The Holy Gospel According to Matthew

1.1 Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah King, son of David son of Abraham :

1.2 Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers;

1.3 Judah, from his wife Thamar, fathered Perez and Zerah, Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram,

1.4 Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon;

1.5 Salmon, from his wife Rahab, fathered Boaz; Boaz, fromhis wife Ruth, fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse,

1.6 and Jesse fathered David the king. David, from the wife of Uriah, fathered Solomon,

1.7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, Abijah fathered Asaph [variant Asa],

1.8 Asaph fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Jehoram, Jehoram fathered Uzziah,

1.9 Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, Ahaz fathered Hezekiah,

1.10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amos, Amos fathered Josiah,

1.11 and Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers during the Babylonian exile.

1.12 After the Babylonian exile Jeconiah fathered Shealtiel,Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel,

1.13 Zerubbabel fathered Abiud, Abiud fathered Eliakim, Eliakim fathered Azor,

1.14 Azor fathered Sadok, Sadok fathered Achim, Achim fathered Eliud,

1.15 Eliud fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, 1.16 and from her was born Jesus who is called the Anointed

One.1.17 The generations from Abraham to David total fourteen,

and from David to the Babylonian exile total fourteen, and from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah total fourteen.

1.18 The birth of Jesus the Anointed One :

After being promised in marriage to Joseph, his mother Mary was found to be pregnant by the holy spirit beforethe two of them had gotten together.

1.19 Joseph, her promised husband, being a kind man and not wishing to expose her publicly, decided to release her from the engagement privately.

1.20 While he was preoccupied with this worry, suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid of taking Mary as your wife. What has been begotten in her has come from the holy spirit!

1.21 “She will bear a son and you will give him the name ‘Jesus’ (Joshua), because like Joshua he will be savinghis people, saving them from their sins.

1.22 “This has all happened so that what the Lord said through his prophet may be fulfilled:

1.23 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel ” (“Emmanuel” means “God with us.”)

1.24 After he had awakened from the dream, he did as the angel of the Lord had ordered him: he accepted his wife.

1.25 He was not intimate with her until she gave birth to the child; and he named him Jesus.

2.1 In the days of king Herodes, after Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judaea, Persian seers suddenly turned up in Jerusalem from eastern lands,

2.2 asking “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east, and we came to worship him.”

2.3 King Herodes, and all Jerusalem with him, was shaken tohear that,

2.4 so he gathered together all the high priests and the bible scholars of the Jewish people, and he inquired ofthem where the Messiah King was to be born.

2.5 “In Bethlehem of Judaea,” they told him, “for that’s how it’s written in the prophet:

2.6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.”

2.7 Herodes, after summoning the seers privately, inquired carefully of them how long ago the star had first appeared.

2.8 Then he sent them off to Bethlehem, telling them “Go and get accurate information about the child. When youfind him, send me a message, so that I, too, can go andworship him.”

2.9 They understood the king and went their way. Amazingly, the star that they had seen in the east continued to guide them, until it stopped its movement over the place where the child was.

2.10 When they saw the star there, they were filled with a great gladness beyond jubilation!

2.11 When they had come up to the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and, falling down, they worshipped him; and they opened their treasure-chests and presented him with gifts — gold and frankincense and myrrh.

2.12 Then, having been warned in a dream not to head back toHerodes, they went back to their own country by a different route.

2.13 After they had returned home, lo and behold, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream, saying “Get up! Take the child and its mother and run away to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; Herodes is going to look for the child to destroy him.”

2.14 He got up, took the child and its mother by night and set off for Egypt.

2.15 (And he was there until the death of Herodes — so that what the Lord had said, speaking through the prophet, might be fulfilled: “Out of Egypt have I called my son.”)

2.16 With that, Herodes, realizing that he had been fooled by the Persian seers, became really angry and gave orders to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem and all

its environs who were two years old and under, going bythe time-frame that he had ascertained from the seers.

2.17 With that, there was fulfillment of what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, when he said,

2.18 In Rama there was a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

2.19 When Herodes is dead, lo and behold, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

2.20 saying, “Get up! Take the child and its mother and go to the land of Israel, for they who sought the child’s life are dead.”

2.21 He got up, took the child and its mother and went into the land of Israel.

2.22 But when he had heard that Archelaus was ruling Judaea in place of his father Herodes, Joseph was afraid to gothere. Instead, after being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the Galilee region,

2.23 and there settled in a town called Nazareth, so that the prophets’ words might be fulfilled, that “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

3.1 In those days the baptizer John is there preaching in the Judaean wilderness,

3.2 saying “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!”3.3 (He is the one spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he

said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight!”

3.4 — and John himself had clothing made from camel’s hair,with a leather belt around his waist. His food was crickets and wild honey.)

3.5 At that time, Jerusalem and all Judaea and all the country around the Jordan were flocking to him

3.6 and getting baptized by him in the Jordan River while confessing their sins.

3.7 When he saw many (ultra-orthodox) Pharisees and (ultra-liberal) Sadducees coming for his baptism, he told them

“Brood of vipers, who put you up to running from the coming Day of Wrath?

3.8 “Now go ahead and bear fruit that measures up to your repentance!

3.9 “And don’t think it’s all right to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ You can take it from me that God is capable of raising up children for Abraham from those stones there!

3.10 “The axe is already resting against the tree-trunk; every tree, then, that doesn’t bear good fruit is beingcut down and thrown into the fire.

3.11 “I baptize in water for repentance. The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am; I’m not fit to hold his sandals. He will baptize you in the holy spirit, and with fire.

3.12 “His winnowing-fan is in his hand. He will make a clean sweep of his threshing-floor. He will gather hisgrain together into the barn. And he will burn up the chaff with an unquenchable fire!”

3.13 And then Jesus is there from Galilee with John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.

3.14 But John wanted to stop him, saying “It is I who shouldbe baptized by you, and you are coming to me?”

3.15 Jesus responded by saying to him, “Allow me this once. This is an appropriate way for me to satisfy every justobligation.” And at that, John allows him.

3.16 After being baptized, Jesus came directly up from the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened, and he saw God’s spirit descending like a dove and settling on him.

3.17 And, amazingly, there is a voice out of the heavens saying, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased!”

4.1 Then Jesus was put back into the wilderness by the spirit, to be tested by the devil.

4.2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he finally became hungry.

4.3 And the Tempter came up to him and said, “If you’re theson of God, say the word so these stones turn into bread.”

4.4 His response: “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

4.5 Then the devil takes him to the Holy City and sets him on the pinnacle of the temple,

4.6 and tells him “If you’re the son of God, throw yourselfoff — because it’s written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

4.7 Jesus told him, “And then again it is written that Thoushalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

4.8 Once more, the devil takes him to a really high mountain and shows him all the kingdoms of the world and their magnificence,

4.9 and tells him, “I’m going to give all of this to you ifyou fall down and worship me.”

4.10 At that point Jesus tells him, “On your way, Satan! For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

4.11 With that, the devil lets him be, and, lo and behold, angels came up and began to take care of him.

4.12 When he heard that John had been arrested, he went backto Galilee.

4.13 He left Nazareth and went on to settle in Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulon and Naphtali,

4.14 so that there might be a fulfillment of what was spokenthrough the prophet Isaiah when he said,

4.15 The land of Zebulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles,

4.16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

4.17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!”

4.18 As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called “Rock”) and Andreas his

brother, throwing a casting-net into the sea (they werefishers by trade).

4.19 He tells them, “Here, fall in with me! I’ll make you fishers of people!”

4.20 Right away they left their nets and followed him. 4.21 He went ahead from there and saw two other brothers,

Jacob son of Zebadaiah and John his brother, mending their nets in their boat in the company of their fatherZebadaiah. He summoned them,

4.22 and right away they left the boat and their father, andfollowed him.

4.23 He went around all of Galilee, teaching in the people’ssynagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and affliction in the population.

4.24 His reputation spread into all of Syria. They brought him everyone who was afflicted by any type of illness, or was suffering pain, or possessed by evil spirits, orepileptic or paralytic, and he made them well.

4.25 Huge crowds attended him, coming from Galilee, from theten-city area, from Jerusalem and Judaea and beyond theJordan.

5.1 After seeing the crowds, he climbed the mountain. Whenhe had sat himself down, his disciples came up to him.

5.2 Jesus opened his mouth and taught them with these words:

5.3 Blessed are they who are poor in their spirit, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

5.4 Blessed are they who suffer, because they will be consoled.5.5 Blessed are the gentle people, because they will inherit the earth.5.6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for fairness and justice, because

they will have their fill.5.7 Blessed are the merciful, because they will find mercy.5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God.5.9 Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.5.10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for being just and fair,

because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.5.11 Blessed are you when they insult and persecute you and say every

shameful thing about you because of me.

5.12 Rejoice and exult because your reward in heaven is great. That’s the way they persecuted the prophets before you.

5.13 You people are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its taste, what canyou salt with it? It’s good for nothing except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

5.14 You people are the light of the world. A city that is located on a mountain top cannot be hidden;

5.15 nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but instead they put it on the lampstand, and it shines for everyone in the house.

5.16 Likewise, let your light shine before the people so that they see your good works and glorify your father in heaven.

5.17 Don’t think that I came to abolish the Torah or the prophets. I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.

5.18 For I swear, until heaven and earth pass away, there is no way that a single jot or dot can disappear from the Torah until everything comes to pass.

5.19 Therefore, whoever repeals one of the least of those commandments and teaches people that way will be called the lowest in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, that’s the one who will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

5.20 I’m telling you that if your justice does not amount to more than that of the bible scholars and Pharisees, there’s no way for you to enter the kingdom of heaven.

5.21 You’ve heard that the ancients were told, “Thou shalt not kill.” And whoever kills will be liable for judgment.

5.22 But I’m telling you that anyone who gets angry with their brother or sister will be liable for judgment, and anyone who tells their brother or sister “Raka!” will be liable for court action by the Sanhedrin, and anyone who says “Fool!” will be liable for the Vale of Fire.

5.23 So if you ever present your gift at the altar and you remember there that your brother or sister has something against you,

5.24 leave your gift there before the altar and go make it up with your brother or sister; then come and present your gift.

5.25 Come to terms with your adversary quickly, while you are still with him on the way to court, lest the adversary hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and you be thrown into prison.

5.26 I swear there’s no way for you to get out of there until you’ve paid your last farthing!

5.27 You’ve heard what has been told, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

5.28 But I’m telling you that anyone who looks at a woman as an object of lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

5.29 If your right eye causes a scandal for you, tear it out and throw it away from you. You’re better off losing one of your parts than you would be having your whole body thrown into the Vale.

5.30 And if your right hand causes a scandal for you, cut it off and throw it away from you. You’re better off losing one of your parts than you would be having your whole body go off to the Vale.

5.31 It has been declared that “Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement,”

5.32 but I’m telling you that anyone who puts away his wife, except on the ground of unfaithfulness, is making her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman is committing adultery.

5.33 And again, you have heard that it was told to those of old, “Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths.”

5.34 I, however, am telling you not to swear at all, neither by heaven — for that’s the throne of God;

5.35 nor by earth — for that’s his footstool; nor by Jerusalem — for that’s the city of the Great King.

5.36 And don’t swear by your own head, because you’re not able to make a single hair either light or dark.

5.37 Just let your word for “yes” be “yes,” and for “no,” “no.” Anything beyond that arises from wickedness.

5.38 You’ve heard that it was declared, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.”

5.39 But I’m telling you not to resist wickedness; on the contrary, whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek to them as well.

5.40 And if someone wants to take you to court and get your shirt, let them have your coat as well.

5.41 And if people put you in their yoke for a mile, go two miles with them.5.42 Give to anyone who asks, and don’t turn down the one who wants to

borrow from you.5.43 You’ve heard that it was declared, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor” — and

hate your enemy.5.44 But I’m telling you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute

you 5.45 — so that you become children of your father in heaven; for he makes his

sun rise upon both the wicked and the good, and he rains on the just and the unjust.

5.46 You see, if you love only the ones who are loving you, what reward will youhave? Don’t even tax collectors do the same thing?

5.47 And if you embrace only your brothers and sisters, are you doing anythingspecial? Don’t even Gentiles do the same thing?

5.48 Therefore, you people: try to be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect.6.1 Be careful in your acts of kindness: don’t do them in front of people for

show — because, look: if you do, you get no reward with your father in heaven.

6.2 So when you give alms, don’t trumpet it before yourself, like the hypocritesdo in the synagogues and thoroughfares, so that people think highly of them. I swear they’ve already taken their reward.

