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IlCR.6|OD&6D= W   l `+/ T&D| No one puts new wine in old wineskins either, otherwise the wineskins will burst, spilling the wine and ruining the wineskins. No, new wine is put into new wineskins, and both last.c{? No one puts a new patch on old clothes, otherwise it will shrink and make the tear worse.5zc 'Do wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is with them?' Jesus responded. 'But the time is coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.y Then the disciples of John came and asked, 'Why is that we and the Pharisees fast frequently, but your disciples don't?'x Go and discover what this means: I want mercy, not sacrifice. For I didn't come to call those who do right I came to call sinners.''qw[ When Jesus heard the question, he replied, 'Those who are well don't need a doctor, but sick people do.v When the Pharisees saw this they asked Jesus' disciples, 'Why does your Teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?'u While Jesus was eating at Matthew's home, many tax-collectors and sinners came and sat down at the table with Jesus and his disciples.t3 As Jesus moved on from there he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth. Jesus called to him, 'Follow me!' He got up, and followed Jesus.s  When the crowds saw what had happened, they were scared. Then they praised God that he had given human beings such power.&rG The man got up and went home."q= But to convince you that the Son of man does have the authority to forgive sins'' he said to the paralyzed man, 'Get up, pick up your mat, and go home!'Op What is easier to say, Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Get up and walk'?toa But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He asked them, 'Why are you thinking evil thoughts in your hearts?hnI In response some of the religious teachers said to themselves, 'He's speaking blasphemy!'7mg There they brought to him a paralyzed man lying on a mat. When Jesus saw how they trusted him, he told the paralyzed man, 'My friend, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven.'Nl  So Jesus took a boat back across the lake to the town where he lived.nkU"The whole town came out to meet Jesus. When they found him, they begged him to leave their district.&jE!The pig herders ran away. They went to the town and told the people there everything that had taken place, and what had happened to the demon-possessed men.i 'Go!' said Jesus. The demons left the men and went into the pigs. The whole herd ran down the steep hillside into the sea and drowned.mhSThe demons pleaded with him, 'If you're going to drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.':goIn the distance a large herd of pigs was feeding.fyThey shouted out, 'What have you got to do with us, you Son of God? Have you come to torture us before our time?'He When he arrived on the other side, in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men came out of the graveyard to meet him. They were so dangerous that nobody dared to travel that way.mdSThe disciples were astonished, and said, 'Who is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!',cQ'Why are you so afraid? Why do you trust so little?' he asked them. Then he got up, and commanded the winds and the waves to stop. Everything was absolutely calm.sb_The disciples went over to him and woke him up. 'Save us, Lord! We're going to drown!' they shouted.haIA violent storm suddenly blew up, and waves crashed over the boat, but Jesus went on sleeping.E`Then Jesus got into a boat and his disciples went with him.Q_'Follow me. Leave the dead to bury their own dead,' Jesus replied.Z^-Another disciple said to Jesus, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.']'Foxes have their dens, and wild birds have their nests, but the Son of man has nowhere he can lay down and rest,' Jesus told him.s\_One of the religious teachers approached him and said, 'Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go!'w[gWhen Jesus saw the crowds around him, he gave instructions that they should go to the other side of the lake.vZeThis fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah said: 'He healed our diseases, and freed us from our illnesses.'!Y;When evening came they brought many who were demon-possessed to Jesus. He made the spirits leave at his command, and he healed all those who were sick.]X3He touched her hand and the fever left her. She got up and began making him a meal.sW_When Jesus arrived at Peter's house, he saw that Peter's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever.'VG Then Jesus told the centurion, 'Go home. Because you trusted that it would happen, what you asked for has been done.' The servant was healed right away.U But the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown out into utter darkness where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.' T I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven./SW When Jesus heard what he said, he was astonished. He told those who were following him, 'I tell you the truth, I haven't found this kind of trust anywhere in Israel.fRE For I am myself under the authority of superiors, while I also have soldiers under my command. I command one, Go!' and he goes. I command another, 'Come!' and he comes. I tell my servant, 'Do this!' and he does it.'|QqThe centurion answered, 'Lord, I don't merit a visit to my home. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.8Pk'I will come and heal him,' Jesus replied.aO;'Lord, my servant is at home, lying down, unable to move. He's in terrible agony.'UN#When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came up to him, begging for help,#M?'Make sure you don't tell anyone,' Jesus told him. 'Go and show yourself to the priest and give the offering which Moses required as public proof .'LJesus reached out and touched him with his hand. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be healed!' Immediately he was healed from his leprosy.uKcA leper approached him and bowed down, worshiping him, and said, 'Lord, if you're willing, please heal me.'KJ Large crowds followed Jesus once he'd come down from the mountain.[I/for he taught like someone with authority, and not like their religious teachers.^H5When Jesus finished explaining these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, GThe rain poured down, and the floods rose, and the winds blew hard against the house, and it fell down it totally collapsed.'~FuEveryone that hears the words I say, and doesn't follow them, is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.$EAThe rain poured down, and the floods rose, and the winds blew hard against the house, but it didn't fall down, because its foundations were on solid rock.vDeEveryone that hears the words I say, and follows them, is like a wise man who built his house on solid rock.aC;Then I will tell them, I never knew you. Leave me, you people who practice wickedness!'-BSMany will say to me at the day of judgment, Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name and drive out demons in your name, and perform many miracles in your name?'A'Not everyone who calls me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven only those who do the will of my Father in heaven.7@iSo you'll recognize them by their fruits.^?5Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.W>'A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.V=%So every good tree produces good fruit, while a bad tree produces bad fruit.u<cYou can recognize them by their fruits . Do people harvest grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?t;a'Watch out for false prophets who come wearing sheep's clothing, but who on the inside are vicious wolves.o:WBut the entrance is narrow, and the way is difficult that leads to life, and only a few find it. 9 Enter by the narrow entrance. For the entrance is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many travel that way.b8= 'Treat others the way you want them to treat you. This sums up the law and the prophets.$7A So if even you who are evil know to give good things to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.=6u Or if he asked for fish, would you give him a snake?G5 Would any of you give your son a stone if he asked for bread?w4gEveryone who asks, receives; everyone who seeks, finds; and everyone who knocks has the door opened for them.r3]'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you .%2C'Don't give dogs what's holy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs. That way the pigs won't trample them underfoot, and the dogs won't turn and attack you..1UYou're being hypocritical! First get rid of the plank that's in your own eye. Then you'll be able to see clearly to take out the speck from your brother's eye.z0mHow can you say to your brother, Let me take out that speck from your eye' when you have a plank in you own eye?s/_Why do you see the speck that's in your brother's eye? Don't you notice the plank that's in your own eye?".=For whatever standard you use to judge others will be used to judge you, and whatever measurement you use to measure others will be used to measure you.9- o'Don't judge others, so that you won't be judged.{,o"So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow can worry about itself. There's already enough evil in every day.b+=!Seek his kingdom first, and his way of doing right, and everything will be given to you.t*a These are all the things that the heathen chase after, but your heavenly Father knows everything you need.i)KSo don't worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'2(]So if God decorates the fields like this, grass which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, won't he do much more for you, you people who trust so little?b'=But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these flowers.&3And why are you worried about clothes? Look at the beautiful flowers in the field. See how they grow: they don't work hard, they don't spin thread.>%wWho of you by worrying can add a minute to your life?$!Look at the birds they don't sow or reap or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they are?J# 'That's why I'm telling you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about what to eat, or what to drink, or what clothes to put on. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothes?/"WNo one can serve two masters. Either you'll hate one and love the other, or you'll be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Money .!wBut if your eye is evil, then your whole body will be in the dark. If the light in you is darkness, how dark is that!x i'The eye is like a lamp that lights the body. So if your eye is healthy, then your whole body will have light.Y+For wherever you pile up your wealth, that's where your heart will be too.Instead, you should pile up your wealth in heaven, where moths and rust don't ruin it, and where thieves don't break in and steal it.ta'Don't pile up wealth here on earth where moths and rust ruin it, and where thieves break in and steal it.yso that people won't see you're fasting, and your unseen Father who sees what happens in private will reward you.?yInstead, when you fast, wash your face and look smart,''When you fast, don't be like the hypocrites who put on sad faces and make themselves look terrible so that everyone can see they're fasting.ucBut if you don't forgive those who sin against you, then your heavenly Father won't forgive your sins.dA'For if you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.R Don't let us be tempted to do wrong, and save us from the Evil One.V% Forgive our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.2_ Please give to us today the food we need.   'Our heavenly Father, may your name be honored. May your kingdom come! May your will be carried out in earth as it is in heaven. ; So pray like this:Z-Don't be like them, for your Father knows what you need even before you ask him.When you pray, don't babble on meaninglessly like the foreigners do, who think they will be heard because of all the words they repeat.&EBut you, when you pray, go indoors and close the door, and pray to your Father in private, and your Father who sees what happens in private will reward you.V%'When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand up and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that people can see them. I promise you, they have already got their reward.ykThat way what you give will be in secret, and your Father who sees what happens in secret will reward you.` 9When you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand's doing.x iWhen you give to the poor, don't be like the hypocrites who blow their own trumpets to announce what they're doing in the synagogues and in the streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth: they already have their reward.  1'Make sure not to do your good deeds in front of people, just so they can be seen. Otherwise you won't have any reward from your Father in heaven.a ;0Grow up and become completely trustworthy, just as your heavenly Father is trustworthy.v e/If you only speak kindly to your family, what more are you doing than anyone else? Even the heathen do that!r].For if you only love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax-collectors do that?<q-so you may become children of your heavenly Father. For his sun shines on both the good and the bad; and he makes the rain fall on both those who do right and those who do wrong.Q,But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,T!+'You've heard that the law said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'`9*Give to those who ask you, and don't turn away those who want to borrow from you.E)If someone demands that you go one mile, go with them two .^5(If someone wants to sue you in court and takes your shirt, give them your coat too .  'But I tell you, don't resist someone who is evil. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek to them as well.X)&'You've heard that the law said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'K%Simply say yes or no more than this comes from the Evil One.f~E$Don't even swear by your head, because you're not able to make a single hair white or black.}#Don't swear by the earth, because it's God's footstool. Don't swear by Jerusalem, because it's the city of the great King.d|A"But I tell you, don't swear at all. Don't swear by heaven, because it's the throne of God.-{S!'And again, you've heard that the law said to the people of long ago, 'You shall not perjure yourself. Instead make sure you keep the oaths you swear to the Lord.'3z_ But I tell you that any man who divorces his wife except for sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.hyI'The law also said, 'If a man divorces his wife, he should give her a certificate of divorce.'Bx}If your right hand leads you to sin, then cut it off and throw it away, for it's better for you to lose one of your limbs than for your whole body to go into the fire of judgment.Bw}If your right eye leads you to sin, then tear it out and throw it away, because it's better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into the fire of judgment.{voBut I tell you that everyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart.BuYou've heard that the law said, 'Do not commit adultery.'ct?I tell you the truth: you won't get out of there until you've paid every last penny.wsgWhile you're on the way to court with your opponent, make sure you settle things quickly. Otherwise your opponent might hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the court official, and you will be thrown into jail.r{leave your offering on the altar and go and make peace with him first, and afterwards come back and make your offering.oqW'If you're at the altar making an offering, and remember that your brother has something against you,ap;But I tell you, anyone who is angry with his brother will be condemned as guilty. Whoever calls his brother an idiot has to answer to the council, and whoever insults people is liable to the fire of judgment .'o''You've heard that the law said to the people of long ago: You shall not murder, and anyone who commits murder will be condemned as guilty .'n+I tell you, unless your righteousness is more than that of the religious teachers and the Pharisees, you can never enter the kingdom of heaven.rm]So whoever disregards the least important commandment, and teaches people to do so, will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches the commandments will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.#l?I assure you, until heaven and earth come to an end, not a single letter, not a single dot of the law will come to an end before everything is fulfilled.k'Don't think I came to abolish the law or the writings of the prophets. I didn't come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.j%In the same way you should let your light shine before everyone so they can see the good things you do and praise your heavenly Father.iNo one lights a lamp and then puts it under a bucket. No, it's placed on a lamp-stand and it provides light to everyone in the house.QhYou are the light of the world. A city built on a hill can't be hidden.'gG 'You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless, how can you make it salty again? It's good for nothing, so it's thrown out and trodden on. f9 Be glad, be really glad, for you will receive a great reward in heaven for they persecuted the prophets who came before you in just the same way.|eq Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and accuse you of all kind of evil things because of me.ddA Blessed are those persecuted for what is right, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.]c3 Blessed are those who work to bring peace, for they will be called children of God.Hb Blessed are those who have pure hearts, for they will see God.KaBlessed are those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.e`CBlessed are those whose greatest desire is to do what is right, for they will be satisfied.L_Blessed are those who are kind, for they will own the whole world.B^Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.j]M'Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually poor, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.-\UHe began teaching them, saying:v[ gWhen Jesus saw the crowds following him he went up a mountain. There he sat down together with his disciples.lZQLarge crowds followed him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region beyond Jordan.rY]News about him spread throughout the province of Syria . They brought everyone who was sick to him: people troubled by seizures, the demon-possessed, those who were mentally ill, people who were paralyzed, and he healed all of them.)XKJesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, telling the good news of the kingdom, and healing all the diseases and illnesses the people had.QWThey left the boat and their father immediately, and followed him.$VAContinuing on he saw two other brothers, James and John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them to follow him .;UqThey left their nets immediately and followed him.WT''Come and follow me, and I will teach you how to catch people,' he told them.HS As he was walking by the sea of Galilee Jesus saw two brothers. Simon, also called Peter, and his brother Andrew, were casting a net in the sea. They made their living by catching fish.xRiFrom that time on Jesus began declaring his message, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.' QThe people living in darkness saw a great light; the light of dawn has shined on those living in the land of the shadow of death.' P'In the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphthali, on the road to the sea, across the Jordan, in Galilee where the foreigners live:5OeThis fulfilled what Isaiah the prophet said,{No Leaving Nazareth, he came to stay in Capernaum, on the shores of the sea in the regions of Zebulun and Naphthali.OM When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he returned to Galilee.JL  Then the devil left him, and angels came to look after him.Ky 'Go away, Satan!' said Jesus. 'As Scripture says, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him, and him alone.''kJO He said to Jesus, 'I will give you all these if you fall down on your knees and worship me.'|IqThen the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in all their glory.aH;Jesus answered, 'As Scripture also says, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.''fGE'If you really are the son of God, then throw yourself off,' he told Jesus. 'As Scripture says, 'He will order his angels to save you from harm. They will catch you so that you won't fall by tripping over a stone.''`F9Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the top of the Temple.E'Jesus answered, 'As Scripture says, 'Human beings do not live by only eating bread, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'{DoThe tempter came and said to him, 'If you really are the Son of God, order these stones to turn into bread.'>But John tried to change his mind. He told Jesus, 'I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me to baptize you?'Q= Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by JohnG< He has his winnowing tool ready in his hand. He will clean up the threshing floor and gather the wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn the chaff with fire that can't be put out.'R; 'Yes, I baptize you in water to show repentance, but after me is coming one who is greater than I am. I'm not worthy even to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.:) In fact the ax is ready to chop down the trees. Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.9) and don't presume to say proudly to yourselves, 'Abraham is our father.' I tell you that God could make children of Abraham from these stones.;8qShow by what you do that you have really repented,17[But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, 'You vipers' brood! Who warned you to run away from the coming judgment ?T6!and were baptized in the Jordan River, publicly admitting their sins.W5'People came to him from Jerusalem all of Judea, and the entire Jordan region,y4kJohn had clothes made of camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.+3OHe was the one Isaiah spoke about when he said, 'A voice is heard crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord. Make the paths straight for him.''52e'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.'b1 ?Some time later John the Baptist appeared on the scene, proclaiming in the Judean desert,r0]and settled down in Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said, 'He will be called a Nazarene.'0/YBut Joseph was afraid to go there after he learned that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea. Warned in a dream, Joseph went to the Galilee area,_.7So Joseph got up and took the boy and his mother, and returned to the land of Israel.-'Get up! Take the child and his mother, and return to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.'f,EAfter Herod died the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and told him,++'The sound of terrible weeping and mourning was heard in Rama, Rachel crying for her children. They are dead, and she can't be comforted.'7*iIn this way Jeremiah's prophecy was fulfilled:)When Herod realized he'd been fooled by the wise men, he got very angry. He sent men to kill all the young boys in Bethlehem and the regions nearby who were two years old and under. This was based on the time frame he'd discovered from the wise men . (They stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord said through the prophet, 'I called my son out of Egypt.'`'9So Joseph got up and took the boy and his mother, and left during the night for Egypt.~&u After they'd left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and told him, 'Get up, and take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Remain there until I tell you, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.'n%U Warned by a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by a different route.O$ They went into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. They bowed and worshiped him. Then they opened their bags of treasure and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.G# When they saw the star they couldn't contain their happiness!A"{ After they had heard what the king had to say they went on their way, and the star which they had seen in the east led them until it stopped right above the place where the child was.)!KHe sent them to Bethlehem, telling them, 'When you get there, search for the child. Once you find him let me know so that I can come and worship him too.'} sThen Herod called the wise men and met with them in private and found out from them exactly when the star appeared.DBethlehem in the land of Judea, you are certainly not the least important of Judah's leading cities, for a leader will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.''R'Bethlehem in Judea,' they told him, 'for that's what the prophet wrote:Herod summoned all the chief priests and religious teachers of the people, and asked them where the Messiah was supposed to be born.eCWhen King Herod heard about it, he was very disturbed, and the whole of Jerusalem with him.  'Where is the King of the Jews who has been born?' they asked. 'We saw his star in the east and we've come to worship him.' After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem.w iJoseph married Mary, but did not sleep with her until after she had given birth to a son, whom he named Jesus.J Joseph woke up and did what the angel of the Lord told him to do. yA virgin will become pregnant, and will give birth to a son. They will call him Immanuel,' which means 'God with us.''Q Now this all happened to fulfill what the Lord said through the prophet,q ]She will give birth to a son and you shall call him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.'P While he was thinking about all of this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him, 'Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to marry Mary because she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit.   Joseph, her fiance, was a good man and didn't want to shame her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement discreetly.- UThis is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah happened. His mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, but before they slept together she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.4 cSo all the generations from Abraham to David add up to fourteen; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen; and from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen.   and Jacob was the father of Joseph, who was the husband of Mary, to whom Jesus was born, the one who is called the Messiah.r _and Eliud the father of Eleazar; and Eleazar the father of Matthan; and Matthan the father of Jacob;b ?and Azor the father of Zadok; and Zadok the father of Akim; and Akim the father of Eliud;m  U and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud; and Abiud the father of Eliakim; and Eliakim the father of Azor;t  c After the exile to Babylon, Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel; and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel;c  A and Josiah the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers, at the time of the exile to Babylon.m  U and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh; and Manasseh the father of Amon; and Amon the father of Josiah;i  M and Uzziah the father of Jotham; and Jotham the father of Ahaz; and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah;t cand Asa the father of Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram; and Jehoram the father of Uzziah;m Uand Solomon the father of Rehoboam; and Rehoboam the father of Abijah; and Abijah the father of Asa;p [and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (his mother had been Uriah's wife); and Salmon the father of Boaz (his mother was Rahab); and Boaz the father of Obed (his mother was Ruth); and Obed the father of Jesse;p [and Ram the father of Amminadab; and Amminadab the father of Nahshon; and Nahshon the father of Salmon;  and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah (their mother was Tamar); and Perez the father of Hezron; and Hezron the father of Ram;x kAbraham was the father of Isaac; and Isaac the father of Jacob; and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers; }This book is the record of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham, beginning with the family line: A~~N}}i||x| {{Jzz$yy|y xeww-vv3uu6tt1ssqs.rr_rqqppGoo!nn5mmll kjjziihxggfff eeJddcccbaa:``F__i^^]]p]\{[[)ZZZHYYeY X"WVVtUU6TqT>+=I|}For what comes from the mind are evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, and blasphemy`{9But what comes out through the mouth comes from the mind, and that's what defiles you.z'Don't you see that whatever goes in through the mouth then passes through the stomach, and then leaves the body as waste ?:yo'Haven't you understood this yet?' replied Jesus.Ux#Then Peter asked, 'Please tell us what you mean by this illustration.'w'Forget about them they are blind guides . If a blind man leads another blind man, then they'll both fall into a ditch.'Xv) 'Every plant my heavenly Father didn't plant will be uprooted,' Jesus replied.~uu Then Jesus' disciples came to him and said, 'You do realize that the Pharisees were offended by what you said.'t it's not what goes into you through your mouth that defiles you. It's what comes out of your mouth that defiles you.'Os He called the crowd over and told them, 'Listen, and understand this:br= Their worship of me is pointless. What they teach are just man-made requirements.''Uq#These people say they honor me but in their minds they don't care about me.KpYou hypocrites! How well Isaiah described you when he prophesied:wogthey don't have to honor their father. In this way you've annulled God's word for the sake of your tradition.nBut you say that if someone tells their father or mother, Whatever you might have expected to get from me is now a gift to God,' thenmw'For God said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'Anyone who curses their father or mother should be put to death.'Xl)'Why do you break God's commandment because of your tradition?' Jesus replied.ky'Why do your disciples break the tradition of our forefathers by not washing their hands before they eat a meal?'_j 9Then some Pharisees and religious teachers from Jerusalem came to Jesus and asked him,vie$and pleaded with him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak. Everyone that touched him was healed.h#Once the people there realized it was Jesus, they let everyone in the whole area know. They brought all who were sick to him,=eu And when they got into the boat, the wind died down.d{Immediately Jesus reached out and grabbed hold of him, and said, 'You have such little trust in me. Why did you doubt?'xciBut when he saw how strong the wind was, he became scared, and started to sink. 'Lord! Save me!' he cried out.fbE'Come on then,' said Jesus. Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus.laQ'Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come over to you, walking on the water,' Peter replied.[`/But immediately Jesus said to them, 'Don't worry, it's me! Don't be afraid!'}_sWhen the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. They screamed out in fear, 'It's a ghost!'E^About 3 a.m. Jesus caught up with them, walking on the sea.{]oBy now the boat was a long way out from land, being pounded by the waves because the wind was blowing against it.z\mAfter he'd sent the crowds away, he went up into the mountains to pray. Evening came and he was there all alone.[%Right after this he made the disciples get into the boat and to go back to the other side of the lake while he sent the crowds on their way.TZ!Some five thousand men ate the food, not counting women and children.oYWEverybody ate until they were full. Then they collected up the leftovers which filled twelve baskets.XHe told the crowds to sit down on the grass. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven and blessed them. After that he broke the loaves into pieces and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples gave it to the crowds.(WK'Bring them to me,' said Jesus.UV#'All we have here are five loaves and a couple of fish,' they replied._U7But Jesus told them, 'They don't need to leave. You give them something to eat!'QTAs evening came the disciples went up to him and said, 'This place is miles from anywhere and it's getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.'zSmWhen Jesus got out of the boat and saw the huge crowds, he was full of sympathy for them, and healed their sick.*RM When Jesus heard the news he went away by boat to a quiet place to be alone, but when the crowds learned where he was, they followed him on foot from the towns.fQE John's disciples came and took the body, and buried him. Then they went and told Jesus.^P5 John's head was brought on a plate and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.AO} The order was passed on and John was beheaded in prison.N) Then the king regretted the promise he had made, but because of the oaths he'd made in front of his dinner guests, he gave the order to do it.cM?Prompted by her mother, she said, 'Give me here on a plate the head of John the Baptist.'FLSo he promised with an oath to give her whatever she wanted.wKgHowever, on Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the party, and Herod was delighted with her.wJgHerod wanted to kill John but he was afraid of the people's reaction for they considered John a prophet.GIFor John had told him, 'It's not legal for you to marry her.'HHerod had detained John, and had him put in chains and imprisoned on account of Herodias, the wife of Philip, his brother.Gwand he told his servants, 'He must be John the Baptist resurrected from the dead, and that's why he has such powers!'CF At that time Herod the tetrarch heard what Jesus was doingOE :Since they failed to trust in him, he did not do many miracles there.D 9And so they refused to believe in him.'A prophet is honored everywhere except in his homeland and in his family,' Jesus told them.TC! 8Don't his sisters live here among us? So where does he get all this from?'B{ 7Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and his brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?A- 6He went back to his home town and taught in the synagogue there. People were amazed, and asked, 'Where does he get his wisdom and miracles from?=@u 5After Jesus finished telling these stories, he left.5?c 4'Every religious teacher who's learned about the kingdom of heaven is like a house-owner who brings out from his storeroom both new and old treasures,' Jesus replied.H>  3'Now do you understood everything?' 'Yes,' they replied..i=K 2and throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.<  1'That's the way it will be when the end of the world comes. The angels will go out and separate the evil people from the good,;w 0When it was full it was dragged ashore. The good fish were put into baskets while the bad ones were thrown away.s:_ /Once more, the kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net thrown into the sea that caught all kinds of fish.`99 .When he found the most expensive pearl ever he went and sold all he had and bought it.N8 -The kingdom of heaven is also like a trader looking for good pearls.&7E ,'The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. A man found it, reburied it, and then full of joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 6  +Then those who live rightly will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. Anybody with ears should be listening!j5M *and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.y4k )The Son of man will send out his angels, and they will gather up every sinful thing and everyone who does evil,[3/ (Just as the weeds are harvested and burned so it will be at the end of the world.x2i 'The enemy that sowed the weed seeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are angels.1 &'The field is the world. The good seeds are the children of the kingdom. The weed seeds are the children of the evil one.N0 %'The one who sows the good seed is the Son of man,' Jesus explained.+/O $Then he left the crowds and went into a house. His disciples came over to him, and asked him, 'Please explain to us the story about the weeds in the field.'. #This fulfilled the prophet's words: 'I will speak using stories, and I will explain things hidden from the creation of the world.' -  "Jesus explained all these things to the crowds using illustrated stories in fact he didn't speak to them without using stories.*,M !He told them another illustrated story: 'The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman mixed with a large quantity of flour, until all the dough was raised.')+K Even though it's the tiniest of seeds it grows much bigger than other plants. In fact it grows into a tree big enough for birds to roost in its branches.'|*q He gave them another illustration: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a farmer sowed in his field.S) Let them both grow until harvest, and then at harvest-time I'll tell the reapers, 'First gather the weeds, tie them up into bundles and burn them. Then gather the wheat and store it in my barn.'''T(! No,' he answered, 'as you pull up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat too.p'Y ''Some enemy has done this,' he replied. 'Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?' they asked him.& The farmer's workers came and asked him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seeds in your field? Where did the weeds come from?'T%! So when the wheat grew and produced ears of grain, the weeds also grew up.v$e But while his workers were sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weed seeds on top of the wheat. Then they left.#{ Then he told them another illustrated story: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seeds in his field.A"{ The seeds sown on good soil are people who hear the message, and understand it, and who produce a good harvest some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.'+!O The seeds sown among thorns are people who hear the message, but then life's worries and the temptation of money choke the message so that they become fruitless.| q They last for a while, but because they don't have roots, when problems and troubles come, they quickly fall away.mS The seeds sown on stony ground are people who hear the message and happily accept it straight away.J  When people hear the message about the kingdom, and don't understand it, the evil one comes along and rips out what was sown in their heart. This is what happens to the seeds sown on the path..W 'So listen to the story of the sower./W I'm telling you, many prophets and good people longed to see what you're seeing, but didn't see it. They longed to hear what you're hearing, but didn't hear it.Y+ 'Your eyes are blessed, for they see. Your ears are blessed too, for they hear. They have a hard-hearted attitude, they don't want to listen, and they've closed their eyes. If they didn't they might be able to see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand in their minds. Then they could return to me and I would heal them.' 'The prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in them: 'Even though you hear, you won't understand, and even though you see, you won't perceive.+O That's why I speak to them in illustrations. For even though they see, they do not see; and even though they hear, they do not hear; nor do they understand.1 'Those who already have will have more given to them, more than enough. But those who don't have, whatever they have will be taken away from them. 'You're privileged to have revealed to you the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but they're not given such insights,' Jesus replied.ve The disciples came to Jesus and asked him, 'Why do you use illustrations when you speak to the people?'7i Anybody who has ears should be listening! Still other seeds fell on good soil. They produced a harvest some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what had been planted.E Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked them.U# The sun rose and scorched them and they withered because they had no roots.eC Other seeds fell on stony ground where there wasn't much earth where they sprouted quickly.`9 'As he was sowing, some of the seeds fell on the path. The birds came and ate them up.wg He explained many things to them, using stories as illustrations .'The sower went out to sow,' he began.   So many people gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down there to teach, while all the crowds stood on the beach.T  # Later that day Jesus left the house, and sat down to teach beside the lake.d A 2For those who do the will of my heavenly Father, they are my brother, sister, and mother!'[ / 1He pointed at his disciples, and said, 'Look, they are my mother and my brothers!> w 0'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?' Jesus asked.oW /Someone came and told him, 'Look, your mother and brothers are outside, wanting to talk to you.'}s .While he was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers arrived and stood outside, wanting to talk to him.lQ -Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits even more evil than it is, and it enters and lives there. So the person ends up worse than they were at the beginning. That's the way it will be with this evil generation.'zm ,So it says, I'll go back to the place I left,' and when it returns it finds the place empty, all clean and tidy.}s +When an evil spirit leaves someone, it wanders through deserted places looking for rest, and finds nowhere to stay.ve *The Queen of the South will be raised in the judgment together with this generation and will condemn it because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and as you see, there's someone greater than Solomon here!^5 )The people of Nineveh will rise in the judgment together with this generation and they will condemn it because they repented in response to Jonah's message and as you see, there's someone greater than Jonah here!3_ ('In the same way Jonah was in the belly of a huge fish for three days and three nights, the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights./W ''Evil people who don't trust in God are the ones who look for a miraculous sign. The only sign they will be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah,' Jesus told them.  &Then some of the religious teachers and Pharisees came to him and said, 'Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign.'J~  %For what you say will either vindicate you or condemn you.'k}O $I tell you, people will have to account for every careless thing they say on the Day of Judgment. | #A good person brings out good from their store of good things, and an evil person brings out evil from their store of evil things. {  "You viper's brood, how can you who are evil say anything good? For your mouth simply says what your mind is busy thinking about.z- !Either decide that the tree is good, and its fruit good, or decide that the tree is bad and its fruit is bad for the tree is known by its fruit.4ya Those who say something against the Son of man will be forgiven, but those who say something against the Holy Spirit won't be forgiven, neither in this life nor the next.x/ That's why I'm telling you that every sin and blasphemy you commit will be forgiven, except blasphemy against the Spirit which won't be forgiven.w Those who are not with me are against me, and those who do not gather together with me do the opposite: they are scattering.v1 'Can you enter a strong man's house and take his belongings unless you tie him up first? If you do that then you can take everything in his house.~uu But if I'm throwing out demons through the power of the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you!t# If I'm throwing out demons in the name of Beelzebub, in whose name are your people throwing out demons? Your own people prove you're wrong!as; If Satan drives out Satan, he's divided against himself so how could his kingdom stand?)rK Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus told them, 'Any kingdom divided against itself will be destroyed. No town or household divided against itself can stand.q+ But when the Pharisees heard this, they replied, 'This man can only throw out demons through the power of Beelzebub, the chief of demons!'^p5 All the crowds were amazed, and asked, 'Could this really be the son of David?'o Then a man was brought to Jesus who was demon-possessed and blind and dumb. Jesus healed him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.9nm And foreigners will put their hope in him.'m He won't break a damaged reed, And he won't extinguish a smoking wick, Until he has proved that his judgment is right,flE He won't argue, he won't shout out, And nobody will hear his voice in the streets..kU 'This is my servant whom I've chosen, The one I love, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit on him, And he will tell the foreigners what's right.:jo This fulfilled what Isaiah the prophet said:;iq but instructed them not to tell people who he was.[h/ Knowing this, Jesus left, with large crowds following him. He healed all of them,Bg But the Pharisees went out and plotted how to kill Jesus.f Then he said to the man, 'Hold out your hand.' The man held out his hand, and it was healed, just as healthy as the other hand.}es 'Don't you think a human being is worth much more than a sheep? So yes, you are allowed to do good on the Sabbath.'d) 'Suppose you have a sheep and it falls into a hole in the ground on the Sabbath. Don't you grab hold of it and pull it out?' Jesus asked them.c# A man was there with a crippled hand. 'Does the law allow healing on the Sabbath?' they asked him, looking for a reason to accuse him.7bi Then Jesus left and went into their synagogue.9am For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.'` If you'd known the meaning of this Scripture, 'I want mercy, and not sacrifice,' you wouldn't have condemned an innocent man.Q_ However I tell you that someone is here who is greater than the temple!^  Haven't you read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath but are not considered guilty?] He went into the house of God, and he and his men ate the sacred bread that they weren't allowed to eat since it's only for the priests.`\9 But Jesus told them, 'Haven't you read what David did when he and his men were hungry?[  When the Pharisees saw this they said to Jesus, 'Look at your disciples they're doing what isn't allowed on the Sabbath!'%Z E Around that time Jesus was walking through fields of grain on the Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry so they started to pick ears of grain and eat them.8Yk For my yoke is gentle, and my burden is light.'Xy Accept my yoke, and learn from me. For I am kind and I have a humble heart, and in me you will find the rest you need.^W5 Come to me, all of you who struggle and who are burdened down. I will give you rest.`V9 Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father, and no one really understands the Son, except the Father, and no one really understands the Father, except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.2U_ Yes, Father, you were pleased to do this!AT{ Then Jesus prayed, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for you've hidden these things from the clever and sophisticated. Instead you've revealed them to ordinary people .lSQ But I tell you that on the Day of Judgment it will be better for Sodom than it will for you!'KR And what about you, Capernaum? Will you be exalted to heaven? No, you'll go down to Hades! If the miracles had been performed in Sodom which happened among you, Sodom would still be here today.oQW But I tell you that on the Day of Judgment it will be better for Tyre and Sidon than it will for you!CP 'Shame on you, Korazin; shame on you, Bethsaida! If the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which happened among you, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago.rO] Then he began to reprimand the towns where he'd done most of his miracles because they had not repented.dNA On the other hand the Son of man came and did feast and drink, and people say, Look, he's greedy and drinks too much; he's a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is shown to be right by what it does''XM) John didn't come feasting and drinking, so people say, 'He's devil-possessed!'bL= We played the flute for you and you didn't dance; we sang sad songs and you didn't cry.'{Ko 'What shall I compare this generation to? It's like children sitting in the market places shouting to each other,4Jc Anybody with ears should be listening![I/ If you're prepared to believe it, he is Elijah, the one who was expected to come.IH  For all the prophets and the law spoke for God until John came.G5 From the time of John the Baptist up till now the kingdom of heaven continues to be under attack and violent people are trying to seize it by force.,FQ I tell you the truth, that among humanity there's no one greater than John the Baptist, but even the least important in the kingdom of heaven is greater than him.E He's the one this Scripture was written about: 'I'm sending my messenger on ahead of you. He will prepare your way for you.'hDI So what did you go to see then? A prophet? Yes, and I tell you he is much more than a prophet!uCc So what did you go to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? People dressed like that live in kings' palaces.)BK As they left, Jesus began to talk to the crowds about John. 'What were you expecting to see when you went out into the desert? A reed tossed about by the wind?5Ae Blessed are those who don't reject me!'@) The blind can see, the crippled can walk, the lepers are healed, the deaf can hear, the dead are resurrected, and the poor hear the good news.U?# Jesus answered them, 'Go back and tell John what you hear and what you see.>{ to ask on his behalf, 'Are you the one we were expecting to come, or should we continue to look for someone else?'`=9 While John was in prison he heard what the Messiah was doing, so he sent his disciples <  When Jesus had finished giving instructions to his twelve disciples, he left to go and teach and speak publicly in the nearby towns.;- *I tell you the truth, those who give a drink of cool water to the least important of my disciples will definitely not miss out on their reward.'N: )Those who welcome a prophet because that's what they are will receive the same reward as a prophet. Those who welcome someone who does right will receive the same reward as someone who does right.b9= (Those who welcome you welcome me, and those who welcome me welcome the one that sent me.s8_ 'If you try to save your life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life because of me you will save it.U7# &If you don't pick up your cross and follow me you don't deserve to be mine.&6E %If you love your father or mother more than me you don't deserve to be mine, and if you love your son or daughter more than me you don't deserve to be mine.75i $Your enemies will be those of your own family!4 #I've come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.d3A "Don't think I've come to bring peace on earth. I haven't come to bring peace, but a sword.Y2+ !But anyone who publicly denies me, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.1 'Anyone who publicly declares their commitment to me, I will also declare my commitment to them before my Father in heaven.B0 So don't worry you're worth more than many sparrows!;/q Even the hairs on your head have all been counted. . Aren't two sparrows sold for just one penny? But not a single one of them falls to the ground without your Father knowing about it.J-  Don't be afraid of those who can kill you physically, but can't kill you spiritually. Instead, be afraid of the One who can destroy you physically and spiritually in the fires of destruction ., What I tell you here in the dark, declare when it's light, and what you hear whispered in your ear, shout from the rooftops. +  So don't be frightened of them, for there's nothing covered that won't be exposed, and nothing hidden that won't be made known.g*G Disciples should be satisfied to become like their teacher, and servants like their master. If the head of the house has been called the head demon Beelzebub, then the members of his household will be demonized even more!q)[ Disciples are not more important than their teacher; servants are not more important than their master.&(E 'When you're persecuted in one town, run away to the next. I'm telling the truth: you won't finish going to the towns of Israel before the Son of man comes.r'] Everyone will hate you because you follow me, but everyone who endures until the end will be saved.-&S Brother will betray brother and have him killed, and a father will do the same to his child. Children will rebel against their parents, and have them put to death.^%5 For it's not you who will speak but the spirit of the Father will speak through you.$5 But when they put you on trial, don't worry about how you should speak or what you should say, because you'll be told what to say at the right time.q#[ You will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, to witness to them and to the foreigners.x"i Watch out for those who will hand you over to be tried by town councils and will whip you in their synagogues.n!U 'Look, I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves.x i I tell you the truth, it will be better for Sodom and Gomorrah at the Day of Judgment than for that town!'G 'If someone doesn't welcome you, and refuses to listen to what you have to say, then leave that house or that town, shaking its dust off your feet as you go.~u If the home deserves it, let your peace rest on it, but if it doesn't deserve it, let your peace return to you.9m When you enter the house, give it your blessing. Wherever you go, whatever town or village, ask for someone who lives according to good principles, and remain there until you leave.{o or a bag for your journey, or two cloaks, or sandals, or a walking stick, for a worker deserves to be supported .H  Don't carry any gold, silver, or copper coins in your pockets,~u Heal those who are sick. Resurrect the dead. Cure the lepers. Drive out demons. You received freely, so give freely!K Wherever you go, tell the people, The kingdom of heaven is near.'@{ You are to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.kO These Twelve Jesus sent out, telling them, 'Don't go to the foreigners, or to any Samaritan city.O Simon the revolutionary, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.fE Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax-collector, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus,) These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, (also called Peter), Andrew his brother, James the son of Zebedee, John his brother, - Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them power to throw out evil spirits, and to heal all kinds of diseases and sicknesses.]3 &Pray to the Lord of the harvest, and ask him to send more workers for his harvest.'Y+ %He told his disciples, 'The harvest is large, but there are only a few workers.- $When he saw the crowds, Jesus was deeply moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.C #Jesus went all over, visiting the towns and villages. He taught in their synagogues, telling them about the good news of the kingdom, and he healed all kinds of sicknesses and diseases.n U "But the Pharisees remarked that, 'He throws out demons using the power of the chief of demons.'# ? !Once the demon had been thrown out of him, the dumb man spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 'Nothing ever happened like this before in Israel,' they said.m S As Jesus and his disciples were leaving, a man was brought to him who was dumb and demon-possessed.H   But they went and spread the word about Jesus everywhere.Z - And they could see. Then Jesus warned them, 'Make sure nobody knows about this.'`9 Then Jesus touched their eyes, and said, 'Because of your trust in me it will happen!'?w When Jesus arrived at the house where he was staying, the blind men came in too.'Are you convinced that I'm able to do this?' he asked them.'Yes, Lord,' they replied.zm As Jesus continued on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, 'Son of David, please have mercy on us!'B News of what happened spread throughout that region.iK But once the crowd had been sent out, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.{o 'Please leave,' he told them, 'For the girl isn't dead, she's just asleep.' But they laughed and made fun of him.pY Jesus arrived at the official's house. He saw the flute-players and the crowd that was weeping loudly.   Jesus turned and saw her. 'Be happy, for your trust in me has healed you,' he told her . The woman was immediately healed.U# She had told herself, 'If I can just touch his cloak, I'll be healed.' At that moment a woman who had been sick with bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the hem of his cloak.9~m Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him.h}I While he was telling them this, one of the leading officials came and bowed before him. 'My daughter has just died,' the man told Jesus. 'But if you come and place your hand on her, I know she will come back to life.' <D~~C}}}||{_zyyxxfwwIvvv1utt=ssrreqqXpp3oo"nn}mmYllKk/jiiShhWgg#ff*eedqdcc_bb?aa,``z__^^p^] \\d[[#ZYXX5WWNVVUUT!S]RRR QQ&POOGNNMM:LLaKK>M==(<<`;;5::!990877(66T55544E3322>11L00]///.--c,++(**())m(((''+&&{%%9$$~###7"!!q! hPm-\J4 9` , h z X|qf*L},<[n/When they heard Jesus' answer they were stunned. They went off and left him.m'Caesar's,' they replied.'You should give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God,' he told them.Nl'Whose image and whose title is inscribed here?' he asked them.]k3Show me the coin that is used to pay the tax.' They brought a denarius coin to him.ljQJesus knew their motives were evil. He asked them, 'Why are you trying to trap me, you hypocrites?Wi'So let us know your opinion. Is it right to pay Caesar's taxes, or not?'h-They sent their disciples to him, together with some of Herod's supporters.'Teacher, we know you are a truthful man, and that you teach God's way is the truth,' they began. 'You don't allow yourself to be influenced by anyone, and you don't care about rank or status.cg?Then the Pharisees left and met together to plot how they could trap him by what he said.9fm'For many are invited, but few are chosen.'e# Then the king told his servants, Bind his hands and feet, and throw him out into the dark, where there'll be crying and grinding of teeth.'odW He asked him, My friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' The man had nothing to say.kcO 'But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man who didn't have a wedding robe on.b+ So the servants went out into the streets and brought back everyone they could find, both the good and the bad. The wedding hall was full.Sa Go into the streets and invite everyone you find to come to the wedding.'`}'Then the king said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited didn't deserve to attend.q_[The king became furious. He sent his soldiers to destroy those murderers and burn down their town.Q^The rest grabbed the king's servants, mistreated them, and killed them.r]]'But they ignored the invitation and left. One went to his fields; another to take care of his business.a\;So he sent out more servants, with the instructions, Tell those who are invited, 'I've prepared the wedding banquet. The bulls and fattened calves have been killed everything's ready. So come to the wedding!'''v[e'He sent out his servants to everyone who was invited to the wedding to tell them to come, but they refused.rZ]'The kingdom of heaven is like a king who organized a wedding celebration for his son,' Jesus explained.;Y sJesus spoke to them using more illustrated stories.X}.They wanted him arrested, but they were afraid of what the people would do because the people believed he was a prophet.uWc-When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his illustrations, they realized he was speaking about them.qV[,Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken, but it will completely crush anyone it falls upon.'U/+That's why I'm telling you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you. It will be given to a people who produce the right kind of fruit.ET*'So haven't you read the Scriptures?' Jesus asked them. ''The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it is wonderful in our eyes.'\S1)The chief priests and elders said to Jesus, 'He will put to death those wicked men in the most awful way, and rent out the vineyard to other farmers who will be sure to give him his fruit at harvest time.'RR(When the vineyard owner returns, what will he do to those farmers?'JQ 'They grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.P&But the farmers, when they saw the son, said to each other, Here's the heir! Come on! Let's kill him so we can take his inheritance!'NO%So then he sent his son. They will respect my son,' he told himself.PN$So he sent more servants, but the farmers did the same things to them.bM=#But the farmers attacked his servants They beat one, killed another, and stoned another.iLK"At harvest time, he sent his servants to the farmers to collect the fruit that belonged to him.wKg!'Here's another illustration. There once was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, made a winepress, and built a watchtower. He rented it to some tenant farmers, and then left to go to a different country.eJC 'John came to show you the way to live right with God, and you didn't believe him, but the tax-collectors and prostitutes did believe him. Later, when you saw what happened, you still didn't repent and believe him.TI!Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?''The first,' they answered.'I tell you the truth: tax-collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you,' Jesus told them.kHOThe man went to the second son, and told him the same thing. He replied, I'll go,' but he didn't.aG;The son answered, I won't,' but afterwards he was sorry for what he said and he did go..FU'But what do you think about this illustration? Once there was a man who had two sons. He went to the first son, and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.'ESo they answered Jesus, 'We don't know.''Then I won't tell you by what authority I'm doing these things,' Jesus replied.DBut if we say, it was from people,' then the crowd will turn against us, because they all consider John to be a prophet.'MCWhere did the baptism of John come from? Was it from heaven, or was it from people? They argued with each other. 'If we say 'it was from heaven,' then he'll ask us why we didn't believe him. B 'I too will ask you a question,' Jesus replied. 'If you give me the answer, I will tell you by what authority I do these things.ZA-Jesus went into the temple. The chief priests and the ruling elders of the people came to him while he was teaching and asked, 'By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority?'_@7You will receive everything you ask for in prayer, as long as you trust in God.'?w'I tell you the truth,' Jesus replied, 'If you really trust in God, and don't doubt him, you could not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even more. If you said to this mountain, 'Get up and throw yourself into the sea,' it would happen!l>QThe disciples were amazed to see this. 'How did the fig tree wither so suddenly?' they asked._=7He saw a fig tree at the side of the road, so he went over to it but didn't find any fruit, only leaves. He told the fig tree, 'May you never ever produce fruit again!' Immediately the fig tree withered.J< The next morning as he walked back into the city, he was hungry.K;Jesus left them and went out of the city to stay at Bethany.:!'Yes,' Jesus replied. 'Haven't you ever read the Scripture that says, 'You arranged for children and infants to give you perfect praise'?'9{But when the chief priests and religious teachers saw the wonderful miracles he did, and the children shouting in the Temple, 'Hosanna to the son of David,' they were offended.'Do you hear what these children are saying?' they asked him.Q8The blind and the lame came to Jesus in the Temple, and he healed them.7  He told them, 'Scripture says, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you've turned it into a den of thieves.')6K Jesus went into the Temple, and threw out all the people buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the chairs of the dove-sellers.Y5+ 'This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee,' the crowds replied.q4[ When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar. 'Who is this?' they were asking.C3 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed were all shouting, 'Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!'2Many people in the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and laid them on the road.j1MThey brought back the donkey and the colt. They placed their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.<0sThe disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed./''Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, and rides a donkey, and a colt, the offspring of a donkey.'3.aThis was to fulfill what the prophet said:-{If someone asks you what you're doing, just tell them, 'The Lord needs them,' and they will send them right away.' , telling them, 'Go into the village. Right there you'll find a donkey tied up there with a colt. Untie them and bring them to me.0+ [Jesus and his disciples went to Jerusalem. As they were getting close, they came to the village of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two disciples on ahead,k*O"Jesus had pity on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed him.?)y!'Lord, please make us able to see,' they replied._(7 Jesus stopped. He called them over, asking, 'What do you want me to do for you?'u'cThe crowd told them to be quiet, but they shouted even louder, 'Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David!'!&;Two blind men were sitting at the side of the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they called out, 'Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David!';%qAs they left Jericho, a huge crowd followed Jesus.${In the same way the Son of man didn't come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'B#Whoever among you wants to be first will be like a slave.s"_It shall not be like that for you. Whoever among you wants to be the most important will be your servant.!Jesus called them together and told them, 'You know that foreign rulers lord it over their people, and powerful leaders oppress them.j MWhen the other ten disciples heard what they had asked, they were annoyed with the two brothers.H 'You will certainly drink from my cup,' he said to them, 'but the privilege to sit on my right or on my left isn't mine to give. My Father is the one who has decided who that will be .')K'You don't know what you're asking,' Jesus told them. 'Are you able to drink the cup I'm about to drink?''Yes we are able to do that,' they told him.>u'What is it you are asking me for?' Jesus said to her.'Please appoint my sons to sit beside you in your kingdom, one on your right and the other on your left,' she asked.Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came with her two sons to Jesus. She knelt down before him to make a request.and hand him over to the foreigners to mock him, whip him, and crucify him. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.'-'Look, we're going to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and religious teachers. They will condemn him to deathlQOn the way to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside as they walked along and told them,PIn this way the last shall be first and the first shall be last.'{oCan't I choose to do what I want with my own money? Why should you give me evil looks because I want to do good?'_7Take your pay and go. I want to pay those who were hired last the same as I paid you.   'The owner answered one of them, 'My friend, I haven't treated you unfairly. Didn't you agree with me to work for one denarius?#? Those who were hired last only worked for an hour, and you've paid them the same as us who worked the whole day in the burning heat,' they grumbled.H  When they received their pay, they complained about the owner.|q So when those who were hired first came in, they thought they would get more, but they also received one denarius.W' When those who were hired at 5 p.m. came in, they each received one denarius.>u'When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his manager, 'Call the workers in, and pay them their wages. Begin with the workers hired last and then on to those hired first.'iKBecause nobody's hired us,' they replied. 'Go and work in the vineyard too,' he told them.At 5 p.m. he went out and found others standing there. Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?' he asked them.D Around noon and 3 p.m. he went out and did the same thing.p Y''Go and work in the vineyard too, and I'll pay you what's right,' he told them. So they went to work.a ;Around 9 a.m. he went out and saw others without work standing in the marketplace.g GHe agreed to pay the workers one denarius for the day, and sent them to work in his vineyard.{  q'For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.SFor many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.<qAll those who because of me have left their homes, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, and fields, will receive back a hundred times more, and will receive eternal life.U#Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth: when everything is remade and the Son of man sits on his glorious throne you who've followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.lQPeter answered him, 'Look, we've left everything and followed you. What reward will we have?'{Jesus looked at them and said, 'From a human point of view it's impossible, but all things are possible with God.'iKWhen the disciples heard this, they were very surprised, and asked, 'So who can be saved?'#I also tell you this: It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.'xi'I tell you the truth,' Jesus said to his disciples, 'rich people find it hard to enter the kingdom of heaven.mSWhen the young man heard Jesus' answer he went away very sad, because he had many possessions.7gJesus told him, 'If you want to be perfect, then go and sell your possessions, give the money to the poor, and you'll have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.'c~?'I've kept all these commandments,' the young man said. 'What else do I need to do?'_}7honor you father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself,' replied Jesus.}|s'Which ones?' the man asked him.'Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't give false testimony,!{;'Why do you ask me what is good?' Jesus replied. 'There's only one who is good. But if you want to have eternal life, then keep the commandments.'mzSA man came to Jesus and asked him, 'Teacher, what good things must I do to gain eternal life?'KyHe placed his hands on them to bless them, and then he left. x But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them. The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like them!'w The people brought little children to him so he could bless them and pray for them. But the disciples told them not to.9vk 'Some are born as eunuchs, some are made eunuchs by men, and some choose to be eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Those who can accept this should accept it.'`u9 'Not everyone can accept this instruction, only those it's given to,' Jesus told them.tta 'If that's the situation between husband and wife, it's better not to marry!' his disciples told him.s% 'I tell you, anyone who divorces his wife except on the grounds of sexual immorality and then marries another woman, commits adultery.'r#'Because of your hard-hearted attitude Moses permitted you to divorce your wives, but it wasn't like that in the beginning,' Jesus replied."q='Then why did Moses give a law that a man could divorce his wife by giving her a written certificate of divorce, and sending her away?' they asked.hpINow they're no longer two, but one. What God has joined together no one should separate.'oHe said, This is the reason a man will leave his father and mother, and join with his wife, and the two shall become one .rn]Jesus replied, 'Haven't you read that God who created people in the beginning made them male and female?rm]Some Pharisees came to test him. 'Is a man allowed to divorce his wife for any reason?' they asked.RlLarge crowds followed him, and he healed those who were sick there.ik MWhen Jesus finishing speaking he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.rj]#This is what my heavenly Father will do to every one of you unless you sincerely forgive your brothers.'fiE"His master became angry and handed him over to the jailors until he had repaid all the debt.jhM!Shouldn't you have been merciful to your fellow-servant as well, just as I was merciful to you?'g Then the master called the man back in and told him, You evil servant! I forgave you all your debt because you begged me to.f'When the other servants saw what took place they were shocked and upset. They went and told their master everything that had happened.veeBut the man refused, and went and threw his fellow-servant into prison until he paid back what he owed.dHis fellow-servant threw himself down at the man's feet and begged him, 'Please be patient with me! I will pay you back!'Hc But when that same servant went out he found one of his fellow-servants who owed him just a hundred denarii . He grabbed him by the neck and choked him, saying, Pay me back what you owe me!'SbThe master took pity on the servant, released him, and canceled the debt.|aqThe servant fell down on his knees and said to his master, Please be patient with me! I will pay everything back!'2`]Since he didn't have the money to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all his possessions, so that the debt could be paid back.l_QAs he began to settle accounts, one servant was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents .^{'This is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with those servants who owed him money.Q]'No, not seven times. I would say seventy times seven!' Jesus told him.\Peter came to Jesus and asked him, 'How many times should I forgive my brother for sinning against me? Seven times?'W['For where two or three gather together in my name, I'm there with them.'Z'I also tell you that if two of you agree here on earth about something you're praying for, then my heavenly Father will do it for you.YI tell you the truth, whatever you ban on earth will be banned in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth will be allowed in heaven.*XMIf however he refuses to listen to them, then tell the church. If he refuses to listen to the church as well, then treat him as a foreigner and a tax-collector. WBut if he doesn't listen, then take one or two more people with you, so that by two or three witnesses the truth can be confirmed.V3'If a brother sins against you, go and point out the wrong to him, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you've won your brother over.dUAIn the same way my heavenly Father does not want any of these little ones to be lost.{To And if he finds it, I tell you he really rejoices over that sheep more than the ninety-nine that didn't get lost.5Sc What do you think about this? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, won't he leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that's lost? R  Q  Make sure you don't look down on these little ones. I tell you that in heaven their angels are always with my heavenly Father .@Py If your eye causes you to sin, pull it out and throw it away. It's better for you to enter eternal life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the fire of judgment.]O3If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It's better for you to enter eternal life crippled or lame rather than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into eternal fire.9Nk'What disaster is coming on the world for all its temptations to sin! Temptations will surely come, but it will be a disaster for the person through whom the temptation comes!GMBut anyone who makes one of these little ones who trust in me sin, it would be better for them to have a large millstone tied around their neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.IL Whoever accepts a little child like this in my name accepts me.uKcBut whoever humbles themselves and becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.J'I tell you the truth, unless you change the way you think and become like little children, you won't ever enter the kingdom of heaven.OIJesus called over a small child. He stood the child in front of them.vH gAround that time the disciples came to Jesus, and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'G}But to avoid giving offense to anyone, go to the lake, and throw out a fishing line with a hook. Pull in the first fish you catch, and when you open its mouth there you'll find a stater coin . Take the coin and give it to them for both me and you.']F3'From others,' Peter replied. So Jesus told him, 'In that case the sons are exempt. E'Yes, of course,' Peter replied. When he returned to where they were staying, Jesus anticipated the issue. 'What do you think, Simon?' Jesus asked him. 'Do the kings of this world collect their taxes and duties from their own sons or from others?'FDWhen they arrived at Capernaum, those who were in charge of collecting the half-shekel temple tax came to Peter and asked him, 'Your teacher does pay the half-shekel tax, doesn't he?'tCaThey will kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.' The disciples were filled with sadness.B%As they were walking together through Galilee, Jesus told them, 'The Son of man is going to be betrayed and people will have power over him. A u@c'Because you don't trust enough,' Jesus told them. 'I tell you, even if your trust was as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible for you.'j?MLater the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked him, 'Why couldn't we drive it out?'_>7Jesus confronted the demon and it left the boy, and he was healed straight away.:=m'You people refuse to trust me, and are so corrupt!' Jesus responded. 'How long do I have to remain here with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring him here to me!'K<I brought him to your disciples but they couldn't heal him.';)'Lord, please have mercy on my son,' he said. 'He loses his mind and suffers such terrible fits that he often falls in the fire or into water.T:!When they approached the crowd, a man came to Jesus, and knelt before him.X9) Then the disciples realized that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.K8 but I tell you that Elijah has already come and yet people didn't recognize who he was. They did whatever they felt like to him. In the same way the Son of man will also suffer at their hands.'A7} 'It's true that Elijah comes to put everything in place,i6K 'So why do the religious teachers say that Elijah has to come first?' his disciples asked.05Y As they descended the mountain Jesus gave them strict instructions. 'Don't tell anybody what you saw until the Son of man has risen from the dead,' he told them.N4When they looked up they didn't see anybody there except Jesus.^35Jesus went over to them and touched them. 'Get up,' he told them. 'Don't be afraid.']23When they heard this, the disciples fell down on their faces, absolutely terrified.%1CWhile he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them. A voice came from the cloud, saying, 'This is my son whom I love, who pleases me. Listen to him.')0KPeter spoke up, saying to Jesus, 'Lord, it's really good to be here. If you want I'll make three shelters one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.'`/9Then suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking together with Jesus.n.UHe was transformed in front of them. His face shone like the sun. His clothes turned white as light.- Six days later Jesus took Peter, James and his brother John, with him and they went up a high mountain to be by themselves.,{I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who won't die before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.'++OFor the Son of man is going to come in his Father's glory, together with his angels. Then he will give everyone what they deserve according to what they've done.*yWhat benefit is it for you to gain the whole world, yet lose your life? What would you give in exchange for your life?u)cFor if you want to save your life you will lose it, and if you lose your life for my sake you will gain it. ( Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If you want to be a follower of mine, you must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.+'OJesus turned to Peter, and told him, 'Get away from me, Satan! You are a trap to trip me up, because you're thinking in a human way, and not as God thinks!'&/Peter took Jesus aside and started to tell him he shouldn't talk like that. 'God forbid, Lord, that this would ever happen to you!' he said.%)From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he would have to go Jerusalem, and that he would suffer terribly at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and religious teachers; and that he would be killed, but he would rise again on the third day.W$'Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.0#YI will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you ban on earth will be banned in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth will be allowed in heaven.'"yI also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the powers of death won't overcome it.!1'You are truly blessed, Simon son of John,' Jesus told him. 'For this wasn't revealed to you by human flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.U #'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,' Simon Peter replied.J 'But what about you?' he asked them. 'Who do you say I am?'y'Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets,' they replied.   When Jesus arrived in the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of man is?' Then they realized that he wasn't warning them to watch out for bread yeast, but about the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.   Haven't you worked it out yet that I wasn't talking to you about bread? Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!'ta And what about the seven loaves that fed the four thousand? How many baskets of leftovers did you collect? Haven't you worked it out yet? Don't you remember the five loaves that fed five thousand? How many baskets of leftovers did you collect?%Jesus knew what they were saying and said, 'You have so little trust in me! Why are you arguing among yourselves about not having any bread?wThe disciples started arguing among themselves. 'He's saying that because we didn't bring any bread,' they concluded.Y+'Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees,' Jesus told them.]3Going to the other side of the lake, the disciples forgot to bring bread with them.6eEvil people who don't trust in God are the one who look for a miraculous sign, and no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah.' He left them and went away.Y+while in the morning you say, It'll be bad weather today, because the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to predict the weather by what the sky looks like, but you can't recognize the signs of the times!Z-'In the evening you say, 'It'll be a fine day tomorrow, because the sky is red,'m UThe Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a sign from heaven.X)'Then he sent the crowds away, got into a boat, and went to the Magadan region.J &Four thousand men ate the food, not counting women and children.kO%Everybody ate until they were full, and then they collected the leftovers, filling seven baskets.+ O$He took the seven loaves and the fish, and after blessing the food he broke it into pieces and gave it to the disciples, and the disciples gave it to the crowds.8 k#Jesus told the crowd to sit down on the ground.u c"'How many loaves of bread have you got?' Jesus asked.'Seven, and a few small fish,' they replied.y k!'Where could we find enough bread here in this desert to feed such a huge crowd?' the disciples responded.  Jesus called his disciples over and told them, 'I feel really sorry for all these people, because they've been with me now for three days, and they have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry, in case they faint on their way home.'=sThe crowd was astounded at what they saw happen: the deaf could speak, the crippled were healed, the lame could walk, and the blind could see. They praised the God of Israel.4aHuge crowds came to him, bringing those who were lame, blind, crippled, dumb, and many others who were sick. They laid them on the ground at his feet, and he healed them.mSJesus returned, passing by the Sea of Galilee. He went into the mountains nearby where he sat down.}s'You have great trust in me,' Jesus answered. 'Your wish is granted!' And her daughter was healed immediately.uc'Yes, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat crumbs that fall from their master's table,' she replied.eC'It's not right to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs,' Jesus told her.Y+But the woman came and knelt before him, and said, 'Lord, please help me!'^5'I was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,' Jesus said to the woman.1But Jesus didn't reply at all. His disciples came to him and told him, 'Tell her to stop following us. All her shouting is really annoying!' 8iA Canaanite woman from that area came, shouting out, 'Lord, son of David! Please have mercy on me, because my daughter is suffering badly because she's possessed by a demon!'  ~~:}}}.