# verses

text:
E'phraim herds the wind, and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence; they make a bargain with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt.


text:
The LORD has an indictment against Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways, and requite him according to his deeds.


text:
He strove with the angel and prevailed, he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with him--


text:
"So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God."


text:
E'phraim has said, "Ah, but I am rich, I have gained wealth for myself": but all his riches can never offset the guilt he has incurred.


text:
I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast.


text:
If there is iniquity in Gilead they shall surely come to nought; if in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, their altars also shall be like stone heaps on the furrows of the field.


text:
(Jacob fled to the land of Aram, there Israel did service for a wife, and for a wife he herded sheep.)


text:
E'phraim has given bitter provocation; so his LORD will leave his bloodguilt upon him, and will turn back upon him his reproaches.


text:
When E'phraim spoke, men trembled; he was exalted in Israel; but he incurred guilt through Ba'al and died.


text:
And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves molten images, idols skilfully made of their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. Sacrifice to these, they say. Men kiss calves!


text:
Therefore they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a window.


text:
I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.


text:
but when they had fed to the full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.


text:
I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will tear open their breast, and there I will devour them like a lion, as a wild beast would rend them.


text:
Where now is your king, to save you; where are all your princes, to defend you--those of whom you said, "Give me a king and princes"?


text:
The pangs of childbirth come for him, but he is an unwise son; for now he does not present himself at the mouth of the womb.


text:
Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your destruction? Compassion is hid from my eyes.


text:
Though he may flourish as the reed plant, the east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come, rising from the wilderness; and his fountain shall dry up, his spring shall be parched; it shall strip his treasury of every precious thing.


text:
Sama'ria shall bear her guilt, because she has rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword, their little ones shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.


text:
Take with you words and return to the LORD; say to him, "Take away all iniquity; accept that which is good and we will render the fruit of our lips.


text:
Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses; and we will say no more, `Our God,' to the work of our hands. In thee the orphan finds mercy."


text:
They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow, they shall flourish as a garden; they shall blossom as the vine, their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon.


text:
O E'phraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress, from me comes your fruit.


text:
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.


text:
Hear this, you aged men, give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers?


text:
Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.


text:
What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten.


text:
Awake, you drunkards, and weep; and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth.


text:
For a nation has come up against my land, powerful and without number; its teeth are lions' teeth, and it has the fangs of a lioness.


text:
It has laid waste my vines, and splintered my fig trees; it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down; their branches are made white.


text:
The cereal offering and the drink offering are cut off from the house of the LORD. The priests mourn, the ministers of the LORD.


text:
The fields are laid waste, the ground mourns; because the grain is destroyed, the wine fails, the oil languishes.


text:
Be confounded, O tillers of the soil, wail, O vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field has perished.


text:
The vine withers, the fig tree languishes. Pomegranate, palm, and apple, all the trees of the field are withered; and gladness fails from the sons of men.


text:
Gird on sackcloth and lament, O priests, wail, O ministers of the altar. Go in, pass the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God! Because cereal offering and drink offering are withheld from the house of your God.


text:
Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God; and cry to the LORD.


text:
The seed shrivels under the clods, the storehouses are desolate; the granaries are ruined because the grain has failed.


text:
How the beasts groan! The herds of cattle are perplexed because there is no pasture for them; even the flocks of sheep are dismayed.


text:
Unto thee, O LORD, I cry. For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and flame has burned all the trees of the field.


text:
Even the wild beasts cry to thee because the water brooks are dried up, and fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.


text:
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming, it is near,


text:
a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations.


text:
Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but after them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them.


text:
As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle.


text:
Like warriors they charge, like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way, they do not swerve from their paths.


text:
They do not jostle one another, each marches in his path; they burst through the weapons and are not halted.


text:
They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls; they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief.


text:
The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.


text:
The LORD utters his voice before his army, for his host is exceedingly great; he that executes his word is powerful. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; who can endure it?


text:
"Yet even now," says the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;


text:
and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil.


text:
Who knows whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a drink offering for the LORD, your God?


text:
gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.


text:
Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, "Spare thy people, O LORD, and make not thy heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, `Where is their God?'"


text:
The LORD answered and said to his people, "Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.


text:
"I will remove the northerner far from you, and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his front into the eastern sea, and his rear into the western sea; the stench and foul smell of him will rise, for he has done great things.


text:
Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and vine give their full yield.


text:
"Be glad, O sons of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD, your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.


text:
I will restore to you the years which the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.


text:
"You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.


text:
You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the LORD, am your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame.


text:
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.


text:
The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.


text:
And it shall come to pass that all who call upon the name of the LORD shall be delivered; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.


text:
I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehosh'aphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there, on account of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations, and have divided up my land,


text:
and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a harlot, and have sold a girl for wine, and have drunk it.


text:
"What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will requite your deed upon your own head swiftly and speedily.


text:
You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, removing them far from their own border.


text:
But now I will stir them up from the place to which you have sold them, and I will requite your deed upon your own head.


text:
I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabe'ans, to a nation far off; for the LORD has spoken."


text:
Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare war, stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near, let them come up.


text:
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, "I am a warrior."


text:
Hasten and come, all you nations round about, gather yourselves there. Bring down thy warriors, O LORD.


text:
Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehosh'aphat; for there I will sit to judge all the nations round about.


text:
Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the wine press is full. The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.


text:
Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.


text:
And the LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shake. But the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.


text:
"So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who dwell in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy and strangers shall never again pass through it.


text:
"And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the stream beds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the LORD and water the valley of Shittim.


text:
"Egypt shall become a desolation and Edom a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the people of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.


text:
The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Teko'a, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzzi'ah king of Judah and in the days of Jerobo'am the son of Jo'ash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.


text:
And he said: "The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers."


text:
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron.


text:
I will break the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven, and him that holds the scepter from Beth-eden; and the people of Syria shall go into exile to Kir," says the LORD.


text:
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they carried into exile a whole people to deliver them up to Edom.


text:
I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod, and him that holds the scepter from Ash'kelon; I will turn my hand against Ekron; and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish," says the Lord GOD.


text:
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they delivered up a whole people to Edom, and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.


text:
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because he pursued his brother with the sword, and cast off all pity, and his anger tore perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever.


text:
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of the Ammonites, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they have ripped up women with child in Gilead, that they might enlarge their border.


text:
So I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour her strongholds, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind;


text:
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because he burned to lime the bones of the king of Edom.


text:
So I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ker'ioth, and Moab shall die amid uproar, amid shouting and the sound of the trumpet;


text:
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they have rejected the law of the LORD, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, after which their fathers walked.


text:
Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes--


text:
they that trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and turn aside the way of the afflicted; a man and his father go in to the same maiden, so that my holy name is profaned;


text:
they lay themselves down beside every altar upon garments taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.


text:
"Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and who was as strong as the oaks; I destroyed his fruit above, and his roots beneath.


text:
Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.


text:
And I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?" says the LORD.


text:
"But you made the Nazirites drink wine, and commanded the prophets, saying, `You shall not prophesy.'


text:
Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain his strength, nor shall the mighty save his life;


text:
he who handles the bow shall not stand, and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself, nor shall he who rides the horse save his life;


text:
Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt:


text:
"You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.


text:
Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing?


text:
Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing?


text:
Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does evil befall a city, unless the LORD has done it?


text:
Proclaim to the strongholds in Assyria, and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt, and say, "Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Sama'ria, and see the great tumults within her, and the oppressions in her midst."


text:
"They do not know how to do right," says the LORD, "those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds."


text:
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "An adversary shall surround the land, and bring down your defenses from you, and your strongholds shall be plundered."


text:
Thus says the LORD: "As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Sama'ria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed."


text:
"that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.


text:
I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall come to an end," says the LORD.


text:
"Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are in the mountain of Sama'ria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, `Bring, that we may drink!'


text:
The Lord GOD has sworn by his holiness that, behold, the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks.


text:
And you shall go out through the breaches, every one straight before her; and you shall be cast forth into Harmon," says the LORD.


text:
"Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days;


text:
offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!" says the Lord GOD.


text:
"I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me," says the LORD.


text:
"And I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain upon one city, and send no rain upon another city; one field would be rained upon, and the field on which it did not rain withered;


text:
so two or three cities wandered to one city to drink water, and were not satisfied; yet you did not return to me," says the LORD.


text:
"I smote you with blight and mildew; I laid waste your gardens and your vineyards; your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured; yet you did not return to me," says the LORD.


text:
"I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I slew your young men with the sword; I carried away your horses; and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; yet you did not return to me," says the LORD.


text:
"I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomor'rah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me," says the LORD.


text:
"Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"


text:
For lo, he who forms the mountains, and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought; who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth--the LORD, the God of hosts, is his name!


text:
For thus says the Lord GOD: "The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel."


text:
but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beer-sheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nought."


text:
Seek the LORD and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel,


text:
He who made the Plei'ades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name,


text:
Therefore because you trample upon the poor and take from him exactions of wheat, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.


text:
For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins--you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate.


text:
Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said.


text:
Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.


text:
Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord: "In all the squares there shall be wailing; and in all the streets they shall say, 'Alas! alas!' They shall call the farmers to mourning and to wailing those who are skilled in lamentation,


text:
and in all vineyards there shall be wailing, for I will pass through the midst of you," says the LORD.


text:
Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light;


text:
as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned with his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him.


text:
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and cereal offerings, I will not accept them, and the peace offerings of your fatted beasts I will not look upon.


text:
You shall take up Sakkuth your king, and Kaiwan your star-god, your images, which you made for yourselves;


text:
therefore I will take you into exile beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.


text:
"Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Sama'ria, the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!


text:
Pass over to Calneh, and see; and thence go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory,


text:
"Woe to those who lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the midst of the stall;


text:
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David invent for themselves instruments of music;


text:
who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!


text:
Therefore they shall now be the first of those to go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves shall pass away."


text:
The Lord GOD has sworn by himself (says the LORD, the God of hosts): "I abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his strongholds; and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it."


text:
And when a man's kinsman, he who burns him, shall take him up to bring the bones out of the house, and shall say to him who is in the innermost parts of the house, "Is there still any one with you?" he shall say, "No"; and he shall say, "Hush! We must not mention the name of the LORD."


text:
For behold, the LORD commands, and the great house shall be smitten into fragments, and the little house into bits.


text:
Do horses run upon rocks? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood--


text:
you who rejoice in Lo-debar, who say, "Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?"


text:
"For behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel," says the LORD, the God of hosts; "and they shall oppress you from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of the Arabah."


text:
Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he was forming locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.


text:
When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, "O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!"


text:
Thus the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land.


text:
He showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand.


text:
And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them;


text:
the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jerobo'am with the sword."


text:
Then Amazi'ah the priest of Bethel sent to Jerobo'am king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words.


text:
For thus Amos has said, `Jerobo'am shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'"


text:
And Amazi'ah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there;


text:
but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom."


text:
Then Amos answered Amazi'ah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees,


text:
and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, `Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'


text:
"Now therefore hear the word of the LORD. You say, `Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac.'


text:
Therefore thus says the LORD: `Your wife shall be a harlot in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be parceled out by line; you yourself shall die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.'"


text:
And he said, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the LORD said to me, "The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass by them.


text:
The songs of the temple shall become wailings in that day," says the Lord GOD; "the dead bodies shall be many; in every place they shall be cast out in silence."


text:
saying, "When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances,


text:
that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat?"


text:
Shall not the land tremble on this account, and every one mourn who dwells in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?"


text:
"And on that day," says the Lord GOD, "I will make the sun go down at noon, and darken the earth in broad daylight.


text:
I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son, and the end of it like a bitter day.


text:
"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.


text:
They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.


text:
Those who swear by Ash'imah of Sama'ria, and say, `As thy god lives, O Dan,' and, `As the way of Beer-sheba lives,' they shall fall, and never rise again."


text:
I saw the LORD standing beside the altar, and he said: "Smite the capitals until the thresholds shake, and shatter them on the heads of all the people; and what are left of them I will slay with the sword; not one of them shall flee away, not one of them shall escape.


text:
"Though they dig into Sheol, from there shall my hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down.


text:
Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search out and take them; and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them.


text:
And though they go into captivity before their enemies, there I will command the sword, and it shall slay them; and I will set my eyes upon them for evil and not for good."


text:
The Lord, GOD of hosts, he who touches the earth and it melts, and all who dwell in it mourn, and all of it rises like the Nile, and sinks again, like the Nile of Egypt;


text:
who builds his upper chambers in the heavens, and founds his vault upon the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the surface of the earth-- the LORD is his name.


text:
"Are you not like the Ethiopians to me, O people of Israel?" says the LORD. "Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir?


text:
Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the surface of the ground; except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob," says the LORD.


text:
"For lo, I will command, and shake the house of Israel among all the nations as one shakes with a sieve, but no pebble shall fall upon the earth.


