8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if virtue is anything, if honor is anything, be always thinking about these.
Bible verses about "womanizer" | MNT
Philippians 4:8
Ephesians 5:1-33
1 Learn then to imitate God as his beloved children,
2 and to lead lives of love, just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for you, an offering and sacrifice unto God, for you, an offering and sacrifice unto God, for "an odor of sweetness."
3 As for sexual vice and every kind of impurity or lust, it is unbecoming for you as Christians even to mention them;
4 so too with vulgarity and buffoonery and foolish jesting. Such words become you not, but rather thanksgiving.
5 For be well assured that no one guilty of fornication or impurity or covetousness which is idolatry, has any heritage in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with empty arguments, for it is these vices that bring down the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience;
7 therefore do not become sharers with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but are now in the Lord.
9 Lead the life of children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in every kind of goodness and uprightness and truth.
10 Examine carefully what is well pleasing to the Lord,
11 and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of the darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of the things that are done by such men in secret;
13 but all these things, when exposed, are by the light made manifest, and what is made manifest is light.
14 For this reason it is said, "Awake, thou sleeper! Arise from the dead; And Christ shall shine upon thee!"
15 See to it, then, that you carry on your life carefully; not as foolish, but as wise men.
16 Buy up opportunity, for the times are evil.
17 For this reason do not be thoughtless, but learn to know what the Lord's will is.
18 Do not be drunk with wine, in which is riotous living, but drink deep in the Spirit,
19 when you talk together; with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and with all your hearts making music unto the Lord;
20 and at all times for all things give thanks to God, the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Submit yourselves one to another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives likewise to their husbands as to the Lord,
23 because a husband is the head of his wife even as Christ is head of the church, his body, which he saves.
24 But as the church submits itself to Christ, so also wives to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her,
26 in order that after cleansing her in the bath of baptism, he might sanctify her by his word,
27 so as to present her to himself, the church glorified, without spot or wrinkle or any such blemish; but on the contrary holy and faultless.
28 That is how husbands ought to love their wives, as they love their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it as Christ does the church;
30 for we are members of his body.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 There is a deep mystery here—I am speaking of Christ and his church.
33 But as for you individually, you must each one of you love his own wife exactly as if she were yourself; and the wife, on her part, should reverence her husband.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. None who are immoral, or idolaters, or adulterers, or catamites, or sodomites,
10 or thieves, or avaricious men, or drunkards, or foul-mouthed men, or extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 Such were some of you, but you have washed away your stains, you have been consecrated, you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.
Matthew 5:28-19:2
28 But I say to you that whoever looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 And if your eye, your right eye, entices you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to lose one of your bodily organs, than to have your whole body go down into the pit.
30 And if your right hand entices you into sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of your bodily organs, than to have your whole body go down into the pit.
31 "It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of separation.
32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress, and whoever marries her when so divorced, commits adultery.
33 "Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, "You must not forswear yourselves, but must perform your vows to the Lord.
34 "But I say to you, swear not at all; neither by the sky, for it is God's throne;
35 "nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.
36 "Nor must you swear by your head, since you cannot make one hair white or black.
37 "But let your word be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the Evil One.
38 "You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
39 "But I tell you not to retaliate the injury; but whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also;
40 "and if any one wants to go to law with you and takes away your coat, let him take your cloak also.
41 "Whoever impresses you to go one mile, go two miles with him.
42 "Give to him who asks, and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away.
43 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy."
44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.
45 "So you will become sons of your heavenly Father; for he makes his sun to rise upon sinners as well as saints, and sends rain upon the unjust and the just.
46 "For if you love only those who love you, what reward have you?
47 "Even the tax-gatherers do that, do they not? And if you show courtesy to your brother only, what are you doing more than others? Even the Gentiles do that, do they not?
48 "You then must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Matthew 6:1-19:2
1 "Be careful not to do your good deeds in the sight of men, in order to be observed by them. If you do, you have no reward with your heavenly Father.
2 "And whatever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and streets, in order that men may praise them. In solemn truth I tell you they already have their reward in full.
3 "But when you give alms, do not let your right hand know what your left is doing,
4 "so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
5 "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the corners of the avenues, in order that men may see them. In solemn truth I tell you that they have their reward in full.
6 "But you, when you pray, go into your own room and shut your door; pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 "While praying do not say the same words over and over again, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that by their much speaking they will gain attention.
8 "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 "So pray in this way. "Our Father who art in heaven, May thy name be hallowed,
10 thy kingdom come, and thy will be done, On earth, as in heaven.
11 Give us today our bread for the day before us;
12 And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors;
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One; For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Amen.
14 "For if you forgive men their offenses against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you also;
15 "but if you do not forgive men your offenses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your offenses.
16 "When you fast, do not look downcast like the hypocrites; for they disfigure their faces so that it may be apparent to men that they are fasting. In solemn truth I tell you, they already have received their reward.
