, I, even I, have seen it," * _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh.

⁷ The trader, in his hand are scales of deceit;* he loves to oppress.

⁴⁶ saying to them, "It is written, 'And my house will be a house of prayer,'* but you have made it a cave of robbers!"

¹⁶ And to the ones selling the doves he said, "Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father's house _⌊a marketplace_⌋!"*

¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is this you who throws Israel into confusion?" ¹⁸ He said, "I did not throw Israel into confusion; rather you and the house of your father have by forsaking the commands of Yahweh when you went after the Baals!

²⁰ Then Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, my enemy?" He said, "I have found you because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of Yahweh.

⁸ Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man to inquire from Yahweh, but I despise him, for he never prophesies anything good concerning me, but only bad: Micaiah the son of Imlah." Then Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say so."

¹⁸ Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not say to you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but disaster?"

⁷ Thus says Yahweh, the redeemer of Israel, his holy one,
to the one who despises* life, to the one who abhors the nation, to the slave of rulers: "Kings shall see and stand up; princes, and they shall bow down, for the sake of Yahweh, who is faithful, the holy one of Israel, and he has chosen you."

²⁸ And it happened when Jesus finished these words the crowds were amazed at his teaching,

¹⁵ But when* the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children shouting in the temple courts* and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant.

³⁸ But when* the tenant farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance!' ³⁹ And they seized him and* threw him* out of the vineyard and killed him.*

⁴⁵ And when* the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them, ⁴⁶ and although they* wanted to arrest him, they were afraid of the crowds, because they looked upon him as a prophet.

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas, ⁴ and plotted in order that they could arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.*

²² And they were amazed at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like the scribes.

⁶ And the Pharisees went out immediately with the Herodians _⌊and began to conspire_⌋* against him with regard to how they could destroy him.

²⁰ For Herod was afraid of John, because he* knew him to be a righteous and holy man and protected him. And when he* listened to him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he listened to him gladly.

³² But if we say, 'From men'"—they were afraid of the crowd, because they all looked upon John _⌊as truly a prophet_⌋.*

¹² And they were seeking to arrest him, and they were afraid of the crowd, because they knew that he had told the parable with reference to them. And they left him and* went away.

¹ Now after two days it was the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how, after* arresting him by stealth, they could kill him.* ² For they said, "Not at the feast, lest there be an uproar by the people."

²² And they were all speaking well of him, and were astonished at the gracious words that were coming out of his mouth. And they were saying, "Is this man not the son of Joseph?"

⁴⁷ And he was teaching every day in the temple courts,* and the chief priests and the scribes and the most prominent men of the people were seeking to destroy him.

¹⁹ And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay their* hands on him at that same hour, and they were afraid of the people, for they knew that he had told this parable with reference to them.

⁴⁶ The officers replied, "Never has a man spoken like this!"

⁵³ So from that day they resolved that they should kill him. ⁵⁴ So Jesus was no longer walking openly among the Jews, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. ⁵⁵ Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the surrounding country before the Passover, so that they could purify themselves. ⁵⁶ So they were looking for Jesus, and were speaking with one another while* standing in the temple courts,* "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?" ⁵⁷ (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, they should report it,* in order that they could arrest him.)

²⁵ And while* he was discussing about righteousness and self control and the judgment that is to come, Felix became afraid and* replied, "Go away for the present, and when I* have an opportunity, I will summon you."

⁵ And if anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and consumes their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, in this way he must be killed. ⁶ These have the authority to shut the sky, so that _⌊it does not rain_⌋* during the days of their prophecy. And they have authority over the waters, to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with every plague as often as they wish. ⁷ And when they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war with them and will conquer them and will kill them. ⁸ And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which is called symbolically Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹ And those from peoples and tribes and languages and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days, and they will not allow their dead bodies to be placed in a tomb. ¹⁰ And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them, and will celebrate and will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who live on the earth. ¹¹ And he went into Jerusalem to the temple, and after* looking around at everything, because* the hour was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

³⁷ So throughout the days he was teaching in the temple courts,* and throughout the nights he was going out and* spending the night on the hill that is called the Mount of Olives.

³⁶ While you have the light, believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light." Jesus said these things, and then he went away and* was hidden from them.

¹⁶ His roots dry up _⌊below_⌋,* and its branches* wither away above.* ¹⁷ His remembrance perishes from the earth, and there is not a name for him on the street.

