Matthew 21 Cross References - MSB

¹ As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me. ³ If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” ⁴ All this took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ⁵ “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” ⁶ So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. ⁸ A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” ¹⁰ When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” ¹² Then Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. ¹³ And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” ¹⁴ The lame and the blind came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. ¹⁵ But the chief priests and scribes were indignant when they saw the wonders He performed and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” ¹⁶ “Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?” ¹⁷ Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night. ¹⁸ In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, He was hungry. ¹⁹ Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered. ²⁰ When the disciples saw this, they marveled and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” ²¹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do 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 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” ²³ When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?” ²⁴ “I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.” ²⁷ So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁸ But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’ ²⁹ ‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. ³⁰ Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. ³² For John came to you in a righteous way and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. ³³ Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. ³⁴ When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. ³⁵ But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ³⁶ Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group. But the tenants did the same to them. ³⁷ Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. ³⁸ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’ ³⁹ So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. ⁴⁰ Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do to those tenants?” ⁴¹ “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.” ⁴² Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? ⁴³ Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. ⁴⁴ He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” ⁴⁵ When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them. ⁴⁶ Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.

⁴ On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half the mountain moving to the north and half to the south.

³ While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

³⁰ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

¹ As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two of His disciples ² and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³ If anyone asks, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it shortly.’” ⁴ So they went and found the colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. They untied it, ⁵ and some who were standing there asked, “Why are you untying the colt?” ⁶ The disciples answered as Jesus had commanded them, and the people gave them permission. ⁷ Then they led the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and He sat on it. ⁸ Many in the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The ones who went ahead and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” ¹⁰ “Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”

²⁶ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

²⁸ After Jesus had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ As He approached Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, He sent out two of His disciples, ³⁰ saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’” ³² So those who were sent went out and found it just as Jesus had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners asked, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ “The Lord needs it,” they answered. ³⁵ Then they led the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks over it, and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As He rode along, the people spread their cloaks on the road. ³⁷ And as He approached the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of disciples began to praise God joyfully in a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen: ³⁸ “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁷ Every day Jesus taught at the temple, but every evening He went out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.

³⁹ Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him.

¹ But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

¹⁸ He answered, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him that the Teacher says, ‘My time is near. I will keep the Passover with My disciples at your house.’”

² and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³ If anyone asks, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it shortly.’”

¹³ So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him, ¹⁴ and whichever house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ ¹⁵ And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” ¹⁶ So His disciples left and went into the city, where they found everything as Jesus had described. And they prepared the Passover.

³⁰ saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’” ³² So those who were sent went out and found it just as Jesus had told them.

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” ⁶ Now six stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of purification. Each could hold from twenty to thirty gallons. ⁷ Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. ⁸ “Now draw some out,” He said, “and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so,

²⁶ Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, and the men of valor whose hearts God had touched went with him.

⁹ “Get up and go to Zarephath of Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”

¹⁴ But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You. ¹⁵ For we are foreigners and strangers in Your presence, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. ¹⁶ O LORD our God, from Your hand comes all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy Name, and all of it belongs to You.

¹ In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows:

⁵ So the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—prepared to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.

²⁷ Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,

¹ A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein.

¹⁰ for every beast of the forest is Mine—the cattle on a thousand hills. ¹¹ I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine.

⁸ The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, declares the LORD of Hosts. ⁹ The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former, says the LORD of Hosts. And in this place I will provide peace, declares the LORD of Hosts.”

³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands.

² For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him.

²⁵ Nor is He served by the hands of men, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

¹ Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia. ² In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

¹⁶ But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.

¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

⁵⁶ But this has all happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.

¹⁵ “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion. See, your King is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey.”

³⁶ Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.” ³⁷ And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.”

¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.

¹⁹ A ruler will come from Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”

¹⁶ But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’

¹⁰ You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder

¹⁴ He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years.

² “Why do you have these?” asked the king. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

³³ “Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.

²⁶ Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

⁶ “I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.” ⁷ I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. ⁸ Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession. ⁹ You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.” ¹⁰ Therefore be wise, O kings; be admonished, O judges of the earth. ¹¹ Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. ¹² Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

¹⁴ that I may declare all Your praises—that within the gates of Daughter Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation.

¹ For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies.” A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song. My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses to the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. ² You are the most handsome of men; grace has anointed your lips, since God has blessed you forever. ³ Strap your sword at your side, O mighty warrior; appear in your majesty and splendor. ⁴ In your splendor ride forth in victory on behalf of truth and humility and justice; may your right hand show your awesome deeds. ⁵ Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s foes; the nations fall beneath your feet. ⁶ Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom. ⁷ You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you above your companions with the oil of joy. ⁸ All your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces of ivory the harps make you glad. ⁹ The daughters of kings are among your honored women; the queen stands at your right hand, adorned with the gold of Ophir. ¹⁰ Listen, O daughter! Consider and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father’s house, ¹¹ and the king will desire your beauty; bow to him, for he is your lord. ¹² The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; men of wealth will seek your favor. ¹³ All glorious is the princess in her chamber; her gown is embroidered with gold. ¹⁴ In colorful garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions are brought before you. ¹⁵ They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king. ¹⁶ Your sons will succeed your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land. ¹⁷ I will commemorate your name through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you forever and ever.