17 "But when one of you fasts, let him anoint his head and wash his face,
18 "so that he may not appear to men to be fasting, but to his Father who is in secret; and his Father who sees in secret will reward him.
19 "Store up for yourselves no treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal;
20 "but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
21 "For wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore if your eye is sound, your whole body will be well lighted;
23 "but if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be darkened. If then the very light within you is darkness, how dense is that darkness!
24 "No slave can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will pay heed to the one and despise the other. You cannot be the slaves both of God and of gold.
25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, inquiring what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, inquiring what you shall wear. Is not your life more than its food, and your body than its clothing?
26 "Behold! the birds in the sky! They neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them; and are not you worth more than they?
27 "Which one of you by being anxious is able to add even one cubit to his stature?
28 "Why be anxious then about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin.
29 "But I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was robed like one of these.
30 "If God then so clothes the grass of the field, which blooms today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith?
31 "Then do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'"
32 "For all these are things that the Gentiles are eagerly seeking; for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of them all.
33 "But continue to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 "Do not then be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own anxieties. Enough for each day are its own troubles."
Matthew 7:1-19:2
1 "Judge not, that you may be judged, yourselves;
2 "for with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and in what measure you measure, others will measure to you.
3 "And why do you look at the mote in your brother's eye, and fail to notice the beam which is in your own eye?
4 "Or how will you say to your brother, 'Permit me to remove the mote from your eye,' when, behold, the beam is in your own eye?
5 "Hypocrite! First cast out the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to cast the mote out of your brother's eye.
6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine; lest in turn they trample them under their feet, and then turn and attack you.
7 "Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
8 "For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks the door is opened.
9 "What man of you is there who, when his son asks a loaf, will give him a stone?
10 "or if his son asks for a fish, will offer him a snake?
11 "If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?
12 "Therefore everything that you would have men do to you, do you also the same to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for broad is the gate and wide the road that leads to destruction, and many are they who go in by it;
14 "but the gate is narrow and the road is steep, which leads to life, and they are few who find it.
15 "Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but within they are ravening wolves.
16 "By their fruits you will know them. Are grapes gathered of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 "No, every good tree bears good fruit, but a worthless tree bears bad fruit.
18 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit; neither can a worthless tree bear good fruit.
19 "Every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
20 "Hence it is by their fruit you will know them.
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 "Many in that day will say to me, "'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name done many mighty works?'
23 "Then I will tell them plainly, "'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of iniquity.'
24 "Every one who hears my words and does them I will liken to a wise man who built his house upon the rock.
25 "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house, but it fell not, for it was founded upon the rock.
26 "And every one who hears these words of mine and does them not, I will liken to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.
27 "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."
28 Now when Jesus had finished his discourse, the crowds were astounded at his teaching,
29 for he was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes taught them.
Matthew 8:1-19:2
1 As he went down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
2 And behold! a leper came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord if you choose, you can make me clean."
3 Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him "I do choose," he said, "become clean," and immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.
4 Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded, as an evidence to them."
5 When he entered Capernaum, an army captain came, and entered him,
6 saying, "Lord, my slave at home is lying ill with paralysis, in terrible agony."
7 "I will come and heal him," said Jesus.
8 "Lord, "said the captain in reply, "I am not worthy to have you under my roof, but speak the word only, and my slave will be cured,
9 "For I myself also am a man under authority, and I have soldiers under me. To one man I say 'Go,' and he goes; to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
10 As Jesus listened to this reply he was astonished, and said to those who followed him. "In solemn truth I tell you that I have found faith like this in any Israelite.
11 "I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west, and sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
12 "but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; there will be the wailing and the gnashing of teeth."
13 Then Jesus said to the captain. "Go! As you have believed, so be it unto you." And his slave was healed in that very hour.
14 When Jesus came into Peter's house, he found his wife's mother prostrated with fever.
15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she arose and waited upon him.
16 At evening-time they brought to him many demoniacs. He cast out the demons with a word, and healed all who were ill,
17 that the word spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, He took upon himself our weaknesses, and bore the burden of our diseases.
18 When Jesus saw the great crowds about him, he had given directions to cross to the other side,
19 when a Scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go!"
20 "Foxes have their holes," answered Jesus, "and wild birds their roosting-places, but the Son of man has not where to lay his head."
21 Another of his disciples said to him, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father,"
22 "Follow me," Jesus said to him, "and leave the dead to bury their own dead."
23 Then he went in board a fishing-boat, his disciples accompanying him;
24 and behold, a sudden storm arose on the sea, so that the boat began to be buried by the waves.
25 But he was asleep. And they came and woke him, saying. "Lord save us! We are drowning!"
26 "Why are you afraid?" he said, "you men of little faith!" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there came a great calm.
27 But the men were amazed, saying, "What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"
28 When he arrived on the other side, in the country of the Gadarenes, he was met by two demoniacs who were coming out of the tombs. They were so violently fierce that no one dared pass along that road.