⁵ that the rejoicing of the wicked is _⌊short_⌋,* and the joy of the godless _⌊lasts only a moment_⌋?* ⁶ Even though his stature mounts up to the heaven, and his head reaches to the clouds, ⁷ he will perish forever like his dung; those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'

⁴ What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? Why did I hope for it to yield grapes, and it yielded wild grapes?

²⁴ Indeed, hardly are they planted; indeed, hardly are they sown; indeed, hardly has their shoot taken root in the earth when* he blows on them and they wither, and the tempest carries them like stubble.

⁶ But when* the sun rose it was scorched, and because it did not have enough root, it withered.

¹³ And he answered and* said, "Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.

¹⁴ And he responded and* said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you any more _⌊forever_⌋!"* And his disciples heard it.*

⁸ But if it* produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to a curse, whose end is for burning.

¹² These are the ones feasting together without reverence, hidden reefs at your love feasts, caring for themselves, waterless clouds carried away by winds, late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted,

³³ The curse of Yahweh is on the house of the wicked, and the abode of the righteous ones he blesses.

³ And he said to me, "This is the curse going out over the surface of the whole earth. For everyone who steals has gone unpunished* according to it, and likewise everyone who swears falsely has gone unpunished according to it. ⁴ 'I have sent it out,' _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh of hosts, 'and it will go into the house of the thief and into the house of the one swearing _⌊falsely by my name_⌋,* and it will spend the night in that* house and will destroy it, with its timber and its stone.'"

⁷ and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called 'Rabbi' by people.

⁴¹ Then he will also say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!

²² If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!*

²⁰ And they rose up early in the morning and went out to the desert of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in Yahweh your God, and you shall be established! Believe in his prophets, and you shall succeed!"

⁸ Trust him at all times, O people; pour out before him your heart. God is a refuge for us. Selah

⁹ And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not believe then you will not endure." '"

²³ But Jesus said to him, "If you are able! All things are possible for the one who believes!"

¹ "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe* in God; believe* also in me.

¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which also you were raised together with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

¹ Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of the chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth that is according to godliness,

⁴ Take pleasure in Yahweh as well, and he will give to you the requests of your heart.

¹³ Now when* Jesus heard it,* he withdrew from there in a boat to an isolated place by himself. And when* the crowds heard it,* they followed him by land from the towns.

²⁰ And he said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."*

²¹ And Jesus answered and* said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will do not only what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea," it will happen!

⁶ So the Lord said, "If you have faith like a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

¹³ And _⌊whatever_⌋* you ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.

¹⁸ who against hope believed in hope, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was said, "so will your descendants be."* ¹⁹ And not being weak in faith, he considered his own body as good as dead, * because he* was approximately a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. ²⁰ And he did not waver in unbelief at the promise of God, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God ²¹ and being fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to do. ²² Therefore* it was credited to him for righteousness. ²³ But it was not written for the sake of him alone that it was credited to him, ²⁴ but also for the sake of us to whom it is going to be credited, to those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ who was handed over on account of our trespasses, and was raised up in the interest of our justification.*

² And if I have the gift of prophecy and I know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, and the one who received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son, ¹⁸ with reference to whom it was said, "In Isaac your descendants will be named,"* ¹⁹ having reasoned that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which he received him back also as a symbol.

⁵ Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask for it from God, who gives to all without reservation and not reproaching, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask for it in faith, without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed about.

⁷ "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what man is there among you, if his son will ask him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or also if he will ask for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ Therefore if you, although you* are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?

¹⁹ Again, truly I say to you that if two of you agree on earth about any matter that they ask, it will be done for them from my Father who is in heaven.

²² And whatever you ask in prayer, if you* believe, you will receive."

⁹ And I tell you, ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹ But what father from among you, if his* son will ask for a fish, instead of a fish will give him a snake? ¹² Or also, if he will ask for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ Therefore if you, although you* are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

¹ And he told them a parable to show that they must always pray and not be discouraged, ² saying, "There was a certain judge in a certain town who did not fear God and did not respect people. ³ And there was a widow in that town, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Grant me justice against my adversary!' ⁴ And he was not willing for a time, but after these things he said to himself, 'Even if I do not fear God or respect people, ⁵ yet because this widow is causing trouble for me, I will grant her justice, so that she does not wear me down in the end by her* coming back!'" ⁶ And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge is saying! ⁷ And will not God surely _⌊see to it that justice is done_⌋* to his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, and will he delay toward them? ⁸ I tell you that _⌊he will see to it that justice is done_⌋* for them soon! Nevertheless, when* the Son of Man comes, then will he find faith on earth?"