6.3 When you do your alms-giving, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

6.4 and that way your giving will be in the dark. Your father, who sees in the dark, will reward you.

6.5 And when you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of town squares where people can see them. I swear they’ve already taken their reward.

6.6 But you, when you pray, closet yourself and shut the door and pray to your father who is in the dark. Your father, who sees in the dark, will reward you.

6.7 All of you, when you pray, don’t drone on and on like the Gentiles, who think they’ll be listened to if they repeat themselves over and over.

6.8 No, don’t be like them. Your father knows what you need before you ask him.

6.9 So pray like this: Our father in heaven, let your name be sanctified,

6.10 let your kingdom come, let your will be done on earth just as it is in heaven.

6.11 Give us our bread today — enough for the day —6.12 and forgive us what we owe you, just as we have

forgiven those who owe us,6.13 and don’t put us to a test, but protect us from evil.6.14 You see, if you forgive people their mistakes, your father will forgive you

also.6.15 But if you don’t forgive people, your father won’t forgive your mistakes,

either.

6.16 And when you’re fasting, don’t look miserable like the hypocrites who pull long faces to make it obvious to people that they’re fasting. I swear they’ve already taken their reward.

6.17 But when you fast, make your head shine with oil, and wash your face,6.18 so that to other people you won’t appear to be fasting, but to your father

you will, your father who is there in secret; and seeing you in secret, your father will reward you.

6.19 Don’t be storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust ruin them, and where thieves break in and steal them.

6.20 Store treasures up for yourselves in heaven, where neither moths nor rust ruin them, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.

6.21 Where your treasure is, there will be your heart.6.22 The eye is the body’s source of light. So if your eye is unobstructed, your

whole body will be full of light.6.23 But if your eye is no good, your whole body will be dark. Now, if the light

within you is darkness, how great must that darkness be!6.24 No one can be a slave to two masters: either you’ll hate the one and love

the other, or you’ll worship the one and despise the other. You can’t be a slave to God and to money.

6.25 Which brings me to this: don’t be worried over what to eat to stay alive, orwhat to wear to cover your body. Isn’t life more than just eating, and isn’t the body more than just clothing?

6.26 Think about birds of the air, how they neither sow nor harvest nor collect things in barns, and your heavenly father gives them food. Aren’t you more important than they are?

6.27 Which of you is able, by worrying, to add one cubit to your full-grown height?

6.28 And why worry about clothing? Look at field-lilies, how they keep growing. They don’t toil, they don’t spin.

6.29 But I’m telling you that not even Solomon in all his glory was draped like one of those!

6.30 Now, if God can so clothe a wildflower that grows today and gets thrown into a kiln tomorrow, can’t he clothe you much better, you of little faith?

6.31 So don’t fret about what’s to eat, what’s to drink, what’s to wear: 6.32 those are the things Gentiles run after! Your heavenly father knows that

you need all of them.6.33 Seek first his kingdom and his loving kindness, and all those things will be

delivered to you.

6.34 So stop worrying about tomorrow; tomorrow will worry about itself. Today’s trouble is enough for the day.

7.1 Don’t judge, so you won’t be judged.7.2 You will be judged by the judgment you make, and it will be measured out

to you by the measure you use.7.3 Why look at the splinter in your brother’s or sister’s eye, and not notice the

rafter in your own eye?7.4 Or how can you say to your brother or sister, “Let me get the splinter out

of your eye,” and yet there’s the rafter in your eye!7.5 Hypocrite, first get the rafter out of your eye, and then you can see better

to get the splinter out of your brother’s or sister’s eye!7.6 Don’t give what is holy to dogs, and don’t throw your pearls before swine,

lest someday they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces.

7.7 Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you.

7.8 Everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and the door will open to everyone who knocks.

7.9 Think: which of you will be so inhuman as to respond by giving your child a stone, when he asks for a piece of bread? —

7.10 or better, by giving him a snake, when he asks for a fish?7.11 So if you, no matter how mean-spirited you are, still know how to give fine

gifts to your children, how much the more will your father in heaven give fine gifts to those who ask him?

7.12 Therefore as many things as you would like people to do for you, do also the same for them: that is the Torah and the prophets!

7.13 Enter through the narrow gate. The gate that leads to ruin is wide, with lots of room to pass, and those who enter through it are many.

7.14 The gate is tight, and the road is narrow that leads to life, and few there are who discover it!

7.15 Watch out for false seers who come up to you in sheep’s clothing, while underneath they’re predatory wolves.

7.16 By their fruits you will know them. Do you think to harvest grapes from thistles, or figs from thorn-bushes?

7.17 Likewise, any decent tree yields good fruit, but the rotten tree yields worthless fruit.

7.18 A decent tree can’t yield worthless fruit, and a rotten tree can’t yield good fruit.

7.19 Any tree that doesn’t yield good fruit is cut down and tossed into the fire.7.20 Enough said. By their fruits you will know them!7.21 Not everyone who says “Master, Master” to me will enter into the kingdom

of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my father in heaven.7.22 There will be many who tell me on that day, “Master, Master, haven’t we

prophesied in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and haven’twe performed many feats in your name?

7.23 Then I’ll tell them what they know already: “I never knew you. You who have practiced what is unlawful, get away from me!”

7.24 Therefore, anyone who listens to my words and does them will be like the prudent man who built his house on a rock.

7.25 The rain came down, and the rivers came up, and the winds blew and fell upon that house, and the house didn’t fall, because its foundation was upon the rock.

7.26 And anyone who listens to my words, and does them not, will be like the foolish man who built his house on sand.

7.27 The rain came down and the rivers came up and the winds blew and hit against that house, and it fell, and its fall was great indeed.

7.28 After Jesus finished these words, it turned out that the crowd had been amazed at his doctrine

7.29 because he’d been teaching them not like their bible scholars, but like an authority.

8.1 After he had descended from the mountain, huge crowds followed him.

8.2 Suddenly, a leper came up to him and said, “Master, if you’re willing, you can make me clean.”

8.3 Jesus extended his hand, touched him, and said, “I’m willing. Be made clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

8.4 Jesus tells him, “See that you tell no one. Instead, go show yourself to the priest, and make the offering that Moses prescribed for bearing public witness.

8.5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and implored him,

8.6 saying, “Master, my servant is laid up in the house, paralyzed and in horrible pain.”

8.7 Jesus says, “I’ll come and treat him myself.”

8.8 The centurion’s answer: “Master, I’m not worthy of your entering under my roof; but only give the order, and my servant will be cured.

8.9 “You know I’m just a man under orders myself, but I have soldiers under me. When I say ‘Go’ to this one, he goes, and when I say ‘Come’ to that one, he comes, and when I say ‘Do this’ to my slave, he does it …”

8.10 When he heard that, Jesus was amazed and said to those following him, “I swear I haven’t found as much faith as this with anyone in Israel!

8.11 “I’m telling you, many will come from east and west andwill recline at the same table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

8.12 “but the heirs of the kingdom will be cast out into thedarkness outside, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth!”

8.13 Now Jesus told the centurion, “Go. Let it happen for you just as you have believed.” The servant was cured in that very hour.

8.14 Then Jesus entered Peter’s (“the Rock’s”) house and sawthat Peter’s mother-in-law was laid up with a fever.

8.15 He took her hand; the fever went away, and she got up and started looking after Jesus.

8.16 That evening, they brought many to him who were possessed by spirits; with a word, he cast out the spirits, and healed all those who were suffering,

8.17 so that the words of the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

8.18 But when Jesus saw the people crowding around him, he gave the order to go off to the other side of the water.

8.19 A solitary bible scholar came up and said to him, “Rabbi, anywhere you go off to, I’m going to follow you.”

8.20 To him Jesus says, “Foxes have their lairs and birds ofthe air have their encampments, but the Son of Man doesnot have anywhere to rest his head.”

8.21 Another of his disciples said to him, “Master, permit me to go off and bury my father.”

8.22 To him Jesus says, “Keep following me, and let the deadbury their own dead.”

8.23 And when he’d gotten into a boat, his disciples followed him there.

8.24 Suddenly there was a great heaving of the water, such that the boat was covered by waves; but Jesus was lying asleep.

8.25 The disciples came up and awakened him, saying, “Master, save us, we’re perishing!”

8.26 To them he says, “What kind of cowards are you, you of little faith?” After he’d got up, he scolded the windsand the sea, and there came a great calm.

8.27 The people were amazed, and said, “What sort of fellow is he, that winds and sea obey him?”

8.28 When he’d got to the other side in the ouskirts of Gadara, a pair of possessed people emerged from the cemetery and confronted him. (They were so out of control that nobody ever managed to pass through that way.)

8.29 All at once they bawled out, “What’s the problem between us and you, son of God? Did you come here to give us an early torment?”

8.30 Some distance away from them, a herd of pigs was grazing.

8.31 The demons tried to plead with him, saying, “If you’re going to cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

8.32 Jesus told them, “Go!” They went out and off into the pigs, and the whole herd of pigs suddenly plunged off the cliff into the sea and died in the midst of the waves.

8.33 The herdsmen ran off to the city and reported everything, including what had happened with the possessed people.

8.34 In the end, the whole city went out to confront Jesus. When they found him, they begged him to bypass their city limits.

9.1 So he got into the boat, crossed over, and came back tothe original city.

9.2 Before long they were bringing him a paralytic laid outon a stretcher. Seeing their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”

9.3 With that, some of the bible scholars said among themselves, “That fellow is blaspheming!”

9.4 Understanding their problem, Jesus said, “Why do you have these mean-spirited concerns in your hearts?

9.5 “Which is easier: to say ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say ‘Get up and walk’?

9.6 “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has poweron earth to forgive sins,” — here he says to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home!”

9.7 And he got up and went off to his home.9.8 When the crowd had seen this, they stood in awe and

gave glory to God for giving such authority to mere humans.

9.9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man sitting at the toll-booth, a man called Matthew, and to him he says, “Follow me!” And Matthew stood up and followed him.

9.10 It chanced to happen that just as Jesus was reclining for dinner at Matthew’s house, a crowd of toll-collectors and other stigmatized folk showed up and started reclining at the same table with Jesus and his disciples.

9.11 Seeing that, the Pharisees began to say to his disciples, “Why is your teacher eating with toll-collectors and unsavory types?”

9.12 When he heard that, Jesus said, “It’s not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

9.13 “Go look up what ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice’ means! Icame to summon not the just, but the sinners.”

9.14 Afterward, disciples of John come up to him and say, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees do a lot of fasting, but your disciples don’t do any?”

9.15 And Jesus asked them, “Can members of the bridegroom’s party be downcast as long as the bridegroom is still

with them? When the bridegroom has been taken away from them, there will come days when they will fast.

9.16 “No one tries to sew a patch of unworn material onto anold garment; the patch tears away from the garment, and the rip gets worse.

9.17 And they don’t pour new wine into old wineskins, either; if they do, the skins break, the wine leaks out, and the skins are ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

9.18 While he was talking this way, look, one of the synagogue officials came up and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died: come and put your hand on her, and she will live.”

9.19 Jesus got up and followed him, along with his disciples.

9.20 Suddenly, a woman who had had a bloody flux for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment.

9.21 She did this because she thought, “If only I can touch his garment, I’ll be cured.”

9.22 When Jesus turned and saw her, he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has cured you.” And from that hour the woman was cured.

9.23 When he’d come to the official’s house and had seen theflute-players and the noisy crowd,

9.24 he said, “Go home, go home, the girl’s not dead, only asleep.” The crowd then started to jeer at him,

9.25 but when they’d been dispersed, he went in and grasped her by the hand, and the girl got up.

9.26 His fame then spread over the whole country.9.27 When he left that place, two blind men followed after

Jesus, shouting and saying, “Take pity on us, son of David!”

9.28 The blind men approached him after he’d gone into Matthew’s house, and Jesus speaks to them: “Do you have faith that I can do this?” They tell him, “Yes, Master!”

9.29 He then touched their eyes and said, “Let it happen to you in keeping with your faith,”

9.30 and their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them urgently, “See that you don’t tell anyone!”

9.31 But as soon as they had left, they spread his fame through all that country.

9.32 With those two on their way, they now brought in to hima mute who was possessed.

9.33 When the bad spirit had been cast out of him, the mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Such a thing has never been seen in Israel!”