||P{{t{zzCyyyHxxxGwwmw vvkv/uuZZLYYY:XX.WWBVVPUUHUT\SRRYQQiQPP\==G<oy'Then what shall I do with Jesus, the Messiah?' he asked them. They all shouted out, 'Let him be crucified!'nwWhen the governor asked them, 'So which of the two do you want me to release to you?' they answered, 'Barabbas.'xmiBut the chief priests and the elders convinced the crowds to ask for Barabbas, and to have Jesus put to death.OlWhile he was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent a message to him that said, 'Don't do anything to this innocent man, for I've suffered terribly today as a result of a dream about him.'kkO(He had realized it was because of jealousy that they had handed Jesus over to him to be tried.).jSo Pilate asked the crowds that had gathered, 'Who do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, called the Messiah?'QiAt that time a notorious prisoner was being held, a man named Barabbas.{hoNow it was the custom of the governor to release to the crowd during the festival whichever prisoner they wanted.egCBut Jesus didn't say anything, not a single word. This greatly surprised the governor.[f/ 'Don't you hear how many charges they're bringing against you?' Pilate asked him.geG But when the chief priests and elders brought charges against him, Jesus did not answer.d Jesus was brought before Pilate the governor who asked him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?''You said it,' Jesus replied.bc= and used them to pay for the potter's field, just as the Lord instructed me to do.'Cb This fulfilled the prophecy spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 'They took thirty silver coins the 'value' of the one who was bought at the price set by some of the children of Israel Ja That's why the field is still called today the 'Field of Blood.'Q`So they agreed to buy the potter's field as a place to bury foreigners. _ The chief priests took the silver coins and said, 'This is blood money, so it's not lawful to put this in the temple treasury.'d^AJudas threw the silver coins into the sanctuary and left. He went away and hanged himself.]'I've sinned! I've betrayed innocent blood!' he told them.'What's that got to do with us?' they replied. 'That's your problem!'E\When Judas, the one who'd betrayed Jesus, saw that Jesus had been condemned to death, he regretted what he'd done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.Y[+They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.Z Early in the morning all the chief priests and elders of the people consulted together and decided to have Jesus put to death.Y-KThen Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: 'Before the cock crows, three times you will deny knowing me.' He went outside and wept bitterly.yXkJThen he started to swear: 'Curses on me if I'm a liar! I don't know the man!' Immediately the cock crowed.WIA little while later the people standing there came up to Peter and said, 'You definitely are one of them. Your accent gives you away.'KVHOnce again he denied it, saying with an oath, 'I don't know him.'U'GWhen he went back to the courtyard entrance another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, 'This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.'hTIFBut he denied it in front of everyone. 'I don't know what you're talking about,' he said.SEMeanwhile Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came up to him, and said, 'You were with Jesus the Galilean too!'KRDand said, 'Prophesy to us, you 'Messiah'! Who just hit you?']Q3CThen they spat in his face and beat him. Some of them slapped him with their hands,PPBWhat's your verdict?''Guilty! He deserves to die!' they answered.'OGAThen the high priest tore his clothes, and said, 'He's speaking blasphemy! Why do we need any witnesses? Look, now you've heard for yourselves his blasphemy!>Nu@'You said it,' Jesus replied. 'And I also tell you that in the future you'll see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the Almighty, and coming on the clouds of heaven.'5Mc?But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to Jesus, 'In the name of the living God I place you under oath. Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.'rL]>The high priest stood up and asked Jesus, 'Have you no answer? What do you have to say in your defense?'iKK=and reported, 'This man said, 'I can destroy God's temple, and rebuild it in three days.''uJc G9Those who'd arrested Jesus took him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the religious teachers and elders had gathered.Fy8But all this is happening to fulfill what the prophets wrote.' Then all the disciples abandoned him and ran away.GE7Then Jesus told the mob, 'Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I was some kind of dangerous criminal? Every day I sat in the temple teaching and you didn't arrest me then.]D36But then how could the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must be like this?'nCU5Don't you think I could ask my Father, and he'd immediately send more than twelve legions of angels?kBO4But Jesus told him, 'Put your sword away. Everyone who fights with a sword will die by the sword. A3One of those who was with Jesus reached for his sword and pulled it out. He struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear.@}2'My friend, do what you came to do,' Jesus said to Judas. So they came and grabbed hold of Jesus, and arrested him.\?11Judas came up to Jesus immediately, and said, 'Hello, Rabbi,' and kissed him.}>s0The betrayer had arranged to give them a signal: 'The one that I kiss, that's him arrest him,' he'd told them.=3/As he said this, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived with a large mob armed with swords and clubs sent by the chief priests and elders of the people.N<.Get up, let's go! See, the one who's betraying me has arrived.'B;}-Then he returned to the disciples, and told them, 'How can you still be sleeping and resting? Look, the time has come. The Son of man is about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners!e:C,So he left them once more, and went off and prayed a third time, repeating the same things.S9+He went back and found them sleeping, for they just couldn't stay awake .#8?*He went away a second time and prayed.'My Father, if this cup cannot be taken from me without me drinking from it, then your will be done,' he said.y7k)Stay awake and pray, so that you don't fall into temptation. Yes, the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.' 6 (He went back to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, 'What, you couldn't stay awake with me for just one hour?h5I'He went a little further forward, fell face down, and prayed.'My Father, please, if it's possible, let this cup of suffering be taken from me,' Jesus asked. 'Even so, may it not be what I want but what you want.'z4m&Then he said to them, 'I am so overwhelmed with sadness that it's killing me. Wait here and keep watch with me.'s3_%He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, and he began to suffer agonizing sorrow and distress.2 $Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. He told them, 'Sit down here while I go over there and pray.'1y#'Even if I have to die with you, I'll never deny you!' Peter insisted. And all the disciples said the same thing.0{"'I'm telling you the truth,' Jesus told him, 'This very night, before the cock crows, you'll deny me three times.'`/9!But Peter objected, 'Even if everyone else abandons you, I'll never abandon you.'H.  But after I have risen, I'll go ahead of you to Galilee.''-G'All of you will abandon me tonight,' Jesus told them. 'As Scripture says, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the flock of sheep will be completely scattered.'K,After they'd sung a song, they left for the Mount of Olives.+However, I tell you, I won't drink this fruit of the vine until the day I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father.'a*;'For this is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.p)YThen he picked up the cup, blessed it, and gave it to them. 'Drink from it, all of you,' he told them.-(SWhile they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave pieces to the disciples. 'Take and eat this for it is my body,' said Jesus.z'mJudas, the one who would betray Jesus, asked 'It's not me, is it, Rabbi?''You said it,' Jesus replied.M&'The Son of man will die just as it was prophesied about him, but what a disaster it will be for the man who betrays the Son of man! It would be better for that man if he'd never been born!'^%5'The one who's dipped his hand into the dish with me will betray me,' Jesus replied.i$KThey were extremely upset. One after the other they asked him, 'Lord, it's not me, is it?'r#]While they were eating he told them, 'I'm telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.'>"wWhen evening came he sat down to eat with the twelve.Z!-The disciples did as Jesus told them, and prepared the Passover meal there.M Jesus told them, 'Go into the city and find this particular man, and tell him, 'The Teacher says, 'My time is approaching. I'm coming to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.'''3_On the first day of the festival of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, 'Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you to eat?'I From then on he looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.s_and asked them, 'How much will you pay me for betraying Jesus to you?' They paid him thirty silver coins.U#Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the chief priests7 I tell you the truth: wherever in the world this good news is spread, the story of what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.'J  By pouring this perfume on my body she's prepared me for burial.M You'll always have the poor with you, but you won't always have me.  Jesus was aware of what was going on and told them, 'Why are you upset with this woman? She's done something wonderful for me!Z- 'This perfume could've been sold for a lot of money and given to the poor!'0['What a terrible waste!' they objected.Pa woman came over to him carrying an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. She poured it on Jesus' head while he was sitting eating. But when the disciples saw what she did, they were upset.H While Jesus was staying at Simon the leper's house in Bethany,dABut they said, 'Let's not do this during the festival so that the people don't riot.'T!There they plotted to arrest Jesus on some deceitful pretext and kill him.ucThen the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the courtyard of Caiaphas, the high priest.ve'You know that it's Passover in two days time, and the Son of man will be handed over to be crucified.'= wAfter Jesus had said all this, he told his disciples,hI.They will go away into eternal condemnation, but those who are right will enter eternal life.'  -Then he will tell them, I tell you the truth: whatever you didn't do for one of these of least importance you didn't do for me.' 7,Then they will also answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't look after you?' +I was a stranger and you didn't invite me in. I was naked and you didn't clothe me. I was sick and in prison and you didn't visit me.'p Y*For I was hungry and you didn't give me anything to eat. I was thirsty and you didn't give me a drink. )'He'll also say to those on his left, 'Go away from me, you who are doomed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!(The king will tell them, I tell you the truth: whatever you did for one of these of least importance you did for me.'@{'When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?'W'&When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you?~u%Then those who are right will answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry and fed you, or thirsty and gave you a drink?r]$I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you visited me.' #For I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in.8i"Then the king will say to the ones on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, and inherit the kingdom that's been prepared for you from the beginning of the world.M!He'll place the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left.  Everyone will be brought before him. He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.|q'But when the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his majestic throne.t~aNow throw this useless servant out into the darkness where there'll be crying and gnashing of teeth.'}For everyone who has will be given even more; and everyone who doesn't have anything, even what they have will be taken away from them.Q|Take the talent away from him, and give it to the one with ten talents.{wthen you should have deposited my silver in the bank so that when I returned I could have had my money with interest. zBut his master answered him, You wicked and lazy servant! If you think I reap where I don't sow, and harvest crops I didn't plant,y{So since I was afraid of you I went and buried your talent in the ground. Look, you can have back what belongs to you.',xQ'Then the man with one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I know that you're a hard man. You reap where you didn't sow, and you harvest crops that you didn't plant.jwMHis master said to him, You've done well you are a good, faithful servant. You have proved trustworthy over small things, so now I'm placing you in charge over many things. Be happy because I'm really pleased with you!'vThe one with two talents also came. Master,' he said, 'You gave me two talents. Look, I've made a profit of two talents.'muSHis master said to him, You've done well you are a good, faithful servant. You have proved yourself trustworthy over small things, so now I'm placing you in charge over many things. Be happy because I'm really pleased with you!&tEThe one with five talents came and presented the other five talents. Master,' he said, 'You gave me five talents. Look, I've made a profit of five talents.'bs=A long time later the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them.grGBut the man who'd received the one talent went off and dug a hole and hid his master's money.DqIn the same way the one with two talents made another two.tpaImmediately the one with five talents went and invested them in a business, and made another five talents.oTo one of them he gave five talents, to another he gave two, and to another one, according to their different abilities. Then he left.tna'It's like a man who went away on a trip. He called in his servants and entrusted them with what he owned.Fm So stay alert, for you don't know the day, or the hour.Bl But he answered, I tell you the truth: I don't know you.'Wk' The other girls came later. Lord, Lord,' they called, 'Open the door for us!'j# While they went to buy oil, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was locked shut.i No, because otherwise there won't be enough for both you and for us. Go to the shopkeepers and buy some oil for yourselves.'ah;Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.' But the wise girls replied,mgSAll the girls got up and trimmed the wicks of their lamps. The foolish girls said to the wise ones,Zf-At midnight the shout came, Look, the bridegroom's here! Come out and meet him!'Ze-The bridegroom took a long time and all the girls became drowsy and fell asleep.Kdwhile the wise took jars of oil with them as well as their lamps.OcThe foolish girls took their lamps but didn't take any oil with them,/bYFive were foolish, and five were wise.pa ['The kingdom of heaven is like ten girls, who took their lamps with them to go and meet the bridegroom.`'3He'll cut him to pieces, and treat him in the same way as the hypocrites, sending him to a place where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth.l_Q2Then that servant's master will return when the man doesn't expect him, at a time he doesn't know.\^11and would start beating the other servants, feasting and drinking with the drunks.a];0But if he was evil, the servant would say to himself, My master is taking a long time,'b\=/I tell you the truth: the master will put that servant in charge over everything he has.^[5.How good it will be for that servant to be found doing that when his master returns!#Z?-'For who is the trustworthy and thoughtful servant? It's the one his master puts in charge of his household to provide them with food at the proper time.sY_,You also need to be ready, because the Son of man is coming at a time when you're not expecting him."X=+But consider this: if the house-owner knew what time a thief was coming, he would keep watch. He would not allow his house to be broken into and robbed.MW*So stay alert, because you don't know what day your Lord is coming.ZV-)Two women will be grinding grain with a mill. One will be taken, the other left.TU!('Two men will be working in the fields. One will be taken, the other left.T-'They didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That's how the coming of the Son of man will be..SU&It will be as in the days before the flood, when they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, right up until the day that Noah went into the Ark.SR%When the Son of man comes it will be like it was during the time of Noah.Q$'But no one knows the day or hour when this will take place, not the angels in heaven, nor the Son. Only the Father knows.LP#Heaven and earth may pass away, but my words won't pass away.eOC"I tell you the truth: this generation won't pass away until all these things have happened.N!In the same way when you see all these things happening, you know that his coming is near, in fact it's right at the door! M 'Learn an illustration from the fig tree. When its shoots become tender and leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is coming.L5With a blast from a trumpet he will send his angels to gather his chosen ones from every place, from one end of heaven and earth to the other .LKThen the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and in brilliant glory.1J['But right after those days of persecution the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shine, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.4IcVultures gather where the carcass is.'nHUFor the coming of the Son of man will be like the lightning that flashes brightly from east to west.GSo if they tell you, Look, he's out in the desert,' don't go looking there; or if they say, 'Look, he's secretly here,' don't believe it.?FyNotice that I've told you this before it even happens.,EQFor false messiahs will appear, and false prophets too, and they will perform incredible signs and miracles in order to deceive the chosen, if that were possible.cD?'So if anyone tells you, 'Look, here's the Messiah,' or, 'There he is,' don't believe it.C}Unless those days are cut short, nobody will be saved, but for the sake of the chosen those days will be cut short.5BcFor at that time there will be terrible persecution more terrible than anything that has happened from the beginning of the world up till now, and won't ever happen again.PAPray that you don't have to run away in winter, or on the Sabbath day.i@KHow awful it will be for those who are pregnant, and those who are nursing babies at that time!I? Anyone who is out in the fields must not go back to get a coat.W>'Anyone who is on the housetop must not go down and fetch what's in the house.K=then the people living in Judea should run away to the mountains. <9So when you see the evil that defiles' standing in the holy place that the prophet Daniel spoke about (those who read this please consider carefully),;The good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed around the whole world so everyone will be able to hear it, and then the end will come.9:m but those who hold out to the end will be saved.F9 The increasing evil will lead the love of many to grow cold,?8y Many false prophets will come and deceive many people.p7Y At that time many believers will give up believing. They will betray one another and hate one another.~6u 'Then they will arrest you, they will persecute you, and they will kill you. All people will hate you because of me.L5but all these things are just the beginnings of birth pains. 4#Nations will attack other nations, and kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places,3You'll hear about wars, and rumors about wars, but don't be anxious. These things have to happen, but this isn't the end.j2M'Many will come claiming to be me, saying, 'I'm the Messiah,' and they will deceive many people.81k'Make sure no one misleads you,' Jesus replied.K0As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him in private, and asked, 'Please tell us when this will happen. What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the world?'*/MBut Jesus replied, 'You see all these buildings? I tell you the truth: there won't be one stone left upon another. Every last one will come crashing down!'m. UAs Jesus was leaving the Temple his disciples came to him, pointing proudly to the Temple buildings.y-k'I tell you this: you won't see me again until you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.''>,w&Now look your house is left abandoned, totally empty.V+%%O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! So often I wanted to gather your children as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings but you wouldn't let me.V*%$'I'm telling you, the consequences of all this will fall on this generation.)#As a result, you will be held accountable for the blood of all the good people that has been poured out on the land from the blood of Abel, who did what was right, to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the Temple and the altar.U(#"'That's why I'm sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers. Some of them you will kill, some of them you will crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues, hunting them from town to town.a';!You snakes, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of condemnation?N& So get on with it finish it all off using your forefathers' methods!x%iBut by saying this you testify against yourselves, proving that you belong to those who murdered the prophets! $ and you say, If we had lived in the times of our ancestors we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'0#Y'What a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs as memorials to the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the good,"You're just the same. On the outside you look like good people to others, but on the inside you're full of hypocrisy and wickedness.^!5'What a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like white-washed tombs, looking good on the outside, but on the inside full of skeletons and all kinds of rottenness .| qYou blind Pharisees! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, so that the outside will also be clean.C'What a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you're full of greed and self-indulgence.iKYou blind guides you strain what you drink to keep out a fly but then you swallow a camel!+O'What a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay a tithe of mint, aniseed, and cumin, but you neglect the vital aspects of the law doing right, showing mercy, exercising trust. Yes, you should pay your tithe, but don't forget these other things.`9If you swear by heaven you swear by the throne of God and the One who sits there.T!If you swear by the Temple you swear by it and by the One who lives there.T!If you swear by the altar, you swear by it and by everything that's on it.gGHow blind you are! What is greater the sacrifice, or the altar that makes the sacrifice holy?+You say, If you swear on the altar that doesn't count, but if you swear on the sacrifice that's on the altar, then you have to keep your oath.'KWhat is greater the gold, or the Temple that makes the gold holy?X)What a disaster is coming on those of you who say, If you swear by the Temple that doesn't count, but if you swear by the gold of the Temple, then you have to keep your oath.' How foolish and blind you are!eCWhat a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you travel over land and sea to make a single convert, and when you do, you make him twice a son of darkness as you are yourselves.  ve 'But what a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You slam shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves don't go in, yet you don't let anyone in who is trying to enter .wg Anyone who makes themselves great will be humbled, and anyone who humbles themselves will be made great.5e The greatest among you will be your servant.U# Don't let people call you 'Teacher.' Only one is your Teacher, the Messiah.kO Don't call anyone by the title 'Father' here on earth. Only one is your Father, who is in heaven.gGDon't let people call you 'Rabbi.' Only one is your Master Teacher, and you are all brothers.m SThey love to be greeted with respect in the market places, and for people to call them Rabbi.'a ;They love to have the places of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues. Everything they do is to make sure they get noticed. They make themselves large prayer boxes to wear and long tassels on their clothes . yThey tie up heavy burdens, and place them on people's shoulders, but they themselves don't lift a finger to help them. so obey them and do everything they tell you. But don't follow what they do, because they don't practice what they preach.hI'The religious teachers and the Pharisees are responsible as interpreters of the law of Moses,9 oThen Jesus spoke to the crowds and his disciples:_7.Nobody could answer him, and from then on nobody dared to ask him any more questions.:o-If David called him Lord, how can he be his son?'`9,The Lord said to my Lord, sit down at my right hand until I defeat all your enemies .'\1+'But how can David under inspiration call him 'Lord'?' Jesus asked them. 'He says,xi*'What do you think about the Messiah?' he asked. 'Whose son is he?''The son of David,' they replied.O)While the Pharisees were gathered there, Jesus asked them a question.c?(All biblical law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.'F'The second is just like it, Love your neighbor as yourself.'A~}&This is the greatest commandment, the first commandment.j}M%Jesus told them, ''Love the Lord your God in all you think, in all you feel, and in all you do.'G|$'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?'U{##One of them who was a legal expert asked him a question to try to trap him:yzk"When the Pharisees heard that he'd left the Sadducees speechless, they met and went to ask some more questions.Zy-!When the crowds heard what he said, the crowds were amazed at his teaching.x{ I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He's not the God of the dead, but of the living.'Tw!As for the resurrection of the dead haven't you read what God said to you,v{For in the resurrection people don't marry, and they aren't given in marriage either they're like the angels in heaven.Vu%Jesus replied, 'Your mistake is you don't know Scripture or what God can do.tySo when the resurrection takes place, whose wife of the seven brothers will she be, for she married all of them?''sIIn the end the woman died too.[r/The same thing happened to the second and third husband, right up to the seventh.q)Well, once there were seven brothers here with us. The first married, and died, and since he had no children he left his widow to his brother.2p]They asked him, 'Teacher, Moses said that if a married man dies without having children, his brother should marry his widow and have children on behalf of his brother .qo[Later the same day some Sadducees came to see him. (They are the ones who say there's no resurrection.)  2~~3}}L|||2{{{zzuyySxx#wwwvvuuuLttNssrr"qqNqpupoo n-mmGllLkkk;jjii7hh.gg%ff*ee|eddcc?bbkaaW```$__B^^^"]]\\o[[SZZ{ZYY%XXWWOVVmVUU9TTT:SS6RR@RQPOOONMMM1LLUKKK+JtJIoHGG#F\EEcDDCCBAAAE@@@??8>|>=<<<;;`::S:99c8888773666[55@44k433+22s21`100//j..J.-{,,L++**e))((<''I' &p%%q$$r$##k""I!!M jEcAFsY*:U2;z. M < k a q@Vu~cOthers said,' It's Elijah.' Still others said, 'He's a prophet, like one of the prophets of the past.'1}[King Herod got to hear about Jesus since he had become well-known. Some said, 'This is John the Baptist risen from the dead. That's why he has such miraculous powers.'d|A They drove out many demons, and healed many who were sick by anointing them with oil.6{g So they went around telling people to repent. z 'If you're not welcomed and not listened to, then shake the dust from your feet as you leave as a sign you have given up on them .'Vy% 'When you're invited into a home, stay there until you leave,' he told them.Qx They could wear sandals, but they were not to take an extra shirt.{woHe told them not to take anything with them except a walking stick no bread, no bag, and no money in their belts.v}He called together the twelve disciples, and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority over evil spirits.muSHe was amazed at their lack of trust. Jesus traveled around the villages, teaching as he went.ftEThe result was that Jesus could not do any miracles there, except to heal a few sick people.s'A prophet is treated with respect except in his home town, among his relatives, and in his own family,' Jesus told them./rWIsn't this the carpenter, Mary's son the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Don't his sisters live here among us?' They were offended and rejected him .oqWOn Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many of those who were listening were surprised.'Where does he get these ideas?' they asked. 'What's this wisdom he's been given? Where does he get the power to do miracles?@p }Jesus left and went home to Nazareth with his disciples.}os+He gave them strict instructions not to let anyone know, and he told them to give the little girl something to eat.n'*The little girl, who was twelve years old, got up immediately and began walking around. They were completely astonished at what had happened.lmQ)He held the little girl's hand and said, ' Talitha koum,' which means, 'Little girl, get up!'Ml(They laughed scornfully at him. Jesus made everyone leave. Then he went into the room where the little girl was lying, taking with him the child's father and mother, and the three disciples.k'He went in and asked them, 'Why are you making such a commotion with all this crying? The little girl isn't dead, she's just sleeping.'yjk&When they arrived at the synagogue leader's house, Jesus saw all the commotion, with people crying and wailing._i7%He wouldn't let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and James' brother John.|hq$But Jesus paid no attention to what they said. He told the synagogue leader, 'Don't be afraid, just trust in me .'9gk#While he was still speaking some people came from the home of the synagogue leader. 'Your daughter is dead,' they said. 'You don't need to bother the Teacher any longer.' f"'My daughter, your trust in me has healed you. Go in peace. You have been completely cured of your disease,' Jesus told her.zem!The woman, realizing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.Ad} But Jesus went on looking around to see who had done it.kcO'Look at the crowd jostling you. What do you mean, 'Who touched me?'' the disciples replied.bJesus, sensing at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my cloak?'Za-The bleeding stopped immediately, and she felt her body healed from her disease.X`)She was telling herself, 'If I can just touch his cloak, I'll be healed.'h_IShe had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd, and touched his cloak.^She'd suffered considerably under the care of many doctors, and had spent all she had. But nothing helped her in fact she'd grown worse.L]A woman was there who had been ill from bleeding for twelve years.P\So Jesus went with him. Everybody followed, crowding and jostling him.[+and pleaded with him, saying, 'My little daughter is about to die. Please come and place your hands on her so she may be healed and live.'nZUA leader named Jairus from one of the synagogues came to him. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet{YoJesus went back again by boat to the other side of the lake where a large crowd gathered around him at the shore.X!So the man went on his way and began to tell the people of the Ten Cities everything Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed.$WABut Jesus refused, telling him, 'Go home to your own people, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how he has been merciful to you.'eVCAs Jesus climbed into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.@U{They began pleading with Jesus to leave their district.lTQThen those who had seen what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs told the others.S When they found Jesus they saw the demon-possessed man sitting there, dressed, and in his right mind and they were frightened!RThe pig-keepers ran away, and spread the news all over town and in the countryside. People came out to see what had happened.8Qi Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. The whole herd, about two thousand, rushed down the steep cliff into the sea and drowned.ZP- The evil spirits pleaded with him, 'Send us into the pigs so we can enter them.'AO} A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside nearby.WN' He also repeatedly pleaded with Jesus not to send them a long way away .oMW Then Jesus asked him, 'What is your name?' 'My name is Legion, because we are many!' he replied.KLFor Jesus had already told the evil spirit to leave the man. K In a loud voice he cried out, 'What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of Almighty God? Swear by God that you won't torture me!'JJ Seeing Jesus from a distance he ran and kneeled in front of him.IDay and night he was always shouting out among the tombs and in the hills nearby, cutting himself with sharp stones.,HQHe had often been tied up with chains and shackles, but he simply tore the chains apart and broke the shackles into pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.oGWThis man lived among the tombs, and it had been impossible to tie him up any more, even with a chain.gFGWhen Jesus got out of the boat a man with an evil spirit came from the graveyard to meet him.SE !They arrived on the other side of the lake in the region of the Gerasenes.wDg)They were stunned and terrified . They asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!'\C1('Why are you so frightened ? Haven't you learned to trust me?' he asked them.B''Jesus woke up. He told the wind to die down and told the waves, 'Be quiet! Be still.' The wind stopped, and the water became completely calm.-AS&Jesus was asleep in the stern, resting his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting at him, 'Teacher, don't you care that we're about to drown?'k@O%Soon a terrible storm started blowing, and waves crashed against the boat, filling it with water.r?]$Leaving the crowd behind, the disciples went with Jesus and got into a boat. Other boats went with them.s>_#Later that day, in the evening, he said to his disciples, 'Let's go across to the other side of the Sea.'=}"In fact, when he spoke publicly, he only used stories, however in private he explained everything to his disciples.<}!Jesus used many of these illustrated stories when he spoke to the people so they would understand as much as they could.;) But when it's sown it grows into a plant that's larger than other plants. It has branches big enough that birds can roost in its shade.' <:s'It's like a mustard seed, the tiniest seed of all.[9/'What can we compare God's kingdom to? What illustration shall we use?' he asked.g8GWhen the grain is ripe, the farmer reaps it with a sickle, because the harvest is ready.7The earth produces a harvest by itself. First a shoot appears, then the heads of grain, and then the heads of grain ripen.t6a'He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, but the man has no knowledge of how the seeds sprout and grow.N5'God's kingdom is like a man sowing seed in the ground,' Jesus said.*4MMore will be given to those who already have understanding, but those who don't want to know will have what little understanding they have taken from them.3#Pay attention to what you're hearing,' he told them, 'for you will be given according to how much you want to receive, measure for measure.=2uIf you have ears to hear, listen to what I'm saying!v1eEverything that is hidden will be revealed, and everything that is secret will be brought out into the open.w0g'Who puts a lamp under a bucket, or beneath a bed?' Jesus asked them. 'No, you put a lamp up on a lamp-stand.5/cBut the seeds sown on good soil illustrate those who hear the word, accept it, and are productive producing thirty, sixty, and hundred times what was originally sown..but worries of this world, the temptation of wealth, and other distractions choke the growth of the word, and it becomes unproductive.I- Those sown among the thorns illustrate those who hear the word, ,But since they have no real roots, they only last for a while until trouble or persecution comes, and then they quickly fall away.v+eLikewise the seeds on the rocky ground illustrate those who hear the word, and happily accept it right away.6*eThe seeds on the path where the word is sown illustrate those who hear the message, but then Satan immediately comes along and takes away the word that's been sown in them.#)A'The sower sows the word . (  'Don't you understand this story?' Jesus asked them. 'If you can't, how are you going to understand all the other stories?')'K so that even though they see, they don't really 'see,' and even though they hear, they don't understand, otherwise they might turn to me and be forgiven.'&w He told them, 'The mystery of God's kingdom has been given to you to understand. But outsiders only have the stories,% When he was by himself, his twelve disciples and the others who were with him asked him what the illustrations meant.D$ If you have ears to hear, listen to what I'm saying.'$#AOther seeds fell on good soil where they sprouted and grew. They produced a harvest of some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times what was planted.u"cOther seeds fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked the sprouting seeds, so they produced nothing.m!Sthey were scorched when the sun came up. Since they didn't have any real roots, they soon withered." =Other seeds fell on stony ground where there wasn't much earth. In the shallow soil the plants started growing quickly, but because the soil wasn't deepdANow as he was scattering the seeds, some fell on the path, and birds came and ate them up.5e'Listen,' he said. 'A sower went out to sow.>wHe illustrated his teachings using many stories.8 kJesus began teaching beside the Sea again. So many people came to listen to him that he climbed into a boat and sat in it on the water while the crowd listened from the shore.T!#Whoever does what God wants, they are my brother, and sister, and mother.'s_"Looking around at all those sitting there in a circle, he said, 'Here is my mother! Here are my brothers!?y!'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?' he responded.uc The crowd that was sitting around him told him, 'Your mother and brothers are outside asking for you.'veThen Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. They waited outside and sent him a message, asking him to come out.L(Jesus said this because they said, 'He has an evil spirit.') but if someone blasphemes by rejecting the Holy Spirit they can never be forgiven, because they are guilty of an eternal sin.'F'I tell you the truth: sins and blasphemies can be forgiven,-SClearly, if someone breaks into the house of a strong man and tries to take his things, he won't get far in his theft unless he ties up the strong man first.'gGIf Satan is divided and fights against himself, he won't last long he'll soon come to an end..WA household that's divided is doomed.2_A kingdom fighting itself can't continue.oWBut Jesus called them over to him. Using illustrations he asked them, 'How can Satan throw out Satan?%But the religious leaders from Jerusalem said, 'He's possessed by Beelzebub! It's by the ruler of demons that he's driving out demons!'h IWhen Jesus' family heard about it, they went to take him away, saying, 'He's lost his senses!'x iJesus went home, but such a large crowd gathered again that he and his disciples didn't even have time to eat.4 cand Judas Iscariot (who betrayed him).v eAndrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Revolutionary,m SJames the son of Zebedee and his brother John (who he called Boanerges, meaning 'sons of thunder'),FThese are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he called Peter),4cand with the authority to drive out demons.He chose twelve to be with him, and called them apostles. They were to be with him, and he would send them out to announce the good news,s_ Then Jesus went away to the hill country. He called those he wanted to be with him, and they came to him.=u But he commanded them not to reveal who he was.yk Whenever the evil spirits saw him they would fall down in front of him and shout out, 'You are the Son of God!'ve because he had healed so many that all the sick people kept on pressing towards him so they could touch him.\1 Jesus told his disciples to have a small boat ready in case the crowd crushed him,1Jerusalem, Idumea, Transjordan, and from the regions of Tyre and Sidon. So many people came to see him because they'd heard all he was doing.mSMeanwhile Jesus returned to the Sea, and a large crowd followed him. They were from Galilee, Judea,u~cThe Pharisees left, and immediately began plotting with Herod's party as to how they might kill Jesus.8}iHe looked around at them in exasperation, very upset by their hard-hearted attitude. Then he told the man, 'Hold out your hand.' The man held out his hand, and it was healed.|1'Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? Should you save life, or should you kill?' he asked them. But they didn't say a word.e{CJesus told the man with the crippled hand, 'Come and stand here in front of everyone.'*zMSome of those there were watching Jesus to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath because they were looking for a reason to accuse him of breaking the law.Ty #Jesus went to the synagogue again. A man was there who had a crippled hand.9xm'So the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.'dwA'The Sabbath was made for your benefit, not for you to benefit the Sabbath,' he told them.8vi'He went into God's house when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the consecrated bread which no one except the priests are permitted to eat, and gave it to his men too.'ouW'Haven't you ever read what David did when he and his men were hungry and in need?' Jesus asked them.jtMThe Pharisees asked Jesus, 'Look, why are they doing what is not permitted on the Sabbath?' sOne Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through the grain fields, his disciples started picking heads of grain as they walked along.:rmNo one puts new wine in old wineskins. Otherwise the wine will burst the wineskins, and both the wine and wineskins will be wasted. No. You put new wine in new wineskins.'qNo one puts a patch that's not shrunk on old clothes. Otherwise the new piece will shrink away from the old, and make the tear worse.cp?But the day is coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they'll fast.o'Do wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?' Jesus asked them. 'No. While the bridegroom's with them, they can't fast.CnNow John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting . Some of them came to Jesus, and asked him, 'Why is it that John's disciples and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't?'NmWhen Jesus heard this, he told them, 'It's not healthy people who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I haven't come to invite those who do what is right, but those who don't the sinners.'-lSWhen the religious leaders of the Pharisees saw Jesus eating with such people, they asked Jesus' disciples, 'Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?'EkThat evening Jesus ate dinner at Levi's house. Many tax collectors and 'sinners' joined Jesus and his disciples for the meal, for there were many of these people that followed Jesus.%jCAs he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax-collector's booth.'Follow me,' Jesus told him. Levi got up and followed Jesus.Yi+ Jesus went out beside the sea once more and taught the crowds that came to him.3h_ He stood up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of everyone there. They were all amazed, and praised God, saying 'We've never ever seen anything like this!'Yg+ I say to you (the paralyzed man), Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.''Pf But to convince you that the Son of man has the right to forgive sins,xei What's easier: to say to the paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Get up, pick up your mat, and walk'?jdMJesus knew right away what they were thinking. He said to them, 'Why are you thinking like this?lcQ'Why is he talking like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins? Only God can do that!'MbSome of the religious teachers sitting there thought to themselves,yakWhen Jesus saw the trust these men had, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven.'_`7but they could not get near Jesus because of the crowds. So they went up on the roof and took it apart. After they had made an opening above Jesus they lowered down the mat with the paralyzed man lying on it.6_gFour men had brought a man who was paralyzed,~^uSo many people crowded inside the house that it was packed, even outside the door, as Jesus told them the good news.^] 7A few days later Jesus returned home to Capernaum, and news spread that he was there.^\ 7-But the healed leper went out and told everyone what had happened. As a result Jesus could not openly go into the cities anymore, but had to stay out in the country where people came to him from everywhere around.k[ Q,'Make sure you don't tell anybody anything about this,' he told him. 'Go to the priest and show yourself to him. Give the offering which is required by the law of Moses for such cleansing, so that people will have proof.'2Z a+Jesus sent him away with a strong warning.W (A leper came to him asking for help. The man kneeled down before Jesus, saying, 'Please, if you're willing, you can heal me!'[V 1'So he went all over Galilee, speaking in the synagogues and expelling demons."U ?&But Jesus replied, 'We have to go to the other towns around here so that I can tell them the good news as well for that's why I came,' he told them.PT %When they found him, they told him, 'Everybody's looking for you.'4S e$Simon and the others went to search for him.rR _#Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went alone to a quiet place to pray.Q -"He healed many people who had various diseases, and threw out many demons. He did not permit the demons to speak, for they knew who he was./P [!The whole of the town gathered outside.bO ? After sunset that evening, those who were sick and demon-possessed were brought to Jesus.N }He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever immediately left her. Then she made them a meal.ZM /Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, so they told Jesus about her.jL OThen they left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon and Andrew, along with James and John.PK News about him spread quickly throughout the whole Galilee region.3J aEveryone was amazed at what happened. 'What is this?' they asked each other. 'What is this new teaching that has such authority? Even evil spirits do what he tells them!'\I 3The evil spirit screamed, threw the man into convulsions, and came out of him.ZH /Jesus interrupted the evil spirit, telling him, 'Be quiet! Come out of him.'G 'Jesus of Nazareth, why are you bothering us?' he shouted. 'Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are! You're God's Holy One!'`F ;Suddenly, right there in the synagogue, a man with an evil spirit started shouting out.rE _The people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority, unlike the religious teachers .`D ;They left for Capernaum, and on Sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught there.C Immediately he called them to follow him, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers, and followed Jesus.B He went a little farther and saw James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat mending their nets.;A sThey left their nets at once and followed him.V@ ''Come and follow me,' he told them, 'and I will have you fishing for people.'"? ?As he was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they made their living by fishing.s> a'The time predicted has come,' he said. 'God's kingdom is near. Repent and believe in the good news.'`= ;Later, after John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, announcing God's good news.v< g where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was with the wild animals, and angels took care of him.A;  Right after this the Spirit sent him away into the deserte: E A voice from heaven said, 'You are my son, the one I love. I am very pleased with you.'w9 i As Jesus came out of the water, he saw the heavens split apart and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him.Y8 - Then Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.R7 I baptized you in water but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.'6 yThis is what he had to say: 'After me someone is coming who is greater than I am. I'm not worthy to untie his sandals.s5 aJohn wore clothes made of camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.4 /Everybody from the country of Judea and from Jerusalem went to him. They admitted their sins publicly and were baptized in the river Jordan.l3 SJohn came, baptizing in the desert, announcing a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.b2 ?A voice is calling in the desert, Prepare the Lord's way! Make his paths straight.''f1 GJust as the prophet Isaiah wrote, 'I'm sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare your way.W0 +Here is the beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God./yTeach them to follow all the commands I have given you. Remember, I am always with you, to the very end of the world.' .So go and make disciples of people of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.c-?Jesus came to them and told them, 'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.D,When they saw him they worshiped him, though some doubted.d+ABut the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.*So the soldiers took the money and did what they were told. This story has been spread among the Jewish people to this very day.e)C'And if the governor hears about this, we'll talk to him and you won't have to worry.'w(g 'Say that his disciples came during the night and stole him while we were sleeping,'' they told the soldiers. ' After the chief priests had met with the elders, and worked out a plan, they bribed the soldiers with a great deal of money.~&u As they left, some of the guards went into the city and explained to the chief priests everything that had happened.% Then Jesus said to them, 'Don't be afraid! Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.'z$m Suddenly Jesus came to meet them, and greeted them. They went over to him, held onto his feet and worshiped him.`#9They left the tomb quickly, both afraid and very happy, running to tell his disciples.*"MNow go quickly and tell his disciples that he's risen from the dead and that he's going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, I promise you!'s!_He's not here. He's risen from the dead, just as he said he would. Come and see where the Lord was lying.i KThe angel told the women, 'Don't be afraid! I know you're looking for Jesus, who was crucified.MThe guards shook with fear, falling down as if they were dead.RHis face blazed like lightning, and his clothes were as a white as snow.#All of a sudden there was a tremendous earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled away the stone, and sat on it._ 9Early Sunday morning, at dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.kOBSo they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the entrance stone and posting soldiers as guards.ucA'I'll give you a guard of soldiers,' Pilate told them. 'Now go, and make it as secure as you possibly can.'oW@Give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. That way his disciples can't come and steal his body and tell people that he was raised from the dead, and the deception in the end will become worse than it was at first.'{?They said to him, 'Sir, we recall that the imposter said while he was still alive, 'After three days, I'll rise again.'s_>The next day, after the Preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went together to see Pilate.W'=Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.  yk7Many women were also watching from a distance, those who had followed Jesus from Galilee and had supported him..U6When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what happened, they were terrified, and said, 'This really was the Son of God!'w5After the resurrection of Jesus they went out from the graveyards into the holy city where many people saw them. y4and the graves were opened. Many of those who had lived good lives and had fallen asleep in death were raised to life.w g3Right then the veil of the temple was torn apart from top to bottom. The ground shook, the rocks split apart,J  2Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and breathed his last .b =1But the others said, 'Leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah will come and save him.' 0Immediately one of them ran and grabbed a sponge, soaked it in vinegar, put it on a stick, and gave it to Jesus to drink.[//When some of those standing there heard it, they said, 'He's calling for Elijah!'.At about three o'clock Jesus shouted out loud, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?'K-From noon until three o'clock darkness covered the whole country.[/,The criminals who were crucified with him also insulted him in the same way.~u+He trusts God so confidently well let God rescue him now if he wants him, because he claimed 'I am the Son of God.''+O*'He saved other people, but he can't save himself!' they said. 'If he really is the king of Israel, let him come down from the cross, and then we'll believe him!eC)The chief priests mocked him in the same way, along with the religious teachers and elders.6e(saying, 'You who promised to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, why don't you save yourself! If you really are the Son of God, then come down from the cross.'J 'Those who passed by shouted insults at him, shaking their heads,W'&They crucified two criminals with him, one on the right, and one on the left.w~g%They placed a sign over his head with the charge against him. It read, 'This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.':}o$Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.\|1#After they had crucified him, they rolled dice to divide his clothes between them.[{/"they gave him wine mixed with gall. But having tasted it, he refused to drink it.Fz!When they arrived at Golgotha, meaning 'Place of the Skull,'pyY On the way they found a man called Simon, from Cyrene, and they forced him to carry Jesus' cross.xWhen they'd finished mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.RwThey spat on him, and took the stick and beat him over the head with it.>vuThey made a crown of thorns and placed it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. They knelt down in front of him and mocked him, saying, 'We salute you, King of the Jews!':uoThey stripped him and put a scarlet cloak on him.dtAThe governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and the whole troop surrounded him.dsAThen he released Barabbas to them, but he had Jesus whipped and sent to be crucified. {~~6}k||?{{)zzyy0xx@w}w:vuuctt/ssEsrqqq>pup"onnmm{lllakjjjDii hcggTfff"ee)dd)ccc$bbaaba ``*__9^^0]]}\\b[[o[ZZYYXXWWVV8UUTT_TSS3RR%QQAPPnOO&NNTMM^LLLJKkJJ,I}HHHVGzFFREEEDD#CC$BBBA|@@Z???(>\=< g   G  ]u) {z  Then Jesus began to speak to them using illustrated stories .'Once there was a man who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to some farmers, and left on a journey.y !So they answered Jesus, 'We don't know.''Then I'm not telling you by whose authority I do these things,' replied Jesus.x But if we say, it's of human origin, well'' They were afraid of the crowd, because everyone believed that John was a true prophet.w They discussed it among themselves. They said, 'If we say it's from heaven, he'll reply, 'So why didn't you believe him?'Iv  John's baptism did that come from heaven, or from people?'uw 'Let me ask you a question,' Jesus told them. 'You answer me, and I'll tell you by whose authority I do these things.ct? 'By what authority are you doing all this?' they demanded. 'Who gave you the right?'s They returned to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the Temple, the chief priests, religious teachers, and the leaders approached him. r  q/ But when you're praying, if you have something against someone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your sins.'vpe I'm telling you that whatever you pray for, whatever you ask, trust that you've received it, and it's yours.Vo% 'Believe me when I say to you that if you told this mountain, 'Get out of here and be thrown into the sea,' and you don't doubt in your heart, but are convinced about what you asking, then it will happen!'nI 'Trust in God,' Jesus replied.mw Peter remembered what Jesus had done, and said to him, 'Rabbi, look, the fig tree that you cursed has withered.'dlA The following morning as they returned, they saw the fig tree, withered from the roots up.Ak} When evening came Jesus and his disciples left the city.Cj The chief priests and religious teachers heard what had happened, and tried to find a way to kill Jesus. But they were afraid of him, for everyone was so impressed by his teaching.(iI He explained to them, 'Doesn't Scripture say, 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have turned it into a den of thieves!'Dh He stopped anyone carrying things through the Temple.qg[ They arrived back in Jerusalem, and Jesus went into the Temple. He started driving out the people who were buying and selling in the Temple. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the chairs of the people selling doves.nfU He said to the tree, 'May no one eat fruit from you ever again.' His disciples heard his words.Se From some distance away he saw a fig tree with leaves, so he went over to it to see if it had any fruit. But when he got there, he found it had only leaves, because it was not the season for figs.>dw The next day, as they left Bethany, Jesus was hungry.Dc Jesus entered Jerusalem and went in to the Temple. He looked around him, observing everything, and then, since it was getting late, he returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples.]b3 Bless the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!'a Those leading in the front and those that were following were all shouting, 'Hosanna ! Bless the one coming in the name of the Lord.`y Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others laid down leafy branches that they'd cut in the fields.V_% They brought the colt to Jesus, put their cloaks on it, and Jesus sat on it.\^1 The disciples replied just as Jesus told them to, and the people let them go.\]1 Some of the people standing around asked, 'What are you doing, untying that colt'?b\= So they set off, and found a colt tied to a door, out on the street, and they untied it.p[Y If anyone asks you what you are doing, tell them, The Lord needs it and will send it back soon.''/ZW He told them, 'Go into the village ahead of you, and as soon as you enter, you'll find a colt tied up that no one has ever ridden before. Untie it and bring it here. Y  As they approached Jerusalem, near to Bethphage and Bethany, beside the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples on ahead.X 4'You can go. Your trust in me has healed you.' Immediately Bartimaeus could see and he followed Jesus as he went on his way.vWe 3'What do you want me to do for you?' Jesus asked him.'Teacher,' he said to Jesus, 'I want to see!'RV 2Bartimaeus jumped up, threw off his coat, and rushed over to Jesus. U 1Jesus stopped, and said, 'Tell him to come here.' So they called him over, telling him, 'Good news! Get up. He's calling for you.'T  0Lots of people told him to be quiet, but that only made him shout even more, 'Jesus, son of David, please have mercy me!'zSm /When he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth, he started shouting out, 'Jesus, son of David, please have mercy on me!'&RE .They passed through Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples were leaving town along with a large crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting at the roadside.zQm -For even the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'TP! ,and anyone who wants to be first among you must be the slave of all of youiOK +But for you it's not like this. Anyone of you who wants you to be a ruler must be your servant,%NC *Jesus called the disciples together and told them,'You realize that those who claim to rule nations oppress their people. The rulers act like tyrants.hMI )When the other ten disciples heard about this, they started getting upset with James and John.L3 ('But it's not for me to grant who should sit on my right or on my left. These places are reserved for those for whom they have been prepared.'K ''Yes, we can,' they replied.'You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the same baptism as me,' Jesus told them.J7 &'You don't know what you're asking,' replied Jesus. 'Can you drink the cup I drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism of pain I will suffer?'I! %'When you're victorious and sit on your throne, make sure we sit beside you, one on the right, the other on the left,' they told him.EH $'So what do you want me to do for you?' Jesus replied.G #James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to see him.'Teacher,' they said, 'We want you to do for us whatever we ask you.'qF[ "They will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him. But three days later he will rise again.'JE  !'We're going to Jerusalem,' he told them, 'and the Son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and religious teachers. They will condemn him to death and hand him over to the foreigners .uDc They continued on their way to Jerusalem, with Jesus walking on ahead. The disciples were apprehensive and the other followers were afraid. So Jesus took the disciples aside and began to explain to them what was about to happen to him.KC However many of the first will be last, and the last first.'IB  will receive in return in due course a hundred times as many homes and brothers and sisters and children and lands as well as persecution. In the world to come they will receive eternal life.IA  'I tell you the truth,' Jesus replied, 'anyone who has left behind their home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands because of me, and for the sake of the good news,E@ Peter spoke up, 'We've left everything to follow you''?# Looking right at them, Jesus replied, 'From a human point of view, it's impossible but not with God. Everything is possible with God.'o>W The disciples were even more confused. 'Then who on earth can be saved?' they asked one another.s=_ It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter God's kingdom.'u<c The disciples were shocked at this. But Jesus went on, 'My friends, it is difficult to enter God's kingdom.;  Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, 'It's only with difficulty that wealthy people enter the kingdom of God!'c:? At this, the man's face fell, and he left feeling very sad, for he was very wealthy.R9 Jesus looked at him with love and said, 'You're only missing one thing. Go and sell everything you own, give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.'b8= 'Teacher,' the man replied, 'I've obeyed all these commandments since I was small.'K7 You know the commandments: you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not cheat, honor your father and mother''O6 'Why do you call me good?' Jesus asked him. 'No one's good, only God.35_ As Jesus set out on his journey, a man came running over and kneeled down before Jesus. 'Good teacher, what should I do to make sure I have eternal life?' he asked.R4 He hugged the children, placed his hands on them, and blessed them.k3O I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't welcome the kingdom of God like a child won't enter it.'J2  But when Jesus saw what they were doing, he became very upset and told them, 'Let the children come to me! Don't stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children."1= Some people brought their children to Jesus so that he could bless them, but the disciples told them off and tried to keep the children away from Jesus.]03 'And if the wife divorces her husband and marries again she commits adultery.'g/G 'Any man who divorces his wife and marries again commits adultery against her,' he told them.V.% When they were back indoors, the disciples began asking him about this.@-{ Let no one separate what God has joined together.'F, and the two become one body. They are no longer two but one.^+5 That's why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined in marriage to his wife,M* However, in the beginning, from creation, God made male and female.o)W Then Jesus told them, 'Moses only wrote down this rule for you because of your hard-hearted attitude.m(S 'Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and send the woman away,' they replied.A'} 'What did Moses tell you to do?' he asked in reply.q&[ Some Pharisees came to see him. They tried to test him by asking the question, 'Is divorce legal?'!% = Jesus left Capernaum and went to the region of Judea and Transjordan. Once again people flocked to see him, and he was teaching them like he always did.$! 2Salt is good, but if it loses its taste, how could you make it salty again? You need to be like salt, and live in peace with one another.'+#Q 1Everybody will be salted' by fire.@"{ 0where the worm doesn't die and the fire never goes out.'!G /If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out! It's better to enter the kingdom of God with just one eye than to be thrown into Gehenna still having both eyes,   . -If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It's better to enter eternal life lame than to be thrown into Gehenna still having two feet.   ,1[ +If your hand leads you to sin, cut it off! It's better to enter eternal life as a cripple than to go with both hands into Gehenna, into the fire that can't be put out.=s *'But if anyone leads one of these little ones who trust in me into sin, it would be better for them if they were thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around their neck. )Anyone who gives a cup of water to you in my name, because you belong to Christ, won't lose their reward, believe me.0[ (Anyone who is not against us is for us.xi ''Don't stop him,' Jesus replied. 'For no one who is doing miracles in my name can curse me at the same moment.  &John said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him because he wasn't one of us.' %'Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name, welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me doesn't welcome me but the one who sent me.'  $He took a small child and had the child stand right in the middle of them. Then he picked up and hugged the child, and told them,)K #Jesus sat down and called the twelve disciples together. 'If anyone wants to be first, he has to be the very last, the servant of everyone else,' he told them.jM "But they didn't say anything because they had been arguing over who was the most important.3 !They arrived at Capernaum, and once they were inside the house where they were staying, Jesus asked them, 'What were you talking about on the way?'\1 They didn't understand what he meant and were too afraid to ask him about it.6e because he was teaching his disciples . 'The Son of man will be betrayed to human authorities,' he told them. 'They will kill him, but three days later he will rise again.']3 They left and passed through Galilee. Jesus didn't want anyone to know where he wasQ 'This kind can't be driven out except by prayer,' Jesus told them. Later, when Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him in private, 'Why couldn't we drive the evil spirit out?'\ 1 But Jesus took the boy by the hand and helped him up, and he got to his feet.? w The spirit screamed and threw the boy into severe convulsions. Then the spirit came out of the boy and left him for dead to the extent that many of the people said, He's dead.'3 _ Jesus, seeing that the crowd was closing in, commanded the evil spirit, 'Spirit that causes deafness and dumbness, I order you to come out of him and never return.'b = 'I do trust in you,' the man shouted out right away. 'Help me not to distrust you.'^ 5 'Why do you say, if you can?'' replied Jesus. 'Whoever trusts has every power!'3 'Often it throws him into the fire to burn him to death, or throws him into water to drown him. Please have mercy on us and help, if you can.'q[ 'How long has he had this?' Jesus asked the boy's father.'Since he was small,' the father replied.C So they brought him to Jesus. When the evil spirit saw Jesus it immediately sent the boy into convulsions and threw him on the ground, where he rolled around, foaming at the mouth.#? 'You unbelieving people!' Jesus responded. 'How long must I remain here with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring him over here to me!'H  Whenever he has a seizure it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and he becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out of him, but they couldn't do it.' One of the people in the crowd answered, 'Rabbi, I brought my son to you. He has an evil spirit that prevents him speaking.H  'What are you arguing with them about?' Jesus asked them.[/ As soon as the crowd saw Jesus they were in total awe, and ran to greet him.  When they returned to the other disciples, they saw them surrounded by a large crowd and some religious teachers arguing with them.  However, I tell you that Elijah has come, and they abused him in whatever way they wanted, just as Scripture said they would.'B~} 'It's true that Elijah comes first to prepare everything,' Jesus replied. 'But why then does it say in Scripture that the Son of man has to suffer so much and be treated with contempt?c}? 'Why do the religious teachers state that Elijah has to come first?' they asked him.y|k They kept this to themselves, but they did argue with each other over what it meant to rise from the dead.{ As they came down the mountain Jesus instructed them not to tell anyone what they'd seen until the Son of man had risen from the dead.hzI Then, all of a sudden, as they were watching, there was nobody. Only Jesus was with them.y Then a cloud covered them, and a voice came from the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, the one I love. Listen to him.'Wx' (He really didn't know what to say because they were all so frightened!) w Peter spoke up and said, 'Rabbi, it's great for us to be here! We should make three shelters one each for you, Moses, and Elijah.'[v/ Then Elijah and Moses appeared in front of them as well, talking with Jesus.]u3 His clothes shone a brilliant white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them.t+ Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him, and led them up a high mountain to be by themselves. His appearance totally changed.s  Jesus told them, 'I tell you the truth: some standing here won't die before they see the kingdom of God come with power.'Xr)&If you're ashamed to acknowledge me and what I say among this unfaithful and sinful people, then the Son of man will be ashamed to acknowledge you when he comes with his Father's glory with the holy angels.7qi%What would you give in exchange for your life?\p1$'What use is it for you to gain everything in the whole world, and lose your life? o #If you want to save your life you will lose it, but if you lose your life because of me and the good news you will save it.+nO"Jesus called the crowd and his disciples over to him, and told them, 'If you want to follow me, you must give up on yourselves, pick up your cross and follow me.4ma!Jesus turned around and looking at his disciples, reprimanded Peter. 'Get away from me, Satan,' he said. 'You're not thinking as God thinks, but as human beings do.'l Jesus explained this to them very clearly. But Peter took Jesus aside and started to reprimand him for what he said.[k/Then Jesus began to explain to them that the Son of man would suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and religious teachers. He would be killed, but three days later would rise again.>jwJesus warned them not to tell anybody about him.ci?'But who do you say I am?' he asked them.'You are the Messiah!' Peter answered.jhM'Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, others say one of the prophets,' they replied.g!Jesus and his disciples left to go to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say I am?'[f/Jesus sent the man home, and told him, 'Don't go back through the village .'leQSo Jesus touched the man's eyes again. He could see properly he was cured and his sight was clear.`d9The man looked around, and said, 'I can see people, but they look like trees walking.'EcJesus took the blind man by the hand and took him outside the village. Jesus spat on the man's eyes and touched him with his hands. Then Jesus asked him, 'Can you see anything?'|bqThey went to Bethsaida where some people brought a blind man to Jesus They begged Jesus to touch him and heal him.;aq'Do you still not understand?' he asked them.`'And the seven loaves divided among four thousand. How many basketfuls of leftovers did you pick up?''Seven,' they answered ._5Don't you remember when I shared five loaves among five thousand? How many basketfuls of leftovers did you pick up?''Twelve,' they replied?^yYou've got eyes to see, haven't you? And ears to hear?5]cJesus knew what they were saying, and said, 'Why are you talking about not having any bread? Are you still not thinking and not understanding? Have you closed your minds ?R\'He's saying that because we don't have any bread,' they concluded.][3'Watch out beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod!' he warned them.oZWBut the disciples had forgotten to bring bread with them. All they had in the boat was one loaf.WY' So he left them behind, climbed into the boat, and went back across the lake.X{ Jesus sighed deeply, and asked, 'Why do you people want a sign? I tell you the truth: I will not give you a sign.'W) The Pharisees arrived and began to argue with him, wanting him to give them a miraculous sign from heaven, trying to get him to prove himself.aV; Jesus climbed into a boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.QU There were four thousand people there. After sending them on their way,ZT-They ate until they were full, and then collected up seven baskets of leftovers.mSSThey had a few fish as well, so having blessed them, he said, 'Take these and share them too.'?RwHe told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves of bread, and gave thanks. He broke the bread and handed the pieces to his disciples to give to the crowd.RQ'How many loaves do you have?' he asked.'Seven,' they replied.tPa'Where could anybody find enough bread to feed them here in this wilderness?' answered his disciples.pOYIf I send them home without food, they'll faint on the way. Some have come from a long way away.'Nw'My heart goes out to the crowd because they have already stayed with me for three days and they have nothing to eat.M Around this time there was another large crowd that had nothing to eat. Jesus called the disciples together and told them,Ly%They were totally amazed and said, 'Everything he does is marvelous. He even makes the deaf hear, and the dumb speak.'pKY$Jesus gave strict orders not to tell anyone, but the more he said this, the more they spread the news.eJC#The man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was gone, and he began speaking properly.^I5"Jesus looked up to heaven and with a sigh he said, 'Ephphatha,' which means, 'Open!'H!After Jesus took him aside from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers in the deaf man's ears. Then he touched the man's tongue with spit. G There they brought him a deaf man who also could not speak properly. They asked Jesus to touch the man with his hand and heal him.FLeaving the region of Tyre, Jesus passed through Sidon and then on to the Sea of Galilee and the territory of the Ten Cities.REShe went home and found the child lying on the bed, the demon gone.[D/Jesus told her, 'For such an answer you may go the demon has left your daughter.'lCQ'True, sir,' she said, 'but even the dogs under the table eat the scraps the children leave.'B%'First let the children eat until they're full,' Jesus replied. 'It's not right to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs .'uAcThe woman was Greek, born in Syrophoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive out the demon from her daughter.v@eAs soon as a woman, whose little daughter had an evil spirit, heard about him she came and fell at his feet.?-Then Jesus left and went to the region of Tyre. He didn't want anyone to know he was staying in a house there, but he couldn't keep it a secret.B>all these evils come from inside and defile people.'R=greed, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, thoughtlessness y<kIt's from the inside, from people's minds, that evil thoughts come: sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,<;s'It's what comes out of you that makes you unclean. :It doesn't go into your mind, but into your stomach, and then passes out of the body. So all foods are ceremonially 'clean.'u9c'Don't you understand it either?' he asked them. 'Don't you see that what you eat doesn't make you unclean?n8UThen Jesus went inside to escape the crowd, and his disciples asked him about his illustration. 7 6It's not what's on the outside and goes into you that makes you unclean. It's what comes out that makes you unclean.'k5OJesus called the crowd to him again and told them, 'Please, everyone listen to me and understand.4 By means of this tradition of yours that you pass down, you make God's word null and void. You do many other things like this.'W3' then you don't permit them to do anything further for their mother or father.2/ But you say, If someone tells their father or mother, 'Anything you might have received from me is now 'Corban,''' (that means dedicated to God),l1Q Moses said, Honor your father and mother,' and 'Whoever curses their father or mother should die.'S0 'How cleverly you set aside God's law so you can support your traditions!j/MYou disregard God's law, and instead you carefully observe human traditions,' he told them.l.QThere's no point in their worship of me, for what they teach as doctrines are merely human rules.'-1Jesus replied, 'Isaiah was right about you hypocrites when he said, 'These people claim they honor me, but in their thinking they are far from me.&,ESo the Pharisees and religious leaders asked Jesus, 'Why don't your disciples follow the tradition of our ancestors? They eat food with unclean hands.'8+iIn the same way, they don't eat when they return from the market until they have had a wash. They observe many other rituals, like the washing of cups, pots, and pans ).x*i(The Pharisees and all Jews don't eat until they wash their hands, following the tradition of their ancestors.Y)+noticed that some of his disciples ate with 'unclean' (meaning unwashed) hands.[( 1The Pharisees and religious leaders who had come down from Jerusalem to meet Jesusa';8Wherever he went, in the villages, in the towns, or in the countryside, they put the sick in the marketplaces and begged Jesus to let the sick touch just the edge of his clothes. Everyone who touched him was healed.{&o7They ran everywhere around the whole area to bring in all the sick on their mats to where they'd heard Jesus was.G%6As they climbed out, the people immediately recognized Jesus.P$5After crossing the Sea they arrived at Gennesaret and moored the boat.z#m4for they hadn't understood the meaning of the feeding miracle due to their stubborn, hard-hearted attitude.l"Q3He went over to them and climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. They were totally shocked,!2because they could all see him and were absolutely terrified. Jesus told them right away: 'Don't worry, it's me. Don't be afraid!'c ?1but when they saw him walking on the water they thought he was a ghost. They screamed outN0He could see them being buffeted about as they rowed hard because the wind was blowing against them. In the early morning hours Jesus came to them, walking on the water. He would have passed them,hI/Late that evening the boat was in the middle of the lake while Jesus was alone, still on land.P.Once he'd said goodbye to them he went up into the hills to pray.E-Immediately after this Jesus instructed his disciples to get back into the boat. They were to go on ahead to Bethsaida on the other side of the lake while he sent the people on their way.N,A total of five thousand men plus their families ate the food. W'+Then they collected up the leftovers of the bread and fish twelve basketfuls.+Q*Everyone ate until they were full.s_)Then he took the five loaves and the two fish. Looking up to heaven he blessed the food and broke the bread into pieces. Then he handed the bread to the disciples to give to the people, and he divided the fish up between all of them.4c(They sat in groups of hundreds and fifties.G'Jesus told everyone to sit down in groups on the green grass.1&'Well, how much bread do you have?' Jesus asked. 'Go and see.' They went and checked, and told him, 'Five loaves, and a couple of fish.'1[%But Jesus replied, 'You give them something to eat.''What? We'd need more than six month's pay to buy bread to feed all these people,' the disciples replied.|q$You should tell the people to go and buy themselves something to eat in the villages and countryside nearby.' #It was getting late in the day and Jesus' disciples came to him. They told him, 'We're miles from anywhere, and it's really late.8i"When Jesus got off the boat he saw a huge crowd, and he felt pity for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them about many things. !But people saw them leaving and recognized them. So people from all the surrounding towns ran ahead and got there before them.@{ So they went by boat to a quiet place to be alone.?w'Come with me, just yourselves. We'll go to a quiet place, and rest for a while,' Jesus told them, because there was so much coming and going that they didn't even have time to eat.y kThe apostles returned and gathered around Jesus. They told him all they had done and what they had taught.q [When John's disciples heard what had happened they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.} sthe executioner brought John's head on a plate and gave it to the girl, and the young girl handed it to her mother.l QSo he immediately sent an executioner to bring him John's head. After beheading him in the prison,{ oThe king was very upset, but because of the oaths he'd made in front of his guests, he didn't want to refuse her. The girl hurried back in and said to the king, 'I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a plate.'zmShe went out and asked her mother, 'What should I ask for?''The head of John the Baptist,' she replied#'Ask me for whatever you like, and I'll give it to you.' He confirmed his promise with an oath, 'I'll give you up to half my kingdom.'Herodias' daughter came in and danced for them. Herod and those eating with him were delighted at her performance, so he told the girl,Herodias' had her opportunity on Herod's birthday. He gave a banquet for the nobles, military officers, and important leaders of Galilee.Gbecause Herod knew John was a holy man who did what was right. Herod protected John and though what John said was very disturbing to him, he was still happy to hear what he had to say.hISo Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted him killed. But she wasn't able to arrange it]3John had been saying to Herod, 'It's against the law to marry your brother's wife.' For Herod had given orders to arrest and imprison John because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom Herod had married.pYBut when Herod heard about it, he said, 'It's John, the one I beheaded! He's come back from the dead!' Ow ~~B}};||R{{zzIyIICHHFGGBFFnEE3DD%CCRBvB6A@@@s??>>>O==q<<$;;:::98887Q66g55U44C3^22011p100//]..s.--c,,e,++;*)))T(((Z(''C' &%%m$$###U""@!!T "{ j 9d .S\5h+h l  n + 5 1 -s,K` {~O,z U%Nothing is impossible for God.'y 5$And Elizabeth, your relative, even she is pregnant in her old age. The woman that people said couldn't have children is already six months pregnant.#x A#'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. The baby who is to be born is holy, and will be called the Son of God.Gw  "'How is this possible?' Mary asked. 'I'm still a virgin.'hv K!and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never come to an end.' u  He will be very great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,Tt #You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You shall call him Jesus.\s 3'Don't worry, Mary,' the angel went on, 'for God has shown his graciousness to you.[r 1Mary was very puzzled at what he said, and wondered what this greeting meant.`q ;The angel greeted her . 'You are very privileged,' he told her. 'The Lord is with you.'3p cShe was engaged to a man named Joseph.o In the sixth month of her pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a young girl called Mary who lived in the town of Nazareth in Galilee.vn g'The Lord has done this for me,' she said, 'Now that he's taken away my disgrace in the eyes of others.'em ESome time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. She stayed at home for five months.Dl After he'd finished his time of service, he went back home.6k gWhen eventually he came out, he wasn't able to speak to them. They realized he'd seen a vision in the Temple, for though he could make gestures, he was completely dumb.jj OOutside the people were waiting for Zechariah, wondering why he was taking so long in the Temple.i !But since you didn't believe what I told you, you'll become dumb, unable to speak, until the appointed time when my words come true.'h 'I am Gabriel,' the angel replied. 