²³ And on that day you will ask me nothing. Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. ²⁴ Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. ²⁵ "I have said these things to you in figurative sayings. An hour is coming when I will speak to you in figurative sayings no longer, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. ²⁶ On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf. ²⁷ For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins _⌊he will be forgiven_⌋*. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a human being* with the same nature as us, and _⌊he prayed fervently_⌋* for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.

²² and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what is pleasing _⌊in his sight_⌋*.

¹⁴ And this is the confidence that we have before him: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

¹ And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing _⌊before_⌋* the angel of Yahweh; and Satan* was standing on his right to accuse him.

²³ Therefore if you present your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

⁵ And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to stand and* pray in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, in order that they may be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward in full!

¹² and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

¹⁴ For if you forgive people their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive people, neither will your Father forgive your sins.

²³ "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man—a king—who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. ²⁴ And when* he began to settle them,* someone was brought to him who owed ten thousand talents. ²⁵ And because* he did not have enough* to repay it,* the master ordered him to be sold, and his* wife and his* children and everything that he had, and to be repaid. ²⁶ Then the slave threw himself to the ground and* began to do obeisance to him, saying, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay back everything to you!' ²⁷ So the master of that slave, because he* had compassion, released him and forgave him the loan. ²⁸ But that slave went out and* found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and taking hold of him, he began to choke him,* saying, 'Pay back everything that you owe!' ²⁹ Then his fellow slave threw himself to the ground and* began to implore* him, saying, 'Be patient with me and I will repay you!' ³⁰ But he did not want to, but rather he went and* threw him into prison until he would repay what was owed. ³¹ So when* his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed, and went and* reported to their master everything that had happened. ³² Then his master summoned him and* said to him, 'Wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you implored me! ³³ Should you not also have shown mercy to your fellow slave as I also showed mercy to you?' ³⁴ And because he* was angry, his master handed him over to the merciless jailers* until he would repay everything that was owed. ³⁵ So also my heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from your hearts!"

³⁷ "And do not judge, and you will never be judged. And do not condemn, and you will never be condemned. Pardon, and you will be pardoned.

¹¹ The Pharisee stood and* prayed these things with reference to himself: 'God, I give thanks to you that I am not like other people—swindlers, unrighteous people, adulterers, or even like this tax collector!

³² Become* kind toward one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as also God in Christ has forgiven you.

¹³ putting up with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone should have a complaint against anyone, just as also the Lord forgave you, thus also you do the same.

¹³ For judgment is merciless to the one who has not practiced mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

⁴ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

¹ Why are nations in tumult, and countries plotting* in vain?* ² The kings of the earth establish themselves, and the rulers conspire* together against Yahweh and his anointed: ³ "Let us tear off their bonds, and cast their cords from us!" ⁴ He who sits enthroned in the heavens laughs. The Lord derides them. ⁵ Then he speaks to them in his wrath, and in his fury he terrifies them:

²³ And after* he arrived at the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him while he* was teaching, saying, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?" ²⁴ And Jesus answered and* said to them, "I also will ask you one question. If you tell the answer* to me, I also will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ From where was the baptism of John—from heaven or from men?" And they began to discuss* this* among themselves, saying, "If we say 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' ²⁶ But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the crowd, because they all look upon John as a prophet." ²⁷ And they answered and* said to Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

¹ Now after two days it was the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how, after* arresting him by stealth, they could kill him.*

¹ And it happened that on one of the days while* he was teaching the people in the temple courts* and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes approached together with the elders ² and said, saying to him, "Tell us, by what authority you are doing these things, or who is the one who gave you this authority? ³ And he answered and* said to them, "I also will ask you a question, and you tell me: ⁴ The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? ⁵ And they discussed this* with one another, saying, "If we say 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you not believe him?' ⁶ But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us to death, because they are convinced that John was a prophet." ⁷ And they replied that they did not know where it was from. ⁸ And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

²³ and Jesus was walking in the temple in the Portico of Solomon.