9.34 But the Pharisees were saying, “It’s through the chief of bad spirits that he’s casting out spirits!”

9.35 Now Jesus was visiting all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and disability.

9.36 When he looked at the crowd, he felt compassion for them because they were so hapless, wandering loose likesheep who had no shepherd.

9.37 He then addresses his disciples: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.

9.38 “Ask, therefore, the Master of the harvest to send out workers for his harvest.”

10.1 He then summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could expel them, and authority to heal every disease and disability.

10.2 Here are the names of those twelve emissaries: first Simon, called Peter (“Rock”), then Andreas his brother,then James son of Zebadaiah and John his brother,

10.3 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew the toll-collector, James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus,

10.4 Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot who handed Jesusover.

10.5 Jesus sent those twelve away with the following orders:Don’t go after Gentiles, and don’t go into the Samaritans’ city.

10.6 Instead, keep going to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, 10.7 and along the way keep making the announcement, “The kingdom of

heaven is near!”

10.8 Heal the disabled, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out bad spirits. You’ve taken freely, now give freely.

10.9 Don’t take gold or silver or even bronze coins in your belts, 10.10 no wallet for the road, no change of clothes or of shoes or staff.

Each worker is worth his own ongoing sustenance.10.11 In each city or village you come to, find out who in it is a worthy

person. Stay with that person until you depart. 10.12 Embrace the household as you enter,10.13 And if the household is worthy, let your peace be with it. If it is not

worthy, let your peace come back to you.10.14 And if anyone does not receive you, and does not listen to your

words, shake the dirt of that household or city off your feet as you leave it.10.15 I swear to you, on the day of judgment things will be more

bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city!10.16 Look, I’m sending you off like sheep amid wolves, so become as

clever as snakes and as innocent as doves. 10.17 And be careful of people. They’ll hand you over to synagogue

councils and flog you in their synagogues,10.18 and because of me you’ll be brought before governors and kings to

give testimony to them, and to the Gentiles.10.19 But whenever they hand you over, don’t worry about what you’re

going to say or how you’re going to say it: that will be given you on that occasion.

10.20 You see, it’s not going to be you who speaks, but your father’s spirit speaking through you.

10.21 Brother will hand over brother, and father will hand over son, to death. Children will rise up against parents and put them to death.

10.22 And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake, but the one who endures to the end will be saved.

10.23 When they persecute you in one city, flee to another. I swear to you, there’s no way for you to get through all the cities of Israel, at least not until the Son of Man comes.

10.24 No student has a higher status than his teacher, and no slave has ahigher status than his master.

10.25 It’s enough for the student to become like his teacher, and enough that the slave becomes like his master. If people have once named the head of a household “Beelzebub,” how much worse names will they give the rest of the household?

10.26 So have no fear of those people. There is no secret that is not to be revealed, and nothing hidden that is not to be made known.

10.27 What I tell you in darkness, speak out in the daylight, and what youreceive in your ear, preach from the rooftops!

10.28 Don’t be afraid of people who try to kill the body, but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who’s able to destroy both soul and body in the Vale of Fire.

10.29 Aren’t sparrows sold at two for a penny? And not a single one of them falls to the earth without your father’s willing it.

10.30 But you — the very hairs of your head have all been counted!10.31 So don’t be afraid; you are not the same as all those sparrows.10.32 Now then, anyone who will profess faith in me before the people, I

will also profess faith in that person before my father in heaven.10.33 But whoever will deny me before the people, I will also deny that

person before my father in heaven.10.34 Don’t think that I came to send peace to the world. I didn’t come to

send peace, but to send a sword! 10.35 You see, I came to divide a man “against his father, and the

daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her motherin law,

10.36 “and a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.”10.37 The one who loves a father or a mother more than me is not worthy

of me, and the one who loves a son or a daughter more than me is not worthy of me,

10.38 and the one who does not take up his cross and follow behind me isnot worthy of me.

10.39 The one who finds his life loses it, and the one who loses his life for my sake will find it.

10.40 The one who welcomes you welcomes me, and the one who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.

10.41 The one who welcomes a prophet for his calling as a prophet will receive the reward of a prophet, and the one who welcomes a just man forhis calling as a just man will receive the reward of a just man.

10.42 And the one who gives a cup of cold water to any of these young men for his calling as a disciple of mine, I swear to you there’s no way he’lllose his reward!

11.1 Finally, when Jesus had finished giving assignments to his twelve disciples, he moved from there in order to

carry on the teaching and preaching in the disciples’ cities.

11.2 Meanwhile, John, having heard of the works of the Messiah King from his prison cell, sent a question to him through his own disciples:

11.3 “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect another?”

11.4 And Jesus answered them by saying, “Go tell John what you hear and see:

11.5 “The blind recover their sight and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead get upand the poor are having the gospel preached to them.

11.6 “Blessed is the one who is not put off by what I am!”11.7 As those disciples were departing, Jesus began to speak

to the crowd about John: What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by wind?

11.8 No? So what did you go out to see? A person dressed in fancy clothes? Look again: the fancy dressers are in kings’ houses.

11.9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet!

11.10 He is the one of whom it is written, “Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.”

11.11 I swear to you that no one born of woman has ever been raised up greater than the baptizer John. But in the kingdom of heaven the youngerone is greater than him.

11.12 From the days of the baptizer John right up to now, the kingdom of heaven has been besieged, and the besiegers are taking it.

11.13 Until John came, it was all the prophets and the Torah that were delivering prophecy.

11.14 If you’re willing to accept it, John is the Elijah who is destined to come.

11.15 Let him who has ears, hear! 11.16 What can I say this generation is like? It’s like children sitting in the

markets yelling at others, 11.17 saying “We’ve played the flute and you haven’t danced!” “We’ve

sung a dirge and you haven’t mourned!”11.18 John came eating nothing and drinking nothing, and they say, “He’s

possessed!”

11.19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, the fellow’s a glutton and a tippler, a friend of toll-takers and miscreants!” And by her works [Jerome: offspring] is wisdom justified.

11.20 He went on to castigate the cities in which most of his feats had been done, because they did not repent:

11.21 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the feats that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes!

11.22 — just let me tell you, on Judgment Day it will go easier on Tyre andSidon than it will on you!

11.23 You, too, Capernaum, “which art exhalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell,” because if the feats that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would be there to this day.

11.24 Just let me tell you that on Judgment Day it will go easier on the land of Sodom than it will on you!

11.25 On that occasion Jesus concluded by saying, I’m grateful to you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that you’ve hidden this from the wise and the learned, and have revealed it to the innocent.

11.26 Yes, my Father, because that way has met with your approval!11.27 All things have been given over to me by my father, and no one

except the father recognizes the son, and no one recognizes the father except the son and anyone to whom the son wishes to reveal the father.

11.28 Come to me, all who struggle and are burdened, and I will relieve you.

11.29 Take my yoke upon yourselves and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find relief for your souls.

11.30 My yoke is pleasant, and my burden is easy to bear.

12.1 At that time, on a Sabbath, Jesus walked through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry, and started to pull off ears of grain and eat them.

12.2 When the Pharisees saw that, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not permitted on the Sabbath.”

12.3 He told them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

12.4 “ — how he went into the house of God and ate the offering-breads that neither he nor his companions werepermitted to eat, and that only the priests could eat?

12.5 “Or haven’t you read in the Torah that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are blameless?

12.6 “Let me tell you, something greater than the temple is here!

12.7 “If you had known the meaning of ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the blameless.

12.8 “The Son of Man, you see, is Master of the Sabbath.”12.9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue,12.10 and — look there, a man with a withered hand. The

Pharisees put the question to him: “Is it permitted toheal on the Sabbath?” (So that they might have a charge to bring against him.)

12.11 He answers them, “Who among you will have one sheep, and, if that sheep falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will be so inhuman as not to lay hold of it and bring it up?

12.12 Then by how much is a man different from a sheep? Of course it’s permitted to do what’s right on the Sabbath!”

12.13 With that, he tells the disabled man, “Stretch outyour hand.” He stretched it out: it had been restored to health, it was just like the other hand!

12.14 The Pharisees went out and took counsel against him, planning how they would destroy him.

12.15 Aware of that, Jesus withdrew from there. Many followed him, and he made them all well,

12.16 and made them promise not to draw attention to him,

12.17 so that the word uttered through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, that says,

12.18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

12.19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

12.20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

12.21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.12.22 At that time a person possessed was brought to

him, a person who was both blind and dumb. Jesus made him well, so that the mute was talking and seeing.

12.23 The whole crowd was astounded, and began to say, “Could this one be the son of David?”

12.24 The Pharisees heard, and said, “This one does not cast out demons except in Beelzebub, the prince of demons.”

12.25 Knowing their thoughts, he said, Any kingdom that’s divided against itself is deserted, and any city or household that’s divided against itself won’t survive.

12.26 If the devil casts out the devil, he has been divided against himself; how will his kingdom then survive?

12.27 If I’m casting out spirits in Beelzebub, then in whom do your peoplecast them out? That’s why your own people will be your judges!

12.28 But if it’s by the spirit of God that I cast out spirits, then the kingdom of God is here upon you.

12.29 Tell me, how can someone enter the mighty one’s house and snatchaway what he possesses unless he first ties down the mighty one? Only then can he plunder his house.

12.30 The one who is not with me is against me; the one who doesn’t joinme in rounding up the flock, is scattering it.

12.31 So I’m telling you, people will be forgiven every sin and slander, butslander of the spirit will not be forgiven!

12.32 If someone says something against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but if anyone speaks against the holy spirit, it will not be forgiven him either in this age or in the age to come.

12.33 Either make a tree good and its fruit good, or make a tree rotten and its fruit rotten. You’ll know the tree by its fruit.

12.34 Offspring of vipers, how can you speak words of virtue, when you’reso vicious yourselves? For the mouth speaks from the heart’s overflow.

12.35 The virtuous person brings forth virtuous words from a storehouse of virtue, but the vicious person brings forth vicious words from a storehouse of viciousness.

12.36 I’m telling you that on the Day of Judgment people will have to give an account of every idle word they’re going to speak.

12.37 For you will be judged from your words, and from your words you will be condemned.

12.38 Then some bible scholars and Pharisees challenged him, saying, “Rabbi, we want a sign from you.”

12.39 His response to them was: A vicious and adulterous generation is looking for a sign, and no sign will be given them except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

12.40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea-monster three days andthree nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

12.41 At the Judgment, the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s preaching, while here before you is something much more than Jonah!

12.42 At the Judgment, the queen of the South will rise up with this generation and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom, while here before you is something much more than Solomon!

12.43 When a malicious spirit departs from a person, it wanders through unwatered places looking for relief, and doesn’t find it.

12.44 Finally it says, “I’m going back to my dwelling, the one that I left.” And it goes and finds the place vacant, swept, and in good order.

12.45 It then proceeds to take along seven other spirits more vicious thanitself, and they all go in and settle there, and the final state of that person is worse than the first. That’s how it will be with this vicious generation.

12.46 While he was still speaking to the crowd, look there: his mother and brothers had been standing outside waiting to speak with him.

12.47 Someone told him, “Look there, your mother and brothers have been standing outside waiting to speak with you.” [Some early MSS omit verse 47.]

12.48 Jesus responded to that person, “Who is my mother,and who are my brothers?

12.49 Then he stretched out his hand to his disciples and said, “There is my mother, there are my brothers!

12.50 “Whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and my sister and my mother.”

13.1 On that day Jesus had gone out of the house and was sitting by the Sea of Galilee.

13.2 A huge crowd gathered around him, so that he had to getinto a boat and sit there, while the whole crowd stood on the shore.

13.3 He said a great deal to them by speaking in parables: Look, a sower went out to sow seeds.

13.4 and while he was sowing them some fell next to the road, and birds came and ate them up.

13.5 Other seeds fell on rocky terrain where there wasn’t much soil, and immediately sprang up because they weren’t buried in deep soil;

13.6 When the sun came up, the shoots were scorched and, not being rooted, dried up.

13.7 Other seeds fell among the thistles, and the thistles grew up and choked them.

13.8 Still others fell on good soil and started to produce a crop, one a hundredfold harvest, another sixtyfold, another thirtyfold.

13.9 Let the one who has ears hear.13.10 His disciples came up to him and asked him, “Why

do you speak to them in parables?”13.11 Jesus responded, It has been given to you to know the

mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; it has not been given to them.13.12 To the one who has it, that and more than that will be given. Those

who don’t have it, even what they have will be taken away from them.13.13 I speak to them in parables because when they see they don’t see,

and when they hear they don’t listen or understand.13.14 For them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, the one that says,

“By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive;

13.15 “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with theirheart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

13.16 But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear.

13.17 I swear to you that many prophets and just men yearned to see what you see, and they did not see, and to hear what you hear, and they did not hear.