text:
"In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old;


text:
that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name," says the LORD who does this.


text:
"Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.


text:
I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.


text:
I will plant them upon their land, and they shall never again be plucked up out of the land which I have given them," says the LORD your God.


text:
The vision of Obadi'ah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom: We have heard tidings from the LORD, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: "Rise up! let us rise against her for battle!"


text:
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, whose dwelling is high, who say in your heart, "Who will bring me down to the ground?"


text:
Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, thence I will bring you down, says the LORD.


text:
If thieves came to you, if plunderers by night--how you have been destroyed!--would they not steal only enough for themselves? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings?


text:
All your allies have deceived you, they have driven you to the border; your confederates have prevailed against you; your trusted friends have set a trap under you-- there is no understanding of it.


text:
Will I not on that day, says the LORD, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau?


text:
And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.


text:
For the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off for ever.


text:
On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth, and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.


text:
But you should not have gloated over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; you should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; you should not have boasted in the day of distress.


text:
You should not have entered the gate of my people in the day of his calamity; you should not have gloated over his disaster in the day of his calamity; you should not have looted his goods in the day of his calamity.


text:
You should not have stood at the parting of the ways to cut off his fugitives; you should not have delivered up his survivors in the day of distress.


text:
For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you, your deeds shall return on your own head.


text:
For as you have drunk upon my holy mountain, all the nations round about shall drink; they shall drink, and stagger, and shall be as though they had not been.


text:
But in Mount Zion there shall be those that escape, and it shall be holy; and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.


text:
The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble; they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor to the house of Esau; for the LORD has spoken.


text:
Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau, and those of the Shephe'lah the land of the Philistines; they shall possess the land of E'phraim and the land of Sama'ria and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.


text:
The exiles in Halah who are of the people of Israel shall possess Phoenicia as far as Zar'ephath; and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sephar'ad shall possess the cities of the Negeb.


text:
"Arise, go to Nin'eveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me."


text:
But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.


text:
But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.


text:
Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god; and they threw the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down, and was fast asleep.


text:
So the captain came and said to him, "What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call upon your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we do not perish."


text:
And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.


text:
Then they said to him, "Tell us, on whose account this evil has come upon us? What is your occupation? And whence do you come? What is your country? And of what people are you?"


text:
And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."


text:
Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, "What is this that you have done!" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.


text:
Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.


text:
He said to them, "Take me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you; for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you."


text:
Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring the ship back to land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.


text:
Therefore they cried to the LORD, "We beseech thee, O LORD, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood; for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee."


text:
And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.


text:
saying, "I called to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and thou didst hear my voice.


text:
For thou didst cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood was round about me; all thy waves and thy billows passed over me.


text:
at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me for ever; yet thou didst bring up my life from the Pit, O LORD my God.


text:
When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer came to thee, into thy holy temple.


text:
But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to thee; what I have vowed I will pay. Deliverance belongs to the LORD!"


text:
So Jonah arose and went to Nin'eveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nin'eveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth.


text:
Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he cried, "Yet forty days, and Nin'eveh shall be overthrown!"


text:
And the people of Nin'eveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.


text:
Then tidings reached the king of Nin'eveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.


text:
And he made proclamation and published through Nin'eveh, "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, or drink water,


text:
but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them cry mightily to God; yea, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence which is in his hands.


text:
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God repented of the evil which he had said he would do to them; and he did not do it.


text:
And he prayed to the LORD and said, "I pray thee, LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repentest of evil.


text:
Therefore now, O LORD, take my life from me, I beseech thee, for it is better for me to die than to live."


text:
Then Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.


text:
And the LORD God appointed a plant, and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.


text:
But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm which attacked the plant, so that it withered.


text:
When the sun rose, God appointed a sultry east wind, and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah so that he was faint; and he asked that he might die, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."


text:
But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "I do well to be angry, angry enough to die."


text:
And the LORD said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night, and perished in a night.


text:
And should not I pity Nin'eveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"


text:
The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Mo'resheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezeki'ah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Sama'ria and Jerusalem.


text:
Hear, you peoples, all of you; hearken, O earth, and all that is in it; and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.


text:
For behold, the LORD is coming forth out of his place, and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.


text:
And the mountains will melt under him and the valleys will be cleft, like wax before the fire, like waters poured down a steep place.


text:
All this is for the transgression of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Sama'ria? And what is the sin of the house of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?


text:
Therefore I will make Sama'ria a heap in the open country, a place for planting vineyards; and I will pour down her stones into the valley, and uncover her foundations.


text:
All her images shall be beaten to pieces, all her hires shall be burned with fire, and all her idols I will lay waste; for from the hire of a harlot she gathered them, and to the hire of a harlot they shall return.


text:
For this I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will make lamentation like the jackals, and mourning like the ostriches.


text:
For her wound is incurable; and it has come to Judah, it has reached to the gate of my people, to Jerusalem.


text:
Pass on your way, inhabitants of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame; the inhabitants of Za'anan do not come forth; the wailing of Beth-e'zel shall take away from you its standing place.


text:
For the inhabitants of Maroth wait anxiously for good, because evil has come down from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem.


text:
Harness the steeds to the chariots, inhabitants of Lachish; you were the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion, for in you were found the transgressions of Israel.


text:
Therefore you shall give parting gifts to Mo'resheth-gath; the houses of Achzib shall be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel.


text:
I will again bring a conqueror upon you, inhabitants of Mare'shah; the glory of Israel shall come to Adullam.


text:
Make yourselves bald and cut off your hair, for the children of your delight; make yourselves as bald as the eagle, for they shall go from you into exile.


text:
Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil upon their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand.


text:
They covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.


text:
Therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, against this family I am devising evil, from which you cannot remove your necks; and you shall not walk haughtily, for it will be an evil time.


text:
In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you, and wail with bitter lamentation, and say, "We are utterly ruined; he changes the portion of my people; how he removes it from me! Among our captors he divides our fields."


text:
"Do not preach"--thus they preach--"one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us."


text:
Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?


text:
But you rise against my people as an enemy; you strip the robe from the peaceful, from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war.


text:
The women of my people you drive out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away my glory for ever.


text:
Arise and go, for this is no place to rest; because of uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction.


text:
If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, "I will preach to you of wine and strong drink," he would be the preacher for this people!


text:
I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men.


text:
He who opens the breach will go up before them; they will break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king will pass on before them, the LORD at their head.


text:
And I said: Hear, you heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel! Is it not for you to know justice?--


text:
you who hate the good and love the evil, who tear the skin from off my people, and their flesh from off their bones;


text:
who eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones in pieces, and chop them up like meat in a kettle, like flesh in a caldron.


text:
Then they will cry to the LORD, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face from them at that time, because they have made their deeds evil.


text:
Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry "Peace" when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.


text:
Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision, and darkness to you, without divination. The sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be black over them;


text:
the seers shall be disgraced, and the diviners put to shame; they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God.


text:
But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.


text:
Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice and pervert all equity,


text:
Its heads give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for hire, its prophets divine for money; yet they lean upon the LORD and say, "Is not the LORD in the midst of us? No evil shall come upon us."


text:
Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.


text:
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it,


text:
and many nations shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.


text:
He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more;


text:
but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.


text:
For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.


text:
In that day, says the LORD, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I have afflicted;


text:
and the lame I will make the remnant; and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and for evermore.


text:
And you, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.


text:
Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pangs have seized you like a woman in travail?


text:
Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now you shall go forth from the city and dwell in the open country; you shall go to Babylon. There you shall be rescued, there the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.


text:
Now many nations are assembled against you, saying, "Let her be profaned, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion."


text:
But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor.


text:
Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron and your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples, and shall devote their gain to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.


text:
Now you are walled about with a wall; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike upon the cheek the ruler of Israel.


text:
But you, O Bethlehem Eph'rathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.


text:
Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in travail has brought forth; then the rest of his brethren shall return to the people of Israel.


text:
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.


text:
And this shall be peace, when the Assyrian comes into our land and treads upon our soil, that we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men;


text:
they shall rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the drawn sword; and they shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads within our border.


text:
Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers upon the grass, which tarry not for men nor wait for the sons of men.


text:
And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver.


text:
And in that day, says the LORD, I will cut off your horses from among you and will destroy your chariots;


text:
and I will cut off your images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands;


text:
Hear what the LORD says: Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.


text:
Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the LORD, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel.


text:
For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of bondage; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.


text:
O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Be'or answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the LORD."


text:
"With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?


text:
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"


text:
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?


text:
The voice of the LORD cries to the city--and it is sound wisdom to fear thy name: "Hear, O tribe and assembly of the city!


text:
Can I forget the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is accursed?


text:
Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.


text:
You shall eat, but not be satisfied, and there shall be hunger in your inward parts; you shall put away, but not save, and what you save I will give to the sword.


text:
You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine.


text:
For you have kept the statutes of Omri, and all the works of the house of Ahab; and you have walked in their counsels; that I may make you a desolation, and your inhabitants a hissing; so you shall bear the scorn of the peoples."


text:
Woe is me! For I have become as when the summer fruit has been gathered, as when the vintage has been gleaned: there is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig which my soul desires.


text:
The godly man has perished from the earth, and there is none upright among men; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts his brother with a net.


text:
Their hands are upon what is evil, to do it diligently; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.


text:
The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge. The day of their watchmen, of their punishment, has come; now their confusion is at hand.


text:
Put no trust in a neighbor, have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom;


text:
for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.


text:
But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.


text:
Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.


text:
I will bear the indignation of the LORD because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I shall behold his deliverance.


text:
Then my enemy will see, and shame will cover her who said to me, "Where is the LORD your God?" My eyes will gloat over her; now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.


text:
In that day they will come to you, from Assyria to Egypt, and from Egypt to the River, from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.


text:
Shepherd thy people with thy staff, the flock of thy inheritance, who dwell alone in a forest in the midst of a garden land; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old.


text:
The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay their hands on their mouths; their ears shall be deaf;


text:
they shall lick the dust like a serpent, like the crawling things of the earth; they shall come trembling out of their strongholds, they shall turn in dread to the LORD our God, and they shall fear because of thee.


text:
Who is a God like thee, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger for ever because he delights in steadfast love.


text:
He will again have compassion upon us, he will tread our iniquities under foot. Thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.


text:
Thou wilt show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as thou hast sworn to our fathers from the days of old.


text:
The LORD is a jealous God and avenging, the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.


text:
The LORD is slow to anger and of great might, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.


text:
He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither, the bloom of Lebanon fades.


text:
The mountains quake before him, the hills melt; the earth is laid waste before him, the world and all that dwell therein.


text:
Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken asunder by him.


text:
But with an overflowing flood he will make a full end of his adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.


text:
What do you plot against the LORD? He will make a full end; he will not take vengeance twice on his foes.


text:
Thus says the LORD, "Though they be strong and many, they will be cut off and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.


text:
The LORD has given commandment about you: "No more shall your name be perpetuated; from the house of your gods I will cut off the graven image and the molten image. I will make your grave, for you are vile."


text:
Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah, fulfil your vows, for never again shall the wicked come against you, he is utterly cut off.


text:
The shatterer has come up against you. Man the ramparts; watch the road; gird your loins; collect all your strength.


text:
(For the LORD is restoring the majesty of Jacob as the majesty of Israel, for plunderers have stripped them and ruined their branches.)


text:
The shield of his mighty men is red, his soldiers are clothed in scarlet. The chariots flash like flame when mustered in array; the chargers prance.


text:
The chariots rage in the streets, they rush to and fro through the squares; they gleam like torches, they dart like lightning.


text:
The officers are summoned, they stumble as they go, they hasten to the wall, the mantelet is set up.


text:
its mistress is stripped, she is carried off, her maidens lamenting, moaning like doves, and beating their breasts.


text:
Plunder the silver, plunder the gold! There is no end of treasure, or wealth of every precious thing.


text:
Desolate! Desolation and ruin! Hearts faint and knees tremble, anguish is on all loins, all faces grow pale!


text:
Where is the lions' den, the cave of the young lions, where the lion brought his prey, where his cubs were, with none to disturb?


text:
The lion tore enough for his whelps and strangled prey for his lionesses; he filled his caves with prey and his dens with torn flesh.


text:
Behold, I am against you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no more be heard.


text:
Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, hosts of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end--they stumble over the bodies!


text:
And all for the countless harlotries of the harlot, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her harlotries, and peoples with her charms.


text:
Behold, I am against you, says the LORD of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will let nations look on your nakedness and kingdoms on your shame.


text:
And all who look on you will shrink from you and say, Wasted is Nin'eveh; who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for her?


text:
Are you better than Thebes that sat by the Nile, with water around her, her rampart a sea, and water her wall?


text:
Yet she was carried away, she went into captivity; her little ones were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; for her honored men lots were cast, and all her great men were bound in chains.