¹ Of Solomon. Endow the king with Your justice, O God, and the son of the king with Your righteousness. ² May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice. ³ May the mountains bring peace to the people, and the hills bring righteousness. ⁴ May he vindicate the afflicted among the people; may he save the children of the needy and crush the oppressor. ⁵ May they fear him as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains, through all generations. ⁶ May he be like rain that falls on freshly cut grass, like spring showers that water the earth. ⁷ May the righteous flourish in his days and prosperity abound, until the moon is no more. ⁸ May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth. ⁹ May the nomads bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust. ¹⁰ May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. ¹¹ May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him. ¹² For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper. ¹³ He will take pity on the poor and needy and save the lives of the oppressed. ¹⁴ He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight. ¹⁵ Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him; may they bless him all day long. ¹⁶ May there be an abundance of grain in the land; may it sway atop the hills. May its fruit trees flourish like the forests of Lebanon, and its people like the grass of the field. ¹⁷ May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed. ¹⁸ Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. ¹⁹ And blessed be His glorious name forever; may all the earth be filled with His glory. Amen and amen. ²⁰ Thus conclude the prayers of David son of Jesse.

¹ A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” ² The LORD extends Your mighty scepter from Zion: “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.” ³ Your people shall be willing on Your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, to You belongs the dew of Your youth. ⁴ The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

⁶ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.

⁶ Cry out and sing, O citizen of Zion, for great among you is the Holy One of Israel.”

⁹ Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”

¹¹ Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the ends of the earth, “Say to Daughter Zion: See, your Savior comes! Look, His reward is with Him, and His recompense goes before Him.”

⁵ Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶ In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.

²⁴ I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken.

²⁴ My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances and keep and observe My statutes.

⁴⁴ In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever. ⁴⁵ And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

¹³ In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. ¹⁴ And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

⁷ Yet I will have compassion on the house of Judah, and I will save them—not by bow or sword or war, not by horses and cavalry, but by the LORD their God.”

² But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

¹⁰ “In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will remove your horses from among you and wreck your chariots. ¹¹ I will remove the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds.

¹⁴ Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! ¹⁵ The LORD has taken away your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. Israel’s King, the LORD, is among you; no longer will you fear any harm.

¹² And you are to tell him that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Here is a man whose name is the Branch, and He will branch out from His place and build the temple of the LORD. ¹³ Yes, He will build the temple of the LORD; He will be clothed in splendor and will sit on His throne and rule. And He will be a priest on His throne, and there will be peaceful counsel between the two.’

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ¹⁰ And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.

² asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

⁶ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’”

²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

¹⁹ He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets. ²⁰ A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.

⁴ So they went and found the colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. They untied it, ⁵ and some who were standing there asked, “Why are you untying the colt?” ⁶ The disciples answered as Jesus had commanded them, and the people gave them permission. ⁷ Then they led the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and He sat on it. ⁸ Many in the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The ones who went ahead and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” ¹⁰ “Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” ¹¹ Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

⁴⁹ “Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

¹⁵ At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests. ¹⁶ Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified, and the soldiers took Him and led Him away. ¹⁷ Carrying His own cross, He went out to The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. ¹⁸ There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle. ¹⁹ Pilate also had a notice posted on the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁰ Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. ²¹ So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but only that He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’” ²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

¹ Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.

³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:

²² So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him.

⁴ So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

⁴³ And Moses inspected all the work and saw that they had accomplished it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

¹⁶ Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him.

¹¹ “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night.

¹⁴ You are My friends if you do what I command you.

¹³ Quickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”

⁴ So they went and found the colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. They untied it, ⁵ and some who were standing there asked, “Why are you untying the colt?” ⁶ The disciples answered as Jesus had commanded them, and the people gave them permission. ⁷ Then they led the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and He sat on it. ⁸ Many in the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

³² So those who were sent went out and found it just as Jesus had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners asked, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ “The Lord needs it,” they answered. ³⁵ Then they led the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks over it, and put Jesus on it.

⁴⁰ On the first day you are to gather the fruit of majestic trees, the branches of palm trees, and the boughs of leafy trees and of willows of the brook. And you are to rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.

¹³ They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, crying out: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”

²⁴ This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. ²⁵ O LORD, save us, we pray. We beseech You, O LORD, cause us to prosper! ²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.

²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

¹⁵ But the chief priests and scribes were indignant when they saw the wonders He performed and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

³⁹ For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men!”

¹³ They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, crying out: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” ¹⁴ Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written: ¹⁵ “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion. See, your King is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey.”

¹⁹ So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them, and the women of the city exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

⁴ So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”

⁶ Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, scented with myrrh and frankincense from all the spices of the merchant?

¹ Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.”

³ When Herod the King heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

²¹ But the scribes and Pharisees began thinking to themselves, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁴⁹ But those at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁹ “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this man I hear such things about?” And he kept trying to see Jesus.

² “Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”

¹⁸ On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?”

¹⁶ At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him. ¹⁷ Meanwhile, many people continued to testify that they had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead. ¹⁸ That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. ¹⁹ Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”

⁵ “Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” replied the Lord.

¹⁵ The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him. ¹⁶ This is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God or see this great fire anymore, so that we will not die!” ¹⁷ Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well. ¹⁸ I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. ¹⁹ And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name.

²³ and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people pronounce Me, the Son of Man, to be?” ¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

¹⁶ A sense of awe swept over all of them, and they glorified God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said. “God has visited His people!”

³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”

³³ Nevertheless, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day, for it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem.

¹⁹ “What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people.

²¹ “Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”

²⁵ asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ⁴⁶ “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.

¹⁹ “Sir,” the woman said, “I see that You are a prophet.

¹⁴ When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

⁴⁰ On hearing these words, many of the people therefore said, “This is truly the Prophet.”

¹⁷ So once again they asked the man who had been blind, “What do you say about Him, since it was your eyes He opened?” “He is a prophet,” the man replied.

²² For Moses said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you. ²³ Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.’