13.18 So you, now, give ear to the parable of the sower:13.19 From each one who hears the word of the Kingdom and does not

understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown

in their heart: and this is the one in whom seed was sown next to the road.

13.20 The one in whom seed was sown on rocky terrain, that’s the one who hears the word and receives it right away with joy;

13.21 but that one has no root inside, is only temporary, and is put off right away when oppression or persecution comes on account of the word.

13.22 And the one in whom it was sown amid thistles, that’s the one who hears the word, but worldly cares and the tricks of wealth stifle the word, and it bears no fruit.

13.23 But the one in whom it was sown on good soil, that’s the one who hears and understands the word, and surely starts to bear a crop, one yielding a hundredfold harvest, another sixtyfold, another thirtyfold.

13.24 He set another parable before the people, as follows: The kingdom of heaven has been likened to a man who had sown good seed in his field.

13.25 While his people slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds amid the grain, and went off.

13.26 When the planting had grown up and begun to produce a crop, theweeds showed up at the same time.

13.27 The slaves went up to the head of their household and said to him, “Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where does it get the weeds from?”

13.28 He told them, “A person who is an enemy did this.” The slaves asked him, “So do you want us to go off and gather up the weeds?”

13.29 “No,” he says, “lest when you gather up the weeds, you uproot someof the grain along with them.

13.30 “Let both weeds and grain grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I’ll tell the harvesters to gather up the weeds first and tie them into bundles for burning, and to gather the grain crop into my barn.

13.31 He set another parable before them, as follows: The kingdom of heaven is the same as a mustard seed that someone takesand sows in their field.

13.32 It’s the smallest of all seeds, but when it’s matured, it’s bigger than garden herbs and gets to be a tree that birds of the air can come to and roost in its branches.

13.33 One more parable he told them: The kingdom of heaven is the same as yeast that a woman has taken and hidden in three measures of meal, until the whole loaf has been leavened.

13.34 All of this Jesus told the crowd in parables, and told them nothing without giving a parable,

13.35 so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

13.36 Then he dismissed the crowd and went into the house, and his disciples came up to him and said, “Clarify for us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

13.37 The sower of the good seed, he explained, is the Son of Man. 13.38 The field is the world. The good seed are the people of the

kingdom, the weeds are the people of the Evil One, 13.39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the

consummation of the age, and the harvesters are angels.13.40 So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned by fire, so it will

be in the consummation of the age.13.41 The Son of Man will send off his angels, and they will gather up

from his kingdom all the stumbling-blocks and the people who foster lawlessness,

13.42 and they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13.43 Then the benevolent will shine like the sun in their father’s kingdom. Let the one with ears hear.

13.44 The kingdom of heaven is the same as a treasure hidden in a field, a treasure that a person found and has kept hidden, and goes with great joy to sell all that he owns and buys that field.

13.45 Then again, the kingdom of heaven is the same as the case of a merchant who was looking for fine pearls.

13.46 When he had found a very valuable pearl, he sold everything he owned and bought it.

13.47 And again, the kingdom of heaven is the same as a net thrown into the sea that has gathered up sea-creatures of every variety.

13.48 When it’s full, they drag it up onto the beach and sit down and collect the good ones into buckets, and throw the bad ones out.

13.49 That’s how it will be at the consummation of the age: angels will come forth and set the vicious apart from the just,

13.50 and will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13.51 Have you understood all this? “Yes,” they tell him.

13.52 And he said to them, “I ask, because every bible scholar who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who deals out what is both old and new from his treasury.”

13.53 As it happened, when he had finished these parables, he departed from there.

13.54 He came into his homeland and began to teach the people in their synagogue, which caused their amazement. “Where,” they said, “does he get this wisdom and these powers?

13.55 “Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’sname Mary, and aren’t his brothers James and Joseph andShimon and Judah?

13.56 “And aren’t all his sisters in our town? So wheredoes he get all this?”

13.57 And they began to take offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor — except in his homeland and his own house.”

13.58 And he performed not many feats there, because of their lack of faith.

14.1 It was at that time that Herodes the Tetrarch heard of Jesus’ reputation,

14.2 and he told his lackeys, “That fellow is the baptizer John; he’s risen from the dead, and that’s how it is that the powers work in him.”

14.3 You see, Herodes had arrested John and put him in chains, and to please his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, he had put him away in prison,

14.4 since John had kept telling Herodes, “It’s not lawful for you to have her.”

14.5 Though Herodes wanted to kill him, he was afraid of thecrowd, because they considered him to be a prophet.

14.6 On Herodes’ birthday Herodias’ daughter danced at the party and pleased Herodes,

14.7 and for that reason he agreed, taking an oath, to give her whatever she should ask.

14.8 Prompted by her mother, she says, “Give me here, on a plate, the head of baptizer John!”

14.9 Although distressed, the king, on account of his oaths and the presence of dinner guests, ordered her wish granted.

14.10 He sent out and had John beheaded in the prison.14.11 His head was brought on a plate and given to the

girl, and she took it to her mother.14.12 John’s disciples came forward and took up the

corpse and buried it; they then went and reported to Jesus.

14.13 When he had heard, Jesus, taking a boat, departed from there to be by himself in a deserted place. The crowd heard about it and followed him on foot from their towns.

14.14 When he came out, he saw a huge crowd; he felt compassion for them, and healed their sick.

14.15 But when it got to be late in the day, his disciples approached him and said, “This place is a wilderness and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowd, so that they can go off to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

14.16 But Jesus told them, “They don’t have to leave. You yourselves, give them something to eat!”

14.17 And they tell him, “We don’t have anything here except five loaves of bread and two fish.”

14.18 Jesus said, “Bring them here to me!”14.19 Then he told the crowd to recline on the grass.

He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looked upinto the sky, and blessed them. He broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowd.

14.20 Everyone ate, and ate their fill, and picked up twelve full baskets of leftovers.

14.21 The men who were eating were around five thousand,not counting women and children.

14.22 Right after that, he made the disciples get in theboat and go on ahead of him to the other side, until heshould dismiss the crowd.

14.23 After he had dismissed the crowd, he went by himself up the mountain to pray. He was alone there when evening had come.

14.24 By now the boat was a far piece from the shore andtossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

14.25 During the fourth watch of night Jesus came walking on the sea toward them.

14.26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were thoroughly shaken, and swore it was a ghost, and cried out in fear.

14.27 Immediately he said to them, “It’s all right, it’sme. Don’t be afraid!”

14.28 Peter the Rock answered him: “Master, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the waters!”

14.29 Jesus said, “Come on!” Peter got off the boat, walked on the waters, and came toward Jesus.

14.30 He took fright, however, when he looked into the wind. When he started to sink, he shouted, “Master, save me!”

14.31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and laid hold of him. Jesus says to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

14.32 They got into the boat, and the wind died down.14.33 The others in the boat fell at his feet, saying,

“You are truly the son of God.”14.34 After crossing, they went ashore at Gennesaret.14.35 When the men of that place had recognized him,

they sent out to that whole region and brought to him everyone who was unwell,

14.36 and begged him only to let them touch the hem of his garment. All who touched it recovered their health.

15.1 Then Pharisees and bible scholars from Jerusalem approach Jesus and say,

15.2 “Why do your disciples violate the tradition of the elders? Look, they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”

15.3 He answered them, Why do you, too, violate god’s commandment because of your tradition?

15.4 For God said, “Honor thy father and mother” and “He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.”

15.5 But according to you, it’s all right for people to say to father or mother, “The help you’d have gotten from me has been given as a temple-offering.”

15.6 They won’t be honoring their parent that way! You’ve nullified God’s law for the sake of your own tradition.

15.7 Hypocrites, Isaiah gave the right prophecy about you when he said,15.8 “This people draweth nigh to me with their mouth, and honoreth me with

their lips; but their heart is far from me.15.9 “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the

commandments of men.”15.10 Then he called the crowd over and said to them,

“Listen and understand:15.11 “It’s not what comes into the mouth that defiles a

person, but what goes out of the mouth — that’s what defiles a person.”

15.12 Meanwhile, his disciples come up and say to him, “Do you know the Pharisees took offense when they heardwhat you said?”

15.13 He responded, “Every plant that my father in heaven hasn’t planted will be uprooted.

15.14 “Forget about those people: they are blind guides[Jerome: blind guides of the blind]. When a blind man leads ablind man, both of them will fall into a pit.”

15.15 Peter responded to him: “Explain the parable to us.”

15.16 Jesus answered, “Are you, too, missing the point?15.17 “Don’t you see that everything that goes into the

mouth passes into the gut and is excreted into the privy?

15.18 “What leaves the mouth, on the other hand, is coming out of the heart, and that’s what can defile a person.

15.19 Out of the heart, you see, come vicious contention, murder, adultery, sexual offenses, theft, bearing false witness, and slander.

15.20 Those are the things that defile a human being; eating with unwashed hands does not defile a human being.

15.21 Jesus departed from there and proceeded back to the Tyre and Sidon areas.

15.22 Suddenly a Gentile Canaanite woman from that vicinity came out and shouted to him, “Have pity on me,Master, Son of David! My daughter is possessed in the worst way.”

15.23 He answered her not a word. His disciples came upand began to entreat him: “Give her some relief, because she won’t stop shouting after us.”

15.24 He replied: “I was not given a mission to anyone except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

15.25 But she came and fell at his feet, saying, “Master, give me some help!”

15.26 He responded, “It’s not right to take the bread that belongs to one’s own children and throw it to the dogs.”

15.27 And she said, “That’s right, Master, because the dogs can feed from the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table!”

15.28 And Jesus answered her, “Woman, your faith is great: let it be done as you wish.” Her daughter was healed from that very hour.

15.29 Moving along from there, Jesus came to the Sea of Galilee, then went up the mountain and sat down there.

15.30 A big crowd came up to him, bringing with them thecrippled, the blind, the deformed, the deaf and dumb, and many others, and cast them at his feet, and he healed them.

15.31 And of course the crowd was amazed to see the dumbspeaking, the deformed made whole, the crippled walking, and the blind seeing; and they gave glory to the God of Israel.

15.32 Then Jesus got his disciples to come to him and said, “I’m feeling sorry for the crowd: it’s now threedays that they abide with me, and they’ve had nothing to eat. I’m not willing to dismiss them while they’re

fasting, for fear they may faint somewhere along the way.”

15.33 The disciples ask him, “Where are we going to get that much bread in the middle of nowhere to feed that big a crowd?

15.34 Jesus asks them, “How many loaves have we?” “Seven” was their response, “and a few little fish.”

15.35 He had the crowd recline on the ground. 15.36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, made a

prayer of thanks, broke it all up and began to give it to his disciples, and the disciples gave it to the crowd.

15.37 They all ate their fill, and picked up the leftover bits — seven baskets full.

15.38 The men who ate were four thousand, not counting women and children.

15.39 Finally, he dismissed the crowd, got into the boat, and came to the Magadan region.

16.1 There the Pharisees and the Sadducees came up to him and tested him with a request to show them a sign from heaven.

16.2 His response to them: [Not in some early MSS : “When it’s evening, you say ‘Fair weather,’ because the sky is red.

16.3 “And in the morning, you say ‘Storm today,’ because thesky is red but gloomy. You know how to interpret the look of the sky, but you can’t interpret the signs of the times.]

16.4 “A vicious and adulterous generation is looking for a sign, and no sign will be given them except the sign ofJonah.” And he left them there and went off.

16.5 When his disciples came to the other side, they had forgotten to get bread.

16.6 Jesus remarked to them, “See that you beware the leavenof the Pharisees and Sadducees!”

16.7 They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “That’s right, we didn’t get bread loaves!”

16.8 Jesus understood and said, “What are you discussing among yourselves, you of little faith? having no bread?

16.9 “Haven’t you figured it out? Don’t you remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

16.10 “or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and howmany big baskets you took up?

16.11 “How can you not know that I wasn’t talking to you about loaves of bread? Beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”

16.12 Finally they understood that he wasn’t telling them to beware of leaven, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

16.13 After he’d come to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say isthe Son of Man?”

16.14 They said, “Some say the baptizer John, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

16.15 His response: “And you, who do you think I am?”16.16 Simon the Rock answered, “You are the Anointed

King, the son of the living God.”16.17 Jesus responded to him, “You are blessed, Simon

bar-Jonah, because it was not flesh and blood that revealed it to you, but my father in heaven.