29 "You Son of God," they shouted, "what have you to do with us? Are you come to torment us before the time?"
30 Now there was, at some distance from them, a herd of many swine feeding;
31 and the demons began entreating him. "If you are driving us out," they said, "send us into the herd of swine."
32 He answered, "Go!" So they came out of the men, and went into the swine, and behold! the entire herd rushed headlong down from the cliff into the sea, and perished in the water.
33 The swineherds fled. They went away into the city and told all about it, and what had befallen the demoniacs.
34 At once all the citizens came out to meet Jesus; and when they had seen him, they begged him to move away from their country.
Matthew 9:1-19:2
1 So he went on board, crossed the sea, and came to his own city.
2 And here they brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Courage, son, your sins are forgiven."
3 And behold! certain scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."
4 And because Jesus knew well their thought, he said:
5 "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
6 "But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins"—he then says to the paralytic, "Rise, take up your bed, and go to your home."
7 And he rose and went to his home.
8 But all the crowd were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
9 As Jesus was passing thence, he saw a man called Mathew sitting at the tax-office, and said to him, "Follow me."
10 And he rose and followed him. And while he was at table in Matthew's house, there came many tax-gatherers and sinners, and they dined with Jesus and his disciples.
11 When the Pharisees saw it, they kept saying to his disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with the tax-gatherers and sinners?"
12 "It is not those who are well," said Jesus, when he heard this, "but the sick, who need a doctor.
13 "But go and learn what this means, "It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice; for I am come not to call just men, but sinners."
14 At that time the disciples of John came and asked him, "Why are we and the Pharisees always fasting, while your disciples are not?"
15 "Can the friends fast at a wedding-feast," said Jesus, "so long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom has been taken from them, and then they will fast.
16 "No one ever sews a piece of undressed cloth on an old cloak. If they did, the patch put on to fill it up would tear away from the cloak, and the rent be made worse.
17 "Nor do they put new wine into old wine-skins; if they did, the wine-skins would split, the wine would run out, and the skins be ruined. Instead, they put new wine into fresh wine-skins and both are preserved."
18 As he was saying these words to them, a ruler came up and knelt before him, saying. "My daughter has just died; but come, put your hand upon her, and she will live."
19 And Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
20 But a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him, and touched the tassel of his cloak.
21 For she said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured."
22 But Jesus turned and saw her and said, "Be of good courage, daughter, your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that hour.
23 Now when Jesus had come into the house of the ruler, and had seen the flute-players and the wailing crowd, he said,
24 "Leave the room, for the little girl is not dead, she is sleeping." And they began laughing at him.
25 When, however, the crowd had been driven out, he went in and took her hand, and the little girl woke up.
26 And the report of this spread throughout that whole region.
27 And as he went on from thence two blind men followed Jesus, crying, "Have pity on us, Son of David!"
28 And when he had gone indoors, they came to him. "Do you believe that I can do this?" asked Jesus. "Yes, Lord," they answered.
29 Then he touched their eyes, saying "According to your faith be it unto you," and their eyes were opened.
30 Jesus charged them sternly, saying, "See to it that you let no one know."
31 But they went and published his fame in that whole region.
32 And as they were departing a dumb demoniac was brought to him,
33 and when he had driven out the demon, the dumb spoke. The crowds were amazed, saying, "Never was such a thing seen in Israel!"
34 But the Pharisees kept saying, "It is in the power of the Prince of the demons that he is casting out demons."
35 And Jesus continued to go throughout all the cities and towns, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and infirmity.
36 And when he saw the crowds he had compassion on them because they were distressed and fainting, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 And he said to his disciples. "The harvest is great, but the laborers are few;
38 "therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to thrust forth laborers into his harvest field."
Matthew 10:1-19:2
1 And when he had called his twelve disciples to him, he gave them power over evil spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and infirmity.
2 These are the names of the apostles (missionaries). First, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother;
3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew, the tax-gatherer; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname is Thaddeus;
4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
5 These men, the Twelve, Jesus sent forth, after giving them the following instructions. "Do not go among the Gentiles, or enter any Samaritan town,
6 "but rather be on your way to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 "As you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
8 "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
9 "Take no gold or silver or coppers in your purses;
10 "not even a bag for the journey, or a change of clothes, or sandals, or even a stick; for the worker is worth his rations.
11 "Into whatever city or town you enter, inquire for some worthy person there, and stay with him until you leave.
12 "When you enter the house, salute it;
13 "and if the house is worthy let your blessing sit upon it; but if it be unworthy, let your blessing return to you.
14 "And whoever will not receive you or listen to your words, as you go out from that house or that city, shake off the very dust from your feet.
15 "I tell you solemnly it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that town.
16 "Behold, it is I who am sending you forth like sheep among wolves. Be then as serpents and as guileless as doves.