text:
All your fortresses are like fig trees with first-ripe figs--if shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater.


text:
Behold, your troops are women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your foes; fire has devoured your bars.


text:
Draw water for the siege, strengthen your forts; go into the clay, tread the mortar, take hold of the brick mold!


text:
There will the fire devour you, the sword will cut you off. It will devour you like the locust. Multiply yourselves like the locust, multiply like the grasshopper!


text:
You increased your merchants more than the stars of the heavens. The locust spreads its wings and flies away.


text:
Your princes are like grasshoppers, your scribes like clouds of locusts settling on the fences in a day of cold--when the sun rises, they fly away; no one knows where they are.


text:
Your shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria; your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains with none to gather them.


text:
There is no assuaging your hurt, your wound is grievous. All who hear the news of you clap their hands over you. For upon whom has not come your unceasing evil?


text:
O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear? Or cry to thee "Violence!" and thou wilt not save?


text:
Why dost thou make me see wrongs and look upon trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.


text:
So the law is slacked and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous, so justice goes forth perverted.


text:
Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.


text:
For lo, I am rousing the Chalde'ans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize habitations not their own.


text:
Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Yea, their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour.


text:
At kings they scoff, and of rulers they make sport. They laugh at every fortress, for they heap up earth and take it.


text:
Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them as a judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast established them for chastisement.


text:
Thou who art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on wrong, why dost thou look on faithless men, and art silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?


text:
He brings all of them up with a hook, he drags them out with his net, he gathers them in his seine; so he rejoices and exults.


text:
Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his seine; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich.


text:
I will take my stand to watch, and station myself on the tower, and look forth to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.


text:
And the LORD answered me: "Write the vision; make it plain upon tablets, so he may run who reads it.


text:
For still the vision awaits its time; it hastens to the end--it will not lie. If it seem slow, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.


text:
Moreover, wine is treacherous; the arrogant man shall not abide. His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations, and collects as his own all peoples."


text:
Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, in scoffing derision of him, and say, "Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own--for how long?--and loads himself with pledges!"


text:
Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be booty for them.


text:
Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of men and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell therein.


text:
Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!


text:
Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that peoples labor only for fire, and nations weary themselves for nought?


text:
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.


text:
Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink of the cup of his wrath, and makes them drunk, to gaze on their shame!


text:
You will be sated with contempt instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and stagger! The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you, and shame will come upon your glory!


text:
The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you; the destruction of the beasts will terrify you, for the blood of men and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell therein.


text:
What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For the workman trusts in his own creation when he makes dumb idols!


text:
Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a dumb stone, Arise! Can this give revelation? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.


text:
O LORD, I have heard the report of thee, and thy work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years renew it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.


text:
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. Selah


text:
He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered, the everlasting hills sank low. His ways were as of old.


text:
Was thy wrath against the rivers, O LORD? Was thy anger against the rivers, or thy indignation against the sea, when thou didst ride upon thy horses, upon thy chariot of victory?


text:
Thou didst strip the sheath from thy bow, and put the arrows to the string. Selah Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.


text:
The mountains saw thee, and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice, it lifted its hands on high.


text:
The sun and moon stood still in their habitation at the light of thine arrows as they sped, at the flash of thy glittering spear.


text:
Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, for the salvation of thy anointed. Thou didst crush the head of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah


text:
Thou didst pierce with thy shafts the head of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.


text:
I hear, and my body trembles, my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones, my steps totter beneath me. I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.


text:
Though the fig tree do not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,


text:
GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like hinds' feet, he makes me tread upon my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.


text:
The word of the LORD which came to Zephani'ah the son of Cushi, son of Gedali'ah, son of Amari'ah, son of Hezeki'ah, in the days of Josi'ah the son of Amon, king of Judah.


text:
"I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. I will overthrow the wicked; I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth," says the LORD.


text:
"I will stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Ba'al and the name of the idolatrous priests;


text:
those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens; those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom;


text:
Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is at hand; the LORD has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests.


text:
And on the day of the LORD'S sacrifice--"I will punish the officials and the king's sons and all who array themselves in foreign attire.


text:
On that day I will punish every one who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master's house with violence and fraud."


text:
"On that day," says the LORD, "a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second Quarter, a loud crash from the hills.


text:
Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the traders are no more; all who weigh out silver are cut off.


text:
At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are thickening upon their lees, those who say in their hearts, `The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.'


text:
Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them."


text:
The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter, the mighty man cries aloud there.


text:
A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,


text:
a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements.


text:
I will bring distress on men, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.


text:
Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the LORD. In the fire of his jealous wrath, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full, yea, sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.


text:
before you are driven away like the drifting chaff, before there comes upon you the fierce anger of the LORD, before there comes upon you the day of the wrath of the LORD.


text:
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the wrath of the LORD.


text:
For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ash'kelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted.


text:
Woe to you inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cher'ethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you till no inhabitant is left.


text:
The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall pasture, and in the houses of Ash'kelon they shall lie down at evening. For the LORD their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes.


text:
"I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory.


text:
Therefore, as I live," says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "Moab shall become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomor'rah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste for ever. The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of my nation shall possess them."


text:
This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they scoffed and boasted against the people of the LORD of hosts.


text:
The LORD will be terrible against them; yea, he will famish all the gods of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the lands of the nations.


text:
And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and he will make Nin'eveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert.


text:
Herds shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the field; the vulture and the hedgehog shall lodge in her capitals; the owl shall hoot in the window, the raven croak on the threshold; for her cedar work will be laid bare.


text:
This is the exultant city that dwelt secure, that said to herself, "I am and there is none else." What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild beasts! Every one who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.


text:
She listens to no voice, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD, she does not draw near to her God.


text:
Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning.


text:
Her prophets are wanton, faithless men; her priests profane what is sacred, they do violence to the law.


text:
The LORD within her is righteous, he does no wrong; every morning he shows forth his justice, each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame.


text:
"I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that none walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant.


text:
I said, `Surely she will fear me, she will accept correction; she will not lose sight of all that I have enjoined upon her.' But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt."


text:
"Therefore wait for me," says the LORD, "for the day when I arise as a witness. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all the heat of my anger; for in the fire of my jealous wrath all the earth shall be consumed.


text:
"Yea, at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord.


text:
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.


text:
"On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain.


text:
For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD,


text:
those who are left in Israel; they shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall pasture and lie down, and none shall make them afraid."


text:
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!


text:
The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more.


text:
The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing


text:
as on a day of festival. "I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it.


text:
Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.


text:
At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you together; yea, I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes," says the LORD.


text:
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerub'babel the son of She-al'ti-el, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest,


text:
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: This people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD."


text:
You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes.


text:
Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may appear in my glory, says the LORD.


text:
You have looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while you busy yourselves each with his own house.


text:
And I have called for a drought upon the land and the hills, upon the grain, the new wine, the oil, upon what the ground brings forth, upon men and cattle, and upon all their labors."


text:
Then Zerub'babel the son of She-al'ti-el, and Joshua the son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him; and the people feared before the LORD.


text:
Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD's message, "I am with you, says the LORD."


text:
And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerub'babel the son of She-al'ti-el, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,


text:
in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet,


text:
"Speak now to Zerub'babel the son of She-al'ti-el, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say,


text:
`Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not in your sight as nothing?


text:
Yet now take courage, O Zerub'babel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts,


text:
according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit abides among you; fear not.


text:
For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land;


text:
and I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts.


text:
The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.'"


text:
On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet,


text:
`If one carries holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and touches with his skirt bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any kind of food, does it become holy?'" The priests answered, "No."


text:
Then said Haggai, "If one who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?" The priests answered, "It does become unclean."


text:
Then Haggai said, "So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, says the LORD; and so with every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.


text:
Pray now, consider what will come to pass from this day onward. Before a stone was placed upon a stone in the temple of the LORD,


text:
how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the winevat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty.


text:
I smote you and all the products of your toil with blight and mildew and hail; yet you did not return to me, says the LORD.


text:
Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider:


text:
Is the seed yet in the barn? Do the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still yield nothing? From this day on I will bless you."


text:
and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders; and the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his fellow.


text:
On that day, says the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerub'babel my servant, the son of She-al'ti-el, says the LORD, and make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the LORD of hosts."


text:
In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechari'ah the son of Berechi'ah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,


text:
Therefore say to them, Thus says the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts.


text:
Be not like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.' But they did not hear or heed me, says the LORD.


text:
But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us."


text:
On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechari'ah the son of Berechi'ah, son of Iddo, the prophet; and Zechari'ah said,


text:
"I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen; and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.


text:
Then I said, `What are these, my lord?' The angel who talked with me said to me, `I will show you what they are.'


text:
So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, `These are they whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.'


text:
And they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, `We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.'


text:
Then the angel of the LORD said, `O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?'


text:
So the angel who talked with me said to me, `Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.


text:
And I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little they furthered the disaster.


text:
Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion; my house shall be built in it, says the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.


text:
Cry again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.'"


text:
And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these?" And he answered me, "These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."


text:
And I said, "What are these coming to do?" He answered, "These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man raised his head; and these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it."


text:
Then I said, "Where are you going?" And he said to me, "To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its breadth and what is its length."


text:
and said to him, "Run, say to that young man, `Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of men and cattle in it.


text:
For I will be to her a wall of fire round about, says the LORD, and I will be the glory within her.'"


text:
Ho! ho! Flee from the land of the north, says the LORD; for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, says the LORD.


text:
For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye:


text:
"Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me.


text:
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come and I will dwell in the midst of you, says the LORD.


text:
And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.


text:
Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.


text:
And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?"


text:
And the angel said to those who were standing before him, "Remove the filthy garments from him." And to him he said, "Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with rich apparel."


text:
And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments; and the angel of the LORD was standing by.


text:
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.


text:
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men of good omen: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch.


text:
For behold, upon the stone which I have set before Joshua, upon a single stone with seven facets, I will engrave its inscription, says the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the guilt of this land in a single day.


text:
In that day, says the LORD of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree."


text:
And the angel who talked with me came again, and waked me, like a man that is wakened out of his sleep.


text:
And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps which are on the top of it.


text:
Then the angel who talked with me answered me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord."


text:
Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerub'babel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.


text:
What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerub'babel you shall become a plain; and he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of `Grace, grace to it!'"


text:
"The hands of Zerub'babel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.


text:
For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerub'babel. "These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth."


text:
And a second time I said to him, "What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the oil is poured out?"


text:
And he said to me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its breadth ten cubits."


text:
Then he said to me, "This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land; for every one who steals shall be cut off henceforth according to it, and every one who swears falsely shall be cut off henceforth according to it.


text:
I will send it forth, says the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it shall abide in his house and consume it, both timber and stones."


text:
Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, "Lift your eyes, and see what this is that goes forth."


text:
And I said, "What is it?" He said, "This is the ephah that goes forth." And he said, "This is their iniquity in all the land."


text:
And he said, "This is Wickedness." And he thrust her back into the ephah, and thrust down the leaden weight upon its mouth.


text:
Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings; they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between earth and heaven.


text:
He said to me, "To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it; and when this is prepared, they will set the ephah down there on its base."


text:
And again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of bronze.


text:
And the angel answered me, "These are going forth to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the LORD of all the earth.


text:
The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go toward the west country, and the dappled ones go toward the south country."


text:
When the steeds came out, they were impatient to get off and patrol the earth. And he said, "Go, patrol the earth." So they patrolled the earth.


text:
Then he cried to me, "Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country."


text:
"Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobi'jah, and Jedai'ah, who have arrived from Babylon; and go the same day to the house of Josi'ah, the son of Zephani'ah.


text:
Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it upon the head of Joshua, the son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest;


text:
and say to him, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall grow up in his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD.


text:
It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD, and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule upon his throne. And there shall be a priest by his throne, and peaceful understanding shall be between them both."'


text:
And the crown shall be in the temple of the LORD as a reminder to Heldai, Tobi'jah, Jedai'ah, and Josi'ah the son of Zephani'ah.


text:
"And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD; and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God."


text:
In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechari'ah in the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev.


text:
Now the people of Bethel had sent Share'zer and Reg'em-mel'ech and their men, to entreat the favor of the LORD,


text:
and to ask the priests of the house of the LORD of hosts and the prophets, "Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?"


text:
"Say to all the people of the land and the priests, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?


text:
When Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, with her cities round about her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited, were not these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets?"


text:
do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart."


text:
But they refused to hearken, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears that they might not hear.


text:
They made their hearts like adamant lest they should hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.


text:
"As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear," says the LORD of hosts,


text:
"and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate."


text:
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.


text:
Thus says the LORD: I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain.


text:
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand for very age.


text:
Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, says the LORD of hosts?


text:
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country;


text:
and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness."


text:
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets, since the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.