³⁷ This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘The Lord our God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’

¹³ Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.

¹⁴ If, instead, one’s offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to present a turtledove or a young pigeon.

⁷ If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may bring to the LORD as restitution for his sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.

¹¹ But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he may bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He must not put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.

⁶ When the days of her purification are complete, whether for a son or for a daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.

⁸ But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

²² and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever he can afford, one to be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.

³⁰ Then he must sacrifice the turtledoves or young pigeons, whichever he can afford,

¹⁴ On the eighth day he is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, come before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest.

²⁹ On the eighth day she is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

²⁴ But if the distance is too great for you to carry that with which the LORD your God has blessed you, because the place where the LORD your God will choose to put His Name is too far away, ²⁵ then exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. ²⁶ Then you may spend the money on anything you desire: cattle, sheep, wine, strong drink, or anything you wish. You are to feast there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice with your household.

¹ “Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts. ² But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.

¹¹ Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

¹⁵ When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. ¹⁶ And He would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. ¹⁷ Then Jesus began to teach them, and He declared, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” ¹⁸ When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to kill Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

²⁴ and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

⁴⁵ Then Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling and buying there. ⁴⁶ He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house is a house of prayer.’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” ⁴⁷ Jesus was teaching at the temple every day, but the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people were intent on killing Him.

¹⁴ In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables. ¹⁵ So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. ¹⁶ To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!” ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”

⁵ Your testimonies are fully confirmed; holiness adorns Your house, O LORD, for all the days to come.

⁷ I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

¹¹ Has this house, which bears My Name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Yes, I too have seen it, declares the LORD.

⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

¹⁷ Then Jesus began to teach them, and He declared, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

⁴⁶ He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house is a house of prayer.’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

²³ Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

⁴ Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

¹ One afternoon Peter and John were going up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ² And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked directly at him, as did John. “Look at us!” said Peter. ⁵ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸ He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹ When all the people saw him walking and praising God,

³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.

¹¹ O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them!

⁹ The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”

²³ When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”

⁴² “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” “David’s,” they answered.

³ At that time the chief priests, scribes, and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,

⁵⁹ Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.

¹ When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.

²⁰ But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.

¹⁸ When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to kill Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

³⁹ But some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!” ⁴⁰ “I tell you,” He answered, “if they remain silent, the very stones will cry out.”

¹ One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up to Him.

² and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death; for they feared the people.

⁶⁶ At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and scribes, met together. They led Jesus into their Sanhedrin and said,

¹ When the Lord realized that the Pharisees were aware that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John

⁴² Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”

⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” ⁴⁹ But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all!

⁵⁷ But the chief priests and Pharisees had given an order that anyone who knew where He was must report it, so that they could arrest Him.

¹⁹ Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”

² From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise on account of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and avenger.

²⁵ At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

³ Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

⁴ Jesus answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’

³¹ But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God said to you:

²⁵ Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?

⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

¹⁶ “What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must strictly warn them not to speak to anyone in this name.” ¹⁸ Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

⁸ Be forewarned, O Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you; I will make you a desolation, a land without inhabitant.”

¹² Even if they raise their children, I will bereave them of each one. Yes, woe be to them when I turn away from them!

⁴ A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Then He left them and went away.

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper,

⁷ So Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, accompanied by a large crowd from Galilee, Judea,

¹ As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two of His disciples

¹⁹ And when evening came, Jesus went out of the city.

³⁷ Then all the people of the region of the Gadarenes asked Jesus to depart from them, because great fear had taken hold of them. So He got into the boat and started back. ³⁸ The man whom the demons had left begged to go with Jesus. But Jesus sent him away, saying,

³⁸ As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

²⁹ As He approached Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, He sent out two of His disciples,

⁵⁰ When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

¹ At this time a man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

¹⁸ Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away,

¹ Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus who had died, whom He had raised from the dead. ² So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

² After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.

¹ At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.

¹² The next day, when they had left Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if there was any fruit on it. But when He reached it, He found nothing on it except leaves, since it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again.” And His disciples heard this statement.

²⁰ As they were walking back in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from its roots. ²¹ Peter remembered it and said, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree You cursed has withered.” ²² “Have faith in God,” Jesus said to them. ²³ “For truly I tell you that if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and has no doubt in his heart but believes that it will happen, whatever he says will be done for him. ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

² where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.

⁴ What more could I have done for My vineyard than I already did for it? Why, when I expected sweet grapes, did it bring forth sour fruit? ⁵ Now I will tell you what I am about to do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will tear down its wall, and it will be trampled.

¹⁴ Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again.” And His disciples heard this statement.

⁹ The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

⁶ Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. ⁷ So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ ⁸ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ If it bears fruit, fine. But if not, you can cut it down next year.’”

⁴² and said, “If only you had known, even you, at least on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will level you to the ground—you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”

² He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.

⁶ If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.

⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!

¹⁶ They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.

⁷ For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God. ⁸ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned.

²⁰ If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first. ²¹ It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. ²² Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”

¹² These men are hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after being uprooted.

¹¹ Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”

⁶ A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field. ⁷ The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass. ⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”

²⁰ As they were walking back in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from its roots. ²¹ Peter remembered it and said, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree You cursed has withered.”

¹⁰ But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. ¹¹ For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

¹² But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

²⁰ “Because of your unbelief,” Jesus answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

²² “Have faith in God,” Jesus said to them. ²³ “For truly I tell you that if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and has no doubt in his heart but believes that it will happen, whatever he says will be done for him.

⁶ And the Lord answered, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. ⁷ Which of you whose servant comes in from plowing or shepherding in the field will say to him, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?