²⁰ Jesus replied to him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple courts* where all the Jews assemble, and I have said nothing in secret.

⁵ And it happened that on the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes came together in Jerusalem, ⁶ and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all those who were from the high priest's family. ⁷ And they made them stand in their* midst and* began to ask,* "By what power or by what name did you do this?" ⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,

²⁷ For in truth both Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, assembled together in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, ²⁸ to do all that your hand and plan* had predestined to take place.

¹⁴ And he said, "Who _⌊appointed you as a commander_⌋* and a judge over us? Are you intending to kill me like you killed the Egyptian?" And Moses was afraid, and he said, "Surely the matter has become known."

³ They were assembled in front of Moses and Aaron, and they said to them, "_⌊You take too much upon yourselves_⌋!* All of the community is holy, every one of them, and Yahweh is in their midst, so why do you raise yourselves over the assembly of Yahweh?"

¹³ Is it too little that you have brought us from a land that flows with milk and honey to kill us in the desert, and that you also appoint yourself as a ruler over us?

²⁷ But the one who was doing wrong to his* neighbor pushed him aside, saying, 'Who appointed you a ruler and a judge over us? ²⁸ You do not want to do away with me _⌊the same way_⌋* you did away with the Egyptian yesterday, do you?'*

³⁸ This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and who with our fathers received living oracles to give to us, ³⁹ to whom our fathers were not willing to become obedient, but rejected him* and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,

⁵¹ "You stiff-necked people and uncircumcised in hearts and in your* ears! You constantly resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so also do you!

¹³ Look, my servant shall achieve success; he shall be exalted, and he shall be lifted up, and he shall be very high.

²⁴ And Jesus answered and* said to them, "I also will ask you one question. If you tell the answer* to me, I also will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

¹ Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Judean wilderness ² and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!" ³ For this is the one who was spoken about by the prophet Isaiah, saying,
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'"* ⁴ Now John himself had his clothing made from camel's hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan were going out to him, ⁶ and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they* confessed their sins. ⁷ But when he* saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! ⁹ And do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! ¹⁰ Already now the ax is positioned at the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who comes after me is more powerful than I am, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." ¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John in order to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ But John tried to prevent* him, saying, "_⌊I need_⌋* to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" ¹⁵ But Jesus answered and* said to him, "Permit it now, for in this way it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted him. ¹⁶ Now after he* was baptized, Jesus immediately went up from the water, and behold, the heavens opened* and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove coming* upon him. ¹⁷ And behold, there was* a voice from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

¹ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.* ² Just as it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
"Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, ³ the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths!'"* ⁴ John was there baptizing in the wilderness, proclaiming* a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ And all the Judean region and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. ⁶ And John was dressed in camel's hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And he was preaching, saying, "One who is more powerful than I is coming after me, of whom I am not worthy to bend down and* untie the strap of his sandals. ⁸ I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." ⁹ And it happened that in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. ¹⁰ And immediately as he* was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens being split apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

¹³ But I tell you that indeed Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written about him."

¹ Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,* when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, ² in the time of the high priest Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ And he went into all the surrounding region of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight! ⁵ Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled, and the crooked will become straight, and the rough road will become* smooth, ⁶ and all flesh will see the salvation of God.'"* ⁷ Therefore he was saying to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! ⁹ And even now the ax is positioned at the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." ¹⁰ And the crowds were asking him, saying, "What then should we do?" ¹¹ And he answered and* said to them, "The one who has two tunics must share with the one who does not have one,* and the one who has food must do likewise." ¹² And tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?" ¹³ And he said to them, "Collect no more than _⌊what you are ordered to_⌋."* ¹⁴ And those who served in the army were also asking him, saying, "What should we also do?" And he said to them, "Extort from no one, and do not blackmail anyone,* and be content with your pay." ¹⁵ And while* the people were waiting expectantly and all were pondering in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he might be the Christ,* ¹⁶ John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than I am is coming, of whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing shovel is in his hand, to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." ¹⁸ So with many other exhortations also he proclaimed good news to the people. ¹⁹ But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him concerning Herodias, his brother's wife, and concerning all the evil deeds that Herod had done, ²⁰ added this also to them all: he also locked up John in prison.

⁶ A man came, sent from God, _⌊whose name was_⌋* John. ⁷ This one came for a witness, in order that he could testify about the light, so that all would believe through him. ⁸ That one was not the light, but came* in order that he could testify about the light.