text:
For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in; for I set every man against his fellow.


text:
But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts.


text:
For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, and the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.


text:
And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong."


text:
For thus says the LORD of hosts: "As I purposed to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts,


text:
These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace,


text:
do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, says the LORD."


text:
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love truth and peace.


text:
the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, `Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I am going.'


text:
Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the LORD.


text:
Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, `Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"


text:
An Oracle The word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus. For to the LORD belong the cities of Aram, even as all the tribes of Israel;


text:
Tyre has built herself a rampart, and heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.


text:
But lo, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and hurl her wealth into the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire.


text:
Ash'kelon shall see it, and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ash'kelon shall be uninhabited;


text:
I will take away its blood from its mouth, and its abominations from between its teeth; it too shall be a remnant for our God; it shall be like a clan in Judah, and Ekron shall be like the Jeb'usites.


text:
Then I will encamp at my house as a guard, so that none shall march to and fro; no oppressor shall again overrun them, for now I see with my own eyes.


text:
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.


text:
I will cut off the chariot from E'phraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.


text:
As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your captives free from the waterless pit.


text:
For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made E'phraim its arrow. I will brandish your sons, O Zion, over your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior's sword.


text:
Then the LORD will appear over them, and his arrow go forth like lightning; the Lord GOD will sound the trumpet, and march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.


text:
The LORD of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour and tread down the slingers; and they shall drink their blood like wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar.


text:
On that day the LORD their God will save them for they are the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.


text:
Yea, how good and how fair it shall be! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the maidens.


text:
Ask rain from the LORD in the season of the spring rain, from the LORD who makes the storm clouds, who gives men showers of rain, to every one the vegetation in the field.


text:
For the teraphim utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; the dreamers tell false dreams, and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for want of a shepherd.


text:
"My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his proud steed in battle.


text:
Out of them shall come the cornerstone, out of them the tent peg, out of them the battle bow, out of them every ruler.


text:
Together they shall be like mighty men in battle, trampling the foe in the mud of the streets; they shall fight because the LORD is with them, and they shall confound the riders on horses.


text:
"I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them; for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.


text:
Then E'phraim shall become like a mighty warrior, and their hearts shall be glad as with wine. Their children shall see it and rejoice, their hearts shall exult in the LORD.


text:
"I will signal for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they shall be as many as of old.


text:
Though I scattered them among the nations, yet in far countries they shall remember me, and with their children they shall live and return.


text:
I will bring them home from the land of Egypt, and gather them from Assyria; and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon, till there is no room for them.


text:
They shall pass through the sea of Egypt, and the waves of the sea shall be smitten, and all the depths of the Nile dried up. The pride of Assyria shall be laid low, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart.


text:
Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, for the glorious trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan, for the thick forest has been felled!


text:
Hark, the wail of the shepherds, for their glory is despoiled! Hark, the roar of the lions, for the jungle of the Jordan is laid waste!


text:
Those who buy them slay them and go unpunished; and those who sell them say, `Blessed be the LORD, I have become rich'; and their own shepherds have no pity on them.


text:
For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, says the LORD. Lo, I will cause men to fall each into the hand of his shepherd, and each into the hand of his king; and they shall crush the earth, and I will deliver none from their hand."


text:
So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slain for those who trafficked in the sheep. And I took two staffs; one I named Grace, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep.


text:
In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me.


text:
So I said, "I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die; what is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed; and let those that are left devour the flesh of one another."


text:
And I took my staff Grace, and I broke it, annulling the covenant which I had made with all the peoples.


text:
So it was annulled on that day, and the traffickers in the sheep, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD.


text:
Then I said to them, "If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them." And they weighed out as my wages thirty shekels of silver.


text:
Then the LORD said to me, "Cast it into the treasury"--the lordly price at which I was paid off by them. So I took the thirty shekels of silver and cast them into the treasury in the house of the LORD.


text:
For lo, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for the perishing, or seek the wandering, or heal the maimed, or nourish the sound, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.


text:
Woe to my worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword smite his arm and his right eye! Let his arm be wholly withered, his right eye utterly blinded!"


text:
An Oracle The word of the LORD concerning Israel: Thus says the LORD, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him:


text:
"Lo, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the peoples round about; it will be against Judah also in the siege against Jerusalem.


text:
On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it shall grievously hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will come together against it.


text:
On that day, says the LORD, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But upon the house of Judah I will open my eyes, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.


text:
Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, `The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the LORD of hosts, their God.'


text:
"On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves; and they shall devour to the right and to the left all the peoples round about, while Jerusalem shall still be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem.


text:
"And the LORD will give victory to the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not be exalted over that of Judah.


text:
On that day the LORD will put a shield about the inhabitants of Jerusalem so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the LORD, at their head.


text:
"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first-born.


text:
On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadadrim'mon in the plain of Megid'do.


text:
The land shall mourn, each family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves;


text:
the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shim'e-ites by itself, and their wives by themselves;


text:
"On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.


text:
"And on that day, says the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more; and also I will remove from the land the prophets and the unclean spirit.


text:
And if any one again appears as a prophet, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, `You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the LORD'; and his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies.


text:
On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; he will not put on a hairy mantle in order to deceive,


text:
but he will say, `I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the soil; for the land has been my possession since my youth.'


text:
And if one asks him, `What are these wounds on your back?' he will say, `The wounds I received in the house of my friends.'"


text:
"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me," says the LORD of hosts. "Strike the shepherd, that the sheep may be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.


text:
In the whole land, says the LORD, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive.


text:
And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, `They are my people'; and they will say, `The LORD is my God.'"


text:
Behold, a day of the LORD is coming, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in the midst of you.


text:
For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women ravished; half of the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.


text:
On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives which lies before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley; so that one half of the Mount shall withdraw northward, and the other half southward.


text:
And the valley of my mountains shall be stopped up, for the valley of the mountains shall touch the side of it; and you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzzi'ah king of Judah. Then the LORD your God will come, and all the holy ones with him.


text:
And there shall be continuous day (it is known to the LORD), not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light.


text:
On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it shall continue in summer as in winter.


text:
And the LORD will become king over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be one and his name one.


text:
The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft upon its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Han'anel to the king's wine presses.


text:
And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will smite all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh shall rot while they are still on their feet, their eyes shall rot in their sockets, and their tongues shall rot in their mouths.


text:
And on that day a great panic from the LORD shall fall on them, so that each will lay hold on the hand of his fellow, and the hand of the one will be raised against the hand of the other;


text:
even Judah will fight against Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the nations round about shall be collected, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance.


text:
And a plague like this plague shall fall on the horses, the mules, the camels, the asses, and whatever beasts may be in those camps.


text:
Then every one that survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of booths.


text:
And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain upon them.


text:
And if the family of Egypt do not go up and present themselves, then upon them shall come the plague with which the LORD afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the feast of booths.


text:
This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the feast of booths.


text:
And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, "Holy to the LORD." And the pots in the house of the LORD shall be as the bowls before the altar;


text:
and every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be sacred to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the flesh of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day.


text:
"I have loved you," says the LORD. But you say, "How hast thou loved us?" "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" says the LORD. "Yet I have loved Jacob


text:
but I have hated Esau; I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert."


text:
If Edom says, "We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins," the LORD of hosts says, "They may build, but I will tear down, till they are called the wicked country, the people with whom the LORD is angry for ever."


text:
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, `How have we despised thy name?'


text:
By offering polluted food upon my altar. And you say, `How have we polluted it?' By thinking that the LORD's table may be despised.


text:
When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that no evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that no evil? Present that to your governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts.


text:
And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts.


text:
Oh, that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire upon my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.


text:
For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.


text:
But you profane it when you say that the LORD's table is polluted, and the food for it may be despised.


text:
`What a weariness this is,' you say, and you sniff at me, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD.


text:
Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished; for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is feared among the nations.


text:
If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; indeed I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart.


text:
Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung upon your faces, the dung of your offerings, and I will put you out of my presence.


text:
So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the LORD of hosts.


text:
My covenant with him was a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him, that he might fear; and he feared me, he stood in awe of my name.


text:
True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.


text:
For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.


text:
But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts,


text:
and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction."


text:
Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?


text:
Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.


text:
May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob, for the man who does this, any to witness or answer, or to bring an offering to the LORD of hosts!


text:
And this again you do. You cover the LORD's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor at your hand.


text:
You ask, "Why does he not?" Because the LORD was witness to the covenant between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.


text:
Has not the one God made and sustained for us the spirit of life? And what does he desire? Godly offspring. So take heed to yourselves, and let none be faithless to the wife of his youth.


text:
"For I hate divorce, says the LORD the God of Israel, and covering one's garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless."


text:
You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Every one who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?"


text:
"Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.


text:
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? "For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap;


text:
he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the LORD.


text:
Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.


text:
"Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.


text:
From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, `How shall we return?'


text:
Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, `How are we robbing thee?' In your tithes and offerings.


text:
Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.


text:
I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts.


text:
"Your words have been stout against me, says the LORD. Yet you say, `How have we spoken against thee?'


text:
You have said, `It is vain to serve God. What is the good of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts?


text:
Henceforth we deem the arrogant blessed; evildoers not only prosper but when they put God to the test they escape.'"


text:
Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another; the LORD heeded and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and thought on his name.


text:
"They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.


text:
Then once more you shall distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.


text:
"For behold, the day comes, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.


text:
But for you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go forth leaping like calves from the stall.


text:
And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.


text:
"Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.


text:
And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse."


text:
Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,


text:
and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,


text:
and Ram the father of Ammin'adab, and Ammin'adab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon,


text:
and Salmon the father of Bo'az by Rahab, and Bo'az the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,


text:
and Solomon the father of Rehobo'am, and Rehobo'am the father of Abi'jah, and Abi'jah the father of Asa,


text:
and Asa the father of Jehosh'aphat, and Jehosh'aphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzzi'ah,


text:
and Hezeki'ah the father of Manas'seh, and Manas'seh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josi'ah,


text:
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoni'ah was the father of She-al'ti-el, and She-al'ti-el the father of Zerub'babel,


text:
and Zerub'babel the father of Abi'ud, and Abi'ud the father of Eli'akim, and Eli'akim the father of Azor,


text:
and Eli'ud the father of Elea'zar, and Elea'zar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob,


text:
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.


text:
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit;


text:
and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.


text:
But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit;


text:
she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."


text:
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us).


text:
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying,


text:
"Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."


text:
and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.


text:
`And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"


text:
and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."


text:
When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.


text:
and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.


text:
And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.


text:
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."


text:
and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."


text:
Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men.


text:
"A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more."


text:
"Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead."


text:
But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.


text:
And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."


text:
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."


text:
Now John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.


text:
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?


text:
and do not presume to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.


text:
Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.


text:
"I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.


text:
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."


text:
But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness." Then he consented.


text:
And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him;


text:
And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."


text:
But he answered, "It is written, `Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"


text:
and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, `He will give his angels charge of you,' and `On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'"


text:
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them;


text:
Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! for it is written, `You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'"


text:
and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caper'na-um by the sea, in the territory of Zeb'ulun and Naph'tali,


text:
"The land of Zeb'ulun and the land of Naph'tali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--


text:
the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."


text:
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.


text:
And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, in the boat with Zeb'edee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.


text:
And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.


text:
So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.


text:
And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decap'olis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.


text:
"Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.


text:
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.


text:
"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.


text:
Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.


text:
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.


text:
"Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.


text:
For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.


text:
Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.


text:
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.


text:
"You have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.'


text:
But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire.


text:
So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,


text:
leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.


text:
Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison;


text:
But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.


text:
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.


text:
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.


text:
But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.


text:
"Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.'


text:
But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;


text:
so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.


text:
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?


text:
And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?


text:
"Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.


text:
"Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.


text:
"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.


text:
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.


text:
"And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words.


text:
"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.


text:
that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.


text:
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal,


text:
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.


text:
but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!


text:
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.


text:
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?


text:
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?


text:
And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;


text:
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?


text:
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'


text:
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.


text:
For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.


text:
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?


text:
Or how can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?


text:
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.


text:
"Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.


text:
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!


text:
"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.


text:
"Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.


text:
On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'


text:
"Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;


text:
and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.


text:
And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand;


text:
and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."


text:
and behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."


text:
And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.


text:
And Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to the people."


text:
But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.


text:
For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it."


text:
When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.


text:
I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,


text:
while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth."


text:
And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.


text:
That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick.


text:
This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."


text:
And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."


text:
And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.


text:
And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.


text:
And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.


text:
And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"


text:
And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters.


text:
The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs.


text:
And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.


text:
And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."


text:
But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he then said to the paralytic--"Rise, take up your bed and go home."


text:
When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.


text:
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.


text:
And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.


text:
And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"


text:
But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.


text:
Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."


text:
Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"


text:
And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.


text:
And no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.


text:
Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."