'I stand in God's presence, and I was sent to speak to you and give you this good news.zg o'How can I be sure about this?' Zechariah asked the angel. 'I'm an old man, and my wife is getting old too.'rf _He will go ahead of the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children, and to turn those who are rebellious back to a right understanding to prepare a people ready for the Lord.@e }He will turn many Israelites back to the Lord their God.(d KHe will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will refuse to drink wine or other alcoholic drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he's born.Oc He will bring you joy and gladness, and many will celebrate his birth.#b A But the angel told him, 'Don't be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call him John.Ra  When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and became terrified. c` A An angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing to the right of the altar of incense.Z_ / During the time of offering incense a large crowd of people were praying outside.l^ S he was chosen by lot according to priestly custom to enter the Temple of the Lord and burn incense.`] ;While Zechariah was serving as a priest before God, on behalf of his priestly division,h\ KThey had no children because Elizabeth wasn't able to have any, and they were both growing old.{[ qThey both did what was right before God, being careful to follow all the Lord's commandments and regulations.RZ During the time when Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest called Zechariah, who came from the Abijah priestly division. He was married to Elizabeth, who was also descended from Aaron the priest.vY gI have done this dear Theophilus so you can be certain that what you were taught is completely reliable.8X kand so I also decided that since I have followed these things very carefully from the beginning, it would be a good idea to write out an accurate account of all that happened.hW KThey based their accounts on evidence from the earliest eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word,{V sAs you know, many others have attempted to put down in writing the things that have been fulfilled that involve us.)UKThe disciples went out and spread the good news everywhere, and the Lord worked with them, confirming the message through miraculous signs that accompanied it. TThen, the Lord Jesus, when he had finished speaking to them, was taken up into heaven where he sat down at the right hand of God.,SQthey will be able to handle snakes; if they drink something poisonous they won't be harmed; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be healed.' R The following signs will accompany those who trust in me: in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak new languages;xQi'Anyone who trusts in me and is baptized will be saved, but anyone who chooses not to trust will be condemned.]P3Then he told them, 'Go to the whole world, and announce the good news to everyone .YO+After this he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating. He rebuked them for their lack of trust and their stubbornness, because they had not believed those who'd seen him after he had risen.VN% They returned and told the others, but they didn't believe them either.nMU Later Jesus appeared in a different form to two other disciples who'd left to go to the countryside.aL; When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they didn't believe it.RK She went and told those who had been with him as they mourned and cried.J When Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday morning, he appeared first of all to Mary Magdalene, from whom he'd driven out seven demons.IyThey left and ran from the tomb, shaking and confused. They said nothing to anyone because they were too scared .BH}Look, this is the place where they laid him to rest. Now go, and tell his disciples and Peter that he's going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there just as he told you.'G3'Don't be frightened,' he told them. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the one who was crucified. He is risen from the dead. He is not here.FWhen they went into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right, wearing a long white robe. They became very frightened.xEiBut when they arrived and looked, they saw that the very large, heavy stone had already been rolled away.kDOThey were asking each other, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?'LCVery early Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb.!B =Once the Sabbath had ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought aromatic ointments so that they could go and anoint Jesus' body.VA%/Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were watching where he was laid.]@3.Joseph bought a linen sheet. Then he took Jesus' body down from the cross and wrapped it in the sheet, and placed it in a tomb that had been cut out of rock. Then he rolled a heavy stone up against the entrance.j?M-Once he had confirmation from the centurion, Pilate gave permission for Joseph to take the body.>{,Pilate was surprised that Jesus had died so soon, so he summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had already died.)=K+Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the governing council who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, had the courage to go to Pilate and ask for Jesus' body.G<*It was Friday, the day before the Sabbath. When evening came,;5)They had followed Jesus and had taken care of him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem were also there. :(Some women who were watching from a distance including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and Joses, and Salome.9{'When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how he died, he said, 'This man was truly the Son of God.'>8w&The Temple veil was ripped in two from top to bottom.-7U%Then Jesus groaned loudly, and died.@6y$One man ran and filled a sponge with vinegar, put it on a stick, and tried to give it to Jesus to drink. 'Leave him alone,' he said. 'Let's see if Elijah will come to take him down.'W5'#Some of those standing there heard this, and said, 'He's calling for Elijah.'4"At three o'clock Jesus cried out, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani,' which means, 'My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?'Q3!At noon darkness fell over the whole land until three in the afternoon.=2s If he really is the Messiah, the King of Israel, then why doesn't he come down from the cross so we can see and believe!' Even those who were crucified with him insulted him.1Likewise the chief priests and the religious teachers made fun of him, saying, 'He saved others, but he can't save himself.50eSave yourself and come down from the cross!'-/SPeople passing by shouted insults at him, shaking their heads, and saying. 'Aha! You who claimed you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days: . W-'They crucified two criminals with him, one on his left and one on his right .K,The written charge against him read: 'The King of the Jews.'<+sIt was nine in the morning when they crucified him.j*MThen they crucified him. They divided his clothes, and threw dice to decide who would have what.D)They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he refused it.`(9They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means 'the Place of the Skull.''5They forced a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the countryside, to carry his cross. Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.&'After they finished mocking him, they took off the purple robes, and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to be crucified.%yThey repeatedly beat him around the head with a rod, spat at him, and fell on their knees before him as if in worship.@${Then they saluted him, saying, 'Hail King of the Jews!'`#9They put royal purple robes on him and made a crown of thorns that they placed on him.l"QThe soldiers took him away into the Praetorium courtyard, where they called out the whole cohort . !Wanting to please the mob, Pilate released Barabbas to them. First he had Jesus flogged and then handed him over to be crucified.w g'Why? What crime has he committed?' Pilate asked them.'Crucify him!' they shouted back even louder./Y 'Crucify him!' they shouted back.a; 'Then what should I do with the one you call the King of the Jews?' he asked them.gG But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.}s for he realized that it was because of their jealousy of Jesus that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.M 'Do you want me to release to you the King of Jews?' he asked them,gGThe crowd went to Pilate and asked him to release a prisoner following his usual custom.One of the prisoners was a man called Barabbas who belonged to a group of rebels who had committed murder during an uprising.wgNow it was Pilate's custom at the Passover feast to release a prisoner to the people, whoever they requested.QBut Jesus didn't give any more answers, much to Pilate's surprise.r]Pilate asked him again, 'Aren't you going to answer? See how many charges they're bringing against you!'H The chief priests kept on making many accusations against him.b=Pilate asked him, 'Are you the king of the Jews?''You said it,' Jesus replied.E Early the next morning, the chief priest, elders, and religious teachers the whole governing council came to a decision. They had Jesus bound and sent him to be handed over to Pilate.a;HImmediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: 'Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.' When he realized what he'd done, he burst into tears.taGPeter began calling down curses on himself and he swore, 'I don't know this man who you're talking about.''FOnce more Peter denied it. A little while later they said to Peter again, 'You're definitely one of them because you're a Galilean too!'jMESeeing him there, the servant girl repeated to those standing around, 'This man is one of them!'!;DBut he denied it. 'I don't know what you're talking about or what you mean,' he replied. Then he went out to the forecourt, and a rooster crowed .x iCand seeing Peter warming himself, looked straight at him and said, 'You were with Jesus of Nazareth too!'l QBMeanwhile Peter was down below in the courtyard. One of the high priest's servant-girls passed by,G AThen some of them began to spit on him. They blindfolded him, hit him around the head, and said, 'Why don't you prophesy then, you 'Prophet'!' The guards took him away and beat him up.y k@You have heard the blasphemy! What's your reaction?' They all found him guilty and condemned him to death.Y +?The high priest tore his clothes and asked, 'Why do we need any more witnesses?#>'I am,' Jesus replied, 'and you will see the Son of man sitting on the right of the Mighty One, and coming with the clouds of heaven.'=But Jesus remained silent and didn't answer. So the high priest asked again, 'Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?'- :'We heard him say, 'I will destroy this Temple that human hands built, and in three days I will build another without hands.''<s9Some of them got up to speak falsely against Jesus._78Many were giving false testimony against him, but their statements didn't agree.!;7Inside the chief priests and the whole governing council were trying to find some evidence to have Jesus put to death, but they couldn't find anything.$A6Peter followed him at a distance, and went into the courtyard of the high priest's house. He sat down with the guards and warmed himself by the fire.~u5They took Jesus to the high priest's house where all the chief priests, elders, and religious teachers had gathered.Z~-4They seized hold of him, but he ran off naked, leaving the garment behind).U}#3(One of his followers was a young man who was wearing only a linen garment.=|u2Then all Jesus' disciples deserted him and ran away.{)1'I was there with you, teaching in the Temple every day. Why didn't you arrest me then? But this is happening to fulfill the Scriptures.'lzQ0'Am I some kind of rebel that you have come to arrest me with swords and clubs?' Jesus asked them.~yu/But one of those standing there pulled out his sword and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear.8xk.So they grabbed hold of Jesus and arrested him.Iw -Judas went right up to Jesus. 'Rabbi,' he said, and kissed him.v,Now the betrayer had arranged a sign with them: 'He's the one that I kiss. Arrest him, and take him away under guard.'/uW+Just as he was saying this, Judas one of the twelve disciples arrived with a mob carrying swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests, religious leaders, and elders.=tu*Get up! Let's go! See, here comes my betrayer.'Xs))He returned a third time, and asked them, 'Are you still asleep? Are you still resting? Well that's enough, because the time has come! Look, the Son of man is about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.r(Then he returned, and again he found them sleeping because they couldn't keep their eyes open . They didn't know what to say!Eq'He left them once more, and prayed, saying the same things.tpa&Stay awake, and pray so you won't fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.'o%Then Jesus returned and found the disciples asleep. 'Simon, are you sleeping?' he asked Peter. 'Couldn't you stay awake for just an hour?n5$'Abba, Father! You can do everything,' he said. 'Please, take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet it's not what I want, but what you want.'m##He went a little farther on and then fell to the ground. He prayed, asking to be spared the time that was coming, if it were possible.plY"Jesus told them, 'My agony is so painful it feels like I'm dying. Please, remain here and stay awake.'^k5!He took Peter, James, and John with him. He became very disturbed and troubled.tja They arrived at a place called Gethsemane, where Jesus told his disciples, 'Sit here while I go and pray.' i But Peter was totally adamant, saying, 'Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you.' All of them said the same.'hGJesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth that today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny that you even know me three times.'Og'I won't abandon you even if everyone else does,' Peter replied.Vf%But after I have risen from the dead, I will go before you to Galilee.'e5'All of you will abandon me,' Jesus told them. 'For as the Scriptures say, 'I will attack the shepherd, and the sheep will be completely scattered.'NdAfter they had sung a psalm, they left for the Mount of Olives.}csI tell you the truth, I won't drink of the fruit of the vine until the day I drink it fresh in God's kingdom.'[b/'This is my blood,' he told them, 'the covenant that's being poured out for many.`a9Then he picked up the cup. He blessed it, and gave it to them. They all drank from it. `As they were eating, Jesus picked up some bread. He blessed it, and gave it to them. 'Take it. This is my body,' he told them.B_}The Son of man will die, just as the Scriptures predicted. But how terrible it will be for the man who betrays the Son of man! It would be better for that man if he'd never been born.'H^ 'It's one of the twelve, one of you sharing this food with me.L]They were shocked, and they each asked, 'It's not me, is it?'\While they were sitting eating, Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth: one of you is going to betray me, one who is eating with me now.'I[ In the evening Jesus went there with the twelve disciples.zZmThe disciples went into the city, and found things just as he'd described them. They prepared the Passover meal.~YuHe will take you to a large upstairs room that is furnished and ready. You can make preparations for us there.'kXOand when he goes into a house, ask the owner where I and my disciples can celebrate the Passover.W He sent two of his disciples, telling them, 'Go into the city and there you'll meet a man carrying a water pot. Follow him,PV On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the time when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus' disciples asked him, 'Where do you want us to go and prepare the Passover meal for you?' U When they heard this, they were delighted, and promised to pay him. So Judas began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.{To Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the chief priests and arranged to betray Jesus to them.wSg I tell you the truth: wherever the good news is spread in the world, people will remember what she did.'TR!She did what she could: she anointed my body in anticipation of my burial.QwYou'll always have the poor with you, and you can help them whenever you want. But you won't always have me with you.oPWBut Jesus replied, 'Leave her alone! Why are you criticizing her for doing something beautiful to me?sO_It could've been sold for a year's wages and the money given to the poor?' They were angry with her.XN)Some of those who were there became annoyed and said, 'Why waste this perfume?aM;Meanwhile Jesus was in Bethany, eating a meal at Simon the leper's home. A woman came in with an alabaster jar of very expensive pure nard perfume . She broke the jar open and poured the perfume on Jesus' head.cL?'But not during Passover,' they said to themselves, 'otherwise the people may riot.'HK It was now two days before Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the religious leaders were trying to find a surreptitious way to arrest Jesus and have him killed.KF !Keep watch! Stay awake! For you don't know when this will happen.E 'No one knows the day or hour when this will happen not even the angels in heaven, not even the Son; only the Father knows.OD Heaven and earth will come to an end, but my teachings will not.jCM I tell you the truth, this generation won't come to an end until all these things have happened.oBW In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that it's near right outside the door!{Ao 'Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches grow soft and send out leaves, you know that summer is near.4@a He will send out the angels, and gather together all his chosen ones from wherever they are, from the most distant part of the earth to the furthest point of heaven.i?K 'Then they will see the Son of man as he comes on the clouds, possessing great power and glory._>7 the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.'j=M 'This is what will happen after those troubles: 'the sun will become dark, the moon won't shine,F< Watch out! I've told you everything before it happens.'$;A For false Messiahs and false prophets will appear, and they will perform miraculous signs and wonders to deceive the chosen of God, if that were possible.h:I 'So if anyone tells you, 'look, here's the Messiah,' or 'look, there he is,' don't believe it. 9 If God doesn't cut short these days, no one will survive. However for the sake of those God has chosen, he has cut them short.8 For these will be days of trouble like never before since the beginning of God's creation until now, and they won't ever come again.77i Pray that this won't happen during the winter.Q6 How hard it will be for those who are pregnant or nursing at that time!F5 Those who are out in the fields don't go home to get a coat.S4 Those who are on the roof don't go back inside the house to get anything.13[ 'But when you see the 'abomination of desolation' standing where he should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea should run to the mountains.l2Q You will be hated by everyone because of me, but whoever endures until the end will be saved.17 'Brother will betray brother to death, and a father will betray his child. Children will turn against their parents and have them condemned to death.60e When they come to arrest you and put you on trial, don't worry what to say. Just say what you're told at that time, because it's not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.@/{ 'The good news must first be announced in every nation.b.= 'Watch out for yourselves! They will hand you over to the courts to be tried. You will be beaten in synagogues. Because of me you will have to stand before governors and kings, and you will be witnesses to them.@-y Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines too. These are the beginnings of the world's birth pains.},s Don't be troubled when you hear of wars nearby and wars far away. These things must happen but this is not the end.^+5 Many will come in my name claiming, I am the Christ.' They will deceive many people.B* Jesus began telling them, 'Make sure no one deceives you.g)G 'Tell us when this will happen. What's the sign that all this is about to be fulfilled?'z(m As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him in private,' 'You see all these great buildings?' Jesus replied. 'Not one stone will be left on top of another. Everything will be torn down.'& ! As Jesus was leaving the Temple, one of his disciples said to him, 'Teacher, look at these massive stones and magnificent buildings!'% ,All of them gave from their wealth what they had, but she gave from her poverty what she didn't have. She put in all she had to live on.' $ +He called his disciples together and told them, 'I tell you the truth: this poor widow has put in more than all the rest together.H#  *Then a poor widow came along and put in just two small coins . "9 )Jesus sat down opposite the treasury collection box, watching people tossing in coins. Many of the rich were extravagantly throwing in a lot of money.8!i (They cheat widows out of what they own, and cover up the kind of people they really are with long-winded prayers. They will receive severe condemnation in the judgment.'h I 'They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues, and the best places at banquets.&E &Jesus continued to teach them, saying, 'Beware of religious leaders! They love to walk around in long robes, to be greeted respectfully in the marketplaces.  %Since David himself calls him Lord, how can he be David's son?' The large crowd listened to what Jesus said with much delight.3 $As David himself declared, inspired by the Holy Spirit, The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.''{ #While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he asked, 'Why do the religious teachers state that Christ is the son of David?0Y "Jesus saw that he gave a thoughtful answer, and said, 'You're not far from the kingdom of God.' After this no one was brave enough to ask him any more questions.K !We are to love him with all our heart, all our understanding, and all our strength, and we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is far more important than offerings and sacrifices.'r] 'That's right, Teacher,' the man replied. 'It's true as you said that God is one, and there is no other.pY The second is Love your neighbor as yourself.' There's no more important commandment than these.'|q Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your spirit, with all your mind, and with all your strength.']3 Jesus replied, 'The first commandment is, 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one.C One of the religious teachers came and heard them arguing. He recognized that Jesus had given them a good answer. So he asked him, 'Which is the most important commandment of all?']3 He's not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are completely mistaken!'[/ But concerning the resurrection, haven't you read in Moses' writings the story of the burning bush, where God spoke to Moses and told him, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?'pY When the dead rise, they don't marry, and aren't given in marriage. They're like the angels in heaven.ta Jesus told them, 'This proves you're mistaken, and that you don't know the Scriptures or the power of God?lQ In the resurrection, whose wife will she be, because she was the wife of all seven brothers?'X) In fact all seven died without having children. In the end the woman died too.Y+ The second married his widow, and then died, childless. The third did the same.k O Once there were seven brothers. The first one got married, and then died without having children.( I 'Teacher, Moses instructed us that if a man dies, leaving his widow childless, then his brother should marry his wife, and have children by her on his behalf.X ) Then the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, came and asked a question: ) 'Then give back to Caesar what belongs to him, and give back to God what belongs to him,' Jesus told them. They were amazed at his reply.~ u They gave him a coin. 'Whose is this image, and whose inscription?' Jesus asked them. 'Caesar's,' they replied.6e Should we pay up, or should we refuse?' Jesus, realizing how hypocritical they were, asked them, 'Why are you trying to catch me out? Bring me a coin to look at.'   They arrived and said, 'Teacher, we know you are a truthful person and you don't look for approval, because you don't care about status or position . Instead you teach God's way in accordance with the truth. So is it right to pay tribute to Caesar or not? Later they sent some Pharisees with some of Herod's supporters to Jesus in an attempt to catch him out by what he said.B} The Jewish leaders tried to have him arrested because they realized that the illustration was directed at them, but they were afraid of the crowd. So they left him alone and went away.B This is from the Lord, and it's marvelous to see!'?'q[ 'Haven't you read this Scripture: 'The stone rejected by the builders has become the chief cornerstone.# Now what is the owner of the vineyard going to do? He will come and kill those farmers, and then he will lease the vineyard to others.M So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.w But the farmers said to themselves, Here's the owner's heir if we kill him, we can get what he would have inherited!'{ In the end the only one left was his son whom he loved, and eventually he sent him, thinking they will respect my son.'~} He sent another servant, and this one they killed. He sent many other servants, beating some of them and killing others.U}# So the man sent another servant. They hit him over the head and abused him.T|! But they grabbed hold of him, beat him up, and sent him away with nothing.{ 'When harvest-time came, he sent one of his servants to the tenant farmers to collect some of the grapes from the vineyard. Nv~~2}}h}||l|@{{Pzzz=yyy?xxxwwewvv>>==o< { )Why are you so worried about the speck that's in your brother's eye when you don't even notice the plank that's in your own eye?}zs(Do students know more than the teacher? Only when they've learned everything: then they will be like their teacher.pyY'Then he illustrated the point: 'Can a blind person lead another? Wouldn't they both fall into a ditch?xw&give, and you will be given generously in return. When what you're given is measured out, it's pressed down so more can be added, spilling out over the top, pouring into your lap! For how much you give will determine how much you receive .'|wq%'Don't judge, and you won't be judged; don't condemn, and you won't be condemned; forgive, and you'll be forgiven;Fv$Be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.huI#No: love your enemies, do good to them, and lend without expecting to be repaid anything. Then you will receive a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God, for he is kind to ungrateful and wicked people.5tc"If you lend money expecting to be repaid, why should you deserve any credit for that? Sinners lend money to other sinners as well, expecting to be repaid what they loaned.s{!If you do good to those who do good to you, why should you deserve any credit for that either? Sinners do that as well.}rs 'If you love those who love you, why should you deserve any credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them.;qqDo to others what you want them to do to you.bp=Give to anyone who asks you. If someone takes something from you, don't ask for it back.oIf someone hits you on one cheek, turn the other cheek. If someone takes your coat, don't prevent them taking your shirt.EnBless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.imK'But I say to those of you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you.l'How sad are you when everyone praises you. Don't forget that their forefathers praised false prophets just like this.k'How sad are you who are full now, for you will become hungry. How sad are you who laugh now, for you will mourn and cry.Wj''But how sad are you who are rich, for you have already received your reward.&iEWhen that day comes, be happy. Jump for joy, for great is your reward in heaven. Don't forget their forefathers mistreated the prophets just like this.h'How happy are you when people hate you, exclude you, insult you, and curse your name as evil because of me, the Son of man.Pg'How happy are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. How happy are you who are hungry now, for you will eat all you need. How happy are you who are weeping now, for you will laugh.3faLooking at his disciples, Jesus told them,teaEveryone in the crowd tried to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all.BdThose who were troubled by evil spirits were also healed.4caJesus went back down the mountain with them, and stopped at a place where there was some flat ground. There a crowd made up of his disciples and many other people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, had gathered to listen to him and to be cured from their diseases.QbJudas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot (who became a traitor).NaMatthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Revolutionary,c`?Simon (also called Peter by Jesus), Andrew his brother, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,|_q When morning came he called together his disciples, and chose twelve of them. These are the names of the apostles:o^W One day shortly after, Jesus went up a mountain to pray. He remained there all night, praying to God.[]/ But they flew into a rage, and began to discuss what they could do to Jesus. \ He looked round at all of them there. Then he said to the man, 'Hold out your hand.' The man did so, and his hand became like new.$[A Then Jesus turned to them and said, 'Let me ask you a question. Is it legal to do good on the Sabbath, or to do bad? To save life, or to destroy it?'-ZSBut Jesus knew what was in their minds. He told the man with the crippled hand, 'Get up, and stand here in front of everyone.' The man got up and stood there.,YQThe religious teachers and the Pharisees were observing Jesus closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. They wanted to find something to accuse him of.mXSOn another Sabbath he went into the synagogue to teach. A man was there with a crippled right hand.JW Then he told them, 'The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.'DVHow he went into the house of God and took the consecrated bread? He ate it, and gave it to his men too. That's not permitted either. The consecrated bread is only for the priests.']U3Jesus replied, 'Have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry?vTeSome of the Pharisees questioned him, asking, 'Why are you doing what is not permitted on the Sabbath?' S ;One Sabbath while Jesus was walking through grainfields, his disciples began picking some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.aR;'And nobody after drinking old wine wants new wine, for they say, the old tastes good.''+QQ&You put new wine in new wineskins.P3%You don't put new wine into old wineskins, because if you did the new wine would burst the wineskins. Then both wine and wineskins would be wasted.BO}$Then he gave them an illustration: 'You don' tear out a patch from new clothes to mend old clothes. Otherwise you'd ruin new clothes, and the patch from the new wouldn't match the old.pNY#'No but the time is coming when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they can fast.'UM#"'Should the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them?' Jesus asked.-LS!'Well, John's disciples often fast and pray, and the Pharisees' disciples do as well. But your disciples don't they go on eating and drinking,' they told him.gKG 'I didn't come to call those who are living right to repentance I came to call sinners.'QJ'Healthy people don't need a doctor but sick people do,' Jesus replied.JI 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?'kHOLevi organized a large banquet at his home in Jesus' honor. Many tax collectors and others were in the crowd that sat down to eat with them. But the Pharisees and the religious teachers complained to Jesus' disciples, asking,AG}Levi stood up, left everything, and followed Jesus. FLater, as Jesus was leaving the town, he saw a tax collector called Levi sitting at his tax booth.'Follow me,' Jesus told him.EEveryone was completely astonished at what had happened, and in great awe they praised God, saying, 'What we saw today was amazing!' D Immediately the man stood up in front of them. He picked up the mat he'd been lying on, and went home, praising God as he went.HC However I will prove to you that the Son of man has the authority here on earth to forgive sins.' Then he said to the paralyzed man, 'I tell you: Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.'SBWhat is easier? To say your sins are forgiven, or to say get up and walk?lAQJesus knew what they were arguing about, so he asked them, 'Why are you thinking to question this?5@cThe religious teachers and the Pharisees began to argue with that. 'Who is this who's speaking blasphemies?' they asked. 'Who can forgive sins? Only God can do that!'f?EWhen Jesus saw the trust they had in him, he said to the man, 'Your sins are forgiven.'R>But they couldn't find any way through the crowd, so they went up on the roof and made a hole in the roof tiles. Then they lowered the man down on the mat, right into the crowd in front of Jesus.v=eSome men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They tried to take him in and lay him in front of Jesus.Y<+One day when Jesus was teaching, the Pharisees and religious teachers who had come from all over Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem were sitting there. The power of the Lord to heal was with him so he could heal.H; But Jesus often used to retreat to quiet places and pray.~:uYet the news about Jesus spread more and more. Large crowds came to hear Jesus and to be healed from their diseases.F9'Say nothing to anyone,' Jesus instructed him. 'Go and show yourself to the priest and make the ceremonial offerings as required by the law of Moses as proof that you've been healed.'8w Jesus reached out and touched the man. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!' Immediately the leprosy disappeared.c7? One time when Jesus was visiting one of the towns, he met a man there who had very bad leprosy. The man fell with his face to the ground and begged Jesus, 'Please Lord, if you're willing, you can make me clean .']63 So they dragged the boats onto the shore, left everything, and followed Jesus.(5I James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners, felt the same way.'Don't be afraid,' Jesus told Simon. 'From now on you'll be fishing for people!'i4K For he and everybody with him were completely amazed by the catch of fish that they had landed.35When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he dropped to his knees before Jesus. 'Lord, please stay away from me, for I am a sinful man!' he exclaimed.[2/They waved to their partners in the other boat, asking them to come over and help. The others came over and together they filled both of the boats with fish. The boats were so full that they began to sinkY1+Having done this, a large shoal of fish filled the nets full to breaking point.0'Lord, we worked hard all night, and didn't catch anything. But if you say so, I'll let down the nets,' Simon replied.{/oAfter he'd finished speaking, he told Simon, 'Go out into deeper water, and let down your nets for a catch.'C.Jesus got into a boat, the one that belonged to Simon, and asked him to push it out into the water, just offshore. Then Jesus sat down in the boat and taught the people from there.j-MJesus noticed two boats lying on the shore, left there by fishermen who were washing their nets.t, cOne day as Jesus was standing beside the Sea of Galilee, people crowded around him to hear the word of God._+7,So Jesus went on traveling around, teaching the good news in the synagogues of Judea.*%+But he told them, 'I have to go to other towns to tell them the good news of the kingdom of God too, because that is what I was sent to do.'W)'*Early the following morning Jesus left to find some peace and quiet. But the crowds went out looking for him, and finally found him. They tried to stop him leaving because they did not want him to go.,(Q)Demons came out of many people, shouting, 'You are the Son of God.' But Jesus stopped them and refused to let them speak because they knew he was the Christ.,'Q(When the sun set, they brought to him all who were sick, suffering from various diseases. Jesus placed his hands on them, one after the other, and he healed them. & 'Jesus went and stood over her. He told the fever to leave her which it did. She got up right away and prepared a meal for them.%1&Leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever and those who were there asked Jesus to help.D$%News about Jesus spread throughout the region nearby.#$They were all amazed and asked each other, 'What is this teaching? With power and authority he orders evil spirits to leave and they do!'="s#Jesus interrupted him, saying. 'Be quiet!' Then he ordered the demon, 'Come out of him!' Throwing him to the ground right before them, the demon left the man without injuring him.!}"'So, what do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: God's Holy One!'V %!In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by a demon. He cried out,S They were amazed at what he taught them for he spoke with authority._7Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee. On Sabbath he started teaching them.DBut he walked right through them and went on his way.0YThey jumped to their feet and threw him out of the town. Then they dragged him to the top of the hill on which the town was built in order to throw him off the cliff.H When they heard this everyone in the synagogue became furious.Even though there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the only one who was healed was Naaman the Syrian!'lQYet Elijah wasn't sent to any of them. He was sent to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon!9kI guarantee that there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah when there was a drought for three and a half years, causing a great famine throughout the country.KBut I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.:mJesus replied, 'I'm sure you'll repeat this proverb to me, 'Physician, heal yourself!' and ask, 'Why don't you do here in your own hometown what we heard you did in Capernaum?'+Everybody expressed their approval of him, amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. 'Isn't this Joseph's son?' they wondered.T!'This Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled today!' he told them.  He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant. Then he sat down. Everybody in the synagogue was staring at him.7iand to proclaim the time of the Lord's favor.'Y+'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to announce good news to the destitute. He has sent me to proclaim that prisoners will be released, the blind will see, the oppressed will be freed,The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Jesus unrolled the scroll and found the place where it's written:s_When he arrived in Nazareth, where he had grown up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day as usual.EJesus taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.b =Jesus returned to Galilee, full of the Spirit's power. News about him spread everywhere.d A When the devil had completed all his temptations, he waited for another opportunity ._ 7 'It is written in Scripture, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God,'' Jesus replied.K  lifting you up to protect you from stumbling over a stone.''S  For it is written in Scripture, He will order his angels to care for you, The devil took Jesus to Jerusalem, set him on the top of the Temple, and told him, 'If you are the Son of God, then jump!y'It is written in Scripture, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve only him,'' Jesus replied.?yBow down and worship me and you can have it all.'.UThen the devil said to Jesus, 'I will give you authority over all of them, and their glory. This authority has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want.pYThe devil led him up to a high place, and in a quick glimpse showed him all the kingdoms of the world.a;'It is written in Scripture, 'You shall not live on bread alone,'' Jesus answered.fEThe devil said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.'where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He didn't eat anything during that whole time, so in the end he was starving.m UJesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was guided by the Spirit in the desert,M&the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.n~U%the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,f}E$the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,a|;#the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,e{C"the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,fzE!the son of Amminadab, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Pere, the son of Judah,cy? the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boa, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,gxGthe son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,gwGthe son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,gvGthe son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,bu=the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,ltQthe son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,isKthe son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,grGthe son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,gqGthe son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, p Jesus was around thirty when he began his public ministry. People presumed he was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli,2o]and the Holy Spirit descended upon him, taking the form of a dove. A voice came from heaven, saying, 'You are my son, the one I love. I am truly pleased with you.'n}Now it happened that after everyone had been baptized, Jesus was baptized as well. As he was praying, heaven was opened,Im Herod added to his crimes by having John thrown into jail. l But when John reprimanded Herod the ruler for marrying Herodias, Herod's brother's wife, and for all the evil things he'd done,Xk)John gave many warnings like this as he announced the good news to the people.gjGHis winnowing fork is in his hand and he's ready to separate the wheat from the chaff on his threshing floor. He'll gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with fire that can't be extinguished.'liQJohn replied and explained to everybody, 'Yes, I am baptizing you in water. But the one who is coming is more important than me, and I'm not worthy to undo his shoelaces. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.fhEThe people were waiting expectantly, and wondered whether John himself might be the Messiah.Og'What about us?' some soldiers asked. 'What should we do?' 'Don't demand money with threats of violence. Don't make accusations that are untrue. Be satisfied with your wages,' he replied.Mf 'Don't collect any more tax than you're meant to,' he replied.feE Some tax collectors came to be baptized. 'Teacher, what should we do?' they also asked.d% 'If you have two coats, then share with someone who doesn't have one. If you have food, then share with those who don't,' he told them.;cq 'So what should we do?' the crowds asked him.!b; The ax is set to begin chopping at the base of the trees. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.'Fa'Demonstrate that you have truly repented . Don't try to justify yourselves by saying, 'We're Abraham's descendants.' Let me tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these stones.`!John addressed the crowds that came to him to be baptized. 'You viper's brood! Who warned you to flee from the coming judgment?' he asked.;_qEvery human being will see God's salvation.''^)Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. Crooked ways will be straightened, and rough roads will be smoothed. ] As Isaiah the prophet wrote: 'A voice was heard crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord: make his paths straight.(\IHe went throughout the whole Jordan region, announcing to everyone that they needed to be baptized to show they had repented and their sins had been forgiven.[5Annas and Caiphas were the current high priests. This was the time when the word of God came to John, Zechariah's son, who was living in the desert.XZ +By now Tiberias had been Caesar for fifteen years. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod was ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanius was ruler of Abiline.XY)4Jesus grew steadily wiser and stronger, favored both by God and by the people.X 3Then he went back with them to Nazareth, and did what he was told. His mother kept a careful note of everything that happened.2W_2But they didn't understand what he meant.{Vo1'Why is it that you were looking for me?' Jesus replied. 'Didn't you know I should be here in my father's house?'cU?0His parents were totally confused when they saw what he was doing. His mother asked him, 'Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I we've been worried sick! We've been looking everywhere for you!'[T//All who heard him speak were surprised by his understanding and his answers.S-.It was three days before they found him in the Temple. He was sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.WR'-When they couldn't find him they returned to Jerusalem to look for him there.Q#,They assumed he was with all the others traveling home. A day passed before they started looking for him among their friends and relatives.P+When the festival had finished and it was time to return home, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, but his parents didn't realize this.XO)*When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as they always did.TN!)Jesus' parents traveled to Jerusalem every year for the Passover festival.UM#(The child grew strong, and was very wise. God's blessing was with him.yLk'Once they had completed everything God's law required, they returned to their home town of Nazareth in Galilee.;Ko&She came up to them right at that moment, and began praising God. She spoke about Jesus to all those who were looking forward to the time when God would set Jerusalem free. J %and then she had been widowed. She was eighty-four years old. She spent her time at the Temple in worship, fasting and praying.)IK$Anna the prophetess also lived in Jerusalem. She was the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. She had been married for seven years,uHc#revealing what they really think. For you it will feel like a sword piercing right though your heart.':Gm"Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Jesus' mother Mary, 'This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and many to rise. He is a sign from God that many will reject,SF!Jesus' father and mother were shocked at what Simeon said about him.\E1 He is a light that will show you to the nations, the glory of your people Israel.'.DWwhich you have prepared for everyone.6Cgbecause I have seen for myself your salvationVB%'Lord and Master, now you can let your servant die in peace as you promised,DASimeon took Jesus in his arms, thanked God, and said,@%Following the Spirit's leading, he went to the Temple. When Jesus' parents brought in the little boy to be dedicated as required by the Law,`?9The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would not die before he saw the Lord's Messiah .G>Living in Jerusalem at that time was a man called Simeon. Simeon did what was right and was very devout. He was waiting expectantly for the hope of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.w=gThere they made a sacrifice, as God's law also states, of 'a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons.']<3as the law of the Lord states, 'Every firstborn son must be dedicated to the Lord,';/When the time of their purification according to the law of Moses was finished, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,0:YAfter eight days, the time came for the baby to be circumcised, and he was named Jesus. This was the name given to him by the angel before he had even been conceived.%9CThe shepherds went back to watching their flocks, glorifying and thanking God for all that they'd heard and seen, for it was just as they'd been told.i8KBut Mary was careful to remember all the things that had happened and often thought about them.S7All those who heard about it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.6}After they'd seen for themselves, they spread the news of what had happened and what they had been told about this baby._57They hurried there and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.L4After the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see what's happened concerning these things the Lord has told us about.'a3;'Glory to the God of heaven, and on earth peace to those with whom he is pleased!'P2 Suddenly many heavenly beings appeared, praising God, and saying,y1k You will recognize him by this sign: you will find the child wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.'c0? The Savior has been born to you today, here in David's city. He is the Messiah, the Lord./{ 'Don't be afraid!' the angel told them. 'I'm here to bring you good news that will make the all the people really glad. .  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone all around them. They were scared out of their wits!k-ONearby some shepherds were spending the night out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks.,#She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him up in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because the inn had no rooms left.H+ While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby.q*[He went to register there, together with Mary, who was pledged in marriage to him and expecting a baby.)wJoseph was descended from King David, so he left Nazareth in Galilee to go to Bethlehem, the city of David, in Judea.>(wSo everybody went to their own city to be registered.F'This was the first census under governor Quirinius of Syria.|& sIt was the time when Caesar Augustus issued a decree that there should be a census of everyone in the Roman Empire.%  PThe boy John grew and became spiritually strong. He lived in the desert until the time came for his public ministry to Israel.}$ uOto shine on those who live in darkness and under the shadow of death, and to guide us along the path of peace.'N# NThrough God's caring kindness to us, heaven's dawn will break upon us^" 7Mproviding knowledge of salvation to his people through the forgiveness of their sins.! )LEven though you are only a small child, you will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way,Q  Kso we can serve him by doing what is good and right for our whole lives.G  JHe gives us freedom from fear and rescues us from our enemies,7 kIthe promise that he made to our father Abraham.H  HHe was merciful to our fathers, remembering his holy agreement I  GHe promised to save us from our enemies, from those who hate us.: qFas he promised through his holy prophets long ago.K EHe has given us a great Savior from the line of his servant David,h KD'The Lord, the God of Israel, he is wonderful, for he has come to his people and set them free.V 'CZechariah, his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke this prophecy:% EBEveryone who heard the news wondered what it meant. 'What will the little boy grow up to be?' they asked, for it was clear he was very special to God .| sAAll those living nearby were in awe at what had happened, and the news spread throughout the hill country of Judea.L @Immediately he could speak again, and he started praising God.k Q?Zechariah motioned for something to write on. To everyone's surprise he wrote, 'His name is John.'a =>Through gestures they asked Zechariah, the boy's father, what he wanted to call his son.T #='But there's nobody among your relatives who has this name,' they told her.= w<'No,' Elizabeth said. 'He shall be called John.'t c;Eight days later they came to circumcise the boy. They planned to call him Zechariah after his father.} u:Her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had showed her great kindness, and they celebrated together with her.R 9The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby and she gave birth to a son.K  8Mary stayed with her for three months and then returned home.S  !7just as he promised our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants for ever.'D  6He has helped his servant Israel, remembering him in mercy,^  75He fills the hungry with good things to eat, and he sends the rich away empty-handed.Z  /4He tears the powerful down from their thrones, and elevates those who are humble.] 53With his power he has broken to pieces those who arrogantly think they're so clever.S !2His mercy lasts for generation after generation to those who respect him .E 1God Almighty has done great things for me; his name is holy.$ C0because he decided that I, his servant, was worthy of his consideration, despite my humble background. From now on every generation will say I was blessed.) O/I am so happy with God my Savior,- W.Mary replied, 'How I praise the Lord!o Y-How fortunate you are, because you are convinced that the Lord will do what he has promised you!'W ),As soon as I heard you call out in greeting, my baby jumped for joy inside me.H  +Why am I so honored that the mother of my Lord should visit me?| s*and cried out in a loud voice,'How blessed you are among women, and how blessed will be the child born to you!~ {)As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's voice, the baby jumped for joy inside her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,K} (Zechariah's house was. She called out to Elizabeth as she went in.o| Y'A little while later, Mary got herself ready and hurried up into the hills of Judea, to the town where{ &'Here I am, ready to be the Lord's servant,' said Mary. 'May it happen to me just as you said.' Then the angel left her. p~!}}]|q{{Nzz_yyxx0wHvv2uuttss rrqqDpoonn8mmHll#kk> =<<\;::99O887o66m6#5B44933122411X10//(..&--^,,P+**@))((B'u&&&%%V$$$f$#d""" !! f YS+|Am$&I3}Vo7 [ o  y J 8"]bepg If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? You say that I cast out demons using the power of Beelzebub.f) Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, 'Any kingdom divided against itself will be destroyed. A family divided against itself will fall.[e/ Others were trying to test Jesus by demanding a miraculous sign from heaven.ndU But some of them said, 'He is driving out demons using the power of Beelzebub, the ruler of demons.'c Jesus was driving out a demon that had made a man dumb. When the demon had left, the man who was dumb spoke, and the crowds were amazed.6be So if you, even though you are evil, still know to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?'@a{ Or if he asks for an egg, will you give him a scorpion?g`G Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, won't give him a fish but a snake instead?}_s For everyone who asks, receives; and everyone who seeks, finds; and to everyone who knocks the door will be opened.x^i 'I tell you: ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.A]{ I tell you, even though he refuses to get up and give you anything, despite you being his friend, if you are persistent, your friend will get up and give you everything you need./\W Your friend in the house might reply, Don't bother me I've already locked the door, and I and my children have gone to bed. I can't get up to give you anything now.'`[9 because a friend of mine has come to visit me, and I don't have any food to give him.'Z1 Jesus went on to tell them, 'Say you have a friend and you go to him in the middle of the night and ask, 'My friend, lend me three loaves of breadoYW Forgive us our sins, just as we forgive everyone who sins against us. Keep us from temptation.'',XS Give us every day the food we need.qW[ Jesus told them, 'When you pray, say, 'Father, let your name be honored as holy. May your kingdom come.%V E Once Jesus was praying somewhere. When he finished, one of his disciples asked him, 'Lord, please teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.'|Uq *But only one thing is really necessary. Mary has chosen the right thing, and it shall not be taken away from her.'WT' )'Martha, Martha,' the Lord replied, 'you're worried and upset about all this.hSI (Martha was concerned about all that needed to be done to prepare the meal, so she came to Jesus and told, 'Master, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work all alone? Tell her to come and help me!'`R9 'She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.vQe &While they were on their way, Jesus arrived at a village, and a woman called Martha invited him to her home.lPQ %'The one who showed him kindness,' the man replied.'Go and do the same,' Jesus told him.lOQ $Which one of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?'N5 #The next day he gave two denarii to the innkeeper and told him, Take care of him, and if you spend more than this, I'll pay you back when I return.'4Ma "He went over and treated the man's wounds with oil and wine, and bandaged them. Then he placed the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn where he took care of him.fLE !'Finally a Samaritan man came along. As he passed by, he saw the man and felt sorry for him.{Ko Then a Levite came along. But when he got to the place and saw the man, he also passed by on the other side.~Ju It so happened that a priest was going the same way. He saw the man, but he passed by on the other side of the road."I= Jesus replied, saying, 'A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He was attacked by robbers who stripped him and beat him, and left him for dead.dHA But the man wanted to vindicate himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'LG 'You're right,' Jesus told him. 'Do this, and you will live.'BF} 'You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and your whole spirit, and your whole strength, and your whole mind; and love your neighbor as yourself,' the man replied.ME 'What is written in the law? How do you read it?' asked Jesus.D% One time an expert in religious law stood up and tried to trap Jesus. 'Teacher,' he asked, 'What do I have to do to gain eternal life?'.CU I tell you, many prophets and kings have wanted to see what you're seeing, but they didn't see, and wanted to hear the things you're hearing, but didn't hear.' B When they were by themselves Jesus turned to the disciples and told them, 'Those who see what you're seeing should be really happy!MA 'My Father has handed over everything to me. No one understands the Son except the Father, and no one understands the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.'@! At that moment Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and said, 'I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for you hid these things from the wise and clever people and revealed them to children! Yes, Father, you were pleased to do it in this way.?{ But don't take delight that the spirits do what you tell them just be glad that your names are written in heaven.' > Yes, I have given you power to tread on snakes and scorpions, and to overcome all the enemy's strength, and nothing will harm you.F= Jesus replied, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.< The seventy disciples returned in great excitement, saying, 'Lord, even the demons do what we tell them in your name!' ; 'Anyone who hears you hears me, and anyone who rejects you rejects me. But anyone who rejects me rejects the one who sent me.']:3 And you, Capernaum, you won't be exalted to heaven; you will go down to Hades.W9' That's why in the judgment it will be better for Tyre and Sidon than for you.U8# Shame on you Korazin! Shame on you Bethsaida! For if the miracles you saw happen had happened in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented a long time ago, and they would be sitting in sackcloth and ashes._77 'I tell you, in the Day of Judgment it will be better for Sodom than for such a town.+6O We are wiping off even the dust from your town that clings to our feet to show you our disapproval . But you should recognize this: God's kingdom has come.'p5Y But if you enter a town and the people there don't welcome you, go through their streets telling them,Q4 and heal those who are sick. Tell them, God's kingdom has come to you.'^35 If you enter a town and the people there welcome you, then eat what's set before you 2  Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for a worker deserves to be paid. Don't go from house to house.v1e If there's a peaceful person living there, then your peace will rest on them; of not, it will return to you.Q0 Whatever house you enter, first of all say, May this house have peace.'m/S Don't take any money or a bag or extra sandals, and don't spend time chatting with people you meet.F. So get on your way: I'm sending you like sheep among wolves.-/ 'The harvest is large, but the number of workers is small,' he told them. 'Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest fields.,  After this, the Lord appointed seventy other disciples, and sent them in pairs to every town and place that he planned to visit.q+[ >But Jesus told him, 'Nobody once they've started plowing and then looks back is fit for God's kingdom.'r*] =Another man said, 'Lord, I will follow you! But first let me go home and say goodbye to my family.'f)E <'Let the dead bury their own dead,' Jesus replied. 'You go and proclaim God's kingdom.'x(i ;He told another man, 'Follow me.' But the man replied, 'Master, first let me go home and bury my father.''/ :Jesus told the man, 'Foxes have their dens, and wild birds have their nests, but the Son of man doesn't even have a place to rest his head.'`&9 9While they were walking, one man told Jesus, 'I will follow you wherever you go!'5%e 8Then they proceeded to another village.0$[ 7But Jesus turned, and reprimanded them.#{ 6When James and John saw this, they asked Jesus, 'Master, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to burn them up?'b"= 5But the people would not welcome him because he was determined to press on to Jerusalem.Y!+ 4He sent messengers on ahead to a Samaritan village to get things ready for him.f E 3As the time approached for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus was determined to go to Jerusalem.Z- 2'Don't stop him,' Jesus replied. 'Anyone who isn't against you is for you.'! 1John spoke up, saying, 'Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him because he wasn't one of us.'I  0Then he said to them, 'Anyone who accepts this little child in my name accepts me, and anyone who accepts me accepts the one who sent me. Whoever is least among you all is the greatest.'oW /But Jesus, knowing what they were arguing about, picked up and placed a small child next to him.\1 .Then an argument started among the disciples about which of them was the greatest..U -But they didn't understand what this meant. Its meaning was hidden from them so they didn't realize its implications, and they were afraid to ask him about it.xi ,'Listen carefully to what I'm telling you: the Son of man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.'% +Everyone was amazed at this demonstration of God's power. However even though everyone was amazed by all he did, Jesus warned his disciples,O *Even as the boy came over, the demon sent him into convulsions, throwing him to the ground. But Jesus intervened, rebuking the evil spirit and healing the boy, and then gave him back to his father.7 )'What an unbelieving and corrupt people you are! How long do I have to remain here with you, and put up with you?' said Jesus. 'Bring your son here.'K (I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't.'<q 'A spirit possesses him and he screams immediately. It sends him into convulsions and makes him foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him alone and it causes him a lot of pain.]3 &A man in the crowd called out, 'Teacher, please look at my son. He's my only child.eC %The next day, when they had come down the mountain, a huge crowd was waiting to meet Jesus./ $When the voice finished speaking, Jesus was there alone. They kept this to themselves, and didn't tell anyone at that time what they'd seen.`9 #A voice spoke from the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him!'ve "While he was speaking a cloud came and spread over them. They were terrified as they entered the cloud.\1 !As the two men were about to leave, Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it's great to be here. Let's make some shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.' He really didn't know what he was saying. y Peter and the others were asleep. When they woke up they saw Jesus in his glory, and the two men standing next to him.P  They spoke about his death, which would soon happen in Jerusalem.m S Two men appeared in brilliant glory. They were Moses and Elijah, and they began to talk with Jesus.i K While he was praying, his face changed in appearance, and his clothing became a dazzling white.   About eight days later, after he had told them this, Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up a mountain to pray.mS I tell you the truth, some standing here won't taste death until they see the kingdom of God.'(I If you are ashamed of me and my message, the Son of man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his glory, and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.Y+ What do you benefit by gaining the whole world if you end up lost or destroyed?xi 'For if you want to save your life, you will lose it; and if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it.   'If any one of you wants to follow me, you must deny yourself, pick up your cross daily, and follow me,' Jesus told all of them.]3 'The Son of man must experience terrible sufferings,' he said. 'He will be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the religious teachers. He will be killed, but on the third day he will rise again.'G Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anybody about this.iK 'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?''God's Messiah,' Peter replied. 'Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others say one of the ancient prophets risen from the dead,' they replied.%C At another time, when Jesus was praying in private with just his disciples with him, he asked them, 'All these crowds of people who do they say I am?'g~G Everybody ate until they were full, and then twelve baskets of leftovers were collected.I}  Jesus picked up the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed the food and broke it into pieces. He kept on giving the food to the disciples to share with the people.6|g The disciples did so, and everybody sat down.z{m There were about five thousand men present.'Sit them down in groups of about fifty,' he told his disciples.*zM 'You give them something to eat!' said Jesus.'All we have here are five loaves and two fish unless you want us to go and buy food for everyone,' they said.kyO Late in the day, the twelve disciples came to him and said, 'You should send the crowd away now so they can go to the villages and farms nearby and find a place to stay and food to eat there's nothing here where we are.'6xe However the crowds found out where he was going and followed him there. He welcomed them and explained the kingdom of God to them, and healed those who needed healing. w When the apostles returned they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he left with them and went to a town called Bethsaida.'vG Herod said, 'There's no question I beheaded John. So who is this man? I'm hearing all these things about him.' And he tried to find a way to meet Jesus.tua others that Elijah had appeared; still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life.t' Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was happening, and he was very puzzled. Some were saying that John had been raised from the dead;qs[ They left and went around the villages, announcing the good news and healing everywhere they went.vre If people refuse to accept you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave town as a warning against them.'Uq# Whatever house you enter, stay there, and when you leave, leave from there.p 'Take nothing with you for the journey,' he told them. 'No staff, no bag, no bread, no money, not even any extra clothes.To! Then he sent them out to proclaim God's kingdom and to heal the sick.n  Jesus called the twelve disciples together. He gave them power and authority over all demons, and the ability to heal diseases.rm]8Her parents were astonished at what had happened, but Jesus instructed them not to tell anyone about it.flE7She came back to life, and she got up at once. Jesus told them to give her something to eat.\k16But Jesus took her by the hand, and said in a loud voice, 'My child, get up!'Bj5They laughed at him, because they knew that she was dead. i 4All the people there were crying and mourning for her.'Don't cry,' Jesus told them. 'She's not dead, she's just sleeping.'h3When Jesus arrived at the house he didn't allow anyone else to go in except Peter, John, and James, and the girl's father and mother.mgS2But when he heard this, Jesus told Jairus, 'Don't be afraid. If you trust she will be healed.'4fa1While he was still speaking, someone came from the home of the synagogue leader to tell him, 'Your daughter's dead. You don't need to bother the Teacher any longer.'Ue#0Jesus said to her, 'Daughter, your trust has healed you, go in peace.'odW/When the woman realized she couldn't go unnoticed, she came forward, trembling, and fell down before him. Right in front of everybody she explained the reason why she had touched Jesus, and that she'd been cured immediately.\c1.'Someone touched me,' Jesus replied. 'I know because power went out from me.';bo-'Who touched me?' Jesus asked. Everybody around denied doing so.'But Master,' said Peter, 'there are people crowding around you, and they keep pushing up against you.'sa_,She approached Jesus from behind and touched the hem of his cloak. Immediately the bleeding stopped.%`C+In the crowd was a woman who had suffered with bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all she had on doctors, but none of them had been able to help her._#*because his only daughter was dying. She was about twelve years old. While Jesus was on his way there people were crowding around him.^)One was a man called Jairus, a synagogue leader, who came and fell at Jesus' feet. He pleaded with Jesus to come to his homec]?(A crowd of people was there to welcome Jesus when he returned, all eagerly expecting him.&\E''Go back home, and tell people all that God has done for you,' Jesus told him. So he went away, telling the whole town all that Jesus had done for him.d[A&The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away.Z+%Then all the people from the Gerasene region asked Jesus to leave because they were overwhelmed by fear. So he got into the boat and went back.aY;$Those who had seen what happened explained how the demon-possessed man had been healed.]X3#The people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus they found the man freed from the demons. He was sitting there at Jesus' feet, wearing clothes and in his right mind; and they became scared.{Wo"When the pig-keepers saw what had happened they ran off and spread the news through the town and the countryside.Vw!so the demons left the man and entered the pigs. The herd rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned.!U; There was a large herd of pigs feeding on the nearby hillside, and the demons begged him to be allowed to go into the pigs. Jesus gave them permission,DTThey begged Jesus not to order them to go into the Abyss .fSE'What is your name?' Jesus asked him. 'Legion,' he replied, for many demons had entered him.RFor Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to leave the man. It had often seized him, and despite being tied down with chains and shackles, and placed under guard, he would break the chains apart and would be driven by the demon into the desert areas.>QuWhen he saw Jesus he screamed, fell down at Jesus' feet, and asked in a loud voice, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please don't torture me, I beg you!'IP When Jesus stepped out of the boat onto the shore, a demon-possessed man from the town came to meet him. For a long time he hadn't worn any clothes or lived in a house. He lived in the tombs.OOThey sailed across to the Gerasene region that lies opposite Galilee.6Ne'Where is your trust?' he asked them. Terrified and amazed, they said to each other, 'So who is this? He gives commands to the winds and the water, and they obey him!'LMThey went over to Jesus and woke him up. 'Master, master, we're going to drown!' they said. Jesus woke up and commanded the wind and the rough waves to stop. They stopped, and all was calm.L/As they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep, and a storm came down on the lake. The boat began filling with water and they were in danger of sinking.KOne day Jesus said to his disciples. 'Let's cross over to the other side of the lake.' So they got into a boat and set off.mJS'My mother and my brothers are those who hear God's word, and do what it says,' Jesus replied.aI;Jesus was told, 'Your mother and your brothers are outside. They want to see you.'fHEThen Jesus' mother and brothers arrived, but they couldn't get through the crowd to see him.2G]'So pay attention how you 'hear.' To those who have received, more will be given; from those who don't receive, even what they think they have will be taken away!'}FsFor there's nothing hidden that won't be revealed; there's nothing secret that won't become known and obvious.$EA'You don't light a lamp and then cover it with a bucket, or hide it under a bed. No, you put it on a stand, so that anyone who comes in can see the light.@DyThe seeds sown on good earth are those who are honest and do what is right. They hear the message of truth, hold on to it, and through their perseverance produce a good harvest..CUThe seeds that fall among thorns are those who hear the message but it's choked out by life's distractions worries, wealth, pleasure so they don't produce anything.:Bm The seeds that fall on the rock are those who hear and welcome the message with joy but don't have any roots. They trust for a while but when difficult times come they give up.6Ae The seeds that fall on the road are those who hear the message, but then the devil comes and steals away the truth from their minds so they won't trust in God and be saved.K@ 'This is the meaning of the illustration: The seed is God's word.u?c Jesus replied, 'You've been given insights into the mysteries of God's kingdom, but the rest are given illustrations, so that, 'Even though they see, they don't really see; and even though they hear, they don't really understand.'O> But his disciples asked him, 'What does this illustration mean?'R=Some seeds fell on good earth and after they grew they produced a harvest one hundred times more than what had been sown.' After he told them this, he called out, 'If you have ears, then listen!'Z<-Some seeds fell among thorns and as they both grew the thorns choked the plants.h;ISome fell on stony ground, and once the seeds had sprouted they withered for lack of moisture.:'A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he scattered the seed, some fell on the road where people trampled on it and birds ate it up.9Once when a large crowd of people gathered, coming from many towns to see him, Jesus spoke to them, using a story as an illustration.8Joanna, the wife of Herod's manager Chuza; Susanna; and many more who provided support from their personal resources.7)along with a number of women who had been healed from evil spirits and sickness: Mary called Magdalene from whom he had cast out seven demons;6 Soon after this Jesus went around the towns and villages announcing the good news of God's kingdom. The twelve disciples went with him,L52But Jesus told the woman, 'Your trust has saved you, go in peace.'~4u1Those who were sitting eating with him began talking among themselves, saying, 'Who is this who even forgives sins?'L30Then Jesus said to the woman, 'Your sins have been forgiven.'2/So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven that's why she loves so much . But whoever is forgiven little, only loves a little.'R1.You didn't anoint my head with oil, but she poured perfume over my feet.\01-You didn't give me a kiss, but since I came in she hasn't stopped kissing my feet.V/%,Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, 'You see this woman? When I came into your house, you didn't give me water to wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.s._+'The one he forgave the most, I would think,' Simon answered. 'You're absolutely right,' said Jesus.k-O*Neither of them could repay him, so he forgave the debts. Which one will love him the most?'o,W)'Once two people were in debt to a money-lender. One owed five hundred denarii, the other only fifty.t+a(Jesus spoke up and said, 'Simon, I have something to tell you.''Tell me, Teacher,' he responded.`*9'When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this he said to himself, 'If this man was really a prophet he would know who this woman was who's touching him, and what kind of person she was that she's a sinner!'&)E&She kneeled beside Jesus and with her tears wet his feet, and dried them with her hair. She kissed his feet, and then she poured the perfume over them.(5%A woman who was a sinner in that town found out that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee's house. She went there, carrying an alabaster jar of perfume.'$One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to come and eat with him. Jesus went to the Pharisee's house and sat down to the meal.P&#However, God's wise ways are proved right by all who follow him!'Q%"Now the Son of man is here, and eats and drinks with people, but you say, Look, he spends his time eating too much food and drinking too much wine . Plus he's a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'i$K!When John the Baptist came he didn't eat bread or drink wine, but you say he's demon-possessed.$#A 'They're like children sitting in the market who tell one other, 'We played the flute for you but you didn't dance; we sang sad songs but you didn't cry.'S"'What shall I compare these people to?' asked Jesus. 'What are they like? !But the Pharisees and the religious teachers rejected what God wanted them to do, for they had refused to be baptized by John.  When they heard this, all of them even the tax collectors followed what God said was right, for they had been baptized by John.!'I tell you, no one born of women is greater than John, but even the most unimportant person in God's kingdom is greater than he is!'}s'It was written about him in Scripture: 'Look, I'm sending my messenger to go before you to prepare your way.'mSWere you looking for a prophet? Yes he is, and I'm telling you, he's much more than a prophet. Did you come looking for a man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who have stylish clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces.I After the messengers from John had left, Jesus began telling the crowd, 'About John: what did you expect to see when you went out to meet him in the desert? Some reed blown about by the wind?LHow good it is for those who are not offended because of me!'V%Jesus answered John's disciples, 'Go and tell John what you've seen and heard. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers cured, the deaf hear, the dead raised back to life, the poor are told the good news.{Right at that time Jesus healed many people of their diseases, illnesses, evil spirits, and made blind people see.,QWhen they came to Jesus, they said, 'John the Baptist sent us to you, to ask you, 'Are you the one we've been expecting or should we wait for someone else?''"=John called two of his disciples and told them to go and see Jesus, and ask, 'Are you the one we've been expecting, or should we wait for someone else?'8kThe disciples of John told John about all this.H News about Jesus spread throughout Judea, and all around.#A sense of awe filled everyone there and they praised God, saying, 'A great prophet has arisen among us,' and 'God has visited his people.'\1The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.Jesus went over to the coffin and touched it, and the pall-bearers stopped. Jesus said, 'Young man, I tell you, get up.'`9 When the Lord saw her he was filled with compassion for her. 'Don't cry,' he told her.:m As he approached the town gate a funeral procession was coming the other way. The man who had died was the only son of a widow, and a sizeable crowd from the town was with her.kO Soon after Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd.g G Then the centurion's friends returned to the house and found the servant in good health.( I When Jesus heard this he was astounded. He turned to the crowd that was following him, and said, 'I tell you, I haven't found trust like this even in Israel.'d AFor I'm under the authority of my superior officers, and I have soldiers under my authority too. I command one to go and he goes, another to come and he comes. I command my servant to do something and he does it.'z mI didn't even think that I was worthy to come and see you. Just give the command, and my servant will be healed.T !Jesus went with them and as they approached the house, the centurion sent some friends to Jesus to tell him, 'Lord, please don't trouble yourself by coming into my house, because I'm not worthy of that.Lbecause he loves our people and he built a synagogue for us.'When the elders came to Jesus, they really pleaded with him, saying, 'Please come and do what he asks. He deserves your help,yWhen he heard about Jesus, the centurion sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.hIA centurion lived there who had a servant he greatly valued who was sick and was about to die.M When he'd finished speaking to the people, Jesus left for Capernaum.O1The person who hears me but doesn't do what I say is like a man who builds a house without foundations. When the floodwater breaks against the house it collapses immediately, completely destroyed.'hI0That person is like a man building a house. He digs down deep and lays the foundations on solid rock. When the river bursts its banks and the floodwater breaks against the house it's not damaged because it's so well built.gG/I'll give you an example of someone who comes to me, hears my instructions, and follows them.W'.'So why do you bother to call me, 'Lord, Lord,' when you don't do what I say?xi-Good people produce what's good from the good things they value that they have stored inside them. Bad people produce what's bad from the bad things they have stored inside them. What fills people's minds spills out in what they say.~y,You recognize a tree by the fruit it produces. You don't pick figs from thorn bushes, or harvest grapes from brambles.\}1+'A good tree doesn't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree doesn't produce good fruit. 7\~~v}}X||_{{2zzyxwwvrv%uttsss-rcqqlppOoo*nn mIll!kjjiiohh=gg5ffSeecdd\ccJbbRaa6``%__+^^]\\\[[hZZVZY{XX,WWAVV.UUiTSSoRR,QQuPPOlONNFMVM LmKKJJIIHH.GGeGFEE>DDCC"BB]BAA0@W??s>>M>=<<);G::$99h9 8q8<775655?4Q33b22S11=00//$..3--6,,Q++}**=)))((<''L' &}%%C$$A##z""v" !! 7X@RR\$oEUvh, ] q B j es*d,O7IX  They called out, 'Jesus, Master, please have mercy on us.'YW+ As he entered a particular village, ten lepers met him, standing at a distance.mVS As Jesus continued on his way to Jerusalem, he passed along the border between Samaria and Galilee.U Likewise once you've done everything you were told, you should simply say, 'We are undeserving servants. We just did our duty.''GT And do you thank the servant for doing what you told him? No.S)No. You say to him, Prepare a meal for me, get yourself dressed, and serve me until I've finished my meal. After that you can have your meal'?R)'Say you have a servant who does plowing or shepherding. When he comes in from work, do you say to him, 'Come in and sit down now for a meal'?BQ}The Lord replied, 'Even if your trust was as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Uproot yourself, and plant yourself in the sea,' and it would obey you.FPThe apostles said to the Lord, 'Help us to have more trust!'O Even if he sins against you seven times a day, and seven times comes back and tells you, I'm really sorry,' forgive him.'cN?So take care what you do. If your brother sins, warn him; and if he repents, forgive him.M#For such people it would be better to have a millstone hung around the neck and thrown into the sea than to cause these little ones to sin.L yJesus said to his disciples, 'Temptations are unavoidable, but it will be a disaster for those through whom they come!K'Abraham said to him, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't be convinced even if someone returns from the dead.''rJ]''No, father Abraham,' said the man. 'But they would repent if someone went to them from the dead!'dIA'But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. They should listen to them.'vHeFor I have five brothers and he can warn them so that they don't end up here in this place of torment.'