¹⁹ Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged neither the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) nor the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

⁶ But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

⁷ Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

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 ask Him!

¹⁹ Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.

²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up to provide for him because of his friendship, yet because of the man’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. ⁹ So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

¹³ And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

⁷ If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, then you will ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

²⁴ Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.

²² and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.

¹⁴ And this is the confidence that we have before Him: 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 already possess what we have asked of Him.

¹⁴ But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”

¹ These were the divisions of the descendants of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ² But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. ³ With the help of Eleazar’s descendant Zadok and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech, David divided them according to the offices of their service. ⁴ Since more leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than those of Ithamar, they were divided accordingly. There were sixteen heads of families from the descendants of Eleazar and eight from the descendants of Ithamar. ⁵ Thus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants. ⁶ The scribe, Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officers: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of families of the priests and the Levites—one family being taken from Eleazar, and then one from Ithamar. ⁷ The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, ⁸ the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, ⁹ the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, ¹⁰ the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, ¹¹ the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, ¹² the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, ¹³ the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, ¹⁴ the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, ¹⁵ the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez, ¹⁶ the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel, ¹⁷ the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, ¹⁸ the twenty-third to Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. ¹⁹ This was their appointed order for service when they entered the house of the LORD, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their forefather Aaron, as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

⁵⁵ At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? Every day I sat with you teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me.

²⁷ After their return to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in the temple courts, and the chief priests, scribes, and elders came up to Him. ²⁸ “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You the authority to do them?” ²⁹ “I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ³⁰ John’s baptism—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me!” ³¹ They deliberated among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘From men’...” they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John truly was a prophet. ³³ So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

⁴⁷ Jesus was teaching at the temple every day, but the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people were intent on killing Him.

⁷ They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

²⁷ But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?

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

¹⁶ Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

⁶ Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

¹ In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” ³ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” ⁴ John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region around the Jordan. ⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan. ⁷ But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. ¹² His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

⁷ As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? ⁸ Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces. ⁹ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ For this is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’ ¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence, and the violent lay claim to it. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

¹² But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

¹ This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ² As it is written in the prophets: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.” ³ “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” ⁴ John came baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were all baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And he began to proclaim: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I indeed baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” ⁹ In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

¹¹ Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. ¹⁴ He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

⁶⁷ Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: ⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people. ⁶⁹ He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, ⁷⁰ as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past, ⁷¹ salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, ⁷² to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, ⁷³ the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us ⁷⁴ deliverance from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve Him without fear, ⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives. ⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the presence of the Lord to prepare the way for Him, ⁷⁷ to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, ⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn has visited us from on high, ⁷⁹ to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” ⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.

² during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. ⁵ Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. ⁶ And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’” ⁷ Then John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” ¹⁰ The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹ John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” ¹³ “Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered. ¹⁴ Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” “Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said. “Be content with your wages.” ¹⁵ The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John could be the Christ. ¹⁶ John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” ¹⁸ With these and many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news to the people. ¹⁹ But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils he had done, ²⁰ Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

²⁸ For I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater prophet than John the Baptist, yet even the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” ²⁹ All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. ³¹ “To what, then, can I compare the men of this generation? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge for you, and you did not weep.’ ³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ ³⁴ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ³⁵ But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

⁵ They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why did you not believe him?’

⁶ There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John.

¹⁵ John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”

²⁵ asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” ²⁶ “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know. ²⁷ He is the One who comes after me, who is preferred before me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸ All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. ²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.” ³² Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him. ³³ I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

¹⁸ Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

²⁶ So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.” ²⁷ John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ ²⁹ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. ³⁰ He must increase; I must decrease. ³¹ The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. ³³ Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful. ³⁴ For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. ³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”

³³ You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. ³⁴ Even though I do not accept human testimony, I say these things so that you may be saved. ³⁵ John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light. ³⁶ But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the Father has sent Me.

⁴⁴ How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? ⁴⁵ Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope. ⁴⁶ If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. ⁴⁷ But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

²⁵ “I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf. ²⁶ But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe, just as I said to you.

³⁷ Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” ³⁹ For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says: ⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.” ⁴¹ Isaiah said these things when he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about Him. ⁴² Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. ⁴³ For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

²⁰ Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.

¹¹ Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and failed to remember Me or take this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear Me?

⁹ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

⁵ Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.

⁴⁶ Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.

²⁰ because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John’s words, he did many things, and he listened to him gladly.

³² But if we say, ‘From men’...” they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John truly was a prophet.

¹² At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.

⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

¹⁹ When the chief priests and scribes realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid.

³⁵ John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light.

²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already determined that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.

⁴¹ Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.” ⁴² And many in that place believed in Jesus.

²⁶ At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.

¹⁰ Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

⁹ Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?

¹⁰ For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers. ¹¹ And the entire vision will be to you like the words sealed in a scroll. If it is handed to someone to read, he will say, “I cannot, because it is sealed.” ¹² Or if the scroll is handed to one unable to read, he will say, “I cannot read.”

¹⁹ Who is blind but My servant, or deaf like the messenger I am sending? Who is blind like My covenant partner, or blind like the servant of the LORD? ²⁰ Though seeing many things, you do not keep watch. Though your ears are open, you do not hear.”

¹⁰ Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. ¹¹ Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain:

⁷ Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons. The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush keep their time of migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD. ⁸ How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us,’ when in fact the lying pen of the scribes has produced a deception? ⁹ The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what wisdom do they really have?

⁶ True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. ⁷ For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts. ⁸ But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts. ⁹ “So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not kept My ways, but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”

¹⁴ Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

³ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times.