text:
While he was thus speaking to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."


text:
And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment;


text:
Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well.


text:
And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David."


text:
When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord."


text:
And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel."


text:
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity.


text:
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.


text:
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity.


text:
The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zeb'edee, and John his brother;


text:
Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;


text:
These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,


text:
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay.


text:
no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food.


text:
And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart.


text:
And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.


text:
And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.


text:
Truly, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor'rah than for that town.


text:
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.


text:
and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles.


text:
When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour;


text:
Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;


text:
When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes.


text:
it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Be-el'zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.


text:
"So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.


text:
What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops.


text:
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.


text:
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's will.


text:
So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven;


text:
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.


text:
For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;


text:
He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;


text:
He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.


text:
And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."


text:
And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.


text:
the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.


text:
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind?


text:
Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings' houses.


text:
This is he of whom it is written, `Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.'


text:
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.


text:
From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force.


text:
"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places and calling to their playmates,


text:
the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."


text:
Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.


text:
"Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.


text:
And you, Caper'na-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.


text:
But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."


text:
At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes;


text:
All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.


text:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.


text:
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.


text:
But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath."


text:
He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:


text:
how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?


text:
Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?


text:
And if you had known what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.


text:
And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?" so that they might accuse him.


text:
He said to them, "What man of you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?


text:
Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, whole like the other.


text:
"Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.


text:
Then a blind and dumb demoniac was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw.


text:
But when the Pharisees heard it they said, "It is only by Be-el'zebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons."


text:
Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand;


text:
And if I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.


text:
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.


text:
Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.


text:
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.


text:
And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.


text:
"Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.


text:
You brood of vipers! how can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.


text:
The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.


text:
But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.


text:
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.


text:
The men of Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.


text:
The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.


text:
"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, but he finds none.


text:
Then he says, `I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.


text:
Then he goes and brings with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So shall it be also with this evil generation."


text:
While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.


text:
And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach.


text:
Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,


text:
And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.


text:
For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.


text:
This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.


text:
With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: `You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive.


text:
For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.'


text:
Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.


text:
When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path.


text:
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;


text:
yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.


text:
As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.


text:
As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."


text:
Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field;


text:
And the servants of the householder came and said to him, `Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?'


text:
He said to them, `An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, `Then do you want us to go and gather them?'


text:
Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"


text:
Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field;


text:
it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."


text:
He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."


text:
This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world."


text:
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."


text:
the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one,


text:
and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.


text:
The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers,


text:
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.


text:
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.


text:
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind;


text:
when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad.


text:
So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous,


text:
And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."


text:
and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?


text:
Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?


text:
And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."


text:
and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist, he has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him."


text:
For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife;


text:
And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.


text:
But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Hero'di-as danced before the company, and pleased Herod,


text:
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place apart. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.


text:
When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves."


text:
Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.


text:
And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.


text:
Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.


text:
And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,


text:
but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them.


text:
But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.


text:
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?"


text:
And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent round to all that region and brought to him all that were sick,


text:
and besought him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.


text:
"Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."


text:
For God commanded, `Honor your father and your mother,' and, `He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.'


text:
But you say, `If any one tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is given to God, he need not honor his father.'


text:
Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"


text:
Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."


text:
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.


text:
And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon."


text:
But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us."


text:
Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.


text:
And Jesus went on from there and passed along the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain, and sat down there.


text:
And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the dumb, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them,


text:
so that the throng wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.


text:
Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."


text:
And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get bread enough in the desert to feed so great a crowd?"


text:
he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.


text:
And they all ate and were satisfied; and they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over.


text:
And the Pharisees and Sad'ducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.


text:
And in the morning, `It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.


text:
An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah." So he left them and departed.


text:
But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?


text:
Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?


text:
How is it that you fail to perceive that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees."


text:
Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees.


text:
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philip'pi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?"


text:
And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."


text:
And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.


text:
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.


text:
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."


text:
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.


text:
And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you."


text:
But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men."


text:
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.


text:
For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?


text:
For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.


text:
Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."


text:
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart.


text:
And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.


text:
And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah."


text:
He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."


text:
And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead."


text:
but I tell you that Eli'jah has already come, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of man will suffer at their hands."


text:
"Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.


text:
And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me."


text:
He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."


text:
As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men,


text:
When they came to Caper'na-um, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, "Does not your teacher pay the tax?"


text:
He said, "Yes." And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from others?"


text:
However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel; take that and give it to them for me and for yourself."


text:
and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.


text:
but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.


text:
"Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!


text:
And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.


text:
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.


text:
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.


text:
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?


text:
And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.


text:
"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.


text:
But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.


text:
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.


text:
Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.


text:
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.


text:
Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"


text:
"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.


text:
and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.


text:
So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'


text:
But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.'


text:
When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.


text:
Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me;


text:
So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."


text:
Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan;


text:
And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?"


text:
and said, `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?


text:
So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder."


text:
They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"


text:
He said to them, "For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.


text:
And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery."


text:
The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry."


text:
For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."


text:
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people;


text:
but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."


text:
And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments."


text:
He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,


text:
Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."


text:
And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.


text:
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."


text:
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."


text:
Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.


text:
And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.


text:
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.


text:
and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went.


text:
And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?'


text:
And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, `Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.'


text:
Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.


text:
saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'


text:
But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?


text:
And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,


text:
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,


text:
and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."


text:
Then the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.


text:
And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom."


text:
But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."


text:
He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."


text:
But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.


text:
even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."


text:
And behold, two blind men sitting by the roadside, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"


text:
The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent; but they cried out the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"


text:
And when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Beth'phage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,


text:
saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me.


text:
If any one says anything to you, you shall say, `The Lord has need of them,' and he will send them immediately."


text:
"Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of an ass."


text:
Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.


text:
And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"


text:
And Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.


text:
He said to them, "It is written, `My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you make it a den of robbers."


text:
But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant;


text:
and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, `Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast brought perfect praise'?"


text:
And seeing a fig tree by the wayside he went to it, and found nothing on it but leaves only. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once.


text:
And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and never doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will be done.


text:
And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"


text:
Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you a question; and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.


text:
The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven or from men?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, `From heaven,' he will say to us, `Why then did you not believe him?'


text:
So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.


text:
"What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.'


text:
Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.


text:
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him.


text:
"Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country.


text:
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.'


text:
They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons."


text:
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?


text:
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it."


text:
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.


text:
But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet.


text:
and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come.


text:
Again he sent other servants, saying, `Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.'


text:
And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.


text:
and he said to him, `Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.


text:
Then the king said to the attendants, `Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.'


text:
And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Hero'di-ans, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men.


text:
They said, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."


text:
The same day Sad'ducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question,


text:
saying, "Teacher, Moses said, `If a man dies, having no children, his brother must marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.'


text:
Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother.


text:
But Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God.


text:
For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.


text:
`I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living."


text:
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.


text:
And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did any one dare to ask him any more questions.


text:
so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.


text:
They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.


text:
They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,


text:
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in.


text:
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.


text:
"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'


text:
And you say, `If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.'


text:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.


text:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity.


text:
You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean.


text:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.


text:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,


text:
saying, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'


text:
Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,


text:
that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah the son of Barachi'ah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.


text:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!


text:
For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"


text:
Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.


text:
But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down."


text:
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?"


text:
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet.


text:
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places:


text:
"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.


text:
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come.


text:
"So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),


text:
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.


text:
And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.


text:
For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.


text:
So, if they say to you, `Lo, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out; if they say, `Lo, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.


text:
For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man.


text:
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;


text:
then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory;


text:
and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.


text:
"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.


text:
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.


text:
For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,


text:
and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man.


text:
But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into.


text:
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?


text:
the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know,


text:
"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.


text:
But the wise replied, `Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.'


text:
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.


text:
"For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property;


text:
to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.


text:
He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more.


text:
And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, `Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.'


text:
His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.'


text:
And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, `Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.'


text:
He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow;


text:
But his master answered him, `You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed?


text:
Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.


text:
For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.


text:
"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.


text:
Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,


text:
Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;


text:
for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,


text:
Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?


text:
And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'


text:
Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;


text:
I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'


text:
Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'


text:
Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'


text:
"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of man will be delivered up to be crucified."


text:
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Ca'iaphas,


text:
a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head, as he sat at table.


text:
But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.


text:
Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."


text:
and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.


text:
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the passover?"


text:
He said, "Go into the city to a certain one, and say to him, `The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at your house with my disciples.'"


text:
The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born."


text:
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."


text:
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you;


text:
I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."


text:
Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written, `I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'


text:
Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times."


text:
Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you." And so said all the disciples.


text:
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsem'ane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go yonder and pray."


text:
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt."


text:
And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour?


text:
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."


text:
Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, thy will be done."


text:
Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.


text:
While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.


text:
Jesus said to him, "Friend, why are you here?" Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him.


text:
And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear.


text:
Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.


text:
Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?


text:
At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.


text:
But all this has taken place, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.


text:
Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Ca'iaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.


text:
But Peter followed him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end.


text:
Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death,


text:
and said, "This fellow said, `I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.'"


text:
And the high priest stood up and said, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?"


text:
But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."


text:
Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."


text:
Then the high priest tore his robes, and said, "He has uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy.


text:
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a maid came up to him, and said, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean."


text:
And when he went out to the porch, another maid saw him, and she said to the bystanders, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."


text:
After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you."


text:
Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately the cock crowed.


text:
And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.


text:
When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death;


text:
When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,


text:
saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself."


text:
But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money."


text:
Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel,


text:
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so."


text:
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.


text:
So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you, Barab'bas or Jesus who is called Christ?"


text:
Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream."


text:
The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barab'bas."


text:
Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified."


text:
So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves."


text:
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the praetorium, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.


text:
and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"


text:
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.


text:
As they went out, they came upon a man of Cyre'ne, Simon by name; this man they compelled to carry his cross.


text:
And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus the King of the Jews."


text:
and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross."


text:
"He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.


text:
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, la'ma sabach-tha'ni?" that is, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"


text:
And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink.


text:
And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split;


text:
and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.


text:
When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe, and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"


text:
There were also many women there, looking on from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him;


text:
among whom were Mary Mag'dalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee.


text:
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathe'a, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.


text:
and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.


text:
Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate


text:
and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, `After three days I will rise again.'


text:
Therefore order the sepulchre to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away, and tell the people, `He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first."


text:
Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Mag'dalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre.


text:
And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.


text:
But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.


text:
Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you."


text:
And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Hail!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.


text:
Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."


text:
While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place.


text:
And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sum of money to the soldiers


text:
So they took the money and did as they were directed; and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.


text:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,


text:
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."


text:
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way;


text:
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.


text:
And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.


text:
Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey.


text:
And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.


text:
And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove;


text:
And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.


text:
and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."


text:
And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.


text:
And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.


text:
And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zeb'edee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him.


text:
And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.


text:
and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."


text:
And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."


text:
And immediately he left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.


text:
And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.


text:
And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.


text:
And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.


text:
And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out."


text:
And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean."


text:
and said to him, "See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people."


text:
But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.


text:
And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them.


text:
And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay.


text:
And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts?


text:
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise, take up your pallet and walk'?


text:
But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the paralytic--


text:
And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"


text:
And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.


text:
And as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him.


text:
And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"


text:
And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."


text:
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"


text:
And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.


text:
The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.


text:
No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; if he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.


text:
And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but new wine is for fresh skins."


text:
One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.


text:
And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him:


text:
how he entered the house of God, when Abi'athar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?"


text:
And they watched him, to see whether he would heal him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him.


text:
And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent.


text:
And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.


text:
The Pharisees went out, and immediately held counsel with the Hero'di-ans against him, how to destroy him.


text:
Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed; also from Judea


text:
and Jerusalem and Idume'a and from beyond the Jordan and from about Tyre and Sidon a great multitude, hearing all that he did, came to him.


text:
And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they should crush him;


text:
And whenever the unclean spirits beheld him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God."


text:
James the son of Zeb'edee and John the brother of James, whom he surnamed Bo-aner'ges, that is, sons of thunder;


text:
Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean,


text:
And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for people were saying, "He is beside himself."


text:
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Be-el'zebul, and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons."


text:
But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may plunder his house.


text:
"Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter;


text:
but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"--


text:
And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you."


text:
Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.


text:
Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil;


text:
And other seeds fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."


text:
And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables;


text:
so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven."


text:
And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?


text:
And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them.


text:
And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy;


text:
and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.


text:
but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.


text:
But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."


text:
And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand?


text:
For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.


text:
And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.


text:
For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away."


text:
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;


text:
yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."


text:
he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.


text:
And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.


text:
And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.


text:
But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?"


text:
And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.


text:
And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"


text:
for he had often been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him.


text:
Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and bruising himself with stones.


text:
and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me."


text:
So he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.


text:
The herdsmen fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.


text:
And they came to Jesus, and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had had the legion; and they were afraid.


text:
And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.


text:
But he refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."