16.18 “And I tell you that you are Peter the Rock, and on this rock I’ll build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

16.19 “I’m going to give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound inheaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

16.20 Then he gave express orders to his disciples that they tell no one that he was the Anointed One.

16.21 From that time Jesus began to indicate to his disciples that he had to go off to Jerusalem, and had to suffer a lot at the hands of the elders and high

priests and bible scholars, and had to be killed and raised up on the third day.

16.22 Peter took hold of him and started to rebuke him, saying, “For God’s sake, Master, there’s no way that’s going to happen to you!”

16.23 Jesus turned his back and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You offend me, because you don’t care about what belongs to God, but only what belongs to humans.”

16.24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone is willing to get in line behind me, let him deny himself,pick up his cross, and follow me!

16.25 “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

16.26 “For how does a person benefit by gaining the whole world, but at the cost of their life? In other words, what will a person give in exchange for their life?

16.27 “The Son of Man, you see, is getting ready to comein the glory of his father, together with his angels, and at that time he will repay each and every one in accordance with the way they acted.

16.28 “I swear to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the arrival of the Son of Man in his kingdom.”

17.1 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and James’s brother John along with him, and brought them high up on a mountain, just by themselves.

17.2 And he was transformed right in front of them. His face shone like the sun and his clothing became white as light.

17.3 Suddenly they saw Moses and Elijah conversing with him.17.4 Peter reacted by telling Jesus, “Master, it’s right for

us to be here. If you want, I can make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

17.5 While he was going on like this, suddenly a brilliant cloud covered them and, amazingly, there was a voice

out of the heavens saying, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased! Listen to him!”

17.6 Having heard that, the disciples fell on their faces and were very much afraid.

17.7 Jesus came up and laid his hands on them. “Get up and don’t be afraid,” he said.

17.8 They looked up and saw no one except Jesus himself, alone.

17.9 And as they were going down from the mountain, he commanded them: “Don’t tell anyone the vision, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

17.10 His disciples posed a question to him: “So why dothe bible scholars keep saying that Elijah has to come first?”

17.11 He answered, “ ‘Elijah is coming and will restore everything ’:

17.12 “yes, but I’m telling you that Elijah has already come, and they didn’t recognize him; instead, they’ve done to him whatever they felt like doing, just as theSon of Man will also suffer at their hands.”

17.13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about the baptizer John.

17.14 As they were coming toward the crowd, a man approached him, fell on his knees before him,

17.15 and said, “Master, take pity on my son, who is epileptic and having a very hard time. Many times he’sfallen into the fire, many times into the water.

17.16 “I brought him to your disciples, but they weren’table to treat him.

17.17 Jesus’ response was to say, “O faithless and perverse generation, how much longer will I be with you? How much longer will I endure you? Bring him here to me!”

17.18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon left him. The boy was healed from that very hour.

17.19 At that point the disciples approached Jesus privately, and asked, “Why were we ourselves unable to cast it out?”

17.20 “On account of your lack of faith,” he tells them.“I swear to you, if you have as little as a mustard seed of faith, you’ll tell this mountain, ‘Move over there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

17.21 [Omitted from best MSS : “But this type of demon is only cast out by prayer and fasting.”]

17.22 During their gathering in Galilee Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be handed over into the hands of men,

17.23 “and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up.” And they grieved bitterly.

17.24 When they had come to Capernaum the collectors of the two-drachma (half shekel) temple tax came up to Peter and said, “Isn’t your teacher paying the tax?”

17.25 “He is,” says Peter. And when they’d gone into his house, Jesus brought it up first: “What do you think, Simon: from whom do the rulers of the land takesales or income taxes? — from their own folk, or from unrelated people?”

17.26 When he had said, “From unrelated people,” Jesus said to him, “So then their own folk are to be exempt!

17.27 “However, so that we don’t scandalize them, you goout to the water and cast a line, and take the first fish that comes up. When you’ve opened its mouth, you’ll find a whole shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and you.”

18.1 At the same time, the disciples came to Jesus and said,“Tell us then, who is to have higher status in the kingdom of heaven?”

18.2 He called over a child, set him in their midst, 18.3 and said, I swear to you, if you don’t go back and become like

children, there’s no way for you to enter the kingdom of heaven.18.4 So the one who humbles himself to be like this child, that’s the one with

higher status in the kingdom of heaven,18.5 and anyone who in my name receives a single one like this, is receiving

me.

18.6 Anyone who causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it’s best for him that an ass’s millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be sunk in the open sea.

18.7 Woe to the world for its stumbling-blocks! Stumbling-blocks have to come, but woe to the human through whom a stumbling-block comes!

18.8 If your hand or your foot is a stumbling-block to you, cut it off and throw it away! It’s all right for you to enter the Life maimed or crippled — better than having two hands and two feet and being thrown into the eon of fire!

18.9 If your eye is a stumbling-block to you, tear it out and throw it away! It’s all right for you to enter the Life with one eye — better than having two eyes and being thrown into the Vale of Fire!

18.10 See that you don’t look down on a single one of these little ones. I swear to you that their angels in heaven see at all times the face of my father in heaven.

18.11 [ Omitted from the best MSS : For the Son of Man has come to save what is lost.]

18.12 What do you think? If some man happens to have a hundred sheep, and one of them strays from the others, won’t he leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go looking for the one who strays?

18.13 And if he happens to find it, I swear to you that he rejoices more in that one than in the ninety who don’t stray.

18.14 In the same way, there’s no willingness on the part of your father inheaven to let one of these little children be lost.

18.15 If your brother commits a sin, go and point it out to him, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

18.16 If he doesn’t listen, then bring two or three people along with you, so that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.”

18.17 If he pays no attention to them, tell the assembly. If he pays no attention to the assembly, deal with him as you would with a Gentile or a tax-farmer.

18.18 I swear to you that as many things as you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and as many things as you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

18.19 I tell you further that if two from your number on earth are in agreement on anything they want to ask, it will be done for them at the hands of my father in heaven,

18.20 for where two or three have been gathered in my name, there I am in their midst.

18.21 At that time Peter approached him and asked, “Master, how many times does my brother get to sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

18.22 Jesus tells him, No, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times!

18.23 That’s why the kingdom of heaven is the same as the case of a human king who wanted to reckon up the accounts with his slaves.

18.24 When he’d begun the reckoning, one was brought before him who owed ten thousand talents.

18.25 Since the man couldn’t pay him back, the master ordered him, his wife and children, and everything he owned, to be sold, and the debt to berepaid from those proceeds.

18.26 Then the slave fell down and kept prostrating himself before him, saying, “Be patient with me, and I’ll pay everything back to you!”

18.27 The master felt sorry for that slave, released him, and forgave him the loan.

18.28 When that slave had gone out, he came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him 100 denarii. He grabbed him and began to throttle him, telling him, “Pay back whatever you owe!”

18.29 Then his fellow-slave pleaded with him, saying, “Be patient with me,and I’ll pay you back!”

18.30 But he was not willing. Instead, he marched him off and threw himin prison until he should repay the debt.

18.31 Now, his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, and were outraged. They went and gave a full account to their master of the entire affair.

18.32 Then his master, after summoning him, tells him, “Vicious slave, I forgave you all your debt because you begged me.

18.33 “Shouldn’t you, too, have mercy on your fellow-slave just as I had mercy on you?

18.34 His master was so enraged that he handed him over to the torturers until he should repay everything he owed.

18.35 My heavenly father will do likewise with you if each one of you doesnot forgive his brother from your heart.

19.1 It happened that when Jesus had finished these conversations, he departed from Galilee and came into the territories of Judea beyond the Jordan.

19.2 A big crowd followed him, and he ministered to them there.

19.3 The Pharisees approached him and tried to test him, asking if a man is permitted to divorce his wife for any and all causes.

19.4 His response: “Haven’t you read that from the beginning the creator ‘made them male and female ’

19.5 “and said, ‘For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh ’?

19.6 “Thus they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together let no human separate.”

19.7 They ask him, “Why then did Moses command a man to givehis wife a divorce document and let her go?”

19.8 He tells them, “Moses, in view of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to let your wives go, but it hasn’tbeen that way from the beginning.

19.9 “I’m telling you that anyone who divorces his wife other than for her being promiscuous, and who marries another woman, is committing adultery.”

19.10 The disciples say to him, “If a person’s situationwith his wife is that restrictive, then there’s no advantage in marrying.”

19.11 And he said to them, “Not everyone can live with that viewpoint — only those who have the gift for it.

19.12 “There are some eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb; there are some who’ve been castrated by other men; and there are eunuchs who’ve castrated themselves for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him who can live with it, live with it.”

19.13 Then children were brought to him, so that he might lay his hands on them and offer prayers. The disciples, however, objected to them.

19.14 But Jesus said, “Let the children be, and don’t keep them from coming to me. The kingdom of heaven, you see, belongs to such as these.”

19.15 When he had laid his hands upon them, he passed onfrom there.

19.16 Suddenly one person came up to him and said, “Rabbi, name something good that I can do to gain the life of the coming eon!”

19.17 Jesus said to him, “Why ask me about a ‘something good’? There is just One who is good! But if you wantto enter into the life of the eon to come, observe the commandments.”

19.18 The man says, “Which ones?” Jesus says, “Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

19.19 “Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shaltlove thy neighbor as thyself.”

19.20 The young man tells him, “All those commandments Ihave kept. Where do I still fall short?”

19.21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give the money to the poor — you’ll have your treasure in heaven — and come follow me.”

19.22 After hearing that word, the young man went off feeling sad. He was, you see, a man of means.

19.23 Jesus said to his disciples, “I swear to you that it’s difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

19.24 “I’ll tell you again, it’s an easier job for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter God’s kingdom.”

19.25 When they heard that, the disciples were astoundedand said, “Then who is able to be saved?”

19.26 He looked on them and said, “With men, that is impossible; with God, all things are possible.”

19.27 Peter took up with him at that point: “Look, we have let everything go and have followed you. What, then, will there be for us?”

19.28 Jesus said to them, I swear to you that you who have followed me, at the time of the Rebirth, when the Son of Man is sitting on

the throne of his glory, you, too, will be seated on twelve thrones as you judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

19.29 And everyone who has left homes or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundredfold in return, and will inherit the life of the coming eon.

19.30 But many who are first will be last, and many last will be first.

20.1 You see, the kingdom of heaven is the same as the case of the lord of the manor who had gone out in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

20.2 He came to an agreement with the workers for a denarius a day, and sent them off to his vineyard.

20.3 Around the third hour, he went out and noticed others standing idle in themarket.

20.4 “You too,” he told them, “go on to the vineyard; I’ll pay you whatever is fair.”

20.5 Off they went. He went out again around the sixth hour and again around the ninth hour, and did the same thing.

20.6 Around the eleventh hour he went out and noticed still others standing around. To them he says, “Why do you stand here idle all day long?”

20.7 “Because nobody’s hired us,” they tell him. “You, too, then,” he tells them, “get along to the vineyard.”

20.8 When evening comes, the master of the vineyard tells his manager, “Summon the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last and ending with the first.”

20.9 And the workers from the eleventh hour came and got a denarius apiece.20.10 So when the earliest workers came, they expected to get more. But

they, too, got a denarius apiece. 20.11 When they took their pay, they grumbled against the lord of the

manor, 20.12 saying, “Those last ones did one hour’s work, and you made them

equal to us who bore the day’s burden and the heat as well.”20.13 But he answered one of them, “Friend, I’m not being unfair to you.

Didn’t you and I agree to one denarius?20.14 “Take your pay and be off! It’s my choice to give this last one the

same as I gave you.20.15 “Can’t I do as I like with my own affairs? Or do you look on my

generosity with a jaundiced eye?”20.16 Thus will the last be first and the first last.

20.17 During the journey up to Jerusalem, Jesus took thetwelve aside and spoke to them as they went along:

20.18 “This is it: we’re going up to Jerusalem, and theSon of Man will be handed over to the high priests and the bible scholars, and they will condemn him to death,

20.19 “and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be madefun of, and whipped, and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised up!”

20.20 At that point the mother of the sons of Zebadaiah came up to him with her sons, prostrating herself in supplication.

20.21 “What are you wanting?” he asked her. She tells him, “Say that, in your kingdom, these two sons of minewill be seated one to your right and one to your left.”