¹⁶ Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ ¹⁷ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred? ¹⁸ And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ ¹⁹ You are foolish and blind! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred? ²⁰ So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. ²¹ And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it. ²² And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it. ²³ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. ²⁴ You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. ²⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and unrighteousness. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. ²⁷ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

⁷ So they answered that they did not know where it was from. ⁸ And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

³⁰ “That is remarkable indeed!” the man said. “You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.

⁴⁰ Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?” ⁴¹ “If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

¹⁸ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. ¹⁹ For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. ²² Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,

²⁸ Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, ¹⁰ and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.

²⁵ “Yes,” he answered. When Peter entered the house, Jesus preempted him. “What do you think, Simon?” He asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs and taxes: from their own sons, or from others?”

¹ “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

⁵ So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. ⁶ About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing idle. ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ he asked. ⁷ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. So he told them, ‘You also go into my vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’

³³ Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.

¹⁷ So tell us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

³⁴ It is like a man going on a journey who left his house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch.

⁴ Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them: Do you think that they were more sinful than all the others living in Jerusalem?

¹¹ Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. ¹³ After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing. ¹⁷ Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death! ¹⁸ I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. ²¹ The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate. ²⁵ Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ³¹ ‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. ³² But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

¹⁵ I speak to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

¹⁰ And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not listen. ¹¹ So the LORD brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon. ¹² And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers. ¹³ And when he prayed to Him, the LORD received his plea and heard his petition; so He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God. ¹⁴ After this, Manasseh rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David from west of Gihon in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate, and he brought it around the hill of Ophel and heightened it considerably. He also stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah. ¹⁵ He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, along with all the altars he had built on the temple mount and in Jerusalem, and he dumped them outside the city. ¹⁶ Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and he told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹⁷ Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God. ¹⁸ As for the rest of the acts of Manasseh, along with his prayer to his God and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹⁹ His prayer and how God received his plea, as well as all his sin and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself, they are indeed written in the Records of the Seers.

¹⁶ Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil! ¹⁷ Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.” ¹⁸ “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool. ¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.

⁶ Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. ⁷ Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

¹⁶ “As for the word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!

²⁸ Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die. ²⁹ Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are My ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? ³⁰ Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. ³¹ Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? ³² For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!

³⁴ But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. ³⁵ All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” ³⁶ At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me. ³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

² “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message that I give you.”

⁸ Furthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and have everyone call out earnestly to God. Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence in his hands. ⁹ Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.” ¹⁰ When God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways—He relented from the disaster He had threatened to bring upon them.

² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” ³ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” ⁴ John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region around the Jordan. ⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan. ⁷ But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.

³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.

¹⁷ Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death! ¹⁸ I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

²⁰ First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone throughout the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

¹¹ And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

¹ And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, ² in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath. ⁴ But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life. ¹¹ Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision (that done in the body by human hands)— ¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the other Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. ¹⁹ Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.

³¹ So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain.

³ So observe and practice everything they tell you to observe. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

¹⁷ Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; ¹⁸ if you know His will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹ if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹ you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” ²⁵ Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

⁵ David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! ⁶ Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.” ⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.

⁶ Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.

¹¹ Say to them: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

¹⁸ For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

⁵ And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

²¹ Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.

⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

³ “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

¹⁶ So the last will be first, and the first will be last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

²⁹ All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John.

³⁷ When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. ³⁸ As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume. ³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!” ⁴⁰ But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said. ⁴¹ “Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Tell Me, which one, then, will love him more?” ⁴³ “I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. ⁴⁴ And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. ⁴⁵ You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume. ⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” ⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ But those at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And Jesus told the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

¹ Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus. ² So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

²² His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by your own words. So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?

³⁰ Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

²⁰ The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

³⁰ What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; ³¹ but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. ³² Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works of the law. For they stumbled over the stumbling stone, ³³ as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

¹³ I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy. ¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Jesus Christ might display all His patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

¹¹ But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me. ¹² So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

⁸ And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it—only those who walk in the Way—and fools will not stray onto it.

¹⁶ This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’

¹¹ But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing. ¹² They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts.

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

²⁵ What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

⁸ Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” ¹⁰ The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹ John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” ¹³ “Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered.

²⁹ All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.

³³ You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. ³⁴ Even though I do not accept human testimony, I say these things so that you may be saved. ³⁵ John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light. ³⁶ But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the Father has sent Me. ³⁷ And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, ³⁸ nor does His word abide in you, because you do not believe the One He sent. ³⁹ You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, ⁴⁰ yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.

²⁵ As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But He is coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’ ²⁶ Brothers, children of Abraham, and you Gentiles who fear God, it is to you that this message of salvation has been sent. ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. ²⁸ And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. ²⁹ When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.

²⁵ He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

¹² See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.

⁶ and then have fallen away—to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame.

²¹ It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.

²¹ Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.

¹⁵ So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them as leaders over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, and as officers for your tribes. ¹⁶ At that time I charged your judges: “Hear the disputes between your brothers, and judge fairly between a man and his brother or a foreign resident. ¹⁷ Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.”

¹⁸ You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

⁹ You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case. ¹⁰ You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you, ¹¹ according to the terms of law they give and the verdict they proclaim. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from the decision they declare to you. ¹² But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel.

⁸ Concerning Levi he said: “Give Your Thummim to Levi and Your Urim to Your godly one, whom You tested at Massah and contested at the waters of Meribah. ⁹ He said of his father and mother, ‘I do not consider them.’ He disregarded his brothers and did not know his own sons, for he kept Your word and maintained Your covenant. ¹⁰ He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.

¹⁹ Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.