text:
And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decap'olis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled.


text:
And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him; and he was beside the sea.


text:
and besought him, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live."


text:
and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.


text:
And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, "Who touched my garments?"


text:
And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, `Who touched me?'"


text:
But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.


text:
And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."


text:
While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?"


text:
When they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, he saw a tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly.


text:
And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping."


text:
And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.


text:
Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Tal'itha cu'mi"; which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."


text:
And immediately the girl got up and walked (she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.


text:
And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.


text:
And on the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands!


text:
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.


text:
And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house."


text:
And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them.


text:
And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.


text:
He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts;


text:
And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them."


text:
King Herod heard of it; for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him."


text:
But others said, "It is Eli'jah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."


text:
For Herod had sent and seized John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her.


text:
for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard him gladly.


text:
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and the leading men of Galilee.


text:
For when Hero'di-as' daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it."


text:
And she went out, and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer."


text:
And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."


text:
And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.


text:
And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison,


text:
And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.


text:
Now many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them.


text:
As he went ashore he saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.


text:
And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the hour is now late;


text:
send them away, to go into the country and villages round about and buy themselves something to eat."


text:
But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?"


text:
And he said to them, "How many loaves have you? Go and see." And when they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish."


text:
And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all.


text:
Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Beth-sa'ida, while he dismissed the crowd.


text:
And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them,


text:
for they all saw him, and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."


text:
and ran about the whole neighborhood and began to bring sick people on their pallets to any place where they heard he was.


text:
And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in the market places, and besought him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.


text:
Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem,


text:
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders;


text:
and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.)


text:
And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?"


text:
And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, `This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;


text:
And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition!


text:
For Moses said, `Honor your father and your mother'; and, `He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die';


text:
but you say, `If a man tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is Corban' (that is, given to God)--


text:
thus making void the word of God through your tradition which you hand on. And many such things you do."


text:
there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him."


text:
And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile him,


text:
since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and so passes on?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.)


text:
And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house, and would not have any one know it; yet he could not be hid.


text:
But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet.


text:
Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoeni'cian by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.


text:
And he said to her, "Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."


text:
Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap'olis.


text:
And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him.


text:
And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue;


text:
And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.


text:
And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."


text:
In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him, and said to them,


text:
"I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat;


text:
and if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come a long way."


text:
And he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd.


text:
And they had a few small fish; and having blessed them, he commanded that these also should be set before them.


text:
And he sent them away; and immediately he got into the boat with his disciples, and went to the district of Dalmanu'tha.


text:
And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."


text:
And he cautioned them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."


text:
And being aware of it, Jesus said to them, "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?


text:
When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" They said to him, "Twelve."


text:
"And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" And they said to him, "Seven."


text:
And they came to Beth-sa'ida. And some people brought to him a blind man, and begged him to touch him.


text:
And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?"


text:
Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and saw everything clearly.


text:
And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesare'a Philip'pi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that I am?"


text:
And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.


text:
But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men."


text:
And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.


text:
For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.


text:
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."


text:
And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power."


text:
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them,


text:
And Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah."


text:
And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him."


text:
And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead.


text:
And he said to them, "Eli'jah does come first to restore all things; and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt?


text:
But I tell you that Eli'jah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him."


text:
And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd about them, and scribes arguing with them.


text:
And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and ran up to him and greeted him.


text:
and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able."


text:
And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me."


text:
And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.


text:
And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us."


text:
And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again."


text:
And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead."


text:
And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"


text:
for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."


text:
And they came to Caper'na-um; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?"


text:
And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."


text:
"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me."


text:
John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us."


text:
But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me.


text:
For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.


text:
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.


text:
And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.


text:
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.


text:
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,


text:
Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its saltness, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."


text:
And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again; and again, as his custom was, he taught them.


text:
But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.


text:
And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"


text:
You know the commandments: `Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'"


text:
And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."


text:
And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"


text:
And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!


text:
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."


text:
Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."


text:
Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,


text:
who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.


text:
And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him,


text:
saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles;


text:
and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise."


text:
And James and John, the sons of Zeb'edee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."


text:
And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."


text:
But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"


text:
And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;


text:
but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."


text:
And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.


text:
For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."


text:
And they came to Jericho; and as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimae'us, a blind beggar, the son of Timae'us, was sitting by the roadside.


text:
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"


text:
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"


text:
And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; rise, he is calling you."


text:
And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Master, let me receive my sight."


text:
And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.


text:
And when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Beth'phage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,


text:
and said to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat; untie it and bring it.


text:
If any one says to you, `Why are you doing this?' say, `The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.'"


text:
And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.


text:
And those who went before and those who followed cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!


text:
And he entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple; and when he had looked round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.


text:
And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.


text:
And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons;


text:
And he taught, and said to them, "Is it not written, `My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers."


text:
And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and sought a way to destroy him; for they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.


text:
Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.


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


text:
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."


text:
And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him,


text:
and they said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?"


text:
Jesus said to them, "I will ask you a question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.


text:
And they argued with one another, "If we say, `From heaven,' he will say, `Why then did you not believe him?'


text:
But shall we say, `From men'?"--they were afraid of the people, for all held that John was a real prophet.


text:
So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."


text:
And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country.


text:
When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.


text:
Again he sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully.


text:
And he sent another, and him they killed; and so with many others, some they beat and some they killed.


text:
He had still one other, a beloved son; finally he sent him to them, saying, `They will respect my son.'


text:
But those tenants said to one another, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'


text:
What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the vineyard to others.


text:
Have you not read this scripture: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner;


text:
And they tried to arrest him, but feared the multitude, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them; so they left him and went away.


text:
And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?


text:
Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it."


text:
And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's."


text:
Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at him.


text:
And Sad'ducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying,


text:
"Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the wife, and raise up children for his brother.


text:
Jesus said to them, "Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?


text:
For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.


text:
And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, `I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?


text:
And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?"


text:
and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'


text:
The second is this, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."


text:
And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he;


text:
and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."


text:
And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any question.


text:
And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, "How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?


text:
David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, declared, `The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I put thy enemies under thy feet.'


text:
And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and to have salutations in the market places


text:
who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."


text:
And he sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the multitude putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.


text:
And he called his disciples to him, and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.


text:
For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living."


text:
And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!"


text:
And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down."


text:
And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,


text:
"Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign when these things are all to be accomplished?"


text:
And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is not yet.


text:
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places, there will be famines; this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs.


text:
"But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them.


text:
And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.


text:
And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;


text:
"But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;


text:
For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be.


text:
And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.


text:
And then if any one says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!' or `Look, there he is!' do not believe it.


text:
False Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.


text:
"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,


text:
And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.


text:
"But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.


text:
It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.


text:
Watch therefore--for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning--


text:
It was now two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth, and kill him;


text:
And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.


text:
For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor." And they reproached her.


text:
For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me.


text:
And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."


text:
Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.


text:
And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.


text:
And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?"


text:
And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him,


text:
and wherever he enters, say to the householder, `The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?'


text:
And the disciples set out and went to the city, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover.


text:
And as they were at table eating, Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me."


text:
For the Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born."


text:
And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body."


text:
Truly, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."


text:
And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away; for it is written, `I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'


text:
And Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times."


text:
And they went to a place which was called Gethsem'ane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I pray."


text:
And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.


text:
And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what thou wilt."


text:
And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?


text:
And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer him.


text:
And he came the third time, and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come; the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.


text:
And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.


text:
Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I shall kiss is the man; seize him and lead him away under guard."


text:
But one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.


text:
And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?


text:
Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled."


text:
And they led Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes were assembled.


text:
And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, and warming himself at the fire.


text:
Now the chief priests and the whole council sought testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none.


text:
"We heard him say, `I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'"


text:
And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?"


text:
But he was silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"


text:
And Jesus said, "I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."


text:
You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving death.


text:
And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to strike him, saying to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards received him with blows.


text:
and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, "You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus."


text:
But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you mean." And he went out into the gateway.


text:
But again he denied it. And after a little while again the bystanders said to Peter, "Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean."


text:
And immediately the cock crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and wept.


text:
And as soon as it was morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate.


text:
And Pilate again asked him, "Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you."


text:
And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barab'bas.


text:
And Pilate again said to them, "Then what shall I do with the man whom you call the King of the Jews?"


text:
And Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him."


text:
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barab'bas; and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.


text:
And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the praetorium); and they called together the whole battalion.


text:
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.


text:
And they compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyre'ne, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.


text:
And they crucified him, and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.


text:
And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days,


text:
So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself.


text:
Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.


text:
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "E'lo-i, E'lo-i, la'ma sabach-tha'ni?" which means, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"


text:
And one ran and, filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Eli'jah will come to take him down."


text:
And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"


text:
There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Mag'dalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salo'me,


text:
who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered to him; and also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.


text:
And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,


text:
Joseph of Arimathe'a, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.


text:
And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead.


text:
And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.


text:
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Mag'dalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salo'me, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.


text:
And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?"


text:
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed.


text:
And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him.


text:
But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you."


text:
And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.


text:
Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.


text:
Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.


text:
And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;


text:
they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."


text:
So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.


text:
And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.


text:
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us,


text:
just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,


text:
it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent The-oph'ilus,


text:
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechari'ah, of the division of Abi'jah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.


text:
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.


text:
according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.


text:
But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechari'ah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.


text:
for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.


text:
and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Eli'jah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."


text:
And Zechari'ah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."


text:
And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.


text:
And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time."


text:
And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb.


text:
"Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."


text:
to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.


text:
But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.


text:
He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,


text:
And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.


text:
And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.


text:
And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.


text:
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit


text:
and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!


text:
And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."


text:
for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;


text:
And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.


text:
And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechari'ah after his father,


text:
And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea;


text:
and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.


text:
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,


text:
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."


text:
And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.


text:
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,


text:
And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.


text:
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.


text:
And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;


text:
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."


text:
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."


text:
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.


text:
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.


text:
And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord


text:
(as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord")


text:
and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."


text:
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.


text:
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.


text:
And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,


text:
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against


text:
(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."


text:
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phan'u-el, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity,


text:
and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.


text:
And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.


text:
And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.


text:
and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,


text:
but supposing him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances;


text:
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions;


text:
And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously."


text:
And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"


text:
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.


text:
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiber'i-us Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturae'a and Trachoni'tis, and Lysa'ni-as tetrarch of Abile'ne,


text:
in the high-priesthood of Annas and Ca'iaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechari'ah in the wilderness;


text:
and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.


text:
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.


text:
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;


text:
He said therefore to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?


text:
Bear fruits that befit repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.


text:
Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."


text:
And he answered them, "He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise."


text:
Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages."


text:
As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ,


text:
John answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.


text:
His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."


text:
But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Hero'di-as, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done,


text:
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened,


text:
and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased."


text:
Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,


text:
the son of Jo-an'an, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerub'babel, the son of She-al'ti-el, the son of Neri,


text:
the son of Ammin'adab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,


text:
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Maha'lale-el, the son of Ca-i'nan,


text:
for forty days in the wilderness, tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days; and when they were ended, he was hungry.


text:
and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.


text:
And Jesus answered him, "It is written, `You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'"


text:
And he took him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here;


text:
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country.


text:
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read;


text:
and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written,


text:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,


text:
And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.


text:
And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?"


text:
And he said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, `Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Caper'na-um, do here also in your own country.'"


text:
But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Eli'jah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;


text:
and Eli'jah was sent to none of them but only to Zar'ephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.


text:
And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Eli'sha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Na'aman the Syrian."


text:
And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong.


text:
And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,


text:
"Ah! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."


text:
But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.


text:
And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."


text:
And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they besought him for her.


text:
And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she rose and served them.


text:
Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.


text:
And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.


text:
And when it was day he departed and went into a lonely place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them;


text:
but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose."


text:
While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennes'aret.


text:
And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.


text:
Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.


text:
And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."


text:
And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."


text:
they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.


text:
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."


text:
and so also were James and John, sons of Zeb'edee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men."


text:
While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and besought him, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."


text:
And he stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him.


text:
And he charged him to tell no one; but "go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to the people."


text:
But so much the more the report went abroad concerning him; and great multitudes gathered to hear and to be healed of their infirmities.


text:
On one of those days, as he was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was with him to heal.


text:
And behold, men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they sought to bring him in and lay him before Jesus;


text:
but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.


text:
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, "Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?"


text:
But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the man who was paralyzed--"I say to you, rise, take up your bed and go home."


text:
And immediately he rose before them, and took up that on which he lay, and went home, glorifying God.


text:
And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen strange things today."


text:
After this he went out, and saw a tax collector, named Levi, sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me."


text:
And Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there was a large company of tax collectors and others sitting at table with them.


text:
And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"


text:
And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink."


text:
The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days."


text:
He told them a parable also: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old garment; if he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.


text:
And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.


text:
On a sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.