20.22 “You all don’t know what you’re asking,” answered Jesus. “Are you able to drink the cup that I’m about to drink?” “We are,” they tell him.

20.23 “Then you’ll drink my cup, but as for seats to my right and to my left, those are not mine to give; theybelong to those for whom my father has prepared places.”

20.24 When they had heard of this, the other ten disciples were indignant toward the two brothers.

20.25 But Jesus had them come to him, and said, “You know that Gentile rulers have a hierarchy of power, andthat the powerful exercise authority over the others.

20.26 “It will not be that way with you. Instead, whoever is wishing to become great among you will be your servant,

20.27 “and whoever is wishing to be first among you willbe your slave,

20.28 “just as the Son of Man has not come to be served,but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

20.29 As they traveled out of Jericho, a huge crowd followed him.

20.30 And look, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, shouted, “Take pity on us, son of David!”

20.31 The crowd admonished them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Master, son of David, take pity on us!”

20.32 Jesus stopped and called out to them, “What are you wanting me to do for you?”

20.33 They answer him, “Master, to let our eyes be opened!”

20.34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes, and straightway they looked up, and followed him.

21.1 And when they had drawn near to Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent off twodisciples

21.2 with the words, “Go over to the village you see opposite, and you’ll immediately find a donkey tied up together with her foal. Untie them and bring them to me.

21.3 “If anyone says anything to you, tell them that your master has need of them, but will send them right back.”

21.4 This was done so that the words spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

21.5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, andsitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

21.6 The disciples went out and did what Jesus had told themto do:

21.7 they brought the donkey and her foal, and laid their garments on them, and he seated himself [Jerome : theyseated him] upon the garments.

21.8 Most of the crowd spread their own garments on the road, while others started to cut branches from trees and spread them on the road.

21.9 The crowd, both those leading him and those following behind, kept shouting, “God save the son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!”

21.10 When he came into Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken and said, “Who is this man?”

21.11 The crowd kept saying, “This man is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee!”

21.12 Jesus went into the temple and cast out all the sellers and buyers in the temple, overturning the currency-exchange tables and the dove-sellers’ booths

21.13 and telling them, “It is written that My house shall be called the house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves !”

21.14 Then the blind and the crippled came to him in thetemple, and he healed them.

21.15 When the high priests and the bible scholars had seen the miracles he performed, and had seen the children shouting in the temple over and over, “God save the son of David!,” they became indignant,

21.16 and asked him, “Do you hear what they’re saying?” And Jesus answers them, “Yes; haven’t you read that Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise ?

21.17 He took his leave of those people and went to Bethany on the outskirts of the city, where he took lodgings.

21.18 In the morning, as he was proceeding back to the city, he became hungry.

21.19 Along the road he saw a solitary fig tree, and went over to it. Finding nothing on it but foliage, hetells it, “Let there be no fruit from you, ever in thisage!” The fig tree dried up on the spot.

21.20 The disciples marveled at the sight of it, saying,“How did the fig tree dry up on the spot?”

21.21 Jesus answered them, “I swear to you, if you have unwavering faith, you’ll not only do what I did with the fig tree; if you even tell this mountain, ‘Get up and throw yourself into the sea,’ it will happen.

21.22 “What’s more, everything you ask in your prayers, no matter what, you’ll receive, as long as you have faith.”

21.23 When he’d come to the temple and begun teaching, the high priests and elders of the people came up to him and asked, “By what authority are you doing all this? And who gave you this authority?”

21.24 In answer, Jesus said to them, “And I’m going to ask you one question; if you give me an answer, then I, too, will give you an answer as to the authority by which I do all this.

21.25 “So tell me, where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from humans?” They went into a discussion among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he’ll ask us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’

21.26 “And if we say, ‘From humans,’ we have to be afraid of the crowd: they all consider John to have been a prophet.”

21.27 So they gave their answer to Jesus: “We do not know.” And his answer to them: “And I am not telling you by what authority I’m doing all this.

21.28 “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He approached the first and said, ‘Boy, go to work in the vineyard today.’

21.29 “He answered, ‘No, I don’t want to,’ but later changed his mind and went.

21.30 “He approached the second and said the same thing,and he answered, ‘Of course, Master!” but didn’t go.

21.31 “Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they say. Jesus says to them, I swear to you that toll-takers and prostitutes are getting into the kingdom of God aheadof you.

21.32 John, you see, came to you walking on the road of justice and fairness, and you didn’t believe him, whereas toll-takers and prostitutes believed him. Even after you’d seen him, you didn’t change your minds later so as to believe him.

21.33 Listen to another parable: There was a lord of the manor who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine-press trough and erected a tower there. He then let it out to farmers and went away.

21.34 When it was near harvest-time, he sent his slaves out to the farmersto collect his grape-harvest.

21.35 The farmers took his slaves, and flayed one, and killed another, andstoned yet another.

21.36 Once more he sent out other slaves, more than the first, and the farmers did the same to them.

21.37 Finally he sent his son out to them, saying, “They will show respect to my son.”

21.38 But the farmers, on seeing his son, said among themselves, “Here we have the heir. Come on, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!”

21.39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.21.40 Now, when the master of the vineyard comes, what will he do to

those farmers?21.41 “He will bring vile destruction upon those vile

men,” they tell him, “and will let out the vineyard to other farmers who will render to him his harvest when its time is ripe.”

21.42 “Have you never read in the scriptures,” Jesus asks them, “that The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes ?”

21.43 “This is why I say to you that the kingdom of God will be taken up and away from you, and will be given to the nation that produces the fruits of the kingdom.

21.44 “As for that stone, the one who falls upon it willbe shattered, and the one upon whom it may fall, it will pulverize!”

21.45 The high priests and Pharisees who had heard his parables understood that he was talking about them.

21.46 Though they were looking for a way to seize him, they were afraid of the crowd, because the crowd held him to be a prophet.

22.1 Jesus made yet other responses by speaking to them in parables:

22.2 The kingdom of heaven is the same as the case of the king who held a wedding feast for his son.

22.3 He sent his slaves to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they weren’t willing to come.

22.4 He sent yet other slaves, instructing them to tell the invited guests, “Look, I’ve got my dinner prepared, my bulls and fatted calves have been slaughtered, everything is ready: come to the feast!”

22.5 But they paid no attention; one of them went off to his own field, another went off to his shop.

22.6 The rest, after seizing the king’s slaves, tormented and killed them.

22.7 The king was furious. He sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

22.8 Then he tells his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but the invited guests were not worthy.

22.9 “Go, therefore, to streets off the main roads and summon to the feast as many people as you can find.”

22.10 Those slaves went out onto the main roads and gathered everyone they found, bad and good, so the wedding feast was full of convivial diners.

22.11 The king came in to have a look at the diners and spotted someone there who wasn’t dressed in a wedding suit.

22.12 “Friend,” he says to him, “how did you get in here without a wedding suit?” The fellow was speechless.

22.13 The king then said to his servants, “Bind him hand and foot and throw him out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth!”

22.14 Many, you see, are the summoned, but few are the elect. 11:30>12:50<

22.15 As they went their way that time, the Pharisees took counsel as to how they might entrap him in what hewas saying.

22.16 Finally, they send their own disciples together with partisans of King Herodes, and they say, “Rabbi, we know that you speak the truth and teach in truth theway of God, and you aren’t impressed by anyone, becauseyou don’t look at labels on people. 1:00> 2:15<

22.17 “So tell us what you think: is it permitted to pay the poll-tax to Caesar, or not?”

22.18 Jesus, aware of their maliciousness, said, “Why are you making trial of me, hypocrites?

22.19 “Show me the coin of the poll-tax!” And they brought out a denarius for him.

22.20 He asks them, “Whose portrait and inscription is this?”

22.21 “Caesar’s,” they tell him. Then he tells them, “So then pay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God!”

22.22 They were amazed at what they heard, and let him be, and departed.

22.23 The same day there came to him Sadducees (who say there’s no resurrection), and they examined him,

22.24 saying, “Rabbi, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

22.25 “We were a family of seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wifeto his brother.

22.26 “It happened the same way with the second and third brothers, and on down through all seven.

22.27 “Last of all, the wife died.22.28 “So then in the resurrection, which of the seven

will the wife belong to? — because you see all of them used to have her!”

22.29 Jesus’ response to them: “You’re confused becauseyou know neither scripture nor the power of God.

22.30 “You see, in the resurrection people neither marrynor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

22.31 “And on the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read the word spoken to you by God, who says,

22.32 “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.”

22.33 The crowd who heard this was astounded at his teaching.

22.34 The Pharisees, when they heard that he had rendered the Sadducees speechless, gathered themselves together,

22.35 and one of them questioned him, putting him to thetest:

22.36 “Rabbi, which is the great commandment in the Torah?”

22.37 Jesus answered him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with allthy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

22.38 “That is the great and prior commandment.22.39 “The second is the same as it: Thou shalt love thy

neighbor as thyself.22.40 “On those two commandments hang the whole Torah

and the prophets!”

22.41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus addressed them

22.42 with the question, “What’s your opinion about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “David’s,” they tell him.

22.43 He asks them, “How then does David, speaking in the spirit, call him ‘Lord,’ saying,

22.44 “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool ?

22.45 “So if David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can the King behis son?”

22.46 No one was able to give him an answer, nor did anyone dare from that day on to question him further.

23.1 Jesus then addressed the crowd and his disciples with the words,

23.2 The bible scholars and the Pharisees have established themselves in Moses’ seat;

23.3 therefore do, and continue to do, all the things that they tell you. Just don’t be acting in accord with their actions, because what they say is not what they do.

23.4 They tie up heavy bundles and load them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to move those things with even one finger.

23.5 They perform their every action for people to see. They wear the biggest phylacteries and the widest fringes,

23.6 and they enjoy the prominent couches at meals and the front seats in synagogues,

23.7 and being greeted in town squares, and hearing people call them “Rabbi.”23.8 But you, don’t let yourselves be called “Rabbi:” you have only one Rabbi,

one teacher, and all of you are brothers and sisters to each other. 23.9 And don’t name anyone on earth your father: your one father is your

father in heaven.23.10 And don’t let yourselves be called spiritual trainers, because the

Anointed One is your trainer.23.11 Your greatest will be your servant.23.12 The one who elevates himself will be humbled; the one who

humbles himself will be elevated.23.13 Woe to you, hypocrite bible scholars and

Pharisees! You keep the kingdom of heaven closed in people’s faces

because you yourselves aren’t getting in, and you’re not permitting entry to those trying to get in.

23.14 [Probably inserted from Mark 12:40 / Luke 20:47: Woe to you, hypocrite bible scholars and Pharisees! You consume the houses of widows under the guise of saying extensive prayers for them — all the greater will be the judgment you receive! ]

23.15 Woe to you, hypocrite bible scholars and Pharisees! You go ‘round land and sea to make a single convert, and when he does convert, you make him an heir to the Vale of Fire, even twice as much as you are!

23.16 Woe to you, blind guides who say, “Whenever someone swears an oath by the temple, it means nothing, but whoever swears an oath by the gold of the temple, he’s bound himself.”

23.17 Blind fools, which is greater — the gold or the temple that has made the gold holy?

23.18 And they say, “Whenever someone swears an oath by the altar of sacrifice, it means nothing, but whoever swears an oath by the gift laid thereupon, he’s bound himself.”

23.19 Blind men, which is greater — the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy?

23.20 Now, the one who swears by the sacrificial altar is swearing by it and by everything laid upon it;

23.21 and the one who swears by the temple is swearing by it and by the one who inhabits it;

23.22 and the one who swears by heaven is swearing by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it!

23.23 Woe to you, hypocrite bible scholars and Pharisees! You’re paying your tithe of mint, dill, and cumin, but you’re ignoring the more serious provisions of Torah — proper judgment, mercy, and faithfulness. It is those latter that need to be done, without ignoring the former [Gill’sExposition of the Entire Bible : “The Persic version renders the words thus: “these ought ye to do, and not them.”]

23.24 Blind guides, you’re straining out the mosquito but swallowing down the camel.

23.25 Woe to you, hypocrite bible scholars and Pharisees! You clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but inside they’re full of greed and self-indulgence.

23.26 Blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup, to make its outside clean as well.

23.27 Woe to you, hypocrite bible scholars and Pharisees! You are like plastered tombs that appear beautiful outside, while inside they are filled with dead men’s bones and every kind of filth —

23.28 just like you who, to other people, appear benevolent outside, but inside are stuffed with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

23.29 Woe to you, hypocrite bible scholars and Pharisees! You construct the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the just,

23.30 and you say, “If we were back in the days of our forefathers, we wouldn’t be taking part in shedding the prophets’ blood”

23.31 — thus giving testimony to yourselves that you are the heirs of those who slew the prophets.