\G1'The rich man said, 'Then Father, I beg you, please send him to my father's house.5FcApart from that, there's a great gulf stretches between us and you. Nobody who wants to cross from here to you can do so, and nobody can cross from there over to us.'|CqIn Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the far distance, with Lazarus beside him.wBg'Then the beggar died, and angels carried him away to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.oAWlonging to eat the leftovers from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.K@A beggar named Lazarus used to sit at his gate, covered in sores,r?]'Once there was a man who was rich. He wore purple clothes and fine linen, and enjoyed a luxurious life.>Any man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and a man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.u=cHowever, it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest point of the Law to disappear.1<[What was written in the law and the prophets lasted until John. From then on the good news of the kingdom of God is being spread, and everyone is forcing their way in.;But Jesus told them, 'You appear pious to people, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detested by God.S:The Pharisees, who loved money, heard what Jesus said and laughed at him.49a No servant can obey two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Money.'o8W And if you can't be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will trust you with what is yours?j7M So if you can't be trusted when it comes to worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?67 If you can be trusted with very little you can also be trusted with much; if you are dishonest with very little you will also be dishonest with much.5 'I tell you, use the wealth of this world to make friends for yourselves so that when it's gone, you'll be welcomed into an eternal home.24]'The rich man commended his dishonest manager for his cunning idea. The children of this world are more cunning towards one another than are the children of light.$3AThen he said to another, How much do you owe?' The man replied, 'A hundred units of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill and change it to eighty.'2wThe man replied, A hundred units of oil.' He said to him, 'Sit down quickly. Take your bill, and change it to fifty.'1'So he invited all those who were in debt to his master to come and see him. He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe my master?'~0uOh, I know what I'm going to do so that when I'm sacked as manager people will make me welcome in their homes.'/3The manager said to himself, Now what will I do since my master going to fire me from my job? I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg.&.ESo the rich man called in his manager, and asked him What's this I hear about you? Bring in your accounts, because you won't be continuing as manager.' - Jesus told his disciples this story. 'There was once a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting what belonged to his master., But we should be happy and celebrate! This is your brother who was dead, but who has returned alive; he was lost but now he's found!''_+7''Son,' the father replied, 'you are always here with me. Everything I have is yours.*{Now this son of yours comes back, having spent your money on prostitutes, and you kill the fattened calf for him!'5)c'He told his father, 'Look, all these years I've served you, and never disobeyed you, but you never once gave me even a young goat so I could have a party with my friends.h(I'The brother became angry. He refused to go in. So his father came out to plead with him. ' ''Your brother is back,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he's come home safe and sound.'L&So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.w%g'Now the older son was working out in the fields. As he walked towards the house, he heard music and dancing. $because this is my son who was dead, but who has returned alive; he was lost but now he's found.' So they started celebrating.Z#-Bring the calf we've been fattening and kill it. Let's have a feast to celebrate "'But the father told his servants, 'Quick bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.!The son said to him, Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son.'[ /So he left and went home to his father.'Even though he was still far away in the distance, his father saw him coming, and his heart went out to his son. The father ran to his son, hugging and kissing him.eCI'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Please treat me as one of your hired workers.''jMI'm going home to my father! I'll tell him, 'Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you.When he came to his senses, he said to himself, All of my father's workers have more than enough to eat why am I dying from hunger here?dAHe was so hungry that he would have eaten even the pig food, but no one gave him anything.jMSo he went and took a job with one of the farmers there who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.c?'After he'd spent everything, the country was hit by a severe famine and he was starving.- A few days later the younger son packed up what he had and left for a distant country. Here he wasted all his money living a reckless life.w 'The younger one told his father, 'Father, give me my inheritance now.' So the man divided his property between them.B 'Once there was a man who had two sons,' Jesus explained.dA I tell you there is joy in the presence of God's angels over one sinner that repents.' When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, Come and celebrate with me! I've found the silver coin that I lost.'"='Imagine a woman who has ten silver coins, and loses one of them. Wouldn't she light a lamp and sweep the house, carefully searching until she finds it?I tell you that there's more joy in heaven over a sinner that repents than over ninety-nine good people who don't need to repent. Once he gets home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying, Come and celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!'@{When he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders./W'Imagine a man who had a hundred sheep lost one of them. Wouldn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and search for the one that's lost until he finds it?:oSo Jesus told them this story as an illustration.{As a result the Pharisees and the religious teachers complained, 'This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.' S  !Tax collectors and other 'sinners' often used to come and listen to Jesus.k O#It's no good for the soil or for fertilizer you just toss it out. Whoever has ears, then listen!'S "Salt is good, but if it loses its taste, how can you make it salty again?_ 7!In the same way every one of you who doesn't give up everything can't be my disciple.p Y If he can't, he'll send representatives to ask for peace while the other king is still a long way off.I 'What king goes to war with another king without first sitting down with his advisors to work out whether he and his ten thousand can defeat the one marching against him with twenty thousand?KLook at him: he started building but he couldn't finish it.'}Otherwise, if after laying the foundation you weren't able to finish it, everyone who saw it would laugh at you, saying,If you planned to build a tower, wouldn't you first work out how much it would cost, and see if you had enough money to complete it?PIf you don't carry your cross and follow me, you can't be my disciple.+O'If you want to follow me but you don't hate your father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters even your own life you can't be my disciple.KA large crowd was accompanying Jesus. He turned to them and said,gGI tell you, not a single one of those people I invited will get a taste of my banquet.'''So the master told the servant, 'Go out on the country roads and lanes, and make people come I want my house to be full.jM'Then the servant said, 'Master, I did what you told me, but there are still empty places.'m~SThe servant returned and told his master what they'd said. The home-owner became angry and told his servant, 'Quickly, go out into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'1}]I've just got married, so I can't come.'|Another said, I've just bought five pairs of oxen and have to go and try them out. Please excuse me.' Still another said,{ But they all started to make excuses. The first said, I've just bought a field and I have to go and see it. Please excuse me.'z'When it was time to eat he sent his servant out to tell everyone who had been invited, 'Come, because the banquet's ready.'fyE'Once there was a man who prepared a great banquet, and invited many guests,' Jesus replied."x=When one of them eating at the table with Jesus heard this, he said to Jesus, 'How wonderful it will be for those who feast in the kingdom of God!' w and you will be blessed, for they have nothing to repay you with, and you'll be rewarded at the resurrection of the good.'_v7 Instead, when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,juM Then he said to the man who had invited him, 'When you give a lunch or a dinner, don't invite your friends, or your brothers, or your relatives, or your rich neighbors, for they may invite you back, and then you'd be repaid.ptY For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'Ys+ Instead, when you're invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes in, he'll tell you, 'My friend, please move to a better seat.' Then you'll be honored before all the guests sitting with you."r= 'Your host who invited you both will come and tell you, 'Give this man your place.' Then in embarrassment you'll have to move to whatever place is left.q7'When you're invited to a wedding reception, don't take the place of honor, because someone more important than you may have been invited,' he began.ap;So he told a story to the guests, noticing how they'd chosen to sit in places of honor.2o_They weren't able to give an answer.n%Then Jesus said to them, 'If your son or your ox happened to fall into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn't you go and pull him out immediately?'Zm-But they kept quiet. Jesus touched the man, healed him, and sent him on his way.|lqSo Jesus asked the experts in religious law and the Pharisees, 'Does the law allow healing on the Sabbath or not?':koA man was there whose arms and legs were swollen.j }One Sabbath Jesus went to have a meal at the home of one of the leaders of the Pharisees where they watched him closely.i- #Look, your house is left desolate, and I tell you that you won't see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.''^h5 "'Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have wanted to gather all your children together just like a hen does with her chicks under her wings, but you refused!#g? !Well anyway I must continue on my way for today and tomorrow, and the day after. For it wouldn't be right for a prophet to die outside of Jerusalem!0fY Jesus replied, 'Go tell that fox that I will go on driving out demons and healing people for today and tomorrow, and on the third day I'll achieve what I came to do .zem At that moment some Pharisees came to Jesus and told him, 'You should leave here. Herod wants to kill you!'Id  For the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.'c People will come from the east and the west, the north and the south, and they will sit down to eat in the kingdom of God.b- There will be crying and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you are thrown out.a He'll reply, 'I tell you, I don't know you or where you're from. Get away from me, all of you who don't do what's right!'Z`- Then you'll say, 'But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets!'U_# Once the house owner gets up and closes the door, you'll be standing outside knocking on the door, saying, 'Master, please open the door for us.' But he'll reply, 'I don't know you or where you're from.'x^i 'Try very hard to enter the narrow doorway, because I tell you that many will try to go in, and won't succeed.R] Someone asked him, 'Lord, will only a few be saved?' Jesus replied,Z\- Jesus went around the towns and villages, teaching on his way to Jerusalem.y[k It's like yeast that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour which made the whole batch rise.'FZ He asked again, 'What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?Y It's like a mustard seed that a man planted in his garden. It grew into a tree, and the birds came and nested in its branches.']X3 Then Jesus asked, 'So what is the kingdom of God like? What should I compare it to?W What he said shamed all his opponents, but everyone in the crowd was delighted by all the wonderful things he was doing.V/ Why shouldn't this woman, this daughter of Abraham whom Satan has kept tied up for eighteen years, be untied and set free this Sabbath day?' U But the Lord answered him, 'You hypocrites! Doesn't every one of you untie your ox or donkey from the stall and take it to drink?FT However the synagogue leader was upset that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. He said to the crowd, 'There are six days for work. Come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.'iSK Then he placed his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up, and she praised God._R7 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and told her, 'You're freed of your sickness.' Q and a woman was there who had been crippled by an evil spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not stand straight.7Pi One Sabbath Jesus was teaching in a synagogue,SO If it produces fruit, then that's fine. If not, then chop it down.''N ''Master,' the man replied, 'please leave it alone for just one more year. I'll dig the soil around it and put down some fertilizer.;Mo So he told the gardener, Look, for three years I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and I haven't found any. Chop it down! Why should it be taking up space?'9Lk Then he told them this story as an illustration. 'Once there was man who had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came to look for fruit on the tree, but he didn't find any.SK No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you will all perish as well.'%JC What about those eighteen people that were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were the worst people in the whole of Jerusalem?NI 'No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you will all perish as well.H 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than any other Galileans because they suffered like this?' Jesus asked.G + It was around this time that some people told Jesus about Pilate's killing of some Galileans while they were offering sacrifices in the Temple.JF  ;I tell you, you won't get out until you've paid the last penny.'lEQ :As you go with your accuser to the magistrate, on the way you should be working on a settlement. Otherwise you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.DD 9Why don't you think for yourselves and judge what's right? C 8You hypocrites, how is it that you know how to rightly interpret the weather but you don't know how to interpret the present time?LB 7When a south wind blows, you say it's going to be hot,' and it is.A 6Then Jesus spoke to the crowds. 'When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'a rain-shower's coming,' and it happens.c@? 5They will be divided against each other father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.'?  4From now on, if there are five in a family, they will be divided against each other: three against two, and two against three.]>3 3Do you think that I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, I bring division.T=! 2But I have a baptism to go through, and I'm in agony, wishing it was over!Y<+ 1I have come to set the earth on fire, and I really wish it was already burning!c;? 0but the servant who didn't know and did things deserving punishment will be beaten only lightly. From those who are given much, much will be required, and from those who are entrusted with more, more will be demanded.: /'That servant who knew what his master wanted and yet didn't get ready or follow his instructions, will be beaten severely;(9I .That servant's master will return unexpectedly one day at a time he wasn't aware of, and will punish him severely, treating him as totally untrustworthy.A8{ -But what if the servant were to say to himself, My master is taking a long time in coming,' and then starts beating the other servants, both men and women, feasting and getting drunk?Y7+ ,I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of everything.f6E +It will be good for that servant when his master returns and finds him doing what he should.45a *The Lord replied, 'Who then is the trustworthy and wise manager, the one person in the household that the master puts in charge to share out their food at the right time?X4) )'Is this story you're telling just for us, or for everyone?' Peter asked._37 (You must also be ready, for the Son of man is coming when you don't expect him.'2 'But remember this: if the master knew when a thief was coming, he would keep watch, and not allow his house be broken into.s1_ &'Even if he comes at midnight, or just before dawn how good for them if he finds them watching and ready!U0# %How good it will be for those servants that the master finds watching when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will get dressed, have them sit down for a meal, and will come and serve them himself!/1 $like servants waiting for their master when he returns from his wedding feast, prepared to open the door quickly for him when he comes and knocks.8.k #'Be dressed and ready, and keep your lamps lit,?-y "For your heart will be wherever your treasure is.L, !Sell what you have, and give the money to the poor. Get yourselves purses that don't wear out: treasure in heaven that will never run out, where no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.Z+- Don't be afraid, little flock, for your Father is happy to give you the kingdom.M* Search for God's kingdom, and you'll be given these things as well.m)S These are all the things that people in the world worry about, but your Father knows you need them.Z(- Don't be concerned about what you're going to eat or drink don't worry about it.\'1 'So if God clothes the fields with such beautiful flowers, which are here today but gone tomorrow when they are burned in a fire to heat an oven, how much more will God clothe you, you who have so little trust!K& Think of the lilies and how they grow. They don't work, and they don't spin thread for clothes, but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was as beautifully dressed as one of them.U%# If you can't do anything about such small things, why worry about the rest??$y Can you add an hour to your life by worrying about it?#/ Look at the ravens. They don't sow or reap, they don't have any storerooms or barns, but God feeds them. And you're far more valuable than birds!X") Life is about more than food, and the body is about more than wearing clothes. ! Jesus told his disciples, 'That's why I tell you don't worry about life, about what to eat, or about what clothes you should wear.~ u This is what happens to people who hoard up wealth for themselves but are not rich as far as God is concerned.'! But God said to him, You foolish man! Your life will be demanded back this very night, and then who will get everything you've stored up?'y Then I'll tell myself, 'You have enough to live on for many years, so take life easy: eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!'3 I know what I'll do,' he decided. 'I'll pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and then I'll be able to store all my crops and everything I own.T! The man said to himself, What shall I do? I've nowhere to store my crops?'{o Then he told them a story as an illustration. 'Once there was a rich man who owned land that was very productive. 'Watch out, and beware of all greedy thoughts and actions, for a person's life isn't summed up by how many possession they have.'  'My friend,' Jesus replied, 'Who appointed me as your judge to decide how your inheritance should be divided?' He told the people,ta Someone in the crowd asked Jesus, 'Teacher, please tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.'T! The Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what's important to say.'# 'When you're brought to trial before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, don't worry about how to defend yourself, or what you should say.+ Everyone who speaks in opposition the Son of man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.B but those who deny me will be denied before God's angels. 'I tell you the truth, those who declare they belong to me, the Son of man will also declare they belong to him before God's angels,s_ Even the hairs on your head have been counted. Don't be afraid you're worth more than many sparrows!a; Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? But God doesn't forget a single one of them.J  Let me make it clear whom you should be afraid of. You should be afraid of the one who after he has killed has the power to dispose of them in Gehenna . That's the one you should be afraid of. I tell you, my friends, don't be afraid of those who kill the body, for once they've done that there's no more they can do. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and whatever you whispered in private will be announced from the rooftops.e C For there's nothing hidden that won't be revealed, nothing secret that won't be made known.8  k In the meantime the crowd had grown to several thousand and they were trampling each another. Jesus spoke first to his disciples. 'Beware the yeast of the Pharisees hypocrisy.k O 6They were hoping to catch him out, trying to get him to say something they could use against him.  5As Jesus was leaving, the religious teachers and the Pharisees began to attack him aggressively, asking questions to provoke him. # 4Shame on you lawyers! You have removed the key of knowledge. You didn't go in yourselves, and you prevented others from going in too.'@y 3from the blood of Abel right up to the blood of Zachariah who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held accountable for all of it.  2Consequently, this generation will be held accountable for the blood of all the prophets shed from the beginning of the world,  1'This is why God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles; some they will kill, and others they will persecute.'% 0By doing this you are witnesses showing that you agree with what your fathers did. They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs! /Shame on you! You build memorial tombs to honor the prophets, but it was your own fathers who killed them in the first place!# .Jesus replied, 'Shame on you lawyers too! You place burdens on people that are too hard to carry, but you don't lift a finger to help them.y -One of the experts in religious law reacted, saying, 'Teacher, when you talk like this, you're insulting us too!'a; ,Shame on you! You are like unmarked graves that people walk over without knowing.' +Shame on you Pharisees! You love to have the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect when you go to the markets.F *Shame on you Pharisees! You pay tithe on herbs and plants, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You need to pay attention to the latter, while not leaving the former things undone.j~M )If, acting from within, you do acts of kindness to others, then everything will be clean to you.b}= (You're so foolish! Don't you think the One who made the outside made the inside as well? |  'So the Lord told him, 'You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you're full of greed and wickedness.m{S &The Pharisee was surprised that Jesus didn't wash his hands before eating as ceremonially required.z %After Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to come and eat with him. So Jesus went and sat down to a meal.y5 $If your whole body is full of light, with no areas of darkness, then it will be completely illuminated, just as a bright lamp gives you light.'Jx  #So make sure the light you have in you is not actually darkness.w/ "Your eye is the light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body is in the dark.#v? !No one lights a lamp and then hides it or places it under a bowl. No, you put it on a lamp stand so that those who come into the house can see the light.Lu The people of Nineveh rise in the judgment together with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented when they heard Jonah's message, and now there's someone greater than Jonah here!st_ The queen of the south will rise in the judgment together with the people of this generation and will condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon's wisdom, and now there is someone greater than Solomon here!~su In the same way that Jonah was a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of man be a sign to this generation.Ar{ As people crowded around him, Jesus started by saying, 'This is an evil generation for it's looking for some miraculous sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.jqM But Jesus said, 'Even more blessed are those who hear God's word, and follow what it says.' p  As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, 'Blessed is the womb from where you came and the breasts that nursed you.'o1 So it goes and finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there. In the end that man is worse off than before.'Bn When it returns, it finds its old home is swept and tidy.0mY When an evil spirit leaves someone, it goes through the desert looking for a place to stay. When it doesn't find anywhere, it says, 'I'll return to the house I left.'ly 'Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who doesn't build together with me is breaking it all apart.k% But if a stronger man comes and defeats him, taking from him all his weapons that he depended on, then he can carry off all his possessions.Uj# When a strong man who is fully armed guards his house, all he owns is safe. i  'However, if I am driving out demons by the power of God, then this proves God's kingdom has arrived. It's right here among you! h9 But if I drive out demons by the power of Beelzebub, by whose power do your own people drive them out? They themselves will condemn you as wrong! 4~~z~(}}||{{zzlyyIxxxww}wvvv>uuVtt0ssWrrqq7ppIonn%msllvl%kk/jfj iihhyh8gg3ff*ee5dddTd cjcbbQaaa:``u___7^w]]\\X[[bZZFYY.XXfWW0VVUU!TT>F==e<<<<&;;t;::988_877i666q6&5Q447333 2z11^00//$.Y.-->,,,X,+**))D((!''a&&&%%r$$}###2""H!!!T 50]-`wEpR`Jd } & n & TqD]&UP4aj;'Are you the King of the Jews?' Pilate asked him.'So you say,' replied Jesus.4iaThere they started to accuse him. 'We found this man deceiving our nation, telling people not to pay taxes to Caesar, and claiming he is Messiah, a king,' they said.6h iThe whole council rose and took him to Pilate.hgIG'Why do we need any more witnesses?' they said. 'We've heard it ourselves from his own mouth!'^f5FThey all asked, 'So are you the son of God?' 'You say that I am,' Jesus replied\e1EBut from now on the Son of man will sit at the right hand of the mighty God.'DdD'And if I were to ask you a question, you wouldn't answer. cC'If you really are the Messiah then tell us,' they said.'Even if I were to tell you, you wouldn't believe me,' Jesus replied.b'BEarly in the morning the council of elders gathered together with the chief priests and religious teachers. Jesus was led before the council.4acAand shouted many other insults at him.p`Y@They put a blindfold on him, and then asked him, 'If you can prophesy, tell us who hit you that time!'?_y?The men guarding Jesus began to mock him and beat him./^Y>Peter went out and wept bitterly.]=And Peter remembered what the Lord had said, how he'd told him: 'Before the cock crows today, you'll deny me three times.'!\;<'I've no idea what you're talking about!' Peter replied. Right then, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter.g[G;About an hour later, another person insisted, 'I'm sure he was with him too he's a Galilean.'vZe:A little later someone else looked at him and said, 'You're also one of them.' 'No, I'm not!' Peter replied.`Y99'This man was with him.' But Peter denied it. 'Woman, I don't know him!' he said.lXQ8As he sat there, a servant girl noticed him in the firelight, and stared directly at him and said,lWQ7They started a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down by it. Peter was there among them.sV_6They arrested him and led him away, taking him to the chief priest's house. Peter followed at a distance."U=5'You didn't arrest me before, even though I was with you in the Temple every day. But this is your moment now, the time when darkness is in power.'9Tk4Then Jesus spoke to the chief priests, and the officers of the Temple guard, and the elders. 'Am I some kind of criminal that you had to come with swords and clubs?' he asked.WS'3'Stop! No more of this!' said Jesus. He touched the man's ear and healed him.[R/2And one of them struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear.TQ!1Jesus' followers asked him, 'Lord, should we attack them with our swords?'ZP-0But Jesus asked him, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of man with a kiss?'O/While he was still speaking, a crowd appeared led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas went up to Jesus to kiss him.oNW.'Why are you sleeping?' he asked them. 'Get up and pray so that you won't fall into temptation.'qM[-He finished praying, stood up, and went over to the disciples. He found them asleep, worn out by grief.nLU,In great distress Jesus prayed even harder, and his sweat fell like drops of blood onto the ground .DK+Then an angel appeared from heaven to strengthen him.J!*'Father,' he prayed, 'if you're willing, please take away this cup of suffering from me. But I want to do what you want, not what I want.'iIK)Then he left them and walked about a stone's throw away, where he kneeled down and prayed.WH'(When he arrived he said to them, 'Pray that you don't give in to temptation.'ZG-'Jesus left and as usual went to the Mount of Olives together with his disciples.]F3&'Look, Lord, here are two swords,' they said.'That's enough,' he replied.&EE%I tell you that this statement in Scripture about me must be fulfilled: He was counted with the wicked.' What was said about me is now being fulfilled.D$'But now, if you have money you should take it, as well as a bag, and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.2C]#Jesus asked them, 'When I sent you out without money, without a bag, and without an extra pair of sandals, did you lack anything?''No, nothing,' they replied.By"Jesus replied, 'I'm telling you, Peter, before the cock crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.'[A/!Peter said, 'Lord, I'm ready to go with you to prison, and to die with you!'@} but I have prayed for you that your trust in me may not fail. And when you have returned, encourage your brothers.'N?'Simon, Simon Satan has asked to have all of you to sift like wheat,>yso that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'S=And I grant to you authority to rule, just as my Father granted it to me,6<gYou have stayed with me throughout my trials.;7Who is greater the one who sits at the table, or the one who serves? Isn't it the one who sits at the table? But I'm among you as the one who serves. :'But it should not be so with you! Whoever is highest among you should be like the lowest, and the leader should be like a servant. 9 Jesus told them, 'Foreign kings lord it over their subjects, and those having power even want people to call them 'benefactors.h8IAt the same time they also got into a quarrel about which of them was the most important.]73They began to argue among themselves as to who this might be and who could do this.s6_For it has been determined that the Son of man will die, yet how disastrous it will be for his betrayer!'T5!'In spite of this, my betrayer is sitting right here with me at the table.&4EIn the same way after they had finished supper, he picked up the cup and said, 'This cup is the new agreement in my blood which is poured out for you.'J3 He picked up some bread, and after he had given thanks, he broke it into pieces and gave it to them. 'This is my body which is given for you; do this in order to remember me,' Jesus told them.g2GI tell you that I won't drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.'o1WJesus took the cup, and after he had given thanks, he said, 'Take this and share it among yourselves.i0KI tell you I shall not eat it again until the time it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.'m/S'I've been really looking forward to eating this Passover meal with you before my sufferings begin.W.'When the time came, he sat down at the table with his apostles. He told them,v-e They went and found that everything was just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal there.v,e He'll show you a large upstairs room that already has the necessary furniture. Prepare the meal there.'+  Tell the owner of the house, The Teacher asks you, 'Where is the dining room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?''* He replied, 'When you enter the city you'll meet a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him and go into the house he enters.H)  They asked him, 'Where do you want us to prepare for it?'v(eJesus sent Peter and John, telling them, 'Go and prepare the Passover meal, so we can eat it together.'Z'-The Day of Unleavened Bread arrived when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.r&]He agreed, and began to look for an opportunity to hand over Jesus when a crowd would not be there.4%cThey were delighted, and offered him money.d$AHe went and discussed with the chief priests and guard officers how he could betray Jesus.S#Satan entered into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples. " The chief priests and religious teachers were looking for a way to kill Jesus, but were afraid of what the people would do.Y! -Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, also called the Passover, was approaching.R &All the people came early in the morning to listen to him in the Temple.lQ%Every day Jesus taught in the Temple, and every evening he went and stayed on the Mount of Olives.$Always keep watch and pray, so that you may be able to escape all that will happen and stand before the Son of man.'R#For this day will come upon everyone who lives on the face of the earth.1"'Watch out that you don't become distracted by partying or getting drunk or by the worries of this life, so that this day catches you by surprise.J !Heaven and earth will come to an end, but my word will not.]3 I tell you the truth, this generation won't come to an end before all this happens.ucIn the same way, when you see these things happening, you don't need to be told that God's kingdom is near.X)When you see new leaves appear, you don't need to be told that summer is near.lQThen he told them this story as an illustration. 'Look at the fig tree, or any other kind of tree.c?But when these things happen, stand up and look up, because you will soon be saved.'W'Then they'll see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.}People will be faint from fear, terrified about what is happening to the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.+'There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and on the earth the nations will be in distress, confused by the sea's rolling and crashing.4aThey will be killed by the sword and taken away as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trodden down by the foreign nations until their time is fulfilled.(I'How hard it will be for those who are pregnant or nursing babies at that time! For terrible trouble is coming on the land and punishment against this people.OFor these are days of punishment, fulfilling all that's written.+OThose who are in Judea should run away to the mountains, and those who are in Jerusalem should leave, and those who are the countryside shouldn't enter the city.pY'However when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you know that its destruction will be soon.9 mBy standing firm you will gain your lives .9 mBut not a single hair of your head will be lost.. WEveryone will hate you because of me.v eYou will be betrayed even by your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will kill some of you.g Gfor I will give you words of wisdom that your enemies won't be able to dispute or contradict.V%So make up your mind beforehand not to worry about how to defend yourselves,U# But this will end up giving you a chance to speak on my behalf before them.G But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will drag you before synagogues and throw you into prison, and put you on trial before kings and governors on account of me. 'There will be severe earthquakes, famines, and epidemic diseases in many lands, and extraordinary signs in the sky that are terrifying.S 'Nation will fight nation, and kingdom will fight kingdom,' he told them.- When you hear of wars and revolutions, don't be frightened, because these things have to happen first, but the end won't come immediately.',Q'Make sure you're not deceived,' Jesus warned them. 'Many people will come claiming to be me, saying, Here I am!' and, 'The time has come!' but don't follow them.~u'Teacher, when will this happen?' they asked him. 'What will be the sign that these things are about to happen?''Regarding these things you're looking at' The time is coming when not one stone will be left on another; everything will be destroyed!'Some of those there were talking about the Temple, its fine stonework and the beautiful gifts that had been donated. But Jesus said,v~eAll of them gave from their wealth what they had, but she gave from her poverty all she had to live on.g}G'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the rest together.E|He also saw a very poor widow put in two small coins .`{ ;Looking around, Jesus watched rich people putting their gifts into the collection box .3z_/They cheat widows out of what they own, and cover up the kind of people they really are with long-winded prayers. They will receive severe condemnation in the judgment.'Qy.'Watch out for religious leaders who like to go around in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the markets, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets.Hx -While everyone was paying attention, he said to his disciples,Dw,David calls him Lord,' so how can he be David's son?'Dv+until I make all your enemies a footstool for your feet.''guG*For David himself says in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right handQt)Then Jesus asked them, 'Why is it said that Christ is the son of David?Es(After this no one dared to ask him any more questions.Wr'''Some of the religious teachers responded, 'That was a good answer, Teacher.'`q9&He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him they all are alive.'Op%But on the question of whether the dead are raised, even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush, when he calls the Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'oy$They can't die any longer; they're like the angels and are children of God since they're children of the resurrection.n#'But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and the resurrection from the dead don't marry or are given in marriage.Um#"'Here in this age people marry and are given in marriage,' Jesus explained.ilK!Now whose wife will she be in the resurrection, since all seven brothers had married her?'#kA Finally the wife died too.j and then the third brother also married her. In the end all seven brothers married her, and then died without having children.i!The secondah;Once there were seven brothers. The first had a wife, and died without having children.Ag{'Teacher,' they began, 'Moses gave us a law that if a married man dies leaving a wife without children, then his brother should marry the widow and have children for his dead brother.bf=Then some of the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, came to Jesus with this question:yekThey weren't able to trap him by what he told the people. They were stunned at his reply, and fell silent.tda'Then give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give back to God what belongs to God,' he told them.jcM'Show me a coin denarius. Whose image and inscription is on it?' 'Caesar's,' they answered.@b{But Jesus saw through their trickery, and said to them,7aiSo should we pay taxes to Caesar or not?'$`AThey said, 'Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you're not swayed by the opinions of others. You truly teach the way of God.M_Watching for an opportunity they sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They tried to catch Jesus out in something he said so they could hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.Q^Immediately the religious teachers and the chief priests wanted to arrest him because they realized that the story Jesus told was aimed at them, but they were afraid of what the people would do.i]KAnyone who falls on that stone will be broken in pieces; anyone it falls upon will be crushed.'\7But Jesus looked at them and said, 'Then why is it written in the Scriptures, 'The stone the builders rejected has now become the chief cornerstone'?[!He will come and kill these farmers and let others have the vineyard.' When they heard the story, they said, 'May this never happen!'pZYThey threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?)YKBut when they saw him coming, the farmers discussed among themselves and said, This is the owner's heir. Let's kill him! That way we can take his inheritance.' X 'The owner of the vineyard asked himself, 'What shall I do? I know, I'll send my son whom I love. Perhaps they will respect him.'RW So he sent a third servant, and they wounded him and threw him out.~Vu So the owner sent another servant, but they beat him too and treated him shamefully, and sent him away with nothing.$UA At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenant farmers to collect his share of the crop, but the farmers beat the servant and sent him away with nothing.6Te Then he began to tell the people a story:'Once there was a man who planted a vineyard, leased it to some farmers, and went to live in another country for a long while.SSJesus replied, 'Then I won't tell you by whose authority I do what I do.'DRSo they answered, 'We don't know where it came from.'mQSAnd if we say it was just human, everybody will stone us for they're sure John was a prophet.'}PsThey talked about it among themselves: 'If we say it was from heaven, he'll ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?'MOthe baptism of John was it from heaven, or was it just human?'BN'Let me ask you a question too,' Jesus replied. 'Tell me:zMmThey asked him, 'Tell us: by whose authority are you doing what you do? Who gave you the right to do this?'&L GOne time when Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, telling them the good news, some of the chief priests and religious teachers came with the elders.lKQ0But they couldn't find a way to do it because everyone appreciated him, hanging on his every word.J!/He was teaching in the Temple every day. The chief priests, the religious teachers, and the leaders of the people were trying to kill him.I.He told them, 'Scriptures state that 'my house will be a house of prayer,' but you've turned it into a den of thieves.'VH%-Jesus entered the Temple and began driving out all the people trading there.?Gw,They will smash you to the ground, you and your children within you. They won't leave one stone on another within you, for you refused to accept salvation when it came to you.'F-+The time is coming upon you when your enemies will besiege you, building ramps to attack you, encircling you and closing you in from every side. E *'I really wish today that you, even you, had known the path that leads to peace!' he said. 'But now it's hidden from your eyes.@D{)But as he got closer, he saw the city and wept over it.bC=(But Jesus replied, 'I tell you that if they kept quiet then the stones will shout!'uBc'Some of the Pharisees who were in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, stop your disciples from saying that.'Aw&'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord,' they shouted. 'Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven.'b@=%As he approached Jerusalem, right where the road goes down from the Mount of Olives, the crowd of disciples all began shouting joyful praises to God at the top of their voices for all the miracles they had seen.H? $As he rode along, people spread their cloaks on the road.j>M#They brought the colt to Jesus. Then they threw their cloaks over it, and sat Jesus on its back.4=c"The disciples replied, 'The Lord needs it.'_<7!As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, 'Why are you untying the colt?'Y;+ So the two disciples went and found that everything was just as Jesus had said.[:/If anyone asks you, Why are you untying it?' just say, 'The Lord needs it.'' 9'Go to the village further on. As you enter it you'll find a colt tied up that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.r8]As he approached Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples, telling them:b7=After he'd finished telling them this story, Jesus left for Jerusalem, walking on ahead.}6sAnd as for my enemies who didn't want me to be king over them, bring them here and kill them in front of me.''53'The king replied, 'I tell you, to those who have, more will be given; but those who do not have, even what they have will be taken away from them.M4''But master, he already has ten times as much,' they replied.3!'The king told those who were standing beside him, 'Take the money away from him, and give it to the one who made ten times as much.'2}Why then didn't you deposit my money in the bank, so that when I returned I could have had my money with interest?'$1A''I'll judge you by your own words,' the king replied. 'You know I'm a hard man, 'who takes what doesn't belong to me, and I harvest what I didn't plant.' 0 I was afraid of you because you're a hard man. You take what doesn't belong to you, and you harvest what you didn't plant.'x/i'Another servant came in and said, 'Lord, look, here's your money back. I kept it safe, wrapped up in a cloth.J. ''I'm placing you in charge of five cities,' said the king.f-E'The second servant came in and said, 'Lord, your money has earned five times as much.'+,O''Well done! You're a good servant,' said the king. 'Since you proved yourself trustworthy in a very small matter, I'm placing you in charge of ten cities.'b+=The first servant came in and said, Lord, your money has earned ten times as much.'3*_After he had been crowned king he returned. He ordered his servants brought to him. He wanted to know what profit they had made by investing the money he had given them.t)aBut his people hated him, and sent a delegation after him to say, We won't have this man as king over us.'|(q He called ten of his servants, divided money equally among them, and told them, Invest this money until I return.'{'o 'Once there was a nobleman who left home to go to a distant country to be crowned king there, and then to return.C& While they were still paying attention, Jesus told them a story for they were close to Jerusalem and the people thought that God's kingdom was going to become a reality right away.R% For The Son of man came to search for and save those who are lost.'${ In response Jesus said, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man has shown he is a son of Abraham too.<#qBut Zacchaeus stood up and said before the Lord, 'Look, I'm giving half of everything I own to the poor, and if I've cheated anybody, I'll pay them back four times as much!'_"7When the people saw this they all complained, 'He's gone to stay with such a sinner!'W!'Zacchaeus climbed down quickly and was so happy to welcome Jesus to his home. wWhen Jesus got there, he looked up and said, 'Zacchaeus, come down quickly! I need to stay at your house today.']3So he ran ahead, and climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus as he passed by. b=He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he couldn't see over the crowd.SA man was there named Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector. He was very rich.: qJesus entered Jericho and walked through the town.y+Immediately the man could see. He followed Jesus, praising God. Everyone there who saw what happened also praised God.H *'Then see!' Jesus told him. 'Your trust in me has healed you.'b=)'What do you want me to do for you?''Lord, please, I want to see,' he pleaded.fE(Jesus stopped and told them to bring the blind man to him. As he came over, Jesus asked him,/'Those at the front of the crowd told him to stop shouting and be quiet, but he only shouted louder, 'Son of David, please have mercy on me!'H &He called out, 'Jesus, son of David, please have mercy on me!':o%They told him, 'Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.'H $He heard the crowd going past, so he asked what was happening.V%#As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting beside the road begging.#"But they didn't understand anything Jesus told them. The meaning was hidden from them and they didn't grasp what he was talking about.Y+!They will flog him and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.'`9 He will be handed over to the foreigners ; he will be mocked, insulted, and spat upon."=Jesus took the twelve disciples aside, and told them, 'We're going to Jerusalem, and all that the prophets wrote about the Son of man will be fulfilled.b=will receive so much more in this life, and the eternal life in the world to come.' 1'I tell you the truth,' Jesus told them, 'anybody who leaves behind their home, wife, brothers, parents, or children for the sake of God's kingdom> w'Peter said, 'We left everything to follow you!'V %Jesus replied, 'What is impossible in human terms is possible for God.'F Those who heard this wondered, 'Who can be saved then?'} sIt's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.'nUWhen he saw his reaction, Jesus said, 'How difficult it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!W'But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very wealthy.EWhen Jesus heard this he told the man, 'You still lack one thing. Go and sell all you have, give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me!U#'I've kept all these commandments since I was young,' the man replied.-You know the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'N'Why do you call me good?' Jesus replied. 'No one is good, only God.{oOne of the rulers came to Jesus and asked him, 'Good Teacher, what do I have to do to inherit eternal life?'|qI tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.'.UBut Jesus called the children to him. 'Let the little children come to me,' he said. 'Don't prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like them.7Parents were bringing their infants to Jesus to have him bless them by his touch. When the disciples saw what was happening, they tried to stop them.E~'I tell you, it was this man who went home right in God's sight and not the other. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while those who humble themselves will be exalted.'4}a 'But the tax collector stood at a distance. He wouldn't even look up to heaven. Instead he beat his chest and prayed, 'God, please be merciful to me. I am a sinner.'A|} I fast twice a week, and I pay tithe on my income.'&{E The Pharisee stood up and prayed to himself, God, I thank you that I am not like other people cheats, criminals, adulterers or even like this tax collector.az; 'Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector.zym He also told this story about those who are so sure that they are living right, and who put everybody else down.x#No, I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. However, when the Son of man comes, will he find people on earth who trust in him?'"w='Don't you think that God will make sure his chosen people receive justice, those who cry out to him day and night? Do you think he will make them wait?Gv'Listen to what even an unjust judge decided,' said the Lord. uthis widow is so annoying I'll make sure she receives justice. Then she won't wear me out by her coming to see me so often.'t'For a while he didn't want to do anything about it, but eventually he said to himself, 'Even though I don't respect God or care about anyone,s'In the same town lived a widow who time and again went to the judge, saying, 'Give me justice in the case against my enemy!'xri'Once there was a judge in this particular town who didn't respect God or care about anyone,' Jesus explained.jq OJesus told them this story to encourage them to pray at all times, and not to become discouraged.mpS%'Where, Lord?' they asked. 'Where the carcass is, that's where the vultures gather,' Jesus replied. o $Xn)#Two women will be grinding grain, one will be taken; and the other left.'emC"I tell you, at that time two will be in bed at night; one will be taken and the other left.flE!If you try to hold on to your life you'll lose it; but if you lose your life you'll save it.k5 Remember Lot's wife! j If you're up on the roof that day don't go down and get your things; and if you're out in the fields don't go back home either.@i{'The day the Son of man appears will be just like that.phYBut on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.}gsIt will be like it was in Lot's day. People went on eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.f7People went on eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day Noah went into the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.OeThe time when the Son of man comes will be like it was in Noah's day.[d/But first he will have to suffer many things, and be rejected by this generation.cThe day when the Son of man comes will be just like lightning that flashes, lighting up the sky from one side to the other.rb]They'll be telling you, 'Look, there he is,' or 'look, here he is,' but don't go running off after them. aThen Jesus told the disciples, 'The time is coming when you'll long to see the day when the Son of man comes, but you won't see it.q`[People won't be saying, 'Look, it's here' or 'Look, it's there,' for God's kingdom is among you .'(_IOnce, when the Pharisees came and asked him when God's kingdom would come, Jesus replied, 'God's kingdom doesn't come with visible signs that you can observe.Z^-Jesus told the man, 'Get up and go on your way. Your trust has healed you.'O]Didn't anyone else come back to praise God only this foreigner?'N\'Weren't ten lepers healed?' Jesus asked. 'Where are the other nine?M[He fell down at Jesus' feet, thanking him. He was a Samaritan.aZ;One of them when he saw that he was healed, returned to Jesus, shouting praises to God.~YuWhen Jesus saw them, he said to them, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' On their way there, they were healed. ~~~#}{}+||A{{zz4yyyyxxwwbw+vuuutgt ssYrr!qmq ppcoo3nnSnmm=llHkkTjjLjiiXhhSggg7ff eeddoccbbhb.aaa6`z__V^^]]]#\\I[[EZZsYYRXXNWWWQVVmUUUzTT[SS^S4RRLQQQhQ PPPAOOOXO NNMN MMLKK8JJ_IIyHH^GGG-FFyFEEDD CEBBB_BAK@@$??>>A==<;;;::&99}9!88P77665V444 3S22[11s000//K..--H,,6++*** )(((2''I&&3%%$$'##l# "+One man who was there had been sick for thirty-eight years. Jesus looked at him, knowing he had been laying there for long time, and asked him, ~ g}GCrowds of sick people were laying in these porches those who were blind, lame, or paralyzed .q|[Now near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem is a pool called Bethzatha in Hebrew, with five porches beside it.L{ After this, there was a Jewish festival so Jesus went to Jerusalem.[z/6This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.!y;5Then the father realized this was the precise time when Jesus had told him, 'Your son will live!' So he and everyone in his household trusted in Jesus.x4He asked them what time it was when his son began to get better. 'Yesterday at one p.m. the fever left him,' they told him.lwQ3While he was on his way, his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and recovering.yvk2'Go on home,' Jesus told him. 'Your son will live!' The man trusted what Jesus told him and left for home.Lu1'Lord, just come before my child dies,' the official pleaded._t70'Unless you see signs and wonders you people really won't trust me,' said Jesus.s1/When he heard that Jesus had returned from Judea to Galilee, he went to Jesus and begged him to come and heal his son who was close to death. r9.He visited Cana in Galilee again, where he had turned water into wine. Nearby in the town of Capernaum lived a royal official whose son was very sick.#q?-But when he arrived in Galilee, the people welcomed him, because they had also been at the Passover feast and had seen everything he'd done in Jerusalem.`p9,Jesus himself had made the comment that a prophet is not respected in his own country.7oi+After the two days he continued on to Galilee.Ln*They said to the woman, 'Now our trust in him isn't just because of what you told us but because we have heard him for ourselves. We're convinced that he really is the Savior of the world.'Dm)and because of what he told them many more trusted in him.glG(So when they came to see him they pleaded with him to stay with them. He stayed for two days,{ko'Many Samaritans from that town trusted in him because of what the woman said: 'He told me everything I ever did.'j &I sent you to reap what you didn't work for. Others did the hard work and you have reaped the benefits of what they did.':io%So the proverb one sows, another reaps,' is true.~hu$The reaper is being paid and harvesting a crop for eternal life so that both the sower and the reaper can celebrate.g+#Don't you have a saying, 'four more months until harvest?' Open your eyes and look around! The crops in the fields are ripe, ready for harvest.gfG"Jesus told them, 'My food is to do the will of the One who sent me, and to complete his work.Me!'Did someone bring him food?' the disciples asked one another.Sd But Jesus replied, 'I have food to eat that you know nothing about.'Yc+Meanwhile Jesus' disciples were urging him, 'Rabbi, please eat something!'8bkSo they went out of the town to go and see him.ba='Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah?'[`/The woman left her water jar behind and ran back to the town, telling the people,-_SJust then the disciples returned. They were shocked that he was talking to a woman, but none of them asked 'What are you doing?' or 'Why are you talking with her?'D^Jesus replied, 'I AM the one who is speaking to you.']'The woman said, 'Well, I know that the Messiah is coming,' (the one who is called Christ). 'When he comes he will explain it all to us.'Q\God is Spirit, so worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.':[mBut the time is coming and in fact it's here already when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for these are the kind of worshipers the Father wants.ZwYou really don't know the God you're worshiping, while we worship the God we know, for salvation comes from the Jews.Y}Jesus replied, 'Believe me the time is coming when you won't worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem.X}'Tell me this: our ancestors worshiped here on this mountain, but you say that Jerusalem is where we must worship.'>Ww'I can see you're a prophet, sir,' the woman replied.zVmYou've had five husbands, and the one you're living with now is not your husband. So what you say is true!'~Uu'I don't have a husband,' the woman answered.'You're right in saying you don't have a husband,' Jesus told her.NT'Go and call your husband, and come back here,' Jesus told her. S 'Sir,' replied the woman, 'Please give me this water so I won't be thirsty, and I won't have to come here to fetch water!'.RUBut those who drink the water I give won't ever be thirsty again. The water I give becomes a bubbling spring of water inside them, bringing them eternal life.'^Q5 Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks water from this well will become thirsty again. P 'Our father Jacob gave us the well. He drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock. Are you greater than he?'Ow 'Sir, you don't have a bucket, and the well is deep. Where are you going to get the water of life from?' she replied.JN  Jesus answered her, 'If you only recognized God's gift, and who is asking you, 'Please could you give me a drink?' you would have asked him and he would have given you the water of life.'M' 'You're a Jew, and I'm a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?' the woman replied, for Jews don't associate with Samaritans .AL}for his disciples had gone to the town to buy food.gKGA Samaritan woman came to fetch water. Jesus said to her, 'Please could you give me a drink?'J Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, who was tired from the journey, sat straight down beside the well. It was around noon.lIQSo he came to the Samaritan city of Sychar, near to the field that Jacob had given his son Joseph.3HaOn the way he had to pass through Samaria./GYhe left Judea and returned to Galilee.JF (although it wasn't Jesus who was baptizing, but his disciples),zE oWhen Jesus realized that the Pharisees had discovered that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John,'DG$Anyone who trusts in the Son has eternal life, but anyone who refuses to trust the Son will not experience eternal life but remains under God's condemnation.JC #The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.[B/"For the one God sent speaks God's words, because God doesn't restrict the Spirit.LA!Yet anyone who accepts what he says confirms that God is truthful.d@A He gives evidence about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts what he has to say.5?cHe who comes from above is greater than all; he who comes from the earth belongs to the earth and talks about earthly things. He who comes from heaven is greater than all.P>He must become more important, and I must become less important.'K=The bridegroom is the one who has the bride! The best man waits, listening for the bridegroom, and is so happy when he hears the bridegroom's voice in the same way my happiness is now complete.p<Y'You yourselves can testify that I declared, 'I'm not the Messiah. I've been sent to prepare his way.'W;''No one receives anything unless they're given it from heaven,' John replied.I: They went to John and told him, 'Rabbi, the man you were with on the other side of the Jordan, the one you testified in support of see, now he's baptizing, and everyone is going to him!'`99An argument developed between John's disciples and a Jew over ceremonial purification./8Y(This was before John was imprisoned).7John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there and people kept coming to be baptized.q6[After this Jesus and his disciples went into Judea and spent some time with the people, baptizing them.q5[But those who do good come into the light, so that what God accomplishes in them can be revealed.'4}All those who do evil hate the light and don't come into the light, because they don't want their actions to be exposed.3-This is how the decision is made: the light came to the world, but people loved the darkness rather than the light, for their actions were evil.&2EThose who trust in him are not condemned, while those who don't trust in him are condemned already because they didn't trust in the one and only Son of God.i1KGod didn't send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.01'For God loved the world, and this is how : he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who trusts in him shouldn't die, but have eternal life.F/that everyone who trusts in him will have eternal life.a.;Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so the Son of man must be lifted up,Q- No one has gone up to heaven, but the Son of man came down from heaven.,5 If you don't trust what I say when I tell you about earthly things, how would you ever trust what I say if I were to tell you about heavenly things?+ 'I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know and give evidence regarding what we have seen, but you refuse to accept our testimony.g*G 'You're a famous teacher in Israel, and yet you don't understand such things?' Jesus replied.6)g 'How is this possible?' Nicodemus asked.N(The wind blows wherever it wants, and just as you hear the sound it makes, but don't know where it's coming from or where it's going, that's how it is for everyone who is born of the spirit.'E'Don't be surprised at my telling you, 'You must be reborn.'V&%'What's born of the flesh is flesh, and what's born of the Spirit is Spirit.|%q'I tell you the truth, you can't enter God's kingdom unless you are born of water and the Spirit,' Jesus told him.$'How can you be reborn when you're old?' Nicodemus asked. 'You can't go back into your mother's womb and be born a second time!'r#]'I tell you the truth,' Jesus replied, 'Unless you are reborn, you can't experience God's kingdom.'E"He came at night to where Jesus was and said, 'Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God, for nobody could do the miraculous signs you're doing unless God was with him.'_! 9There was a man named Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council.` 9He didn't need anyone to tell him about human nature for he knew the way people think.T!But Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all about people.taAs a result of the miracles Jesus did while he was in Jerusalem during the Passover, many believed in him.After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered what he said, and so they believed in Scripture and Jesus' own words.;qBut the Temple Jesus was speaking of was his body.'It took forty-six years to build this Temple, and you're going to raise it up in three days?' the Jewish leaders replied.X)Jesus replied, 'Destroy this Temple, and in three days I'll raise it up!'  The Jewish leaders reacted, asking him, 'What right do you have for doing this? Show us some miraculous sign to prove it!'wHis disciples remembered the Scripture that says, 'My devotion for your house is like a fire burning inside me!'s_He ordered the dove-sellers, 'Take these things out of here! Don't turn my Father's house into a market!'2]He made a whip out of cords and drove everyone out of the Temple, along with the sheep and cattle, scattering coins of the money-changers and turning over their tables.ucIn the Temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves; and money-changers sitting at their tables.W' Since it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went on to Jerusalem.xi After this Jesus left for Capernaum with his mother, brothers, and disciples where they stayed for a few days..U This was the very first of Jesus' miraculous signs, and was performed in Cana of Galilee. Here he revealed his glory, and his disciples put their trust in him.<q 'Everyone serves out the best wine first,' he told him, 'and once people have had plenty to drink, then they put out the cheaper wine. But you have kept the best wine till last!'=s The master of ceremonies didn't know where it had come from, only the servants knew. But when he tasted the water that had been turned to wine, he called the bridegroom over.mSThen he told them, 'Pour some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.' So they took him some.T!'Fill the jars with water,' Jesus told them. So they filled them right up. }Standing nearby were six stone jars used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each one holding twenty to thirty gallons .H  His mother told the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'Y +'Mother, why should you involve me ? My time hasn't come yet,' he replied.\ 1The wine ran out, so Jesus' mother told him, 'They don't have any more wine.'G Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.[ 1Two days later a wedding was held at Cana in Galilee, and Jesus' mother was there.  3Then Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open, and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of man.'  2'You believe this just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree?' Jesus replied. 'You'll get to see much more than that!W )1'Rabbi, you are the Son of God, the king of Israel!' Nathaniel exclaimed.  0'How do you know who I am?' Nathanael asked.'I saw you there under the fig tree, before Philip called you,' Jesus replied. }/As Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said about him, 'Look, here's a true Israelite! There's nothing false about him.'~ w.'From Nazareth? Can anything good come from there?' Nathanael wondered.'Just come and see,' Philip replied.. W-Philip found Nathanael and told him, 'We've found the one that Moses wrote about in the law and that the prophets did too Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.'W ),Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town that Andrew and Peter came from.j O+The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Jesus found Philip there, and told him, 'Follow me.'!~ =*He took him to Jesus. Looking directly at Simon, Jesus said, 'You are Simon, son of John. But now you will be called Cephas (which means 'Peter' ).t} c)He went at once to find his brother Simon and told him, 'We've found the Messiah!' (which means 'Christ' ).|| s(Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of these two disciples who had heard what John said and followed Jesus.${ C''Come and see,' he told them. So they went with him and saw where he was staying. It was about four p.m., and they spent the rest of the day with him.8z k&Jesus turned round and saw them following him. 'What are you looking for?' he asked them,'Rabbi (which means 'Teacher'), where are you staying?' they asked in reply.Uy %%When the two disciples heard what he said they went and followed Jesus.Lx $He saw Jesus passing by, and said, 'Look! This is the Lamb of God!'Hw  #The next day John was standing there with two of his disciples.Iv  "I saw it happen and I declare that this is the Son of God.'Cu !I wouldn't have known him except he who sent me to baptize with water had told me, 'The one you see the Spirit descend to and rest upon, he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'wt i John gave his evidence about him, saying, 'I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and rest upon him.ws iI didn't know myself who he was, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.'r 3This is the one I was talking about when I said, A man who is coming after me is more important than me, for before I ever existed he already was.'|q sThe next day John saw Jesus approaching him, and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!Wp )This all happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.Oo He is coming after me, but I am not even worthy to untie his sandals.'_n 9John replied, 'I baptize with water, but standing among you is someone you don't know.lm Sasked him, 'Why then are you baptizing, if you're not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?'5l gThe priests and Levites sent by the Phariseesk 'I am 'a voice calling in the desert, 'Make the Lord's way straight!''' he said, using the words of the prophet Isaiah .j 'Well, who are you, then?' they asked. 'We have to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?' i 'So then, who are you?' they asked. 'Elijah?''No, I'm not,' he answered.'Are you the Prophet ?''No,' he replied.[h 1John declared plainly and clearly without hesitation, 'I am not the Messiah.'g This is what John publicly stated when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you?'f yWhile no one has ever seen God, God the one and only, who is close to the Father, has shown us what God is like .Te #The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.]d 5We have all been recipients of his generous nature, one gracious gift after another.dc CJohn gave his testimony about him, shouting out to the people, 'This is the one I was telling you about when I said, 'The one who is coming after me is more important than me, for before I ever existed he already was.''b The Word became human and lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son, full of grace and truth.a  These are the children born not in the usual way, not as the result of human desire or a father's decision, but born of God.j` O But to all those who accepted him and trusted in him, he gave the right to become God's children.>_ y He came to his own people, but they didn't accept him.k^ Q He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world didn't know who he was .L]  The true light was coming into the world to give light to everyone.K\ He himself was not the light, but he came to witness to the light.d[ CHe came as a witness to explain about the light so that everyone might believe through him."Z AGod sent a man named John.ZY /The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not extinguished it .AX In him was life, the life that was the light of everyone.UW %Everything came into being through him; nothing came into being without him.)V OIn the beginning he was with God.\U 5In the beginning the Word already was . The Word was with God, and the Word was God.>Tw5They spent all their time in the Temple praising God.NS4They worshiped him, and then they returned to Jerusalem full of joy.OR3While he was blessing them, he left them, and was taken up to heaven.gQG2Then he led them out until they were near Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them.{Po1Now I'm going to send you what my Father promised but wait in the city until you receive power from heaven.''OI0You are witnesses of all this.jNM/repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. M.He told them, 'It was written like this: the Messiah would suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that in his nameTL!-Then he opened their minds so they were able to understand the Scriptures.DK,Then Jesus said to them, 'This is what I explained to you while I was still with you. Everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, had to be fulfilled.'9Jm+and he took it and ate it in front of them..IW*They gave him a piece of cooked fish,H})But they still couldn't believe it because they were so elated and amazed. He asked them, 'Do you have anything to eat?'=Gu(Having said this, he showed them his hands and feet. F9''Look at my hands and my feet you can see it's me. Touch me and you'll be certain, for a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones, as you see I have.'HE &'Why are you frightened? Why are you doubting?' he asked them.PD%They were startled and afraid, thinking they were seeing a ghost.\C1$While they were talking, Jesus himself stood among them, and said, 'Peace to you!'(BI#Then those who had just arrived explained to the other disciples what had happened to them on the road, and how they had recognized Jesus when he broke bread.UA#"who said, 'The Lord has really risen again! He has appeared to Simon.'@!They got up right away and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and those who were with them meeting together, ?  The two disciples said to each other, 'Weren't our thoughts on fire when he spoke to us, as he explained the Scriptures to us?'^>5Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. Then he disappeared from view.n=UWhen he sat down to eat with them, he took the bread and gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them.<But they urged him, saying, 'Please come and stay with us. It's getting late the day is almost over.' So he went to stay with them.k;OAs they approached the village they were going to, Jesus made it seem as if he was going further.:{Then, starting with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them all that was said in Scripture about himself.R9Didn't the Messiah have to suffer before he could enter into his glory?'d8AJesus told them, 'You're so dull! How slow you are to trust in all that the prophets said!i7KSome of us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women said but they didn't see him.'6-At dawn they went to the tomb and they didn't find his body. They came back saying that they'd seen a vision of angels who told them he's alive.?5y'But then some of the women in our group surprised us.}4sWe had hoped he was the one who was going to rescue Israel. It's been three days now since all this happened.'l3QBut our high priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him.12['What things?' Jesus asked. 'About Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied, 'He was a prophet who spoke powerfully and performed great miracles before God and all the people.81iOne of them, called Cleopas, replied, 'Are you just visiting Jerusalem? You must be the only person who doesn't know the things that have happened in the past few days.'d0A'What are you discussing as you walk along?' he asked them. They stopped, their faces sad.6/gBut they were kept from recognizing him.U.#As they discussed and debated, Jesus came up and started walking with them.7-iThey were talking about all that had happened.t,a The same day two disciples were on their way to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.,+Q However Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Bending down, he looked in and saw only the linen grave-clothes. So he went back home, wondering what had happened.P* But it seemed like nonsense to them, so they didn't believe the women. )  Those who told the apostles what had happened were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women with them.}(s When they returned from the tomb they reported all that had happened to the eleven disciples and to all the others.-'UThen they remembered what he'd said.{&oThe Son of man must be betrayed into the hands of evil men, be crucified, and on the third day rise again.''m%SHe's not here; he's risen from the dead! Remember what he told you while you were still in Galilee:($IThe women were terrified and bowed down, their faces on the ground. They said to the women, 'Why are you looking for someone who is alive among the dead?{#oWhile they were wondering what was going on, two men suddenly appeared dressed in clothes that shone brilliantly.L"but when they went in they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus.W!'They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance to the tomb,p  [Very early on the first day of the week, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they'd prepared.{o8They returned home and prepared spices and ointments . But on the Sabbath they rested, observing the commandment.7The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee had followed Joseph and had seen the tomb where Jesus' body had been laid.A}6It was preparation day and the Sabbath would soon begin.q[5Once he'd taken it down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth. He laid Jesus in an unused tomb cut from rock.9m4Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.!;3but he hadn't agreed with its decisions and the actions. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God.`92There was a man called Joseph who was good and honest. He was a member of the council,zm1But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who'd followed him from Galilee, watched from a distance.ta0When all the crowds that had come to watch saw what happened they went home beating their chests in grief.kO/When the centurion saw what had happened he praised God and said, 'Surely this man was innocent.'.Jesus called out in a loud voice, 'Father, I place my spirit in your hands.' Having said this he breathed his last .Q-The sun's light was shut out, and the Temple veil was torn in two.mS,By this time it was around noon and darkness fell over the whole land until three in the afternoon.O+Jesus replied, 'I promise you today you will be with me in paradise.'Y+*Then he said, 'Jesus, please remember me when you come into your kingdom.'y)'For us the sentence is right since we're being punished for what we did, but this man didn't do anything wrong.'(But the other criminal disagreed and argued with him, 'Don't you fear God even when you're suffering the same punishment?' he asked.-'One of the criminals hanging there joined in the insults against Jesus. 'Aren't you the Messiah?' he said. 'Then save yourself and us too!'^ 5&Above Jesus was a sign on which it was written, 'This is the King of the Jews.'D %'If you're the King of the Jews, then save yourself.'_ 7$The soldiers also mocked him, coming up to him and offering him wine vinegar, saying,0 Y#The people stood and watched and the leaders sneered at Jesus. 'He saved others, let him save himself, if he is really God's Messiah, the Chosen One,' they said. )"Jesus said, 'Father, please forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing.' They divided up his clothes by throwing dice for them.)!When they reached the place called the Skull they crucified him together with the criminals, one on his right, and the other on his left.O They also took two others who were criminals to be executed with him.^5For if they do this to wood that is new, what will happen when it's dried out?'X)They'll say to the mountains, 'Fall down on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.')For the time is coming when they'll say, 'Happy are those who are childless, and those who never had babies, and those who never nursed them.'{oJesus turned to them and said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me. Weep for yourselves and your children.[/A large crowd followed him, along with women who were mourning and lamenting him.5cAs the soldiers led him away, they seized a man called Simon of Cyrene, who had come in from the countryside. They put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.He released the man imprisoned for rebellion and murder, but he sent Jesus to be put to death in accordance with their demands .4cand Pilate gave the sentence they demanded.r~]But they continued insisting with loud shouts, demanding that he be crucified. Their shouting succeeded,8}iPilate asked them for the third time, 'But why? What crime has he committed? I don't find any reason for executing him. So I will have him flogged and then release him.'E|But they kept on shouting, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!'@{{Pilate wanted to release Jesus, so spoke to them again.mzS(Barabbas had been put in prison for taking part in a rebellion in the city, and for murder.).Uy#But they shouted all together, 'Kill this man, and release Barabbas to us.' x ?wySo I will have him flogged and then release him.'tvaNeither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. He has done nothing that demands he should be put to death.au;and told them, 'You brought this man before me, accusing him of inciting the people to rebellion. I've carefully examined him in your presence, and do not find him guilty of the charges you have brought against him.Kt Pilate called together the chief priests, rulers, and the people,`s9 From that day on Herod and Pilate were friends before that they had been enemies.r Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt and mocked him. Then they placed a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.Uq# The chief priests and religious teachers stood there, angrily accusing him.Mp He asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus did not answer him at all.$oAHerod was very pleased to see Jesus since he had wanted to meet him for a long time. He had heard about Jesus and was hoping to see him perform a miracle. n When he discovered that Jesus came under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was also in Jerusalem at the time.EmWhen he heard this, Pilate asked, 'Is this man a Galilean?'lBut they insisted, saying, 'He is inciting rebellion all over Judea with his teachings, from Galilee to right here in Jerusalem.'qk[Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, 'I don't find this man guilty of any crime.'  9B~~i}}}1||{{j{zryyxrxwvv-uuLttCssKrrrLqqlppPooqoConpmmJlll"kkk6jj%ii_hh?ggff!eeIddcccFbhaaA``4_[_^^)]\\\D[[CZZZYhXXTXWW VV_V>>$=<<|<;d::I9988M777B66u64555"44!333J22e2100///.L--,,S,++*|))\((_''&&&%%X$$$##A#""!!! t`"`l6[\ZPQZlIA i v *  * Mc-O79u c After bringing them out, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. } The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.M  The one who comes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.   'I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't come in through the gate of the sheepfold but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber.x i )Jesus answered, 'If you were blind, you wouldn't be guilty. But now that you say you see, your guilt remains.'a; (Some Pharisees who were there with Jesus asked him, 'We're not blind too, are we?'+ 'Then Jesus told him, 'I've come into the world to bring judgment so that those who are blind may see, and those who see will become blind.S &'I trust you Lord!' he said, and he kneeled in worship before Jesus.]3 %'You've already seen him. He's the one speaking with you now!' Jesus told him.W' $The man replied, 'Tell me who he is, sir, so I can put my trust in him.'y #When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found the man, and asked him, 'Do you trust in the Son of man?'   "'You were born totally sinful, and yet you're trying to lecture us,' they replied. And they threw him out of the synagogue.A} !If this man weren't from God, he could do nothing.'a; Never before in the whole of history has anyone heard of a man born blind being healed.{o We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but he does listen to anyone who worships him and does what he wants.i~K The man answered, 'That's incredible! You don't know where he comes from but he opened my eyes. } We're disciples of Moses'. We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this person, we don't even know where he comes from.'K| They shouted abuse at him, and said, 'You're that man's disciple.{' The man replied, 'I already told you. Weren't you listening? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?'Wz' Then they asked him, 'What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?'yw The man replied, 'Whether he's a sinner or not, I don't know. All I know is that I was blind and now I can see.'x Once more they called in the man who had been blind, and told him, 'Give God the glory! We know this man is a sinner.'Iw  That was why his parents said, 'Ask him, he's old enough.'ovW The reason his parents said this was because they were afraid of what the Jewish leaders would do. The Jewish leaders had already announced that anyone who declared that Jesus was the Messiah would be thrown out of the synagogue.u But we've no idea how he can see now, or who healed him. Why don't you ask him, he's old enough. He can speak for himself.'Lt His parents answered, 'We know this is our son who was born blind.qs[ They asked them, 'Is this your son whom you say was born blind? So how is it that now he can see?'r The Jewish leaders still refused to believe that the man had been blind could now see until they had called in the man's parents.4qa So they went on questioning the man. 'What's your opinion about him, then, since it's your eyes he opened,' they asked.'He's surely a prophet,' the man replied.[p/ Some of the Pharisees said, 'The man who did this can't be from God because he doesn't keep the Sabbath.' But others wondered, 'How could a sinner do such miracles?' So they were divided in their opinion.o  So the Pharisees also asked him how he could see. He told them, 'He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.']n3 Now it was the Sabbath when Jesus had made the mud and opened the blind man's eyes.?my They took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees.Il  'Where is he?' they asked.'I don't know,' he replied.7kg He replied, 'A man called Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes and told me, 'Go and wash yourself in the Pool of Siloam.' So I went and washed, and now I can see.'9jm 'So how is it you can see?' they asked him.i Some said he was, while others said 'no, it's just someone who looks like him.' But the man kept saying, 'It is me!'uhc His neighbors and those who had known him as a beggar, asked, 'Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?'.gU Then Jesus told him, 'Go and wash yourself in the Pool of Siloam' (which means 'sent'). So the man went and washed himself, and when he went home he could see.zfm After he'd said this, Jesus spat on the ground and made some mud with the saliva which he put on the man's eyes.He  While I'm here in the world I am the light of the world.' d We have to keep on doing the work of the One who sent me as long as it is still daytime. The night is coming when no one can work.cy Jesus replied, 'It wasn't because the man or his parents sinned, but so that what God can do may be shown in his life.{bo His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, why was this man born blind? Was it him who sinned, or was it his parents?'9a o As Jesus was passing by, he saw a man born blind.l`Q;At this they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus was hidden from them and he left the Temple.Q_:'I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am,' said Jesus.\^19The Jews replied, 'You're not even fifty years old, and you've seen Abraham?'y]k8Your father Abraham was delighted as he looked forward to see my coming, and was so happy when he saw it.'\/7You don't know him, but I know him. If I were to say, 'I don't know him,' I'd be a liar, just like you. But I do know him, and I do what he says.[6Jesus answered, 'If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. But it is God himself who glorifies me, the one you claim, 'He is our God.'rZ]5Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and the prophets died. Who do you think you are?'.YU4'Now we know you're demon-possessed,' said the Jews. 'Abraham died, and the prophets did too, and you're telling us 'anyone who follows my teaching will never die'!TX!3I tell you the truth, anyone who follows my teaching will never die.'sW_2I'm not here looking to glorify myself. But there is One who does this for me and who judges in my favor.]V31'No, I don't have a demon,' Jesus replied. 'I honor my Father, but you dishonor me._U70'Aren't we right to call you a Samaritan who is demon-possessed?' said the Jews.T/Anyone who belongs to God listens to what God says. The reason you don't listen is because you don't belong to God.'rS].Can any one of you prove that I'm guilty of sin? If I'm telling you the truth, why don't you believe me??Ry-So because I tell you the truth, you don't believe me!Q,Your father is the Devil, and you love to follow your father's evil desires. He was a murderer from the beginning. He never stood for the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies he reveals his true character, for he's a liar and the father of lies._P7+Why can't you understand what I'm saying? It's because you refuse to hear my message!)OK*Jesus replied, 'If God really was your father, you would love me. I came from God and now I am here. The decision to come wasn't mine, but the One who sent me.N})You're doing what your father does.''Well we are not illegitimate,' they responded. 'God alone is our father!'M('But you are trying to kill me now, because I told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham would never have done that. L''Abraham is our father,' they answered.'If you really were children of Abraham, you'd do what Abraham did,' Jesus told them.kKO&I'm telling you what the Father has revealed to me, while you do what your father told you.'rJ]%I know you're Abraham's descendants. yet you're trying to kill me because you refuse to accept my words.:Io$If the Son sets you free, then you're truly free.hHI#A slave doesn't have permanent place in the family, but the son is part of the family forever.TG!"Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. F !'We're descendants of Abraham! We've never been slaves to anyone,' they answered. 'How can you say that we'll be set free?'IE  You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'xDiThen Jesus said to those Jews who trusted in him, 'If you follow my teaching then you really are my disciples.LCMany who heard Jesus say these things put their trust in him.eBCThe One who sent me is with me; he has not abandoned me, for I always do what pleases him.'!A;'When you have lifted up the Son of man then you'll know that I am the 'I am,' and that I do nothing of myself, but only say what the Father taught me.o@WThey didn't understand that he was talking to them about the Father. So Jesus explained to them:??w'There's much I could say about you, and much I could condemn. But the one who sent me tells the truth, and what I'm saying to you here in this world is what I heard from him.'s>_Then they asked him, 'Who are you?''Exactly who I told you I was from the beginning,' Jesus replied.=That is why I told you that you'll die in your sins. For if you don't trust in me, the 'I am,' you'll die in your sins.'o<WJesus told them, 'You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.;The Jews wondered out loud, 'Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means when he says 'You can't come where I'm going'?' : Jesus told them again, 'I'm leaving, and you'll search for me, but you'll die in your sin. You can't come where I'm going.'9Jesus explained this while he was teaching near the Temple treasury. Yet no one arrested him because his time had not yet come.85'Where is your father?' they asked him.'You don't know me or my Father,' Jesus replied. 'If you knew me then you would know my Father as well.'R7I am my own witness, and my other witness is my Father who sent me.K6Your own law states that the testimony of two witnesses is valid.5wEven if I did judge, my judgment would be right because I am not doing this alone. The Father who sent me is with me.G4You judge in a typically human way, but I don't judge anyone.;3o'Even if I am my own witness, my testimony is true,' Jesus told them, 'for I know where I came from and where I'm going. But you don't know where I came from or where I'm going.k2O The Pharisees replied, 'You can't be your own witness! What you say doesn't prove anything!'11[ Jesus spoke again to the people, telling them, 'I am the light of the world. If you follow me you won't walk in darkness for you will have the life-giving light.'}0s 'No one did, sir,' she replied.'I don't condemn you either,' Jesus told her. 'Go, and don't sin anymore.'i/K Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Where are they? Didn't anybody stay to condemn you?'-.S When they heard this they began to leave, one by one, starting with the oldest until Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman still standing there.I- Then he bent down again and went on writing on the ground.,They kept on demanding an answer, so he stood up and told them, 'Whichever one of you has never sinned may throw the first stone at her.' +They said this to try and trap Jesus so they could condemn him. But Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.R*Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. What do you say?'U)#They said to Jesus, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ( The religious teachers and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught committing adultery and made her stand before everyone.'wEarly in the morning he returned to the Temple where many people gathered around him and he sat down and taught them..& Ybut Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.!%=5Then they all went home,$4'So you're a Galilean as well, are you?' they replied. 'Check the Scriptures and you'll discover that no prophet comes from Galilee!'k#O3'Does our law condemn a man without a hearing and without finding out what he actually did?'["/2Nicodemus, who had previously gone to meet Jesus, was one of them and asked them,c!?1But this crowd that knows nothing about teachings of the law they're damned anyway!'K 0'Has a single one of the rulers or Pharisees believed in him? No!>w/'Have you been fooled too?' the Pharisees asked them.J .'Nobody ever spoke like this man does,' the guards replied.}s-Then the guards returned to the chief priests and the Pharisees who asked them, 'Why didn't you bring him in?'H ,Some wanted to arrest him, but nobody laid a hand on him.D+So the crowd had a strong difference of opinion about him.ve*Doesn't Scripture say that the Messiah comes from David's lineage, and from David's home town of Bethlehem?'fE)Others said, 'He is the Messiah!' Still others said, 'How can the Messiah come from Galilee?fE(When they heard these words, some of the people said, 'This man is definitely the Prophet !'*M'He was referring to the Spirit that those who trusted in him would later receive. The Spirit hadn't been given yet because Jesus hadn't yet been glorified.yk&If you trust in me, you will have streams of life-giving water flowing out from within you, as Scripture says.''%On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted out in a loud voice, 'If you're thirsty, come to me and drink.}s$What does he mean by saying, You'll search for me but you won't find me; and you can't come where I'm going'?'2]#The Jews said to each other, 'Where could he be going that we couldn't find him? Is he planning to go to those scattered among the foreigners, and teach the foreigners?_7"You'll search for me but you won't find me; and you can't come where I'm going.'zm!Then Jesus told the people, 'I'll be with you just a little longer, but then I'll return to the One who sent me. When the Pharisees heard the crowd whispering this about him, they and the chief priests sent guards to arrest Jesus.7However many of the crowd did put their trust in him. 'When the Messiah appears, will he do more miraculous signs than this man has done?' they said.gGSo they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him because his time had not yet come.D but I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.'W 'While he was teaching in the Temple, Jesus called out in a loud voice, 'So you think you know me and where I'm from? However I did not come for my own sake. The One who sent me is true. You don't know him, But that's not possible because we know where he comes from. When the Messiah comes, nobody will know where he's from.' But see how openly he's speaking, and they're saying nothing to him. Do you think the authorities believe he's the Messiah?h IThen some of those from Jerusalem began wondering, 'Isn't this the one they're trying to kill??yDon't judge by appearances; decide what's right!'+If you circumcise on the Sabbath to make sure that the law of Moses isn't broken, why are you angry with me for healing someone on the Sabbath?(IHowever because Moses told you to circumcise not that it really came from Moses, but from your forefathers before him you perform circumcision on the Sabbath.J 'I did one miracle and you're all shocked by it,' Jesus replied.U#'You're demon-possessed!' the crowd replied. 'No one's trying to kill you!'pYMoses gave you the law, didn't he? Yet none of you keeps the law! Why are you trying to kill me?'Those who speak for themselves want to glorify themselves, but someone who glorifies the one who sent him is truthful and not deceitful.{Anyone who chooses to follow what God wants will know if my teaching comes from God or if I'm only speaking for myself.SJesus answered, 'My teaching is not from me but from the One who sent me.  The Jewish leaders were very surprised, and asked, 'How does this man have so much learning when he hasn't been educated?'\~1When the festival was halfway through Jesus went to the Temple and began to teach.}w But no one dared to speak openly about him because they were afraid of what the Jewish leaders would do to them. | Many people in the crowds were complaining about him. Some said, 'He's a good man,' while others argued, 'No! He deceives people.'j{M Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were searching for him and kept on asking, 'Where is he?'pzY After his brothers left to go to the festival, Jesus also went, but not openly he stayed out of sight.xxiYou go on to the festival. I'm not going to this festival because this is not the right time for me, not yet.'sw_The world has no reason to hate you, but it does hate me, because I make it clear that its ways are evil.v Jesus told them, 'This is not my time to go, not yet; but you can go whenever you want, for any time's the right time for you.FuFor even his own brothers really didn't believe in him.t{No one who wants to be famous keeps what they do hidden. If you can do such miracles, then show yourself to the world!'shis brothers told him, 'You ought to leave and go to Judea so your followers will be able to see what miracles you can do.OrBut as it was almost time for the Jewish festival of the Tabernacles,q +After this, Jesus spent his time going from place to place in Galilee. He did not want to do so in Judea because the Jews were out to kill him.pwG(Jesus was referring to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. He was the one of the twelve disciples who would betray Jesus).`o9FJesus replied, 'Didn't I choose you, the twelve disciples? Yet one of you is a devil,'QnEWe trust in you, and we're convinced that you are God's Holy One.'mmSDSimon Peter answered, 'Lord, who would we follow? You're the one who has the words of eternal life.elCCThen Jesus asked the twelve disciples, 'What about you? Do you want to leave as well?'Xk)BFrom this time on many of Jesus' disciples gave up and no longer followed him.yjkAJesus added, 'This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is made possible by the Father.'i'@Yet there are some of you who don't trust me.' (Jesus had known from the very beginning who didn't trust him, and who would betray him).uhc?The Spirit gives life; the physical body doesn't do anything . The words I've told you are spirit and life!Mg>Then what if you were to see the Son ascend to where he was before?pfY=Jesus saw that his disciples were complaining about this, so he asked them, 'Are you offended by this?jeMQd;Jesus explained this while he was teaching in a synagogue at Capernaum.!c;:Now this is the bread that came down from heaven, not the kind your forefathers ate and still died. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever.'b9Just as the life-giving Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so anyone who feeds on me will live because of me.Wa'8Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood remain in me, and I remain in them.?`y7For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.p_Y6Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.^ 5Jesus told them, 'I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you cannot truly live.w]g4Then the Jews argued heatedly among themselves. 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' they asked.&\E3I am the life-giving bread from heaven, and anyone who eats this bread will live forever. The bread is my flesh that I give so that the world may live.c[?2But this is the bread that comes down from heaven, and anyone who eats it won't ever die.GZ1Your forefathers ate manna in the desert but they still died. Y;0I am the bread of life.JX /I tell you the truth: anyone who trusts in him has eternal life.ZW-.Not that anyone has seen God, except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.V%-As is written in Scripture by the prophets, Everyone will be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to and learns from the Father comes to me.wUg,'No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me attracts them, and I will raise them up at the last day.4Tc+'Stop grumbling to each other,' Jesus said.S+*They said, 'Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and his mother. So how can he now tell us, 'I came down from heaven'?'tRa)Then the Jews began to grumble about him because he had said, 'I am the bread that came down from heaven.'Q-(What my Father wants is for everyone who sees the Son and trusts in him to have eternal life, and for me to raise them up at the last day.'vPe'What he wants is for me not to lose anyone he has given to me, but for me to raise them up at the last day .fOE&For I came down from heaven not to do what I want, but to do what the One who sent me wants.XN)%All those the Father gives me will come to me, and I won't reject any of them.[M/$But as I explained to you before, you have seen me, but you still don't trust me.L7#'I am the bread of life,' Jesus replied. 'Anyone who comes to me will never be hungry again, and anyone who trusts in me will never be thirsty again.QK"'Lord, please give us this kind of bread all the time!' they said.bJ=!For the bread of God is the one who comes from heaven and gives life to the world.'I) 'I tell you the truth, it wasn't Moses who gave you bread from heaven,' Jesus replied. 'It's my Father who gives you the true bread of heaven. H'Our forefathers ate manna in the desert in fulfillment of the Scripture that says, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.''yGk'What miracle are you going to perform for us to see so we can trust you? What are you able to do?' they asked.XF)Jesus replied, 'What God wants you to do is to trust in the one he sent.'XE)So they asked him, 'What do we have to do in order to do what God wants?'UD#Don't be preoccupied about food that doesn't last, but concentrate on the lasting food of eternal life which the Son of man will give you, for God the Father has placed his seal of approval on him.'C%'I tell you the truth,' Jesus replied, 'you're looking because you ate as much bread as you wanted, not because you understood the miracles.pBYWhen they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, 'Rabbi, when did you get here?'A+Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went over to Capernaum, looking for Jesus.@Then other boats arrived from Tiberias, landing near to the place where they'd eaten the bread once the Lord had blessed it.Z?-The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea noticed that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but they had left without him.u>cThen they gladly took him into the boat, and immediately they reached the shore where they were going.4=c'Don't be afraid!' he told them. 'It's me.' < When they had rowed three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, coming towards the boat. They were very frightened.<;sA strong wind began blowing and the sea grew rough.:climbed into a boat, and headed across the water towards Capernaum. By now it was night and Jesus had not joined them yet.?9yWhen evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,8Jesus realized that they were about to force him to become their king, so he left them and went up into the hills to be by himself.s7_When the people saw this miracle, they said, 'Surely this is the Prophet who was to come into the world.'u6c So they collected and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves the people had eaten.m5S Once they were all full, he said to his disciples, 'Collect what's left over so nothing is wasted.'<4q Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, and had it handed out to the people as they sat there. Then he did the same with the fishes, making sure the people had as much as they wanted.3 'Have everybody sit down,' Jesus said. There was plenty of grass there, so they all sat down, the men numbering around five thousand. 2  'There's a boy here who has five barley loaves and a couple of fish, but what good is that when there are so many people?'H1 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up.x0i'Two hundred silver coins wouldn't buy enough bread to give everyone even just a little,' Philip replied.v/eHe only asked this to see how Philip would respond, because Jesus already knew what he was going to do..!When Jesus looked up, and saw a large crowd coming towards him, he asked Philip, 'Where can we buy enough bread to feed all these people?'K-The time for the Jewish festival of the Passover was approaching.E,Jesus went up a hill and sat down there with his disciples.S+A large crowd was following him, for they'd seen his miracles of healing.r* _After this, Jesus left to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (also known as the Sea of Tiberias).R)/But since you don't trust what he said, why would you trust what I say?'[(/.For if you really trusted Moses you would trust in me, because he wrote about me.'--But don't think I will be making accusations about you to the Father. It's Moses who is accusing you, the one in whom you place such confidence.&,How can you trust in me when you look for praise from one another and yet you don't look for praise from the one true God? %+For I've come to represent my Father, and you won't accept me; but if someone comes representing themselves, then you accept them!@${* I know you, and that you don't have God's love in you.+#Q)I'm not looking for human approvalF"(And yet you don't want to come to me so that you might live.!''You search the Scriptures because you think that through them you'll gain eternal life. But the evidence they give is in support of me!] 3&and you don't accept what he says, because you don't trust in the one he sent.8i%and this is the proof that the Father sent me. The Father who sent me, he himself speaks on my behalf. You've never heard his voice, and you've never seen what he looks like,ta$But the evidence I'm giving is greater than John's. For I am doing the work that the Father gave me to do,fE#John was like a brightly-burning light, and you were willing to enjoy his light for a while.a;"but I don't need any human endorsement. I'm explaining this to you so you can be saved.8k!You asked John about me, and he told the truth,]3 but someone else gives evidence about me, and I know what he says about me is true.OIf I were to make claims about myself, such claims wouldn't be valid;"=I can do nothing by myself. I judge based on what I'm told, and my decision is right, for I'm not doing my own will but the will of the One who sent me.%and will rise again: those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation.lQDon't be surprised at this, for the time is coming when all those in the grave will hear his voice^5The Father also granted the authority for judgment to him, for he is the Son of man.}sJust as the Father has life-giving power in himself, so has he given the Son the same life-giving power in himself. 9'I tell you the truth: The time is coming in fact it's here already when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live!,QI tell you the truth: those who follow what I say and trust the One who sent me have eternal life. They won't be condemned, but have gone from death to life.so that everyone may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who doesn't honor the Son doesn't honor the Father who sent him.W'The Father judges no one. He has given to the Son all the authority to judge,For just as the Father gives life to those he resurrects from the dead, in the same way the Son also gives life to those that he wants.*MFor the Father loves the Son, and reveals to him everything he does; and the Father will show to him even more incredible things that will completely amaze you.9 kJesus explained to them, 'I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does the Son does as well.( IThis was why the Jews tried even harder to kill him, for not only did he break the Sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God.I  But Jesus told them, 'My Father is still working, and so am I.'Y +So the Jews started to harass Jesus because he was doing things on the Sabbath.I  The man went and told the Jews it was Jesus who had healed him.5Later on Jesus found the man in the Temple, and told him. 'Look, now you've been healed. So stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.'zm However the man who'd been healed didn't know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the surrounding crowd.W' 'Who's this person who told you to carry your mat and walk?' they asked._7 'The man who healed me told me to pick up my mat and start walking,' he replied.yk So the Jews said to the man who'd been healed, 'This is the Sabbath! It's against the law to carry a mat!'  Immediately the man was healed. He picked up his mat and started walking. Now the day that this happened was the Sabbath.J 'Stand up, pick up your mat, and start walking!' Jesus told him.:m'Sir,' the sick man answered,' I don't have anyone to help me get into the pool when the water is stirred. While I'm trying to get there, someone always gets in before me'  Mu~~A}}A||{{|{"zyzycy xx#wwivvmv/uuuttt$ss2rr/qpppLooo*nnCmmHlllkk jj/iii hhFhggGfffVeee%ddccgbbaa8a``]__6^^]]]\\_\ [jZZrYYoXXWWJVV UUT[TSRReRQSQPP O`ONMMaLLL@KKK3JIIeHH(GG\FFFUEDD"CCBAA@@@?@??>>=<<;z;::*99088'77-66u6.55Q44833$22^2 11X00G//..:--,,+++**S)))-((=''+&%%0$$$U$ #3""|"!l pV *_P3on6{<Nnk%  ( v  y er7g#Mxi'At that time you will ask in my name. I'm not saying to you that I will plead with the Father on your behalf,=sI've been talking to you using picture language. But soon I won't use such picture language any more when I speak to you. Instead I'll explain the Father to you very plainly.{Until now you haven't asked for anything in my name, so ask and you shall receive, and your happiness will be complete.'When that time comes you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.|q'Yes, you're grieving now, but I will see you again; and you will rejoice, and no one can take away your joy.4aA woman in labor suffers pain because her time has come, but once the baby is born, she forgets the agony because of the joy that a child has been brought into the world. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will turn into joy.LJesus realized that they wanted to ask him about this. So he asked them, 'Are you wondering about my comment, 'In a little while you won't see me, but a little while after that you will see me'?s_They were asking, 'What does he mean by 'in a little while'? We don't know what he's talking about.'A{Some of his disciples said to one another, 'What does he mean, 'In a little while you won't see me, but a little while after that you will see me'? and 'For I'm going to the Father'?'oWIn a little while you won't see me anymore, but then a little while after that you will see me.'~ uAll that belongs to the Father is mine. This is why I said that the Spirit teaches you whatever he receives from me.M He brings me glory for he teaches you whatever he receives from me.@ y However, when the Spirit of truth comes, he will teach you the whole truth. He doesn't speak for himself, but he only says what he hears, and he will tell you what's going to happen.U # 'There's much more I want to explain to you, but you couldn't stand it now.J   Judgement, for the ruler of this world has been condemned .U# What is right, for I'm going to the Father and you won't see me any longer.)M Sin, for they don't trust in me.}When he comes, he will convince those in the world that they have wrong ideas regarding sin, what's right, and judgment:#?'But I'm telling you the truth: it's better for you that I go away, for if I don't the Comforter won't come to you. If I go away, I will send him to you.GOf course, now that I've told you, you're full of grief.oWBut now I'm going to the one who sent me, and yet not one of you is asking me, 'Where are you going?'c?I didn't need to tell you this right at the beginning because I was going to be with you.7They'll do this because they have never known the Father or me. I've told you this so that when these things happen, you'll remember what I told you. They will expel you from the synagogues in fact the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing God a service.C 'I've told you this so you won't give up your trust in me.[~/You will also give evidence about me because you were with me from the beginning.!};'But I will send you the Comforter from the Father. When he comes, he will give evidence about me. He is the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father.a|;But this just fulfilled what Scripture says, 'They hated me for no reason at all.'E{If I had not given them such a demonstration through things that no one had ever done before, they wouldn't be guilty of sin, but despite seeing all this they hated both me and my Father.5zeAnyone who hates me hates my Father as well.xyiIf I hadn't come and spoken to them, they wouldn't be guilty of sin but now they have no excuse for their sin.gxGBut everything they do to you will be because of me, for they don't know the One who sent me.Mw'Remember what I told you: servants aren't more important than their master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too. If they did what I told them, they will do what you tell them too./vWIf you were part of this world, it would love you as its own. But you're not part of the world, and I chose you out of the world that's why the world hates you.Qu'If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before it hated you.:toThis is my command to you: love one another.*sMYou didn't choose me, I chose you. I have given you the responsibility to go and produce lasting fruit. So the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.7rgI don't call you servants any longer, for servants are not taken into their master's confidence . I call you friends, for everything my Father told me I've explained to you.5qeYou're my friends if you do what I tell you.Kp There is no greater love than to give your life for your friends.Do 'This is my command: love one another as I have loved you.inK I've explained this to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.tma If you do what I say, you will remain in my love, just as I do what my Father says and remain in his love.Jl  'As the Father loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love.^k5My Father is glorified as you produce much fruit, proving you are my disciples.|jqIf you remain in me, and my words remain in you, then you can ask for whatever you want, and it will be given you.!i;Anyone who doesn't remain in me is like a branch that is thrown out and dries up. Such branches are gathered together, thrown into the fire and burned.h!I'm the vine, you're the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit for apart from me you can't do anything.=gsRemain in me, and I will remain in you . Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it remains part of the vine, so it is for you: you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me.KfYou are already pruned and made clean through what I've told you. e He cuts off every one of my branches that doesn't bear fruit. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so it can bear even more.;d s'I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.cwbut I'm doing what my Father told me to do so that the world will know that I love the Father. Now get up. Let's go.'qb[I can't talk to you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no power to control me,maSI've explained this to you now before it happens so that when it does happen you will be convinced.B`}'You've heard me tell you, 'I am going away, but I will come back to you.' If you really loved me, you would be happy because I'm going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.,_Q'Peace I leave you; my peace I'm giving you. The peace I give you is nothing like what the world gives. Don't let your minds be anxious, and don't be afraid.^+But when the Father sends the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, in my place, he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.D]'I'm explaining this to you while I'm still here with you.\}Those who don't love me don't do what I say. These words don't come from me, they come from the Father who sent me.[Jesus replied, 'Those who love me will do as I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with them.pZYJudas (not Iscariot) responded, 'Lord, why would you reveal yourself to us and not to the world?'(YIThose who keep my commands are the ones who love me, those who love me will be loved by my Father. I will love them too, and will reveal myself to them.'aX;On that day you will know that I live in the Father, you live in me, and I live in you.iWKSoon the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live too.HV 'I will not abandon you like orphans: I will come back to you.SUthe Spirit of truth, who will always be with you. The world cannot accept him because it isn't looking for him and does not know him. But you know him because he lives with you and will be in you.HT I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter,3SaIf you love me, you will keep my commands.cQ? I'll do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified through the Son.'PG 'I tell you the truth, anyone who trusts in me will do the same things I am doing. In fact they will do even greater things because I am going to the Father.#O? Believe me when I tell you that I live in the Father, and the Father lives in me, or at least believe because of the evidence of all that I've done.%NC Don't you believe that I live in the Father and the Father lives in me? The words I speak are not mine; it's the Father living in me who is doing his work.zKmIf you had known me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and you have seen him.'pJYJesus replied, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.eICThomas said to him, 'Lord, we don't know where you're going. How can we know the way?'3HaYou know the way to where I'm going.'GOnce I've gone and prepared a place for you, I will come again and take you with me, so that you can be there with me too.FIn my Father's house there are many rooms. If this wasn't so I would have told you. I'm going to prepare a place for you.NE 'Don't let your minds be anxious. Trust in God, trust in me as well .D  &'Are you really ready to die for me? I tell you the truth: before the cock crows you will deny me three times,' Jesus replied._C7 %'Lord, why can't I follow you now? Peter asked. 'I'll lay down my life for you.'B' $Simon Peter asked him, 'Where are you going, Lord?' Jesus answered, 'You can't follow me now where I'm going. You will follow me later.']A3 #If you love one another you will prove to everyone that you are my disciples.'m@S "I am giving you a new command: Love one another. Love one another in the same way I have loved you.2?] !My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, but I'm telling you now just as I told the Jews: you cannot come where I'm going.s>_ If God is glorified through him, then God will glorify the Son himself, and will glorify him immediately.j=M After he'd left, Jesus said, 'Now the Son of man is glorified, and through him God is glorified.f<E Judas left immediately after he'd taken the piece of bread and went out into the night.=;s Since Judas was in charge of the money some of them thought that Jesus was telling him to go and buy what was needed for the Passover festival, or to donate something to the poor.A:} No one at the table understood what Jesus meant by this.I9  After dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. Once Judas had taken the bread, Satan entered him. 'What you're going to do, do it quickly,' Jesus told him.d8A Jesus replied, 'It's the one to whom I will give a piece of bread after I have dipped it.'G7 So he leaned over to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, who is it?'R6 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus which one he was talking about.b5= The disciple whom Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table, leaning close him.^45 The disciples looked at each other, wondering which of them Jesus was talking about.3 After he had said this, Jesus was deeply troubled, and declared: 'I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.'2  I tell you the truth, whoever welcomes anyone I send welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the One who sent me.'w1g I'm telling you this now, before it happens, so when it does happen you will be convinced that I am who I am.0/ I'm not talking about all of you I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill Scripture: 'The one who shares my food has turned against me.S/ Now that you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do them.. I tell you the truth, servants are not more important than their master, and the one sent is not greater than the sender.D- I have set you an example, so you should do just as I did.a,; So if I, your Teacher and Lord, washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet.Q+ 'You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that's who I am. * After Jesus had washed their feet, he put his robe back on, and sat down. 'Do you understand what I've done to you?' he asked them.f)E For he knew who was going to betray him. That's why he said 'Not all of you are clean.'(' Jesus responded, 'Anyone who has had a bath only needs to wash their feet and then they're clean all over. You are clean but not all of you.'k'O 'Then, Lord, wash not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!' Simon Peter exclaimed.& 'No!' Peter protested. 'You'll never wash my feet!' Jesus replied, 'If I don't wash you, you have no part with me,'l%Q Jesus replied, 'You won't realize what I'm doing for you now. But one day you'll understand.'\$1 He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?'# He poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel he had wrapped around him.g"G So Jesus stood up from eating supper, took off his robe and wrapped a towel around his waist.!  Jesus knew that the Father had placed everything under his authority, and that he had come from God and was going back to God.  It was during supper, and the devil had already put the thought of betraying Jesus into the mind of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.u e It was the day before the Passover festival, and Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world and go to his Father. He had loved those in the world who were his own, and he now demonstrated his complete and utter love for them.oW 2I know that what he told me to say brings eternal life so whatever I say is what the Father told me.' 1For I'm not speaking for myself but for my Father who sent me. He is the one who instructed me what to say and how to say it.   0Anyone who rejects me and does not accept my words will be judged at the end-time judgment in accordance with what I have said.wg /I don't judge anyone who hears my words but doesn't do what I say. I came to save the world, not to judge it.lQ .I have come as a light shining into the world, so if you trust in me you won't remain in the dark.;q -When you see me you're seeing the one who sent me.oW ,Jesus called out, 'If you trust in me you're not just trusting in me but also in the one who sent me.?y +loving human admiration more than God's approval.'G *Even so many of the leaders did trust in him. However, they did not openly admit it because they did not want the Pharisees to expel them from the synagogue,I  )Isaiah saw Jesus' glory and said this in reference to him.A{ ('He blinded their eyes, and made their minds dull, so that their eyes would not see, and their minds would not think, and they would not turn to me for if they did I would heal them.'`9 'They were not able to trust him, and as a result they fulfilled what Isaiah also said:!; &This fulfilled the message of Isaiah the prophet who said, 'Lord, who has believed what we told them? To whom has the Lord's power been revealed?'hI %But despite all the miracles he had done in their presence, they still did not trust in Jesus./W $Put your trust in the light while you still have it so that you can become children of light.' When Jesus had told them this, he left and hid himself from them.M #Jesus replied, 'The light is here with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that the darkness doesn't overtake you. Those who walk in the dark don't know where they're going.+O "The crowd responded, 'The Law tells us that the Messiah will live forever, so how can you say the Son of man must be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of man'?' Q  !(He said this to point out the kind of death he was going to die).P  But when I am lifted up from the earth I will attract everyone to me.'] 3 Now is the judgment of this world; now the prince of this world will be thrown out.L  Jesus told them, 'This voice spoke not for my sake, but for yours.z m The crowd that was standing there heard it. Some said it thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Father, show the glory of your character .' A voice came from heaven, saying, 'I have shown its glory, and will show it again.''G 'Now I am troubled. What should I say? 'Father, save me from this coming time of suffering'? No, for this is why I came to go through this time of suffering. If you want to serve me you need to follow me. My servants will be where I am, and my Father will honor anyone who serves for me.  If you love your own life you will lose it, but if you don't love your own life in this world you will keep your life forever.*M I tell you the truth: unless a grain of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains just one grain. But if it dies, it produces many more grains of wheat.O Jesus replied, 'The time has come for the Son of man to be glorified.V% Philip went and told Andrew. Then they both went to Jesus and told him._7 They came to Philip of Bethsaida in Galilee, and said, 'Sir, we'd like to see Jesus.'=u Now some Greeks had come to the festival to worship.lQ The Pharisees said to one other, 'Look, we're getting nowhere. Everyone's running after him.'o~W That was the reason so many people went to meet Jesus because they had heard about this miracle.}}s Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb and raise him from the dead and were telling the story.M| At the time, Jesus' disciples did not understand what these things meant. It was only later when he was glorified that they realized what had happened had been prophesied and applied to him.a{; 'Don't be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, riding a donkey's colt.'Gz Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, as Scripture says:)yK They cut off palm branches and went to welcome him, shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is the one coming in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the king of Israel.'x The following day the crowds of people who had come for the Passover festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.ywk since it was because of him that many Jews were no longer following them but putting their trust in Jesus.>vw So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus as well,.uU A large crowd had found out that he was there. They came there not just to see Jesus but because they wanted to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead.]t3 You'll always have the poor here with you, but you won't always have me here.'fsE 'Don't criticize her,' Jesus replied. 'She did this in preparation for the day of my burial.9rk He wasn't saying this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was the one who looked after the disciples' money and he often took some for himself.rq] 'Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth three hundred denarii.'Xp) But one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, who would later betray Jesus, asked,!o; Mary brought a pint of pure nard perfume and anointed Jesus' feet, wiping them dry with her hair. The scent of the perfume filled the whole house.n There a dinner was arranged in his honor. Martha helped serve the food while Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus and the others guests.sm a Six days before the Passover Jesus went to Bethany, the home of Lazarus who had been raised from the dead.l 9The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should report it so they could arrest him.)kK 8People were looking for Jesus and talking about him as they stood in the Temple. 'What do you think?' they asked each other.' Isn't he coming to the festival?'j 7It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover, and many people went from the countryside to Jerusalem to purify themselves for the Passover.!i; 6So Jesus did not travel openly among the Jews but went to a town called Ephraim in the region near the desert and stayed there with his disciples.Bh 5From that time on they plotted how they might kill Jesus. g9 4And this was not just for the Jewish nation, but for all the scattered children of God so that they might be gathered together and made into one.~fu 3He didn't say this on his own, but as chief priest that year he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation.ew 2'Can't you see that it's better for you that one man die for the people so that the whole nation won't be destroyed?'Xd) 1'You don't understand anything!' said Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.c+ 0If we allow him to continue, everybody will believe in him, and then the Romans will destroy both the Temple and our status as a nation .'b1 /Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the ruling council. 'What shall we do?' they asked. 'This man is doing many miracles.Ra .But others went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.w`g -Consequently many of the Jews who had come to comfort Mary and who saw what Jesus did put their trust in him.*_M ,The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of linen, and with a cloth around his face.'Unbind him and set him free,' Jesus told them.E^ +After saying this, Jesus shouted, 'Lazarus, come out!' ]  *I know you always listen to me. I said this because of the crowd standing here so that they will believe that you sent me.'p\Y )So they removed the stone. Jesus looked heavenwards, and said, 'Father, thank you for listening to me.c[? ('Didn't I tell you that if you trusted me you would see God's glory?' Jesus replied.2Z] ''Remove the stone,' Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man's sister, said, 'Lord, by now there will be a terrible smell, for he's been dead for four days.'nYU &Very troubled, Jesus went to the tomb. It was a cave with a large stone placed at the entrance.{Xo %But some of them said, 'If he could open the eyes of a blind man, couldn't he have kept Lazarus from dying?'9Wm $'See how much he loved him,' the Jews said.V7 #Then Jesus cried too.\U1 "'Where have you laid him?' he asked. They replied, 'Lord, come and see.'wTg !When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying as well, he was very troubled and upset.$SA When Mary arrived at the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, 'Lord, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died.'*RM The Jews who had been comforting Mary in the home saw how she'd got up quickly and left. So they followed her, thinking she was going to the tomb to weep there.fQE Jesus hadn't arrived in the village yet. He was still at the place where Martha had met him.HP  As soon as she heard, Mary quickly got up and went to see him.O{ When she had said this, she went and told her sister Mary in private, 'The Teacher's here, and asking to see you.'N{ 'Yes, Lord,' she replied, 'I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one expected to come to this world.'WM' All who live in me and trust in me will never die. Do you believe this?'qL[ Jesus said, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Those who trust in me will live, even though they die.`K9 'I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day,' Martha answered.=Ju Jesus told her, 'Your brother will rise again.'RI 'But I'm certain that even now God will give you whatever you ask.'YH+ Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died.jGM When Martha found out that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.YF+ and many Jews had come to console Mary and Martha at the loss of their brother.3Ea Bethany was just two miles from Jerusalem,XD) When he arrived Jesus learned that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days.fCE Thomas, the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, 'Let's go too so we can die with him .'yBk For your sake I'm glad I wasn't there, because now you will be able to trust in me. Let's go and see him.'6Ag So Jesus told them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead.m@S Jesus had been referring to the death of Lazarus, but the disciples thought he meant actual sleep .R? The disciples said, 'Lord, if he's sleeping then he'll get better.'> After telling them this, he said, 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I'm going to go there and wake him up!'C= 'If you walk during the day you don't stumble because you can see where you're going by the light of this world. But if you walk during the night you stumble because you have no light.'=<u 'Aren't there twelve hours in a day?' Jesus replied.; The disciples replied, 'Rabbi, just a few days ago the Jews were trying to stone you. Do you really want to go back there now?'D: Then he told the disciples, 'Let's return to Judaea.'Z9- and had heard that Lazarus was sick, he remained where he was for two more days.;8q Even though Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus,97k When Jesus heard the news he said, 'The end result of this sickness will not be death. Through this God's glory will be revealed so that the Son of God may be glorified.'T6! So the sisters sent a message to Jesus: 'Lord, your close friend is sick.' 5 Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick.\4 3 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters Mary and Martha.63g *Many who were there put their trust in Jesus.2 )Many people came to him, and they said, 'John didn't perform miracles, but everything he said about this man has come true.'j1M (He went back across the Jordan to the place where John had begun baptizing, and he stayed there.B0 'Once again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped them.d/A &But if that is what I'm doing, even though you don't believe me, you should believe because of the evidence of what I've done. That way you can know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.F. %If I'm not doing what my Father does, then don't believe me. - $So why are you saying the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said I am the Son of God'?o,W #He called those people gods,' the people to whom the word of God came and Scripture can't be altered.V+% "Jesus answered them, 'Isn't it written in your law, 'I said, you are gods'?'*# !The Jews replied, 'We're not stoning you for a good deed, but for blasphemy because you are just a man but you're claiming to be God.')} Jesus said to them, 'You've seen many good deeds that I've done from the Father. Which one are you stoning me for?'@({ Once again the Jews picked up stones to stone him.('K I and the Father are one.'e&C My Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone else; no one can snatch them from him.b%= I give them eternal life; they shall never be lost, and no one can snatch them from me .G$ My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.;#q You don't believe me because you are not my sheep."y Jesus replied, 'I already told you and you refuse to believe it. The miracles I do in my Father's name prove who I am.u!c 'How long are you going to keep us hanging in suspense ? If you are the Messiah then tell us plainly!'c ? Jesus was walking in the Temple through Solomon's porch. The Jews surrounded him, asking,Q It was winter, and the time of the Festival of Dedication in Jerusalem. Others said, 'These aren't the words of someone who's demon-possessed. Besides a demon can't open eyes that are blind.'\1 Many of them said, 'He's demon-possessed! He's mad! Why are you listening to him?'T! The Jews were again divided in their opinion about Jesus over these words..U No one takes it from me; I choose to lay it down. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is the command my Father gave me.'a; 'This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so I may take it up again.%C I have other sheep that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock with one shepherd. W' just as the Father knows me and I know him. I lay down my life for the sheep.H  I am the good shepherd. I know who are mine, and they know me,O for the man is only working for pay and doesn't care about the sheep.L The man paid to look after the sheep is not the shepherd and he runs away when he sees the wolf coming. He abandons the sheep because they're not his, and the wolf attacks and scatters the flockU# I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.r] The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I've come to bring you life, life full to overflowing. I am the gate. Anyone who comes in through me will be healed . They will be able to come and go, and find the food they need.eC All those who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them.Z- So Jesus explained again, 'I tell you the truth: I am the gate of the sheepfold.lQ When Jesus gave this illustration those who were listening to him didn't understand what he meant. They won't follow strangers. In fact they run away from a stranger because they don't recognize the voice of strangers.' 7~~}} |h{{Ozzzyry&xx!wvvuu ttYtss{s rXqq?ppoznnmm]lllkk7jjEiiyi hXgg-ff ehddpccbb5a```__6^^E]\[[QZZfZ0YYbXXTWWVVEUTTSzRR8QQ{Q POO]ONOMmLLBKKDJJ:IEHHiGGhFFEEDBD CBBPBAA7@@-??B>>==j<<;::M9s888-77I6t5544P33622E11/00/Y..a.-,,,2+*)((''h'-&%%P$$H#""K!!>  =Q+_v?FS"-|j"j 0 " FF.)f:)Those who accepted what he'd said were baptized, adding about three thousand people to the group of believers that day.(Peter went on speaking, giving them much more evidence. He warned them, 'Save yourselves from this perverted generation.'|q'This promise is given to you, to your children, and to all who are far away everyone the Lord our God calls.'1[&'Repent!' Peter told them. 'All of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.%When the people heard this they were conscience-stricken . They asked Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what should we do?'$Now let everyone in Israel be totally convinced of this: God has made this Jesus, who you killed on a cross, both Lord and Messiah!'G#until I have made your enemies a stool to put your feet on.''ve"For David didn't ascend into heaven, but he did say, 'The Lord told my Lord, 'Sit down here at my right hand*~M!Now he's been exalted to God's right hand, and has received from the Father the Holy Spirit whom he promised, and has poured out what you're seeing and hearing.T}! 'God has raised this Jesus from the dead, and we're all witnesses of that.|1David saw what would happen and spoke about the resurrection of Christ for Christ was not abandoned to the grave nor did he experience decay.u{cBut he was a prophet, and knew that God had promised on oath to place one of his descendants on his throne.z'My brothers and sisters, let me tell you plainly that our ancestor David died and was buried, and his tomb is here with us to this day.gyGYou have revealed to me the ways of life. You will fill me with joy with your presence.'ixKFor you will not abandon me in the grave, nor will you allow your Holy One to experience decay.mwSThat's why my heart is glad! That's why my words are full of joy! That's why my body lives in hope!uvc'David says of him, 'I saw the Lord always in front of me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.uBut God raised him back to life, freeing him from the burden of death, because death did not have the power to keep him a prisoner.;toGod, knowing beforehand what would happen, followed his plan and resolved to hand him over to you. By means of the hands of wicked men, you killed him by nailing him to a cross.Js 'People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man confirmed by God to you by the powerful miracles and signs that God performed through him, right here among you as you well know.Jr But whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'' zqmThe sun will become dark, and the moon will become red like blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord.|pqI will also give you miraculous signs in the heavens above and on the earth below blood, fire, and swirling smoke!ao;I will pour out my Spirit on my servants, both male and female, and they will prophesy.4naGod says, 'In the last days I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.EmWhat's happening is what was predicted by the prophet Joel:OlThese men aren't drunk as you presume. It's only nine in the morning!Zi- They were all amazed and confused. 'What does this mean?' they asked each other.sh_ Cretans and Arabians we hear them speaking in our own languages about all the great things God has done.'|gq Phrygia and Pamphylia; from Egypt and the area of Libya around Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts,ifK Parthians, Medes and Elamites; people from Mesopotamia, Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,Te!So how is it that we can all hear them speaking in our own mother tongue?'kdOThey were totally amazed, saying, 'Look, these people who are speaking aren't they all Galileans?cWhen they heard this noise, a large crowd of them gathered. They were puzzled because everyone heard their own language being spoken.]b3At that time there were devout Jews from every nation on earth living in Jerusalem.aAll of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to do so._`7They saw what looked like separate tongue-shaped flames that settled on each of them.t_aSuddenly a noise came from heaven like a roaring wind that filled the whole house where they were staying.U^ %When the day of Pentecost came, they were all meeting together in one place.e] EThey cast lots, and Matthias was chosen. He was counted as an apostle with the other eleven.d\ Cto replace Judas as an apostle in this ministry that he gave up to go to where he belongs.'[ yThey prayed together and said, 'Lord, you know everyone's thoughts ; please show us which of these two you have chosenZZ /Two names were put forward: Joseph Justus, also known as Barsabbas, and Matthias.MY from the time John was baptizing up until the day Jesus was taken up to heaven from us. One of these must be chosen to join together with us as we witness, giving evidence of Jesus' resurrection.'fX G'So now we have to choose someone who has been with us the whole time that Jesus was with us,W )As it's written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his home be abandoned, and no-one live there;' and 'Let someone else take over his position.'V 'Everybody who lived in Jerusalem heard about this so that the field was called in their language 'Akeldama,' which means, 'Field of blood.').U '(Judas had bought a field with his ill-gotten gains. There he fell down headfirst, and his body burst apart, spilling out all his intestines.HT  He was counted as one of us, and shared in this ministry.'0S ['My brothers and sisters,' he said, 'The Scriptures, spoken by the Holy Spirit through David, had to be fulfilled regarding Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. R  During this time Peter stood up and addressed a crowd of around one hundred and twenty believers who had gathered together.tQ cThey all joined together in prayer, together with the women and Mary, Jesus' mother, and his brothers.mP U When they arrived, they went upstairs to the upper room where they were staying: Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.O { Then the disciples went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives which is about a Sabbath day's walk from Jerusalem .KN  'Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky?' they asked. 'This same Jesus who has been taken up from you to heaven shall come in the same way you saw him go into heaven.'M } While they were staring intently at the sky as he ascended, two men dressed in white were suddenly standing beside them.tL c After Jesus had told them this, he was taken up as they were watching and a cloud hid him from their sight.>K w'But you will be given power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the furthest places on earth.'qJ ]'You don't need to know about the dates and times that are set by the Father's authority,' he told them. I  So when the disciples met with Jesus, they asked him, 'Lord, is this the time when you will re-establish Israel's kingdom?'}H uIt's true that John baptized with water, but in just a few days' time you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit.'G /While he was still with them he instructed them, 'Do not leave Jerusalem. Wait to receive what the Father promised, just as you heard it from me.OF Over the course of forty days after the death he suffered, he showed himself to them, proving that he was alive with convincing evidence. He appeared to them, and told them about the kingdom of God.E  until the day he was taken up to heaven. This was after he'd given instructions through the Holy Spirit to his chosen apostles.kD SDear Theophilus, in my previous book I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginningC%Jesus did many other things as well, and if it all was written down, I doubt the whole world could hold all the books that would be written.jBMThis disciple confirms what happened and wrote all this down. We know that what he says is true.mASThis is why the saying spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus didn't say to him that he wouldn't die, just that 'if I want him to remain alive here until I return, why is that your concern?'|@qJesus told him, 'If I want him to remain alive here until I return, why is that your concern? You follow me!'8?kPeter asked Jesus, 'What about him, Lord?';>oAs Peter turned round, he saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned over to Jesus during the supper and asked, 'Lord, who is going to betray you?'~=uJesus said this to explain the kind of death by which he would glorify God. Then he said to Peter, 'Follow me.'j<M'I tell you the truth,' said Jesus, 'when you were young, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted. But when you're old, you'll hold out your hands and someone will dress you and take you where you don't want to go.6;e'Look after my sheep,' Jesus said to him. 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' he asked a third time. Peter was saddened that Jesus had asked him for the third time if he loved him. 'Lord, you know everything. You know I love you,' Peter told him.'Take care of my sheep,' said Jesus. 0:Y'Take care of my lambs,' Jesus told him. 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' he asked for the second time.'Yes, Lord,' he answered, 'you know I love you,'*9MAfter breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these others ?''Yes, Lord,' he replied, 'you know I love you,'l8QThis was the third time Jesus had appeared to the disciples after being raised from the dead.H7  Jesus took the bread and gave it to them and the fish as well.6+ 'Come and eat some breakfast,' Jesus said to them. None of the disciples was brave enough to ask him, 'Who are you?' They knew it was the Lord. 5  Simon Peter went aboard and pulled the net full of fish ashore. There were 153 large fish, yet even so the net hadn't torn.G4 Jesus told them, 'Bring some of the fish you've just caught.'Z3- Once they'd landed they saw a fire with fish cooking on it, and some bread.2'The other disciples followed in the boat, pulling the net full of fish, because they were not far from the shore, only about a hundred yards.(1IThe disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It's the Lord.' When Peter heard it was the Lord, he put some clothes on since he was naked, and jumped into the sea.<0q'Throw the net out on the right side of the boat, and you'll find some,' he told them. So they threw out the net, and they weren't able to haul it in because it had so many fish.g/GJesus called to them, 'My friends, haven't you caught anything?''No,' they replied.c.?When dawn came Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples didn't know it was him.,-Q'I'm going fishing,' Simon Peter said to them. 'We'll come with you,' they replied. So they left and went out in the boat, but all night they caught nothing.,Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and Zebedee's sons, and two other disciples were together.e+ ELater Jesus appeared again to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee . This is how it happened. *9But these are written down here so that you may trust that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by trusting in who he is you will have life.s)_Jesus did many other miraculous signs while he was with his disciples that are not recorded in this book.('You trust in me because you've seen me,' Jesus told him. 'Happy are those that haven't seen me yet still trust in me.'5'e'My Lord and my God!' Thomas responded.&/Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound on my side. Stop doubting and trust in me!?%wOne week later the disciples were together inside the house; and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, and Jesus came and stood among them.'May you have peace!' he said.Q$So the other disciples told him, 'We've seen the Lord.' But he replied, 'I won't believe it unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger in them, and put my hand in his side.'i#KOne of the twelve disciples, Thomas, who was called the Twin, wasn't with them when Jesus came.u"cIf you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you hold them unforgiven, unforgiven they remain.'T!!Saying this, he breathed on them, and told them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.p Y'May you have peace!' Jesus told them again. 'In the same way the Father sent me, so I'm sending you.'ykAfter this greeting he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were full of joy to see the Lord.V%That evening, on the first day of the week, as the disciples were meeting together behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'May you have peace.'So Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples, 'I've seen the Lord,' and she explained to them what he had said to her.B}'Don't hold onto me,' Jesus said to her, 'for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.ucJesus said to her, 'Mary.' She turned to him and said 'Rabboni,' which means 'Teacher' in Hebrew.U#'Why are you crying?' he asked her. 'Who are you looking for?' Assuming he was the gardener, she said him, 'Sir, if you've taken him away, tell me where you've put him so I can go and get him.'ykAfter she'd said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn't realize it was Jesus. 'Why are you crying?' they asked her. She answered, 'Because they've taken my Lord away, and I don't know where they've put him.'} She saw two angels in white, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been lying.q[ But Mary stayed outside the tomb crying, and as she was crying, she bent down and looked into the tomb.G Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. He looked around and believed it was true for up till then they hadn't understood the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.U#Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first went inside as well. and that the cloth that had been on Jesus' head wasn't with the other grave-clothes but had been folded and placed on its own.veThen Simon Peter arrived after him and went right into the tomb. He saw the linen grave-clothes lying there,fEHe bent down, and looking in he saw the grave-clothes lying there, but he didn't go in.nUThe two of them were running together, but the other disciple ran faster and reached the tomb first.<sThen Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb.( ISo she ran to tell Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, 'They've taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they've put him.'  7Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved from the entrance.l Q*Since it was the Jewish day of preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus to rest there.2 _)and in the garden was a new, unused tomb.? w(They took Jesus' body and wrapped it in linen cloth together with the mixture of spices, in accordance with Jewish burial customs. There was a garden near where Jesus was crucified;(I'He was joined by Nicodemus, the man who had first visited Jesus at night. He brought with him a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about seventy-five pounds.oW&After this Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate if he could take down the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave his permission. Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but in secret because he feared the Jews. So Joseph came and took the body away.W'%and as another Scripture says, 'They will look at the one they pierced.'gG$It happened like this so Scripture would be fulfilled: 'Not one of his bones will be broken,'#The one who saw this has given this evidence, and his evidence is true. He's certain that what he says is true so you can believe it too.gG"However one of the soldiers stuck a spear into his side, and blood mixed with water came out.b=!but when they came to Jesus they saw he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs.ta So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first one and then the other of those crucified with Jesus,q[It was preparation day, and the Jewish leaders didn't want to leave the bodies on the crosses during the Sabbath day (in fact this was a special Sabbath), so they asked Pilate to break the legs, so that the bodies could be removed.ucAfter he'd had the vinegar, Jesus said, 'It's finished!' Then he bowed his head and breathed his last.~A jar of wine vinegar was standing there, so they soaked a sponge in the vinegar, put it on a hyssop stick, and held it to his lips.}}Jesus now realized that he had finished all that he had come to do. In fulfillment of Scripture, he said, 'I'm thirsty.'u|cThen he said to the disciple, 'This is your mother.' From then on the disciple took her into his home.{When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, 'Mother, this is your son.'z3So that is what the soldiers did. Standing near the cross was Jesus' mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.^y5So they said to each other, 'Let's not tear it, but let's decide who will have it by rolling a dice.' This fulfilled the Scripture that says, 'They divided my garments among them and rolled dice for my clothing.'CxWhen the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his clothes and divided them in four so that each soldier had his share. There was also his robe, made without seams, woven in one piece.DwPilate replied, 'What I have written I have written.'v)Then the chief priests came to Pilate and asked him, 'Don't write 'the King of the Jews,' but 'This man said I am the King of the Jews.''u+Many people read the notice because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.qt[Pilate had a notice made and placed on the cross which said, 'Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.'nsUThey crucified him there, and two others with him: one on either side, with Jesus between them.yrkThey led Jesus away, who carried his own cross, and went out to the 'Place of the Skull,' (Golgotha in Hebrew).>qwSo he handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.?pw'Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!' they screamed out.'Do you want me to crucify your king?' Pilate asked.'The only king we have is Caesar,' the chief priests replied.|oqIt was around noon on the preparation day before the Passover.'Look, here is your king,' he said to the Jews.n When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called Stone Pavement (Gabbatha in Hebrew).Zm- When Pilate heard this he tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders shouted, 'If you set this man free you're not Caesar's friend. Anyone who sets himself up as a king is rebelling against Caesar.'8li 'You would have no power over me unless it had been given to you from above,' Jesus answered. 'Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of the greater sin.'k% 'Are you refusing to talk to me?' Pilate said to him. 'Don't you realize that I have the power to have you released or to crucify you?'jw and he went back into the governor's palace. He asked Jesus, 'Where do you come from?' But Jesus didn't respond.=iuWhen Pilate heard this he was more afraid than ever, h The Jewish leaders replied, 'We have a law, and according to that law he must die because he claimed to be the Son of God.';goWhen the chief priests and the guards saw Jesus, they shouted out, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!''You take him and crucify him,' Pilate answered. 'I find him not guilty.'xfiThen Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. 'Look, here's the man,' said Pilate.ePilate went outside once more and said to them, 'I'm bringing him out here to you so you'll know I find him not guilty of any crime.'fdETime and again they went up to him and said, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' and slapped him.bc=Soldiers made a crown of thorns and placed it on his head, and put a purple robe on him.3b cThen Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.\a1('No, not him! We want Barabbas instead!' they shouted back. Barabbas was a rebel .` 'However it is customary for me to release a prisoner to you at Passover. Do you want me to release the king of the Jews?'_&'What is truth?' Pilate asked. Having said this Pilate went back out to the Jews and told them, 'I find him not guilty of any crime.^w%Then Pilate asked, 'So you are a king, then?' 'You say that I'm a king,' Jesus replied. 'The reason why I was born and I came to the world was to give evidence for the truth. All those who accept the truth pay attention to what I say.'B]}$Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If it was of this world, my subjects would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from here.'\#'Am I a Jew?' Pilate countered. 'It was your own people and high priests who handed you over to me. What is it that you've done?'n[U"'Did you think of this question yourself, or did others talk to you about me?' Jesus responded.}Zs!Pilate went back into the governor's palace. He summoned Jesus, and asked him, 'Are you the king of the Jews?'IY  This fulfilled what Jesus had said about how he would die.X!'Then you take him and judge him according to your law,' Pilate told them.'We're not permitted to execute anyone,' the Jews answered.bW='If he wasn't a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you,' they answered.jVMSo Pilate came out to meet them. 'What charge are you bringing against this man?' he asked.~UuEarly in the morning they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. The Jewish leaders didn't enter the palace because if they did they would be ceremonially defiled, and they wanted to be able to eat the Passover meal.DTPeter denied it again, and immediately a cock crowed.S1One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked Peter, 'Didn't I see you in the olive grove with him?'-RSAs Simon Peter stood warming himself by the fire, the people there asked him, 'Aren't you one of his disciples?' Peter denied it and said, 'No, I'm not.'QQAnnas sent him, his hands still tied, to Caiaphas the high priest.PJesus replied, 'If I said something wrong, tell everyone what was wrong with it. But if what I said was right, why did you hit me?'OWhen he said this, one of the guards standing nearby slapped Jesus, saying, 'Is that any way to speak to the high priest?'mNSSo why are you questioning me? Ask the people who hear me what I told them. They know what I said.'4Ma'I've spoken openly to everyone,' Jesus replied. 'I always taught in the synagogues and in the Temple where all the Jewish people meet. I haven't said anything in secret.cL?Then the chief priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and what he had been teaching.#K?It was cold, and the servants and guards were standing by a fire they had made, warming themselves. Peter went and stood with them, warming himself.lJQThe girl asked Peter, 'Aren't you one of that man's disciples?''Me? No, I'm not,' he replied.8IiPeter had to remain outside by the door. So the other disciple who was known to the high priest went and spoke to the servant girl watching the door and brought Peter inside.1H[Simon Peter followed Jesus, and another disciple did so too. This disciple was well-known to the high priest, and so he entered the high priest's courtyard with Jesus.iGKCaiaphas was the one who had told the Jews, 'It's better that one man die for the people.'_F7 First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the current high priest.gEG Then the soldiers, their commander, and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus, and tied his hands.vDe Jesus told Peter, 'Put the sword away! Do you think I shouldn't drink the cup the Father has given me?'vCe Then Simon Peter drew a sword and struck Malchus, the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear.mBS These words fulfilled what he had previously said: 'I have not lost any of those you gave me.'lAQ'I already told you I am,' Jesus replied. 'So if it's me you're looking for, let these others go.'t@aSo he asked them again, 'Who are you looking for?''Are you Jesus of Nazareth?' they asked again.P?When Jesus said 'I am,' they fell back and dropped to the ground.z>m'Are you Jesus of Nazareth?' they said.'I am,' Jesus told them . Judas the betrayer was standing with them.={Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. He went to meet them, and asked, 'Who are you looking for?'4<aSo Judas took with him a troop of soldiers together with guards from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They arrived there carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons.^;5Judas the betrayer knew the place for Jesus had often gone there with his disciples.|: sAfter Jesus had finished speaking, he and his disciples crossed over the Kidron brook and went into an olive grove. 99I have revealed your character to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have for me will be in them, and I will live in them.'q8[Good Father, the world does not know you, but I know you, and these here with me know that you sent me.)7K'Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so they can see the glory which you gave to me for you loved me before the world was created..6UI live in them, and you live in me. May they be completely one, so the whole world will know that you did send me, and that you love them, just as you love me.d5AI have given them the glory that you gave me, so that they may be one, just as we are one..4UI pray that they all may be one, just as you, Father, live in me, and I live in you, so that they too may live in us so that the world will believe you did send me.n3U'I'm not only praying for them, I'm also praying for those who trust in me because of their message.N2I dedicate myself for them so that they may also be truly holy.N1Just as you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.90mMake them holy by the truth; your word is truth.A/}They are not of the world, just as I'm not of the world.j.MI'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but for you to protect them from the evil one.}-sI gave them your message, and the world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I'm not of the world., 'Now I'm coming to you, and I say these things while I am still here in the world so they may share completely in my joy.=+s While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you gave to me. I watched over them so that no one was lost except the son of the lost,' so Scripture was fulfilled.L* 'I am leaving the world, but they will remain in the world; I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name, the name that you gave to me, so that they may be one, just as we are one.|)q All who belong to me are yours, and those who belong to you are mine, and I have been glorified through them.d(A I'm praying for them not for the world, but for those you gave me, for they belong to you.'-I have given them the message that you gave me. They accepted it, completely convinced that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.I& Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.%3'I have revealed your character to those you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you; you gave them to me; and they have done what you said.w$gNow Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the beginning of the world.]#3I have brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do._"7Eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent.{!oFor you gave him authority over all people so that he might give eternal life to all those you have given to him.  )When Jesus finished saying this he looked up to heaven and said, 'Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you.!;!I've told you all this so that you may have peace because you are one with me . You will suffer in this world, but be brave I have defeated the world!'E 'The time is coming in fact it's just about to happen when you will be scattered, each of you to your own homes, leaving me all alone. But I'm not really alone, for the Father is with me.5e'Are you really convinced now?' Jesus asked.?wNow we're certain that you know everything, and that in order to know what questions people are thinking you don't need to ask them . This convinces us that you came from God.'c?Then the disciples said, 'Now you're talking very plainly and not using picture language.c?I left the Father and came into the world; now I leave the world and return to my Father.`9for the Father himself loves you because you love me and believe that I came from God. d~~S}}0|{{{BzzPyy]yx{ww v+uu]tt/ss0rrhqqyqpZooWnn`mmm ll-kjjCiihiggGffGeeddccXbba%``D__^]]]&\\;[[JZYYVXXX WMVV6UUQUTfSSdSRRRQSPPFOO2NNBMlMLLKK3JgII@HGG6F{F EDCCFBAAx@@W??=>>6==<<`;;3:99877X6655,4433l32211!00,/..].-- ,,+*))f((0''-&%$$`##.""!!!, d  -N$n-x[a{[*R ~ V k Kb@"qv[ The chief priests have given him the power to arrest everyone here that worships and follows you.'u 'But Lord,' Ananias replied, 'I've heard a lot about this man about all the evil things he did to the believers in Jerusalem.tta He's seen in vision a man called Ananias come and place his hands on him so he can regain his sight.' s  'Get up, and go to Straight Street,' the Lord told him. 'Ask at Judas' house for someone called Saul, from Tarsus. He's praying..rU A follower of Jesus called Ananias lived in Damascus, and the Lord spoke to him in a vision.'Ananias!' he called.'I'm here, Lord,' Ananias responded.Sq For three days he couldn't see, and he didn't eat or drink anything.p# Saul got to his feet, and when he opened his eyes, he couldn't see anything. His companions took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.o{ The men who were traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice speaking, but they didn't see anyone.Ln 'Get up, go on into the city, and you'll be told what to do.'dmA 'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked.'I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting,' he replied.ilK He fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'jkM As Saul approached Damascus, suddenly he was surrounded by a light that blazed down from heaven.jjM and asked for letters of authorization to take with him to the synagogues in Damascus, giving him permission to arrest any believers in the Way that he found, men or women, and bring them back to Jerusalem as prisoners. i  But meanwhile Saul was making violent threats against the disciples of the Lord, wanting to kill them. He went to the high priest^h5(He spread the good news in all the towns along the way until he arrived at Caesarea.;go'When they came out of the water the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again, but he continued on his way full of joy. Philip found himself at Azotus.~fu&He ordered that the chariot be stopped. Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and Philip baptized him. e % d $As they continued on, they came to a stretch of water. The eunuch said, 'Look, there's water here why shouldn't I be baptized?'\c1#Philip started explaining, beginning from this Scripture, telling him about Jesus.obW"The eunuch asked Philip, 'Tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is it himself, or someone else?'xai!He was humiliated and denied justice. No one can speak of his descendants, for his life came to an end .')`K The Scripture passage he was reading was this: 'He was led like a sheep to be slaughtered. Like a lamb is silent in front of his shearer, he didn't say a word.r_]'How can I unless someone explains it?' the man replied. He invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.