⁸ You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and transplanted it. ⁹ You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. ¹⁰ The mountains were covered by its shade, and the mighty cedars with its branches. ¹¹ It sent out its branches to the Sea, and its shoots toward the River. ¹² Why have You broken down its walls, so that all who pass by pick its fruit? ¹³ The boar from the forest ravages it, and the creatures of the field feed upon it. ¹⁴ Return, O God of Hosts, we pray! Look down from heaven and see! Attend to this vine— ¹⁵ the root Your right hand has planted, the son You have raised up for Yourself. ¹⁶ Your vine has been cut down and burned; they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.

¹¹ Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased it to the tenants. For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver. ¹² But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.

¹⁰ Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

¹ I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. ² He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour! ³ “And now, O dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah, I exhort you to judge between Me and My vineyard. ⁴ What more could I have done for My vineyard than I already did for it? Why, when I expected sweet grapes, did it bring forth sour fruit?

²¹ I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?

³ saying, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and residents of Jerusalem. This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on this place that the ears of all who hear of it will ring,

¹ Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land!

⁴ Then you will know that I have sent you this commandment so that My covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD of Hosts. ⁵ “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, which I gave to him; it called for reverence, and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name.

¹⁸ Consider, then, the parable of the sower:

²⁸ But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’

² “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.

¹⁴ For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.

¹ Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. ² At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. ³ But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Then he sent them another servant, and casting stones they struck him over the head and sent him away, treating him shamefully. ⁵ He sent still another, and this one they killed. He sent many others; some they beat and others they killed. ⁶ Finally, having his one beloved son, he sent him to them last. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. ⁷ But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ So they seized the son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹ What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ¹¹ This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” ¹² At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.

¹² So He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to lay claim to his kingship and then return.

⁹ Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time. ¹⁰ At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed. ¹¹ So he sent another servant, but they beat him and treated him shamefully, sending him away empty-handed. ¹² Then he sent a third, but they wounded him and threw him out. ¹³ ‘What shall I do?’ asked the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him when they see him.’ ¹⁴ But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ¹⁵ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶ He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!” ¹⁷ But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? ¹⁸ Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” ¹⁹ When the chief priests and scribes realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid.

¹ “I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard.

¹³ Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.” ¹⁴ But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God. ¹⁵ They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and themselves became worthless, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate. ¹⁶ They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal. ¹⁷ They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. ¹⁸ So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained, ¹⁹ and even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced. ²⁰ So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence. ²¹ When the LORD had torn Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam led Israel away from following the LORD and caused them to commit a great sin. ²² The Israelites persisted in all the sins that Jeroboam had committed and did not turn away from them. ²³ Finally, the LORD removed Israel from His presence, as He had declared through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their homeland into Assyria, where they are to this day.

¹⁵ Again and again the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. ¹⁶ But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.

²⁹ You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They stubbornly shrugged their shoulders; they stiffened their necks and would not obey. ³⁰ You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.

⁴ What more could I have done for My vineyard than I already did for it? Why, when I expected sweet grapes, did it bring forth sour fruit?

³ “From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—twenty-three years—the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. ⁴ And the LORD has sent all His servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear. ⁵ The prophets told you, ‘Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and deeds, and you can dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. ⁶ Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’ ⁷ ‘But to your own harm, you have not listened to Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘so you have provoked Me to anger with the works of your hands.’

¹⁵ Again and again I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: ‘Turn now, each of you, from your wicked ways, and correct your actions. Do not go after other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I have given to you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me.

³ So tell the people that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.’ ⁴ Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Turn now from your evil ways and deeds.’ But they did not listen or pay attention to Me, declares the LORD. ⁵ Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever? ⁶ But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? They repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Hosts purposed to do to us according to our ways and deeds, so He has done to us.’”

⁹ “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Administer true justice. Show loving devotion and compassion to one another. ¹⁰ Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’ ¹¹ But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing. ¹² They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts. ¹³ And just as I had called and they would not listen, so when they called I would not listen, says the LORD of Hosts.

³ He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.

² At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. ³ But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Then he sent them another servant, and casting stones they struck him over the head and sent him away, treating him shamefully. ⁵ He sent still another, and this one they killed. He sent many others; some they beat and others they killed.

⁴ for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)

¹³ Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD, fifty men per cave, and I provided them with food and water.

² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the lives of those you killed!”

¹⁰ “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”

²⁴ Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”

¹⁰ Asa was angry with the seer and became so enraged over this matter that he put the man in prison. And at the same time Asa oppressed some of the people.

²¹ But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD. ²² Thus King Joash failed to remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him. Instead, Joash killed Jehoiada’s son. As he lay dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD see this and call you to account.”

²⁶ But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

³⁰ “I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”

²¹ King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and officials heard his words, and the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah found out about it, he fled in fear and went to Egypt. ²² Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor along with some other men. ²³ They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him put to the sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people. ²⁴ Nevertheless, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

³¹ So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers. ³³ You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell? ³⁴ Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town. ³⁵ And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. ³⁶ Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. ³⁷ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

³³ Nevertheless, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day, for it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem. ³⁴ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

⁵² Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

¹⁵ who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men, ¹⁶ hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.

³⁶ Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to the test, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.

⁹ And when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had upheld.

⁴ Again, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

³ Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about all the calamity I plan to bring upon them, each of them will turn from his wicked way. Then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

⁷ I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me and accept correction.’ Then her dwelling place would not be cut off despite all for which I punished her. But they rose early to corrupt all their deeds.

¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”

⁶ Finally, having his one beloved son, he sent him to them last. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

¹³ ‘What shall I do?’ asked the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him when they see him.’

¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.

³⁴ I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

¹ On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. ² But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.