17 "But beware of men! For they will give you up to the Sanhedrin, and flog you in their synagogues.
18 "And you will be taken before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 "But whenever they apprehend you, do not be anxious about how you shall speak or what you shall say; for it will be given you in that very hour what to say.
20 "For it will not be you who is speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21 "And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against their parents and put them to death.
22 "You will be hated by all men because of my name; and he who endures to the end shall be saved.
23 "But when they persecute you in one city, flee to the next. In solemn truth I tell you that you shall not have completed the cities of Israel, before the Son of man comes.
24 "A pupil is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his masters.
25 "It is enough for the pupil to fare like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more, the members of his household.
26 "So do not fear them; for there is nothing concealed which shall not be revealed, nor anything secret which shall not become known.
27 "What I am telling you is in the darkness, do you speak in the light; and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
28 "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but fear rather him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a half-penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your father.
30 "The very hairs on your head are all numbered.
31 "Cease to be afraid! You are of greater value than many sparrows.
32 "Every one, then, who will confess me before men, I also will confess before my Father who is in heaven.
33 "But whoever disowns me before men, I also will disown before my Father who is in heaven.
34 "Do not suppose that I am come to bring peace on the earth; I am come not to bring peace, but a sword.
35 "For I came to set "a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 "and a man's own household will be his enemies.
37 "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
38 "and he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.
39 "He who has saved his life shall lose it; and he who has lost his life for my sake shall find it.
40 "Whoever receives you is receiving me, and he who receives me is receiving Him who sent me.
41 "Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and whoever receives a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward.
42 "And whoever gives to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, because he is a disciple, I tell you in solemn truth, he shall not lose his reward.
Matthew 11:1-19:2
1 After finishing his instructions to his twelve disciples, Jesus left that place, in order to teach and to preach in the neighboring cities.
2 But when John heard, in the prison, what the Christ was doing, he sent by some of his disciples to ask him,
3 "Are you the Coming One, or are we to look for someone else?"
4 "Go and tell John," was Jesus' answer, "what you hear and see;
5 "the lame are walking, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised up, and the gospel is being preached to the poor.
6 "And blessed is the man who finds no cause of stumbling in me."
7 As these men started to go away, Jesus began to speak to the throngs, about John.
8 "What did you go out into the desert to behold?" he asked; "A reed shaken by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment dwell in kings' palaces!
9 "But why did you go? To see a prophet? I tell you, yes, and more than a prophet;
10 "for this is he of whom it is written. "Behold, I send my messenger before my face, And he will prepare thy road for thee.
11 "In solemn truth I tell you that there has not arisen among those born of women a greater than John the Baptist; yet one of 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 suffers violence, and the violent take it by storm.
13 "For the prophets and the Law prophesied until John;
14 "and, if you are willing to receive it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
15 "Let all who have ears, listen!
16 "To what shall I compare this generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-place, who call to the other children,
17 "saying. 'We have piped to you and you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not beaten your breasts.'
18 "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, 'He has a demon';
19 and the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Lo, a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Nevertheless, Wisdom is justified by her deeds."
20 Then he began to upbraid the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they had not repented.
21 "Woe unto you, Chorazin! Woe unto you, Bethsaida! Because if the mighty works which have been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented, long ago, in sackcloth and ashes.
22 "Moreover, I tell you it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the Day of Judgment, than for you.
23 "And you too, Capernaum! Will you be exalted even to heaven? You shall go down to the Place of Death! For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which have been done in you, it would have remained until this day.
24 "I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment, than for you."
25 At that time Jesus answered and said: "I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and wary, and hast revealed them to the children.
26 "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.
27 "Everything has been handed over to me by my Father; neither does any one know the Son, except the Father, nor any one know the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
28 "Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Matthew 12:1-19:2
1 At that time Jesus walked through the wheat fields one Sabbath Day; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck some ears of wheat and to eat them.
2 But the Pharisees, when they perceived it, said to him. "Look! Your disciples are doing what it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!"
3 "Have you not read," answered Jesus, "what David did when he was hungry, and his men, too?
4 "How he went into the House of God, and there they ate the loaves of the Presence, which neither he nor his men were permitted to eat, but the priests only?
5 "Have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath and are guiltless?
6 "But I tell you that One is here who is greater than the temple.
7 "And if you knew what this means, "It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice,
8 "you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath."
9 As he passed along he went into their synagogue, and there he saw a man with a withered hand.
10 And in order to get a charge against him they asked him, "Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?" (So that they might have something to accuse him.)
11 "Is there a man of you," he replied, "who has but a single sheep, who will not lay hold of it and lift it out, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath Day?
12 "And how much more is a man worth than a sheep? Therefore it is right to do good on the Sabbath."
13 Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."
14 The man stretched it out, and it had become sound like the other. But when the Pharisees came out, they consulted together how they might destroy him.