23.32 You, too, then — finish filling your forefathers’ full measure!23.33 Serpents! Brood of vipers! How are you to escape judgment in the

Vale of Fire?23.34 Look here, for that reason I’m sending you my own prophets, sages,

and bible scholars; some of them you will kill and crucify, some of them you will whip in your synagogues and chase from one city to another.

23.35 Thus will come upon you every drop of just blood ever shed on earth, from the blood of the just Abel down to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah, whom you slew between the temple and the altar of sacrifice.

23.36 I swear to you, all this will come during this generation’s time! 23.37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem! She kills the prophets and stones those sent

to her! How many times I’ve been ready to gather your children together, like a bird gathering her nestlings under her wings — and you weren’t willing.

23.38 Behold, “Your house is left unto you desolate.”23.39 For I’m telling you, from this time on you cannot behold me, not

until the day you say, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

24.1 Jesus went out and was on the point of leaving the temple precinct, when his disciples came up to point out to him the structures in the precinct.

24.2 But he responded by saying to them, “Look at all this! I swear to you that not a stone here is to be left upona stone; not one will escape being torn down.”

24.3 And when he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us when

this is going to happen. What will be the sign of yourappearance, and of the completion of the age?”

24.4 Jesus answered them, Look out that no one misleads you! 24.5 There will come many in my name who will say, “I am the Anointed One,”

and they will lead many astray.24.6 You’re going to keep hearing of wars and reports of wars. Watch out:

don’t be unnerved! Those things have to happen, but it’s not yet the end.24.7 Nation will be raised up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;

there will be famines and earthquakes from one place to another:24.8 Those agonies are the first signs of the new birth.24.9 Then they will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you, and you

will be hated by all the Gentiles because of my name.24.10 In those times many will stumble: they will hand each other over,

and they will hate each other.24.11 Many false prophets will be raised up and will lead many astray. 24.12 When lawlessness becomes the rule, most people’s love will grow

cold,24.13 but the one who endures to the end will be saved.24.14 This gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the Empire

as a testimony to all the Gentiles; and that’s when the end will come.24.15 Therefore, when you see the “abomination of desolation” occupying

“the holy place” (spoken of through the prophet Daniel — let the one who reads it understand),

24.16 then let those in Judea run to the mountains, 24.17 and let the one on the rooftop not go down to take things out of his

house,24.18 and the one in the field not turn back to pick up his coat.24.19 Woe to women who are pregnant, and to mothers nursing babies

in those days!24.20 Pray that your flight not be in winter, or on the Sabbath!24.21 For in those days there will be great “tribulation, such as was not

from the beginning of the world to this time,” and such as is not to be in the future.

24.22 If those days weren’t going to be cut short, no flesh would be saved;but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

24.23 In those days, if someone tells you, “Look, the Messiah is here, or there,” don’t believe it.

24.24 False Messiahs and false prophets will be raised up, and they will offer great signs and wonders to lead astray, if they can, even the elect.

24.25 There, I’ve given you advance warning!24.26 So if they tell you, “Look, he’s in the wilderness!,” don’t go out there.

“Look, he’s in the inner chambers!,” don’t believe it. 24.27 As a bolt of lightning comes out of the east and flashes all the way

to the west, so will the Son of Man manifest himself,24.28 and wherever the fallen may lie, there the imperial eagles will be

drawn up.24.29 Directly after the tribulation of those days, “the sun shall be

darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall” from the sky, “and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.”

24.30 The sign of the Son of Man will then flash across the sky, and then “shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,” and they will see “the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven” with great power and glory.

24.31 And he’ll send off his angels with a loud trumpet [Jerome: with a trumpet and a loud sound], and from the four winds they’ll gather together his chosen ones, from one horizon to the other.

24.32 But learn from the fig tree this lesson: when its branch becomes flexible and the leaves sprout, you realize that summer is near;

24.33 likewise, when you’ve seen everything I’ve described, realize that theSon of Man is right at the door.

24.34 I swear to you that this generation is not to pass away until all those things have happened.

24.35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but there’s no way that my wordsare to pass away.

24.36 No one has knowledge about the exact day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, not even the son; only the father knows.

24.37 Just like the days of Noah, moreover, will be the advent of the Son of Man

24.38 — as when they were eating and drinking in those days before the deluge, and marrying and giving in marriage, right up to the day when Noah stepped into the ark,

24.39 and they were ignorant until the deluge came and took everyone —that is how the advent of the Son of Man will be.

24.40 In those days, there will be two men in the field, and one gets takenalong, and one gets left behind;

24.41 two women grinding at the mill, and one gets taken along, and onegets left behind.

24.42 So look out, because you don’t know the day your Master is coming!

24.43 Just realize this: if the lord of the household had known what hour of night the thief was coming, he would have been awake and wouldn’t have allowed his house to be broken into.

24.44 You, too, therefore, get ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you don’t expect him.

24.45 Now, who is the faithful, prudent slave whom the master has assigned to his household slaves, to give them their food at the proper time?

24.46 Happy is that slave whom the master comes and finds doing just that;

24.47 I swear to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions!24.48 But if he’s a bad slave and says in his heart, “My master’s late

coming home,” 24.49 and starts beating his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with

drunks 24.50 — that slave’s master will come home on the day he least expects

and at an hour he can’t know, 24.51 and will cut the slave to pieces, and will assign him a place among

the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

25.1 By then the kingdom of heaven will be the same as the case of the ten girlswho each took her own torch and went out to meet the bridegroom.

25.2 Five of them were stupid and five were sensible.25.3 The stupid ones took up their torches but didn’t take oil with them.25.4 The sensible ones took oil in jars along with their torches.25.5 The bridegroom was late, and all the girls became drowsy and lay down

to sleep. 25.6 In the middle of the night the shout went up, “Here comes the groom! Go

out and meet him!”25.7 With that, all those girls got up and set up their torches.25.8 The stupid ones said to the sensible ones, “Give us some of your oil; our

torches are going out.”25.9 The sensible ones replied, “There may not be enough for us and for you;

instead, go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.”25.10 But while they were going off to buy oil, the bridegroom came. The

ones who were prepared accompanied him to the wedding, and the door was shut.

25.11 Later the rest of the girls come and say, “Master, Master, open the door for us!”

25.12 His response: “I swear to you, I don’t know you!”25.13 So watch out: you don’t know the day or the hour. 25.14 You see, it’s like this: A man going on a journey summoned his

personal slaves and transferred his assets to them. 25.15 He gave one five talents, another two, another one, each according

to his individual ability, and left town. Right away25.16 the one who got five talents went out and used them to do

business; he made another five talents in profits.25.17 Likewise, the one who got two talents made another two talents.25.18 But the one who got just one went off and dug a hole and buried

his master’s silver.25.19 After a long time the master of those slaves comes and goes over

the accounts with them.25.20 The one who got five talents came forward and brought out the

other five talents, saying “Master, you handed me five talents, and look, I gained another five talents in profit.”

25.21 His master told him, “Excellent, my good and faithful slave! You were faithful with little, and I’m going to put you in charge of much. Come share your master’s pleasure!”

25.22 The one who got two talents also came forward and said, “Master, you handed me two talents, and look, I gained another two talents in profit.”

25.23 His master told him, “Excellent, my good and faithful slave! You were faithful with little, and I’m going to put you in charge of much. Come share your master’s pleasure!”

25.24 The one who had got one talent also came forward and said, “Master, I know you’re a tight-fisted man, harvesting where you haven’t sown and gathering in from where you haven’t winnowed,

25.25 “so I was afraid to go do anything but hide the talent in the ground: here is your talent.”

25.26 His master answered him: “Mean-spirited, craven slave! So you knew, did you, that I harvest where I haven’t sown, and gather in from where I haven’t winnowed?

25.27 “Then you ought to have deposited my silver with the bankers, and I could have come and got my money back with interest!

25.28 “You all, take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has ten talents!

25.29 “To everyone who has, much and more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken.

25.30 “Throw that useless slave into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth!”

25.31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory,

25.32 and all the nations will be marshaled in front of him, and he will separate them one from another, like the shepherd separates the lambs from the kids,

25.33 and he will set the sheep on his right hand, and the young goats onhis left.

25.34 Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom I’ve prepared for you since the foundation of the world!

25.35 “For I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me to drink, I was a stranger and you gave me hospitality,

25.36 “I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”

25.37 Then the benevolent will answer the King, “Master, when did we seeyou hungry and we fed you, or thirsty and we gave you to drink?

25.38 “When did we see you a stranger and gave you hospitality, or naked and we clothed you?

25.39 “When did we see you sick or in prison, and came to see you?”25.40 And the King will give them this answer: “I swear to you, as often

as you did so for one of the least of my brothers, you did so for me.”25.41 Next, he will say to those on his left, “Get away from me, you

accursed, into the eon of fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 25.42 “I was hungry and you didn’t give me to eat, I was thirsty and you

didn’t give me to drink,25.43 “I was a stranger and you gave me no hospitality, naked and you

didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t visit me.”25.44 Then they will answer him by saying, “Master, when did we see you

hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?”

25.45 And he will answer them: “I swear to you, as often as you didn’t do it for one of the least of those people, you didn’t do it for me.”

25.46 And those on his left will go off to an eon of retribution, while the benevolent will go off to an eon of life.

26.1 Next, when Jesus had finished that whole discourse, he said to his disciples,

26.2 “You know that the Passover is coming in two days, and the Son of Man is being handed over to be crucified.”

26.3 At that time, the high priests and elders of the peoplehad gathered in the halls of the high priest whose namewas Caiaphas.

26.4 They were making plans to seize Jesus by some treachery, and kill him,

26.5 but they kept saying, “Not during the festival, to avoid having an outcry among the people.”

26.6 When Jesus had settled in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

26.7 a woman with a flask of expensive sweet oil came up to him and poured it on his head while he was reclining attable.

26.8 The disciples were upset when they saw it, and said, “What a waste! What’s the point?

26.9 “That could have been sold for a lot of money and the money could have been given to the poor.”

26.10 Jesus knew and told them, “Why make problems for the woman? What she did for me was a fine thing,

26.11 “seeing that you always have the poor with you, but me you don’t always have.

26.12 “That woman, in putting this sweet oil on my body,did it for my burial.

26.13 “I swear to you that, wherever this gospel of mineis preached throughout the world, that woman, and what she did, will be talked about to her lasting memory.”

26.14 With that, one of the twelve, named Judas the Iscariot, went out and said to the high priests,

26.15 “What are you willing to give me, and I’ll be the one to hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty silver coins,

26.16 and from that day forward, Judas was looking for an opportunity to hand him over.

26.17 On the first day of the feast of unleavened bread,the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare Passover supper for you?”

26.18 He said, “Go into the city to so-and-so, and tell him, ‘The Rabbi says, “My time is near; I’m

celebrating Passover at your place with my disciples.” ’ ”

26.19 The disciples did as Jesus had instructed them, and prepared the Passover supper.

26.20 When evening had come, he proceeded to recline at table with the twelve.

26.21 While they were eating he remarked, “I swear to you that one of you is going to hand me over.”

26.22 Greatly distressed, each one of them began to ask him, “It’s not me, is it, Master?”

26.23 “The one who dips his hand in the bowl together with me,” he answered, “is the one who will hand me over.

26.24 “Of course the Son of Man continues to go the way Scripture has dictated of him, but woe to the man through whom the Son of Man is handed over; it would have been good for that man if he had not been born!”

26.25 Judas, who was handing him over, responded, “It’s not me, is it, Rabbi?” To him Jesus says, “It’s you who have said it.”

26.26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed and broke it, and having given it to the disciples, said, “Take and eat: that is my body!”

26.27 He then took a wine-cup, and after giving thanks, passed it to them with the words, “Everyone drink from it,

26.28 “for that is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is being shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.

26.29 “I’m telling you, from now on I’ll drink no more from this fruit of the vine until the day I’m drinking new wine with you in the kingdom of my father.”

26.30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount ofOlives.

26.31 At that point Jesus tells them, “I’m going to be astumbling-block for all of you this night, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

26.32 “But after I’ve been raised up, I’ll go before youinto Galilee.”