^!So Philip ran over, and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah.'Do you understand what you're reading?' Philip asked him.@]{The Spirit told Philip, 'Go over close to the chariot.'\ywas returning from his trip, sitting in his chariot. He was reading out loud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.T[!So Philip set out, and met an Ethiopian man, a eunuch who had a high position in the service of the Kandake, Queen of Ethiopia. He was her chief treasurer. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship there, andzZmAn angel of the Lord told Philip, 'Get ready and go south to the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.'0YYAfter they had given their testimony and shared the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, sharing the good news in many Samaritan villages along the way.^X5'Please pray for me, that nothing you've said may happen to me!' Simon replied.YW+I can see that you are full of bitter envy, and chained down by your sin.'`V9Repent of your evil ways! Pray to the Lord and ask forgiveness for thinking like this.U{You're not part of any of this. None of this work belongs to you, because in God's eyes your attitude is totally wrong.T{'May your money be destroyed together with you for thinking God's gift is something that can be bought!' Peter replied.{So'Give me this power, too,' he asked them, 'so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.'~RuWhen Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the apostles placed their hands on people, he offered them money.ZQ-The apostles placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.}PsThe Holy Spirit hadn't come to any of these converts yet they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus._O7When they arrived they prayed for the converts in Samaria to receive the Holy Spirit.N!When the apostles back in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to visit them.}Ms Simon too believed and was baptized. He accompanied Philip, amazed at the miraculous signs and wonders he saw.,LQ But when they believed in what Philip told them about the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.`K9 They were impressed by him because he had amazed them with his magic for so long.J so they all paid attention to him. From the lowest to the highest in society they said, 'This man is 'God the Great Power.''1I[ Now there was a man named Simon living in the city who used to practice sorcery. He claimed that he was someone very important, and had astounded the people of Samaria>HwThe people who lived in the city were overjoyed. G Many were freed from possession by evil spirits that screamed as they came out, and many who were lame or disabled were healed.FWhen the crowds heard what Philip was saying and saw the miracles he did they all paid attention to what he was telling them.NEPhilip went to the town of Samaria, and told them about the Messiah.JD Those who had been scattered spread the word wherever they went.~CuBut Saul set about destroying the church, going from house to house, dragging both men and women off to prison.OB(Some faithful followers of God buried Stephen, with great mourning).VA 'Saul agreed that Stephen had to be killed. On that very day terrible persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except for the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.z@m{:dragged him out of the city, and began to stone him. His accusers laid their coats down beside a young man called Saul.u=c9But they held their hands over their ears and shouted as loudly as they could. They rushed together at him,e<C8'Look,' he said, 'I see heaven open, and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand.';}7But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed up into heaven and saw God's glory, with Jesus standing at God's right hand.s:_6When they heard this, the council members became mad with rage, and snarled at him, grinding their teeth.X9)5you who received the law by means of the angels, but refused to keep it.'D84Was there ever a prophet your fathers didn't persecute? They killed those who prophesied about the coming of the One who is truly good and right. He is the One you betrayed and murdered 73'You arrogant, hard-hearted people! You never listen! You always fight against the Holy Spirit! You act just like your fathers did!(6K2Didn't I make everything?'/5W1Heaven is my throne, and the earth the place I put my feet. What kind of dwelling could you build for me?' the Lord asks. 'What bed could you make for me to rest in?V4%0Of course the Almighty doesn't live in temples we make. As the prophet said,73i/But it was Solomon who built a temple for him.b2=.David found favor with God and asked to make a more permanent home for the God of Jacob.I1 -Later on, our forefathers carried it with them when they went in with Joshua to occupy the land taken from the nations the Lord drove out before them. It stayed there until the time of David.0#,'Our ancestors had the Tabernacle of testimony in the desert. God had told Moses how he should make it following the blueprint he had seen.F/+No, you carried the tabernacle of the god Moloch and the image of the god Rephan's star, images that you made so you could worship them. So I will banish you in exile beyond Babylon.'f.E*'So God gave up on them. He left them to their worship of the stars in the sky. This is what the prophets wrote, 'Were you giving offerings or making sacrifices to me during the forty years in the desert, you Israelites?}-s)Then they made an idol in the shape of a calf, sacrificed to it, and celebrated what they themselves had made!,(They told Aaron, 'Make gods for us to lead us, because we don't know what's happened to this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt.'j+M'He was the one our fathers wouldn't listen to. They rejected him and decided to return to Egypt.5*c&Moses was with God's assembled people in the desert when the angel spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and there with our forefathers he received God's living word to give to us.z)m%This is the same Moses who promised the Israelites, God will send you a prophet like me from among your people.'($Moses led them out after performing miraculous signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and continued to do so in the desert for forty years.a';#'This was the same Moses that the people had rejected when they said, 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' God sent him to be both a ruler and a liberator, by means of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.>&u"I have closely observed the suffering of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their groans. I have come down to rescue them. Now come over here, for I'm sending you to Egypt.'b%=!The Lord told him, Take off your sandals, because where you are standing is holy ground.$w I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.' Moses shook with fear and didn't dare look up.#When Moses saw this, he was amazed at the sight, and went over to take a closer look. The voice of the Lord spoke to him:u"c'Forty years later, in the desert of Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to him in the flames of a burning bush.!When he heard this, Moses ran away. He went and lived in exile in the land of Midian, where two sons were born to him.L 'Are you going to kill me like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?''But the man who had started the fight pushed Moses away. 'Who put you in charge over us? Are you our judge now?' he asked.OThe next day when he arrived, two Israelites were fighting one another. He tried to reconcile them and stop the fight. Men! You are brothers!' he told them. 'Why are you attacking each other?'pYMoses thought his fellow Israelites would see that God was rescuing them through him, but they didn't. He saw one of them being mistreated, so he intervened to defend him. On behalf of the man he took revenge and killed the Egyptian.b=However, when he was forty years old, he decided to visit his relatives, the Israelites.ve'Moses received instruction in all areas of Egyptian knowledge, and he became a powerful speaker and leader.jMWhen he had to be abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter rescued him and took care of him as her own son.  It was at this time that Moses was born. He was a handsome child, and for three months he was looked after in his father's home}He took advantage of our people and treated our ancestors badly, forcing them to abandon their babies so they would die.OA new king came to the throne in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph.}'As the time approached regarding the promise that God had made to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt increased.%Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought with silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.I Jacob traveled to Egypt, and died there as did our forefathers.QJoseph sent for his father and all his relatives seventy-five in total. During their second visit, Joseph revealed to his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh discovered Joseph's family background.fE When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt he sent our forefathers down on their first visit.yk 'Now a famine occurred throughout Egypt and Canaan. It caused terrible misery, and our forefathers had no food.<q and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave him wisdom and helped him gain the favor of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and the royal household. l Q 'The patriarchs, who were jealous of Joseph, sold him into slavery in Egypt. But God was with him,T !God also gave Abraham the circumcision covenant, and so when Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac was the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of the twelve patriarchs.y kGod said, I will punish the nation that enslaves them. Eventually they will leave and come here to worship me.'( IGod also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign country, and that they would be enslaved there, and would be mistreated for four hundred years.O God didn't give Abraham an inheritance here, not even one square foot. But God did promise Abraham that he would give him and his descendants possession of the land, even though he had no children.#So he left the country of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. After his father's death, God sent him here to this country where you now live.s_'God told him, 'Leave your country and your relatives, and go to the country that I'm going to show you.'3_'Brothers and fathers, listen to me!' Stephen replied. 'God in his glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was living in Mesopotamia, before he moved to Haran.A 'Are these allegations true?' the high priest asked.r]Everyone sitting on the council looked closely at Stephen, and his face shone like the face of on angel.  'We've heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple, and will change the laws we received from Moses.'  and called false witnesses who testified against him.'This man is always slandering the holy Temple and the law,' they said. 9 They stirred up the people, and together with the elders and the teachers of the law, they came and arrested him. They brought him before the council,`9 So they bribed some men to say, 'We heard this man blaspheme Moses, and God too!'kO But they weren't able to stand against Stephen's wisdom or the Spirit with which he was speaking.(~I But some started arguing with him. They were from the synagogue called 'the Free,' as well as Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia Minor.`}9Stephen, full of grace and God's power, performed wonderful miracles among the people.:|mThe word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem greatly increased, with a large number of priests committing themselves to trusting in Jesus.r{]These men were presented to the apostles who prayed for them and placed their hands on them in blessing.gzGEverybody was happy with the arrangement, and they chose Stephen, (a man full of trust in God and of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, (originally a Jewish convert from Antioch).kyOWe ourselves will give our full attention to prayer and the ministry of spreading the word.' xBrothers, choose from among you seven trustworthy men full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will hand this responsibility over to them.+wOThe twelve apostles called all the believers together, and told them, 'It's not appropriate for us to give up spreading the word of God so we can wait at tables. v At this time, when the number of believers was increasing rapidly, the Greek-speaking believers started arguing with the Aramaic-speaking believers . They complained that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.uuc*Every day they continued to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, in the Temple and from house to house.mtS)The apostles left the council, happy to be considered worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.7sg(They were convinced by what he said. So they called the apostles back in, had them whipped, and ordered them not to say anything in the name of Jesus. Then they let them go.ry'But if it comes from God, you won't be able to defeat them. You could even find yourselves fighting against God!'Rq&So in the current case I recommend that you leave these men alone, and just let them go. If what they are planning or what they are doing comes from their own human thinking, then it will be defeated.,pQ%Then after him Judas of Galilee came along at the time of the census, and he attracted some followers. He also died, and those who listened to him were dispersed.6oe$Some time ago Theudas tried to make a name for himself, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed and all who followed him were scattered and it came to nothing.jnM#Gamaliel addressed the council: 'Leaders of Israel, be careful what you plan to do to these men.Hm "But then one of the council members stood up to speak. He was Gamaliel, a Pharisee and a doctor of law who was respected by everyone. He ordered the apostles sent out for a short while.Pl!When the council heard this they were furious and wanted to kill them.wkg We are witnesses of what happened, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.'!j;God exalted him to a position of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior, as a way to bring repentance to Israel, and for the forgiveness of sins.miSThe God of our forefathers raised Jesus from the dead the one you killed by hanging him on a cross.Th!But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We have to obey God rather than men.Rg'Didn't we order you not to teach in this name?' the high priest demanded to know. 'Now look you've filled the whole of Jerusalem with your teaching, and you're trying to blame us for his death!'Vf%The apostles were brought in and made to stand in front of the council.eSo the captain went with his guards and brought them in, but did not use force because they were afraid that the people would stone them.~duThen someone came in and said, 'Look, the men you put in prison are right there in the Temple teaching people!'cNow when the captain of the Temple guards and the chief priests heard this they were totally baffled, and wondered what was going on. b'We found the prison all locked up, with guards at the doors. But when we had them open up, we couldn't find anyone inside.'{aoBut when the officials went to the prison they couldn't find the apostles so they went back and told the council,{`oThey did as they were told and went into the Temple at around dawn and began teaching. Then the high priest and his followers called the council meeting with all the leaders of Israel. He sent for the apostles to be brought from prison.e_C'Go to the Temple and tell the people everything about this new way of life!' he told them.]^3But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and led them out.G]They arrested the apostles and threw them in the public jail.x\iHowever, the high priest and those with him (who were Sadducees) became very jealous and decided to intervene.[Crowds from the towns around Jerusalem brought their sick and those afflicted by evil spirits. They were all healed.$ZAAs a result, people brought those who were sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that as Peter passed by his shadow might fall on them .@Y{However many men and women came to believe in the Lord.QX Nobody else dared to join them even though they were greatly respected. W Many miraculous signs were performed among the people by the apostles. All the believers used to meet together in Solomon's porch .qV[ Great fear spread through the whole church, as well as among everyone who heard what had happened.U7 Immediately she fell down dead at his feet. The young men came back in and found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.|SqPeter asked her, 'Tell me, did you sell the land for this price?''Yes, that was the price,' she replied.RRAbout three hours later his wife arrived, not knowing what had happened.rQ]Some of the young men got up and wrapped him in a shroud. Then they carried him out and buried him.jPMHearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. Everyone who heard what happened was terrified.dOAWhile you had the land, didn't it belong to you? And after you sold it, didn't you still have control over what you did with the money? Why did you decide to do this? You haven't lied to human beings, but to God!'N/Then Peter asked him, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back some of the money from the land you sold?M)He kept back some of the money he received for himself, and brought the rest to present to the apostles. His wife knew what he was doing.RL Now a man called Ananias, who with his wife Sapphira, sold some property.kKO%He sold a field that belonged to him. Then he brought the money and presented it to the apostles.zJm$Joseph, the one the apostles called Barnabas (meaning 'son of encouragement'), was a Levite, a Cypriot national.dIA#They took the proceeds and presented them to the apostles to be shared with those in need.[H/"None of them needed anything because those who had lands or properties sold them.G!The apostles gave their testimony regarding the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with tremendous power, and God greatly blessed them all.F All the believers were of one heart and mind. None of them claimed anything they had as their own, but shared everything with each other.'EGWhen they had finished praying, the building they were meeting in was shaken. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God boldly.DwAs you exercise your power to heal, may signs and miracles be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus!'rC]'Now Lord: look at all their threats against us! Help us your servants to speak your word really boldly.iBKThey did whatever you had already decided because you had the power and the will to do it.eAC'Now this has really happened right here in this city! Both Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the foreigners and the people of Israel, united together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed as Messiah.@{The kings of the earth prepared for war ; the rulers united together against the Lord and against his Chosen One.'A?{You spoke by the Holy Spirit through David, our forefather and your servant, saying Why did the people of the other nations become so angry? Why did they plot so foolishly against me?>'When they heard what had happened, they prayed to God together:'Lord, you made heaven and earth and sea, and everything that is in them.=+After the disciples had been released, they went to the other believers and told them everything the chief priests and elders had said to them.Y<+For the man who received this miracle of healing was more than forty years old.;-After making more threats they let them go. They couldn't work out how to punish them because everyone was glorifying God for what had happened.F:We can't help talking about what we've seen and heard!'q9[But Peter and John responded, 'Whether it's right in God's eyes to obey you rather than God you decide.j8MSo they called them back in and ordered them never to speak or teach in the name of Jesus again.7But to prevent it spreading among the people any further, we should threaten them never to speak to anybody in this name again.',6Q'What should we do with these men?' they asked. 'We can't deny a significant miracle has happened through them. Everybody living here in Jerusalem knows about it.o5WSo they instructed them to wait outside the council while they discussed the matter among themselves.4+Since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there with them, they had nothing to say in response to what had happened./3W When they saw Peter and John's confidence, and realized they were uneducated, ordinary men, they were very surprised. They also recognized them as Jesus' companions.2 There is no salvation in anyone else; there is no other name under heaven given to humanity that can possibly save us.']13 He is the stone you builders rejected, but he has been made the chief cornerstone.'0} If so, all of you should know, and all the people of Israel, that it was in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the one you killed on a cross and whom God raised from the dead it's because of him that this man stands before you completely healed./y Are we being interrogated regarding a good deed done to a man who couldn't help himself, and how he came to be healed?_.7Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them. 'Rulers of the people, and elders:{-oThey brought Peter and John before them and asked, 'By what power or by whose authority have you done this?'q,[They included the high priest Annas, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others of the high priest's family.\+1The next day, the rulers, elders, and religious leaders met together in Jerusalem.}*sBut many who had heard the message believed it, and the total number of believers grew to about five thousand.n)UThey arrested them and placed them under guard until the following day since it was already evening.(}They were angry that they were teaching the people, telling them that through Jesus there is resurrection from the dead.' {While they were talking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to them.|&qGod prepared his Servant and sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your evil ways.'@%yYou are the sons of the prophets, and of the agreement which God made with your fathers when he said to Abraham, 'From your descendants all the families of the earth will be blessed.X$)All the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel on, prophesied about these days.U##Anybody who doesn't listen to him will be totally removed from the people.'"'Moses said, 'The Lord God will send you a prophet from among your own people who is like me. You must listen to everything he tells you. ! For he must stay in heaven until the time when everything is restored, as God announced through his holy prophets long ago.7 iand send Jesus, the Messiah appointed for you. Now repent, and change your ways, that your sins can be wiped away, so the Lord can send opportunities for you to heal and recover,kOBut God fulfilled what he had prophesied through all the prophets: that his Messiah would suffer.^5'Now I know, brothers and sisters, that you did this in ignorance, like your rulers.I By trusting in Jesus' name this man was healed by him. You see this man here; you know him. Through trusting in Jesus this man has received complete healing right in front of all of you.gGYou killed the Author of life, the one God raised from the dead and we are witnesses to this.a;You rejected the One who is Holy and Right, and demanded a murderer be released to you.\1 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the God of our forefathers has glorified his servant Jesus. He was the one you betrayed and rejected in the presence of Pilate, even after Pilate had decided to release him.X) When Peter saw this opportunity he told them, 'People of Israel, why are you surprised at what's happened to this man? Why are you staring at us as if it was by our own power or faith that we made him walk? He held on tightly to Peter and John while everyone ran to them by Solomon's Porch in complete astonishment at what had happened./ They recognized him as the beggar who used to sit by the Temple's Beautiful Gate, and they were surprised and amazed at what had happened to him.@{ Everyone there saw him walking around and praising God.{He jumped to his feet, and then began to walk. He went with them into the temple, walking and jumping and praising God.kOPeter took him by the right hand and helped him up. Right away his feet and ankles became strong.'I don't have any silver or gold,' Peter told him, 'but I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!'Z-The lame man gave them his full attention, expecting to get something from them.QPeter looked right at him. John did, too.'Look at us!' Peter said.eCHe saw Peter and John as they were about to enter the Temple and asked them for some money.>uA man who had been lame from birth was being carried there. Every day he was placed beside the Temple gate called 'Beautiful' so he could beg from the people going into the Temple.m  UPeter and John were on their way up to the temple at the time of the afternoon prayer, around 3 p.m.N /Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.N .Day after day they continued to meet together in the temple, and ate together in their homes. They enjoyed their meals humbly and happily. They praised God, and everyone thought favorably of them.e C-They sold their property and belongings, sharing the proceeds with everyone as they needed.I  ,All the believers were together and shared everything they had.Z-+Everyone was in awe, and many miracles and signs were done through the apostles.)*They committed themselves to what the apostles had taught them, and to the fellowship of the believers, 'breaking bread' and praying together. d~}}|{{(zzayy;xAwwhwvuuEttosswrqqLppqpoonpmm`m lllk~kjoj+iitihhgg&ff;e8dccc=<;;!::399p88477H66(5q443322100/X/.5--L,,"+**p))((T''J&%%%$$n##""z!!S =q[=S(#L7 ~9EZ c * s'$,S$w_For the law of Moses has been taught in every town for a long, long time it's read in the synagogues every Sabbath.')^KWe should write to them and tell them to avoid food sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, meat of animals that have been strangled, and from consuming blood.`]9'So my decision is that we shouldn't make it difficult for foreigners who turn to God.O\This is what the Lord says, who revealed these things long ago.'w[gI will do this so that those who are left may come to the Lord, including the foreigners who call on my name.Z}In the future I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen house of David; I will rebuild its ruins and set it straight.PYThis is in accordance with the words of the prophets, as it's written,X}Simon has described how God first revealed his concern for the foreigners by taking from them a people committed to him.\W1 After they had finished speaking, James spoke up, saying, 'Brothers, listen to me."V= Everyone listened attentively to Barnabas and Paul as they explained the miraculous signs that God had performed through them among the foreigners.jUM We're convinced that we're saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way they are.' T  'So why do you want to oppose God and put a burden on the believers that our fathers weren't able to bear, and we can't either?sS_ He doesn't make any distinction between us and them he cleansed their hearts as they trusted in him.vReGod, who knows our hearts, has shown that he accepts them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us.OQAfter much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, 'Brothers, you know that some time ago God chose me from among you so that the foreigners could hear the message of good news and trust in Jesus.DPThe apostles and elders met together to discuss the issue.COBut they were opposed by some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee faction. They said, 'These converts have to be circumcised, and instructed to observe the law of Moses.'%NCWhen they arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church members, the apostles, and the elders. They explained everything God had done through them.=MsThe church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they explained how foreigners were being converted, which made all the believers very happy.IL Paul and Barnabas had many arguments and debates with them. So Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go to Jerusalem and talk to the apostles and leaders there about this issue.'K IThen some men arrived from Judea who started teaching the believers, 'Unless you're circumcised according to the rules set down by Moses, you can't be saved.'>JwThey stayed there with the believers for a long time.2I]When they arrived, they called the church together. They reported everything God had done through them, and how he had opened a door for the foreigners to trust in him.H5From there they sailed back to Antioch where they had started out, having been dedicated there in God's grace to the work they had now accomplished.FGThey spoke God's word in Perga, and then went on to Attalia.?FyThey passed through Pisidia, and arrived in Pamphylia..EUAfter they had appointed elders for every church, and had prayed and fasted with them, Paul and Barnabas left them in the Lord's care, the One that they trusted in.%DCThey encouraged the believers to remain firm and to continue to trust in Jesus. 'We have to go through many trials to enter God's kingdom,' they said.C)After sharing the good news with the people in that town, and after many had become believers, they went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. B But when the believers gathered around him, he got up, and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. A9But then some Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul, and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead.h@IWith these words they barely managed to stop the crowds from offering sacrifices to them.I? Even so he still provided evidence of himself by doing good, sending you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons, providing all the food you need, and filling your hearts with happiness.'L>In past times he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways.='People, what are you doing? We are human beings with the same kind of nature as you. We came to bring you good news, so you could turn from these pointless things to a God who is truly alive. He is the one who made heaven, earth, and sea, and everything in them.<But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul learned what was happening, they tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowds, shouting out,2;] The priest of the temple of Zeus that lay just outside the town, brought oxen and wreaths to the town gates. He planned to carry out a sacrifice in front of the crowds. :  They identified Barnabas as the Greek god Zeus, and Paul as the god Hermes because he was one who did most of the talking.9 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted out in the language of Lycaonia, 'The gods have come down to us looking like men!'m8S Paul said in a loud voice, 'Stand up on your feet!' The man jumped to his feet and started walking.7 He sat there listening to Paul speaking. When Paul looked directly at him, and realized that the man was trusting in God to heal him,6!In the town of Lystra there was a disabled man who was lame in both feet. He had been crippled from birth and had never been able to walk.:5owhere they continued to share the good news.o4WHowever they found out about it and fled to the region of Lycaonia, to the towns of Lystra and Derbe,{3oBut then the foreigners and the Jews, together with their leaders, decided to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.h2IThe inhabitants of the town were divided, with some supporting the Jews and some the apostles.?1wPaul and Barnabas stayed there a long time, speaking to them boldly in the Lord, who confirmed their message of grace through the miraculous signs that they were enabled to perform. 0But the Jews that refused to believe in Jesus stirred up the feelings of the foreigners, and poisoned them against the believers.B/ In Iconium the same thing happened. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and spoke so convincingly that many of both the Jewish and Greek-speaking worshipers trusted in Jesus.U.# 4And the believers continued to be filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.j-M 3So they shook the dust off their feet against them as a sign of protest, and went on to Iconium.%,C 2But the Jews incited the prominent religious women and leaders of the city to persecute Paul and Barnabas, and had them expelled them from their territory.8+k 1So God's word was spread throughout the region. * 0When the foreigners heard this they were overjoyed, praising the Lord's word, and all those chosen for eternal life trusted in God.)) /That's what the Lord has told us to do: 'I've made you a light to the foreigners, and through you salvation will go to the ends of the earth.'j(M .So Paul and Barnabas spoke out strongly, saying 'We had to speak the word of God to you first. But now that you're rejecting it you're deciding that you're not worthy of eternal life well now we're turning to the foreigners.'  -However when the Jews saw the crowds, they became extremely jealous, contradicting what Paul was saying and cursing him. Y&+ ,The following Sabbath almost the whole town turned out to hear the word of God.G% +After the meeting in the synagogue, many of the Jews and the converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas who spoke with them, encouraging them to continue to hold on to the grace of God.`$9 *As they were leaving, the people pleaded with them to tell them more the next Sabbath.+#O )'You who are scornful, look in amazement, and die! For what I'm doing in your lifetime is something that you could never believe, even if someone told you!'F" (Make sure that what the prophets said doesn't happen to you:!# 'Through him everyone who trusts in him is made right from all that is wrong in a way that you could never be set right by the law of Moses.o W &My brothers, I want you to understand that we're telling you that through this man sins are forgiven.<s %The one God raised from the dead saw no decay.  $But David died, after he had done what God wanted in his own time, and he was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.P #As another psalm says, You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.'3 "God raised him from the dead, never to die again, as he indicated by saying, I will give you what is holy and trustworthy, as I promised to David.''G !that he has now fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus from the dead. As it is written in Psalm 2: You are my Son; today I have become your Father.'eC 'We are here to bring to you the good news of the promise that God made to our forefathers,5 and he appeared over the course of many days to those who had followed him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people.*O But God raised him from the dead, After they had fulfilled everything predicted that they would do to him, they took him down from the cross and buried him in a tomb.{o Even though they couldn't find any evidence to sentence him to death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.[/ The people living in Jerusalem and their leaders didn't recognize Jesus or understand the words spoken by the prophets that are read every Sabbath. In fact they fulfilled the prophetic words by condemning him!  'My brothers, children of Abraham and those of you who have reverence for God: the message of this salvation has been sent to us!:m As John was completing his mission, he said, Who do you think I am? I am not the one you're looking for. But after me one is coming whose sandals I'm not worthy to untie.'b= Before Jesus came, John announced the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.^5 'Jesus is David's descendant; he is the Savior that God promised to bring to Israel.E Then God removed Saul, and made David their king. God approved of David, saying I found David the son of Jesse to be a man according to my own heart, he will do everything I intend.' Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled for forty years.\1 Then he provided them with judges as leaders until the time of the prophet Samuel.H   'After he had overthrown seven nations living in the land of Canaan, God divided their land among the Israelites and gave it to them to inherit. This took about four hundred and fifty years.T ! and he patiently dealt with them in the desert for about forty years.< q The God of the people of Israel chose our forefathers, and gave our people prosperity during their stay in the land of Egypt. Then with his mighty power he led them out of Egypt,$ A Paul stood up, motioned with his hand to get their attention, and began speaking. 'Men of Israel, and all of you who have reverence for God, listen to me.J   After the readings from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent them a message saying, 'Brothers, please share with the congregation any words of encouragement you may have.'y They went through Perga and on to Antioch of Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and were seated.   Then Paul and those with him sailed from Paphos and went to Perga in Pamphylia, while John left them and went back to Jerusalem.lQ When the governor saw what happened he trusted in God, amazed at the teaching about the Lord.S Look, the Lord's hand is on you and you will become blind. You will not see the sun for some time.' Immediately mist and darkness fell on him, and he had to find someone who could lead him by the hand.)K 'You are full of deception and all kinds of evil, you son of the devil, you enemy of all that is right! Will you never give up perverting the Lord's true ways?^5 Saul, also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and looked straight at him.zm But the magician Elymas (his Greek name) opposed them, trying to prevent the governor from trusting in God.3_ He was close to the governor, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. Sergius Paulus invited Barnabas and Saul to come and visit him since he wanted to hear the word of God.- They traveled throughout the island and eventually came to Paphos. There they found a Jewish magician, a false prophet by the name of Bar-jesus.w Arriving at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their assistant.p~Y So Barnabas and Saul, directed by the Holy Spirit, went to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.v}e After they had fasted, prayed, and placed their hands on them in blessing, they sent them on their way.| While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart Barnabas and Saul to do the work I've called them to.'"{ ? The church at Antioch had prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (the childhood friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.uzc Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem once they had finished their mission, taking John Mark with them.Hy  But the word of God spread, and more and more people believed. x Immediately the angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory. He was consumed by worms and died.\w1 The audience shouted in response, 'This is the voice of a god, not that of a man!' v When the day came for their appointment with the king, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and gave a speech to them. u9 Now Herod had become furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They sent a joint delegation to see him and managed to win Blastus, the king's personal assistant, over to their side. They pleaded for peace with Herod because they were dependent on the king's territory for food.St Herod had a thorough search made for him, but he couldn't be found. After interrogating the guards, Herod ordered that they should be executed . Then Herod left Judea and went to stay in Caesarea.ksO When daylight came there was total confusion among the soldiers as to what had happened to Peter.br= Peter held up his hand for them to be quiet, and then explained to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. 'Let James and the brothers know about this,' he told them, and then left to go somewhere else.qw Peter continued knocking. When they did eventually open the door, they saw it was him, and were totally shocked.sp_ 'You're mad!' they told her. But she kept on insisting it was true. So they said, 'It must be his angel.'o% But recognizing Peter's voice, in her excitement she didn't open the door. Instead she ran back inside shouting, 'Peter's at the door!'[n/ When he knocked on the gateway door, a servant girl called Rhoda came to open up.(mI Now that he was conscious of what had happened, Peter went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. Many believers had gathered there, and were praying.Ll When Peter came to his senses, he said, 'Now I realize this really happened! The Lord sent an angel to rescue me from Herod's power, and from everything that the Jewish people had planned.'Qk They passed the first and second sets of guards, and came to the iron gate that led into the city. This opened for them by itself. They went out and down the street, when suddenly the angel left him.j+ So Peter followed the angel out. He didn't realize that what the angel was doing was actually happening he thought he was seeing a vision.i and the angel told him, 'Get dressed, and put on your sandals.' So he did. Then the angel told him, 'Put on your coat and follow me.'&hE Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. The angel shook Peter awake, saying 'Quick! Get up!' The chains fell from his wrists,+gO The night before Herod was to have him put on trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, chained to each of them, and with guards at the door keeping watch.Tf! While Peter was kept in prison the church prayed earnestly to God for him.De After having Peter arrested, he threw him in prison, with four squads of four soldiers each to guard him. He planned to have Peter brought out for a public trial after the Passover.d When he saw that the Jews were pleased by this, he had Peter arrested too. (This was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.)9cm He had James, John's brother, executed by sword.Sb ! Around this time King Herod began to persecute some members of the church.aa; So they did this and sent the money with Barnabas and Saul to the church leaders there.`  The believers decided to send funds to help the brothers that lived in Judea, with everyone giving according to what they had.T_! One of them called Agabus stood up and gave a prophetic warning by the Spirit that there would be a terrible famine that would affect the known world . (This came true in the reign of Emperor Claudius).T^! It was during this time that some prophets went from Jerusalem to Antioch.]} and when he found him, he took Saul back with him to Antioch. Over the course of the next year they worked together with the church, teaching the message to crowds of people. It was in Antioch that the believers were first called 'Christians.':\o Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul,[y Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and put his whole trust in God. Many people were brought to the Lord.1Z[ When he arrived and saw for himself how God's grace was working, he was delighted. He encouraged all of them to completely dedicate themselves to God and to stay true.jYM News about what had happened reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.gXG The power of the Lord was with them and a large number trusted in the Lord and turned to him.%WC But when some of them who were from Cyprus and Cyrene arrived in Antioch, they shared the good news with the Greeks too, telling them about the Lord Jesus.JV  Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that happened when Stephen was killed traveled all the way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. They only spread the good news among the Jews.OU After they had heard this explanation, they didn't argue with him anymore, and praised God, saying, 'Now God has granted the opportunity to repent and have eternal life to foreigners as well.'T Since God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, what power did I have to oppose God?'zSm Then I remembered what the Lord said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'jRM 'When I started speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as happened to us in the beginning.iQK who will tell you what you need to hear so you can be saved you and your whole household.'P! He explained to us how an angel had appeared to him in his house, who told him, Send someone to Joppa, and fetch Simon, also called Peter, O9 The Spirit told me to go with them, and not to worry about who they were. These six brothers here also went with me, and we went into the man's house.N At that very moment three men were standing in front of the house where we were staying. They had been sent from Caesarea to see me.PM This happened three times, and then it was all taken back into heaven.jLM 'The voice from heaven spoke again, and said, ''Don't you call unclean what God has made clean!'kKO 'But I replied, 'Absolutely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth!'QJ 'Then I heard a voice that told me, 'Get up, Peter, kill and eat.'TI! When I looked inside I saw animals, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds.OH 'While I was in the town of Joppa I was praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. Something that looked like a large sheet was being let down by its four corners from heaven, and it came down to me.FG Peter began to explain to them everything that had happened.\F1 'You went into the homes of uncircumcised men, and ate with them,' they said.xEi When Peter arrived back in the Jerusalem, those who believed circumcision was still essential argued with him.dD C The apostles and brothers in Judea heard that foreigners had also accepted the word of God.C 0He gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they pleaded with him to spend some time with them.B /Then Peter asked, 'Is anybody going to prevent them being baptized in water, since they have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?'=Au .They heard them speaking in tongues, glorifying God.@ -The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the foreigners.p?Y ,While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on all of them who were listening to the message.> +He is the one all the prophets spoke about, that everyone who trusts in him will receive forgiveness through his name.' =9 *He gave us the responsibility of publicly telling this to the people, to testify that he is the one God chose as the Judge of the living and the dead.< )not to everyone, but to those witnesses chosen by God including us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.O; (But God raised him back to life on the third day, and had him appear,n:U 'We can testify to all that he did in Judea and Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross.T9! &It's about Jesus of Nazareth how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went around doing good, healing all those who were under the devil's control, for God was with him.w8g %You know that this good news spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, following John's call to baptism.7} $You know the message he sent to Israel, sharing the good news of peace that comes from Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.R6 #In every nation God accepts those who respect him, and do what is right.J5  "Peter replied, 'I'm totally convinced that God has no favorites.64e !So immediately I sent for you, and it was good of you to come. That's why we're all here, meeting together before God, ready to hear everything the Lord has told you.'r3] Send someone to Joppa for Simon Peter. He's staying at Simon the tanner's house, down by the sea-shore.'r2] He told me, Cornelius, your prayers have been heard, and God has recognized your generosity to the poor.K1 'Four days ago, at about this time three in the afternoon I was praying in my house,' Cornelius explained. 'Suddenly I saw a man standing in front of me, dressed in clothes that shone brightly.0{ That's why I came without any argument when I was sent for. So now I want to know the reason why you sent for me.'J/  He said to them, 'You certainly know that it's not permitted for a Jew to be associated with or to visit foreigners. But God has shown me that it's not for me to call anyone impure or unclean.k.O Peter spoke with Cornelius, and then went on in where he found many other people waiting for him.U-# But Peter pulled him back up, telling him, 'Stand up! I'm only a man!'f,E When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.++ The following day they arrived in Caesarea where Cornelius was waiting for them with his relatives and close friends whom he'd called together.*- So he invited them in and they stayed there. The next day he got up and left with them. Some of the brothers from Joppa went with them too.)w 'We come from Cornelius, a good, religious man who has reverence for God and is widely respected among the Jewish people,' they replied. 'A holy angel instructed him to send for you to come to his house so he can hear what you have to tell him.'w(g So Peter went downstairs to meet the men. 'I'm the one you're looking for,' he said. 'Why are you here?'n'U Get up, go downstairs, and go with them. Don't worry at all because I'm the one who sent them.'&w While Peter was still wondering about the vision, the Spirit said to him, 'Look, there are three men looking for you.V%% They called out, asking whether Simon, also called Peter, was staying there..$U While Peter was puzzling over what the vision he'd seen really meant, the men sent by Cornelius had found out where Simon's house was and were standing at the gate.`#9 This happened three times, and then the sheet was quickly taken back into heaven.["/ He heard the voice speak again, 'Don't you call unclean what God has made clean!'p!Y But Peter replied, 'Certainly not, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is impure and unclean.'A } He heard a voice say, 'Get up Peter, kill and eat!'A} Inside were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds. he saw heaven opened. He saw something coming down that looked like a large sheet held by its four corners being lowered onto the earth.ve and he was getting hungry, wanting to eat. But while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance, and The next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up onto the top of the house to pray. It was about noon,X) After he'd explained to them all that had happened he sent them to Joppa.1 When the angel who had spoken to him had left, Cornelius called in two of his house-servants and a soldier of his personal guard, a religious man.Q who is staying at Simon the tanner's house down by the sea-shore.'J  'Now send some men to Joppa, and fetch Simon, also called Peter,?w Frightened, Cornelius stared at him and asked, 'What do you want, Lord?''God has paid attention to your prayers, and recognized your generosity to the poor,' he told Cornelius. At about 3p.m. one day he had a vision in which he saw very clearly an angel of God who came to him and called to him, 'Cornelius!'(I He was a religious man who, together with everyone in his household, had great reverence for God. He gave generously to the poor, and prayed regularly to God.d C In Caesarea lived a man named Cornelius who was a Roman centurion of the Italian battalion.U# +Peter spent a long time in Joppa, staying at the house of Simon the tanner.T! *The news spread through the whole of Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.y )He took her by the hand and lifted her up. He called in the believers and the widows, and presented her to them alive.,Q (Peter told them all to leave, kneeled down, and prayed. He turned to the body and said, 'Tabitha, get up.' She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.R 'So Peter got ready and left with them. When he arrived they took him upstairs. All the widows were there crying, and they showed him the coats and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them.!; &Lydda was near Joppa, so the disciples in Joppa, hearing that Peter was in Lydda, sent two men to him with the message, 'Please come to us right away.'{ o %However about this time she became sick, and died. After washing her body, they laid her out in an upstairs room.w g $In Joppa lived a follower called Tabitha, (Dorcas in Greek ). She was always doing good and helping the poor.] 3 #Everyone living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and became believers in the Lord.s _ "Peter told him, 'Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and pick up your mat!' Immediately Aeneas got up.n U !There he met a man called Aeneas who was paralyzed and had been confined to his bed for eight years.X) Peter was traveling around and went to visit the believers who lived in Lydda.r] During this time the whole church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria were left in peace. The church grew strong and increased rapidly in numbers as the believers lived reverently for the Lord, encouraged by the Holy Spirit.^5 When the brothers learned of this they took him to Caesarea, and sent him to Tarsus.} speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to kill him.P Saul stayed with the apostles and accompanied them all over Jerusalem,ve However, Barnabas took him to meet the apostles, and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. Barnabas also explained how in Damascus Saul had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.(I When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him because they were not convinced he was really a disciple.wg So during the night his followers took him and lowered him down in a basket from an opening in the city wall.{ but Saul learned of their intentions. Day and night they waited by the city gates looking for the chance to murder him.?y Some time later the Jews plotted together to kill him,~+ Saul grew more and more confident, proving Jesus was the Messiah so convincingly that the Jews who lived in Damascus could not refute him.p}Y All who heard him were amazed, and asked, 'Isn't this the man who caused so much trouble in Jerusalem for those who believed in Jesus? Wasn't he coming here to have the believers arrested and taken in chains to the chief priests?'_|7 He immediately started speaking in the synagogues, saying, 'Jesus is the Son of God.'v{e He also had something to eat and felt stronger. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.xzi Immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized.y{ So Ananias left and went to the house. He placed his hands on Saul. 'Brother Saul,' he said, 'The Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were traveling here, has sent me so you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'Mx I will show him what he'll have to suffer for my name's sake.'w) But the Lord told him, 'Get on your way, because he is the person I have chosen to take my name to foreigners and kings, as well as to Israel.  ~d}}=|||{Hzzlyyjy^xx8wwhvvv5uu@ttssrur5qppoo.nRmyll$kRjjiihhgffNeeeddQcc=bbTau``v__M^^]|\}[ZZZIYXXvWWVVV,UTTSSRQQ@PP;OO[=<<;;~::m99877R7655_44N3332R21W00y//.,,j++P**)w('''&w&*%v%4$$#X""E!! Oad,\1'rdg|> J Q % !o!b CThe seven days were almost over when some Jews from Asia saw Paul in the Temple and incited the crowd against him and seized him.rB]So Paul took the men with him, and the next day went and purified himself with them. Then he went to the Temple to give notice regarding the end of the time of purification and the offering which would be made for each of them.zAmAs to the foreigners who have trusted the Lord, we already wrote a letter regarding our decision that they should refrain from eating food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from any animal that is strangled, and from sexual immorality.'@Go with them and perform the purification rituals with them, paying for them to have their heads shaved. That way everyone will know there's no truth to the rumors they've heard about you, but that you yourself observe the Law in the way that you live.M?This is what we want you to do: Four men among us have taken a vow.e>C'So what should we do about it? People will certainly get to hear that you've arrived here.;=oThey have been told that you teach Jews living among the foreigners to ignore the Law of Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children and not to follow our customs.F<When they heard what had happened they praised God and told Paul, 'Brother, you can see how many thousands of Jews have come to trust in the Lord, and they all keep the Law very carefully.;yAfter greeting them, Paul went through in detail everything God had done for the foreigners through his ministry.]:3The next day Paul went with us to see James, and all the church leaders were there.O9When we arrived in Jerusalem, the believers there welcomed us warmly.=8sSome of the believers from Caesarea came with us, and they took us to the home of Mnason, where we were going to stay. He came from Cyprus and was one of the early believers.@7{After this we packed our bags and headed for Jerusalem.l6QSince he couldn't be persuaded otherwise we gave up, and said, 'May the Lord's will be done.'95k However Paul answered, 'What are you doing, crying and breaking my heart? I'm ready not only to be bound in Jerusalem, but to die in Jerusalem for the sake of the Lord Jesus.'b4= When we heard this, we and the believers there pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem.o3W Approaching us, he took Paul's belt, and bound his own hands and feet. Then he said, 'The Holy Spirit says, 'This is how the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt, and will hand him over to the foreigners.''_27 After we'd stayed there for several days, a prophet called Agabus arrived from Judea.<1s Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.y0kThe next day we left and went to Caesarea. We stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist (one of the Seven) .u/cOur voyage from Tyre ended at Ptolemais where we greeted the believers and stayed with them for a day.;.qThen we boarded the ship, and they went back home.g-GWhen the time was up, we left and went back to the ship to continue our journey. All the believers, and wives and children, accompanied us as we left the city. We knelt down on the beach and prayed, and said our goodbyes.,We found the believers and stayed there for a week. Through the Holy Spirit the believers told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.+#We passed within sight of Cyprus on the left, and continued on to Syria where we landed at Tyre, where the ship's cargo was to be unloaded.R*where we found a ship going to Phoenicia. We went on board and set sail.) After we had said goodbye to them, we sailed directly to Cos, and the next day on to Rhodes. From there we went to Patara(w&What upset them the most was what he said about never seeing him again... Then they walked down to the ship with him.5'e%They all wept as they hugged and kissed him.Q&$When he finished speaking, he kneeled down and prayed with all of them.1%[#I have given you an example in everything: work to help those who are weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'v$e"You know that I worked with my own hands to provide for my own needs, as well as for those who were with me.I# !I never had any desire for anyone's silver or gold or clothing.="s Now I commit you in God's care and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and provide you with the inheritance that belongs to all who are kept right with him.!ySo watch out! Don't forget that for three years I went on instructing all of you night and day, often crying over you.x iFrom among your own group men will rise up perverting what is right so they can lead believers to follow them.b=I know that after I leave vicious wolves will come among you, and won't spare the flock.'GTake care of yourselves and of all the flock, which the Holy Spirit has given to you to supervise. Feed the Lord's church which he bought with his own blood.I I didn't hesitate to tell you everything God wants you to know.QSo I declare to you today that I am not responsible if anyone is lost .q['Now I am certain that you will not see my face again, you among whom I shared the news of the kingdom.GBut I don't consider my life as worth anything to me. I only want to finish my mission and the ministry that the Lord Jesus gave to me, to witness to the good news of the grace of God.ykAll I know is that in every city I visit the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and suffering are waiting for me.nUNow the Spirit is insisting that I go to Jerusalem, and I have no idea what will happen to me there.I witnessed both to Jews and Greeks that it was essential to repent and turn to God, and to trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.)However I never held back from sharing with you anything that would be to your benefit, and I taught you in public, going from house to house.|qI served the Lord in humility and in tears. I put up with the troubles and stress caused by the plots of the Jews.!When they arrived, he told them, 'You know how I always behaved while I was with you from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.RFrom Miletus Paul sent a message to the elders of the church in Ephesus.4aPaul had planned to sail on past Ephesus so he wouldn't have to spend time in the province of Asia. He was keen to get to Jerusalem in time for the Day of Pentecost.Sailing on from there we arrived off Kios, and the next day we stopped briefly at Samos, and the following day we arrived at Miletus.T!He did indeed meet us at Assos. We picked him up, and went on to Mitylene."= We went on ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos. There we were due to pick up Paul, since that was what he had planned as he decided to travel on foot.\1 They took the young man home alive and well, and were very thankful for this.  Paul went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate together with them. He went on talking with them until dawn came, and then he left.r ] Paul went down, stretched himself out upon him, and hugged him. 'Don't worry, he's alive,' he said.l Q A young man called Eutychus was sitting in the window, and he began feeling very sleepy. As Paul went on speaking he fell sound asleep and tumbled down from the third story. When they picked him up they found he was dead.O (The upstairs room where we were meeting was lit by many lamps.). UPaul was speaking on the first day of the week as we gathered together to break bread. He was planning to leave in the morning, and went on speaking until midnight.  After the Feast of Unleavened Bread we sailed from Philippi, and met them five days later in Troas, where we spent a week.7iThey went on ahead and waited for us at Troas.U#These were the people who traveled with him: Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.@yAfter he had spent three months there and just as he was about to sail to Syria, it was discovered that the Jews were plotting against him. So he decided to return through Macedonia.He passed through the area, sharing many words of encouragement with the believers there, and then traveled on to Greece.  Once the uproar had died down, Paul called the believers together and encouraged them. Then he said goodbye, and left for Macedonia.?y)When he had finished speaking, he dismissed the crowd.0Y(In fact we ourselves are in danger of being accused of being responsible for this riot today, since there was no reason for it, and we can't justify why it happened.'J 'If there's anything else, it can be taken to the legal assembly./&So if Demetrius and the other craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, then go to the authorities and the courts. They can press charges there.q~[%You have brought these men here, but they haven't robbed any temples or blasphemed against our goddess.Y}+$Since these facts can't be denied, you should stay calm don't do anything rash.n|U#After the town clerk had managed to quiet the mob down, he told them, 'People of Ephesus, who doesn't know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell from heaven?{/"But when they realized he was a Jew, they all took up a chant that lasted for about two hours, shouting 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!'z5!The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front. Alexander motioned with his hand for them to be quiet, wanting to explain things to the people.%yC Some were shouting one thing, and some something else, for the crowd that had gathered was in total confusion most of them had no idea why they were there. x Some of the provincial officials, who were Paul's friends, also sent a message begging him not to go into the amphitheatre.]w3Paul thought he should confront the mob, but the other believers would not let him.6veThe city was in complete chaos. People rushed towards the amphitheatre, dragging along with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions who were from Macedonia.iuKWhen they heard this they became furious, and shouted out, 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!''tGIt's not just a question that our business will be in danger of losing respect, but that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be considered worthless. Artemis herself would be dethroned from her high position as the one whom everyone in Asia and the whole world worships.'syAs you're no doubt aware from what you've seen and heard not just here in Ephesus, but throughout almost the whole of Asia this man Paul has convinced and misled many people, telling them that there are no such things as gods made by human hands.0rYDemetrius called them together, along with others who worked in similar trades, and said, 'Fellow-workers, you know that it's through this business we make our money.&nESome time after this Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing first through Macedonia and Achaia. 'After I've been there, I'll have to go to Rome,' he said.NmIn this way the word of the Lord grew strong and spread widely.]l3A number of those who used to practice sorcery collected their books on magic and brought them to be burned publicly. They worked out how much the books were worth, and the total was fifty thousand silver coins.ikKMany came to trust in the Lord and confessed their sins, openly admitting their evil practices.+jOPeople living in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, heard about this. They were all in awe at what had happened, and the name of the Lord Jesus gained great respect.)iKThe man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered all of them. He beat them so severely that they ran out of the house, naked and badly injured.ah;But one day an evil spirit responded, 'I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?'Zg-The ones doing this were the seven sons of Sceva, a Jew and a chief priest.Uf# Some Jews who were going around exorcising decided to use the name of the Lord Jesus when they drove out evil spirits. They'd say, 'I command you to leave in the name of the Jesus that Paul talks about.'e{ so much so that they took handkerchiefs or aprons Paul had touched to heal the sick and to drive out evil spirits.5de God performed unusual miracles through Paul,!c; This went on for the next two years, with the result that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.tba But some of them were stubborn, and refused to accept. They denounced the Way to the crowd. So Paul gave up on them and left the synagogue, taking the believers with him. Then he had discussions every day at the hall of Tyrannus.Ba}Paul went to the synagogue and over the course of the next three months spoke boldly to those who were there, discussing with them and trying to convince them about the kingdom of God.7`iThere were about twelve of them in total.{_oAfter Paul had placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.Q^When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.9]k'John baptized with the baptism of repentance,' said Paul. 'He told the people that they should trust in the one who would come after him that is, they should trust in Jesus.'_\7'So what baptism did you receive?' he asked.'John's baptism,' they replied.[/'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' he asked them. 'No, we haven't heard anything about a Holy Spirit,' they told him.wZ iWhile Apollos was in Corinth, Paul took the inland route and arrived in Ephesus where he found some believers. Y because he was able to strongly refute the Jews in public debate, demonstrating from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.QXWhen he decided to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples there telling them to welcome him. When he arrived he was very helpful to those who through grace trusted God,,WQHe started speaking openly in the synagogue. So when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to join them and explained the way of God to him more fully.7VgHe had been taught the way of the Lord. He was spiritually passionate, and in his speaking and teaching he presented Jesus accurately, but he only knew about John's baptism.U!In the meantime a Jew named Apollos, originally from Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. He was a gifted speaker who knew the Scriptures well.THe spent some time there and then went from town to town through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, encouraging all the believers.hSIAfter landing at Caesarea he went to greet the church members, and then carried on to Antioch.~RuHe said his goodbyes, and set sail from Ephesus, telling them, 'I'll come back and see you if it's God's will.'7QiThey asked him to stay longer, but he refused.wPgThey arrived in Ephesus, where Paul left the others behind. He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews.KOPaul stayed on for a while. Then left the believers and sailed for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila along with him. He had his head shaved while in Cenchrae, because he had taken a vow .$NAThen the crowd turned on Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him right outside the court, but Gallio wasn't concerned about this at all.5MeThen Gallio had them ejected from the court.LBut since you're only arguing over words and names and your own law, then you deal with it yourselves. I won't rule on such matters.'OKBut just as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio told the Jews, 'If you Jews were bringing criminal charges or some serious legal offense, there would be a reason for me to listen to your case.WJ' 'This man is persuading people to worship God illegally,' they declared.I% However during the time when Gallio was the governor of Achaia, the Jews united in an attack against Paul and brought him before the court .ZH- Paul stayed there for eighteen months, teaching the people the word of God.dGA because I am with you, and no-one will attack you, for many people in this city are mine.'`F9 The Lord told Paul in a vision at night: 'Don't be afraid. Speak up, don't keep quiet @EyCrispus, leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his whole household. Many of the people of Corinth who heard the message became believers and were baptized.xDiHe left and went to stay with Titius Justus, who worshiped God and whose house was next door to the synagogue.HC When they opposed him and cursed him, he shook out his clothes and told them, 'Your blood is on your own heads! I am innocent of any guilt, and from now on I will go to the foreigners.'B5When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul felt he had to become more direct in what he said, and told the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.UA#He debated in the synagogue every Sabbath, convincing both Jews and Greeks.Y@+and because they were in the same business of tent-making, he stayed with them.V?%where he met a Jew named Aquila. Aquila was originally from Pontus, and had just arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all Jews expelled from Rome. Paul went to see them,1> _Paul then left Athens and went to Corinth=%"A few men joined him and trusted in God, including Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, as well as a woman called Damaris, and some others.<1!So Paul left them.;5 Some of them laughed when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, while others said, 'Please come back so we can hear more about this later.'2:]For he has set a time when he will rightly judge the world by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone that he is the one by raising him from the dead.'l9QGod disregarded people's ignorance in the past, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent.8Since we are his family we shouldn't think that God is like gold, or silver, or stone, shaped by human artistry and thinking.i7KIn him we live, move, and exist. Just as one of your own poets wrote, 'We are his family.'6God's purpose was that they should seek him, hoping they would reach out for him and find him though he isn't far from any one of us.}5sFrom one man he made all the peoples who live on the earth, and decided beforehand when and where they should live.4{He doesn't need to be served by us as if he needed anything, since he is the source of all life for every living being.|3qThe God who created the world and everything in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, doesn't live in temples we make.>2uAs I was walking along, looking at your shrines, I found an altar that had the inscription, 'To an Unknown God.' This unknown God whom you worship is the one I'm describing to you. 1Paul stood up right in the middle of the Areopagus and said, 'People of Athens, I notice you are very religious about everything.07(All the Athenians, including foreigners who lived there, spent their whole time doing nothing except explaining or listening to something new).c/?We're hearing from you things that sound odd to us, so we'd like to know what they mean.'z.mSo they took him to the Areopagus, and asked him, 'Please tell us about this new teaching that you're promoting.p-YSome Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also argued with him. 'What is he going on about?' they wondered. Others concluded, 'He seems to be teaching about some foreign gods,' because he was speaking about Jesus and the resurrection.,5He debated in the synagogue with the Jews and those who worshiped God, as well as in the marketplace with those he happened to meet from day to day.m+SWhile Paul was waiting for them in Athens he was very troubled to see all the idolatry in the city.6*eThose escorting Paul took him as far as Athens, and then returned with instructions from Paul to Silas and Timothy that they should join him there as soon as possible.d)AImmediately the believers sent Paul to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind.5(c But when the Jews in Thessalonica heard that Paul was also spreading the word of God in Berea, they went there and caused the same kind of trouble, stirring up the crowds.l'Q As a result many of them became believers, along with some highly-placed Greek women and men.S& The people there had a better attitude than those in Thessalonica in that they were very quick to accept the word, and every day they examined the Scriptures to make sure what they were told was right. %  The believers had Paul and Silas leave for Berea that very night. When they arrived in Berea they went to the Jewish synagogue.S$ So they made Jason and the others post bail before they let them go.Z#-The people and the leaders of the town were very disturbed when they heard this."+and Jason has made them welcome in his house. They all defy Caesar's decrees, committing treason by saying there is another king called Jesus.'`!9When they couldn't find them they dragged Jason and some of the other believers before the town leaders, shouting, 'These people are famous for causing trouble, turning the world upside down. Now they've come here,{ oBut the Jews became jealous and with some rabble-rousers they gathered from the marketplace they formed a mob. They rioted in the town, and attacked Jason's house. They tried to find Paul and Silas so they could bring them before the people.Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas, along with many Greek-speaking worshipers and some leading women of the town.1[He explained what the Scriptures meant, proving that the Messiah had to die and rise from the dead. 'This Jesus I'm telling you about he is the Messiah,' he told them.{As usual, Paul went into the synagogue and over the course of three Sabbaths he debated with them using the Scriptures.  After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia they arrived at Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.%(So Paul and Silas left the prison and went to Lydia's house. There they met with the believers, encouraged them, and then went on their way._7'and went to apologize to them . They escorted them out and begged them to leave town.+&The officials went back and reported this to the magistrates. When they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens they were really worried,[/%But Paul told them, 'They publicly beat us without a trial and yet we're Romans citizens! Then they threw us in prison. Now they want to quietly let us go? No, they should come themselves and release us!'xi$The jailer told Paul, 'The magistrates have sent word to release you. So you can leave, and go in peace.'kO#Early the next day the magistrate sent officials to the jailer, telling him, 'Release those men.'"He took them home and had a meal prepared for them. The jailer and his whole family were full of joy because they trusted in God.}s!Even though it was late at night he bathed their wounds, and he was baptized right away, along with all his family.]3 Then they shared the word of the Lord with him and everyone who lived in his house.fE'Trust in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved you and your whole household,' they replied.c?He escorted them out and asked them, 'Sirs, what do I have to do so I can be saved?'xiThe jailer asked for lights to be brought and rushed in. Shaking with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.PBut Paul shouted out, 'Don't hurt yourself we're all still here!'!;The jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison wide open. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. )Suddenly a tremendous earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. Immediately all the doors flew open and everyone's chains fell off. {Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. {The jailer followed his orders. He threw Paul and Silas into the inner cell and shackled their feet in the stocks.v eAfter giving them a severe beating, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them locked up. The crowd joined together in an attack on them. The magistrates tore off Paul and Silas' clothes, and ordered them beaten with rods.a;'They're advocating things that are illegal for us as Romans to accept or to practice.'#They brought them in front of the magistrates, and accused them: 'These Jewish men are causing a great disturbance in our town,' they said.-SBut when her masters saw they had lost their means of making money, they grabbed hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace.NShe went on doing this for several days. This bothered Paul so he turned around and told the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to leave her!' The spirit immediately left her.-This girl followed Paul and the rest of us around, shouting, 'These men are the servants of Almighty God. They are telling you how to be saved!'3_One day when we were going down to the place of prayer we met a slave girl possessed by an evil spirit . She earned her masters a great deal of money by fortune-telling.U#After she and all her household were baptized, she pleaded with us, 'If you really think that I'm truly committed to the Lord, then come and stay at my house.' She kept on insisting until we agreed!X)One of them was called Lydia, who sold purple cloth from the town of Thyatira. She worshiped God, and she listened to us. The Lord opened her mind to what Paul was saying, and she accepted what he told her.@y On the Sabbath day we went out of the town gates down to the riverside where we thought people would come to pray. We sat down and talked with the women that had gathered there.  and from there to Philippi, the most important town in Macedonia, and also a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for several days.g~G We set sail from Troas and made straight for Samothrace. The next day we went on to Neapolis,+}O After Paul saw this vision, we immediately made arrangements to go to Macedonia, since we concluded that God had called us to share the good news with them.|# There Paul saw in vision during the night a man from Macedonia standing up, pleading with him, 'Please come over to Macedonia and help us!'={uSo they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.zWhen they arrived at the border of Mysia they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to enter. y9They traveled through the districts of Phrygia and Galatia, since the Holy Spirit prevented them from going to the province of Asia to speak the word.oxWThe churches were strengthened in their trust in the Lord and every day their numbers increased.w!As they went through the different towns they gave them the requirements the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had said should be observed.vPaul wanted Timothy to travel with him, so he circumcised him because the Jews in the area all knew that Timothy's father was Greek.>uwThe brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.0t [Paul went first to Derbe, and then on to Lystra, where he met a believer by the name of Timothy. He was the son of a Jewish Christian mother, and his father was Greek.Rs)Paul traveled through Syria and Cilicia, encouraging the churches there.drA(Paul chose Silas, and as they left, the believers committed them to the grace of the Lord.tqa'They had such a strong disagreement that they separated. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed to Cyprus.p&But Paul didn't think it was a good idea to take him with them, since he'd left them in Pamphylia and hadn't continued working with them.6og%Barnabas planned to take along John Mark too.'nG$Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, 'Let's go back and visit the believers in every town where we shared the word of the Lord, and see how they're doing.'xmi#But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of God along with many others. l "ky!After spending some time there they were sent back by the brothers with their blessing to the believers in Jerusalem .{jo Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, encouraged the brothers, explaining many things, and strengthening them.Wi'After they had read it, the people were so happy for the encouraging message.hwThe men were sent on their way to Antioch. When they arrived they called everybody together and delivered the letter.9gkYou should avoid: anything sacrificed to idols; blood; meat from strangled animals; and sexual immorality. You will do well to observe these requirements. God bless you.'fwIt seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place on you any heavier burden than these important requirements._e7'So we are sending to you Judas and Silas who can verbally confirm what we're saying.Qdwho have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.c So we have agreed to choose some representatives and send them to you together with our much-loved brothers Barnabas and Paul,b'We have heard that some from our group have confused you with their teachings, causing you trouble. We certainly didn't tell them to do this!"a=and sent them with this letter:'Greetings from us, the apostles and elders and brothers, to the non-Jewish brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:r`]Then the apostles and elders, together with the whole church, decided it would be good to choose some representatives and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas, leaders among the brothers, 3%~}}Z||{LzzyyfxxBwwvvuttssrnqqIpp ooBnn;mm lkkjj5ii,hgffTee+dd(c6==7<<;R::[99'88 7A6K5444322q11F001/..,--,V++ *))t((D'o&&,%$$$5#V""V!![ 8% m&KG~bJ s q 4#3  From there we sailed on to Rhegium. The following day a south wind blew, and on the second day we arrived at the port of Puteoli,<s We stopped at Syracuse, and spent three days there.7 After a three month stay we set sail aboard a ship from Alexandria having a figurehead of the Heavenly Twins that had spent the winter at the island.|q They presented us with many gifts, and when we had to sail they provided everything we needed for the voyage.\1 After this happened, everyone else who was sick on the island came and was healed..UNow Publius' father was sick, lying in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and prayed for him, placed his hands on him, and healed him.