text:
And Jesus answered, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:


text:
how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?"


text:
On another sabbath, when he entered the synagogue and taught, a man was there whose right hand was withered.


text:
And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him.


text:
But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come and stand here." And he rose and stood there.


text:
And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?"


text:
And he looked around on them all, and said to him, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored.


text:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,


text:
And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;


text:
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.


text:
"Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh.


text:
"Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man!


text:
Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.


text:
"Woe to you that are full now, for you shall hunger. "Woe to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.


text:
To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.


text:
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.


text:
And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.


text:
And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.


text:
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish.


text:
"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;


text:
give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back."


text:
A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when he is fully taught will be like his teacher.


text:
Or how can you say to your brother, `Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.


text:
for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.


text:
The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.


text:
he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built.


text:
But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."


text:
And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him,


text:
And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof;


text:
For I am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes; and to another, `Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it."


text:
When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that followed him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."


text:
As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her.


text:
And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."


text:
Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!"


text:
And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?"


text:
And when the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, `Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?'"


text:
In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many that were blind he bestowed sight.


text:
And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.


text:
When the messengers of John had gone, he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind?


text:
What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts.


text:
I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."


text:
(When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John;


text:
but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)


text:
They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, `We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.'


text:
The Son of man has come eating and drinking; and you say, `Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'


text:
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house, and took his place at table.


text:
And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,


text:
and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.


text:
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."


text:
And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "What is it, Teacher?"


text:
Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."


text:
Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.


text:
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."


text:
Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?"


text:
Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him,


text:
and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Mag'dalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,


text:
and Joan'na, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.


text:
And when a great crowd came together and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable:


text:
"A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it.


text:
And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold." As he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."


text:
he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.


text:
The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved.


text:
And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.


text:
And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.


text:
And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.


text:
"No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light.


text:
For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light.


text:
Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away."


text:
One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side of the lake." So they set out,


text:
and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a storm of wind came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in danger.


text:
And they went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there was a calm.


text:
He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even wind and water, and they obey him?"


text:
And as he stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but among the tombs.


text:
When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me."


text:
For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.)


text:
Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave.


text:
Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.


text:
Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.


text:
Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Ger'asenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned.


text:
The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying,


text:
"Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.


text:
And there came a man named Ja'irus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus' feet he besought him to come to his house,


text:
for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As he went, the people pressed round him.


text:
came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased.


text:
And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?" When all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!"


text:
And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.


text:
While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler's house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more."


text:
And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child.


text:
And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, "Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping."


text:
And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat.


text:
And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,


text:
And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.


text:
And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them."


text:
Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead,


text:
Herod said, "John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?" And he sought to see him.


text:
On their return the apostles told him what they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a city called Beth-sa'ida.


text:
When the crowds learned it, they followed him; and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God, and cured those who had need of healing.


text:
Now the day began to wear away; and the twelve came and said to him, "Send the crowd away, to go into the villages and country round about, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a lonely place."


text:
But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." They said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish--unless we are to go and buy food for all these people."


text:
For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, "Make them sit down in companies, about fifty each."


text:
And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.


text:
And all ate and were satisfied. And they took up what was left over, twelve baskets of broken pieces.


text:
Now it happened that as he was praying alone the disciples were with him; and he asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?"


text:
And they answered, "John the Baptist; but others say, Eli'jah; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen."


text:
saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."


text:
And he said to all, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.


text:
For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.


text:
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.


text:
But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."


text:
Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.


text:
And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white.


text:
Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, and when they wakened they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.


text:
And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah"--not knowing what he said.


text:
As he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.


text:
And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.


text:
And behold, a man from the crowd cried, "Teacher, I beg you to look upon my son, for he is my only child;


text:
and behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him till he foams, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him.


text:
Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here."


text:
While he was coming, the demon tore him and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.


text:
And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he did, he said to his disciples,


text:
But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.


text:
and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great."


text:
John answered, "Master, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us."


text:
And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him;


text:
And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?"


text:
But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."


text:
Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."


text:
After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come.


text:
And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.


text:
And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house.


text:
`Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you; nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.'


text:
"Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.


text:
"He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."


text:
Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you.


text:
Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."


text:
In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.


text:
All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."


text:
For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."


text:
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"


text:
And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."


text:
Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.


text:
Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.


text:
and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.


text:
And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, `Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'


text:
Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house.


text:
But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."


text:
He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."


text:
and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation."


text:
And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, `Friend, lend me three loaves;


text:
and he will answer from within, `Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'?


text:
I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs.


text:
And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.


text:
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"


text:
Now he was casting out a demon that was dumb; when the demon had gone out, the dumb man spoke, and the people marveled.


text:
But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.


text:
And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul.


text:
But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.


text:
but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil.


text:
"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, `I will return to my house from which I came.'


text:
Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first."


text:
As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!"


text:
When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.


text:
The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.


text:
"No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a bushel, but on a stand, that those who enter may see the light.


text:
Your eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is sound, your whole body is full of light; but when it is not sound, your body is full of darkness.


text:
If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light."


text:
And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of extortion and wickedness.


text:
"But woe to you Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.


text:
Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places.


text:
And he said, "Woe to you lawyers also! for you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.


text:
So you are witnesses and consent to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their tombs.


text:
Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, `I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,'


text:
that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation,


text:
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation.


text:
Woe to you lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering."


text:
As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard, and to provoke him to speak of many things,


text:
In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they trod upon one another, he began to say to his disciples first, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.


text:
Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.


text:
"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.


text:
But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him!


text:
Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.


text:
"And I tell you, every one who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God;


text:
And every one who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.


text:
And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say;


text:
And he said to them, "Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."


text:
And he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods.


text:
And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.'


text:
But God said to him, `Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'


text:
And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on.


text:
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!


text:
Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.


text:
But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith!


text:
Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.


text:
and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks.


text:
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them.


text:
But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.


text:
And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?


text:
But if that servant says to himself, `My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,


text:
the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful.


text:
And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating.


text:
But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.


text:
they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."


text:
He also said to the multitudes, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, `A shower is coming'; and so it happens.


text:
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?


text:
As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.


text:
There were some present at that very time who told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.


text:
And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus?


text:
Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Silo'am fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem?


text:
And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.


text:
And he said to the vinedresser, `Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?'


text:
And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.


text:
But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day."


text:
Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it?


text:
And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?"


text:
As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.


text:
It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches."


text:
When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, `Lord, open to us.' He will answer you, `I do not know where you come from.'


text:
But he will say, `I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!'


text:
There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out.


text:
And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.


text:
At that very hour some Pharisees came, and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you."


text:
And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, `Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.


text:
Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.'


text:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!


text:
Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"


text:
One sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him.


text:
And Jesus spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?"


text:
And he said to them, "Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day?"


text:
Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them,


text:
"When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him;


text:
and he who invited you both will come and say to you, `Give place to this man,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.


text:
But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, `Friend, go up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.


text:
He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid.


text:
and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."


text:
When one of those who sat at table with him heard this, he said to him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"


text:
and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, `Come; for all is now ready.'


text:
But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, `I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.'


text:
And another said, `I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.'


text:
So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, `Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.'


text:
And the master said to the servant, `Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.


text:
"If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.


text:
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?


text:
Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,


text:
Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?


text:
It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill; men throw it away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."


text:
"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it?


text:
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.'


text:
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.


text:
"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?


text:
And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.'


text:
and the younger of them said to his father, `Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them.


text:
Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living.


text:
So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine.


text:
But when he came to himself he said, `How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger!


text:
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;


text:
And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.


text:
And the son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'


text:
But the father said to his servants, `Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet;


text:
for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry.


text:
"Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.


text:
And he said to him, `Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.'


text:
but he answered his father, `Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.


text:
But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!'


text:
It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"


text:
He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.


text:
And he called him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'


text:
And the steward said to himself, `What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.


text:
I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.'


text:
So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, `How much do you owe my master?'


text:
He said, `A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, `Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'


text:
Then he said to another, `And how much do you owe?' He said, `A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill, and write eighty.'


text:
The master commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.


text:
And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations.


text:
"He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.


text:
If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches?


text:
And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?


text:
No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."


text:
But he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.


text:
"The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and every one enters it violently.


text:
"Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.


text:
"There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.


text:
who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.


text:
The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried;


text:
and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom.


text:
And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.'


text:
But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.


text:
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'


text:
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'


text:
He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"


text:
And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!


text:
It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.


text:
and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, `I repent,' you must forgive him."


text:
And the Lord said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, `Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.


text:
"Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, `Come at once and sit down at table'?


text:
Will he not rather say to him, `Prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink'?


text:
So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, `We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"


text:
When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed.


text:
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed;


text:
nor will they say, `Lo, here it is!' or `There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you."


text:
And he said to the disciples, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you will not see it.


text:
For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in his day.


text:
They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.


text:
Likewise as it was in the days of Lot--they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built,


text:
but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom fire and sulphur rained from heaven and destroyed them all--


text:
On that day, let him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away; and likewise let him who is in the field not turn back.


text:
And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."


text:
and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, `Vindicate me against my adversary.'


text:
For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, `Though I neither fear God nor regard man,


text:
yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.'"


text:
I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?"


text:
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others:


text:
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.


text:
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me a sinner!'


text:
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."


text:
Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.


text:
But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.


text:
You know the commandments: `Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'"


text:
And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."


text:
For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."


text:
And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,


text:
And taking the twelve, he said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished.


text:
But they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said.


text:
And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"


text:
And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.


text:
And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature.


text:
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchae'us, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today."


text:
And Zacchae'us stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold."


text:
As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.


text:
Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten pounds, and said to them, `Trade with these till I come.'


text:
But his citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, `We do not want this man to reign over us.'


text:
When he returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading.


text:
And he said to him, `Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.'


text:
for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.'


text:
He said to him, `I will condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow?


text:
Why then did you not put my money into the bank, and at my coming I should have collected it with interest?'


text:
And he said to those who stood by, `Take the pound from him, and give it to him who has the ten pounds.'


text:
`I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.


text:
But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.'"


text:
When he drew near to Beth'phage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples,


text:
saying, "Go into the village opposite, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat; untie it and bring it here.


text:
As he was now drawing near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,


text:
saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"


text:
saying, "Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes.


text:
For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side,


text:
and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation."


text:
saying to them, "It is written, `My house shall be a house of prayer'; but you have made it a den of robbers."


text:
And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy him;


text:
One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up


text:
and said to him, "Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority."


text:
And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, `From heaven,' he will say, `Why did you not believe him?'


text:
But if we say, `From men,' all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet."


text:
And he began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country for a long while.


text:
When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him some of the fruit of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.


text:
And he sent another servant; him also they beat and treated shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.


text:
Then the owner of the vineyard said, `What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will respect him.'


text:
But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'


text:
And they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?


text:
He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others." When they heard this, they said, "God forbid!"


text:
But he looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner'?


text:
Every one who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any one it will crush him."


text:
The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people; for they perceived that he had told this parable against them.


text:
So they watched him, and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might take hold of what he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.


text:
They asked him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God.


text:
He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."


text:
And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him by what he said; but marveling at his answer they were silent.


text:
and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother.


text:
but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage,


text:
for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.


text:
But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.


text:
"Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and love salutations in the market places and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,


text:
for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had."


text:
"As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."


text:
And they asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?"


text:
And he said, "Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, `I am he!' and, `The time is at hand!' Do not go after them.


text:
And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once."


text:
there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.


text:
But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.


text:
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.


text:
You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death;


text:
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it;


text:
Alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! For great distress shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people;


text:
they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.


text:
"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,


text:
men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.


text:
Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."


text:
"But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare;


text:
But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man."


text:
And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet.


text:
And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death; for they feared the people.


text:
He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters,


text:
and tell the householder, `The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?'


text:
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves;


text:
for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."


text:
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."


text:
And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.


text:
And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors.


text:
But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.


text:
For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.


text:
that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.


text:
but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren."


text:
He said, "I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you three times deny that you know me."


text:
And he said to them, "When I sent you out with no purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" They said, "Nothing."


text:
He said to them, "But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one.


text:
For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, `And he was reckoned with transgressors'; for what is written about me has its fulfilment."


text:
And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him.


text:
"Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."


text:
While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him;


text:
And when those who were about him saw what would follow, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"


text:
Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?


text:
When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."


text:
Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house. Peter followed at a distance;


text:
and when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.


text:
Then a maid, seeing him as he sat in the light and gazing at him, said, "This man also was with him."


text:
And a little later some one else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not."


text:
And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, "Certainly this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean."


text:
But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying." And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed.


text:
And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times."


text:
When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to their council, and they said,


text:
And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king."


text:
But they were urgent, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place."


text:
And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.


text:
When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.


text:
And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, arraying him in gorgeous apparel, he sent him back to Pilate.


text:
And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.


text:
and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him;


text:
neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him;


text:
A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him."


text:
But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.