¹⁸ Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him. ¹⁹ “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another. ²⁰ “Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”

² The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: ³ “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.” ⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them. ⁵ Then He rebukes them in His anger, and terrifies them in His fury: ⁶ “I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.” ⁷ I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. ⁸ Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.

¹³ When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” ¹⁴ So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” ¹⁶ When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.

³ At that time the chief priests, scribes, and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, ⁴ and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.

¹ When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death. ² They bound Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pontius Pilate the governor.

⁷ But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ So they seized the son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

¹⁴ But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” ⁴⁹ But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰ You do not realize that it is better for us that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” ⁵¹ Caiaphas did not say this on his own. Instead, as high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵² and not only for the nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to gather them together into one. ⁵³ So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.

²⁷ In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. ²⁸ They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen.

²⁴ When the high priest and the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this account, they were perplexed as to what was happening. ²⁵ Then someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!” ²⁶ At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them. ²⁷ They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them. ²⁸ “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.”

² But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.

⁵⁰ “Friend,” Jesus replied, “why have you come?” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus, and arrested Him.

⁵⁷ Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.

⁴⁶ Then the men seized Jesus and arrested Him. ⁴⁷ And one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. ⁴⁸ Jesus asked the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? ⁴⁹ Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me. But this has happened that the Scriptures would be fulfilled.” ⁵⁰ Then everyone deserted Him and fled. ⁵¹ One young man who had been following Jesus was wearing a linen cloth around his body. The young men caught hold of him, ⁵² but he pulled free of the linen cloth and ran away from them naked. ⁵³ They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders, and scribes assembled.

⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw? ⁵³ Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this hour belongs to you and to the power of darkness.” ⁵⁴ Then they seized Jesus, led Him away, and took Him into the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance.

¹² Then the band of soldiers, with its commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him.

²⁴ Then Annas sent Him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

²³ He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, took and put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.

¹⁴ You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. ¹⁵ You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of the fact.

¹⁰ then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

²⁵ You spoke through the mouth of Your servant, David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? ²⁶ The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’ ²⁷ In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.

³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.

¹¹ Although the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp. ¹² And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood. ¹³ Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.

⁶ You have condemned and murdered the righteous, who did not resist you.

⁹ What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.

¹⁵ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶ He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!”

²⁹ How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

¹⁴ If, however, you fail to obey Me and to carry out all these commandments, ¹⁵ and if you reject My statutes, despise My ordinances, and neglect to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, ¹⁶ then this is what I will do to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. ¹⁷ And I will set My face against you, so that you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one pursues you. ¹⁸ And if after all this you will not obey Me, I will proceed to punish you sevenfold for your sins. ¹⁹ I will break down your stubborn pride and make your sky like iron and your land like bronze, ²⁰ and your strength will be spent in vain. For your land will not yield its produce, and the trees of the land will not bear their fruit. ²¹ If you walk in hostility toward Me and refuse to obey Me, I will multiply your plagues seven times, according to your sins. ²² I will send wild animals against you to rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and reduce your numbers, until your roads lie desolate. ²³ And if in spite of these things you do not accept My discipline, but continue to walk in hostility toward Me, ²⁴ then I will act with hostility toward you, and I will strike you sevenfold for your sins. ²⁵ And I will bring a sword against you to execute the vengeance of the covenant. Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be delivered into the hand of the enemy. ²⁶ When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in a single oven and dole out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied. ²⁷ But if in spite of all this you do not obey Me, but continue to walk in hostility toward Me, ²⁸ then I will walk in fury against you, and I, even I, will punish you sevenfold for your sins. ²⁹ You will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters. ³⁰ I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you. ³¹ I will reduce your cities to rubble and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will refuse to smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices. ³² And I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who dwell in it will be appalled. ³³ But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste. ³⁴ Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths all the days it lies desolate, while you are in the land of your enemies. At that time the land will rest and enjoy its Sabbaths. ³⁵ As long as it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not receive during the Sabbaths when you lived in it. ³⁶ As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them. ³⁷ They will stumble over one another as before the sword, though no one is behind them. So you will not be able to stand against your enemies. ³⁸ You will perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies will consume you. ³⁹ Those of you who survive in the lands of your enemies will waste away in their iniquity and will decay in the sins of their fathers. ⁴⁰ But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me— ⁴¹ and I acted with hostility toward them and brought them into the land of their enemies—and if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled and they will make amends for their iniquity, ⁴² then I will remember My covenant with Jacob and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. ⁴³ For the land will be abandoned by them, and it will enjoy its Sabbaths by lying desolate without them. And they will pay the penalty for their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and abhorred My statutes. ⁴⁴ Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject or despise them so as to destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. ⁴⁵ But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their fathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the LORD.” ⁴⁶ These are the statutes, ordinances, and laws that the LORD established between Himself and the Israelites through Moses on Mount Sinai.

⁵⁹ He will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary disasters, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses. ⁶⁰ He will afflict you again with all the diseases you dreaded in Egypt, and they will cling to you. ⁶¹ The LORD will also bring upon you every sickness and plague not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. ⁶² You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left few in number, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God. ⁶³ Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and multiply, so also it will please Him to annihilate you and destroy you. And you will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess. ⁶⁴ Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. ⁶⁵ Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul. ⁶⁶ So your life will hang in doubt before you, and you will be afraid night and day, never certain of survival. ⁶⁷ In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread in your hearts of the terrifying sights you will see. ⁶⁸ The LORD will return you to Egypt in ships by a route that I said you should never see again. There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”

⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them. ⁵ Then He rebukes them in His anger, and terrifies them in His fury:

⁹ You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”

⁵ Now I will tell you what I am about to do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will tear down its wall, and it will be trampled. ⁶ I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and thorns and briers will grow up. I will command the clouds that rain shall not fall on it.” ⁷ For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of His delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard a cry of distress.