-Nearby were lands that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and looked after us for three days very hospitably.V%They were expecting him to swell up, or suddenly fall down dead. But after waiting a long time, they saw that nothing bad had happened to him so they changed their minds and decided he must be a god.V%However Paul shook the snake off into the fire, and suffered no ill-effects.H When the people there saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, 'This man must be a murderer. Even though he escaped death from the sea, Justice won't let him live.'9kPaul collected a bundle of firewood and threw it on the fire. But a poisonous snake was driven out of the bundle because of the heat and bit him, fastening itself on his hand.The people there were very kind they started a fire and called all of us over so we could warm up from the rain and the cold.U %When we were safe ashore, we discovered that we were on the island of Malta.mS,The rest grabbed hold of planks and other wreckage, so that everyone was able to reach land safely./W+But the centurion, because he wanted to save Paul's life, prevented them from doing this, and ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land.`9*The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so none of them could swim away and escape.3_)But they struck a sandbar and the ship grounded. The bow hit, and stuck so firm it couldn't be moved, while the stern began to be broken apart by the pounding surf.A{(So they cut the anchor ropes, leaving the anchors in the sea. At the same time they untied the ropes holding the rudders, raised the foresail to the wind, and made for the beach.%'When dawn came they didn't recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay that had a beach. They planned to try running the ship aground there.t a&Once they'd had enough to eat, the crew made the ship lighter by throwing the supplies of wheat overboard.S %The total number of people on board was two hundred and seventy-six.2 _$Everyone was encouraged and they ate too." =#When he'd finished speaking he picked up a loaf of bread, and gave thanks to God for it in front of everyone. Then he broke the bread, and began to eat. "'Please do what I say and eat some food. This will help give you strength. For not even a hair from anyone's head is going to be lost!':m!At daybreak Paul urged all of them to eat something. 'It's been fourteen days now that you haven't eaten anything because you've been so worried and preoccupied,' he told them.W' So the soldiers cut the ropes holding the ship's boat, and let it loose.pYBut Paul told the centurion and the soldiers, 'Unless the crew stays with the ship, you will be lost.'%CThe crew tried to leave the ship, and had lowered the ship's boat into the water with the pretext that they were going to drop anchors from the ship's bow.They were concerned that we might be wrecked on rocks, so they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for daylight to come. They checked the depth and found it was forty meters, and a little while later they checked again and it was thirty meters. 7At around midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, still being blown over the Sea of Adria, the crew suspected they were getting close to land.:oHowever, we will be wrecked on some island.'eCSo men, have courage! I trust God, and I'm convinced things will happen just as I was told.7''Don't be afraid, Paul,' he told me. 'You have to stand trial before Caesar. See, God has graciously given to you everyone who is sailing with you.'O~Last night an angel of my God and whom I serve, stood beside me.g}GBut now I advise you keep up your courage, because nobody is going to be lost, just the ship.W|'Nobody had eaten anything for a long time. Then Paul stood before them and told them, 'Men, you should have listened to me and not sailed from Crete. Then you could have avoided all this hardship and loss.{We hadn't seen the sun or the stars for many days as the storm beat down on us, so any hope of our being saved was lost.SzOn the third day they grabbed the ship's gear and tossed it into the sea.zymThe following day as we were violently thrown about by the storm, the crew started throwing the cargo overboard.exCAfter hoisting it aboard, the sailors bound ropes around the hull to strengthen it. Then, worried that they would be wrecked on the Syrtis banks, they lowered the sea anchor and allowed the ship to be driven along.w-We were eventually able to run into the lee of a small island called Cauda, and managed with some difficulty to secure the ship's boat on board.vThe ship was forced out to sea and could not face into the wind. So we had to give in and allow ourselves to be driven before the wind.euCBut it wasn't long before a hurricane-force wind called a 'northeaster' blew from the land..tU When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they could do what they planned. They pulled up the anchor and sailed close inshore along the coast of Crete.fsE Since the harbor was not large enough to over-winter in, the majority were in favor of leaving and trying if possible to reach Phoenix and spend the winter there a harbor in Crete that faces northwest and southwest.~ru But the centurion paid more attention to the advice of the ship's captain and its owner than to what Paul said.q 'Men, I predict that this voyage will result in much hardship and loss not just of the cargo and the ship, but also our very lives.'~pu We'd lost a lot of time, and the voyage was becoming dangerous because it was now after the Fast . Paul warned them, o With some difficulty we made our way along the coast until we arrived at a place called Fair Havens, near to the town of Lasea.7ngWe sailed slowly for several days and eventually arrived off Cnidus. But since the winds wouldn't allow us to continue we sailed across to the lee of Crete, near to Salmone.mwThere the centurion found a ship from Alexandria that would be sailing to Italy, and arranged for us to join it.lThen we sailed directly across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, arriving at the port of Myra in Lycia.fkEWe set out from there and sailed to the leeward of Cyprus because the winds were against us.&jEThe next day we had a brief stop at Sidon, and Julius was kind enough to let Paul go ashore and visit his friends so they could provide what he needed.:imWe boarded a ship based in Adramyttium that was headed to the coastal ports of the province of Asia, and we set sail. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, went with us.h /When the time came for us to sail to Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion called Julius of the Imperial Regiment.Zg- Agrippa told Festus, 'He could have been freed if he hadn't appealed to Caesar.' fThey conferred together after they had left. 'This man hasn't done anything that deserves death or imprisonment,' they concluded.neUThe King stood up, along with the governor and Bernice, and everyone who had been sitting with them.[d/'Whether it takes a short time or a long time doesn't matter,' Paul answered. 'But my prayer to God is that not just you, but everybody listening to me today would become like me except for these chains!'gcG'Do you think you can convince me to become a Christian so quickly?' Agrippa asked Paul.Vb%'King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets said? I'm sure you do!'DaThe king recognizes this, and I'm explaining it very clearly. I am sure that he is aware of what's been happening, because none of this took place as if it were hidden in a corner. i`K'I'm not mad, Festus your Excellency,' Paul replied. 'What I am saying is true and makes sense._Festus interrupted Paul as he made his defense, shouting out, 'Paul, you've gone mad! All your knowledge is driving you insane!',^Qhow the Messiah had to suffer, and that by being the first to rise from the dead he would announce the light of God's salvation to both Jews and foreigners.'Q]'God has looked after me so I can stand here today as a witness to everyone, both to ordinary people and to those who are important. I am only repeating what Moses and the prophets said would happen P\That's why the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.Y[+First in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, and then all over Judea and also to the foreigners I shared the message of repentance: how they should turn to God, demonstrating their repentance through their actions.NZ'Clearly, King Agrippa, I could not disobey this vision from heaven.aY;to open their eyes so they can turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and so that they can receive forgiveness for their sins and a place with those who are set right as they trust in me.'_X7I will save you from you own people and from the foreigners. I am sending you to themZW-But pick yourself up and get to your feet. The reason why I've appeared to you is to appoint you as my servant, to be a witness for me, telling others how you have seen me and everything I will reveal to you.iVK''Who are you, Lord?' I asked.''I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting,' the Lord replied.-USAll of us fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to fight against me !'/TW At about noon as I was on my way, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven that blazed brighter than the sun. It shone around me and those who were traveling with me.oSW 'That's why one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and orders from the chief priests.5Rc I had them punished in all the synagogues, trying to make them recant. I was so furiously opposed to them that I went to cities outside our country to persecute them.OQ This is what I did in Jerusalem. I threw many of the believers in prison, having been given authority to do this by the chief priests. When they were sentenced to death I cast my vote against them.vPe Previously I was sincerely convinced I should do as much as I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.WO''Why should any of you think it's unbelievable that God raises the dead?7Ngthat our twelve tribes hoped to receive as they continually dedicated themselves in God's service. Yes, it's because of this hope that I'm accused by the Jews, Your Majesty!bM='Now I am standing here to be judged regarding the promised hope God gave to our fathersBL}They have known me for a long time and can verify, if they choose to, that I have followed the religious school that observes our faith in the strictest way I lived as a Pharisee.sK_'All the Jews know my life story from my earliest days beginning in my own country and then in Jerusalem.J/particularly because you are an expert in all Jewish issues and customs. I beg your patient indulgence as you listen to what I have to say.'~Iu'I am delighted, King Agrippa, to make my defense before you today regarding everything I am accused of by the Jews,H Agrippa then said to Paul, 'You are free to speak on your own behalf.' With a sweep of his arm, Paul began his defense.lGQIt doesn't seem fair to me to send on a prisoner without explaining the charges made against him.',FQBut I don't have anything specific to write about him to His Imperial Majesty. That's why I have brought him before you so I can have something definite to write.E)However I discovered he has not committed any crime that deserves death, and since he has appealed to the emperor I decided to send him there.rD]'King Agrippa, and everyone who is present here with us,' Festus began, 'you see before you this man whom all the Jewish people, both here and in Jerusalem, have complained to me about, shouting that he shouldn't be allowed to live.ECThe next day Agrippa arrived with Bernice in great ceremonial splendor and entered the auditorium with the commanders and leading citizens. Then Festus ordered Paul to be brought in. B'I would like to hear the man myself,' Agrippa told Festus.'I'll arrange for you to hear him tomorrow,' Festus replied. A However Paul appealed for his case to be heard by the emperor, so I ordered him detained until I could send him to Caesar.'@)Since I was undecided as to how to proceed in investigating such matters, I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there.?!Instead they brought up controversies over religious questions, and over a man called Jesus who was dead but whom Paul insisted was alive.e>CHowever, when the accusers got up they didn't bring charges of criminal acts as I expected. =So when his accusers arrived here, I wasted no time and convened the court the very next day. I ordered the man to be brought in.=<sI replied that it is not according to Roman law to convict anyone without having them face their accusers and giving them the opportunity to defend themselves against the charges. ;When I was in Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priests and leaders came and made accusations against him and asked me to sentence him.:They were staying some time so Festus presented Paul's case to the king, explaining, 'There's a man that Felix left as a prisoner here.9w Several days later, King Agrippa and his sister Bernice arrived in Caesarea and came to pay their respects to Festus.z8m Festus then conferred with the council, and replied, 'You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go!'7' If I've committed a crime and have done something that deserves death, I do not ask to be pardoned from a death sentence. But if there's no substance to these accusations they're making against me, then nobody has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!'!6; 'I'm standing before Caesar's court to be tried, right where I should be,' Paul replied. 'I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you very well know.*5M But Festus, who was looking to gain favor with the Jews, asked Paul, 'Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried before me there about these matters?'x4iPaul defended himself, telling them, 'I have not sinned at all against the Jewish law, the Temple, or Caesar.'3-When he came in the Jews that had come from Jerusalem surrounded him and brought many serious charges against him that they couldn't prove.B2}After staying there with them for no more than eight or ten days, Festus returned to Caesarea. The following day he took his seat as judge, and ordered that Paul be brought before him.1 'Your leaders can come with me, and make their accusation against this man, if he has done anything wrong,' he told them.m0SBut Festus replied that Paul was in custody at Caesarea and that he himself would be there shortly.n/UThey begged Festus as a favor to send Paul to Jerusalem, plotting to ambush and kill him on the way.b.=The chief priests and Jewish leaders came to him and brought their charges against Paul.a- =Three days after Festus had arrived in the province he left Caesarea to go to Jerusalem.,yTwo years passed and Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. To stay in favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison.a+;Hoping that Paul would give him a bribe, Felix often sent for Paul and talked with him.>*uHe discussed with them about living right, self-control, and the coming judgment. Felix became alarmed and told Paul, 'You can go now, and I'll send for you when I get the chance.')/Some days later Felix returned with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about trusting in Christ Jesus.%(CHe ordered the centurion to keep Paul in custody but to allow him some measure of freedom and to let Paul's friends care for him without interference.%'CFelix who was well-informed about the Way then adjourned the trial. 'When Lysias the commander comes I will make my decision regarding your case,' he said.&!except for the time when I shouted out to them, I am on trial before you today because of my belief in the resurrection of the dead.'}%sOtherwise let these men here explain themselves what crime they found me guilty of when I stood before the council,#$?But some Jews from the province of Asia were there, who should be present here before you today to bring their charges, if they have anything against me.#That's what they found me doing in the Temple completing the ceremony of purification. There was no crowd and no disturbance.y"k'Having been away for a few years I returned to bring some money to help the poor and to give offerings to God.h!IConsequently I try to make sure I always have a clear conscience before God and everyone.{ oI have the same hope in God that they do, believing that there will be a resurrection of the good and the wicked.b='But I will admit this to you: I serve the God of our fathers following the beliefs of the Way, which they call a heretical sect. I believe everything the law teaches and what is written in the books of the prophets.M Nor can they prove to you any of their accusations against me.{ Nobody found me arguing in the Temple with anyone, or inciting people to riot in any synagogue or anywhere in the city.]3 'You can easily verify that I arrived in Jerusalem to worship just twelve days ago.7 The Governor motioned for Paul to respond. 'Recognizing you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense,' Paul began.@{ The Jews joined in, saying that this was all true.X)By interrogating him yourself you will discover the truth of our accusations.'  ;qHe tried to defile the Temple, so we arrested him.We discovered that this man is a real pest, stirring up rebellions among Jews all over the world, a ringleader of the Nazarene sect.jM'But in order not to bore you, please be so kind as to give us your attention for a short while.U#All of us throughout the country are so very grateful to you for this.  When Paul was summoned, Tertullus began making his case against him. He said, 'Your Excellency Governor Felix, we have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and as a result of your wise judgment reforms have been enacted for the benefit of the nation.9 mFive days later Ananias the high priest arrived with some of the Jewish leaders, and with a lawyer called Tertullus. They presented formal charges against Paul to the governor.oW#'I will investigate your case when your accusers arrive.' He ordered Paul detained in Herod's palace.  "After reading the letter, the governor asked Paul what province he came from. When he learned he was from Cilicia he told Paul,uc!When the cavalry arrived at Caesarea they delivered the letter to the governor and brought Paul before him.a; The next morning they sent him on with the cavalry, and went back to the fortress.V %So the soldiers followed their orders and took Paul overnight to Antipatris. When I discovered a plot against this man I sent him to you right away, ordering his accusers to make their complaints before you.' 5I found out the charges against him had to do with issues regarding their law, but he was not guilty of anything that merited death or imprisonment.` 9I wanted to know the reason for their accusations, so I took him before their council.5 cThis man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, when I arrived on the scene with soldiers and rescued him, because I had found out he was a Roman citizen.KFrom Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings!9mHe also wrote a letter that went like this:^5Provide horses for Paul to ride to make sure he gets to Governor Felix safely.'J He summoned two centurions and told them, 'Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, together with seventy cavalry-men and two hundred spearmen. Be ready to leave at nine p.m. tonight.wgThe commander sent the young man on his way, warning him, 'Don't tell anyone that you've told me about this.'wg'Please don't listen to them, because they have planned to ambush him with more than forty men who have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They're ready right now, waiting for you to agree to the request.'#?'The Jews have arranged to ask you to bring Paul to the council tomorrow, as if they wanted to ask more detailed questions about his case,' he explained.yThe commander took the young man by the hand and drew him aside. 'What do you have to tell me?' he asked quietly.J So the centurion took Paul's nephew and brought him to the commander and told him, 'The prisoner Paul called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.'7Paul called over one of the centurions, and told him, 'Take this young man to the commander, because he has some information to share with him.'~But Paul's nephew (his sister's son) heard about their planned ambush, and he went into the fortress and told Paul about it.U}#So you and the council should send word to the commander that he should bring Paul down to meet with you, as if you wanted to examine his case in more detail. We're ready to kill him along the way.' | They went to the chief priests and leaders and said, 'We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.6{g Over forty were part of this conspiracy.tza Next day some Jews plotted together, and they took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.Ry Afterwards, during the night, the Lord stood by Paul, and told him, 'Keep up your courage! Just as you have given your testimony about me in Jerusalem, so you must be my witness in Rome as well.'Sx The argument was getting out of hand, so the commander, concerned that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go and rescue him from them by force, and take him back into the fortress.Cw A great commotion erupted and some of the Pharisee teachers of the law stood up and argued fiercely, saying 'We find this man not guilty! Maybe a spirit spoke to him, or an angel!' v(The Sadducees say there is no resurrection from the dead, no angels, and no spirits, but Pharisees believe in all of these.)xuiWhen he said this, a tremendous argument broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees that split the council.htIWhen Paul realized that some of the council were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out, 'Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I'm on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead!'s7'Brothers, I didn't know that he was the high priest,' Paul replied. 'As Scriptures say, 'You must not speak evil of any ruler of your people.'']r3The officers standing beside Paul said, 'How dare you insult the high priest!'9qkPaul said to him, 'God will hit you, you whitewashed wall! You're sitting there to judge me according to the law, and you order me to be hit in contravention of the law!'ipKAnanias the high priest ordered the officers standing beside Paul to hit him on the mouth.o 'Paul, looking right at the council, said, 'Brothers, right up to now I have always conducted myself before God with a clear conscience.'wngThe next day, wanting to find out the reason why the Jews were accusing Paul, he had him released and taken before the chief priests and the whole council which he ordered to assemble. He had Paul brought down and placed him before them.9mkThose who were about to interrogate Paul left immediately. The commander was worried when he found out that Paul was a Roman citizen because he had placed him in chains .l}'I paid a lot of money to buy Roman citizenship,' said the commander.'But I was born a citizen,' Paul replied.ukcThe commander came, and asked Paul, 'Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?' Paul replied, 'Yes I am.' jWhen the centurion heard what Paul said, he went to the commander and asked him, 'What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen.'.iUAs they stretched him out and tied him down to flog him, Paul asked the centurion standing there, 'Is it legal to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't had a trial?'Ah{The commander ordered Paul brought into the fortress, and gave orders for him to be interrogated by flogging so he could find out the reason people were shouting so much against Paul.MgThey screamed and tore off their coats and threw dust into the air.&fEUp until this point they had listened to what he was saying, but then they started shouting, Get rid of this man from the earth he doesn't deserve to live!'`e9'The Lord told me, 'Leave now, for I am sending you far away to the foreigners.'' d9When Stephen was killed for testifying about you I was standing there in full agreement with those who killed him, holding their coats for them.' c 'I replied, 'Lord, they certainly know that I went from synagogue to synagogue, beating and imprisoning those who trusted in you#b?I saw a vision of the Lord telling me, Hurry! You need to leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept what you are telling them about me.']a3'I returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance.U`#Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins as you call on his name.'o_WYou will testify for him to everyone about what you have seen and heard. So what are you waiting for?!^;'He told me, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, to see the One who is truly right, and to listen to what he has to say to you.]! He stood in front of me and said, Brother Saul, receive back your sight.' At that very moment I could see again, and I looked at him.\3 There a man called Ananias came to see me. He was a religious man who observed the law, and was highly respected by the Jews who lived in the town.[y 'Since I couldn't see because of the brightness of the light, those who were with me led me by the hand into Damascus.*ZM ''What shall I do, Lord?' I asked.'The Lord told me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you'll be told everything that's arranged for you to do.'tYa 'Those who were traveling with me did see the light, but they didn't hear the voice that spoke to me.xXi''Who are you, Lord?' I answered.''I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting,' he told me.oWWI fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'V'At around noon, while I was on my way and approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven shone all around me. U'As the high priest and the council of the elders can also verify, I received from them letters of authorization addressed to the Jewish brothers in Damascus, and went there to arrest these people and bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.tTaand I persecuted the people of this Way having them put to death, and imprisoning both men and women.zSm'I am a Jew born in Tarsus in Cilicia,' he began. 'However I was brought up here in this city, and sat at the feet of Gamaliel. I was taught to strictly observe the law of our fathers. I was zealous for God, just like all of you here today,WR'When they heard him speaking to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.YQ -'Brother and fathers,' he said, 'Please listen as I give my defense before you.'P/(The commander gave Paul permission to speak. So Paul stood on the stairs and motioned for silence. When it was quiet he spoke to them in Aramaic.O{''I am a Jew, a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, an important city,' Paul replied. 'Please let me talk to the people.'zNm&'Aren't you the Egyptian who recently incited a rebellion and led four thousand Assassins into the desert?'#M?%Just as he was about to be taken inside the fortress, Paul asked the commander, 'Can I tell you something?''Do you know Greek?' asked the commander.QL$People in the crowd that was following were shouting, 'Get rid of him!'kKO#When Paul got to the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because the mob was so violent.GJ"Some in the mob were shouting one thing and some another. Since the commander couldn't find out the truth due to all the noise and confusion, he ordered Paul brought into the fortress.I!Then the commander came over and arrested Paul, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He asked who he was, and what he had done.*HM Immediately the commander took some centurions and soldiers and ran down to the mob. When the mob saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.~GuAs they tried to kill him, news came to the Roman troop commander that the whole of Jerusalem was in an uproar.#F?The whole city was shocked by this and people came running. They grabbed hold of Paul and dragged him out of the Temple. Immediately the doors were shut.E7(They said this because they had seen him previously in the city with Trophimus the Ephesian and presumed that Paul had brought him into the Temple).WD''Men of Israel, help!' they shouted. 'This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere to oppose our people, the Law, and the Temple. He's also brought Greeks into the Temple, defiling this holy place.' ~~O}||{zzJy!xx0wvuuu}utstss;rr]qqp{p oo>ndmmll#kk$jqiijhhdggRfwee=dd+ctbbgbaV``,__^^&^]Y\\$[QZZCYYrXX]WWdWVSUUQPpOO%NNN%MMqM:MLLKKIJIII==]<<;?:99U888Y77c66$55443~3211U00R/..-7,,+***0))((''&&&(%$$$'#0""K!o! ^a, scP<eY - q 3 <VRv! For God, choosing them in advance, set them apart to be like his Son, so that the Son would be the first of many brothers and sisters.}We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, those who he has called to be part of his plan.The One who examines the minds of everyone knows the Spirit's motives, because the Spirit pleads God's cause on behalf of the believers.;oSimilarly the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We don't know how to speak with God, but the Spirit himself intercedes with and through us by groans that can't be put into words.Y+Since we're hoping for what we haven't yet seen, we wait for it patiently.}sFor we were saved by hope. Yet hope that's already seen isn't hope at all. Who hopes for what they can already see?3Not only creation, but we too, who have a foretaste of the Spirit, we groan inwardly as we wait for God to 'adopt' us the redemption of our bodies.`9We know that all creation groans with longing, suffering birth-pains even up till now.3But creation itself waits in hope for the time when it will be set free from the slavery of decay and share the glorious freedom of God's children.BFor God allowed the purpose of creation to be frustrated.W'All of creation is patiently waiting, longing for God to reveal his children.~Yet I'm convinced that what we suffer in the present is nothing compared to the future glory that will be revealed to us.6}eIf we're his children, then we're his heirs. We are heirs of God, and heirs together with Christ. But if we want to share in his glory we must share in his sufferings.F|The Spirit himself agrees with us that we're God's children.D{You were not given a spirit to enslave and terrify you once more. No, what you received was the spirit that makes you children in God's family. Now we can shout out, 'God is our Father!'Hz All those who are led by the Spirit of God are God's children.=ys For if you live under the control of your sinful nature, you're going to die. But if you follow the way of the Spirit, putting to death the evil things you do, then you will live.zxm So brothers and sisters, we don't have to follow our sinful nature that operates according to our human desires.8wi The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. He who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your dead bodies through his Spirit that lives in you.v+ However if Christ is in you, even though your body is going to die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you're now right with God.Lu But you're not following your sinful nature, but the Spirit if it's true that the Spirit of God is living in you. For those that don't have the Spirit of Christ in them don't belong to him.Ht and those who follow their sinful nature can never please God.qs[The sinful human mind is hostile to God because it refuses to obey the law of God in fact it never can,rr]The sinful human mind results in death, but having the mind led by the Spirit results in life and peace.qThose who follow their sinful nature are preoccupied with sinful things, but those who follow the Spirit concentrate on spiritual things.zpmIn this way we could fulfill the good requirements of the law by following the Spirit and not our sinful nature.moSWhat the law couldn't do because it was powerless due to our sinful nature, God was able to do! By sending his own Son in human form, God dealt with the whole problem of sin and destroyed sin's power in our sinful human nature.fnEThe law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.Km So there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.{loHere's the situation: while I myself choose with my mind to obey God's law, my human nature obeys the law of sin.k%I'm totally miserable! Who will rescue me from this body that's causing my death ? Thank God for he does this through Jesus Christ our Lord!*jMbut I see a different law at work within me that is at war with the law my mind has decided to follow, making me a prisoner of the law of sin that is within me.3iaMy inner self is delighted with God's law,ghGThis is the principle I've discovered: if I want to do what's good, evil is always there too.pgYHowever if I'm doing what I don't want to, then it's no longer me doing it, but sin living in me.kfOThe good I want to do, I don't do; while the evil I don't want to do, that's what I end up doing!e5for I know that there's nothing good in me as far as my sinful human nature is concerned. Even though I want to do good, I'm just not able to do it.BdSo it's no longer me who does this, but sin living in me ecCBut if I'm saying that I do what I don't want to, this shows that I admit the law is right.byI really don't understand what I'm doing. I do the things I don't want to do, and what I hate doing, that's what I do!Va%We realize that the law is spiritual; but I'm all-too-human, a slave to sin.H`  Now would something that is good kill me? Of course not! But sin shows itself to be sin by using good to cause my death. So by means of the commandment, it's revealed how evil sin really is.Q_ However, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, right, and good.r^] because sin found a way through the commandment to deceive me, and used the commandment to kill me!d]A I discovered that the very commandment that was meant to bring life brought death instead,)\K I used to live without realizing what the law really meant, but when I understood the implications of that commandment, then sin came back to life, and I died.[}But through this commandment sin found a way to stir up in me all kinds of selfish desires for without law, sin is dead.1Z[So what do we conclude? That the law is sin? Of course not! I wouldn't have known what sin was unless the law defined it. I wouldn't have realized that wanting to have other people's things for myself was wrong without the law that says, 'Don't desire for yourself what belongs to someone else.'6YeBut now we've been set free from the law, and have died to what kept us in chains, so that we can serve in the newness of the spirit and not the old letter of the law. XWhile we were controlled by old nature, our sinful desires (as revealed by the law) were at work within us and resulted in death.\W1In the same way, my friends, you've become dead to the law through the body of Christ, and so now you belong to someone else Christ, who was raised from the dead so that we could live a productive life for God.PVSo if she lives with another man while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery. However, if her husband dies and then she marries another man, she wouldn't be guilty of adultery.U3For example, a married woman is bound by the law to her husband while he's alive, but if he dies, she's released from this legal obligation to him.T 9Brothers and sisters, (I'm speaking here to people who know the law ), don't you see that the law has authority over someone only while they're alive?mSSThe wage sin pays is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. RBut now that you're set free from sin, and have become God's slaves, the results will be a pure life and in the end, eternal life.xQiBut what were the results back then? Aren't you ashamed of the things you did? Such things that lead to death!OPWhen you were slaves to sin you were not required to do what's right.XO)I'm using this everyday example because your human thinking is limited. Just as you once enslaved yourselves to immorality, piling up sin upon sin, now you must enslave yourselves to what is pure and right.XN)Now that you've been freed from sin, you've become slaves of doing right.MThank God that though you once were slaves to sin, you whole-heartedly chose to follow the truth about God that you learned.sL_Don't you realize that if you make yourselves someone's slaves, obeying their orders, then you are slaves to the one you obey? If you are slaves of sin, the result is death; if you obey God, the result is you are made right with him.]K3So then, should we sin because we're not under law, but under grace? Of course not!UJ#Sin won't rule over you, because you're not under law but under grace.eIC and don't use any parts of your body as evil tools of sin. Instead dedicate yourselves to God as those who have been brought back from death to life, and use all parts of your body as tools to do something good for God.]H3 Don't let sin have control over your mortal body, don't give in to its temptations,qG[ In just the same way you should consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God through Christ Jesus.\F1 In dying, he died to sin once and for all, but now he lives, and he lives for God! E  for we know that because Christ has been raised from the dead he won't ever die, because death has no longer any power over him.XD)Since we died with Christ, we have confidence that we will also live with him,8CkAnyone who has died has been set free from sin.BWe know that our old self was crucified with him to dispose of the dead body of sin so that we wouldn't be enslaved by sin any longer.dAAIf we've become one with him in dying like he did, then we'll be raised like him too.&@EThrough baptism we were buried with him in death so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father we too can live a new life.i?KDon't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?]>3Of course not! Since we're already dead to sin, how can we continue to live in sin?Z= /So what's our response? Should we continue to sin so we can have even more grace?<+Just as sin ruled us and brought us death, now grace rules by making us right with God, bringing us eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ;When the law was introduced, sin became even more obvious. But while sin became much more obvious, grace became even more obvious!:Just as through one man's disobedience many became sinners, in the same way through one man's obedience many are made right with God.9Just as one sin brought condemnation on everyone, in the same way one right act gave everyone the opportunity to live right.U8#As a result of one man's sin, death ruled because of him. But God's grace is so much greater and his gift sets us right, for everyone who receives it will rule in life through the person of Jesus Christ!17[The result of the gift is not like that of the sin. The result of Adam's sin was judgment and condemnation, but the gift sets us right with God, despite our many sins.h6IBut the gift of Jesus is not like the sin of Adam . Though many people died because of one man's sin, God's grace is so much greater and has been shared with so many through his gracious gift in the person of Jesus Christ.53But death still ruled from Adam until Moses, even over those who didn't sin in the same way as Adam did. Now Adam prefigured the one to come .y4k Even before the law was given, sin was in the world, however it wasn't counted as sin because there was no law.3 For through one man sin entered the world, and sin led to death. In this way death came to everyone, for everyone sinned.2 In addition to this we now celebrate what God has done through our Lord Jesus Christ to reconcile us and make us his friends.-1S While we were his enemies, God made us his friends through the death of his Son, and so we can be absolutely sure that he will save us through the life of his Son.|0q Now that we are made right by his death, we can be absolutely sure we'll be saved by him from the coming judgment.k/OBut God demonstrates his love for us in that Christ died for us while we were still sinners..3Who would die for anybody else, even someone who does what's right? (Though perhaps somebody would be brave enough to die for someone really good.)e-CWhen we were completely helpless, at just the right time Christ died for us ungodly people.,Since we have this hope we're never disappointed, for God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit he's given us.u+cSpiritual stamina in turn develops a mature character, and this mature character results in confident hope. *Not only this we also remain confident when problems come, because we know that experiencing problems develops spiritual stamina .>)uIt's through Jesus, trusting in him, that we've gained access to this position of grace where we now stand, looking forward with happiness and confidence to sharing in God's glory.z( oNow that we have been made right by God by trusting in him, we have peace with him through our Lord Jesus Christ.d'AJesus was handed over to die because of our sins, and was raised to life to make us right. &They were for us too, those of us who will be considered as right, since we trust in God who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead.\%1The words 'Abraham was considered right' wasn't just written down for his benefit.=$uThat's why Abraham was considered right by God.Z#-He was totally convinced that what God had promised he had the power to deliver.{"oHe held on to God's promise he didn't doubt it. Instead his trust in God grew stronger, and he gave glory to God.4!aHis trust in God didn't weaken even though he thought his body was practically dead (he was around a hundred years old), and knew that Sarah was too old to have children.0 YAgainst all hope Abraham in hope trusted God, so he could become the father of many peoples, just as God had promised him: 'This is how many descendants you'll have!'PAs Scripture says, 'I've made you the father of many nations.' For in the presence of God, Abraham trusted in the God who makes the dead alive and speaks into existence what didn't previously exist.c?So the promise is based on trusting God. It is provided as a free gift, guaranteed to all the children of Abraham not merely to those who follow the law, but also to those who trust like Abraham, the father of us all.`9For the law results in punishment but if there's no law then it cannot be broken.#For if the promised inheritance is based on keeping the law, then the issue of trusting God is not necessary, and the promise is pointless.:m God's promise to Abraham and his descendants that the world would belong to him was not based on his keeping of the law, but because he was made right through his trust in God.J  He is also the father of circumcised Jews not merely because they're circumcised, but because they follow the example of the trust in God our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.3_ It was actually before he became a Jew by being circumcised, which was a confirmation of his trust in God to make him right. This happened before he was circumcised, so he is the father of everyone who trusts in God and are considered as right by God, even though they may not be circumcised Jews.E But when did this happen? When Abraham was a Jew or before?' Now is this blessing just for the Jews, or is it for others too? We've just stated that Abraham was accepted as right because he trusted God.FHow happy are those the Lord does not consider sinful.'U#'How happy are those whose wrongs are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.oWDavid speaks of the happiness of those whom God accepts as right, and not because they worked for it:But God, who makes sinners right, considers them as right not because they've worked for it but because they trust in him. This is whyY+Whoever works gets paid, not as a gift, but because they've earned their wages.jMHowever what does Scripture say? 'Abraham trusted God, and so he was considered as being right.'xiFor if Abraham was set right by what he did, he would have had something to boast about but not in God's eyes. Let's take Abraham as an example. From a human viewpoint he is the father of our nation. Let's ask, 'What was his experience?'Does that mean that by trusting in God we do away with the law? Of course not! In fact we affirm the importance of the law.r ]There is only one God, and he makes us right through our trust in him, whoever we are, Jew or foreigner.e CIs God only the God of the Jews? Isn't he the God of other people as well? Of course he is!t aWe conclude that people are made right with God through their trust in him, and not from legal observance.U #So do we have anything to boast about then? Absolutely not, there's no place for that! And why's that? Is it because we follow the law of observing requirements? No, we follow the law of trusting in God. but now at this present time God proves he is fair and does what is right, and that he makes right those who trust in Jesus.a;God openly presented Jesus as the gift that brings peace to those trusting in him, the one who who shed his blood. God did this to demonstrate he is truly right, for previously he would hold back and pass over sins,jMYet through the free gift of his grace God makes us right through Christ Jesus who sets us free.LWe have all sinned, and we fall far short of God's glorious ideal.-This right character of God comes to everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ, those who place their confidence in him. It doesn't matter who we are:/WBut now God's character of goodness and right has been demonstrated. It has nothing to do with law-keeping, even though it was spoken of by the law and the prophets.For no one is made right before God by doing what the law requires. The law only helps us recognize what sin really is.A{It's clear that everything in the law applies to those who live under the law so that no one could have any excuses, and to make sure everyone in the whole world is answerable to God.;qThey don't care about respecting God at all.'.Wthey don't know how to live in peace.0[Their way leads to disaster and misery;4~cand they are quick to cause pain and death.8}kTheir mouths are full of bitterness and curses,v|e Their throats are like an open grave; their tongues spread deceit; their lips ooze with the venom of snakes.{} Everyone has turned their backs on him; everyone does what is totally wrong. No one does what is good, not a single one..zW No one understands; no one seeks God.Fy As Scripture says, 'No one does what is right, not even one.!x; So then, are we Jews better than others? Definitely not! Remember that we've already argued that both Jews and foreigners are under the control of sin."w=Is it a case of, 'Let's sin to bring about good'? That's what some people have slanderously accused us of saying. They should be rightly condemned! vSomeone could say, 'Why am I still condemned as a sinner if my lies make the truth of God and his glory more obvious in contrast?';uqOf course not! How else could God judge the world?@tyBut if the fact that we're wrong helps to show that God is right, what should we conclude? That God is wrong to pronounce judgment on us? (I'm talking from a human perspective here).NsOf course not! Even if everyone else is proved to be lying, God always tells the truth. As Scripture says, 'What you say will be proved right, and you will win your case when you are judged.'zrmWhat if some of them didn't trust in God? Does their lack of trust in God obliterate the trustworthiness of God?Zq-Yes, there are many benefits! First of all, God's message was entrusted to them.Op So does a Jew have any advantage? Does circumcision have any benefits?KoWhat makes you a Jew is on the inside, a 'circumcision of the heart' that doesn't follow the letter of the law but the Spirit. Someone like that is looking for praise from God, not from people.jnMIt's not what's on the outside that makes you a Jew; it's not the physical sign of circumcision.m#The uncircumcised foreigners who keep the law will condemn you if you break the law, even though you have the written law and circumcision.{loIf a man who is not circumcised keeps the law, he should be considered as being circumcised even though he's not.,kQBeing circumcised has value only if you do what the law says. But if you break the law, your circumcision is as worthless as those who are not circumcised at all.^j5As Scripture says, 'God's character is defamed among the foreigners because of you.'Xi)You boast about having the law, but don't you misrepresent God by breaking it?h-You tell people not to commit adultery, but are you committing adultery? You tell people not to worship idols, but do you profane temples ?~guSo if you're busy teaching others, why don't you teach yourself? You tell people not to steal, but are you stealing?fYou think you can set ignorant people straight, a teacher of 'children,' because you know from the law all the truth there is to know.meSYou're absolutely sure that you can guide the blind, and that you are a light to those in the dark.^d5You know what he wants; you do what's right because you've been taught from the law.cWhat about you who call yourself a Jew? You rely on the written law and boast about having a special relationship to God.bThe good news I share is that a day is coming when God will judge, through Jesus Christ, everyone's secret thoughts.OaIn this way they show how the law works that's written in their hearts. As they think about what they're doing, their conscience either accuses them for doing wrong or defends them for doing right.!`;The foreigners don't have the written law, but when they instinctively do what it says, they are following the law even without having the written law. _ Just listening to what the law says doesn't make you right in God's sight. It's those who do what the law says who are made right.#^? Those who sin even though they don't have the written law are still lost, while those who sin that do have the written law will be condemned by that law.#]A God has no favorites.w\g But everyone who does good will have glory, honor, and peace the Jewish people first, and the foreigners too.q[[ Everyone who does evil will have trouble and suffering the Jewish people first, and the foreigners too.Z-But those who think only of themselves, rejecting the truth and deliberately choosing to do evil, will receive punishment and furious hostility.wYgThose who have kept on trying to do what is right will receive glory and honor, immortality and eternal life.`X9God will make sure everyone receives what they deserve according to what they've done.CWDue to your hard-hearted attitude and your refusal to repent, you're making things far worse for yourself on the day of retribution when the rightness of God's judgment is demonstrated..VUOr is it that you're treating his wonderful kindness, tolerance, and patience with contempt, not realizing that God in his kindness is trying to lead you to repent?\U1When you judge them do you really think that you however can avoid God's judgment?TT!We know that God's judgment on those who do such things is based on truth.2S _So if you judge others you don't have any excuse, whoever you are! For in whatever way you condemn others, you're judging yourself, because you're doing the same things.3R a Even though they realize exactly what God requires, they do things that deserve death. Not only do they do such things themselves, they also support others in doing them.sQ aThey don't want to understand, they don't keep their promises, they don't show any kindness or compassion.P +They're back-stabbers and God-haters. They're arrogant, proud, and boastful. They devise new ways of sinning. They rebel against their parents.O They filled themselves with all that's wrong: evil, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malice, and gossip.0N [Since they didn't consider it worthwhile to get to know God, he abandoned them to their worthless, distrustful way of thinking, doing things that should never be done.WM )and in the same way the men gave up sex with women and burned with lust for each other. Men did indecent things to each other, and as a result they suffered the inevitable consequences of their perversions.|L sThat's why God abandoned them to their evil desires. Their women exchanged natural sex for that which is unnatural,K They exchanged God's truth for a lie, worshiping and serving creatures instead of the Creator, who deserves praise forever. Amen.J So God abandoned them to the evil desires of their depraved minds, and they did shameful, degrading things to each other.}I uThey exchanged the glory of the immortal God for idols, images of mortal human beings, birds, animals, and reptiles.AH Even though they claimed to be wise, they became foolish.?G ybecause even though they knew God, they did not praise him or thank him, but instead their thinking about God turned into complete foolishness, and darkness filled their empty minds./F YEver since the creation of the world, the invisible aspects of God his eternal power and divinity are clearly visible in what he has made. Such people have no excuse,[E 1What can be known about God is obvious, because he has made it very clear to them.D 5God's hostility is revealed from heaven against those who are godless and are not right, those who suppress the truth through the evil that they do.0C [For in the good news God is revealed as good and right, trustworthy from start to finish. As Scripture says, 'Those who are right with God live by trusting him .'.B WI'm certainly not ashamed about the good news, for it's God's power to save everyone who trusts in him to the Jewish people first, and then to everyone else as well.ZA /That's why I'm really keen to come to Rome and share the good news with you.{@ qFor I have an obligation to work for both the civilized and the uncivilized, both the educated and the uneducated.V? ' I want you to know, my brothers and sisters, I often planned to visit you, but I was kept from coming up till now. I want to see some good spiritual results among you just as I've seen among other people .j> O In this way we can be encouraged together by each others' trust in God, both your trust and mine.^= 7 I really want to visit you and share with you a spiritual blessing to strengthen you.l< S In my prayers I'm always asking that I might eventually come and see you, if that's what God wants.; } I'm always praying for you, as God can confirm the God I serve with all my heart as I share the good news about his Son.&: GLet me begin by saying that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because the way in which you trust in God is spoken about all over the world./9 YI'm writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his special people. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!Z8 /You are also included among those who were called to belong to Jesus Christ.~7 wIt was through him that I received the privilege of becoming an apostle to call all nations to obedient trust in him.6 but who was revealed as God's Son by his resurrection from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.J5 The good news is about his Son, whose human forefather was David,U4 %that he had previously promised through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.3 This letter comes from Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ. I was called to be an apostle by God. God appointed me to announce the good newss2_He spoke of the kingdom of God, and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ very boldly. No one prevented him.n1UFor two full years Paul stayed there in the house he rented, welcoming everyone who came to see him. 0  /'Consequently you should know that this salvation that comes from God has been sent to the foreigners and they will listen.'.For the minds of these people have become calloused and hard, their ears cannot hear, their eyes are shut, in case they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their minds, and might come back to me and I would heal them.''-Go to these people and tell them, 'Even though you hear, you won't ever understand, and even though you see, you won't ever comprehend.&,EThey couldn't agree among themselves, and they left after Paul told them this: 'The Holy Spirit said it well through Isaiah the prophet to your forefathers,D+Some accepted what Paul said, but some refused to believe.%*CThey made an appointment to meet with him. On that day many people came to where he was staying. From morning till night Paul was explaining to them, telling them about the kingdom of God. He tried to convince them about Jesus using the writings of the law of Moses and the prophets.) 'But we do want to hear from you what you believe especially regarding this sect, which we know is condemned everywhere.'*(M'We have not received any letters from Judea about you, and none of our people have come here with reports against you or to speak badly of you,' they told him.'That's why I asked to see you, and talk to you, because it is on account of the hope of Israel that I am chained up like this.'& But the Jewish leaders opposed this, so I was forced to appeal to Caesar not that I had any accusations against my own people.w%gAfter they had interrogated me they wanted to release me because I had done nothing that warranted execution./$WThree days later Paul invited the Jewish leaders there to come to see him. When they were all together he told them, 'Brothers, even though I had not done anything wrong against the people or the customs of our forefathers, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Roman authorities.o#WWhen we entered Rome, Paul was permitted to stay under house arrest with a soldier to guard him.F"When some of the believers from Rome heard we had arrived they came to meet us at the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he was thankful to God and much encouraged.r!]where we discovered some believers. They asked us to stay with them for a week. So we came to Rome. Jj~~<}} |}|{{ zzRyyx~xwvvuvuNuttpssrrrGqq*ppo}oncmmllk_jjyiiYhhCggffeeDddcccbxaa``+__^]]r]\\%[[ZZ YNXXWWVnUTTSSxRR7QmPtOONNNGMMLLLL;KJJ0I4HHtGG[FF8EErE DDYD CC"BB&AAM@@?V>n==k<<>;W;:D988p77665c4d4$33"21100G//D..g.--,}++;**`))?((j''%&&&%Y$$#W""T! f OHGD!1Qqqjma~ = p F ]0/cVJGy  The Jews ask for miraculous signs, and Greeks look for wisdom,>x wSince God in his wisdom allowed the world in its wisdom not to know God, it was God's gracious plan that by the foolishness of the good news those who trusted in him would be saved. w So how about the wise, the writers, and the philosophers of this age? Hasn't God turned the wisdom of this world into foolishness?{v qAs Scripture says, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will wipe out the cleverness of the clever.'u {For the message of the cross is nonsense to those who are lost, but it's the power of God to those of us who are saved./t YFor Christ didn't send me out to baptize, but to spread the good news, and not with eloquent human wisdom, otherwise the cross of Christ would be made powerless.Us %(Oh, and I also baptized the Stephanas family I can't think of anyone else).:r qso nobody can claim they were baptized in my name.Xq +I'm grateful to God that I didn't baptize any of you, except Crispus and Gaius,tp c Is Christ divided? Did Paul die on a cross for you? Was it in the name of Paul that you were baptized?o 1 Let me explain what I mean. You're all making different claims: 'I follow Paul,' or 'I follow Apollos,' or 'I follow Peter,' or 'I follow Christ.' n  For I have been told things about you, my brothers and sisters, by some of Chloe's people that you are quarreling among yourselves.3m a Brothers and sisters, I plead with you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all agree and that you're not divided. Instead develop a united attitude and purpose.sl a God is trustworthy who called you to share together in fellowship with his son Jesus Christ our Lord.xk kHe will also keep you strong to the very end, so you will be kept right until the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.kj Qso that you're not missing any spiritual gift as you wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.Mi In fact the testimony of Christ was proved valid in your experience,rh _Through him you have been made rich in everything, in all that you say and every aspect of what you know.bg ?I'm always thanking God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus.Tf #May you have grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.ce AIt is sent to the church of God in Corinth, those who are being made right in Christ Jesus, called to live holy lives and to everyone who worships the Lord Jesus Christ everywhere, the Lord both of them and of us. d This letter comes from Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the will of God, and from Sosthenes, our brother.hcITo the one and only wise God, Through Jesus Christ To him be glory for ever. Amen .Rbnow made visible. Through the prophets' writings, and Following the command of the eternal God, The mystery of truth is made known to everyone everywhere so they can trust and obey him;_a7Now to him who can make you strong Through the good news I share and the message of Jesus Christ, According to the mystery of truth that has been revealed, The mystery of truth, hidden for eternity, ` $_AMy host Gaius, and the whole church here, send you greetings. Erastus the city treasurer, sends his best wishes, as does our fellow-believer Quartus.R^Tertius who wrote down this letter also sends you greetings in the Lord.m]STimothy my co-worker sends his greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow-countrymen.\The God of peace will soon break the power of Satan and make him subject to you. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.[+Everyone knows how faithful you are. This makes me really happy. However I want you to be wise about what's good, and innocent of anything bad.2Z]These people are not serving Christ our Lord but their own appetites, and by their smooth-talking and pleasant words they deceive the minds of unsuspecting people.)YKNow I'm pleading with you my fellow-believers: watch out for those who cause arguments and confuse people about the teachings you learned. Stay away from them!hXIGreet one another affectionately. All the churches of Christ send their greetings to you.rW]Best wishes to Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympas, and to all the believers with them.qV[Greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the fellow-believers who are with them.iUK Give my greetings to Rufus, an exceptional worker, and his mother who I count as my mother too. T  My best wishes to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, hard workers for the Lord, and to my friend Persis, who has done so much in the Lord.`S9 to my countryman Herodion, and to those from Narcissus' family who belong to the Lord.bR= My greetings to Apelles, a trustworthy man in Christ. Greetings to Aristobulus's family,MQ to Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ; and to my dear friend Stachys.?PyGive my best to Ampliatus, my good friend in the Lord;O5and also Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and fellow-prisoners. They are well-known among the apostles, and became followers of Christ before me.MuPlease also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home. Pass on my best wishes to my good friend Epaenetus, the first person to follow Christ in the province of Asia.Lwho risked their lives for me. It's not just me who is very thankful for them, but all the churches of the foreigners too .SKPass on my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus,)JKPlease welcome her in the Lord, as believers should, and help her in whatever way she needs, because she has been a great help to many people, myself included.ZI /I recommend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deaconess at the Cenchreae church.4Hc!May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.jGM Pray that I will come to you with gladness, as God wills, so we can enjoy one another's company. FPray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea. Pray that my work in Jerusalem will be welcomed by the believers there.%ECI want to encourage you, my brothers and sisters through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join together in praying hard for me.NDI know that when I come, Christ will give us his full blessing.yCkSo once I've done this, and have safely delivered this contribution to them, I'll visit you on my way to Spain.CBThey were happy to do this because they're in their debt . Now that foreigners are sharing their spiritual benefits, they owe it to the Jewish believers to help them in material things.A'because the believers in Macedonia and Achaia thought it was a good idea to send a contribution to the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.O@At the moment I'm on my way to Jerusalem to help the believers there,?+when I go to Spain I hope to see you when I pass through. Maybe you can give me some help for my journey once we've enjoyed some time together.v>eBut now, as there's nowhere left here to work, and since I've looked forward to visiting you for many years,J= That's why I was prevented so many times from coming to see you. <As Scripture says, 'Those who haven't been told the good news will discover him, and those who haven't heard will understand.';3In fact I was keen to spread the good news in places that hadn't heard the name of Christ, so that I wouldn't be building on what others have done.8:ithrough the power of signs and miracles done with the Holy Spirit's power. From Jerusalem all the way over to Illyricum, everywhere I've shared fully the good news of Christ.%9C(I wouldn't dare talk about any of this except as Christ has done it through me), I have led foreigners to obedience through my teaching and demonstration,W8'So even though I have something to boast about because of my service for God,97kto be a minister of Christ Jesus to the foreigners, like a priest sharing God's good news, so that they could become an acceptable offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 6I've been blunt in the way I have written to you about some of these things, but this is just to remind you. For God gave me grace15[I'm convinced that you, my brothers and sisters, are full of goodness, and that you are filled with every kind of knowledge, so you are well able to teach one another.'4G May the God of hope completely fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you will overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit!3 And again, Isaiah says, 'Jesse's descendant will come to rule the nations, and foreigners will put their hope in him.'W2' And again: 'All you foreigners, praise the Lord, let all peoples praise him.';1q And also: 'Foreigners, celebrate with his people!'/0W He also came that foreigners could praise God for his mercy, as Scripture says, 'Therefore I will praise you among the foreigners; I will sing praises to your name.'/I maintain that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show God tells the truth, keeping the promises he made to their forefathers.U.#So accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, and give God the glory.z-mso that you can with one mind and with one voice together glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!, May the God who gives patience and encouragement help you to be in full agreement among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,+These Scriptures were written down in the past to help us understand, and to encourage us so that we could wait patiently in hope.*Christ didn't live to please himself, but as Scripture says of him, 'The insults of those who abused you have fallen on me.'N)We should all encourage others to do what's right, building them up.( Those of us who are spiritually strong ought to support those who are spiritually weak. We shouldn't just please ourselves.6'eBut if you have doubts whether it's right or wrong to eat something, then you shouldn't, because you're not convinced it's right. Whatever isn't based on conviction is sin.&What you personally believe is between you and God. Happy are those who don't condemn themselves for doing what they think is right!v%eIt's better not to eat meat or drink wine or anything else that would cause your fellow-believer to stumble.$Don't destroy the work of God with arguments over food. Everything is clean but it would be wrong to eat and offend others.S#So let's pursue the path of peace, and find ways to encourage each other.Y"+Anyone who serves Christ in this way pleases God, and is appreciated by others.~!ufor God's kingdom is not about eating and drinking, but about living right, having peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.< sDon't let the good things you do be misrepresented @yIf your fellow-believer is hurt by you over matters of food, then you're no longer behaving in a loving way. Don't destroy someone for whom Christ died by the food you choose to eat.#?I'm certain persuaded by the Lord Jesus that nothing in itself is ceremonially unclean. But if someone considers it to be unclean, to them it is unclean.(I Therefore let's not judge each other anymore, but decide to do this instead we won't put obstacles in the way of fellow-believers, or cause them to fall.B So every one of us will have to explain ourselves to God.1 For the Scriptures say, ''As surely as I am alive,' the Lord says, 'Every knee shall bow before me, and every tongue will declare that I am God.''7 So why do you criticize your fellow-believer? Why do you despise your fellow-believer? For all of us will stand before God's throne of judgment.}s This was the reason Christ died and came back to life so that he could be the Lord of both the dead and the living.wIf we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord so whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.=uNone of us live for ourselves, or die for ourselves.{oThose who respect a special day do so for the Lord; and those who eat without worrying do so for the Lord since they give thanks to God; while those who avoid eating certain things does so for the Lord, and they also give thanks to God.)KSome people consider some days more important than others, while others consider each day the same. Everyone should be completely convinced in their own minds.OWhat right do you have to judge someone else's servant? It's their own master who decides whether they are right or wrong. With the Lord's help they will be able to take their stand for right.7Those who eat anything must not look down on those who won't, and those who won't eat must not criticize those who do for God has accepted them both.pYOne person may believe they can eat anything, while another whose trust is weak only eats vegetables .t cAccept those who are still struggling to trust in God, and don't get into arguments over personal opinions._7 Instead put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and forget about following your sinful desires.nU Let's behave properly, showing that we're people who are living in the light. We shouldn't spend our time going to wild parties and getting drunk, or having affairs and acting immorally, or getting into fights and being jealous.}s The night is nearly over, the day is almost here! So let's get rid of our dark deeds and put on the armor of light.J   You should do this because you realize how urgent the time is that it's high time for you to wake up from your sleep. For salvation is closer to us now than when we first put our trust in God.B  Love doesn't do wrong to anyone, so love fulfils the law.c ? 'You must not commit adultery, you must not kill, you must not steal, you must not jealously want things for yourself' these and the other commandments are summed up in the statement, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'{ o Don't owe anybody anything, except love for one another for those who love their neighbor have kept the law.+ O Pay whatever you owe: taxes to the tax authorities, fees to the fee-collectors; give respect to those who should be respected, honor those who should be honored.nU That's why you have to pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants taking care of such things. So it's important to do as you're told, not just because of the threat of punishment, but because of what your conscience tells you.dA Those in power are God's servants, put there for your own good. If you do wrong, you should be frightened it's not without reason that authorities have the power to punish! They are God's servants, punishing offenders.<q For rulers don't frighten those who do right, but those who do wrong. If you don't want to live in fear of the authorities, then do what is right, and you'll have their approval.   Whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has put in place, and those who do so shall find themselves judged accordingly.% E Everyone should obey government authorities, because no one has the power to rule unless God gives permission. These authorities have been put there by God.:o Don't be defeated by evil conquer evil with good.) If those who hate you are hungry, give them food; if they're thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing so you pile fiery coals on their heads .1[ My dear friends, don't seek revenge, but leave it to God to execute judgment as Scripture points out, ''It's for me to dispense justice, I will repay,' says the Lord.'D and as far as it's up to you, live at peace with everyone.k~O Don't pay back anyone evil for evil. Make sure you show everybody that what you're doing is good,x}i Think about one another . Don't consider yourself more important than others; live humbly. Don't be conceited.K| Be happy with those who are happy; cry with those who are crying.I{  Bless those who persecute you bless them, and don't curse them.cz? Share in providing for the needs of God's people, and welcome strangers with hospitality.dyA Remain cheerful in the hope you have, put up with the troubles that come, keep on praying.Vx% Don't be unwilling to work hard; serve the Lord with an enthusiastic spirit.jwM Be completely dedicated to each other in your brotherly love; value others more than yourselves.Sv Love must be genuine. Hate what is evil; hold on tightly to what is good.Iu  if encouragement then you should encourage; if giving then you should give generously; if leadership then you should lead with commitment; if being merciful then you should do so gladly.ct? If it's the ministry of service then you should serve; if teaching then you should teach;/sW We each have different gifts that vary according to the grace given to us. So if it's speaking for God, then you should do so depending on how much you trust in God.ar; so we are one body in Christ, even though we are many and we all belong to one another.Yq+ Just as there are many parts to the body, but they don't all do the same thing,xpi Let me explain to all of you, through the grace given to me, that no one should think of themselves better than they ought to. You should think about yourselves realistically, according to the degree of trust God has shared with you.9ok Don't follow the ways of this world; instead be transformed by the spiritual renewal of your mind so you can demonstrate what God's will really is good, pleasing, and perfect.Mn  So I encourage you, my brothers and sisters, because of God's compassion for you, to dedicate your bodies as a living offering that is holy and pleasing to God. This is the logical way to worship.zmm $Everything comes from him, everything exists through him, and everything is for him. Glory to him forever, Amen!Pl #Who has ever given anything to God that God would be obliged to repay?>kw "Who can know God's thoughts? Who can give him advice?zjm !Oh how deep are God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge! How incredible his decisions, how unimaginable his methods!|iq For God treated everyone as prisoners because of their disobedience so that he could be merciful to everyone.yhk In just the same way that they're now disobedient as you were, they will also be shown mercy like you received.kgO At one time you disobeyed God, but now God has shown you mercy as a result of their disobedience.8fk God's gifts and his calling can't be withdrawn.e) Though they are enemies of the good news and this is to your benefit they are still the chosen people, and loved because of their forefathers.Ed My promise to them is that I'll take away their sins.'c1 This is how all Israel will be saved . As Scripture says, 'The Savior will come from Zion, and he will turn Jacob away from his opposition to God.ubc I don't want you, my brothers and sisters to miss this previously-hidden truth, for otherwise you could become conceited. The people of Israel have become hard-hearted in part, until the process of the foreigners coming in is complete.Fa If you could be cut from a wild olive tree, and then be grafted artificially onto a cultivated olive tree, how much more easily they could be grafted back naturally to their own tree.`y If they no longer refuse to trust in God, they can be grafted in as well, for God is able to graft them back in again.9_k You should recognize both God's kindness and toughness he was tough on the fallen, but God is kind to you so long as you trust in his kindness otherwise you'll be removed too.W^' because if God didn't spare the original branches, he won't spare you either.C] All well and good but they were broken off because of their failure to trust in God, and you stay there because you trust in God. So don't think highly of yourselves, but be respectful,X\) You could make the claim, 'Branches were broken off so I could be grafted in.'4[a then you shouldn't look down on the other branches. If you're tempted to boast, remember it's not you who are supporting the roots, but the roots that are supporting you.>Zu Now if some of the branches have been broken off, and you a wild olive shoot have been grafted in, and have shared with them the benefit of nourishment from the olive tree's roots, Y9 If the first part of the bread dough given as an offering is holy, then so is all the rest; if the roots of a tree are holy, then so are the branches..XU If the result of God's rejection of them is that the world becomes God's friends, the result of God's acceptance of them would be like the dead coming back to life!LW that somehow I might make my people jealous and save some of them.qV[ Now let me speak to you foreigners. Insofar as I'm a missionary to foreigners, I promote what I'm doingCU Now if even their failure benefits the world, and their loss profits the foreigners, how much more beneficial it would be if they were to completely fulfill what they were meant to be .7Tg So am I saying that they stumbled and consequently failed completely? Not at all! But as a result of their mistakes, salvation came to other nations, to 'make them jealous.'tSa May their eyes become blind so they cannot see, and may their backs always be bent low in dejection.'}Rs David adds, 'May their feasts become a trap for them, a net that catches them, a temptation that brings punishment.Q} As Scripture says, 'God dulled their minds so their eyes could not see and their ears could not hear, to this very day.'P/ So what do we conclude? That the people of Israel didn't achieve what they were striving for only the chosen, while the rest became hard-hearted.~Ou And since it's through grace, then clearly it's not based on what people do, otherwise grace wouldn't be grace!eNC Today it's just the same: there are still some faithful people left, chosen by God's grace.aM; How did God answer him? 'I still have seven thousand left who have not worshiped Baal.'L 'Lord they've killed your prophets and destroyed your altars. I'm the only one left, and they're trying to kill me too!'K God has not rejected his chosen people. Don't you recall what Scripture says about Elijah? How he complained about Israel to God, saying,{J q But then I ask, 'Has God rejected his people?' Of course not! I'm an Israelite myself, from the tribe of Benjamin.lIQ As God says to Israel, 'All day long I reached out my hands to a disobedient and stubborn people.'&HE Then Isaiah said it even more strongly: 'I was found by people who weren't even looking for me; I revealed myself to people who weren't even asking for me.'AG{ So my question is, 'Didn't Israel know?' First of all Moses says, 'I'll make you jealous by using people who aren't even a nation; I will make you angry by using ignorant foreigners!'4Fa It's not that they haven't heard. Quite the opposite: 'The voices of those speaking for God have been heard all over the earth their message went out to the whole world.'PE Trusting in God comes from hearing hearing the message of Christ.zDm But not everyone has accepted the good news. As Isaiah asks: 'Lord, who trusted in the news they heard from us?'C# How can they go out and tell others unless they're sent? Just as Scripture says, 'Those who come bringing the good news are truly welcome!'B- But how can people call on someone they don't trust? How can they trust someone they haven't heard about? How can they hear unless they're told?IA  For 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'@ There's no difference between Jew and Greek for the same Lord is Lord of everyone, and he gives generously to everyone who asks him.T?! As Scripture says, 'Those who trust in him will not be disappointed.']>3 Your trust in God makes you right, and your declaration of accepting God saves you.=- For if you declare that you accept Jesus as Lord, and you are convinced in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved.3<_ What Scripture actually says is: 'The message is very close to you it's in your mouth and in your heart.' In fact it's this message based on trust that we're presenting.b;= or ''who'll go to the place of the dead ?' (asking to bring Christ back from the dead).' : But the attitude of doing right that comes from trust says this: 'Don't ask 'who'll go to heaven?' (asking to bring Christ down),'Q9 Moses wrote, 'Whoever does what is right by obeying the law will live.'^85 For Christ is the fulfillment of the law. All those who trust in him are made right.77 They don't understand how God makes us right with him, and they try to make themselves right. They refuse to accept God's way of making people right.p6Y I can testify to their passionate dedication to God, but it's not based on knowing him as he truly is.r5 _ My brothers and sisters, my heart's desire my prayer to God is for the salvation of the people of Israel!'4G !just as Scripture predicted: 'Look, I'm placing in Zion a stumbling-block, a rock that will offend people. But those who trust in him won't be disappointed.'y3k Why not? Because they relied on what they did rather than trusting in God. They tripped on the stumbling-block,g2G But the people of Israel, who looked to the law to make them right with God, never succeeded.;1o What shall we conclude, then? That even though the foreigners were not even looking to do right, they did grasp what is right, and through their trust in God did what was right.0# As Isaiah previously said, 'If the Lord Almighty had not left us some descendants, we would have become just like Sodom and Gomorrah.'c/? For the Lord is going to quickly and completely finish his work of judgment on the earth. .9 Isaiah cries out regarding Israel: 'Even if the children of Israel have become as numerous as the sands of the sea, only a small number will be saved.-5 and, 'It will happen that at the place where they were told, 'You're not my people,' there they will be called the children of the living God.',+ As God said in the book of Hosea, 'Those who are not my people I will call my people, and those who are not loved I will call the ones I love,'z+m This is who we are people he has called, not just from among the Jews, but from among the foreigners too...* so that he might reveal the greatness of his glory through these 'pots of mercy' which he has prepared in advance for glory.)/ It's as if God, wanting to demonstrate his opposition to sin and to reveal his power, bears patiently with these 'pots destined for destruction,'(y Doesn't a potter have the right to use the same batch of clay to make both a decorative bowl and an everyday pot?%'C That's no way to speak, for who are you a mere mortal to contradict God? Can something that is created say to its creator, 'Why did you make me like this?'q&[ Now you'll argue with me and ask, 'So why does he still blame us then? Who can resist the will of God?'d%A So God is merciful to those he wishes to be, and hardens the hearts of those he wants to .@$y Scripture records God saying to Pharaoh: 'I put you here for a reason so that through you I could demonstrate my power, and so that my name could be made known throughout the earth.'d#A So it does not depend on what we want, or our own efforts, but the merciful nature of God." As he said to Moses, 'I will be merciful to whoever I should show mercy, and I will have compassion on whoever I should show compassion.'I!  So what should we conclude? That God was unjust? Certainly not!E  As Scripture says, 'I chose Jacob, but rejected Esau.'G she was told, 'The older brother will serve the younger one.'L But even before the children were born, and before they'd done anything right or wrong, (so that God's purpose could continue, proving God's calling of people is not based on human performance),T! In addition Rebecca's twin sons had the same father, our forefather Isaac.\1 This is what the promise was: 'I will return next year and Sarah will have a son.'*M so it's not Abraham's actual children who are counted as God's children, but only those children of God's promise who are considered his true descendants. ' and all those who are descended from Abraham are not his true children. For Scripture says, 'Your descendants will be counted through Isaac,'^5 It's not that God's promise has failed. For not every Israelite is a true Israelite, They are our forefathers ancestors of Christ, humanly-speaking, the One who rules over everything, the eternally-blessed God. Amen.0Y They are my fellow-Israelites, God's chosen people. God revealed to them his glory and made agreements with them, giving them the law, true worship, and his promises. for my own people, my brothers and sisters. I would rather be cursed myself, separated from Christ, if that would help them.J  how terribly sad I am, how I have never-ending pain in my heart,i M I am in Christ, and what I say is true. I'm not lying! My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm}'neither height nor depth, in fact nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  &I'm absolutely convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor devils, neither the present nor the future, nor powers,[/%No in all that happens to us we're more than conquerors through him who loved us. $Just as Scripture says, 'For your sake we're in danger of being killed all the time. We're treated like sheep to be slaughtered.'