text:
He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.


text:
And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyre'ne, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.


text:
But Jesus turning to them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.


text:
For behold, the days are coming when they will say, `Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!'


text:
And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.


text:
And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.


text:
And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!"


text:
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"


text:
But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?


text:
And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."


text:
Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.


text:
Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, "Certainly this man was innocent!"


text:
And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.


text:
And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.


text:
Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathe'a. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man,


text:
Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid.


text:
then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.


text:
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared.


text:
and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?


text:
that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise."


text:
Now it was Mary Mag'dalene and Jo-an'na and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles;


text:
And he said to them, "What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad.


text:
Then one of them, named Cle'opas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?"


text:
And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,


text:
But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened.


text:
and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.


text:
Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see."


text:
And he said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!


text:
And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.


text:
but they constrained him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them.


text:
They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?"


text:
And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them,


text:
Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.


text:
See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have."


text:
And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"


text:
Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled."


text:
and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,


text:
and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.


text:
And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high."


text:
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.


text:
(John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'")


text:
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"


text:
And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" And he answered, "No."


text:
They said to him then, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"


text:
He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."


text:
They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?"


text:
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!


text:
I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."


text:
I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'


text:
Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, "What do you seek?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"


text:
He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.


text:
He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ).


text:
He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter).


text:
Philip found Nathan'a-el, and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."


text:
Nathan'a-el said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."


text:
Jesus saw Nathan'a-el coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!"


text:
Nathan'a-el said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."


text:
Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these."


text:
And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."


text:
Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.


text:
When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom


text:
and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."


text:
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.


text:
After this he went down to Caper'na-um, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples; and there they stayed for a few days.


text:
In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business.


text:
And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.


text:
And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade."


text:
The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"


text:
When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.


text:
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did;


text:
because he knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself knew what was in man.


text:
This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him."


text:
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God."


text:
Nicode'mus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"


text:
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.


text:
The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."


text:
Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.


text:
If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?


text:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.


text:
For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.


text:
He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.


text:
And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.


text:
For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.


text:
But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.


text:
After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptized.


text:
John also was baptizing at Ae'non near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were baptized.


text:
And they came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him."


text:
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice; therefore this joy of mine is now full.


text:
He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth belongs to the earth, and of the earth he speaks; he who comes from heaven is above all.


text:
For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for it is not by measure that he gives the Spirit;


text:
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.


text:
Now when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John


text:
Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.


text:
The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samar'ia?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.


text:
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, `Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."


text:
The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water?


text:
Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?"


text:
but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."


text:
The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, `I have no husband';


text:
Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."


text:
Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.


text:
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him.


text:
The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things."


text:
Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with her?"


text:
Do you not say, `There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest.


text:
He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.


text:
I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."


text:
Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did."


text:
They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."


text:
So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they too had gone to the feast.


text:
So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Caper'na-um there was an official whose son was ill.


text:
When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.


text:
Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way.


text:
So he asked them the hour when he began to mend, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."


text:
The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live"; and he himself believed, and all his household.


text:
Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Beth-za'tha, which has five porticoes.


text:
When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?"


text:
The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me."


text:
So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet."


text:
Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.


text:
Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you."


text:
This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God.


text:
Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise.


text:
For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing; and greater works than these will he show him, that you may marvel.


text:
that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.


text:
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.


text:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.


text:
and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.


text:
"I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.


text:
there is another who bears witness to me, and I know that the testimony which he bears to me is true.


text:
But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has granted me to accomplish, these very works which I am doing, bear me witness that the Father has sent me.


text:
And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness to me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen;


text:
You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me;


text:
I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.


text:
How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?


text:
Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; it is Moses who accuses you, on whom you set your hope.


text:
Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"


text:
Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little."


text:
Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand.


text:
Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.


text:
And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost."


text:
So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.


text:
When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!"


text:
Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.


text:
got into a boat, and started across the sea to Caper'na-um. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.


text:
When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat. They were frightened,


text:
Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.


text:
On the next day the people who remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone.


text:
However, boats from Tiber'i-as came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.


text:
So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Caper'na-um, seeking Jesus.


text:
When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"


text:
Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.


text:
Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal."


text:
So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform?


text:
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"


text:
Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.


text:
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.


text:
and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day.


text:
For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."


text:
They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, `I have come down from heaven'?"


text:
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.


text:
It is written in the prophets, `And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.


text:
I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."


text:
So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you;


text:
As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.


text:
This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever."


text:
But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this?


text:
It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.


text:
But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him.


text:
And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."


text:
After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.


text:
So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples may see the works you are doing.


text:
For no man works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world."


text:
And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, "He is a good man," others said, "No, he is leading the people astray."


text:
if any man's will is to do his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.


text:
He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.


text:
Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man upon the sabbath.


text:
If on the sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the sabbath I made a man's whole body well?


text:
And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?


text:
Yet we know where this man comes from; and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from."


text:
So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord; he who sent me is true, and him you do not know.


text:
Yet many of the people believed in him; they said, "When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?"


text:
The Pharisees heard the crowd thus muttering about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.


text:
The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we shall not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?


text:
What does he mean by saying, `You will seek me and you will not find me,' and, `Where I am you cannot come'?"


text:
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, "If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink.


text:
He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, `Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.'"


text:
Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.


text:
Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"


text:
The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?"


text:
They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee."


text:
Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.


text:
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst


text:
This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.


text:
And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."


text:
But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.


text:
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."


text:
Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, for I know whence I have come and whither I am going, but you do not know whence I come or whither I am going.


text:
Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and he who sent me.


text:
They said to him therefore, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father; if you knew me, you would know my Father also."


text:
These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.


text:
Again he said to them, "I go away, and you will seek me and die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come."


text:
He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.


text:
I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he."


text:
I have much to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him."


text:
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me.


text:
Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples,


text:
They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How is it that you say, `You will be made free'?"


text:
I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.


text:
They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did,


text:
but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did.


text:
You do what your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God."


text:
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.


text:
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.


text:
He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."


text:
The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, `If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.'


text:
Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God.


text:
But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word.


text:
Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.


text:
As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay,


text:
saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Silo'am" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.


text:
The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?"


text:
He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, `Go to Silo'am and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight."


text:
The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."


text:
Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was a division among them.


text:
So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."


text:
The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight,


text:
but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself."


text:
His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if any one should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.


text:
So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner."


text:
He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see."


text:
He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?"


text:
The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.


text:
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if any one is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.


text:
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of man?"


text:
Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind."


text:
Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, `We see,' your guilt remains.


text:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber;


text:
To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.


text:
When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.


text:
A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."


text:
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.


text:
He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.


text:
And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.


text:
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father."


text:
Others said, "These are not the sayings of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"


text:
So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."


text:
Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to me;


text:
and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.


text:
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.


text:
Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?"


text:
The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God."


text:
do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, `You are blaspheming,' because I said, `I am the Son of God'?


text:
but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."


text:
He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John at first baptized, and there he remained.


text:
And many came to him; and they said, "John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true."


text:
It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Laz'arus was ill.


text:
But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by means of it."


text:
The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?"


text:
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.


text:
Thus he spoke, and then he said to them, "Our friend Laz'arus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep."


text:
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,


text:
She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world."


text:
When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying quietly, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."


text:
When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.


text:
Then Mary, when she came where Jesus was and saw him, fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."


text:
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled;


text:
But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"


text:
Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days."


text:
So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.


text:
I knew that thou hearest me always, but I have said this on account of the people standing by, that they may believe that thou didst send me."


text:
The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."


text:
So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.


text:
If we let him go on thus, every one will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation."


text:
you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish."


text:
He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation,


text:
Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews, but went from there to the country near the wilderness, to a town called E'phraim; and there he stayed with the disciples.


text:
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.


text:
They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?"


text:
Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if any one knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.


text:
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Laz'arus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.


text:
Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.


text:
This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it.


text:
When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Laz'arus, whom he had raised from the dead.


text:
So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!"


text:
His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him.


text:
The crowd that had been with him when he called Laz'arus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness.


text:
The Pharisees then said to one another, "You see that you can do nothing; look, the world has gone after him."


text:
So these came to Philip, who was from Beth-sa'ida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."


text:
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.


text:
He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.


text:
If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.


text:
"Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? `Father, save me from this hour'? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour.


text:
Father, glorify thy name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."


text:
The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."


text:
The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?"


text:
Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.


text:
While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When Jesus had said this, he departed and hid himself from them.


text:
it was that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"


text:
"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and turn for me to heal them."


text:
Nevertheless many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:


text:
If any one hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.


text:
He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.


text:
For I have not spoken on my own authority; the Father who sent me has himself given me commandment what to say and what to speak.


text:
And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has bidden me."


text:
Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.


text:
And during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,


text:
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,


text:
Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.


text:
Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me."


text:
Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not every one of you."


text:
When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?


text:
Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.


text:
I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen; it is that the scripture may be fulfilled, `He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'


text:
I tell you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.


text:
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me."


text:
When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."


text:
Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.


text:
Then after the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."


text:
Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast"; or, that he should give something to the poor.


text:
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, `Where I am going you cannot come.'


text:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.


text:
Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward."


text:
Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times.


text:
In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?


text:
And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.


text:
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.


text:
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him."


text:
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father'?


text:
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.


text:
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.


text:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.


text:
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.


text:
Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also.


text:
He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."


text:
Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?"


text:
Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.


text:
He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.


text:
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.


text:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.


text:
You heard me say to you, `I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.


text:
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me;


text:
but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go hence.


text:
Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.


text:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.


text:
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.


text:
If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.


text:
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.


text:
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.


text:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.


text:
If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.


text:
Remember the word that I said to you, `A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.


text:
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.


text:
If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.


text:
But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me;


text:
They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.


text:
But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them. "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.


text:
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.


text:
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.


text:
All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.


text:
Some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, `A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, `because I go to the Father'?"


text:
Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him; so he said to them, "Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, `A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'?


text:
Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.


text:
When a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world.


text:
So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.


text:
In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name.


text:
"I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father.


text:
for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father.


text:
I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father."


text:
Now we know that you know all things, and need none to question you; by this we believe that you came from God."


text:
The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.


text:
I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."


text:
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee,


text:
since thou hast given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him.


text:
And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.


text:
and now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made.


text:
"I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them to me, and they have kept thy word.


text:
for I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from thee; and they have believed that thou didst send me.


text:
I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine;


text:
And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.


text:
While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.


text:
But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.


text:
I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.


text:
I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one.


text:
that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.


text:
I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me.


text:
Father, I desire that they also, whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which thou hast given me in thy love for me before the foundation of the world.


text:
O righteous Father, the world has not known thee, but I have known thee; and these know that thou hast sent me.


text:
I made known to them thy name, and I will make it known, that the love with which thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them."


text:
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.


text:
So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.


text:
They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.


text:
Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus.


text:
Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?"


text:
First they led him to Annas; for he was the father-in-law of Ca'iaphas, who was high priest that year.


text:
It was Ca'iaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.


text:
Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. As this disciple was known to the high priest, he entered the court of the high priest along with Jesus,


text:
while Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the maid who kept the door, and brought Peter in.


text:
The maid who kept the door said to Peter, "Are not you also one of this man's disciples?" He said, "I am not."


text:
Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves; Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.


text:
Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together; I have said nothing secretly.


text:
When he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"


text:
Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?"


text:
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, "Are not you also one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "I am not."


text:
One of the servants of the high priest, a kinsman of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?"


text:
Then they led Jesus from the house of Ca'iaphas to the praetorium. It was early. They themselves did not enter the praetorium, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover.


text:
Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death."


text:
Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"


text:
Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?"


text:
Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world."


text:
Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice."


text:
Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again, and told them, "I find no crime in him.


text:
But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover; will you have me release for you the King of the Jews?"


text:
And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe;


text:
Pilate went out again, and said to them, "See, I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no crime in him."


text:
So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold the man!"


text:
When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him."


text:
The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God."


text:
Pilate therefore said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?"


text:
Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin."


text:
Upon this Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend; every one who makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar."


text:
When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gab'batha.


text:
Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"


text:
They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."


text:
So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha.


text:
Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."


text:
Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.


text:
The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, "Do not write, `The King of the Jews,' but, `This man said, I am King of the Jews.'"


text:
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom;


text:
so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfil the scripture, "They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots."


text:
So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Mag'dalene.


text:
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"


text:
Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.


text:
A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth.


text:
When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished"; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.


text:
Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.


text:
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him;


text:
He who saw it has borne witness--his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth--that you also may believe.


text:
For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, "Not a bone of him shall be broken."


text:
After this Joseph of Arimathe'a, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took away his body.


text:
Nicode'mus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds' weight.


text:
They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.


text:
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid.


text:
Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.


text:
So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."


text:
and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.


text:
and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.


text:
They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him."


text:
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."


text:
Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rab-bo'ni!" (which means Teacher).


text:
Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."


text:
Mary Mag'dalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.


text:
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."


text:
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.


text:
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."