15 So when Jesus knew it, he withdrew from that place, and numbers of people followed him.
16 He cured them all; but he strictly forbade them to blaze abroad his doings,
17 that the word spoken through Isaiah, the prophet, might be fulfilled.
18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom my soul delights; I will breathe my spirit upon him, and he shall announce justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not strive nor cry aloud, Nor shall anyone hear is voice in the streets.
20 The bruised reed will not break; The dimly burning wick will not quench; Till he has led justice on to victory.
21 And in his name shall the Gentiles hope.
22 Then they brought to him a blind and deaf demoniac; and he healed him, so that the dumb both spoke and saw.
23 And all the crowds were amazed, and he began to say, "Can this be the Son of David?"
24 When the Pharisees heard it they said, "It is only by the aid of Beelzebub, the Prince of the demons, that this fellow is driving out demons."
25 Because Jesus knew what was in their minds, he said to them. "Any kingdom divided against itself will become desolate; and any city or household divided against himself will not stand.
26 "So if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?
27 "And if I am casting out demons in the power of Beelzebub, in whose power do your sons cast them out? So they themselves shall be your judges.
28 "But if it is in the power of the Spirit of God is already upon you.
29 "Or how can any one enter the strong man's house and carry off his goods without first binding the strong man? Then he can rob his house.
30 "He who is not with me is against me; and he who is not gathering with me, scatters.
31 "Therefore I tell you that every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven.
32 "And if any man say a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in that which is to come.
33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt; for by its fruit the tree is known.
34 "You generation of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. "When the time of fruit drew near, he sent his slaves to the vine-dressers seized to get his fruit.
35 "A good man out of his good treasure brings forth good; and from his evil treasure a bad man brings out evil.
36 "I tell you that for every careless word that men speak they shall give account on the day of judgment.
37 "For by your words you will each be justified, and by your words be condemned."
38 Then some of the Scribes and Pharisees accosted him. "Teacher," they said, "we want to see some sign from you."
39 In reply Jesus told them. "An evil and faithless generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given them except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40 "For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the sea-monster's belly, so the Son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 "The men of Nineveh will stand up in the Judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented under the preaching of Jonah, and lo! a greater than Jonah is here!
42 "The Queen of the South will rise in the judgment with this generation, and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and lo! a greater than Solomon is here!
43 "Whenever an unclean spirit leaves a man, it wanders through waterless places, seeking rest but finding none.
44 "Then it says, "'I will go back to my house which I left'; and on arrival finds it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 "Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits worse than itself; and they enter in and dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it be with this wicked generation."
46 While he was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers were standing outside, desiring to speak to him.
47 So some one told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, and wanting to speak to you."
48 But he answered the man who told him, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?"
49 And stretching his hand toward his disciples, he said,
50 "Behold my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, is my brother and sister and mother."
Matthew 13:1-19:2
1 On that same day, after Jesus had left the house, he took his seat on the seashore;
2 and such a great crowd gathered about him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the crowd stood on the beach.
3 Then he told them many truths in parables. "Behold," he said, "the sower went forth to sow;
4 and as he sowed, some seed fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate it.
5 Some fell on rocky ground where there was not much earth. Now because it had no depth of soil, it sprang up at once;
6 but when the sun rose it was scorched, and withered away because it had no root.
7 Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it.
8 But some fell on good soil, and bore a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9 He who has ears, let him hear!"
10 Now when his disciples came up to him, they said,
11 "Why do you speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered. "To you it has been granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it has not been granted.
12 "For whoever holds, to him shall more be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever does not hold, from him shall be taken away even what he holds.
13 "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says. "Hearing you will hear and not understand; Seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the heart of his people is made fat, Their ears are dull of hearing; Their eyes, too, have they closed, Lest some day their eyes should perceive, And their ears should hear, And their heart should understand and turn, And I should heal them.
16 "But happy are your eyes, because they see, and your ears because they hear.
17 "In solemn truth I tell you that many prophets and holy men have seen it not, and to hear what you are hearing, and have not heard it.
18 "Listen then, to the parable of the sower.
19 "Whenever any one hears the message of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.
20 "This is the seed sown by the wayside. And the word, and at once receives it with joy.
21 "But he has no root in himself; he continues for a time, but when trouble arises, or persecutions, on account of the word, at once he stumbles and falls.
22 "And the seed sown among thorns is he who hears the word, but the anxieties of the age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
23 "But the seed sown in good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit, and makes now an hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty."
24 He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25 "but while men were asleep his enemy came and sowed tares among his wheat and went away.
26 "And when the blade shot up and formed the wheat-kernel, then the tares also appeared.
27 "The slaves of the owner went to him and said: "'Was it not good seed, sir, that you sowed in your field? From whence then, do you get tares?'
28 "'It is an enemy who has done this,' he answered. "The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and collect them?'