26.33 Peter, however, declared in response to him, “Evenif everyone else finds a stumbling-block in you, I myself will never stumble!”

26.34 Jesus told him, “I swear to you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

26.35 To him Peter says, “Even if I have to die with you, there’s no way I’ll deny you!” And all the disciples said the same thing.

26.36 Jesus then comes with them to a spot called Gethsemane, and tells the disciples, “Sit down here while I go over there and say a prayer.”

26.37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebadaiah, and began to show grief and anguish.

26.38 He tells them then, “My soul is full of pain, enough to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me.”

26.39 He went on a bit, then fell on his face and made this prayer: “My Father, if it’s possible, let this wine-cup pass away from me — not, of course, as I want,but as you want!”

26.40 When he comes back to the disciples, he finds themasleep. To Peter he says, “So that’s how it is — you don’t have the strength to keep an hour’s vigil with me!

26.41 “Wake up and start praying that you not meet temptation! The spirit is eager, but the flesh is weak.”

26.42 Again he went off a second time and made his prayer: “My Father, if it’s not possible for this cup to pass without my drinking it, let your will be done!”

26.43 Once more he came back and found them asleep, their eyes heavy-lidded.

26.44 He left them there, and went off again a third time to make once more the same prayer.

26.45 He then comes back to the disciples and asks them,“Are you going to go on sleeping and taking your ease?

26.46 “Look, the time has come! The Son of Man is beinghanded over into the hands of sinners. Wake up, let’s be off — look, here comes the one who’s handing me over!”

26.47 And indeed, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and a great crowd with him with swords and clubs who had come from the high priests and elders of the people.

26.48 He who was handing Jesus over had provided them with a sign, saying, “The one you want is the one I’m going to kiss; seize him.”

26.49 He walked straight up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and gave him a big kiss.

26.50 “Well, friend, this is why you’ve come?” [Jerome: “Why did you come, friend?”] said Jesus to him. At that moment, the men stepped forward, grabbed Jesus, and held him.

26.51 Suddenly one of those with Jesus reached for his sword and drew it; striking the high priest’s slave, he cut off his ear.

26.52 When that happens, Jesus tells him, “Put your sword back where it was. All those who pick up a swordwill perish on a sword!

26.53 “Or do you think I can’t call on my father — that he won’t set more than twelve legions of angels beside me right now?

26.54 “But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled, the ones that say it has to happen this way?”

26.55 At that point Jesus spoke to the crowd: “You cameout with swords and clubs, as you would against some gangster, to arrest me? — when day after day I was there sitting in the temple teaching, and you didn’t seize me!

26.56 “This whole thing has happened so that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Thereupon,all the disciples left him and ran off.

26.57 The men who had seized Jesus brought him over to the high priest Caiaphas, where the bible scholars and elders were gathered.

26.58 Peter followed him at a distance up to the high priest’s mansion, then went inside and took a seat withthe servants to watch the outcome.

26.59 The high priests and the whole Sanhedrin council were looking for false testimony against Jesus that would let them condemn him to death,

26.60 and still hadn’t found any, despite many false witnesses coming forward. Later, however, two came forward

26.61 and declared, “That fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy God’s temple and to build it up in three days.’”

26.62 The high priest got up and asked him, “Have you noanswer to what these men are accusing you of?”

26.63 Jesus said nothing. Then the high priest told him, “I’m binding you to your oath by the living God totell us whether you are the Anointed One, the son of God!”

26.64 “It’s you who have said it,” Jesus tells him. “I would only say to you all that you will soon see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.

26.65 At that point the high priest ripped his garments and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need have we of witnesses? There, now you’ve all heard the blasphemy!

26.66 “What do you think?” They answered, “He is liablefor the death penalty!”

26.67 Then they spat in his face and slapped him, while others hit him

26.68 and said, “Prophesy to us, O King: who is it thatstruck you?”

26.69 Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard when a slave girl came up to him and asked, “Weren’t you also with Jesus the Galilean?”

26.70 He denied it in front of everyone, saying,”I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

26.71 As he was moving out toward the gate another girl saw him and says to the people there, “That’s the man with Jesus of Nazareth!”

26.72 And again he denied it, swearing up and down that “I don’t know the man.”

26.73 After a bit, the people standing around came up and said to Peter, “You really are another of them; your way of talking gives you away!”

26.74 At that point he began to curse and swear, saying,“I don’t know the man!” Right away, the cock crowed,

26.75 and Peter remembered the words spoken by Jesus: “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” Then he went out the gate and wept bitterly.

27.1 The first thing in the morning, all the high priests and elders of the people held council against Jesus to condemn him to death.

27.2 Then they tied him up and led him away. They handed him over to Pilatus, the provincial Roman governor.

27.3 Judas, who delivered him to them, saw that he had been condemned, and had a change of heart. He returned the thirty silver coins to the high priests and elders,

27.4 saying “I have sinned in giving up innocent blood!” But they said, “What’s that to us? It’s your problem.”

27.5 At that point he threw the silver into the temple and withdrew, then went off and hanged himself.

27.6 The high priests picked up the silver and declared, “Since it’s blood money, we can’t deposit it in the temple treasury.”

27.7 After deliberating, they used the money to buy the Potter’s Field as a cemetery for foreigners

27.8 — which is why that field is known to this day as the Field of Blood.

27.9 With that, the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah were fulfilled: And they took the thirty pieces of silver,the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;

27.10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.

27.11 As for Jesus, he was put before the governor, and the governor interrogated him, asking, “Are you the King ofthe Jews?” Jesus answered, “As you say.”

27.12 During his accusation by the high priests and elders, he had nothing to say.

27.13 Then Pilatus says to him, “Don’t you hear how much testimony they’re bringing against you?”

27.14 And he answered him not one word, which really amazed the governor.

27.15 Now during the festival, the governor had a custom of releasing to the crowd one prisoner of their choice.

27.16 At that time, they happened to have a notorious prisoner named Bar Abba.

27.17 Therefore, after the crowd had gathered, Pilatus asked them, “Whom do you want me to release to you, Bar Abba or Jesus the so-called anointed King?”

27.18 (You see, he knew that they had handed Jesus over because of their own jealousy.)

27.19 While he was seated on the judge’s bench, his wife got a message to him that said, “Don’t have anything to do with that fair and just man! I’ve just had a very disturbing dream about him!”

27.20 The high priests and elders, however, had persuaded thecrowd to ask for Bar Abba, and to get Jesus condemned.

27.21 Addressing them, the governor asked, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” Their response: “Bar Abba!”

27.22 Pilatus then asks them, “What shall I do with Jesus theso-called anointed King?” And everyone says, “Have himcrucified!”

27.23 Then he asks, “What crime has he committed?” But they just keep yelling all the more, “Have him crucified!”

27.24 Pilatus, realizing that there was nothing to be done — that, worse yet, a riot was developing —, took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I don’t have this man’s blood on my hands; it’s now yourproblem!”

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

27.26 At that point Pilatus released Bar Abba to them, but whipped Jesus and handed him over to be crucified.

27.27 The governor’s soldiers then took Jesus along to the governor’s palace and drew up the entire cohort to guard him.

27.28 They stripped him and wrapped him in a red mantle,27.29 and wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and

put a reed in his right hand, and, falling on their knees before him, made fun of him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

27.30 They then spat on him, took away the reed, and struck him on the head.

27.31 After they’d had their fun with him, they stripped him of the mantle and put his own clothes on him, then led him off to be crucified.

27.32 On their way out they found a man from Cyrene named Simon: that fellow they pressed into the service of carrying his cross.

27.33 When they came to a place called Golgotha (called, thatis, Place of a Skull),

27.34 they gave him wine to drink mixed with bile. Having tasted it, he was unwilling to drink it.

27.35 After crucifying him they parted his garments, casting lots,27.36 and sat down to keep watch over him there.27.37 Above his head they put the charge on which he had been

convicted: “This man is Jesus the King of the Jews.”27.38 Two robbers are then crucified next to him, one to the

right and one to the left.27.39 Passersby kept cursing him, wagging their heads27.40 and saying, “You who tear down the temple and in three

days build it up — save yourself, if you’re the son of God! Come down from the cross!”

27.41 The high priests, too, made fun of him, in company withthe bible scholars and elders, saying,

27.42 “He saved others, but he can’t save himself! He’s Kingof Israel, let him come down now from the cross and we’ll believe in him!

27.43 “He trusted in God: let him deliver him now, if he will have him ! He said, ‘I’m the son of God,’ you know!”

27.44 Even the robbers crucified with him were taunting him.27.45 From the sixth hour up to the ninth hour there came

darkness over the whole earth. 27.46 Around the ninth hour Jesus let out a shout in a loud

voice, saying, Eli eli lema sabachthani? — “My God my God, for what reason have you abandoned me?”

27.47 When they heard it, some of those stationed there were saying, “The man is calling to Elijah.”

27.48 One of them immediately ran up, took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, fixed it around a reed, and gave him to drink.

27.49 The rest kept saying, “Let it go, let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

27.50 But Jesus shouted once more in a loud voice, and breathed his last.

27.51 Suddenly the innermost veil of the temple was ripped from top to bottom into two pieces, and the earth shook, and the rocks split,

27.52 and tombs opened up and many bodies of sleeping saints were raised up

27.53 and walked out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and came into the holy city and manifested themselves to many.

27.54 The captain of the centurions and the soldiers guardingJesus with him, when they witnessed the earthquake and all that transpired, were very much afraid, and began to say, “That fellow really was the son of a god!”

27.55 Many women were there looking on from a distance, womenwho had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to him.

27.56 Among them was Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebadaiah.

27.57 When it got to be evening, a rich man came from Arimathaea, a man named Joseph who had himself also been studying with Jesus.

27.58 He approached Pilatus and requested the body of Jesus. Pilatus then ordered it to be given up.

27.59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linen,

27.60 and deposited it in a new tomb that he had had cut intothe rock for himself, and rolled a huge rock in front of the door of the tomb, and departed.

27.61 But Mary of Magdala and the other Mary stayed seated there in front of the place of burial.

27.62 On the next day (the day following the Day of Preparation), the high priests and Pharisees gathered before Pilatus

27.63 to say, “Master, we’re keeping in mind what that imposter said while he was still alive, ‘I’m to be raised after three days.’

27.64 “So do give an order that the burial place be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come andsteal him and tell the people, ‘He has been raised fromthe dead!’ and his final deception will be worse than the first.”

27.65 “Take a squadron of guards,” said Pilatus to them, “andgo secure it as you know best.”

27.66 They went off and secured the burial: besides the guards, they had a seal which they fixed to the stone.

28.1 When the Sabbath was over, as a glimmering heralded theweek’s first day, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary came for a visitation to the place of burial.

28.2 Suddenly there was a huge earthquake, for an angel had come down from heaven and had gone up and rolled away the stone, and was seated on top of it.

28.3 The angel looked like a flashing light; his clothing was white as snow.

28.4 The men who were keeping watch were shaken by their fear of him; they became like corpses.

28.5 Addressing the women, the angel said, “You people, don’t be afraid! I know you’re looking for the crucified Jesus.

28.6 “He’s not here. He’s been raised up as he said. Look over here at the place where he used to lie.”

28.7 “Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He’s been raised from the dead! Look out, he’s going on ahead of you

into Galilee, you’ll see him there!’ There, I’ve let you know.”

28.8 They went running from the tomb, with fear and with great joy, to report to his disciples.

28.9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said “Rejoice!” They went up to him and held him by his feet and worshipped him.

28.10 Then Jesus tells them, “Never fear; go tell my brothers to come away to Galilee, they’ll see me there.”

28.11 While the women are on their way, we see that members of the guard squadron have gone into the city to report to the high priests everything that’s happened.

28.12 When the priests gathered together with the elders, after holding a council, they gave a considerable amount of silver to the soldiers,

28.13 telling them, “Say that his disciples came at night and stole him away while you all were asleep.”

28.14 “If the governor’s office hears of this, we’ll convince him it’s true, and we’ll see to it that you have nothing to worry about.”

28.15 The soldiers took the silver and did as they had been instructed. And that’s the story that’s been circulated among Jews right up to the present day.

28.16 But the eleven disciples had set out for Galilee, for the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.

28.17 When they caught sight of him, they fell down and worshipped him, but some were uncertain.

28.18 Then Jesus came up and talked to them, saying, “All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

28.19 “Go on, then, and instruct all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the holyspirit,

28.20 “teaching them to keep all the commandments I’ve given you. Look, I’m with you all days, up to the completion of this eon!”