⁵ And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him—for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength— ⁶ He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.” ⁷ Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”

¹⁵ You will leave behind your name as a curse for My chosen ones, and the Lord GOD will slay you; but to His servants He will give another name.

¹⁹ I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations. ²⁰ And they will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a gift to the LORD on horses and chariots and wagons, on mules and camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the Israelites bring an offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD.” ²¹ “And I will select some of them as priests and Levites,” says the LORD.

²⁶ Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed.

⁸ And in one month I dismissed three shepherds. My soul grew impatient with the flock, and their souls also detested me. ⁹ Then I said, “I will no longer shepherd you. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish; and let those who remain devour one another’s flesh.” ¹⁰ Next I took my staff called Favor and cut it in two, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations.

¹² The land will mourn, each clan on its own: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives,

⁸ And in all the land, declares the LORD, two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it.

² For I will gather all the nations for battle against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city. ³ Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.

¹ “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.” ² “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall. ³ Then you will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,” says the LORD of Hosts. ⁴ “Remember the law of My servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances I commanded him for all Israel at Horeb. ⁵ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD. ⁶ And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

¹² His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

¹¹ I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. ¹² But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

⁴³ Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

⁶ The rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷ When he heard this, the king was enraged, and he sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city.

³⁵ And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. ³⁶ Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. ³⁷ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! ³⁸ Look, your house is left to you desolate.

²¹ For at that time there will be great tribulation, unmatched from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. ²² If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.

²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are thrown out. ²⁹ People will come from east and west and north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.

²³ So the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. ²⁴ For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will taste my banquet. For many are called, but few are chosen’”

³² Remember Lot’s wife! ³³ Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. ³⁴ I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together: one will be taken and the other left.” ^{36 37} “Where, Lord?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”

⁴¹ As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it

²² For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. ²³ How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” ⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

⁷ After much debate, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among us that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.

⁶ But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

⁸ The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man.

²⁸ Be advised, therefore, that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”

¹ I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit. ² I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood, ⁴ the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. ⁵ Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen. ⁶ It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. ⁷ Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” ⁸ So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring. ⁹ For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” ¹⁰ Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. ¹¹ Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or evil, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,

⁹ so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.” ¹⁰ Again, it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.” ¹¹ And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and extol Him, all you peoples.” ¹² And once more, Isaiah says: “The Root of Jesse will appear, One who will arise to rule over the Gentiles; in Him the Gentiles will put their hope.” ¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁴ I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, brimming with knowledge, and able to instruct one another. ¹⁵ However, brothers, I have written you a bold reminder on some points, because of the grace God has given me ¹⁶ to be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷ Therefore I exult in Christ Jesus in my service to God. ¹⁸ I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,

¹⁶ hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.

³ how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?

²² The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ²³ This is from the LORD, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

¹⁶ So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.

⁵ “Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.

⁸ Hear now, O high priest Joshua, you and your companions seated before you, who are indeed a sign. For behold, I am going to bring My servant, the Branch. ⁹ See the stone I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave on it an inscription, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.

¹⁰ Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ¹¹ This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

¹⁷ But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? ¹⁸ Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

¹¹ This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

⁴⁰ Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you: ⁴¹ ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”

³³ as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ Himself as the cornerstone.

³ that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. ⁴ In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. ⁶ This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of His promise in Christ. ⁷ I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power. ⁸ Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ.

⁴ As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, ⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” ⁷ To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who are disobedient, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” ⁸ and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.

⁶ And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”

² Open the gates so a righteous nation may enter—one that remains faithful.

² Behold, the Lord has one who is strong and mighty. Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest, like a driving rain or flooding downpour, he will smash that crown to the ground.

²⁸ But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

⁴¹ “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.”

²⁰ When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. ²¹ Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

³ Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

¹² Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

⁸ Your hand will apprehend all Your enemies; Your right hand will seize those who hate You. ⁹ You will place them in a fiery furnace at the time of Your appearing. In His wrath the LORD will engulf them, and the fire will consume them.

⁵ The Lord is at Your right hand; He will crush kings in the day of His wrath. ⁶ He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead; He will crush the leaders far and wide.

¹⁴ And He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare. ¹⁵ Many will stumble over these; they will fall and be broken; they will be ensnared and captured.”

¹² For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly destroyed.

³⁴ As you watched, a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them. ³⁵ Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were shattered and became like chaff on the threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that had struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

³ On that day, when all the nations of the earth gather against her, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be severely injured.

²⁴ The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed. It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

¹⁸ Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

¹¹ Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”

³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

² For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every transgression and disobedience received its just punishment, ³ how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

⁸ and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.

¹² How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

⁴⁵ One of the experts in the law told Him, “Teacher, when You say these things, You insult us as well.”

⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. ⁸ I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more. ⁹ Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. ¹⁰ Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ ¹¹ This is what the LORD says: ‘I will raise up adversity against you from your own house. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to another, and he will lie with them in broad daylight. ¹² You have acted in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’” ¹³ Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die.

⁷ He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself. ⁸ Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. ⁹ Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.

¹² A mocker does not love to be reproved, nor will he consult the wise.

¹ Woe to you, O Ariel, the city of Ariel where David camped! Year upon year let your festivals recur.

¹¹ The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

²⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”

⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I testify that its works are evil.

⁴⁰ On hearing these words, many of the people therefore said, “This is truly the Prophet.” ⁴¹ Others declared, “This is the Christ.” But still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee?

²² Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.