29 "'No,' he answered, 'for fear lest while you are collecting the tares, you at the same time pull up the wheat.
30 "Let both grow together until harvest, and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to first gather the tares and tie them in bundles for burning, but to bring all the wheat into my store-house.'"
31 He set forth to them another parable, saying. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard-seed which a man took and planted in his field.
32 "This is indeed the smallest of seeds, but when it is grown it is greater than any herb, and becomes a tree, so that the winged things of the sky come and roost in its branches."
33 He told them another parable. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until the whole was leavened."
34 Jesus told all this to the crowd in parables; indeed he never spoke to them except in parables,
35 in fulfilment of the word spoken by the prophet, I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things kept secret since the foundation of the world."
36 After he had sent the people away and gone into the house, his disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable about the weeds in the field."
37 "The sower of the seed," he answered, "is the Son of man;
38 "the field is the world; the good seed is the sons of the kingdom; the weeds, the sons of the Evil One.
39 "The enemy who sows the weeds is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age. The reapers are the angels.
40 "Just as the weeds are collected together and burnt with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
41 "The son of man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all hindrances, and whoever practices iniquity,
42 "and will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
43 "And then shall the just shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears to hear, listen!
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in the ground, which a man finds but buries again, and then in his joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that land.
45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of beautiful pearls.
46 "When he finds one of great price, he goes and sells everything he has and buys it.
47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.
48 "When it was full they hauled it upon the beach, and sat down and sorted the good fish into baskets, but threw the worthless fish away.
49 "So will it be at the end of the age. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked from the righteous, and fling them into the furnace of fire.
50 "There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
51 "Have you understood all this?" he asked. "We have," they answered him.
52 "Then," said he, "every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his storehouse new things and old."
53 After Jesus had finished these parables, he withdrew from that place,
54 and came into his own country, where he continued teaching the people in their synagogues, until they were amazed. "Where did he get such wisdom?" they said, "and such wondrous powers?
55 "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
56 "Are not his sisters all living among us? Where, then, did he get all these powers?"
57 This kept them from believing in him. Wherefore Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his own family."
58 And he did no mighty works there, because of their lack of faith.
Matthew 14:1-19:2
1 Just then Herod, the Tetrarch, heard of Jesus' fame, and said to his courtiers.
2 "This man is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead. That is why miraculous powers are working through him."
3 For Herod had apprehended John, shackled him, and thrust him into prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,
4 because John kept telling him, "It is not right for you to have her."
5 And although he wished to kill John, he feared the people, for they considered John a prophet.
6 But when Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company,
7 and so pleased Herod that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked for.
8 So, prompted by her mother, the girl said, "Give me at once, upon a dish, the head of John the Baptist."
9 The king was displeased because of this, but because of his oaths and his guests he ordered it to be given her.
10 He sent and beheaded John in prison;
11 the head was brought on a dish, and given to the young girl, who took it to her mother.
12 Then John's disciples went and removed his body, and came and told Jesus.
13 When Jesus heard it he went away privately by boat to a lonely spot; but the crowds heard about it, and followed him on foot from the cities.
14 So when he landed he saw a great multitude, and felt compassion for them, and healed their sick.
15 As twilight fell, his disciples came to him and said: "This is a lonely spot, and the day is far spent; send the crowds away, so that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."
16 "They need not go away," said Jesus, "do you, yourselves, give them something to eat."
17 "We have nothing here," they replied, "except five loaves and two fishes."
18 "Bring them here to me," said Jesus.
19 Then he told the people to sit down on the grass, and after taking the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke the loaves and handed them to the disciples, and the disciples handed them to the crowds.
20 And they all ate and were fully satisfied, and they took up of the fragments that remained, twelve basketfuls.
21 Those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
22 Then he made his disciples get aboard the boat and precede him to the other side, while he sent away the crowds.
23 After he had sent the crowds away, he went up into the mountain alone, to pray. When night came he was there alone.
24 But the boat was already a long way from shore, buffeted by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came toward them, walking upon the sea,
26 but when the disciples saw him walking upon the sea, they were terrified. "It is a phantom," they said, and cried out for fear.
27 But at once Jesus spoke to them, "Courage," he said, "it is I. Fear not."
28 Peter answered, "Master, if it is you, bid me come to you upon the water."
29 "Come," said Jesus. Then Peter got down from the boat and walked on the water to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and as he began to sink, he cried out, "Master, save me!"
31 At once Jesus stretched out his hand and caught hold of him, saying to him. "O little faith! What made you doubt?"
32 Then as they climbed into the boat the wind grew weary,
33 and the men in the boat fell upon their knees before him, saying, "You are, indeed, the Son of God."
34 Then they crossed over and came to land at Gennesaret;
35 and when the men of that country recognized him, they sent into all the country round about, and brought to him all the sick,
36 and kept begging him to let them touch the tassel of his cloak—and all who touched were completely cured.