¹⁵ John testified about him and cried out, saying, "This one was he about whom I said, 'The one who comes after me is ahead of me, because he existed before me.'" ¹⁶ For from his fullness we have all received, and grace after grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has seen God at any time; the one and only, God, the one who is in the bosom of the Father—that one has made him* known. ¹⁹ And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent* priests and Levites from Jerusalem so that they could ask him, "Who are you?" ²⁰ And he confessed—and he did not deny, and confessed—"I am not the Christ!" ²¹ And they asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not!" "Are you the Prophet?"* And he answered, "No!" ²² Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?" ²³ He said,
"I am 'the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord," '*
just as Isaiah the prophet said." ²⁴ (And they had been sent from the Pharisees.) ²⁵ And they asked him and said to him, "Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" ²⁶ John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water. In your midst stands one whom you do not know— ²⁷ the one who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy _⌊to untie_⌋* the strap of his sandal!" ²⁸ These things took place in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. ²⁹ On the next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This one is the one about whom I said, 'After me is coming a man who is ahead of me, because he existed before me.' ³¹ And I did not know him, but in order that he could be revealed to Israel, because of this I came baptizing with water." ³² And John testified, saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and remaining upon him. ³³ And I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water, that one said to me, 'The one upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him—this one is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' ³⁴ And I have seen and testify that this one is the Chosen One* of God. ³⁵ On the next day again John was standing there,* and two of his disciples, ³⁶ and looking at Jesus as he* was walking by, he said, "Look! The Lamb of God!"

²⁵ So a dispute occurred on the part of John's disciples with a Jew* concerning purification. ²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, about whom you testified—look, this one is baptizing, and all are coming to him!" ²⁷ John answered and said, "A man can receive not one thing unless it is granted to him from heaven! ²⁸ You yourselves testify about me that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I am sent before that one.' ²⁹ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. But the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices _⌊greatly_⌋* because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine is complete. ³⁰ It is necessary for that one to increase, but for me to decrease." ³¹ The one who comes from above is over all. The one who is from the earth is from the earth and speaks from the earth; the one who comes from heaven is over all. ³² What he has seen and heard, this he testifies, and no one accepts his testimony. ³³ The one who accepts his testimony has attested that God is true. ³⁴ For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit by measure. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. ³⁶ The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who disobeys the Son will not see life—but the wrath of God remains on him.*

⁷ Now as* these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings. ⁹ But why did you go out? To see a prophet?* Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet! ¹⁰ It is this man about whom it is written:
'Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'* ¹¹ Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen one greater than John the Baptist. But the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² But from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated violently, and the violent claim* it. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John, ¹⁴ and if you are willing to accept it,* he is Elijah, the one who is going to come.

³¹ Which of the two did the will of his* father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going ahead of you into the kingdom of God! ³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did believe him. And when* you saw it,* you did not even change your minds later so as to believe in him.

¹⁵ John testified about him and cried out, saying, "This one was he about whom I said, 'The one who comes after me is ahead of me, because he existed before me.'"

²⁹ On the next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

³⁴ And I have seen and testify that this one is the Chosen One* of God.

³⁶ and looking at Jesus as he* was walking by, he said, "Look! The Lamb of God!"

⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan were going out to him, ⁶ and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they* confessed their sins.

⁹ But why did you go out? To see a prophet?* Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!

⁵ And although he* wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd, because they looked upon him as a prophet.

⁴⁶ and although they* wanted to arrest him, they were afraid of the crowds, because they looked upon him as a prophet.

²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet! ²⁷ It is this man about whom it is written:
'Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'* ²⁸ I tell you, there is no one greater among those born of women than John, but the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. ²⁹ (And all the people, when they* heard this*—even the tax collectors—affirmed the righteousness of God, because they* had been baptized with the baptism of John,

² And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they could destroy him, because they were afraid of the people.

⁴¹ And many came to him and began to say,* "John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true!"

²⁶ Then the captain went with the officers and* brought them, not with force (for they were afraid of the people, lest they be stoned by them).*

¹³ He is capturing the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are rushed.

⁴ Do not answer a fool according to his folly lest you become like him—even you. ⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly, or else he will be wise in his own eyes.

³ An ox knows its owner and a donkey the manger of its master. Israel does not know; my people do not understand.