#Who can separate us from Christ's love? Can oppression, distress, or persecution? Or hunger, poverty, danger, or violence?$A"so who can condemn us? It's Christ Jesus who died more importantly, who was raised from the dead who stands at God's right-hand, presenting our case.V %!Who can accuse God's special people of anything? It's God who sets us right,y k God, who did not hold back his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, won't he also freely give us everything?V %So what's our response to all this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Those that he chose, he also called; and those that he called, he also made right; and those that he made right, he also glorified. ( ~}}||P{{hzz``9__:^}^E]]"\w\*[[ZYYvXXiWWVV U TT4SRRQQqQPROO-NNMqLLIKK JJ IIGIHoHGFFMEESDDMCBBlAH@@+?a>>-==X<n_U However a woman with long hair brings herself glory, because her hair is given to her as a covering.U^# Doesn't nature itself indicate that a man with long hair disgraces himself?e]C Judge for yourselves: is it appropriate for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?y\k As the woman came from the man, so the man comes from the woman but more importantly everything comes from God.}[s Even so, from the Lord's perspective, the woman is as essential as the man, and the man as essential as the woman .vZe That's why the woman should have this sign of authority on her head out of respect for the watching angels .WY' and man was not created for the woman, but the woman was created for the man.=Xu Man didn't come from woman, but woman came from man;|Wq A man shouldn't cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, while the woman is the glory of the man..VU If a woman's head is not covered, then she should have her head shaved. If it's scandalous for a woman to be shorn or shaven, then she should have her head covered.U A woman's head is dishonored if she prays or prophesies with her head uncovered it's just as if she had her hair shaved off.UT# A man's head is dishonored if he prays or prophesies with his head covered. S I do want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ .}Rs I'm grateful that you always remember me and that you are keeping to the teachings just as I passed them on to you.8Q m You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.P !just as I try to please everybody in all I do. I don't think of what benefits me, but what benefits others, so that they may be saved.SO Don't cause offense, whether it's to Jews or Greeks or the church of God iNK So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, make sure to do everything to the glory of God.sM_ If I choose to eat with thankfulness, why should I be criticized for eating what I'm thankful to God for?qL[ His conscience I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else's conscience?K3 But if someone tells you, 'This food has been sacrificed to idols,' don't eat it for the sake of the one who mentioned it and for conscience' sake.J5 If a non-Christian invites you to a meal, and you feel like going, eat whatever you are served, without asking questions because of your conscience.AI} for 'the earth and everything in it belong to God.'aH; Eat whatever is sold in the market without asking questions because of your conscience,EG You shouldn't look out for yourself, but for your neighbor.F Some say, 'I'm free to do anything' but not everything is appropriate! 'I'm free to do anything' but not everything is constructive!RE Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is? D  You can't drink the Lord's cup as well as the cup of demons; you can't eat from the Lord's table as well as the table of demons.tCa The pagans are sacrificing to demons, and not to God. I don't want you to have anything to do with demons! B  What am I saying then? That anything sacrificed to idols means anything, or that an idol has any real existence? Of course not!lAQ Look at the people of Israel. Don't those who eat the sacrifices made on the altar share together?b@= By eating from one loaf of bread, we show that even though we are many, we are one body.6?e When we give thanks for the cup we use in the Lord's Supper, don't we share in the blood of Christ? When we break the communion bread, don't we share in the body of Christ?V>% I'm talking to sensible people, so you decide whether I'm telling the truth.>=w So my good friends, stay away from idol worship.l<Q You won't experience any greater temptation than anyone else, and God is trustworthy. He won't allow you to be tempted more than you can bear, and when you are tempted, he will provide for you a way out so you can stay strong.Z;- So if you think you're strong enough to stay standing be careful you don't fall!: All the things that happened to them are examples to us and were written down to warn us, we who are living close to the end of time.a9; Don't complain at God, as some did, and died at the hands of the destroying angel.^85 Nor should we push God to the limit, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.f7E We must not commit sexual sins, as some of them did, and as a result 23,000 died in one day.6) You must not worship idols, as some of them did, as it's recorded in Scripture: 'The people feasted and drank, and indulged in pagan worship.'m5S Now these experiences are examples to us to show us we should not desire what is evil, as they did.[4/ However God wasn't happy with most of them, and they perished in the desert.3{ and drank the same spiritual drink, for they 'drank from a spiritual rock' that accompanied them. That rock was Christ.-2U They all ate the same spiritual foodX1) Symbolically then they were baptized 'into Moses" in the cloud and in the sea.0  Now I want to explain this to you, brothers and sisters. Our forefathers lived under the cloud, and they all passed through the sea ."/= I also treat my body severely to bring it under my control, for I don't want somehow to be disqualified after sharing the good news with everybody else.e.C That's why I run straight in the right direction. I fight accurately, not punching the air.>-u Every competitor who participates in the games maintains a strict training discipline. Of course they do so to win a crown that doesn't last. But our crowns will last forever!,} Wouldn't you agree that there are many runners in a race, but only one gets the prize? So run your best, so you may win!d+A I do all this for the sake of the good news so that I too may share in its blessings!;*o To those who are weak, I share in their weakness so that I may win the weak. I have ended up being 'everyman' to everyone so that by using every possible means I might win some!U)# To those who don't operate according to the law, I behave like them, (though not disregarding God's law, but operating under the law of Christ), so that I might gain those who don't observe the law.](3 To the Jews I behave like a Jew so that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law I behave as someone under the law (even though I am not obligated under the law), so that I might win those under the law.x'i Even though I am free and serve no one, I have placed myself in service to everyone so that I might gain more.&&E then what reward do I have? It's the opportunity to share the good news without charging for it, not demanding my rights as a worker for the good news.% If I'm doing this work because of my own choice, then I have a reward. But if it wasn't my choice, and an obligation was placed on me,,$Q I have nothing to boast about in sharing the good news because it's something I feel compelled to do. In fact it's dreadful for me if I don't share the good news!d#A But I have not made use of any of these provisions, and I'm not writing about this to suggest it should be done in my case. I'd rather die than to have anyone take away my pride in not having received any benefit." In just the same way the Lord ordered that those who announce the good news should live from supporters of the good news.9!k Don't you know that those who work in temples receive their meals from temple offerings, and those that serve at the altar receive their portion of the sacrifice on the altar?^ 5 If others exercise this right over you, don't we deserve it even more? Even so we did not exercise this right. On the contrary we would rather put up with anything rather than hold back the gospel of Christ.iK If we sowed what is spiritual with you, does it really matter if we reap some material benefit?.U Wasn't he directing this at us? Surely this was written for us for anyone who plows should plow in hope and anyone who threshes should hope to share in the harvest. In the law of Moses it's written, 'Don't muzzle the ox when it's threshing out the grain.' Was God just thinking about oxen?\1 Am I just speaking from a human point of view? Doesn't the law say the same thing?%C Which soldier ever had to pay his own salary? Who plants a vineyard and doesn't get to eat its fruits? Who feeds a flock and doesn't consume its milk?O Is it only Barnabas and myself who have to work to support ourselves? Don't we have a right to be accompanied by a Christian wife, like the rest of the apostles, the Lord's brothers, and Peter?E Don't we have the right to be provided with food and drink?>w Here is my reply to those who question me about this: Even if I'm not an apostle to others, at least I am one to you. The proof of my being an apostle of the Lord is you!z o Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren't you the results of my work in the Lord?&E So if eating food sacrificed to idols would cause my fellow believer to stumble, I will never eat such meat ever again, so that I don't offend any believer.uc In this way you sin against other believers, wounding their weaker consciences, and you sin against Christ.gG By your 'better knowledge' the weaker believer is destroyed, a believer for whom Christ died..U If another believer sees you who have such 'better knowledge' eating food in an idol temple, won't his weak conscience be convinced to eat food sacrificed to idols? Just take care not to use this freedom you have to eat food sacrificed to idols to become offensive to those with a weaker attitude. But food doesn't gain us God's approval! If we don't eat this food, we're not bad, and if we do eat this food, we're not good.dABut not everyone has this 'knowledge.' Some who up to now have been so used to idols as a reality that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience (which is weak) tells them they have defiled themselves.e CBut for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom everything was made, and he is the goal of our existence; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom everything was made, and he is the means of our existence . Even though there are some things called 'gods,' whether in heaven or on earth in fact there are many 'gods' and 'lords.' +So regarding eating food sacrificed to idols: we know that there are no such things as idols in the world, and that there is only one real God.4 cBut whoever loves God is known by God'Z -If anyone thinks they know anything, they don't know as they really should know! Now about 'food sacrificed to idols.' So 'we all have knowledge' about this subject. Knowledge makes us proud, but love strengthens us.{(But in my opinion she would be happier if she didn't re-marry and I think I too have the Spirit of God when I say this. 'A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whoever she wants in the Lord .~u&So the man who marries the woman he's engaged to does well, while the one who does not get married does better.B}%But if a man stays true to his principles, and there is no obligation to marry, and has the power to keep his feelings under control and stay engaged to her, he does well not to marry.dA$But if a man thinks he's behaving improperly with the woman he's engaged to, and if he thinks he will give in to his strong sexual desire, and if he thinks he ought to get married, he is not sinning by getting married.?w#I'm telling you this for your benefit. I'm not trying to put a noose around your neck, but to show you the right thing to do so you can serve the Lord without being distracted.+O"As a result his loyalties are divided. Similarly an unmarried woman or girl pays attention to what is important to the Lord, so she may live a life dedicated both in body and spirit. But a married woman pays attention to what is important in this world, and how she can please her husband.uc!But a man who is married pays attention to what is important in this world, and how he can please his wife.$A I would prefer you to be free from such worries. A man who is not married pays attention to what is important to the Lord, and how he can please the Lord.~yand those who are engaged with the world as if it is not fulfilling for the present world order is passing away .}/and those who weep that they did not weep, and those that celebrated as if they had not celebrated, and those that bought as if they did not own,|%I'm telling you, brothers and sisters, that time is short, and from now on for those who are married it may seem as if they are not married,F{If you do get married, you haven't sinned. If an unmarried woman gets married, she hasn't sinned. But you will have many troubles in this current world and I would want to spare you these.kzOAre you already married? Don't try to get divorced. Are you unmarried? Don't look to get married.jyMBecause of the present difficult situation we are in I think it is best to just stay as you are.@xyNow about 'people who are not married,' I don't have a specific instruction from the Lord, so let me give you my opinion as someone who by the Lord's mercy is considered trustworthy.nwUBrothers and sisters, remain in the position you were in when you were called, living with God.KvA price has been paid for you, so don't become a slave to anyone.2u]If you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free, working for the Lord. In the same way if you were called when you were free, you are now Christ's slave!ztmIf you were a slave when you were called, don't worry though if you have an opportunity to become free, take it.Us#Everyone should remain in the position they were in when they were called .rCircumcision doesn't mean anything, and uncircumcision doesn't mean anything. Keeping the commandments of God is what really matters.q3Were you circumcised when you were converted? Don't become uncircumcised. Were you uncircumcised when you were converted? Don't become circumcised.FpApart from such cases, each of you should remain in the situation the Lord placed you, and continue to live the life to which God has called you. That's my instruction to all the churches.hoIWives, who knows? You may save your husband! Husbands, who knows? You may save your wife!.nUHowever if the non-Christian spouse leaves, let them leave. In such cases the Christian man or woman is not slavishly bound, for God has called us to live in peace. m9For a husband who is not a Christian, the marriage relationship is made holy by the Christian wife, and for a wife who is not a Christian, the marriage relationship is made holy by the Christian husband . Otherwise it would mean your children were impure, but now they are holy. l  And if a Christian woman has a non-Christian husband, and he is willing to stay with her, she should not leave her husband.Fk Now, to the rest of you, (and this is me speaking, not the Lord), I would say that if a Christian man has a non-Christian wife and she is willing to stay with him, he should not leave her.j (or if she does, she should not re-marry, or she should return to her husband); and the husband should not leave his wife .i These are my instructions to those who are married in fact not from me but the Lord: The wife should not leave her husband{ho But if they lack self-control, then they should get married for it is better to marry than burn with desire.pgYTo those who are not yet married, or who are widowed, I would say it is better if they remain like me.fHowever I wish that everyone was like me, but each person has their own gift from God one has this gift, one has another.EeI'm telling you this not as a command, but as a concession.idKSo don't deprive each other, except by mutual consent for a while for example because you want to spend time in prayer. Afterwards be together again so that Satan won't tempt you to sin because of your lack of self-control.cThe wife's body doesn't just belong to her, but her husband; and similarly the husband's body doesn't just belong to him but his wife.Vb%The husband should meet his wife's sexual needs, and the wife her husband's.aHowever, because of the temptation to sexual immorality, it is better that each man have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.A` Now about what you wrote to me: 'It's good not to marry.']_3You don't belong to yourself a price was paid for you! So glorify God in your body!v^eDon't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit that is within you, that you received from God?]1Stay away from sexual immorality! All other sins that people commit are outside of the body, but sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.F\But whoever is joined to the Lord is one with him in spirit! [9Don't you realize that anyone who has sex with a prostitute becomes 'one body' with her? Remember that Scripture says, 'The two will become one body.'Z)Don't you know your bodies are parts of Christ's body? Should I take the parts of Christ's body and join them to a prostitute? Absolutely not!`Y9By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us up the same way .AX{ 'Food for the stomach, and the stomach for food' but God will destroy both of them. Also, the body is not meant to be used for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. W9 People say, 'I'm free to do anything' but not everything is appropriate! 'I'm free to do anything' but I will not let anything control me! People say,3V_ Some of you were once like that, but you have been made clean and holy. You have been made right in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.^U5 thieves, greedy, drunkards, abusers, or cheats, will not inherit the kingdom of God.9Tk Don't you know those who are unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Don't be fooled! People who are immoral, worship idols, commit adultery, sexual perverts, homosexuals,eSCBut you would rather cause injustice and defraud even your fellow-believers in church.0RYThe very fact you have lawsuits against each other already is a complete disaster. Wouldn't it be better to accept the injustice? Why not let yourselves be defrauded?hQIInstead one believer takes another believer to court, and places the issue before unbelievers!P I'm trying to shame you by saying this. What? You can't find one wise person among you who can settle a dispute that you have?O{So if you have to judge things that relate to this life, how can you go to judges that are not respected by the church?kNODon't you know we are going to judge angels? How much more those things that relate to this life!M3Don't you know that Christian believers will judge the world? If you're going to judge the world, are you not fit to judge in the most minor cases?L 9How dare any of you file a lawsuit before pagan judges if you have a dispute with your neighbor! Instead you should bring this before other believers.ZK- God judges those that are outside the church. 'Expel the wicked from among you.'wJg It's not my place to judge those outside the church. But shouldn't you judge those who are inside the church?{Io What I meant when I wrote was that you shouldn't associate with anyone who is called a Christian who is immoral or greedy or worships idols; or who is abusive or a drunkard or who cheats others. Don't even share a meal with anyone like that!.HU I wasn't referring to the immoral people of this world, those who are greedy and cheat others, or those who worship idols, otherwise you'd have to leave this world!ZG- In my previous letter I wrote that you should not associate with immoral people.2F]So let us celebrate this festival, not with old yeast or the yeast of evil and wickedness, but with the bread made without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.E%Get rid of this old yeast so that you can be a new batch of dough to make bread without yeast. Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.DYou shouldn't be proud about this. Don't you know that it only takes a little yeast to make the whole batch of dough rise?C{Hand over this man to Satan so his sinful nature may be destroyed and he himself be saved on the day of the Lord .BWhen you meet together in the name of the Lord Jesus I'll be there with you in spirit and with the power of our Lord Jesus.$AAEven though I'm not physically present there, I am there in spirit and just as if I were there I've already made my judgment of the one who has done this.r@]You are so proud of yourselves! Shouldn't you have wept with sadness, and excluded the man who did this?"? ?I hear reports that sexual immorality is happening among you, immorality that even the foreigners don't practice. A man is living with his father's wife!e>CSo what do you want? Shall I come with a stick to beat you, or in love and a gentle spirit?J= For the kingdom of God is not about mere words, but about power.'<GBut I am coming to visit you soon, if that's what the Lord wants. Then I'll find out what these arrogant people are saying, and what kind of power they have.\;1Some among you have become arrogant, thinking I wouldn't bother coming to see you.@:yThat's why I sent Timothy to you, my trustworthy son in the Lord who I love so much. He will remind you about the way I follow Christ, just as I always teach in every church I visit.59eSo I'm pleading with you to imitate me!98kEven though you may have thousands of Christian instructors, you don't have many fathers it was in Christ Jesus that I became your father when I shared the good news with you.t7aI'm not writing like this to make you feel ashamed, but to caution you as my children whom I love so much.6 When they insult us, we respond with kindness. Even now we are treated like dirt, the worst trash in the whole world.{5o We struggle on doing manual work. When people curse us, we bless them. When they persecute us, we put up with it.4 Right up till now we're hungry and thirsty. We have no clothes. We're badly beaten up, and we have no place to call home.3 We're Christ's fools, but you are so wise in Christ! We're the weak ones, but you are so strong! You have the glory, but we are despised!D2 The way I see it, God has put us apostles on display as the last in the line, condemned to die. We have been made a public show before the entire universe, to angels and to human beings.=1sYou think you have all you need. You think you're so wealthy. You think you're kings already, and don't need us. I wish you were really ruling as kings, so we could rule with you! 0 Who made you so special? What do you have that you weren't given? Since you were given it, why do you proudly claim you weren't?U/#Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied this to Apollos and myself as an example for you. That way you will learn not to go beyond what has been written, and not in arrogance prefer one over the other.l.QSo don't judge anything before the right time when the Lord comes. He will bring to light all the darkest secrets that are hidden, and he will reveal people's motives. God will give everyone whatever praise they deserve. p-YI don't know of anything I've done wrong, but that doesn't make me right. It's the Lord who judges me.o,WPersonally it hardly matters to me if you or anyone else judges me in fact I don't even judge myself.^+5More than this, those who have such responsibilities are required to be trustworthy.a* =So think of us as Christ's servants given the responsibility for 'the mysteries of God.'3)aand you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.(whether it's Paul or Apollos or Peter or the world, or life, or death, or the present, or the future. You have everything >'wSo don't boast about people. For you have everything,G&and 'The Lord knows the arguments of the wise are pointless.'%This world's wisdom is plain foolishness to God. As Scripture says, 'He uses the cleverness of the wise to catch them out,'$#Don't deceive yourselves. If there's anyone of you who thinks they're worldly wise, they should become fools so they can become truly wise!{#oAnyone who destroys God's temple will be destroyed by God, for God's temple is holy, and you are the temple.Q"Don't you know you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?~!uThose whose building is burned up will lose out. They will still be saved, but it will be like passing through fire!8 kThose whose building survives will be rewarded.'G but whatever is used to build with will be exposed. For on the Day of Judgment fire will reveal it and test it. Everyone's work will be shown for what it is.gG Those who build on that foundation may use gold, silver, precious stone, wood, hay, or straw `9 For no one can lay any other foundation than what's already laid that is Jesus Christ.V% Through the grace of God that he gave to me, I laid down the foundation like a skilled building supervisor. Now someone else is building on it. Whoever does the building needs to watch what they're doing.Q We are workers together with God and you are God's field, his building.}The one planting and the one watering have the same goal, and both will be rewarded according to what they've done.'GSo the one who does the planting doesn't count for anything, any more than the one who does the watering. The only one who matters is God who is growing you!]3I did the planting, Apollos did the watering but it was God who made you grow! Who is Apollos, anyway? And who is Paul? We're just servants through whom you believed. Each of us does the work God gave us to do. When one of you says, 'I follow Paul,' while another says, 'I follow Apollos,' doesn't that show you're being so very human?@yEven now you're not ready for it, because you're still worldly. Since you're still jealous and argumentative, doesn't that show you're worldly, behaving just like ordinary people do?b=I gave you milk I couldn't give you solid food to eat, because you weren't ready for it.~ wMy brothers and sisters, I couldn't talk with you as spiritual believers, but as worldly people like baby Christians.oWFor 'Who understands the Lord's mind, and would think to instruct him?' But we do have Christ's mind!mSPeople who are spiritual investigate everything, but are not placed under investigation themselves.T!Of course people who are not spiritual don't accept what comes from God's Spirit. It's just foolish nonsense to them, and they can't understand it, because what is spiritual has to be properly examined.3 That's what we speak about not using words taught by human wisdom, but what the Spirit teaches. We explain what is spiritual using spiritual terms.  For we have received the Spirit from God, not the spirit of this world, so that we could understand what God so generously gave us.  Who knows anyone's thoughts except the actual person? In the same way no one knows God's thoughts except the Spirit of God.o W But God has revealed this to us through the Spirit, because the Spirit delves into the depths of God. 5 But as Scripture says, 'No one has ever seen, and no one has ever heard, and no one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.' None of the rulers of this world understood anything about this for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.3 _On the contrary we explain God's wisdom in terms of a revealed mystery that was previously hidden which God planned for our glory before the creation of the worlds.OHowever we do use words of wisdom when we speak to those who are spiritually mature, but this isn't wisdom that comes from this world, or from the rulers of this world who soon fade from the scene.`9That way your trust in God wouldn't rely on human wisdom but on the power of God.3I didn't speak to you with persuasive words of wisdom to convince you. I just explained it all to you through the evidence and power of the Spirit.:oI came to you in weakness, fearful and trembling.I decided that while I was with you I didn't want to concentrate on anything except Jesus Christ, and that he was crucified. 7Brothers and sisters, when I came to you I didn't try to impress you with wonderful words or great wisdom when I told you what God had to say to you.T #So as Scripture says, 'Whoever wants to boast, let them boast in the Lord.'  It's because of him that you live in Christ Jesus, who God made to be wisdom for us. He sets us right, keeps us right, and frees us.6 iso that nobody should boast in God's presence. He chose the things that are unimportant and despised by the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,H~  Instead God chose the things the world considers foolish to humiliate those who think they are wise. He chose the things the world considers weak to humiliate those who think they are strong..} WBrothers and sisters, remember your calling and that this did not include many who are wise, humanly speaking; not many who are powerful; not many who are important.o| YFor the foolishness of God is wiser than we are; and the weakness of God is stronger than we are.}{ uHowever for those who are called by God, both Jews and foreigners, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.qz ]but our message is of Christ killed on a cross offensive to the Jews, and foolishness to the foreigners.  =~G}}1||{t{ zz*yyUxx=ww\vvTuuu9tts rqq&ppgoo]nnnZmmull-kjji|ihhAgff'ee8ddd ccqbbaa$``_@^]]\\ [[9ZZPYY4XzXWWBVVU:TkSS QQgPPJOOdONNMM(LLJKKKJyIIuI@HHhH GFFYEEgDDCCOC BB9AAA!@@>@?1>^==s<;;;7::n99c88A77966H55v544=33$2p1000e0/e..--I,,X+++*{))((''v&&{%%%G$$$t##7""%! yzN:UdWF_ m  S  ^od ar 6WeThe god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don't trust in God. They can't see the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.XV)Even if the good news we share is veiled, it is veiled to those who are dying.eUCBut we have given up secret, shameful acts. We don't behave in deceitful ways and we don't distort the word of God. We demonstrate who we are by revealing the truth before God so everybody can decide in their own minds.hT KSo then, since God in his mercy has given us this new way of relating to him, we don't give up.kSOSo all of us, with our faces unveiled, see and reflect the glory of the Lord as in a mirror. We are being transformed into the same mirror image, whose glory grows brighter and brighter. This is what the Lord the Spirit does.^R5Now the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there's freedom.FQBut when they turn and accept the Lord, the veil is removed.VP%Even today, whenever the books of Moses are read, a veil covers their minds..OUIn spite of that, their hearts became hard. For right up until today when the old agreement is read, the same 'veil' remains. Only through Christ can it be removed.(NI We don't have to be like Moses, who had to put on a veil to cover his face so the Israelites wouldn't be dazzled by the glory, even though it was fading away.@M{ Since we have such a confident hope, we are truly bold!gLG If the old that is fading away had glory, the new that continues has so much more glory.tKa For the old that was once glorious has no glory at all in comparison with the incredible glory of the new.uJc If the old way that condemns us has glory, the new way that makes us right with God has so much more glory!nIUIf that was so, shouldn't the new way of relating to God in the Spirit come with even greater glory?H!However, the old way of relating to God, written in letters carved in stone, ended in death, even though it came with God's glory so much so that the Israelites couldn't even bear to look at Moses' face because it shone so brightly, even though the glory was fading.8GiHe also gave us the ability to be ministers of a new agreement, based not on the letter of the law, but on the spirit. The letter of the law kills, but the spirit gives life.nFUNot that we would consider ourselves able to do this on our own it's God who gives us this capacity!9But praise be to God, who always leads us in a triumphal procession in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet scent of his knowledge wherever we go!= But my mind wasn't at peace because I couldn't find my brother Titus. So I said goodbye and went over to Macedonia .v<e Now when I arrived in Troas to spread the good news of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.i;K In this way Satan will not be able to take us in, because we know the tricks he thinks up.: Anyone you forgive, I forgive too. What I have forgiven, whatever it may be, I have forgiven before Christ for your benefit.9y That's why I wrote: so I could discoverer your true character and whether you're doing everything you were told to do.@8{So I urge you to publicly affirm your love towards him._77so now you should forgive him and be kind to him. Otherwise he may sink into despair.J6 This person suffered enough punishment from the majority of you,_57Not to put it too strongly, but the person caused more pain to all of you than to me.,4QI was crying many tears when I wrote to you, in great anguish and with a heavy heart not to make you sad, but so you would know how much love I have for you."3=That's why I wrote what I did, so that I wouldn't be sad over those who should make me happy. I was so sure that all of you would share in my happiness.e2CFor if I make you sad, who will be there to make me happy? It won't be those I've made sad!L1 That's why I decided that I would avoid another sad visit with you.,0 SThis isn't because we want to dictate how you relate to God, but because we want to help you have a joyful experience for it's by trusting God that you stand firm.l/ SI call God as my witness that it was to avoid causing you pain that I chose not to come to Corinth.d. Cplaced his stamp of approval on us, and given us the guarantee of the Spirit in our hearts.h- KGod has given both us and you the inner strength to stand firm in Christ. God has appointed us,,  However many promises God has made, in Christ the answer is always Yes. Through him we respond, saying Yes to the glory of God./+ YThe truth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was announced to you by us me, Silvanus, and Timothy and it wasn't both Yes and No. In Christ the answer is absolutely Yes!X* +Just as God can be trusted, when we give you our word it's not both Yes and No.6) gWhy did I change my original plan? Do you think I make my decisions lightly? Do you think that when I plan I'm like some worldly person who says Yes and No at the same time? ( as I would go on from you to Macedonia, and then return from Macedonia to you. Then I would have had you send me on my way to Judea.'  Because I was so sure of your confidence in me I planned to come and visit you first. That way you could have benefited twice,& even if you only understand part of it now, so that when the Lord comes you will be proud of us, just as we are of you.}% u For we are not writing anything complicated that you can't read and understand. I hope you'll understand in the end,$ y We take pride in the fact and our conscience confirms it that we have acted properly towards people, and especially to you. We have followed God's principles of holiness and sincerity, not according to worldly wisdom but through the grace of God.%# E You help us by praying for us. In this way many will thank God for us because of the blessing that God will give us in response to the prayers of many."  He saved us from a terrible death, and he will do so again. We have total confidence in God that he will continue to save us. !  In fact it was like a death sentence inside us. This was to stop us relying on ourselves and to trust in God who raises the dead.c  ABrothers and sisters, we won't keep you in the dark about the trouble we had in Asia. We were so overwhelmed that we were afraid we wouldn't have the strength to continue so much so we doubted we would live through it.y mWe have great confidence in you, knowing that as you share in our sufferings you also share in our comfort.C If we are in distress, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are being comforted, it is for your comfort, which results in you patiently bearing the same sufferings that we suffer.f GThe more we share in Christ's sufferings, the more we receive the abundant comfort of Christ. He comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those who are also in trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.z oPraise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the compassionate Father and the God of all comfort.Y -May you have grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.] 7This letter comes from Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the will of God, and from Timothy, our brother. It is sent to the church of God in Corinth, together with all of God's people throughout Achaia.4cMy love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen<sMay the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.Z-Anyone who doesn't love the Lord should be excluded from the church . Come Lord!5eI Paul write this greeting with my own hand.c?All the brothers and sisters here send their greetings. Greet one another affectionately.The churches of Asia send their greetings. Aquila and Priscilla, along with the church that meets in their home, send their best wishes.{oThey have been a great source of encouragement to me, and to you. People like that deserve your recognition.zmI'm delighted that Stephanas, Fortunatas, and Achaicus have arrived here, for they did what you weren't able to.\1to respect their leadership, and everyone who helps the work with such dedication.@yYou know that Stephanas and his family were among the first converts in Achaia, and they dedicated themselves to helping God's people. I'm pleading with you, my brothers and sisters,(KWhatever you do, do it in love.O  Stay alert. Stand firm in your trust in God. Take courage. Be strong.D  As for our brother Apollos: I urged him to go and see you together with the other believers, but he wasn't willing to go at the moment. He'll come and visit when he gets the chance. + Don't let anyone look down on him. Cheerfully send him on his way so he can come and see me the brothers and sisters and I are waiting for him.  Now if Timothy arrives, make sure that he has nothing to fear by being with you, for he's working for the Lord just as I am.z m because a tremendous door of opportunity has opened up for me there, though there are plenty who oppose me.;qHowever I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost,!This time I don't want to come and see you for just a short time. I hope I can stay for a while with you, if that's what the Lord permits.and I may stay with you for a while, perhaps spend the winter, and then you can send me on my way to wherever I'm headed.gGAfter I've been to Macedonia, I plan to come and visit you. I pass that way through MacedoniaGIf it works out for me to go too, they can come with me.When I get there I will write recommendation letters for whoever you choose, and they will take your donation to Jerusalem.*MOn the first day of the week everybody should set aside some money you've earned. I don't want there to be any collections to have to be made when I'm with you. )Now about 'collecting money for fellow-believers.' I'm giving you the same instructions for you to follow as I did to the churches in Galatia.)K:So my dear brothers and sisters: be strong, stand firm, doing everything you can for the Lord's work, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord is wasted.P9but praise God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.N~8The sting that causes death is sin; and the power of sin is the law;>}w7Death where's your victory? Death where's your sting?k|O6When this perishable body has been clothed with a body that never perishes, and this mortal life has been clothed with immortality, then the Scripture will come true that says, 'Death has been totally conquered and destroyed.{5For this perishable body must be clothed with a body that never perishes. This mortal life must be clothed with immortality.0zY4in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet. The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised never to die again, and we will be changed.cy?3Listen, I'm going to reveal a mystery! Not all of us will die but we will all be changed,/xW2However I tell you this, my brothers and sisters: our present bodies cannot inherit the kingdom of God. These decaying bodies cannot inherit what lasts forever.owW1Just as we bore the likeness of the earthly man so we shall bear the likeness of the man from heaven.lvQ0Earthly people are like the man made from the earth; heavenly people are like the man from heaven.Uu#/The first man is from the dust of the earth; the second man is from heaven.Zt-.The spiritual did not come first, but the natural the spiritual came after that.rs]-As Scripture says, 'The first man, Adam, became a living being;' but the last Adam a life-giving spirit.r,It is sown as a natural body; it is raised as a spiritual body. Just as there are natural bodies there are spiritual bodies.dqA+It is sown in shame; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.sp_*It's the same with the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in decay; it is raised to last forever.o)The sun shines in one way, and the moon another, while the stars are different again, with each one shining in a different way.xni(There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. Heavenly bodies have one kind of beauty, earthly bodies another.#m?'What living things are made from is not the same. Human beings have one kind of body tissue, while animals have another, birds another, and fish another.l}&God makes the plant grow into the form he has chosen, and different seeds produce different plants with different forms.k{%When you sow, you don't sow the plant it will grow into, just the bare seed, whether wheat or whatever you're planting.Xj)$What a foolish question! What you sow doesn't sprout into life unless it dies.kiO#Of course somebody will ask, 'How exactly are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?'}hs"Come to your senses as you should, and stop sinning! Some of you don't know God. I tell you this to shame you.=gu!Don't be fooled: 'bad company ruins good character.'[f/ Humanly speaking, what would I gain by fighting with those people in Ephesus who were like wild animals, if the dead are not raised? If the dead are not raised, 'let's eat and drink, for tomorrow we die'!e+I die every day let me say it bluntly, my brothers and sisters. This is just as sure as the pride I have for what Christ Jesus has done in you.Id As for us, why do we place ourselves in danger hour after hour?c/Otherwise what will those people do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then would people be baptized for them?ObWhen everything has been placed under Christ's authority, then the Son will also place himself under God's authority, so that God who gave the Son authority over everything may be all in all .NaAs Scripture says, 'He put everything under his feet.' (Of course when it says 'everything' is put under him it's obvious this doesn't refer to God who placed everything under Christ's authority.)8`kThe last enemy that will be destroyed is death.N_Christ has to rule until he has put all his enemies under his feet .^After this it's the end, when Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having destroyed all rulers, authorities, and powers.l]QBut each in their own turn: Christ the firstfruits, then those who belong to Christ when he comes.G\Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.\[1Just as death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead came through a man.lZQBut Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of the harvest from those who have died.aY;If our hope in Christ is only for this life, we're the most pitiful people of all!@X{This also means that those who died in Christ are lost.nWUand if Christ hasn't been raised, then your trust in God is useless, and you are still in your sins.LVIf the dead are not raised, then Christ hasn't been raised either,RUIn addition, we would be shown to be false witnesses of God when we testified that God raised Christ from the dead. But God didn't raise Christ from the dead if it's true that there's no resurrection.TwAnd if Christ isn't raised, then our message we shared with you is pointless, and your trust in God is pointless too.WS' If there's no resurrection of the dead then Christ hasn't been raised either.R! Now if the message declares that Christ has been raised from the dead, how is it that some of you say there's no resurrection of the dead?rQ] So whether it's I or them, this is the message we shared with you that brought you to trust in God. It is for those who speak for God to control their prophetic inspiration,a=;You can all speak for God, one at a time, so that everyone can learn and be encouraged.<wHowever if a special revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, then the first speaker should give way to them.; Similarly, have two or three of those who give God's prophetic message speak, and let everyone else think about what was said. :If there's no one there to interpret, those who speak in tongues should keep quiet in church and only speak to themselves, and God.9If anyone wants to speak in a tongue, make it just two, or three at the most, taking turns, and someone should interpret what is said. 8So then, brothers and sisters, what should you do? When you meet together, different people will sing, or teach, or share a special message, or speak in a tongue, or give an interpretation. But everything should be done to build up and encourage the church.7#The secrets of their heart will be laid bare, so they will fall to their knees and worship God, affirming that God is truly among you.D6But if everyone is speaking God's message, and someone comes in who isn't a believer, or someone who doesn't understand, they will be convinced and called to account by everyone's words.K5If the whole church was meeting together and you were all speaking in tongues, and some people come in who don't understand, or people who don't believe, won't they say that you are all insane?C4Speaking in tongues is a sign, not to believers, but those who don't believe. Speaking God's prophetic message is the opposite: it is not for those who don't believe, but for believers.,3QAs Scripture records, ''I will speak to my people through other languages and the lips of foreigners, but even then they won't listen to me,' says the Lord.' 2Brothers and sisters, don't think like children. Be as innocent as babies in regard to evil, but be grown up in your understanding.1But in church I would rather speak five understandable words to teach others than ten thousand words in a tongue nobody understands.G0I thank God that I can speak in tongues more than all of you.Y/+You might have said a great prayer of thanks, but the other hasn't been helped!6.eFor if you only pray 'in the Spirit,' how can ordinary people that don't have understanding say 'Amen' after your prayer of thanks, since they haven't a clue what you said?#-?So then, what should I do? I will pray 'in the Spirit,' but I will pray with my mind too. I will sing 'in the Spirit,' but I will sing with my mind too .r,]For if I pray out loud in a tongue, my spirit is praying, but it does nothing for my understanding!a+; Anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that they're able to translate what they say.*{ It's the same for you if you are keen to have spiritual gifts, try to have many of those that will build up the church.j)M If I don't understand the language, those who speak make no sense, and I make no sense to them .c(? There are surely many languages in this world, and there is meaning in every one of them.,'Q It's the same situation for you unless you speak using words that are easy to understand, who will know what you're saying? What you say will be lost on the wind.^&5Similarly, if the trumpet doesn't give a clear sound, who will get ready for battle?8%iEven when it comes to something non-living such as musical instruments like a flute or a harp: if they don't produce clear notes, how will you know what tune is being played?9$kBrothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what benefit would I be to you unless I bring you some revelation, or knowledge, or prophetic message, or teaching?&#EThose who speak for God are more important than those who speak in tongues, unless they interpret what's been said, so that the church can be built up.U"#Those that speak in a tongue only build themselves up, but those who speak God's message build up the church. I would like it if you all spoke in tongues, but I'd prefer if you could speak God's message.n!UHowever the words of those who speak for God build people up they provide encouragement and comfort. %Those who speak in a tongue are not talking to people, but to God, because nobody can understand them as they speak mysteries in the Spirit. Make love your most important objective! But also do your best to gain spiritual gifts, especially the ability to speak God's message .L Trust, hope, and love last forever but the most important is love.K At the moment we peer into a mirror's dim reflection, but then we shall see face to face. For now I only have partial knowledge, but then I shall know completely, just as I am completely known.' When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I grew up I left behind such child-like ways.J  But when completeness comes, then what is incomplete disappears.K For our knowledge and our prophetic understanding are incomplete.ve Love never fails. Prophecies will come to an end. Tongues will become silent. Knowledge will become useless.mS Love never gives up, keeps on trusting, stays confident, and remains patient whatever happens.@{ Love takes no delight in evil but celebrates the truth. Love does not act improperly, or insist on having its own way. Love is not argumentative and doesn't keep a record of wrongs.a; Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. Love is not boastful. Love is not proud."= If I were to donate everything I own to the poor, or if I were to sacrifice myself to be burned as a martyr, and have no love, then I gain nothing.L If I were to speak prophecies, to know every secret mystery and be completely knowledgeable, and if I were able to have so much faith I could move mountains, but have no love, then I am nothing.  ; If I were to have eloquence in human languages even the language of angels but have no love, then I would only be an echoing gong or a clashing cymbal.q[ But you should set your hearts on the most significant gifts . So now I will show you a far better way.c? Not all have healing gifts, or the ability to speak languages, or to interpret languages.^5 Not everyone is an apostle, or a prophet, or a teacher, or able to perform miracles.'G In the church, God has arranged first for some to be apostles, secondly for some to be prophets, thirdly teachers. Then there are those who perform miracles, those with healing gifts, those who can help others, those good at administration, and those who can speak different languages.M  Now you are the body of Christ, and each one makes up a part of it.4 a So when one part is suffering, all the other parts of the body suffer with it, and when one part is treated well, then all the other parts of the body are happy too!{ o This is so there wouldn't be any conflict within the body the different parts should care equally for each other. + What's presentable doesn't need such covering up. God has so arranged the body that more honor is given to the parts that are less presentable.' G In fact those parts of the body we do not consider to be decent to reveal we 'honor' more by covering them up what is indecent we treat with greater modesty!ve Quite the opposite: some of those parts of the body that seem the most insignificant are the most essential.iK The eye can't tell the hand, 'I don't need you,' or the head tell the feet, 'I don't need you.'E However, since there are many parts, they make up the body.H  If they were all the same part, what would happen to the body?mS But God has arranged each part in the body, every last one of them, placing them just as he wanted. If the whole body was an eye, how could you hear anything? If the whole body was an ear, how could you smell anything?~u If the ear were to say, 'Because I'm not an eye, I'm not part of the body,' would that make it not part of the body?w If the foot were to say, 'Because I'm not a hand, I'm not part of the body,' would that make it not part of the body?:o The body is not made of one part, but many parts.:m For it was through one Spirit that we were all baptized into one body. It doesn't matter whether we are Jews or Greeks, slave or free we all were given the one Spirit to drink.~5 Just like the human body is one unit but has many parts all the parts of the body even though there are many of them, make up one body so is Christ.}y But all of these gifts are the work of the one and the same Spirit, sharing with each person as he alone chooses. | Another is given the ability to perform miracles. Another receives the gift of prophecy. Another is given the gift of spiritual discernment. Another receives the ability to speak different languages while another is given the gift of interpreting languages. { Another receives the gift of strongly trusting in God by the same Spirit. Another receives gifts of healing from that one Spirit. z One person is given by the Spirit the ability to speak words of wisdom. Another is given a message of knowledge by the same Spirit.Py The Spirit is given to each of us and is revealed for the good of all.nxU There are different ways of working, but they come from the same God, who is at work in all of them.Tw! There are different kinds of ministries, but they come from the same Lord._v7 Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they come from the same Spirit."u= Let me make it clear to you: no one who speaks in the Spirit of God says, 'Curse Jesus!' and no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord!' except by the Holy Spirit.~tu You know that when you were pagans, you were deceived, being led astray by worshiping idols who couldn't even speak.]s 5 Now about 'spiritual gifts.' My brothers and sisters, I want to explain this to you.&rE "If anyone is hungry, then eat at home so that when you meet together you won't bring condemnation on yourselves. I'll give you more directions when I visit.kqO !So my brothers and sisters, when you meet together to eat the Lord's Supper, wait for each other.zpm But when we are judged, we are being disciplined by the Lord so that we won't be condemned along with the world.Uo# However, if we really examined ourselves, we would not be judged like this.Wn' That's the reason why many of you are weak and sick, and some even have died.m Those who eat and drink bring judgment on themselves if they don't recognize their relationship with the body of the Lord.elC Let each person examine themselves, and then let them eat the bread and drink from the cup. k9 So anyone who eats the bread or drinks from the Lord's cup in a dishonorable way will be guilty of doing wrong against the body and blood of the Lord.zjm For every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you announce the Lord's death, until he returns.'i) In the same way he took the cup, after the meal, and said, 'This cup is the new agreement sealed with my blood. Remember me when you drink it.h After giving thanks, he broke the bread into pieces and said, 'This bread is my body, which is given for you. Remember me by doing this.'|gq For I received from the Lord what I passed on to you: the Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed took some bread.rf] Don't you have your own houses to eat and drink in? Do you look down on God's church, and humiliate those who are poor? What should I tell you? That you're doing really well? I have nothing good to say about you for doing this!eeC Some want to eat first before everyone else, leaving others hungry. Still others get drunk.Xd) When you meet together you're not really celebrating the Lord's Supper at all. ~~j}}}|n|!{kzznyyjxxwwwvrvuuGttrss!rPqqpp]ooZnnmellEkkj|iihhgg1ff|eelddcbb===V<< ;@:99"8887q655v44\33 22a11b10b//d/..&-v- ,'++E*)))%(((%''O&&%%%$##"" !f (2j-vk6s=AZ#_   w l@pADa9{&(for the same God who worked through Peter as apostle to the Jews also worked through me as apostle to the foreigners),Q8&On the contrary, once they realized that I'd been given responsibility to share the good news with the foreigners just as Peter had been given the responsibility to share the good news with the Jews,:7m&But those considered to be important didn't add anything to what I said. (It doesn't concern me what kind of leaders they were, because God doesn't judge people the way we do.) 6&We never gave into them, not even for a moment. We wanted to make sure to keep the truth of the good news unchanged for you.)5&That issue only arose because some false Christians slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, trying to make us slaves.}4s&But as it turned out, nobody even insisted that Titus who was with me should be circumcised, though he was Greek. (3%&I went because of what God had shown me . I met with the recognized church leaders there in private and explained to them the good news I was sharing with the foreigners . I didn't want the course I had followed, and what I was working so hard for, to come to nothing.`2 ;&Fourteen years later I returned to Jerusalem with Barnabas. I took Titus along with me.,1 U& and they praised God because of me.0 {&They had only heard people say, 'The man who used to persecute us is now spreading the faith he once tried to destroy!'I/  &Even so, my face wasn't known to those in the churches of Judea.). O&Then I went to Syria and Cilicia.Y- -&(Let me assure you before God that I'm not lying about what I'm writing to you!)J, &I didn't see any other apostles except James, the Lord's brother._+ 9&After three years I went to Jerusalem to visit Peter. I stayed with him for two weeks.* &I didn't go to Jerusalem to talk to those who preceded me as apostles; instead I left for Arabia, and then later returned to Damascus.z) o&to reveal his Son to me so that I could announce the good news to the nations, I didn't discuss this with anyone.d( C&But when God (who had set me apart from birth) called me through his grace, and was pleased' +&I surpassed my contemporaries in the practice of the Jewish religion because I was so fervently devoted to the traditions of my ancestors.& & You heard how I behaved as a follower of the Jewish religion how I fanatically persecuted God's church, savagely trying to destroy it.o% Y& I didn't receive it from anyone, and nobody taught it to me it was Jesus Christ who revealed it to me.v$ g& Let me make it clear, my friends, regarding the good news I'm declaring it did not come from any human being.4# c& Whose approval do you think I want that of people or of God? Do you think I'm trying to please people? If I wanted to please people I wouldn't be a servant of Christ!" 1& I repeat what we've told you before: if anyone promotes any other kind of good news than what you've already accepted, let them be condemned!.! W&But if anyone, even we ourselves, or even an angel from heaven, should promote any other kind of good news than what we have already told you, let them be condemned!v  g&that isn't good news at all! Some people there are confusing you, wanting to pervert the good news of Christ. %&I'm shocked at how quickly you're abandoning the God who by the grace of Christ called you. You are turning to a different kind of good news4 e&To him be glory forever and ever! Amen. &Jesus gave himself for our sins to set us free from this current world of evil, following the will of our God and Father.^ 7&May the grace and peace of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!o Y&All the brothers and sisters here with me join in sending this letter to the churches in Galatia.S #&This letter comes from Paul, an apostle not appointed by any human organization or human authority . Quite the contrary: I was appointed by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead.xi May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.5e All the believers here send their greetings.3a Greet each other with Christian affection.?w Finally, brothers and sisters, I say goodbye. Continue to improve spiritually. Encourage one another. Be in agreement. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.^5 That is why I write about this while I'm not with you, so that when I am with you I won't have to treat you harshly by imposing my authority. The Lord gave me authority for building up, not for tearing down.dA We're happy when we are weak, and you are strong we pray that you may continue to improve.E We can't do anything against the truth, only for the truth. 9 We pray to God that you won't do anything bad not so we can show we passed the test, but so you can do what is good, even if we appear to be failures.Q However, I hope that you realize that we have not failed the test.3_ Examine yourselves to see if you are trusting God. Put yourselves to the test. Don't you yourselves realize that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless you have failed the test'3_ Even though he was crucified in weakness, now he lives through the power of God. We too are weak in him, but you will see that we live with him through the power of God.3 since you're demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in the way he relates to you; rather he works powerfully among you.Z - I already warned those of you who were sinning when I visited the second time. Even though I'm not there, I'm warning them again and all the rest of you that when I visit I won't hesitate to act against them,`  ; This is my third visit to you. 'Any charge must be verified by two or three witnesses.' y I'm afraid that when I visit, my God will humble me in your presence, and that I will be weeping over many of those who have sinned previously, and who still have not repented of impurity, sexual immorality, and indecent acts that they committed.q [ I do worry when I visit that somehow I won't find you as I would want to, and that you won't find me as you would want to! I'm afraid that there will be arguments, jealousy, anger, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder./ W Maybe you're thinking that all along we've been just trying to defend ourselves. No, we speak for Christ before God. Everything we do, friends, are for your benefit.+O I urged Titus to go and see you, and I sent another brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? No, we both have the same spirit and use the same methods.E But did I take advantage of you by anyone I've sent to you?}s Well, even if that's so, I wasn't a burden to you. Maybe I was being devious, and tricked you with my cunning ways!uc I will happily spend myself, and be spent, for you. If I love you so much more, will you love me even less?oW Now I'm preparing to visit you for the third time, and I won't be a burden to you. I don't want what you have, I want you yourselves! After all, children shouldn't save up for their parents, but parents should for their children. In what way were you inferior to the other churches except I wasn't any burden to you? Please forgive me for doing you wrong!r] Yet the marks of an apostle were patiently demonstrated among you signs, wonders, and powerful miracles.E I'm talking like a fool, but you made me do it! You should really have been speaking well of me, for in no way am I inferior to the super-apostles, even though I don't count for anything.!; So I appreciate weaknesses, insults, troubles, persecutions, and difficulties that I suffer for Christ's sake. For when I'm weak, then I'm strong!:m But he told me, 'My grace is all you will need, for my power is effective in weakness.' That's why I happily boast about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me.I~  I pleaded with the Lord three times to get rid of this problem.L} Also, because these revelations were so amazingly great, and so that I wouldn't become proud, I was given a 'thorn in my flesh' a messenger from Satan to hurt me so that I wouldn't become proud.>|u I wouldn't be foolish if I wanted to boast, because I'd be telling the truth. But I won't boast, so that nobody will think more of me than what they see me doing or hear me saying.i{K Something like that I'll boast about, but I won't boast about myself, except for my weaknesses.z how he was taken up into Paradise, and heard things too wonderful to be spoken, in words so sacred that no human being is allowed to say.xyi I know that this man (whether taken up physically in the body, or apart from it, I don't know, but God knows),%xC I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was taken up to the third heaven (whether physically in the body, or out of it, I don't know, but God knows).~w w I suppose I have to boast, even though it doesn't really help. Let me go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.bv= !But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the city wall, and so I escaped from him.nuU While I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas had the city guarded in order to capture me.^t5 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus may he be praised forever knows I am not lying.>sw If I have to boast, I will boast about how weak I am.[r/ Who is weak, and I don't feel weak too? Who is led into sin, and I don't burn up?Wq' Besides all this, I face the daily concerns of dealing with all the churches.&pE I have faced hard labor and struggles, many sleepless nights, hungry and thirsty, often going without food, cold, without enough clothing to keep warm.o) During my many journeys I have faced the dangers of crossing rivers, robber gangs, attacks from my own countrymen, as well as from foreigners . I have faced danger in cities, in the deserts, and on the sea. I have faced the danger of people who pretend to be Christians.n Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent twenty-four hours adrift on the ocean.Hm  Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes less one._l7 Are they servants of Christ? (This will sound like I'm talking crazy). But I have done so much more. I've worked harder, been imprisoned more often, whipped more times than I can count, faced death time and again.ikK Are they Hebrews? Me too. Are they Israelites? Me too. Are they descendants of Abraham? Me too.,jQ I'm so sorry that we were too weak to do anything like that! But whatever people dare to boast about, I dare to do too. (Here I'm talking like a fool again).i! You put up with people who make you slaves, who take what you have, who exploit you, who arrogantly put you down, who hit you in the face.Eh You're happy to put up with fools, since you are so wise! )[g/ But since many others are boasting in the way the world does, let me boast too. (Tf! What I'm saying is not as the Lord would say it all this foolish boasting.#e? Let me say it again: please don't think I'm being foolish. However, even if you do, accept me as someone who is foolish, and let me also boast a little .d1 So it's no wonder then if those who serve him pretend to be agents of good. But their final end will be in accordance with what they've done.]c3 Don't be surprised at this for even Satan himself pretends to be an angel of light.cb? These people are false apostles, dishonest workers, who pretend to be apostles of Christ.a# I'll continue to do what I've always done, so as to remove any opportunity for those who want to boast that their work is the same as ours.@`{ And why? Because I don't love you? God knows that I do!y_k This is as certain as the truth of Christ that is in me: nobody in all Achaia will stop me boasting about this!Z^- When I was there with you and needed something, I wasn't a burden to anyone because the believers who came from Macedonia took care of my needs. I was determined never to be a burden to you and I never shall.[]/ I robbed as it were other churches, taking pay from them so I could work for you.{\o Was it wrong of me to humble myself so you could be elevated, since I shared the good news with you at no charge?[) Even though I may not be skilled in giving speeches, I do know what I'm talking about. We have made this absolutely clear to you in every way.@Z{ I don't believe I'm inferior to these 'super-apostles.'sY_ If anyone comes and tells you about a different Jesus to the one we shared with you, you easily go along with them, accepting a different spirit to the one you received, and a different kind of good news to the one you believed.=Xs I worry that in some way, just as the serpent deceived Eve with his devious cunning, that you might be led astray in your thinking from your sincere and pure commitment to Christ.W7 I agonize over you with a divine kind of jealousy, for I promised you to a single husband Christ so that I could present you as a pure virgin to him.iV M I hope you can put up with a little more foolishness from me well you already do put up with me!cU? It's not those who praise themselves that are respected, but those that the Lord praises.9Tm If anyone wants to boast, boast about the Lord.'S Then we can share the good news in places way beyond you, without boasting about what's already been done where someone else has worked .XR) We're not boasting in extravagant terms that can't be measured, claiming credit for what others have done. On the contrary, we hope that as your trust in God grows, our work among you will greatly increase.'QG We are not over-extending our authority in saying this, as if we didn't get as far as you, for we did get to you and share with you the good news of Christ .FP But we won't boast about ourselves in extravagant terms that can't be measured. We simply measure what we have done using God's system of measurement that he gave us and that includes you.HO  We're not so arrogant to compare ourselves with those who think so much of themselves. Those who measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, are really foolish!}Ns People like that should realize that what we say through letters when we're not there we will do when we are there!pMY People say, 'His letters are tough and severe, but in person he's feeble, and he's a useless speaker.'3La I'm not trying to scare you by my letters.?Kw Even though I may seem to be boasting a little too much about our authority, I'm not embarrassed about it. The Lord gave this authority to us to build you up, not to knock you down.J3 Look at what's staring you in the face! Anyone who considers that they belong to Christ should think again just as they belong to Christ, so do we!bI= When you are completely obeying Christ then we're ready to punish any disobedience.0HY Every high wall that stands tall and proud against the knowledge of God is knocked down. Every rebel idea is captured and brought into obedient agreement with Christ.G Our weapons are not of this world but God's mighty power that destroys fortresses of human thinking, demolishing misleading theories.NF Even though we live in this world, we don't fight as the world does.:Em I'm pleading with you, so that the next time I'm with you I won't have to be as tough as I think I'll have to be, boldly dealing with those who think we behave in worldly ways.3D a This is me Paul, personally appealing to you through Christ's kindness and gentleness, the one who is 'shy' when I have to face you but who is 'bold' when I'm not there .LC Thank God for his gift that is far greater than words can express!hBI They will pray for you with much fondness because of God's abundant grace working through you.kAO By giving this offering you show your true nature, and those who receive it will thank God for your obedience, since it shows your commitment to the good news of Christ and your generosity in giving to them and everyone else.@{ When you serve in this way, not only are the needs of God's people met, but also many will give grateful thanks to God.? You will be made rich in every way so that you can always be very generous, and your generosity will lead others to be grateful to God.>% God, who provides seed to the sower and gives bread for food, will provide and multiply your 'seed' and increase your harvest of generosity.^=5 As Scripture says, 'He gives generously to the poor; his generosity is everlasting.' <  God is able to graciously provide you with everything, so that you will always have all you need with plenty to help others too.;+ Everybody should give as they've already decided not reluctantly, or because they have to, for God loves those who give with a cheerful spirit.: I want to remind you of this: If you only sow a little, you'll only reap a little; if you sow plenty, you'll reap plenty.T9! That's why I decided I should ask these brothers to visit you in advance, and complete the arrangements to collect this offering, so that it would be ready as a gift, and not as something demanded.(8I This is just in case some Macedonians should come with me and find you unprepared. We, not to mention you, would be really embarrassed if this project failed!#7? But I'm sending these brothers so that my boasting about you regarding this won't be proved wrong, and that you're prepared, just as I said you would be.F6 I know how keen you are to help I was boasting about this to those in Macedonia that you in Achaia have been ready for over a year, and your enthusiasm has encouraged many of them to give.R5  I really don't need to write to you about this offering for God's people.z4mSo please welcome them before all the churches and show them your love, proving how rightly proud we are of you.+3OIf anyone asks about Titus, he is my companion. He works with me on your behalf. The other brothers are representatives from the churches and an honor to Christ.R2We're also sending with them another brother who has proved to be reliable on many occasions, and who is eager to help. He is now even more eager to help because of the great confidence he has in you.y1kWe're concerned to do things the right way, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of everyone.T0!We want to guard against anyone criticizing us about how we use this gift.9/kHe was also appointed by the churches to go with us as we deliver this gracious offering we're carrying. We do this to honor the Lord and to show our eagerness to help others.{.oWe're also sending with him a brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the good news.-Though he agreed to do what we told him, he's coming to see you because he really wants to, and had already decided to do so.W,'Thanks be to God that he gave to Titus the same devotion for you that I have. + As Scripture says, 'The one who had much didn't have any excess, and the one who didn't have much didn't have too little.'9*kAt the moment you have more than enough and can meet their needs, and in turn when they have more than enough they can meet your needs. In that way everyone is treated fairly.a); This is not to make things easier for others and harder for you, but simply to be fair.`(9 If the willingness is there, it's fine to give what you have, not what you don't have!p'Y Now finish what you planned to do. Be as keen to finish as you were to plan, and give as you are able.&3 This is my advice: it would be good if you finished what you started. Last year you were not only the first to give but the first to want to do so.%5 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though he was rich, he became poor for you, so that through his poverty you could become rich.~$uI'm not ordering you to do this, but to prove how sincere your love is in comparison with the dedication of others .s#_Since you have an abundance of everything your trust in God, your eloquence, your spiritual knowledge, your complete dedication, and in your love for us, make sure that your abundance also extends to this gracious ministry of giving."So we have encouraged Titus since it was he who started this work with you to return and complete this gracious ministry of yours. ! They didn't just do what we hoped they would do, but they gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us, as God wanted them to do.u cthey kept on pleading with us to have a part in this privilege of sharing in this ministry to God's people.hII can confirm that they gave what they could, in fact even more than that! By their own choice2]Even though they have suffered terrible trouble, they are overflowing with happiness; and even though they are very poor, they are also overflowing in their generosity.o YBrothers and sisters, we want to let you know about the grace of God shown to the Macedonian churches.A}I am so happy that I can be completely confident of you.~uTitus cares for you even more as he remembers how you did what he told you, how you welcomed him with great respect.5I boasted to him about you, and you didn't let me down. Just as all I've told you is true, my boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true too!) We are so encouraged by this. Added to our own encouragement, we were so pleased to see how happy Titus was, because you set his mind at rest.) So when I wrote to you, I wasn't writing about who did the wrong or who was wronged, but to show you how devoted you are to us in God's sight.#? See what happened to you when you had this very same experience of sorrow that God wants. Remember how enthusiastic you became, how keen you were to defend yourselves, how angry you were at what had happened, how seriously you took it, how you longed to do right, how concerned you were, how you wanted justice to be done. In all of this you showed that you were sincere in wanting to make things right .1[ The kind of sorrow God wants us to have makes us change our minds and brings salvation. This kind of sorrow leaves no sense of regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.6e I'm happy now, not for hurting you, but because this pain led you to change your minds. You were made sorry in a way God would want, and so weren't harmed by us in any way.3Even though I made you sorry by the letter I wrote, I don't regret it though I did regret it because the letter did hurt you, but just for a while.NNot just by his arrival, but also by the encouragement you gave him. He told us how you were longing to see me, how sorry you were, and how concerned you were about me, which made me even happier.Y+Even so, God who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us with Titus' arrival.'When we arrived in Macedonia we didn't have a minute's peace. We were attacked from every direction, with external conflicts and inner fears."=I speak up very strongly for you because I am so proud of you. You are such an encouragement to me. I am so happy for you despite all our troubles.}I'm not saying this to condemn you as I already told you, you mean so much to us that we live and die together with you!%Please make room in your hearts for us! We haven't done anyone wrong, we haven't corrupted anyone, and we haven't taken advantage of anyone.:  oDear friends, since we have these promises, we should wash ourselves clean from all that makes both body and spirit dirty, aiming for complete holiness out of reverence for God.m S'I will be like a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.'  'So leave them, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don't touch anything that is unclean, and I will accept you.'W 'What compromise could the temple of God make with idols? For we are a temple of the living God, just as God said: 'I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.'k OHow could Christ and the Devil ever agree? How could a believer and an unbeliever share together?5Don't join together with people who don't believe for what connection does goodness have with wickedness? What do light and darkness have in common?^5 Please respond in the same way, as if you were my children, and be big-hearted!Q We haven't kept our love from you, but you have kept your love from us.Y+ I've been speaking bluntly, my Corinthian friends, loving you with a big heart!w Seen as miserable, we are always rejoicing; as poor, but we make many rich; as destitute, but we own everything!~u We are disregarded, even though we are well-known; given up for dead, but we're still alive; lashed, but not killed.  We continue whether we are honored or dishonored, whether we are cursed or praised. People call us frauds but we tell the truth.7We speak truthfully, living in the power of God, using as our weapons the power of right, attacking with our right hand and defending with our left .7gWe demonstrate who we are by living blameless lives in the knowledge of God, with a great deal of patience, being kind and filled with the Holy Spirit, showing sincere love.We have been beaten up, thrown into prison, and attacked by mobs. We have been worked to the bone, suffering sleepless nights and hunger.3~_Instead we try to demonstrate we are good servants of God in every way we can. With a great deal of patience we put up with all kinds of trouble, hardship, and distress.x}iWe don't put anything in anyone's way that would trip them up, making sure the work we do won't be criticized.'|GJust as God said, 'At the right time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I rescued you.' Believe me: now is the right time! Now is the day of salvation!r{ _As workers together with God we also plead with you not to make your acceptance of God's grace worthless.z/God made Jesus, who never personally sinned, experience the consequences of sin so that we could have a character that is right as God is right .ySo we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God is pleading through us: 'Please, won't you come back and be God's friend?'Jx For God was in Christ bringing the world back from hostility to friendship with him, not counting anyone's sins against them, and giving us this message to change his enemies into his friends.w+God did all this by changing us from enemies into friends through Christ. He gave us this same work of changing God's enemies into his friends.cv?That's why anyone who is in Christ is a new being what was old is gone, the new has come!uFrom now on we don't look at anyone from a human point of view. Even though we once viewed Christ this way, we don't do so any longer. tChrist died for everyone so that they shouldn't live any longer for themselves, but for him who died and rose again for them.ss_Christ's love urges us on, because we're absolutely sure that he died for everyone, and so everyone died.Vr% If we are 'crazy people,' it's for God. If we make good sense, it's for you.Mq We are not trying to speak well of ourselves again, just trying to give you the opportunity to be proud of us, so you can answer those who are proud of outward show and not what they are inside .p) Knowing how we are in awe of the Lord, we try to convince others. It's clear to God what we are, and I hope that it's clear to your minds too.1o[ For all of us must appear before Christ's seat of judgment. Each of us will receive what we deserve for what we have done in this life, whether it is good or bad.enC That's why our goal, whether home here in our bodies or not, is to make sure we please him.jmMAs I say, we are confident, wanting to be away from the body so we can be at home with the Lord.=lu(For we live by trusting in God, not by seeing him).{koSo we remain confident, knowing that while we are at home here in our physical bodies, we are away from the Lord.jjMIt's God himself who prepared us for all this, and who provided the Spirit as a guarantee to us.i{While we are in this 'tent' we sigh, being weighed down by this life. It's not so much that we want to take off the clothing of this life but that we look forward to what we shall be clothed with, so that what is mortal may be overwhelmed by life.=huWhen we put on this clothing we won't be seen naked.dgAWe sigh with longing for this, wanting so badly to be clothed with this new heavenly home."f ?We know that when this earthly 'tent' we live in is taken down, we have a house prepared by God, not made by human hands. It is eternal and is in heaven."e=We don't concern ourselves with what can be seen, for we look forward to what can't be seen. What we see is temporary, but what we can't see is eternal.d}These trivial troubles we have only last for a little while, but they produce for us an ever-increasing degree of glory.{coSo we don't give up. Even though our physical bodies are falling apart, our inner selves are being renewed daily.ubcIt's all for you! As God's grace reaches many more, thankfulness to God will be even greater, to his glory.a{We know that God who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and will bring us into his presence with you.2`] Since we have the same spirit of trust in God that Scripture refers to when it says, 'I trusted in God, and so I spoke out,' we also trust in God and speak out for him.J_  As a result, we are facing death so that you may have life!^ While we live we are always under the threat of death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal bodies.]w In our bodies we always share in the death of Jesus, so that we can also demonstrate the life of Jesus in our bodies._\7 We are persecuted, but never abandoned by God. We are knocked down, but not dead yet![yWe are attacked from every direction, but we are not crushed. We are at a loss as to what to do, but never in despair.}ZsBut we have this treasure in clay jars, to show that this supreme power comes from God and not from ourselves.Y5For God who said, 'Let light shine out of the darkness,' shone in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ.qX[We are not promoting ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord. In fact we are your servants for Jesus' sake. n+~g}||>{>zyxxx9wZvv.uutt ssXrr$qeppAonnXmm!lrkk3jjii#hhxhggOff\eeddacczbbob(aaA`__^^v^]])\\[ZZYYYXSWWoVVVUU5TTT,SRRCQQ$PPNOO>u==<