Matthew 15:1-19:2
1 Then some Scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,
2 "Why do your disciples keep transgressing the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating?"
3 "And why do you also keep transgressing the command of God by your tradition?" he asked.
4 "For God said, Honor your father and mother, and, Let him who reviles father or mother be put to death;
5 but you say that whoever tells his father or mother, 'Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is dedicated to God,'
6 is in no way bound to honor his father. Thus do you make void the word of God by your tradition!
7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, saying.
8 This is a people that honors me with their lips, But their heart is far from me.
9 In vain do they worship me, While they teach doctrines that are the commands of men."
10 Then Jesus called the people to him and said:
11 "Listen, and pay attention. It is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him, but what comes out of it, that defiles the man."
12 Then his disciples came to him and said, "Do you know that the Pharisees were scandalized when they heard that saying?" He replied.
13 "Any plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
14 "Let them alone. They are blind men leading the blind; and if one blind man leads another, both of them will fall into a ditch."
15 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Explain the parable to us."
16 He answered. "Are even you still without understanding?
17 "Do you not know how all that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is afterward evacuated;
18 while what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart—and that is what defiles a man.
19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, perjury, slander.
20 These are the things that defile a man; to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."
21 Jesus then left that place, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.
22 Behold, there came to him a Canaanite woman of those parts. She wailed loudly, saying. "Pity me, Lord, thou Son of David! My daughter is possessed of an evil spirit."
23 But he answered her not a word. Then the disciples came up and kept beseeching him. "Send her away," they said, "because she wails after us."
24 In reply he said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
25 But the woman came and knelt to him and said, "Lord, do help me."
26 He answered, "It is not seemly to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."
27 "True, Lord," she said, "but even the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."
28 Then Jesus answered her. "O woman, great is your faith. It shall be for you even as you desire." And from that hour her daughter was healed.
29 On leaving that place Jesus went along the shore of the Sea of Galilee; and after climbing a hill, took his seat there.
30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the crippled, the blind, the maimed, the dumb, and many others. They laid them at his feet and he healed them;
31 so that the crowd wondered when they saw the dumb speaking, the cripples walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
32 But Jesus called his disciples to him and said: "My heart yearns over the crowd, for they have been with me now three days, and they have nothing to eat. I am not willing to send them away hungry, for fear they faint on the road."
33 "In a lonely place like this," asked the disciple. "where can we get bread enough to satisfy such a crowd?"
34 "How many loaves have you?" answered Jesus. They replied, "Seven, and a few small fish.
35 So when he had summoned the crowd, and seated them upon the ground,
36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and gave thanks, then he broke them and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples to the crowd.
37 And all ate and were satisfied, and of the fragments that remained they gathered seven large basketfuls.
38 And those who ate numbered four thousand, besides the women and children.
39 When he had sent the crowds away, he got into the boat and came into the region of Magadan.
Matthew 16:1-19:2
1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him, and in order to test him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 In answer he said: "In the evening you say, 'It will be fine weather, for the sky is red as fire';
3 and at dawn you say, 'It will storm today, for the sky is red and lowering.' You know how to discern the look of the sky, but the signs of the times you cannot read.
4 A wicked and faithless generation is seeking a sign, but no sign shall be given it but the sign of Jonah." So he left them and went away.
5 When his disciples reached the other side of the lake, they had forgotten to bring bread.
6 Presently Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees."
7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, "It is because we did not bring any bread."
8 When Jesus knew it he said: "Weaklings in faith! Why are you arguing among yourselves, because you have no bread?
9 "Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many large basketfuls you took up?
10 "Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many large basketfuls you took up?
11 "How is it that you do not perceive that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware off the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!"
12 Then they realized that he had not told them to beware of the leaven, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13 When Jesus came into the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of man is?"
14 They replied, "Some say 'John the Baptist'; others, however, say that 'He is Elijah'; others, 'Jeremiah,' or 'One of the Prophets.'"
15 "And who do you say that I am?" he asked them.
16 So Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 "Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah," said Jesus; "for flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven!
18 "Moreover I say to you that you are Petros (a rock), and on this petra (rock) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against her.
19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind upon the earth shall be bound in the heavens, and whatever you loose upon earth shall be loosed in the heavens."
20 Then he enjoined his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
21 After this Jesus the Christ began to show his disciples how he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things at the hands of the elders and chief priests and Scribes, and be put to death, and on the third day be raised again.
22 Then Peter took him aside and began to reprove him, saying. "God forbid, Master! That shall never befall you."
23 But he turned and said to Peter. "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me, because you are not intent on what pleases God, but what pleases men."
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples. "If any man wishes to come after me, let him renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For he who wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
26 What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man is about to come in the glory of his Father, and his angels with him, and then will he reward each one in accordance with his actions.
28 Solemnly I tell you, some of those who are standing here shall not taste death, till they have seen the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Matthew 17:1-19:2
1 Six days later Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain, by themselves apart.
2 Here he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.
3 And behold! Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.
4 Then Peter said to Jesus. "Master, it is good that we are here! If you are willing I will make here three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
5 While he was yet speaking, behold! a luminous cloud overshadowed them; and a voice out of the cloud, saying. "This is my Son, my Beloved, in whom is my delight. Listen to him."
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
7 But Jesus came to them and touched them, saying, "Rise, have no fear!"
8 And when they raised their eyes they saw no one save Jesus only.
9 While they were going down from the mountain, Jesus laid a command on them. "Speak to no man about the vision," he said, "until after the Son of man has been raised from the dead."
10 And his disciples asked him, saying, "Why then do the Scribes say that Elijah must first come?"
11 And he answered. "Elijah is coming, and will restore all things.
12 "Nay, I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they chose. Even so the Son of man also is about to suffer at their hands."
13 Then the disciples divined that he had been speaking to them about John, the Baptist.
14 As they reached the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, and fell on his knees before him, saying.
15 "Master, take pity on my son, for he is an epileptic and sore distressed. Often he falls into the fire and often into the water.
16 "And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him."
17 In reply Jesus said: "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I endure you? Bring him here to me!"
18 Then Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, and it came out of him; and the boy was cured from that very hour.
19 Thereupon Jesus' disciples came to him and asked him privately, "Why were we not able to cast it out?"
20 "Because of your little faith," he answered. "In solemn truth I tell you that if you have faith the size of a mustard-seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from this place to that!' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
21 "But this kind is driven out by prayer alone."
22 As they continued going from place to place in Galilee, Jesus said to them. "The Son of man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men;
23 "and they will kill him, but on the third day he will rise again." And they were greatly grieved.
24 As they came into Capernaum the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and asked, "Does not your Teacher pay the temple tax?"
25 "Indeed he does," answered Peter. But on Peter's entering the house, Jesus forestalled him, saying. "How does it seem to you, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect customs or taxes—from their own people, or from aliens?"
26 And when he replied, "From aliens," Jesus said: "Then their people go free.
27 "Nevertheless, that we may not give offense, go to the seaside, throw in your hook; take the first fish that rises, and when you have opened its mouth, you will find a shekel in it. Take it and give it to them for us both."
Matthew 18:1-19:2
1 At that hour his disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Who is really greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 When he had called a little child to him, Jesus set him among them, and answered.
3 "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will not even enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Whoever therefore will humble himself like this little child, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven;
5 "and whoever receives one such child for my sake, receives me.
6 "But whoever shall cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung about his neck, and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.
7 "Woe unto the world because of such stumbling-blocks! They will surely come, but woe unto each man by whom they come!
8 "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, than to keep both hands or both feet and be cast into the everlasting burning.
9 "If your eye keeps causing you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with only one eye, than to keep both eyes and be cast into the Gehenna of fire.
10 "See to it that you never despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father in heaven.
11 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
12 "How does it seem to you, when a man has a hundred sheep and loses one of them? Will he not leave the ninety and nine on the hills, to go and search for the one that has strayed?
13 "And if he succeeds in finding it, I tell you solemnly that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety and nine that never strayed away.
14 "Just so it is not the will of my Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15 "If your brother sins against you, go and show him, between yourself and him alone. If he listens, you have won your brother.
16 "But if he will not listen to you, take one or two others along, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he will not listen to them, tell the church;
17 "but if he will not heed the church, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax-gatherer.
18 "I tell you all in solemn truth that whatever you forbid upon earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
19 "And again I tell you that if two of you on earth symphonize your praying concerning anything for which you have asked, it shall be done for you by my Father in heaven.
20 "For wherever there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I among them."
21 Just then Peter came to him, and asked him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?"
22 "I do not tell you 'till seven times,'" answered Jesus, "but till seventy times seven.
23 "Thus the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
24 "But when he began to settle, one of them was brought before him who owed him fifteen million dollars.
25 "And since he was unable to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, toward the payment of the debt.
26 "Thereupon his slave threw himself on his knees before him, crying, "'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all!'
27 "So then the master pitied his slave, and let him go, and forgave him his debt.
28 "But on his way out, that slave met a fellow slave who owed him fifty dollars. Seizing him by the throat, and nearly choking him, he exclaimed, "'Pay me what you owe me!'
29 "Then his fellow slave fell at his feet, and besought him, saying, "'Be patient with me, and I will pay you.'
30 "But he would not; on the contrary he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt.
31 "When therefore his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very angry; and they went and explained to their master all that had happened.
32 "Immediately his master summoned him and said: "'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you implored me.
33 "'Ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow slave, just as I had pity on you?'
34 "Then in hot anger his master handed him over to the torturers, until he should pay him all his debt.
35 "So will my heavenly Father do to you also, unless from your heart each one of you forgive his brother."