⁹ And he said, "Go and say to this people,
'Keep on listening and do not comprehend! And keep on looking and do not understand!' ¹⁰ Make the heart of this people insensitive, and make its ears unresponsive, and shut its eyes so that it may not look with its eyes and listen with its ears and comprehend with its mind and turn back, and it may be healed for him."

⁹ Be astonished and be amazed! Blind yourselves and be blinded! They are drunk but* not from wine; they stagger but* not from strong drink. ¹⁰ For Yahweh has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and he has shut your eyes, the prophets, and he has covered your heads, the seers. ¹¹ And the vision of all this has become for you like the words of a sealed document. When they give it to one who knows the* document, saying, "_⌊Read_⌋* this now!" He says, "I am not able, for it is sealed." ¹² And if the document is given to one who does not _⌊know how to read_⌋,* saying, "_⌊Read_⌋* this now!" he says, "I do not _⌊know how to read_⌋."* ¹³ And the Lord said,
"Because this people draw near with its mouth, and with its lips it honors me, and its heart is far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men that has been taught, ¹⁴ therefore look, I am again doing something spectacular
and a spectacle with this spectacular people. And the wisdom of its wise men shall perish, and the discernment of its discerning ones shall keep itself hidden."

¹⁹ Who is blind but my servant or* deaf like my messenger whom I sent? Who is blind like the one who is repaid or* blind like the servant of Yahweh? ²⁰ You see many things, but* you do not observe. His ears are open, but* he does not hear.

¹⁰ His watchmen are blind, none of them know. They are all dumb dogs; they are unable to bark, panting, lying down, loving to slumber.

⁷ Even the stork in heaven knows its appointed time, and the turtledove, and the swallow, and the song bird, they observe the time of their coming. But my people do not know the ordinance* of Yahweh. ⁸ How can you say, 'We are wise and the law of Yahweh is with us'? Look, surely _⌊the lying stylus of the scribes_⌋* has made it a lie. ⁹ The wise will be put to shame, they will be dismayed, and they will get taken. Look, they have rejected the word of Yahweh, and what is wisdom to them?

⁶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from acting as a priest for me.* And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.*

⁷ For the lips of the priest should guard knowledge, and they should seek instruction* from his mouth, for he is the messenger of Yahweh of hosts. ⁸ But you, you have turned from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction;* you have ruined the covenant of Levi," says Yahweh of hosts.

¹⁴ Let* them! They are blind guides of the blind. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit."

⁴ An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, and a sign will not be given to it except the sign of Jonah!" And he left them and* went away.

²⁷ And they answered and* said to Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

¹⁶ "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.'* ¹⁷ Fools and blind people! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold holy? ¹⁸ And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.'* ¹⁹ Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? ²⁰ Therefore the one who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything that is on it. ²¹ And the one who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. ²² And the one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by the one who sits on it. ²³ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you pay a tenth of mint and dill and cumin, and neglect the more important matters of the law—justice and mercy and faithfulness! It was necessary* to do these things _⌊while not neglecting those_⌋.* ²⁴ Blind guides who filter out a gnat and swallow a camel! ²⁵ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence! ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish,* so that the outside of it may become clean also.

²¹ At that same time he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to young children. Yes, Father, for this was pleasing before you. ²² All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wants to reveal him."*

⁶⁶ And when day came, the council of elders of the people gathered, both chief priests and scribes, and they led him away to their Sanhedrin,* ⁶⁷ saying, "If you are the Christ, tell us!" But he said to them, "If I tell you, you will never believe, ⁶⁸ and if I ask you,* you will never answer! ⁶⁹ But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God."

¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and you do not understand these things?

²⁷ He replied to them, "I told you already and you did not listen! Why do you want to hear it* again? You do not want to become his disciples also, do you?"*

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of people, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because what can be known about God is evident among* them, for God made it clear to them. ²⁰ For from the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

²⁸ And just as they did not see fit _⌊to recognize God_⌋*, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do the things that are not proper,

¹⁵ But until today, whenever Moses is read aloud, a veil lies upon their heart,

³ But if indeed our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, ⁴ among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they would not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

¹⁰ and with every unrighteous deception against those who are perishing, in place of which they did not accept the love of the truth, so that they would be saved. ¹¹ And because of this, God sends them _⌊a powerful delusion_⌋* so that they will believe the lie, ¹² in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness.