# verses

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


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


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 And after the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,


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 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the exile to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.


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


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 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to put her to public shame, was resolved to divorce her quietly.


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


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 And she will give birth to a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.&quot;


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 &quot;Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,&quot; which means, &quot;God with us.&quot;


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


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 saying, &quot;Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him.&quot;


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 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.


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 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, &quot;Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring back word to me, so that I too may come and worship him.&quot;


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


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 On coming into the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, and of frankincense, and of myrrh.


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


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


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 and remained there until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, &quot;Out of Egypt have I called my son.&quot;


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


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 &quot;A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.&quot;


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 saying, &quot;Rise, take the young child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child


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


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 and he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the Prophets might be fulfilled, &quot;He shall be called a Nazarene.&quot;


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


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 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, &quot;You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?


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 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.


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


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 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.&quot;


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 But John tried to prevent him, saying, &quot;I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?&quot;


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 But Jesus answered him, &quot;Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.&quot; Then he consented.


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


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 And behold, a voice from heaven, saying, &quot;This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.&quot;


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 And the tempter came and said to him, &quot;If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.&quot;


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 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory.


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 And leaving Nazareth, he went and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,


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 &quot;The land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles


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 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and on those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.&quot;


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 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, &quot;Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.&quot;


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


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 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And he called them,


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


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 Then his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.


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 Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.


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


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 &quot;You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, how shall it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. &quot;


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 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.


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 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.


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 &quot;Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. &quot;


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 For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will by any means pass from the Law until all is accomplished.


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


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 For I tell you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.


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 But I say to you that anyone who is angry with his brother shall be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother,


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


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


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 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him to court, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.


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


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


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


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


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 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. But if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.


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


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


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


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 &quot;Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. &quot;


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 &quot;Thus, when you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. &quot;


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 &quot;And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. &quot;


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


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 And when you pray, do not use empty repetitions as the Gentiles do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.


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 &quot;And when you fast, do not look gloomy, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. &quot;


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 so that you do not appear to be fasting to men, but to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.


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 &quot;Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, &quot;


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


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 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!


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


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 &quot;Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? &quot;


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


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 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,


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


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 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.


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 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you as well.


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 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.


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 For with the same judgment you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.


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 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother


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 Do not give what is holy to the dogs; do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.


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 &quot;Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. &quot;


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


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 So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.


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 &quot;Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. &quot;


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 &quot;Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. &quot;


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


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


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 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell. And great was its fall.


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 And behold, a leper came and knelt before him, saying, &quot;Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.&quot;


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 Then Jesus put out his hand and touched him, saying, &quot;I am willing; be clean.&quot; Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.


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 And Jesus said to him, &quot;See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.&quot;


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 But the centurion answered him, &quot;Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But only say the word, and my servant will be healed.


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 When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, &quot;Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith. &quot;


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 I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.


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 But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


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 Then to the centurion Jesus said, &quot;Go; be it done for you as you have believed.&quot; And his servant was healed at that very hour.


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 When evening had come, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed. And he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick.


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 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: &quot;He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.&quot;


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 Then a certain scribe came and said to him, &quot;Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.&quot;


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 And Jesus said to him, &quot;Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.&quot;


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 And behold, a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But he was asleep.


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 And he said to them, &quot;Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?&quot; Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.


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 And the men marveled, saying, &quot;What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?&quot;


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 When he had come to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.


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 And behold, they cried out, &quot;What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?&quot;


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 And he said to them, &quot;Go.&quot; So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the water.


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 Then those who kept them fled, and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.


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 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.


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 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, &quot;Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.&quot;


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 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.


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 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, &quot;Follow me.&quot; And he rose and followed him.


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 And as Jesus sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.


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 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, &quot;Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?&quot;


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 But when Jesus heard it, he said, &quot;Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. &quot;


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 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, &quot;Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?&quot;


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 And Jesus said to them, &quot;Can the guests of the bridegroom mourn as long as he is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. &quot;


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 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.


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 Neither do they put new wine into old wineskins; if they do, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and so both are preserved.


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 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came and knelt before him, saying, &quot;My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.&quot;


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 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment.


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 Jesus turned, and when he saw her he said, &quot;Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.&quot; And the woman was made well from that moment.


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 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying out, &quot;Have mercy on us, Son of David.&quot;


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 &quot; When he had entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, &quot;Do you believe that I am able to do this?&quot; They said to him, &quot;Yes, Lord.&quot; &quot;


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 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, &quot;Never was anything like this seen in Israel.&quot;


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 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.


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 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.


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 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.


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 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;


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 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;


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 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them: &quot;Do not go among the Gentiles, or enter any town of the Samaritans. &quot;


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 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.


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 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the worker is worthy of his food.


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 Now whatever village or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go out.


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 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.


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 And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.


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 Truly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.


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 &quot;Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. &quot;


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 You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.


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 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour;


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 Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.


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 When they persecute you in one city, flee to another. For truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.


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 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!


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 &quot;So do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. &quot;


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 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops.


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 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.


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 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father


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 &quot;Therefore whoever acknowledges me before men, him I will also acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. &quot;


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 &quot;Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. &quot;


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 He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;


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 And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.


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 And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.


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 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.


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 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: &quot;What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? &quot;


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 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings


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 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.


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 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force.


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 &quot;But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, &quot;


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 Then he began to rebuke the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.


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 &quot;Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. &quot;


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 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.


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 But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.


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 At that time Jesus declared, &quot;I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to babes. &quot;


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 &quot;All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. &quot;


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 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.


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 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.


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 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, &quot;Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.&quot;


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 He said to them, &quot;Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him: &quot;


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 how he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?


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 Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are innocent?


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 And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they asked him, &quot;Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?&quot; so that they might accuse him.


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 He said to them, &quot;What man of you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? &quot;


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 Then he said to the man, &quot;Stretch out your hand.&quot; And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.


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 &quot;Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased! I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.


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 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, till he sends forth justice to victory;


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 Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and he healed him, so that the mute man both spoke and saw.


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 But when the Pharisees heard this they said, &quot;It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.&quot;


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 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, &quot;Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. &quot;


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 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.


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 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.


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 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.


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 &quot;Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. &quot;


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 You brood of vipers! how can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.


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 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.


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 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.


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 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, &quot;Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.&quot;


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 But he answered them, &quot;An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. &quot;


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 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.


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 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.


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 The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.


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 &quot;When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. &quot;


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 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.


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 While he was still talking to the people, behold, his mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.


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 Someone told him, &quot;Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.&quot;


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 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, &quot;Here are my mother and my brothers! &quot;


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 And great crowds gathered around him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the shore.


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 Some fell on rocky places, where they did not have much soil, and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of soil.


text:
 And he answered them, &quot;To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. &quot;


text:
 For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.


text:
 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.


text:
 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.


text:
 when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.


text:
 But he who received the seed on rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;


text:
 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. And when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.


text:
 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.


text:
 But the one who received seed on the good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.


text:
 Another parable he put forth to them, saying: &quot;The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; &quot;


text:
 Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers. Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.


text:
 Another parable he put forth to them, saying: &quot;The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; &quot;


text:
 it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.


text:
 He told them another parable: &quot;The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour till it was all leavened.&quot;


text:
 All these things Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables; and without a parable he did not speak to them.


text:
 So was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet: &quot;I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.&quot;


text:
 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, &quot;Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.&quot;


text:
 the field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,


text:
 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.


text:
 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil,


text:
 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.


text:
 &quot;Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and then in his joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. &quot;


text:
 &quot;Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; &quot;


text:
 which, when it was full, they drew it up on the shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.


text:
 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous


text:
 &quot; Jesus asked, &quot;Have you understood all these things?&quot; &quot;Yes,&quot; they said to him. &quot;


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;Therefore every scribe who has been instructed for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.&quot;


text:
 And coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, &quot;Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?


text:
 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, &quot;A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.&quot;


text:
 and he said to his servants, &quot;This is John the Baptist, he has risen from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him.&quot;


text:
 For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip


text:
 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.


text:
 Prompted by her mother, she said, &quot;Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.&quot;


text:
 And the king was sorry; but, because of his oaths and his guests, he commanded it to be given to her;


text:
 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.


text:
 When Jesus went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick.


text:
 Then he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave them to the multitudes.


text:
 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.


text:
 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the multitudes.


text:
 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,


text:
 but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them.


text:
 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, &quot;It is a ghost!&quot; And they cried out for fear.


text:
 So he said, &quot;Come&quot;. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.


text:
 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, &quot;Lord, save me!&quot;


text:
 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, and said to him, &quot;O you of little faith, why did you doubt?&quot;


text:
 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent to all that surrounding region and brought to him all who were sick,


text:
 and begged him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.


text:
 &quot;Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.&quot;


text:
 He answered them, &quot;And why do you transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? &quot;


text:
 he is not to honor his father with it. Thus you have made the word of God of no effect for the sake of your tradition.


text:
 Then the disciples came and said to him, &quot;Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?&quot;


text:
 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.


text:
 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornications, theft, false witness, slander.


text:
 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried to him, &quot;Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.&quot;


text:
 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, &quot;Send her away, for she is crying out after us.&quot;


text:
 &quot;Yes, Lord,&quot; she said, &quot;yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters


text:
 Then Jesus answered her, &quot;O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.&quot; And her daughter was healed from that very hour.


text:
 And Jesus went on from there and passed along the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain, and sat down there.


text:
 Then great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others; and they laid them down at his feet, and he healed them.


text:
 So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.


text:
 Now Jesus called his disciples to him and said, &quot;I have compassion on the multitude, because they have been with me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.&quot;


text:
 Then his disciples said to him, &quot;Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to feed such a great crowd?&quot;


text:
 &quot; And Jesus said to them, &quot;How many loaves do you have?&quot; They said, &quot;Seven, and a few small fish.&quot; &quot;


text:
 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.


text:
 And they all ate and were satisfied; and they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.


text:
 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.


text:
 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.&quot; So he left them and departed.&quot;


text:
 Then Jesus said to them, &quot;Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.&quot;


text:
 But Jesus, aware of this, said, &quot;O men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? &quot;


text:
 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?


text:
 How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.


text:
 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.


text:
 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, &quot;Who do men say that the Son of Man is?&quot;


text:
 And they said, &quot;Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.&quot;


text:
 And Jesus answered him, &quot;Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. &quot;


text:
 And I tell you, that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.


text:
 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.


text:
 From that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day.


text:
 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying, &quot;Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!&quot;


text:
 But he turned and said to Peter, &quot;Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.&quot;


text:
 Then Jesus said to his disciples, &quot;If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. &quot;


text:
 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.


text:
 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?


text:
 For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each man according to what he has done.


text:
 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.


text:
 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.


text:
 And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.


text:
 And Peter said to Jesus, &quot;Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make here three tabernacles


text:
 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and a voice from the cloud said, &quot;This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!&quot;


text:
 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, &quot;Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.&quot;


text:
 But I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.


text:
 &quot;Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.


text:
 Then Jesus answered, &quot;O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to me.&quot;


text:
 So he said to them, &quot;Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, &quot;


text:
 Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, &quot;The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, &quot;


text:
 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.&quot; And they were greatly distressed.&quot;


text:
 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, &quot;Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?&quot;


text:
 &quot; He said, &quot;Yes.&quot; And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, &quot;What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from others?&quot; &quot;


text:
 &quot; And when Peter said, &quot;From others,&quot; Jesus said to him, &quot;Then the sons are free. &quot;


text:
 Nevertheless, so that we may not offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you open its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for me and you.


text:
 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, &quot;Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?&quot;


text:
 and he said, &quot;Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. &quot;


text:
 &quot;But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.&quot;


text:
 Woe to the world because of temptations to sin! For temptations must come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!


text:
 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.


text:
 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.


text:
 &quot;See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. &quot;


text:
 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains in search of the one that went astray?


text:
 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.


text:
 &quot;If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. &quot;


text:
 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.


text:
 &quot;Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. &quot;


text:
 Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.


text:
 Then Peter came to him and said, &quot;Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?&quot;


text:
 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.


text:
 And as he was not able to pay, his master ordered that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.


text:
 But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying,


text:
 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and went and told their master all that had happened.


text:
 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.


text:
 So also my heavenly Father will do to each of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.


text:
 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.


text:
 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, &quot;Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?&quot;


text:
 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.


text:
 They said to him, &quot;Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?&quot;


text:
 He said to them, &quot;Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. &quot;


text:
 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.


text:
 The disciples said to him, &quot;If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.&quot;


text:
 But he said to them, &quot;Not all men can accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given. &quot;


text:
 Then little children were brought to him that he might put his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.


text:
 But Jesus said, &quot;Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.&quot;


text:
 Now behold, one came up and said to him, &quot;Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?&quot;


text:
 And he said to him, &quot;Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.&quot;


text:
 Then Jesus said to his disciples, &quot;Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. &quot;


text:
 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.


text:
 When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, &quot;Who then can be saved?&quot;


text:
 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, &quot;With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.&quot;


text:
 Then Peter answered him, &quot;Behold, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to them, &quot;Truly I say to you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. &quot;


text:
 And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name


text:
 &quot;For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. &quot;


text:
 So when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.


text:
 Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?


text:
 Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,


text:
 &quot;Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn him to death, &quot;


text:
 and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.


text:
 &quot; And he said to her, &quot;What do you want?&quot; She said to him, &quot;Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.&quot; &quot;


text:
 &quot; But Jesus answered, &quot;You do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?&quot; They said to him, &quot;We are able.&quot; &quot;


text:
 He said to them, &quot;You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right or my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.&quot;


text:
 But Jesus called them to him and said, &quot;You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. &quot;


text:
 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you must be your servant.


text:
 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.


text:
 And behold, two blind men sitting by the roadside, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, &quot;Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!&quot;


text:
 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be quiet; but they cried out all the more, &quot;Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!&quot;


text:
 And Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.


text:
 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,


text:
 saying to them, &quot;Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. &quot;


text:
 And a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.


text:
 The crowds that went before him and those that followed shouted, &quot;Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!&quot;


text:
 And Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves.


text:
 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, &quot;Hosanna to the Son of David!&quot; they were indignant;


text:
 &quot; and they said to him, &quot;Do you hear what these are saying?&quot; And Jesus said to them, &quot;Yes. Have you never read, &quot;


text:
 And seeing a fig tree by the road he went to it, and found nothing on it but leaves only. And he said to it, &quot;May no fruit ever come from you again!&quot; And immediately the fig tree withered.


text:
 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, &quot;How did the fig tree wither away so soon?&quot;


text:
 And Jesus answered them, &quot;Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, &quot;


text:
 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, &quot;By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered them, &quot;I also will ask you one question; and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. &quot;


text:
 &quot; So they answered Jesus, &quot;We do not know.&quot; And he said to them, &quot;Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.&quot;


text:
 &quot; Which of the two did the will of his father?&quot; They said, &quot;The first.&quot; Jesus said to them, &quot;Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. &quot;


text:
 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him.


text:
 &quot;Hear another parable: there was a landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vine dressers and went into a far country. &quot;


text:
 They said to him, &quot;He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.&quot;


text:
 &quot;Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. &quot;


text:
 And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.


text:
 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.


text:
 But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet.


text:
 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; but they were not willing to come.


text:
 And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.


text:
 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.


text:
 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, &quot;Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God in truth, and you care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men.


text:
 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question,


text:
 saying, &quot;Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother must marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.


text:
 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and having no children, he left his wife to his brother.


text:
 But Jesus answered them, &quot;You are wrong, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. &quot;


text:
 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.


text:
 &quot; &quot;What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?&quot; They said to him, &quot;The son of David.&quot; &quot;


text:
 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did any one dare to ask him any more questions.


text:
 So you must observe and do whatever they tell you. But do not do what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.


text:
 But they do all their works to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and the tassels of their garments long.


text:
 &quot;But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who would enter to go in. &quot;


text:
 &quot;Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win a single proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. &quot;


text:
 &quot;Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law, justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. &quot;


text:
 &quot;Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. &quot;


text:
 Blind Pharisee! First cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.


text:
 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which outwardly appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men


text:
 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.


text:
 &quot;Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, &quot;


text:
 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,


text:
 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.


text:
 &quot;O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! &quot;


text:
 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came up to point out to him the buildings of the temple.


text:
 But he answered them, &quot;You see all these things, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down.&quot;


text:
 Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, &quot;Tell us, when will this be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?&quot;


text:
 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.


text:
 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.


text:
 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name


text:
 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.


text:
 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.


text:
 And if those days had not been shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.


text:
 For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.


text:
 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.


text:
 &quot;Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. &quot;


text:
 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.


text:
 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.


text:
 &quot;Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. &quot;


text:
 &quot;But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. &quot;


text:
 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,


text:
 and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.


text:
 But know this, that if the owner of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into.


text:
 &quot;Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? &quot;


text:
 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of,


text:
 and he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


text:
 &quot;Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. &quot;


text:
 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.


text:
 &quot;For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. &quot;


text:
 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.


text:
 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more.


text:
 Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.


text:
 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.


text:
 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


text:
 &quot;When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. &quot;


text:
 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.


text:
 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in,


text:
 I was a stranger and you did not take me in, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.


text:
 &quot;You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.&quot;


text:
 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,


text:
 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.


text:
 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, &quot;Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. &quot;


text:
 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.


text:
 and said, &quot;What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?&quot; And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.


text:
 Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, &quot;Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?&quot;


text:
 And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, &quot;Is it I, Lord?&quot;


text:
 The Son of Man goes just as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.


text:
 &quot; Then Judas, who was betraying him, answered, &quot;Rabbi, is it I?&quot; He said to him, &quot;You have said it.&quot;&quot;


text:
 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, &quot;Take, eat; this is my body.&quot;


text:
 Then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, &quot;Drink from it, all of you. &quot;


text:
 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father


text:
 Then Jesus said to them, &quot;You will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written, &quot;


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;Truly I say to you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.&quot;


text:
 Peter said to him, &quot;Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you.&quot; And so said all the disciples.


text:
 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, &quot;Sit here while I go over there and pray.&quot;


text:
 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.


text:
 Then he said to them, &quot;My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me.&quot;


text:
 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, &quot;O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.&quot;


text:
 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, &quot;So, could you not watch with me one hour? &quot;


text:
 Watch and pray, so that you will not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.


text:
 Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, &quot;O my Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink it, your will be done.&quot;


text:
 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, &quot;Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. &quot;


text:
 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;Friend, why are you here?&quot; Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him.


text:
 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.


text:
 But Jesus said to him, &quot;Put your sword back in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. &quot;


text:
 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?


text:
 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, &quot;Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. &quot;


text:
 But all this has taken place, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.&quot; Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.&quot;


text:
 And those who had seized Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled.


text:
 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the end.


text:
 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death,


text:
 And the high priest stood up and said, &quot;Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?&quot;


text:
 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, &quot;I charge you under oath by the living God: tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;It is as you said. But I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.&quot;


text:
 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, &quot;He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard his blasphemy.


text:
 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him and said, &quot;You also were with Jesus of Galilee.&quot;


text:
 And when he went out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to the people there, &quot;This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.&quot;


text:
 After a little while those who stood by came up and said to Peter, &quot;Surely you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.&quot;


text:
 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, &quot;I do not know the man.&quot; And immediately the rooster crowed.


text:
 And Peter remembered the word Jesus had said, &quot;Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.&quot; So he went out and wept bitterly.


text:
 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.


text:
 When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,


text:
 saying, &quot;I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.&quot; And they said, &quot;What is that to us? You see to it!&quot;


text:
 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, &quot;It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are the money of blood.&quot;


text:
 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, &quot;And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel,


text:
 &quot; Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, &quot;Are you the king of the Jews?&quot; So Jesus said to him, &quot;It is as you say.&quot; &quot;


text:
 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.


text:
 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, &quot;Whom do you want me to release for you, Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?&quot;


text:
 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, &quot;Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered greatly today in a dream because of him.&quot;


text:
 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.


text:
 The governor answered them, &quot;Which of the two do you want me to release to you?&quot; They said, &quot;Barabbas!&quot;


text:
 Pilate said to them, &quot;Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?&quot; They all said, &quot;Let him be crucified!&quot;


text:
 And he said, &quot;Why, what evil has he done?&quot; But they shouted all the more, &quot;Let him be crucified!&quot;


text:
 When Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, &quot;I am innocent of this man


text:
 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.


text:
 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around him.


text:
 and when they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And they bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, &quot;Hail, King of the Jews!&quot;


text:
 And when they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.


text:
 Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to carry his cross.


text:
 and saying, &quot;You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.&quot;


text:
 &quot;He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.


text:
 &quot; And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, &quot;Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?&quot; that is, &quot;My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?&quot; &quot;


text:
 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with wine vinegar and put it on a reed, and offered it to him to drink.


text:
 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split;


text:
 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.


text:
 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified, and said, &quot;Truly this was the Son of God!&quot;


text:
 And many women were also there, looking on from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him;


text:
 And when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself also become a disciple of Jesus.


text:
 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.


text:
 The next day, the one after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered to Pilate


text:
 Therefore order that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and tell the people,


text:
 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.


text:
 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.


text:
 But the angel said to the women, &quot;Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.


text:
 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead. And behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Behold, I have told you.&quot;


text:
 And behold, Jesus met them and said, &quot;Hail!&quot; And they came to him and took hold of his feet and worshipped him.


text:
 Then Jesus said to them, &quot;Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee; and there they will see me.&quot;


text:
 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.


text:
 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,


text:
 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.


text:
 And Jesus came and said to them, &quot;All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. &quot;


text:
 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,


text:
 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.


text:
 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: &quot;Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way&quot;;


text:
 John came baptizing in the wilderness, and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.


text:
 And all the land of Judea, and the people from Jerusalem, went out to him and they were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.


text:
 And he preached, saying, &quot;After me comes One who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.


text:
 And immediately coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove.


text:
 And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.


text:
 and saying, &quot;The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.&quot;


text:
 And as he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the Sea; for they were fishermen.


text:
 When he had gone a little farther from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.


text:
 And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him.


text:
 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.


text:
 saying, &quot;Let us alone! What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are


text:
 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, &quot;What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.&quot;


text:
 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew.


text:
 So he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.


text:
 Now at evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.


text:
 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.


text:
 Now in the morning, a long while before daylight, he rose and went out to a solitary place, and there he prayed.


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;Let us go on to the next towns, so I may preach there also; for that is why I have come.&quot;


text:
 Then a leper came to him, imploring him, kneeling down to him and saying to him, &quot;If you are willing, you can make me clean.&quot;


text:
 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put out his hand and touched him, and said to him, &quot;I am willing; be clean.&quot;


text:
 and he said to him, &quot;See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.&quot;


text:
 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was outside in the deserted places; and people came to him from every quarter.


text:
 And many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And he preached the word to them.


text:
 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above him; and when they had broken through, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying.


text:
 &quot;Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?&quot;


text:
 And immediately, when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, he said to them, &quot;Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? &quot;


text:
 And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out in the sight of them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, &quot;We never saw anything like this!&quot;


text:
 As he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, &quot;Follow me.&quot; So he rose and followed him.


text:
 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, &quot;Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?&quot;


text:
 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, &quot;Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.&quot;


text:
 And Jesus said to them, &quot;Can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. &quot;


text:
 But the days will come, when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.


text:
 &quot;No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; if he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, and the tear is made worse. &quot;


text:
 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.


text:
 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.


text:
 And the Pharisees said to him, &quot;Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?&quot;


text:
 But he said to them, &quot;Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those who were with him: &quot;


text:
 how he entered the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful to eat, except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?


text:
 And they watched him closely, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.


text:
 Then he said to them, &quot;Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?&quot; But they kept silent.


text:
 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness of their hearts, and said to the man, &quot;Stretch out your hand.&quot; He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.


text:
 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.


text:
 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed; also from Judea


text:
 and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things he was doing, came to him.


text:
 And he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they should crush him.


text:
 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, &quot;You are the Son of God.&quot;


text:
 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, &quot;Sons of Thunder&quot;;


text:
 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot;


text:
 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, &quot;He is out of his mind.&quot;


text:
 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, &quot;He is possessed by Beelzebub, and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.&quot;


text:
 So he called them to himself and said to them in parables: &quot;How can Satan cast out Satan? &quot;


text:
 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.


text:
 Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter;


text:
 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin


text:
 And a crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, &quot;Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you.&quot;


text:
 And he looked at those who sat in a circle around him, and said, &quot;Here are my mother and my brothers! &quot;


text:
 Again he began to teach by the sea. and a very large crowd gathered around him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.


text:
 Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.


text:
 But other seed fell on good soil and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced thirtyfold, sixty, and a hundred.


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those outside everything is in parables; &quot;


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? &quot;


text:
 And these are the ones along the path where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in them.


text:
 And these likewise are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy;


text:
 and they have no root in themselves, but endure for only a time. Then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.


text:
 but the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.


text:
 But these are the ones sown on good soil, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit thirtyfold, sixty, and a hundred.


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? &quot;


text:
 For there is nothing hidden, except to be revealed; nor is anything secret, but that it should come to light.


text:
 Then he said to them, &quot;Take heed what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you; and more will be given you. &quot;


text:
 For whoever has, to him will more be given; and whoever does not have, from him even what he has will be taken away.


text:
 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.


text:
 And he said, &quot;With what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? &quot;


text:
 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is the smallest of all seeds in the earth;


text:
 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.


text:
 But without a parable he did not speak to them. And when they were alone, he explained everything to his own disciples.


text:
 And leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.


text:
 But he was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. And they woke him and said to him, &quot;Teacher, do you not care if we perish?&quot;


text:
 Then he rose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, &quot;Peace! Be still!&quot; And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.


text:
 And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, &quot;Who is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!&quot;


text:
 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains. But the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him.


text:
 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and cutting himself with stones.


text:
 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, &quot;What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore you by God, do not torment me.&quot;


text:
 &quot; Then Jesus asked him, &quot;What is your name?&quot; And he replied, &quot;My name is Legion, for we are many.&quot; &quot;


text:
 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.


text:
 So those who fed the swine fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And people went out to see what it was that had happened.


text:
 And they came to Jesus, and saw the man who had been possessed sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had had the legion; and they were afraid.


text:
 And those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and about the swine.


text:
 And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him that he might be with him.


text:
 Jesus did not let him, but said, &quot;Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.&quot;


text:
 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled.


text:
 And when Jesus had crossed over again by the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea.


text:
 and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, &quot;My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be healed, and live.&quot;


text:
 and she had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she owned, and was no better but rather grew worse.


text:
 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and said, &quot;Who touched my clothes?&quot;


text:
 And his disciples said to him, &quot;You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, &quot;


text:
 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him in fear and trembling and told him the whole truth.


text:
 And he said to her, &quot;Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease.&quot;


text:
 But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, &quot;Do not be afraid; only believe.&quot;


text:
 When they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, he saw a tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly.


text:
 And when he came in, he said to them, &quot;Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.&quot;


text:
 &quot; He took her by the hand and said to her, &quot;Talitha cumi!&quot; which means, &quot;Little girl, I say to you, arise.&quot; &quot;


text:
 Immediately the girl stood up and walked (she was twelve years of age). And they were overcome with great amazement.


text:
 And when the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue. And many who heard him were astonished, saying, &quot;Where did this man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to him, that such mighty works are performed by his hands!


text:
 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us?&quot; And they took offense at him.


text:
 But Jesus said to them, &quot;A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.&quot;


text:
 Now he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.


text:
 And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.


text:
 And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them.


text:
 But others said, &quot;It is Elijah.&quot; And others said, &quot;It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.&quot;


text:
 But when Herod heard, he said, &quot;This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!&quot;


text:
 For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip


text:
 for Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard him gladly.


text:
 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his high officers and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.


text:
 And when the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, &quot;Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.&quot;


text:
 So she went out and said to her mother, &quot;What shall I ask?&quot; And she said, &quot;The head of John the Baptist!&quot;


text:
 Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, &quot;I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.&quot;


text:
 And the king was exceedingly sorry; but, because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her.


text:
 And immediately the king sent an executioner and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison,


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while.&quot; For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.


text:
 But many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them.


text:
 When Jesus went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things.


text:
 When it was late in the day, his disciples came to him and said, &quot;This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.


text:
 Send them away, so they can go to the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves something to eat.&quot;


text:
 &quot; But he answered them, &quot;You give them something to eat.&quot; And they said to him, &quot;Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?&quot; &quot;


text:
 &quot; But he said to them, &quot;How many loaves do you have? Go and see.&quot; And when they found out they said, &quot;Five, and two fish.&quot; &quot;


text:
 And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all.


text:
 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.


text:
 And he saw the disciples straining at the oars, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He was about to pass by them,


text:
 for they all saw him, and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, &quot;Take courage! It is I; do not be afraid.&quot;


text:
 and ran about that whole region, and began to carry those who were sick around on pallets to wherever they heard he was.


text:
 Wherever he entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched him were made well.


text:
 Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered together to him,


text:
 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.


text:
 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash themselves. And there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pitchers and copper vessels.)


text:
 The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, &quot;Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with impure hands?&quot;


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition! &quot;


text:
 thus making void the word of God through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.


text:
 And he called all the people to him again, and said to them, &quot;Hear me, everyone, and understand: &quot;


text:
 there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him.


text:
 So he said to them, &quot;Are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, &quot;


text:
 since it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and so passes on?&quot; (Thus he declared all foods clean.) &quot;


text:
 For from within, out of the heart of men, come evil thoughts, fornications, theft, murder, adultery,


text:
 From there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house, and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not be hidden.


text:
 But a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard about him, and she came and fell at his feet.


text:
 Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.


text:
 And he said to her, &quot;Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children&quot;


text:
 Then he said to her, &quot;For this saying you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.&quot;


text:
 Then he departed from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapolis.


text:
 Then they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged him to put his hand on him.


text:
 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue.


text:
 &quot; And looking up to heaven he sighed and said to him, &quot;Ephphatha,&quot; that is, &quot;Be opened.&quot; &quot;


text:
 And immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.


text:
 And he commanded them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more widely they proclaimed it.


text:
 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, &quot;He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.&quot;


text:
 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him, and said to them,


text:
 &quot;I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days and have nothing to eat. &quot;


text:
 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come a long distance.


text:
 And his disciples answered him, &quot;How can one feed these men with bread here in the desert?&quot;


text:
 &quot; And he asked them, &quot;How many loaves do you have?&quot; They said, &quot;Seven.&quot; &quot;


text:
 So he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd.


text:
 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, he commanded that these also should be set before them.


text:
 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, &quot;Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.&quot;


text:
 And he cautioned them, saying, &quot;Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.&quot;


text:
 Being aware of it, Jesus said to them, &quot;Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? &quot;


text:
 &quot; When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?&quot; They said to him, &quot;Twelve.&quot; &quot;


text:
 &quot; &quot;And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of pieces did you take up?&quot; And they said, &quot;Seven.&quot; &quot;


text:
 And they came to Bethsaida; and some people brought a blind man to him, and begged him to touch him.


text:
 So he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. And when he had spit on his eyes and put his hands on him, he asked him &quot;Do you see anything?&quot;


text:
 Then he put his hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored, and saw everything clearly.


text:
 And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, &quot;Who do men say that I am?&quot;


text:
 They replied, &quot;Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.&quot;


text:
 &quot; And he asked them, &quot;But who do you say that I am?&quot; Peter answered him, &quot;You are the Christ.&quot; &quot;


text:
 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.


text:
 But when he had turned around and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, &quot;Get behind me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.&quot;


text:
 And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, &quot;If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. &quot;


text:
 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel


text:
 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;Truly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.&quot;


text:
 After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,


text:
 And Peter said to Jesus, &quot;Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. And let us make three tabernacles


text:
 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, &quot;This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!&quot;


text:
 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.


text:
 Then he said to them, &quot;Elijah does come first and restores all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man, that he must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? &quot;


text:
 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.


text:
 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them.


text:
 Immediately, when they saw him, all the people were greatly amazed, and ran to him and greeted him.


text:
 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they could not.&quot;


text:
 He answered him, &quot;O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.&quot;


text:
 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.


text:
 &quot; And Jesus asked his father, &quot;How long has he been like this?&quot; And he said, &quot;From childhood. &quot;


text:
 And it has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.&quot;


text:
 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, &quot;You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.&quot;


text:
 And the spirit cried out, convulsed him terribly, and came out. And the boy was like a corpse; so that many of them said, &quot;He is dead.&quot;


text:
 And when he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, &quot;Why could we not cast it out?&quot;


text:
 For he was teaching his disciples and said to them, &quot;The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.&quot;


text:
 And they came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, &quot;What were you discussing on the road?&quot;


text:
 And he sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, &quot;If anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.&quot;


text:
 And he took a little child, and put him in the midst of them. And taking him in his arms, he said to them,


text:
 &quot;Whoever receives one of these little children in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.&quot;


text:
 John said to him, &quot;Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name and we forbade him, because he was not one of us.&quot;


text:
 But Jesus said, &quot;Do not forbid him, for no one who does a miracle in my name can soon afterward speak evil of me. &quot;


text:
 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ, will by no means lose his reward.


text:
 &quot;Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. &quot;


text:
 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, to the fire that shall never be quenched.


text:
 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.


text:
 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,


text:
 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.


text:
 Then he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan. And crowds gathered to him again; and again, as his custom was, he taught them.


text:
 The Pharisees came and in order to test him asked, &quot;Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?&quot;


text:
 They said, &quot;Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away.&quot;


text:
 But Jesus said to them, &quot;Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. &quot;


text:
 So he said to them, &quot;Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. &quot;


text:
 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, &quot;Let the little children come to me; and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. &quot;


text:
 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will not enter it.


text:
 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, &quot;Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?&quot;


text:
 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, &quot;You lack one thing; go and sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.&quot;


text:
 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, &quot;How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!&quot;


text:
 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, &quot;Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! &quot;


text:
 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.


text:
 Jesus looked at them and said, &quot;With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.&quot;


text:
 Jesus said, &quot;Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, &quot;


text:
 They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And he took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him.


text:
 &quot;Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; &quot;


text:
 and they will mock him, and spit on him, and scourge him, and kill him. And after three days he will rise.


text:
 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said, &quot;Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.&quot;


text:
 And they said to him, &quot;Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and the other at your left, in your glory.&quot;


text:
 But Jesus said to them, &quot;You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?&quot;


text:
 &quot; They said to him, &quot;We are able.&quot; So Jesus said to them, &quot;You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; &quot;


text:
 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.


text:
 But Jesus called them to himself and said to them, &quot;You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. &quot;


text:
 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,


text:
 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.


text:
 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging.


text:
 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, &quot;Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!&quot;


text:
 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he cried out all the more, &quot;Son of David, have mercy on me!&quot;


text:
 So Jesus stopped and said, &quot;Call him.&quot; And they called the blind man, saying to him, &quot;Take heart; rise, he is calling you.&quot;


text:
 &quot; And Jesus said to him, &quot;What do you want me to do for you?&quot; And the blind man said to him, &quot;Master, let me receive my sight.&quot; &quot;


text:
 Then Jesus said to him, &quot;Go your way; your faith has made you well.&quot; And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.


text:
 And when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,


text:
 and said to them, &quot;Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. &quot;


text:
 And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.


text:
 And those who went before and those who followed cried out, &quot;Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!


text:
 Jesus entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple. And when he had looked round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.


text:
 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.


text:
 And he said to it, &quot;May no one ever eat fruit from you again.&quot; And his disciples heard it.


text:
 So they came to Jerusalem. And Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.


text:
 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and sought a way to destroy him; for they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.


text:
 Peter remembered and said to him, &quot;Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered.&quot;


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


text:
 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.


text:
 Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him.


text:
 And they said to him, &quot;By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to them, &quot;I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. &quot;


text:
 &quot; So they answered Jesus, &quot;We do not know.&quot; And Jesus said to them, &quot;Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.&quot;&quot;


text:
 Then he began to speak to them in parables: &quot;A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vine dressers and went into a far country. &quot;


text:
 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants, to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.


text:
 Again he sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully.


text:
 And he sent another, and him they killed; and so with many others, some they beat and some they killed.


text:
 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the vineyard to others.


text:
 And they sought to arrest him, but feared the multitude, for they knew he had spoken the parable against them. So they left him and went away.


text:
 When they came, they said to him, &quot;Teacher, we know that you are true, and care about no man; for you do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?


text:
 &quot; Should we pay them, or should we not?&quot; But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, &quot;Why do you put me to the test? Bring me a denarius, and let me look at it.&quot; &quot;


text:
 &quot; And they brought one. And he said to them, &quot;Whose likeness and inscription is this?&quot; They said to him, &quot;Caesar&quot;


text:
 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him; and they asked him a question, saying:


text:
 Jesus said to them, &quot;Is not this why you are wrong, that you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? &quot;


text:
 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.


text:
 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him,


text:
 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him, &quot;Which commandment is the first of all?&quot;


text:
 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.


text:
 And the scribe said to him, &quot;You are right, Teacher; you have well said that God is one, and there is no other but he;


text:
 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one


text:
 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, &quot;You are not far from the kingdom of God.&quot; And after that no one dared to ask him any question.


text:
 And Jesus said, while he taught in the temple, &quot;How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? &quot;


text:
 And in his teaching he said, &quot;Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes, and to have salutations in the market places &quot;


text:
 And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the multitude putting money into the treasury. Many people who were rich put in large sums.


text:
 And he called his disciples to him, and said to them, &quot;Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. &quot;


text:
 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, &quot;Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!&quot;


text:
 And Jesus said to him, &quot;Do you see all these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down.&quot;


text:
 Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,


text:
 &quot;Tell us, when will this be? And what will be the sign when these things are all to be fulfilled?&quot;


text:
 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; such things must happen, but the end is not yet.


text:
 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginning of birth pains.


text:
 But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.


text:
 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand what you are to say. But say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.


text:
 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.


text:
 Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.


text:
 For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be.


text:
 And if the Lord had not shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.


text:
 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.


text:
 &quot;But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; &quot;


text:
 And then he will send out his angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.


text:
 &quot;But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. &quot;


text:
 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.


text:
 It was now two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth, and kill him.


text:
 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly. And she broke the flask and poured it over his head.


text:
 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.&quot; And they criticized her sharply.


text:
 But Jesus said, &quot;Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. &quot;


text:
 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me.


text:
 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.


text:
 And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought an opportunity to betray him.


text:
 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, &quot;Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?&quot;


text:
 And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, &quot;Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him. &quot;


text:
 So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.


text:
 And as they were at table eating, Jesus said, &quot;Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.&quot;


text:
 For the Son of Man goes just as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.


text:
 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, &quot;Take; this is my body.&quot;


text:
 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;Truly, I say to you that this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.&quot;


text:
 But he spoke more vehemently, &quot;If I have to die with you, I will not deny you!&quot; And they all said the same.


text:
 They went to a place which was called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, &quot;Sit here, while I pray.&quot;


text:
 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.


text:
 And he said, &quot;Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me; yet not what I will, but what you will.&quot;


text:
 Then he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, &quot;Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? &quot;


text:
 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.


text:
 And when he came again, he found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer him.


text:
 Then he came the third time and said to them, &quot;Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. &quot;


text:
 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.


text:
 Now the betrayer had given them a signal, saying, &quot;The one I shall kiss is the man; seize him and lead him away under guard.&quot;


text:
 And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.


text:
 And Jesus said to them, &quot;Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? &quot;


text:
 Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But the scriptures must be fulfilled.


text:
 And they led Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes were assembled.


text:
 But Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.


text:
 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.


text:
 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, &quot;Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?&quot;


text:
 But he was silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, &quot;Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?&quot;


text:
 And Jesus said, &quot;I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.&quot;


text:
 You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?&quot; And they all condemned him as worthy of death.


text:
 Then some began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to beat him, and to say to him, &quot;Prophesy!&quot; And the guards received him with slaps in the face.


text:
 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, &quot;You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.&quot;


text:
 But he denied it, saying, &quot;I neither know nor understand what you mean.&quot; And he went out into the gateway.


text:
 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, &quot;This is one of them.&quot;


text:
 But again he denied it. And after a little while again those standing near said to Peter, &quot;Surely you are one of them; for you are a Gallilean.&quot;


text:
 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, &quot;I do not know this man of whom you speak.&quot;


text:
 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had said to him, &quot;Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.&quot; And he broke down and wept.


text:
 Very early in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate.


text:
 &quot; Then Pilate asked him, &quot;Are you the King of the Jews?&quot; And he answered him, &quot;It is as you say.&quot; &quot;


text:
 And Pilate again asked him, &quot;Have you no answer to make? See how many things they bring against you.&quot;


text:
 And with the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas.


text:
 And Pilate again said to them, &quot;Then what shall I do with the man whom you call the King of the Jews?&quot;


text:
 And Pilate said to them, &quot;Why, what evil has he done?&quot; But they shouted all the more, &quot;Crucify him!&quot;


text:
 So Pilate, wanting to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged him, to be crucified.


text:
 The soldiers led him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and they called together the whole battalion.


text:
 Then they struck him on the head with a reed and spat on him; and falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.


text:
 And when they had mocked him, they took the purple robe off him, and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.


text:
 Then they compelled a certain man, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to carry his cross.


text:
 And when they crucified him, they divided his garments, casting lots for them to determine what each man should take.


text:
 And those who passed by hurled insults at him, wagging their heads, and saying, &quot;Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days,


text:
 So also the chief priests mocked him among themselves with the scribes, and said, &quot;He saved others; he cannot save himself.


text:
 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.&quot; Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.


text:
 And one ran and filled a sponge full of wine vinegar, put it on a reed, and offered it to him to drink, saying, &quot;Wait, let us see if Elijah will come to take him down.&quot;


text:
 So when the centurion, who stood opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, &quot;Truly this man was the Son of God!&quot;


text:
 There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome,


text:
 who also followed him and ministered to him when he was in Galilee; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.


text:
 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,


text:
 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.


text:
 Pilate marveled that he was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if he was already dead.


text:
 Then he bought fine linen, took him down, and wrapped him in the linen. And he laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.


text:
 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.


text:
 And they asked each other, &quot;Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?&quot;


text:
 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were alarmed.


text:
 But he said to them, &quot;Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.


text:
 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.&quot;


text:
 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.


text:
 Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven demons.


text:
 Later he appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen.


text:
 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;


text:
 they will pick up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.


text:
 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.


text:
 Then they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the signs that accompanied it. Amen.


text:
 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been fulfilled among us,


text:
 just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,


text:
 it seemed good to me also, having carefully investigated all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,


text:
 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.


text:
 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.


text:
 according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.


text:
 But the angel said to him, &quot;Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.


text:
 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother


text:
 And Zechariah said to the angel, &quot;How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.&quot;


text:
 And the angel answered him, &quot;I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.


text:
 And behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.&quot;


text:
 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he made signs to them and remained speechless.


text:
 &quot;Thus the Lord has done to me, in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.&quot;


text:
 But she was greatly troubled at his saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.


text:
 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.


text:
 And the angel answered her, &quot;The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.


text:
 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.


text:
 Then Mary said, &quot;Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.&quot; And the angel departed from her.


text:
 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.


text:
 And she exclaimed with a loud voice, &quot;Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!


text:
 For behold, as soon as the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.


text:
 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.&quot;


text:
 for he has regarded the lowly state of his servant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.


text:
 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.


text:
 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechariah after his father,


text:
 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea;


text:
 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, &quot;What then will this child be?&quot; For the hand of the Lord was with him.


text:
 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare his ways,


text:
 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.&quot;


text:
 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.


text:
 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of all the world.


text:
 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,


text:
 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.


text:
 And in that region there were shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.


text:
 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.


text:
 Then the angel said to them, &quot;Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.


text:
 And this will be a sign to you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.&quot;


text:
 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, &quot;Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.&quot;


text:
 Now when they had seen him, they made widely known the saying which had been told them concerning this child.


text:
 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.


text:
 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.


text:
 And when the time of their purification according to the law of Moses was completed, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord


text:
 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, &quot;Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord&quot;),


text:
 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, &quot;a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.&quot;


text:
 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.


text:
 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord


text:
 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,


text:
 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, &quot;Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that will be spoken against


text:
 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.&quot;


text:
 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity,


text:
 and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, but worshipped with fasting and prayer night and day.


text:
 And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.


text:
 And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.


text:
 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.


text:
 And when the feast was over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,


text:
 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.


text:
 And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, &quot;Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.&quot;


text:
 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them, but his mother kept all these things in her heart.


text:
 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,


text:
 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.


text:
 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.


text:
 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, &quot;The voice of one crying in the wilderness:


text:
 Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth;


text:
 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, &quot;You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?


text:
 And even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.&quot;


text:
 And he answered them, &quot;He who has two tunics, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.&quot;


text:
 Likewise the soldiers asked him, &quot;And what shall we do?&quot; So he said to them, &quot;Rob no one by violence or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.&quot;


text:
 As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ,


text:
 John answered them all, &quot;I baptize you with water; but one mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.


text:
 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.&quot;


text:
 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was also baptized. And as he was praying, the heaven was opened


text:
 and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, &quot;You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.&quot;


text:
 Now Jesus himself, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,


text:
 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan,


text:
 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,


text:
 being tempted for forty days by the devil. In those days he ate nothing, and when they had ended, he was hungry.


text:
 And the devil said to him, &quot;If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.&quot;


text:
 Then the devil took him up to a high place, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.


text:
 And he said to him, &quot;To you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.


text:
 He took him to Jerusalem, set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, &quot;If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here;


text:
 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of him went out through all the surrounding country.


text:
 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.


text:
 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written:


text:
 &quot;The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, &quot;


text:
 Then he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.


text:
 And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, &quot;Is not this Joseph


text:
 But I tell you truly, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land;


text:
 but Elijah was sent to none of them except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.


text:
 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.


text:
 And they rose up and cast him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down the cliff.


text:
 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice,


text:
 &quot;Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are


text:
 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, &quot;Be quiet, and come out of him!&quot; And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him without doing him any harm.


text:
 And they were all amazed and said to one another, &quot;What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!&quot;


text:
 So he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she rose and served them.


text:
 When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.


text:
 And demons also came out of many, crying, &quot;You are the Son of God!&quot; But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.


text:
 Now when it was day, he departed and went into a deserted place. And the people sought him and came to him, and tried to keep him from leaving them;


text:
 but he said to them, &quot;I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because I was sent for this purpose.&quot;


text:
 Now as the people pressed around him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.


text:
 And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.


text:
 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, &quot;Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.&quot;


text:
 And Simon answered, &quot;Master, we toiled all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.&quot;


text:
 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.


text:
 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, &quot;Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.&quot;


text:
 While he was in one of the cities, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and begged him, &quot;Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.&quot;


text:
 And he stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, &quot;I am willing; be clean.&quot; And immediately the leprosy left him.


text:
 And he charged him to tell no one, &quot;But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.&quot;


text:
 But the report went around concerning him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities.


text:
 One day as he was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal.


text:
 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they sought to bring him in and lay him before Jesus.


text:
 When they could not find a way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.


text:
 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, &quot;Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?&quot;


text:
 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, &quot;Why are you reasoning in your hearts? &quot;


text:
 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God.


text:
 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, &quot;We have seen strange things today.&quot;


text:
 After this he went out, and saw a tax collector, named Levi, sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, &quot;Follow me.&quot;


text:
 Then Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there were a great number of tax collectors and others sitting at table with them.


text:
 And the Pharisees and their scribes complained against his disciples, saying, &quot;Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?&quot;


text:
 And Jesus answered them, &quot;Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. &quot;


text:
 They said to him, &quot;The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.&quot;


text:
 And Jesus said to them, &quot;Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? &quot;


text:
 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.


text:
 He told them a parable also: &quot;No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old one; if he does, he will tear the new garment, and the piece from the new will not match the old. &quot;


text:
 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.


text:
 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.


text:
 But some of the Pharisees said, &quot;Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered them, &quot;Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: &quot;


text:
 how he entered the house of God, took and ate the consecrated bread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?


text:
 On another Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.


text:
 The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him.


text:
 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, &quot;Rise and stand here.&quot; And he rose and stood there.


text:
 Then Jesus said to them, &quot;I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?&quot;


text:
 And he looked around at them all, and said to the man, &quot;Stretch out your hand.&quot; He did so, and his hand was restored.


text:
 And when it was day, he called his disciples to himself; and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:


text:
 And he came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and be healed of their diseases,


text:
 He lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: &quot;Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. &quot;


text:
 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.


text:
 Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.


text:
 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.


text:
 Woe to you who are full now, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.


text:
 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic.


text:
 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.


text:
 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.


text:
 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much back.


text:
 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For he is kind to the ungrateful and evil.


text:
 &quot;Judge not, and you will not be judged. Condemn not, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. &quot;


text:
 Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.


text:
 He also told them a parable: &quot;Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? &quot;


text:
 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a bramble bush.


text:
 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.


text:
 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it was well built.


text:
 But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.


text:
 When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.


text:
 And when they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, &quot;He is worthy to have you do this for him,


text:
 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, &quot;Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.


text:
 Therefore I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.


text:
 When Jesus heard this, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that followed him, &quot;I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.&quot;


text:
 Soon afterward, he went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him.


text:
 As he came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.


text:
 Then he came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And he said, &quot;Young man, I say to you, arise.&quot;


text:
 Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, &quot;A great prophet has arisen among us;&quot; and &quot;God has visited his people.&quot;


text:
 And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, &quot;Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?&quot;


text:
 At that very hour he cured many of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits, and to many that were blind he gave sight.


text:
 He answered them, &quot;Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the good news preached to them. &quot;


text:
 When the messengers of John had departed, he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: &quot;What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? &quot;


text:
 What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings


text:
 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.


text:
 (And when they heard him, all the people, even the tax collectors, justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.


text:
 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)


text:
 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee


text:
 and as she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the perfume.


text:
 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, &quot;If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.&quot;


text:
 &quot; And Jesus answered him, &quot;Simon, I have something to say to you.&quot; And he said, &quot;Teacher, say it.&quot; &quot;


text:
 &quot;A certain creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. &quot;


text:
 When they had nothing with which to pay him back, he freely forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?


text:
 &quot; Simon answered, &quot;I suppose the one to whom he forgave more.&quot; And he said to him, &quot;You have judged rightly.&quot; &quot;


text:
 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, &quot;Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. &quot;


text:
 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.


text:
 Then those who reclined at the table with him began to say among themselves, &quot;Who is this who even forgives sins?&quot;


text:
 Soon afterward, he went on through every city and village, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him,


text:
 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had come out,


text:
 And when a great crowd came together and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable:


text:
 &quot;A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. &quot;


text:
 &quot; But others fell on good soil, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.&quot; When he had said this he called out, &quot;He who has ears to hear, let him hear!&quot; &quot;


text:
 he said, &quot;To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others it is given in parables, so that &quot;


text:
 The ones along the path are those who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved.


text:
 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.


text:
 And the ones that fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.


text:
 But the ones that fell on the good soil are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.


text:
 &quot;No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. &quot;


text:
 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.


text:
 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.


text:
 And it was told him, &quot;Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.&quot;


text:
 But he said to them, &quot;My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.&quot;


text:
 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, &quot;Let us go over to the other side of the lake.&quot; So they set out.


text:
 As they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in danger.


text:
 And they went and woke him, saying, &quot;Master, Master, we are perishing!&quot; Then he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there was a calm.


text:
 &quot; He said to them, &quot;Where is your faith?&quot; And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, &quot;Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and water, and they obey him?&quot; &quot;


text:
 When he stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but in the tombs.


text:
 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, &quot;What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me!&quot;


text:
 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For many times it had seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.


text:
 &quot; Jesus asked him, &quot;What is your name?&quot; And he said, &quot;Legion&quot;; because many demons had entered him. &quot;


text:
 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter them. So he gave them permission.


text:
 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.


text:
 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country.


text:
 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.


text:
 Then all the people of the surrounding region of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.


text:
 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying,


text:
 &quot;Return to your home, and tell how much God has done for you.&quot; And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.


text:
 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the people pressed round him.


text:
 came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood stopped.


text:
 &quot; And Jesus said, &quot;Who touched me?&quot; When all denied it, Peter said, &quot;Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!&quot; &quot;


text:
 When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.


text:
 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, &quot;Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be well.&quot;


text:
 When he came into the house he permitted no one to go in with him except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.


text:
 Now all were wailing and mourning for her; but he said, &quot;Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.&quot;


text:
 Then her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.


text:
 Then he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;Take nothing for the journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. &quot;


text:
 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.


text:
 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead,


text:
 And Herod said, &quot;John I have beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?&quot; So he sought to see him.


text:
 And when the apostles returned, they told him what they had done. Then he took them with him and withdrew apart to a city called Bethsaida.


text:
 But when the crowds learned it, they followed him; and he welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.


text:
 Now the day began to wear away; and the twelve came and said to him, &quot;Send the crowd away, to go to the surrounding villages and country, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place.&quot;


text:
 &quot; But he said to them, &quot;You give them something to eat.&quot; And they said, &quot;We have no more than five loaves and two fish&quot;


text:
 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, &quot;Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.&quot;


text:
 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the people.


text:
 They all ate and were satisfied, and they took up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.


text:
 Now it happened that as he was praying alone his disciples were with him; and he asked them, &quot;Who do the crowds say that I am?&quot;


text:
 So they answered, &quot;John the Baptist; but others say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.&quot;


text:
 &quot; And he said to them, &quot;But who do you say that I am?&quot; And Peter answered, &quot;The Christ of God.&quot; &quot;


text:
 saying, &quot;The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.&quot;


text:
 Then he said to them all, &quot;If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. &quot;


text:
 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.


text:
 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.


text:
 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.


text:
 Now about eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.


text:
 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his robe became white and glistening.


text:
 But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.


text:
 As the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, &quot;Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah&quot;


text:
 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.


text:
 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.


text:
 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, &quot;Teacher, I beg you to look upon my son, for he is my only child.


text:
 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and will hardly leave him, bruising him.


text:
 Then Jesus answered, &quot;O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.&quot;


text:
 While he was coming, the demon threw him and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.


text:
 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples,


text:
 &quot;Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.&quot;


text:
 But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.


text:
 and said to them, &quot;Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.&quot;


text:
 Now John answered, &quot;Master, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.&quot;


text:
 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him;


text:
 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, &quot;Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?&quot;


text:
 As they were going along the road, a man said to him, &quot;I will follow you wherever you go.&quot;


text:
 To another he said, &quot;Follow me.&quot; But he said, &quot;Lord, let me first go and bury my father.&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.&quot;


text:
 Still another said, &quot;I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say farewell to those at my home.&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.&quot;


text:
 After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. &quot;


text:
 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they give, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.


text:
 &quot;Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. &quot;


text:
 &quot;He who hears you hears me, he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.&quot;


text:
 The seventy returned with joy, saying, &quot;Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name.&quot;


text:
 Behold, I have given you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you.


text:
 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.


text:
 At that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, &quot;I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Yes, Father, for so it was your good pleasure. &quot;


text:
 All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.


text:
 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, &quot;Blessed are the eyes which see what you see. &quot;


text:
 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.


text:
 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, &quot;Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?&quot;


text:
 Jesus said: &quot;A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him of his clothing, beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. &quot;


text:
 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.


text:
 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.


text:
 &quot; He said, &quot;The one who showed mercy on him.&quot; And Jesus said to him, &quot;Go and do likewise.&quot;&quot;


text:
 Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.


text:
 But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, &quot;Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.&quot;


text:
 But the Lord answered her, &quot;Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things; &quot;


text:
 but only one thing is needed. And Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.


text:
 He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, &quot;Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.&quot;


text:
 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, &quot;


text:
 I tell you, though he will not get up and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as much as he needs.


text:
 So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.


text:
 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!


text:
 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled.


text:
 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them: &quot;Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a house divided against itself falls. &quot;


text:
 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub.


text:
 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.


text:
 But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.


text:
 &quot;When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, &quot;


text:
 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.


text:
 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, &quot;Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you!&quot;


text:
 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, &quot;This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. &quot;


text:
 The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.


text:
 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.


text:
 &quot;No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light. &quot;


text:
 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.


text:
 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.


text:
 But the Lord said to him, &quot;Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. &quot;


text:
 But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.


text:
 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.


text:
 And he said, &quot;Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. &quot;


text:
 So you witness that you approve of the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their tombs.


text:
 that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,


text:
 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation.


text:
 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.


text:
 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard, and to provoke him to speak of many things,


text:
 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they trampled one another, he began to say to his disciples first of all, &quot;Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. &quot;


text:
 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.


text:
 &quot;I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. &quot;


text:
 But I will show you whom you should fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him!


text:
 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.


text:
 &quot;I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. &quot;


text:
 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.


text:
 Now when they bring you before the synagogues and rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you are to say;


text:
 Someone in the crowd said to him, &quot;Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.&quot;


text:
 And he told them a parable, saying: &quot;The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. &quot;


text:
 And I will say to my soul, &quot;Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.&quot;


text:
 Then he said to his disciples, &quot;Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about your body, what you will put on. &quot;


text:
 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!


text:
 Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.


text:
 But if God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!


text:
 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.


text:
 Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves purses that do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.


text:
 and be like men who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, so that they may open to him immediately when he comes and knocks.


text:
 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds watching when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and will come and serve them.


text:
 But know this, that if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.


text:
 And the Lord said, &quot;Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? &quot;


text:
 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour he is not aware of, and he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.


text:
 But he who did not know, and committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask the more.


text:
 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.


text:
 He also said to the multitudes, &quot;When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, &quot;A shower is coming


text:
 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; but how is it you do not know how to interpret this present time?


text:
 As you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.


text:
 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.


text:
 And Jesus answered them, &quot;Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this way? &quot;


text:
 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem?


text:
 He told this parable: &quot;A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. &quot;


text:
 And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not straighten up at all.


text:
 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, &quot;Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.&quot;


text:
 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, &quot;There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.&quot;


text:
 Then the Lord answered him, &quot;You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? &quot;


text:
 Then ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years, be loosed on the Sabbath day from this bond?


text:
 When he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.


text:
 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.


text:
 &quot;Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. &quot;


text:
 When once the owner of the house has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying,


text:
 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.


text:
 And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.


text:
 At that very time some Pharisees came, and said to him, &quot;Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.&quot;


text:
 Nevertheless I must journey today and tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.


text:
 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!


text:
 Behold, your house is left to you desolate. And I tell you, you will not see me again until you say,


text:
 One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they watched him.


text:
 And Jesus spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, &quot;Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?&quot;


text:
 Then he said to them, &quot;Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?&quot;


text:
 So he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noted how they chose the places of honor, saying to them:


text:
 &quot;When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest one more distinguished than you be invited by him; &quot;


text:
 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you,


text:
 Then he also said to the one who invited him, &quot;When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers, your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. &quot;


text:
 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.


text:
 When one of those who sat at table with him heard this, he said to him, &quot;Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!&quot;


text:
 So the servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his servant,


text:
 &quot;If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. &quot;


text:
 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?


text:
 Otherwise, when he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,


text:
 Or what king, going to make war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?


text:
 And if not, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks terms of peace.


text:
 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill; men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!


text:
 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, &quot;This man receives sinners and eats with them.&quot;


text:
 &quot;What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? &quot;


text:
 I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.


text:
 &quot;Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? &quot;


text:
 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.


text:
 Not many days after, the younger son gathered together all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living.


text:
 And when he had spent everything, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in want.


text:
 So he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine.


text:
 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.


text:
 I will arise and go to my father and will say to him, &quot;Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. &quot;


text:
 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion for him, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.


text:
 &quot;Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. &quot;


text:
 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!


text:
 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.


text:
 He also said to his disciples: &quot;There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. &quot;


text:
 I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.


text:
 So the master commended the dishonest steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.


text:
 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.


text:
 He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.


text:
 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will trust you with the true riches?


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


text:
 He said to them, &quot;You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. &quot;


text:
 The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.


text:
 Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.


text:
 &quot;There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day. &quot;


text:
 And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom.


text:
 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.


text:
 Then he said to his disciples, &quot;Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to him through whom they do come! &quot;


text:
 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.


text:
 So the Lord said, &quot;If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, &quot;


text:
 &quot;Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, &quot;


text:
 When he saw them, he said to them, &quot;Go, show yourselves to the priests.&quot; And as they went, they were cleansed.


text:
 Now when he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, &quot;The kingdom of God does not come with observation; &quot;


text:
 Then he said to the disciples, &quot;The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. &quot;


text:
 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one part to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.


text:
 They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.


text:
 Likewise as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;


text:
 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all.


text:
 On that day, let him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away. And likewise let him who is in the field not turn back.


text:
 &quot; And they said to him, &quot;Where, Lord?&quot; He said to them, &quot;Where the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.&quot;&quot;


text:
 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her justice, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.


text:
 And will not God bring about justice for his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?


text:
 I tell you that he will bring about justice for them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?


text:
 Also he told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:


text:
 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying,


text:
 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.


text:
 Now they were also bringing infants to him that he might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.


text:
 But Jesus called them to him and said, &quot;Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. &quot;


text:
 When Jesus heard it, he said to him, &quot;One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.&quot;


text:
 Jesus looked at him and said, &quot;How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! &quot;


text:
 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.


text:
 So he said to them, &quot;Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, &quot;


text:
 Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, &quot;Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. &quot;


text:
 But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.


text:
 And those who led the way rebuked him, telling him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, &quot;Son of David, have mercy on me!&quot;


text:
 &quot; &quot;What do you want me to do for you?&quot; He said, &quot;Lord, I want to receive my sight.&quot; &quot;


text:
 And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.


text:
 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.


text:
 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, &quot;Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.&quot;


text:
 And when they saw it they all murmured, &quot;He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.&quot;


text:
 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, &quot;Look, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.&quot;


text:
 And Jesus said to him, &quot;Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. &quot;


text:
 As they heard these things, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.


text:
 Therefore he said: &quot;A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. &quot;


text:
 And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading.


text:
 for I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.


text:
 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?


text:
 But those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.


text:
 When he came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples,


text:
 saying, &quot;Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. &quot;


text:
 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, &quot;Why are you untying the colt?&quot;


text:
 And, as he was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen,


text:
 saying, &quot;Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!&quot;


text:
 saying, &quot;If you had known, even you, this day, the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. &quot;


text:
 For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, and surround you and hem you in on every side,


text:
 and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation.


text:
 And he was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests the scribes and the leaders of the people sought to destroy him,


text:
 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, came up to him


text:
 and said to him, &quot;Tell us by what authority are you doing these things? Or who it is that gave you this authority.&quot;


text:
 Then he began to tell the people this parable: &quot;A man planted a vineyard, leased it to vine-dressers, and went into another country for a long time. &quot;


text:
 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants, that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.


text:
 He sent another servant; him also they beat and treated shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.


text:
 So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?


text:
 &quot; He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others.&quot; When they heard this, they said, &quot;May this never be!&quot; &quot;


text:
 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.


text:
 The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people


text:
 So they watched him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might catch him on what he said, in order to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.


text:
 And they asked him, &quot;Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and you do not show partiality, but teach the way of God in truth.


text:
 &quot; &quot;Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?&quot; They said, &quot;Caesar&quot;


text:
 And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him by what he said. But marveling at his answer they were silent.


text:
 But those who are considered worthy to attain that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage,


text:
 nor can they die any more, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.


text:
 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord


text:
 &quot;Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, &quot;


text:
 for these all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.


text:
 &quot;As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.&quot;


text:
 So they asked him, &quot;Teacher, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when they are about to take place?&quot;


text:
 And he said: &quot;Take heed that you not are deceived. For many will come in my name, saying, &quot;


text:
 And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified; for these things must first take place, but the end will not come immediately.


text:
 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.


text:
 But before all this, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. And you will be brought before kings and governors for my name


text:
 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.


text:
 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.


text:
 &quot;But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. &quot;


text:
 Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it.


text:
 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.


text:
 They will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive to all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.


text:
 &quot;There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, &quot;


text:
 men fainting from fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.


text:
 Now when these things begin to take place, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.


text:
 &quot;But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly like a trap. &quot;


text:
 Watch at all times, and pray always that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.


text:
 And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out to spend the night on the mount called Olivet.


text:
 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and officers, how he might betray him to them.


text:
 So he sent Peter and John, saying, &quot;Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.&quot;


text:
 He said to them, &quot;Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters. &quot;


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; &quot;


text:
 Then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, &quot;Take this and divide it among yourselves; &quot;


text:
 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, &quot;This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.&quot;


text:
 Likewise he took the cup after supper, saying, &quot;This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.&quot;


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. &quot;


text:
 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the youngest, and he who leads as one who serves.


text:
 For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at the table? But I am among you as One who serves.


text:
 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.


text:
 But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren.


text:
 He said, &quot;I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day before you deny three times that you know me.&quot;


text:
 &quot; And he said to them, &quot;When I sent you out with no purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?&quot; They said, &quot;Nothing.&quot; &quot;


text:
 He said to them, &quot;But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag; and let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one. &quot;


text:
 &quot; They said, &quot;Look, Lord, here are two swords.&quot; And he said to them, &quot;It is enough.&quot;&quot;


text:
 When he came to the place, he said to them, &quot;Pray that you may not enter into temptation.&quot;


text:
 &quot;Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.&quot;


text:
 And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.


text:
 He said to them, &quot;Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.&quot;


text:
 While he was still speaking, a crowd came, and the man who was called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him;


text:
 When those around him saw what was going to happen, they said, &quot;Lord, shall we strike with the sword?&quot;


text:
 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, officers of the temple, and the elders who had come to him, &quot;Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? &quot;


text:
 When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.


text:
 When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.


text:
 And a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight, looked at him, and said, &quot;This man also was with him.&quot;


text:
 And a little later some one else saw him and said, &quot;You also are of them.&quot; But Peter said, &quot;Man, I am not!&quot;


text:
 Then after about an hour had passed, another insisted, saying, &quot;Certainly this fellow also was with him, for he is a Galilean.&quot;


text:
 But Peter said, &quot;Man, I do not know what you are saying!&quot; Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.


text:
 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, &quot;Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.&quot;


text:
 As soon as it was day, the council of the elders of the people came together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to their council chamber, saying,


text:
 &quot; &quot;If you are the Christ, tell us.&quot; But he said to them, &quot;If I tell you, you will not believe. &quot;


text:
 &quot; They all said, &quot;Are you the Son of God, then?&quot; He said to them, &quot;You said what I am.&quot; &quot;


text:
 And they said, &quot;What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.&quot;


text:
 And they began to accuse him, saying, &quot;We found this man perverting our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ, a king.&quot;


text:
 &quot; So Pilate asked him, &quot;Are you the King of the Jews?&quot; He answered him, &quot;It is as you say.&quot; &quot;


text:
 But they were urgent, saying, &quot;He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee to this place.&quot;


text:
 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had desired to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by him.


text:
 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, dressing him in a gorgeous robe, he sent him back to Pilate.


text:
 That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.


text:
 and said to them, &quot;You have brought this man to me as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. And behold, having examined him in your presence, I have found no guilt in this man concerning those charges which you make against him;


text:
 neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him;


text:
 Then he said to them the third time, &quot;Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death. I will therefore chastise him and release him.&quot;


text:
 But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that he be crucified. And their voices prevailed.


text:
 And he released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.


text:
 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.


text:
 But Jesus turning to them said, &quot;Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. &quot;


text:
 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.


text:
 Then Jesus said, &quot;Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.&quot; And they divided his garments and cast lots.


text:
 And the people stood watching; but even the rulers sneered at him, saying, &quot;He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.&quot;


text:
 One of the criminals who were hanged there hurled insults at him, saying, &quot;Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!&quot;


text:
 But the other rebuked him, saying, &quot;Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?


text:
 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.&quot;


text:
 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, &quot;Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.&quot; And having said this, he breathed his last.


text:
 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he praised God, and said, &quot;Certainly this was a righteous man!&quot;


text:
 When all the multitudes who had gathered to witness this sight saw what had taken place, they beat their breasts, and returned home.


text:
 But all his acquaintances, and the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.


text:
 who had not consented to their decision and deed. He came from of Arimathea, a city of the Jews, and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.


text:
 Then he took it down and wrapped it in linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever yet been laid.


text:
 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.


text:
 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.


text:
 And as they were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, &quot;Why do you seek the living among the dead?


text:
 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told this to the apostles.


text:
 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen wrappings lying by themselves; and he went away, marveling to himself at what had happened.


text:
 Now behold, that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;What is this conversation which you are exchanging with each other as you walk?&quot; And they stood still, looking sad.


text:
 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, &quot;Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?&quot;


text:
 &quot; And he said to them, &quot;What things?&quot; And they said to him, &quot;The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, &quot;


text:
 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and crucified him.


text:
 But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since all this happened.


text:
 and when they did not find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said he was alive.


text:
 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see.&quot;


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! &quot;


text:
 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them the things concerning himself in all the scriptures.


text:
 As they drew near the village to which they were going, he acted as though he would be going farther,


text:
 but they constrained him, saying, &quot;Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.&quot; So he went in to stay with them.


text:
 And they said to each other, &quot;Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?&quot;


text:
 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,


text:
 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.


text:
 As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, &quot;Peace be with you.&quot;


text:
 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Handle me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.


text:
 And while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, he said to them, &quot;Have you anything here to eat?&quot;


text:
 Then he said to them, &quot;These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.&quot;


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, &quot;


text:
 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.


text:
 And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.


text:
 But to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God


text:
 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.


text:
 No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.


text:
 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, &quot;Who are you?&quot;


text:
 And they asked him, &quot;What then? Are you Elijah?&quot; He said, &quot;I am not.&quot; &quot;Are you the prophet?&quot; And he answered, &quot;No.&quot;


text:
 Then they said to him, &quot;Who are you? Give us an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?&quot;


text:
 They asked him, &quot;Then why do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?&quot;


text:
 John answered them, &quot;I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.


text:
 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, &quot;Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!


text:
 I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.&quot;


text:
 And John bore witness, &quot;I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.


text:
 Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, &quot;What do you seek?&quot; They said to him, &quot;Rabbi&quot; (which means Teacher), &quot;where are you staying?&quot;


text:
 He said to them, &quot;Come and see.&quot; They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.


text:
 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, &quot;We have found the Messiah&quot; (which means the Christ).


text:
 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, &quot;You are Simon son of John. You shall be called Cephas&quot; (which means Peter).


text:
 The next day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, &quot;Follow me.&quot;


text:
 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, &quot;We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote


text:
 And Nathanael said to him, &quot;Can anything good come out of Nazareth?&quot; Philip said to him, &quot;Come and see.&quot;


text:
 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, and said of him, &quot;Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!&quot;


text:
 &quot; Nathanael said to him, &quot;How do you know me?&quot; Jesus answered him, &quot;Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.&quot; &quot;


text:
 Jesus answered him, &quot;Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.&quot;


text:
 And he said to him, &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.&quot;


text:
 Now six stone jars were standing there, according to the manner for purification of the Jews, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.


text:
 He said to them, &quot;Now draw some out, and take it to the master of the feast.&quot; So they took it.


text:
 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it had come from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.


text:
 And he said to him, &quot;Every man sets out the good wine first; and when the guests have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.&quot;


text:
 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.


text:
 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples; and there they stayed for a few days.


text:
 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers at their business.


text:
 And he made a whip of cords, and drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.


text:
 And he said to those who sold doves, &quot;Take these things away! You shall not make my Father&quot;


text:
 The Jews then said, &quot;It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?&quot;


text:
 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.


text:
 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did.


text:
 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, &quot;Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered him, &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.&quot;


text:
 Nicodemus said to him, &quot;How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother


text:
 Jesus answered, &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. &quot;


text:
 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.


text:
 Jesus answered him, &quot;Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? &quot;


text:
 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and testify to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.


text:
 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?


text:
 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.


text:
 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.


text:
 He who believes in him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.


text:
 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.


text:
 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.


text:
 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been done in God.


text:
 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea, and there he remained with them and baptized.


text:
 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were baptized.


text:
 And they came to John and said to him, &quot;Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified


text:
 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom


text:
 &quot;He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth belongs to the earth, and of the earth he speaks. He who comes from heaven is above all.


text:
 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.&quot;


text:
 Now when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John


text:
 So he came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.


text:
 Then the woman of Samaria said to him, &quot;How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?&quot; For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.


text:
 The woman said to him, &quot;Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?


text:
 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his cattle?&quot;


text:
 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. The water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.


text:
 The woman said to him, &quot;Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.&quot;


text:
 &quot; The woman answered, &quot;I have no husband.&quot; Jesus said to her, &quot;You are right in saying, &quot;


text:
 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.


text:
 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to her, &quot;Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. &quot;


text:
 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him.


text:
 The woman said to him, &quot;I know that Messiah is coming&quot; (who is called Christ). &quot;When he comes, he will tell us all things.&quot;


text:
 Just then his disciples came. And they marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, &quot;What do you wish?&quot; or, &quot;Why are you talking with her?&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to them, &quot;My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work. &quot;


text:
 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.


text:
 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.


text:
 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days.


text:
 They said to the woman, &quot;We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man is indeed the Savior of the world.&quot;


text:
 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they too had gone to the feast.


text:
 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was sick.


text:
 When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;Go; your son will live.&quot; The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way.


text:
 So he inquired of them the hour when his son got better, and they said to him, &quot;Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.&quot;


text:
 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus had said to him, &quot;Your son will live.&quot; And he himself believed, and all his household.


text:
 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.


text:
 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been in this condition for a long time, he said to him, &quot;Do you want to be made well?&quot;


text:
 The sick man answered him, &quot;Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.&quot;


text:
 So the Jews said to the man who was cured, &quot;It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.&quot;


text:
 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in that place.


text:
 Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, &quot;See, you are well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.&quot;


text:
 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.


text:
 Jesus said to them, &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, the Son also does. &quot;


text:
 For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does; and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel.


text:
 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom he will.


text:
 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.


text:
 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.


text:
 Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.


text:
 &quot;I can do nothing of myself; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.&quot;


text:
 There is another who bears witness of me, and I know that the testimony which he bears of me is true.


text:
 But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has given me to finish, these very works which I am doing, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me.


text:
 And the Father who sent me has himself testified of me. You have never heard his voice, nor seen his form.


text:
 You search the Scriptures, because in them you think that you have eternal life; and these are they that testify of me.


text:
 How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?


text:
 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; it is Moses who accuses you, on whom you set your hope.


text:
 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his signs which he performed on those who were diseased.


text:
 Then Jesus lifted up his eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward him, he said to Philip, &quot;Where shall we buy bread, that these people may eat?&quot;


text:
 Philip answered him, &quot;Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each one of them to have a little.&quot;


text:
 &quot;There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?&quot;


text:
 Jesus said, &quot;Make the people sit down.&quot; Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand.


text:
 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.


text:
 And when they had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, &quot;Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost.&quot;


text:
 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, left over by those who had eaten.


text:
 When the people saw the sign that Jesus did, they said, &quot;Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.&quot;


text:
 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.


text:
 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.


text:
 So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.


text:
 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.


text:
 On the next day the people who remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone.


text:
 However, boats from Tiberias came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.


text:
 So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they also got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.


text:
 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, &quot;Rabbi, when did you come here?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered them, &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. &quot;


text:
 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal.


text:
 Jesus answered them, &quot;This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.&quot;


text:
 So they said to him, &quot;What sign will you perform then, that we may see it and believe you? What work will you do?


text:
 Jesus then said to them, &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. &quot;


text:
 And Jesus said to them, &quot;I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. &quot;


text:
 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out.


text:
 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day.


text:
 For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.


text:
 The Jews then began to murmur about him, because he said, &quot;I am the bread which came down from heaven.&quot;


text:
 They said, &quot;Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, &quot;


text:
 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.


text:
 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.


text:
 Then the Jews began to argue among themselves, saying, &quot;How can this man give us his flesh to eat?&quot;


text:
 So Jesus said to them, &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. &quot;


text:
 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.


text:
 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on me will live because of me.


text:
 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not as your fathers ate the manna and died. He who eats this bread will live for ever.


text:
 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, &quot;This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?&quot;


text:
 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples complained about this, he said to them, &quot;Does this offend you? &quot;


text:
 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and they are life.


text:
 But there are some of you who do not believe.&quot; For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray him. &quot;


text:
 And he said, &quot;This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to him by the Father.&quot;


text:
 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who was to betray him, though one of the twelve.


text:
 After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.


text:
 So his brothers said to him, &quot;Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples may see the works you are doing.


text:
 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.&quot;


text:
 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but in secret.


text:
 And there was much complaining among the people about him. Some said, &quot;He is a good man&quot;; others said, &quot;No, on the contrary, he deceives the people.&quot;


text:
 And the Jews marveled, saying, &quot;How did this man get such learning, having never studied?&quot;


text:
 If anyone is willing to do his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I speak on my own authority.


text:
 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the One who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.


text:
 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.


text:
 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man


text:
 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that he is the Christ?


text:
 But we know where this man is from; when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.&quot;


text:
 Then Jesus cried out, as he taught in the temple, &quot;You know me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come on my own, but he who sent me is true, and him you do not know. &quot;


text:
 And many of the people believed in him, and they said, &quot;When the Christ comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?&quot;


text:
 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to arrest him.


text:
 Then Jesus said to them, &quot;I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to him who sent me. &quot;


text:
 The Jews said to one another, &quot;Where does this man intend to go that we shall not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?


text:
 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, &quot;If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. &quot;


text:
 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.


text:
 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.


text:
 Others said, &quot;This is the Christ.&quot; But some said, &quot;Will the Christ come from Galilee?


text:
 Has not the scripture said that the Christ comes from David, and from Bethlehem, the town where David was?&quot;


text:
 The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, &quot;Why did you not bring him?&quot;


text:
 &quot;Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he is doing?&quot;


text:
 They replied, &quot;Are you from Galilee, too? Search and look, and you will find that no prophet is to rise out of Galilee.&quot;


text:
 Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.


text:
 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought to him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,


text:
 They said this to test him, that they might have something of which to accuse him. But Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.


text:
 And when they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, &quot;Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.&quot;


text:
 Then those who heard it went away one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last, and Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing before him.


text:
 Jesus straightened up and said to her, &quot;Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?&quot;


text:
 &quot; She said, &quot;No one, Lord.&quot; And Jesus said, &quot;Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more.&quot;&quot;


text:
 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, &quot;I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.&quot;


text:
 The Pharisees then said to him, &quot;You are bearing witness of yourself; your testimony is not true.&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered, &quot;Even if I bear witness of myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. &quot;


text:
 And yet if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.


text:
 &quot; Then they said to him, &quot;Where is your Father?&quot; Jesus answered, &quot;You know neither me nor my Father; if you knew me, you would know my Father also.&quot; &quot;


text:
 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.


text:
 Then Jesus said to them again, &quot;I am going away, and you will seek me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.&quot;


text:
 He said to them, &quot;You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. &quot;


text:
 Therefore I told to you that you would die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.


text:
 &quot; They said to him, &quot;Who are you?&quot; Jesus said to them, &quot;Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. &quot;


text:
 I have much to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.


text:
 So Jesus said, &quot;When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak just what the Father taught me. &quot;


text:
 Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, &quot;If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples. &quot;


text:
 Jesus answered them, &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. &quot;


text:
 &quot; They answered him, &quot;Abraham is our father.&quot; Jesus said to them, &quot;If you were Abraham&quot;


text:
 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.


text:
 You do the deeds of your father.&quot; They said to him, &quot;We were not born of fornication; we have one Father


text:
 Jesus said to them, &quot;If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I have not come of my own accord, but he sent me. &quot;


text:
 He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason you do not hear them is that you are not of God.


text:
 The Jews answered him, &quot;Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?&quot;


text:
 The Jews said to him, &quot;Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, &quot;


text:
 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you claim to be?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered, &quot;If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God. &quot;


text:
 But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I would be a liar like you; but I do know him and keep his word.


text:
 And his disciples asked him, &quot;Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered, &quot;Neither this man sinned nor his parents sinned. But that the works of God might be revealed in him, &quot;


text:
 And he said to him, &quot;Go, wash in the pool of Siloam&quot; (which means, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.


text:
 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, &quot;Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?&quot;


text:
 Some said, &quot;It is he.&quot; Others said, &quot;No, but he is like him.&quot; He said, &quot;I am the man.&quot;


text:
 He answered and said, &quot;A man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, &quot;


text:
 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, &quot;He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.&quot;


text:
 Some of the Pharisees said, &quot;This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.&quot; But others said, &quot;How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?&quot; And there was a division among them.


text:
 So they again said to the blind man, &quot;What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?&quot; He said, &quot;He is a prophet.&quot;


text:
 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight.


text:
 And they asked them, &quot;Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?&quot;


text:
 but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.&quot;


text:
 His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that he was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.


text:
 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, &quot;Give God the glory; we know that this man is a sinner.&quot;


text:
 He answered, &quot;Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see.&quot;


text:
 He answered them, &quot;I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?&quot;


text:
 The man answered, &quot;Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.


text:
 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if any one is a worshiper of God and does his will, he listens to him.


text:
 They answered him, &quot;You were born in utter sin, and are you teaching us?&quot; And they cast him out.


text:
 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and when he found him, he said, &quot;Do you believe in the Son of Man?&quot;


text:
 Jesus said, &quot;For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.&quot;


text:
 Then some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this, and said to him, &quot;Are we blind also?&quot;


text:
 &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, the man who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in by some other way, he is a thief and a robber. &quot;


text:
 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.


text:
 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.


text:
 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.


text:
 Then Jesus said to them again, &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. &quot;


text:
 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.


text:
 But he who is a hireling and not the shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.


text:
 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock and one shepherd.


text:
 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from my Father.


text:
 Others said, &quot;These are not the sayings of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?&quot;


text:
 So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, &quot;How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered them, &quot;I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father&quot;


text:
 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father


text:
 Jesus answered them, &quot;I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?&quot;


text:
 The Jews answered him, &quot;For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God.&quot;


text:
 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.


text:
 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there he stayed.


text:
 And many came to him and they said, &quot;John performed no sign, but all that John said about this man was true.&quot;


text:
 It was this Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.


text:
 When Jesus heard it, he said, &quot;This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.&quot;


text:
 The disciples said to him, &quot;Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered, &quot;Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. &quot;


text:
 These things he said, and after that he said to them, &quot;Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to wake him up.&quot;


text:
 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, &quot;Let us also go, that we may die with him.&quot;


text:
 Martha said to him, &quot;I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to her, &quot;I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live; &quot;


text:
 She said to him, &quot;Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.&quot;


text:
 And when she had said this, she went her way and called Mary her sister, saying, &quot;The Teacher is here and is calling for you.&quot;


text:
 The Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.


text:
 Then Mary, when she came where Jesus was and saw him, fell at his feet, saying to him, &quot;Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.&quot;


text:
 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.


text:
 &quot; And he said, &quot;Where have you laid him?&quot; They said to him, &quot;Lord, come and see.&quot; &quot;


text:
 But some of them said, &quot;Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?&quot;


text:
 &quot; Jesus said, &quot;Take away the stone.&quot; Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, &quot;Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been dead four days.&quot; &quot;


text:
 Jesus said to her, &quot;Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?&quot;


text:
 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, &quot;Father, I thank you that you have heard me. &quot;


text:
 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing by, that they may believe that you sent me.


text:
 The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with grave clothes, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, &quot;Unbind him, and let him go.&quot;


text:
 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, &quot;What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.


text:
 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.&quot;


text:
 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, &quot;You know nothing at all!


text:
 You do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.&quot;


text:
 He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,


text:
 and not for that nation only, but also that he would gather together into one the children of God who were scattered abroad.


text:
 Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews, but went from there to the country near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim; and there he stayed with his disciples.


text:
 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.


text:
 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, &quot;What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?&quot;


text:
 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it, so that they might arrest him.


text:
 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.


text:
 There they made him a supper; and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.


text:
 Then Mary took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.


text:
 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief; and as he had the money box, he used to take what was put into it.


text:
 Now a great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, and they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.


text:
 They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, &quot;Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!&quot;


text:
 His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.


text:
 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness.


text:
 The Pharisees then said to one another, &quot;You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, The world has gone after him!&quot;


text:
 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, &quot;Sir, we wish to see Jesus.&quot;


text:
 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.


text:
 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.


text:
 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me, him my Father will honor.


text:
 &quot; Father, glorify your name.&quot; Then a voice came from heaven, &quot;I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.&quot; &quot;


text:
 The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, &quot;An angel has spoken to him.&quot;


text:
 The crowd answered him, &quot;We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever; and how can you say, &quot;


text:
 Then Jesus said to them, &quot;A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. &quot;


text:
 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.&quot; When Jesus had said this, he departed and hid himself from them.&quot;


text:
 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: &quot;Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?&quot;


text:
 &quot;He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.&quot;


text:
 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;


text:
 Then Jesus cried out and said, &quot;He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. &quot;


text:
 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.


text:
 He who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will condemn him on the last day.


text:
 For I have not spoken on my own authority; but the Father who sent me gave me a command, what to say and what to speak.


text:
 And I know that his command is eternal life. Whatever I say, therefore, I say just as the Father has told me.


text:
 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.


text:
 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,


text:
 Then he came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to him, &quot;Lord, are you going to wash my feet?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered him, &quot;You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.&quot;


text:
 &quot; Peter said to him, &quot;You shall never wash my feet.&quot; Jesus answered him, &quot;If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.&quot; &quot;


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not every one of you.&quot;


text:
 When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and returned to his place, he said to them, &quot;Do you know what I have done to you? &quot;


text:
 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.


text:
 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives anyone I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me.


text:
 When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, &quot;Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered, &quot;It is he to whom I shall give this piece of bread when I have dipped it.&quot; And having dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.


text:
 Then after the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, &quot;What you are going to do, do quickly.&quot;


text:
 Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, &quot;Buy what we need for the feast&quot;; or, that he should give something to the poor.


text:
 When he had gone out, Jesus said, &quot;Now is the Son of Man glorified, and in him God is glorified. &quot;


text:
 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews,


text:
 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.


text:
 &quot; Simon Peter said to him, &quot;Lord, where are you going?&quot; Jesus answered, &quot;Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward.&quot; &quot;


text:
 Peter said to him, &quot;Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered, &quot;Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow, till you have denied me three times.&quot;


text:
 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.


text:
 Thomas said to him, &quot;Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. &quot;


text:
 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; and from now on you know him and have seen him.


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, &quot;


text:
 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.


text:
 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.


text:
 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.


text:
 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; but you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.


text:
 A little while longer, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also.


text:
 He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.


text:
 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, &quot;Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered him, &quot;If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. &quot;


text:
 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father


text:
 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.


text:
 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.


text:
 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me.


text:
 But I do as the Father commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.


text:
 Every branch in me that bears no fruit he takes away; and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit.


text:
 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.


text:
 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing.


text:
 If anyone does not abide in me, he is like a branch that is cast away and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.


text:
 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.


text:
 &quot;These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. &quot;


text:
 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.


text:
 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.


text:
 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.


text:
 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.


text:
 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.


text:
 &quot;But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify of me. &quot;


text:
 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.


text:
 But I have told you these things, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. &quot;I did not say these things to you at the beginning, because I was with you. &quot;


text:
 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.


text:
 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will tell you things to come.


text:
 All that the Father has is mine. Therefore I said that he will take of what is mine and declare it to you.


text:
 &quot;A little while, and you will see me no more; again a little while, and you will see me.&quot;


text:
 Now Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, &quot;Are you asking yourselves about what I meant when I said, &quot;


text:
 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.


text:
 When a woman is in labor she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but as soon as she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child has been born into the world.


text:
 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.


text:
 In that day you will ask me nothing. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.


text:
 &quot;I have said this to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. &quot;


text:
 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.


text:
 I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.


text:
 Now we are sure that you know all things, and have no need for anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.&quot;


text:
 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, when you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.


text:
 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage! I have overcome the world.


text:
 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said: &quot;Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son also may glorify you, &quot;


text:
 as you have given him authority over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to all those you have given him.


text:
 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.


text:
 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made.


text:
 &quot;I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. &quot;


text:
 For I have given them the words which you have given me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.


text:
 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.


text:
 And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name


text:
 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.


text:
 I have given them your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.


text:
 I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one.


text:
 &quot;I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word; &quot;


text:
 that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you; that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.


text:
 I in them, and you in me; that they may become perfectly one, and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them even as you have loved me.


text:
 Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.


text:
 O righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you; and these know that you sent me.


text:
 I have made known to them your name, and will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.


text:
 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.


text:
 So Judas, having received a detachment of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.


text:
 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to come upon him, went forward and said to them, &quot;Whom do you seek?&quot;


text:
 &quot; They answered him, &quot;Jesus of Nazareth.&quot; Jesus said to them, &quot;I am he.&quot; And Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. &quot;


text:
 &quot; Again he asked them, &quot;Whom do you seek?&quot; And they said, &quot;Jesus of Nazareth.&quot; &quot;


text:
 This happened so that the words which he had spoken would be fulfilled, &quot;Of those whom you gave me I have lost none.&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to Peter, &quot;Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?&quot;


text:
 Then the detachment of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him.


text:
 And they led him to Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.


text:
 Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.


text:
 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. As this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.


text:
 But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who kept the door, and brought Peter in.


text:
 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.


text:
 Jesus answered him, &quot;I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together, and I have said nothing in secret. &quot;


text:
 And when he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, &quot;Is that the way you answer the high priest?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered him, &quot;If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?&quot;


text:
 Now Simon Peter stood warming himself. Therefore they said to him, &quot;You are not also one of his disciples, are you?&quot; He denied it and said, &quot;I am not.&quot;


text:
 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter had cut off, said, &quot;Did I not see you in the garden with him?&quot;


text:
 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they did not enter the Praetorium themselves, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.


text:
 They answered him, &quot;If he were not an evildoer, we would not have handed him over to you.&quot;


text:
 Pilate said to them, &quot;Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.&quot; The Jews said to him, &quot;It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.&quot;


text:
 This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken would be fulfilled, showing by what death he was going to die.


text:
 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to him, &quot;Are you the King of the Jews?&quot;


text:
 Pilate answered, &quot;Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered, &quot;My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now my kingship is not from here.&quot;


text:
 &quot; Pilate said to him, &quot;You are a king then?&quot; Jesus answered, &quot;You say what I am&quot;


text:
 Pilate said to him, &quot;What is truth?&quot; After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again, and told them, &quot;I find no crime in him.


text:
 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?&quot;


text:
 And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they clothed him in a purple robe.


text:
 Pilate went out again, and said to them, &quot;See, I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no crime in him.&quot;


text:
 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, &quot;Behold the man!&quot;


text:
 When the chief priests and officers saw him, they cried out, &quot;Crucify him, crucify him!&quot; Pilate said to them, &quot;You take him and crucify him, for I find no fault in him.&quot;


text:
 The Jews answered him, &quot;We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.&quot;


text:
 and he went again into the Praetorium and said to Jesus, &quot;Where are you from?&quot; But Jesus gave him no answer.


text:
 Pilate said to him, &quot;You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?&quot;


text:
 Jesus answered, &quot;You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered me to you has the greater sin.&quot;


text:
 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, &quot;If you let this man go, you are not Caesar


text:
 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.


text:
 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, &quot;Behold your King!&quot;


text:
 But they cried out, &quot;Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!&quot; Pilate said to them, &quot;Shall I crucify your King?&quot; The chief priests answered, &quot;We have no King but Caesar.&quot;


text:
 And he, bearing his cross, went out to a place called the Place of the Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.


text:
 Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.


text:
 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments, and made four parts, one for each soldier, and also his tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven in one piece from top to bottom.


text:
 So they said to one another, &quot;Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be.&quot; This happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: &quot;They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.&quot; This is what the soldiers did.


text:
 When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing by, he said to his mother, &quot;Woman, behold your son!&quot;


text:
 Then he said to the disciple, &quot;Behold, your mother!&quot; And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.


text:
 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, &quot;I thirst.&quot;


text:
 Now a vessel full of wine vinegar was sitting there; so they filled a sponge with the vinegar, put it on hyssop, and put it to his mouth.


text:
 So when Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, &quot;It is finished!&quot; And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.


text:
 Therefore, because it was the day of Preparation, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.


text:
 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him.


text:
 He who saw it has testified, and his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth, that you also may believe.


text:
 For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled, &quot;Not one of his bones shall be broken.&quot;


text:
 After this Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body.


text:
 And Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.


text:
 So they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.


text:
 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid.


text:
 On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.


text:
 So she ran, and came to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, &quot;They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.&quot;


text:
 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,


text:
 and the napkin that had been around his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a place by itself.


text:
 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.


text:
 They said to her, &quot;Woman, why are you weeping?&quot; She said to them, &quot;Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.&quot;


text:
 Saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.


text:
 &quot; Jesus said to her, &quot;Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?&quot; Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, &quot;Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.&quot; &quot;


text:
 &quot; Jesus said to her, &quot;Mary!&quot; She turned and said to him in Hebrew, &quot;Rabboni!&quot; (which means, Teacher). &quot;


text:
 Jesus said to her, &quot;Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, &quot;I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.


text:
 Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, &quot;I have seen the Lord!&quot; And she told them that he had said these things to her.


text:
 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, &quot;Peace be with you.&quot;


text:
 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.


text:
 Jesus said to them again, &quot;Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I also send you.&quot;


text:
 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, &quot;Receive the Holy Spirit. &quot;


text:
 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.


text:
 So the other disciples told him, &quot;We have seen the Lord.&quot; But he said to them, &quot;Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger in the mark of the nails, and put my hand in his side, I will not believe.&quot;


text:
 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, &quot;Peace be with you!&quot;


text:
 Then he said to Thomas, &quot;Put your finger here, and see my hands. Reach out your hand, and put it into my side; do not be unbelieving, but believing.&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.&quot;


text:
 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.


text:
 After this Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way he showed himself:


text:
 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.


text:
 Simon Peter said to them, &quot;I am going fishing.&quot; They said to him, &quot;We will go with you.&quot; They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing.


text:
 But early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.


text:
 &quot; Jesus said to them, &quot;Children, have you any fish?&quot; They answered him, &quot;No.&quot; &quot;


text:
 He said to them, &quot;Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.&quot; So they cast, and now they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.


text:
 Then that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, &quot;It is the Lord!&quot; Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and threw himself into the sea.


text:
 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, but about a hundred yards off.


text:
 Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.


text:
 &quot; Jesus said to them, &quot;Come and have breakfast.&quot; Now none of the disciples dared ask him, &quot;Who are you?&quot; They knew it was the Lord. &quot;


text:
 &quot; When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, &quot;Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?&quot; He said to him, &quot;Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.&quot; He said to him, &quot;Feed my lambs.&quot; &quot;


text:
 &quot; He said to him again a second time, &quot;Simon, son of John, do you love me?&quot; He said to him, &quot;Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.&quot; He said to him, &quot;Tend my sheep.&quot; &quot;


text:
 &quot; He said to him the third time, &quot;Simon, son of John, do you love me?&quot; Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, &quot;Do you love me?&quot; And he said to him, &quot;Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.&quot; Jesus said to him, &quot;Feed my sheep. &quot;


text:
 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.


text:
 This he said to show by what death he would glorify God. And after this he said to him, &quot;Follow me.&quot;


text:
 Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had leaned on his breast at the supper and had said, &quot;Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?&quot;


text:
 Jesus said to him, &quot;If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.&quot;


text:
 Then the saying spread among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, &quot;If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?&quot;


text:
 This is the disciple who testifies to these things, and who wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.


text:
 But there are also many other things which Jesus did. If every one of them were to be written, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.


text:
 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after he had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.


text:
 To these he also presented himself alive after his suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.


text:
 &quot; And while staying with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, &quot;Which,&quot; he said, &quot;you heard of from me; &quot;


text:
 So when they had come together, they asked him, &quot;Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?&quot;


text:
 He said to them, &quot;It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. &quot;


text:
 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.


text:
 And after he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.


text:
 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while he was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.


text:
 They also said, &quot;Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched him go into heaven.&quot;


text:
 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day


text:
 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying; Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.


text:
 All these with one mind devoted themselves to prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.


text:
 In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said,


text:
 &quot;Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus.


text:
 (Now this man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.


text:
 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)


text:
 Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,


text:
 And they prayed and said, &quot;You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen


text:
 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.&quot;


text:
 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.


text:
 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.


text:
 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.


text:
 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.


text:
 And at this sound the crowd came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.


text:
 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,


text:
 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,


text:
 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: &quot;Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.


text:
 even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy.


text:
 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.


text:
 The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.


text:
 &quot;Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know


text:
 this man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put him to death.


text:
 But God raised him up, having loosed the agony of death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.


text:
 &quot;Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.


text:
 And so, because he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne,


text:
 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to hades, nor did his flesh see decay.


text:
 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you see and hear.


text:
 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.&quot;


text:
 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, &quot;Brethren, what shall we do?&quot;


text:
 And Peter said to them, &quot;Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.


text:
 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call to himself.&quot;


text:
 And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, &quot;Save yourselves from this perverse generation.&quot;


text:
 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.


text:
 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they ate together with glad and sincere hearts,


text:
 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.


text:
 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to beg alms of those who entered the temple.


text:
 But Peter said, &quot;I do not have silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.&quot;


text:
 And taking him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.


text:
 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.


text:
 and they recognized him as the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.


text:
 And when Peter saw this he addressed the people, &quot;Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?


text:
 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.


text:
 And his name, by faith in his name, has made this man strong whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Jesus has given him perfect health in the presence of you all.


text:
 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.


text:
 Repent therefore, and turn again, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,


text:
 whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago.


text:
 And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed from among the people.


text:
 And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also announced these days.


text:
 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham,


text:
 For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.&quot;


text:
 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,


text:
 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.


text:
 But many of those who heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to about five thousand.


text:
 and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.


text:
 And when they had set them in the midst, they began to inquire, &quot;By what power or by what name did you do this?&quot;


text:
 if we are being examined today for a good deed done to a cripple, as to how this man has been healed,


text:
 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man stands before you healed.


text:
 He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the chief cornerstone.


text:
 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.&quot;


text:
 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.


text:
 saying, &quot;What shall we do with these men? For that a noteworthy miracle has been performed through them is apparent to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.


text:
 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any one in this name.&quot;


text:
 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.


text:
 But Peter and John answered them, &quot;Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge;


text:
 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for all the people were praising God for what had happened.


text:
 When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.


text:
 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God together and said, &quot;Sovereign Lord, it is you who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them,


text:
 The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ.


text:
 For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,


text:
 And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,


text:
 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of your holy servant Jesus.&quot;


text:
 And when they had prayed, the place where they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.


text:
 Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common.


text:
 And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.


text:
 For there was not a needy person among them, For all who were owners of land or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the sales


text:
 Thus Joseph who was called by the apostles Barnabas (which means, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,


text:
 But Peter said, &quot;Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?


text:
 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.&quot;


text:
 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.


text:
 Peter said to her, &quot;Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price.&quot; And she said, &quot;Yes, that was the price.&quot;


text:
 Then Peter said to her, &quot;How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.&quot;


text:
 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.


text:
 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon


text:
 And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number,


text:
 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, so that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.


text:
 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.


text:
 But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and they were filled with jealousy.


text:
 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, and brought them out, and said,


text:
 And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought.


text:
 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, and they returned and reported back,


text:
 &quot;We found the prison securely locked, and the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.&quot;


text:
 Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed about them, wondering what would come of this.


text:
 And someone came and told them, &quot;Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.&quot;


text:
 Then the captain went along with the officers and brought them back without violence, for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned.


text:
 saying, &quot;We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man


text:
 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.


text:
 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.&quot;


text:
 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, held in honor by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a while.


text:
 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.


text:
 After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered.


text:
 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will fail;


text:
 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.&quot;


text:
 So they took his advice, and they called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.


text:
 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.


text:
 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.


text:
 Now in those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the native Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.


text:
 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, &quot;It is not right for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.


text:
 Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty.


text:
 And the statement pleased the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.


text:
 The word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.


text:
 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen.


text:
 Then they secretly induced men to say, &quot;We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.&quot;


text:
 They stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came on him and seized him, and brought him before the council.


text:
 They put forward false witnesses who said, &quot;This man never stops speaking against this holy place, and the law;


text:
 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses handed down to us.&quot;


text:
 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.


text:
 And he said: &quot;Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,


text:
 Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living.


text:
 But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even though he had no child, he promised that he would give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him.


text:
 But God spoke to this effect, that his descendants would be aliens in a foreign land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.


text:
 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.


text:
 and rescued him from all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.


text:
 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food.


text:
 Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five persons in all.


text:
 They were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.


text:
 &quot;But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt


text:
 He dealt craftily with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not survive.


text:
 At this time Moses was born, and was beautiful before God. And he was brought up for three months in his father


text:
 &quot;When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel.


text:
 And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and avenged the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian.


text:
 And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.


text:
 On the following day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying,


text:
 At this remark Moses fled, and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.


text:
 &quot;After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush.


text:
 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord:


text:
 I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, and I will send you to Egypt.


text:
 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.


text:
 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to us.


text:
 But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,


text:
 At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.


text:
 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:


text:
 You took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of the god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship. And I will remove you beyond Babylon.


text:
 &quot;Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.


text:
 And having received it in their turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua when they took the land from the nations whom God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the time of David,


text:
 &quot;You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. You are doing just as your fathers did.


text:
 Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,


text:
 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;


text:
 and he said, &quot;Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.&quot;


text:
 Then they cast him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.


text:
 Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, &quot;Lord, do not hold this sin against them.&quot; And when he had said this, he fell asleep.


text:
 Saul was consenting to his death. And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.


text:
 But Saul began ravaging the church, and, entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.


text:
 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did.


text:
 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.


text:
 Now there was a man named Simon, who had formerly practiced magic in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,


text:
 and they all, from the least to the greatest, gave attention to him, saying, &quot;This man is what is called the Great Power of God.&quot;


text:
 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.


text:
 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.


text:
 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,


text:
 For he had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.


text:
 saying, &quot;Give me also this power, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.&quot;


text:
 But Peter said to him, &quot;May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!


text:
 Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.


text:
 And Simon answered, &quot;Pray for me to the Lord, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.&quot;


text:
 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.


text:
 But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, &quot;Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.&quot; This is a desert road.


text:
 So he got up and went. And there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship,


text:
 So Philip ran up to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, &quot;Do you understand what you are reading?&quot;


text:
 And he said, &quot;How can I, unless someone guides me?&quot; And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.


text:
 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: &quot;He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth.


text:
 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken up from the earth.&quot;


text:
 And the eunuch said to Philip, &quot;Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?&quot;


text:
 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus.


text:
 And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, &quot;Look, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?&quot;


text:
 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.


text:
 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.


text:
 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.


text:
 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,


text:
 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.


text:
 And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, &quot;Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?&quot;


text:
 &quot; And he said, &quot;Who are you, Lord?&quot; And he said, &quot;I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, &quot;


text:
 Saul got up from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.


text:
 &quot; Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, &quot;Ananias.&quot; And he said, &quot;Here I am, Lord.&quot; &quot;


text:
 And the Lord said to him, &quot;Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, &quot;


text:
 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.


text:
 But Ananias answered, &quot;Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints at Jerusalem;


text:
 But the Lord said to him, &quot;Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; &quot;


text:
 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And after laying his hands on him said, &quot;Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.&quot;


text:
 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight. And he got up and was baptized,


text:
 and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus.


text:
 And immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, &quot;He is the Son of God.&quot;


text:
 All those who heard him were amazed, and said, &quot;Is this not he who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?&quot;


text:
 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.


text:
 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.


text:
 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.


text:
 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.


text:
 And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.


text:
 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace and was built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.


text:
 Peter said to him, &quot;Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.&quot; Immediately he got up.


text:
 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was full of good works and acts of charity.


text:
 And at that time she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her body in an upper room.


text:
 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, &quot;Please come to us without delay.&quot;


text:
 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing the tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.


text:
 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body, he said, &quot;Tabitha, arise.&quot; And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.


text:
 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive.


text:
 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave alms generously to the people and prayed to God continually.


text:
 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, &quot;Cornelius!&quot;


text:
 And he stared at him in terror, and said, &quot;What is it, Lord?&quot; And he said to him, &quot;Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.


text:
 When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants,


text:
 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.


text:
 And he became hungry and was desiring something to eat; but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance


text:
 and he saw heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners to the earth.


text:
 And the voice came to him again a second time, &quot;What God has cleansed, you must not call common.&quot;


text:
 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon


text:
 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, &quot;Behold, three men are looking for you.


text:
 But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them myself.&quot;


text:
 Peter went down to the men and said, &quot;Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason you have come?&quot;


text:
 They said, &quot;Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to hear what you have to say.&quot;


text:
 So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went off with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.


text:
 On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.


text:
 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. I ask then why you sent for me.&quot;


text:
 Cornelius said, &quot;Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments,


text:
 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.


text:
 So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.&quot;


text:
 And opening his mouth, Peter said: &quot;I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,


text:
 You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all).


text:
 You know what has happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:


text:
 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.


text:
 We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;


text:
 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.


text:
 And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.


text:
 Of him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.&quot;


text:
 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.


text:
 &quot;Can anyone refuse the water for these people to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?&quot;


text:
 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.


text:
 Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.


text:
 &quot;I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, something descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came down to me.


text:
 And when I looked into it I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.


text:
 And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea.


text:
 The Spirit told me to go with them with no hesitation. These six brethren also went with me, and we entered the man


text:
 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could oppose God?&quot;


text:
 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, &quot;So then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance unto life.&quot;


text:
 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.


text:
 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.


text:
 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts;


text:
 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great number of people were brought to the Lord.


text:
 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year they met with the church and taught great numbers of people; and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.


text:
 One of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.


text:
 And the disciples determined, each according to his ability, to send relief for the brethren living in Judea.


text:
 Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to persecute them.


text:
 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.


text:
 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.


text:
 The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.


text:
 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter


text:
 And the angel said to him, &quot;Dress yourself and put on your sandals.&quot; And he did so. And he said to him, &quot;Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.&quot;


text:
 So he went out and followed him; and he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.


text:
 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him.


text:
 When Peter came to himself, he said, &quot;Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.&quot;


text:
 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.


text:
 They said to her, &quot;You are out of your mind!&quot; But she kept insisting that it was so. They said, &quot;It is his angel.&quot;


text:
 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, &quot;Tell this to James and to the brethren.&quot; Then he left and went to another place.


text:
 Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.


text:
 When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there a while.


text:
 Now he was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and they came to him in a body, and having persuaded Blastus, the king


text:
 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and made an address to them.


text:
 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.


text:
 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.


text:
 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.


text:
 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, &quot;Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.&quot;


text:
 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.


text:
 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John as their helper.


text:
 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus,


text:
 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.


text:
 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.


text:
 and said, &quot;You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop making crooked the straight ways of the Lord?


text:
 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.&quot; And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand.


text:
 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had happened, for he was amazed at the teaching of the Lord.


text:
 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem.


text:
 But they passed on from Perga and came to Pisidian Antioch. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.


text:
 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, &quot;Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.&quot;


text:
 Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, &quot;Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen:


text:
 the God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.


text:
 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years.


text:
 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.


text:
 And after he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; concerning whom he testified and said,


text:
 &quot;Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.


text:
 For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning him.


text:
 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.


text:
 and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.


text:
 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:


text:
 As for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to decay, he spoke in this way:


text:
 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers and saw decay;


text:
 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,


text:
 and through him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.


text:
 As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people begged that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath.


text:
 When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.


text:
 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted what was spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.


text:
 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, &quot;It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.


text:
 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord; and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.


text:
 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.


text:
 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue, and so spoke that a great number believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.


text:
 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.


text:
 So they spent a long time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.


text:
 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them,


text:
 they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and to the surrounding country;


text:
 At Lystra there was a man sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from birth, who had never walked.


text:
 He listened to Paul speaking; and Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well,


text:
 said with a loud voice, &quot;Stand upright on your feet.&quot; And he leaped up and began to walk.


text:
 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, &quot;The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!&quot;


text:
 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.


text:
 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out


text:
 &quot;Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.


text:
 yet he did not leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.&quot;


text:
 But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium; and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.


text:
 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and entered the city. And the next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe.


text:
 After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,


text:
 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, &quot;Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.&quot;


text:
 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed.


text:
 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.


text:
 When they arrived, they gathered the church together and declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.


text:
 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, &quot;Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.&quot;


text:
 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.


text:
 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, reporting the conversion of the Gentiles, and they gave great joy to all the brethren.


text:
 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.


text:
 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up, and said, &quot;It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the Law of Moses.&quot;


text:
 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, &quot;Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.


text:
 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us;


text:
 Now therefore why do you test God by putting upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?


text:
 All the assembly kept silent; and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.


text:
 Simeon has related how God first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for his name.


text:
 Therefore it is my judgment that we should not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,


text:
 but that we should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.


text:
 For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.&quot;


text:
 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,


text:
 and they sent the following letter with them: &quot;The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.


text:
 Since we have heard that some persons from us have disturbed you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,


text:
 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,


text:
 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.


text:
 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:


text:
 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves free from these, you will do well. Farewell.&quot;


text:
 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.


text:
 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged the brethren with many words and strengthened them.


text:
 And after they had spent some time there, they were sent off in peace by the brethren to those who had sent them.


text:
 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.


text:
 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, &quot;Let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.&quot;


text:
 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take along one who had deserted them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.


text:
 There arose such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.


text:
 And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek,


text:
 Paul wanted this man to accompany him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.


text:
 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions which had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.


text:
 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.


text:
 And when they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them;


text:
 A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and begging him, and saying, &quot;Come over to Macedonia and help us.&quot;


text:
 When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.


text:
 So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis;


text:
 and from there to Philippi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We stayed in this city some days;


text:
 and on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had come together.


text:
 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, who was a worshiper of God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.


text:
 When she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, &quot;If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.&quot; And she prevailed upon us.


text:
 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination. She brought her owners much profit by fortune-telling.


text:
 She followed Paul and the rest of us, crying, &quot;These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way of salvation.&quot;


text:
 She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, &quot;I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!&quot; And it came out at that very moment.


text:
 But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities,


text:
 and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, &quot;These men are Jews and they are throwing our city into an uproar.


text:
 The crowd joined against them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and ordered them to be beaten with rods.


text:
 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to guard them securely.


text:
 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.


text:
 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,


text:
 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone


text:
 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.


text:
 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.


text:
 He took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his family.


text:
 Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with his whole household that he had believed in God.


text:
 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, &quot;The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go in peace.&quot;


text:
 But Paul said to them, &quot;They have beaten us publicly, without trial, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now cast us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.&quot;


text:
 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.


text:
 They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.


text:
 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.


text:
 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and for three weeks he reasoned with them from the scriptures,


text:
 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, &quot;This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.&quot;


text:
 And some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas; as did a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and not a few of the leading women.


text:
 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men from the market place, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; they attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the people.


text:
 When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, shouting, &quot;These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,


text:
 and Jason has welcomed them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.&quot;


text:
 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.


text:
 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.


text:
 But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds.


text:
 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul out to go as far as the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there.


text:
 Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.


text:
 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.


text:
 So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be there.


text:
 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some said, &quot;What would this idle babbler wish to say?&quot; Others, &quot;He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities,&quot;


text:
 And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, &quot;May we know what this new teaching is which you present?


text:
 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.&quot;


text:
 (Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)


text:
 So Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: &quot;Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.


text:
 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription,


text:
 The God who made the world and everything in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by hands;


text:
 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything.


text:
 And he made from one man every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,


text:
 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.


text:
 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given proof to all men by raising him from the dead.&quot;


text:
 Now when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, &quot;We want to hear you again on this subject.&quot;


text:
 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.


text:
 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He went to see them,


text:
 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them, and they worked, for by trade they were tentmakers.


text:
 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.


text:
 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, &quot;Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.&quot;


text:
 Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.


text:
 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.


text:
 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, &quot;Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent; &quot;


text:
 But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack upon Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,


text:
 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, &quot;If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you;


text:
 but since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I refuse to be a judge of these things.&quot;


text:
 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio paid no attention to this.


text:
 After this Paul stayed many days longer, and then took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut, for he had taken a vow.


text:
 They came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.


text:
 but on taking leave of them he said, &quot;I will return to you if God wills,&quot; and he set sail from Ephesus.


text:
 After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.


text:
 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures.


text:
 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.


text:
 And he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.


text:
 And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace,


text:
 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.


text:
 And he said to them, &quot;Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?&quot; And they said, &quot;No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.&quot;


text:
 Paul said, &quot;John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.&quot;


text:
 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.


text:
 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and persuading about the kingdom of God.


text:
 But when some were stubborn and disbelieved, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them, and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.


text:
 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.


text:
 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.


text:
 But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, &quot;I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.&quot;


text:
 But the evil spirit answered them, &quot;Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?&quot;


text:
 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered all of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.


text:
 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.


text:
 And a number of those who practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.


text:
 Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, &quot;After I have been there, I must also see Rome.&quot;


text:
 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.


text:
 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.


text:
 These he gathered together, with the workmen of similar trades, and said, &quot;Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.


text:
 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all.


text:
 Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.&quot;


text:
 When they heard this, they were enraged and began crying out, &quot;Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!&quot;


text:
 The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul


text:
 Some of the Asiarchs also, who were friends of his, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.


text:
 Now some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of the people did not know why they had come together.


text:
 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, wishing to make a defense to the people.


text:
 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all with one voice shouted, &quot;Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!&quot;


text:
 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, &quot;Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven?


text:
 For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.


text:
 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another.


text:
 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he set out for Macedonia.


text:
 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.


text:
 He was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.


text:
 But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days came to them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.


text:
 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.


text:
 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting in the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep. And as Paul talked on and on, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.


text:
 But Paul went down and fell on him, and after embracing him, he said, &quot;Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.&quot;


text:
 When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left.


text:
 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there; for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land.


text:
 Sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day after that we came to Miletus.


text:
 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.


text:
 And when they came to him, he said to them: &quot;You yourselves know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day that I set foot in Asia,


text:
 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;


text:
 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house,


text:
 And now, behold, bound in the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,


text:
 except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.


text:
 But I do not consider my life of any account nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.


text:
 And now, behold, I know that all of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will see my face no more.


text:
 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with the blood of his Own.


text:
 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.


text:
 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night and day to admonish each one with tears.


text:
 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.


text:
 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said:


text:
 grieving most of all over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.


text:
 When we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.


text:
 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload its cargo.


text:
 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.


text:
 And when our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another.


text:
 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we greeted the brethren and stayed with them for a day.


text:
 On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.


text:
 Then Paul answered, &quot;What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.&quot;


text:
 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.


text:
 After he had greeted them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.


text:
 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, &quot;You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed; they are all zealous for the law,


text:
 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to walk according to the customs.


text:
 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in observance of the law.


text:
 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote to them our decision that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication.&quot;


text:
 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each one of them.


text:
 When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid hands on him,


text:
 crying out, &quot;Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place; and besides he also brought Greeks into the temple, and he has defiled this holy place.&quot;


text:
 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.


text:
 Then all the city was aroused, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.


text:
 While they were trying to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.


text:
 At once he took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.


text:
 Then the commander came up and arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done.


text:
 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, and some another; and as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.


text:
 When he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob;


text:
 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, &quot;May I say something to you?&quot; And he said, &quot;Do you know Greek?


text:
 Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?&quot;


text:
 Paul replied, &quot;I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; I beg you, let me speak to the people.&quot;


text:
 When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,


text:
 And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew language, they became more quiet. And he said:


text:
 &quot;I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.


text:
 as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.


text:
 &quot;As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.


text:
 And those who were with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.


text:
 But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.


text:
 &quot;A certain Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,


text:
 When the blood of Stephen your witness was shed, I also was standing by and approving, and keeping the garments of those who were killing him.


text:
 Up to this word they listened to him, and then they raised their voices and said, &quot;Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he ought not to live.&quot;


text:
 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and commanded him to be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way.


text:
 But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, &quot;Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?&quot;


text:
 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, &quot;What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.&quot;


text:
 So the commander came and said to him, &quot;Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?&quot; And he said, &quot;Yes.&quot;


text:
 The commander answered, &quot;I bought this citizenship for a large sum.&quot; Paul said, &quot;But I was born a citizen.&quot;


text:
 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately; and the commander also was afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had put him in chains.


text:
 But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.


text:
 And Paul, looking intently at the council, said, &quot;Brethren, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.&quot;


text:
 Then Paul said to him, &quot;God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?&quot;


text:
 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, &quot;Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead I am on trial.&quot;


text:
 When he said this, a dissension broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.


text:
 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.


text:
 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.


text:
 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, &quot;Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome.&quot;


text:
 When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.


text:
 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, &quot;We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.


text:
 You therefore, along with the council, give notice now to the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.&quot;


text:
 Paul called one of the centurions and said, &quot;Take this young man to the commander; for he has something to tell him.&quot;


text:
 So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, &quot;Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, since he has something to tell you.&quot;


text:
 The commander took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, &quot;What is it that you have to tell me?&quot;


text:
 And he said, &quot;The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him.


text:
 But do not yield to them; for more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him, having bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.&quot;


text:
 So the commander dismissed the young man, instructing him, &quot;Tell no one that you have informed me of this.&quot;


text:
 Then he called two of the centurions and said, &quot;At the third hour of the night get ready two hundred soldiers with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea.


text:
 This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.


text:
 And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council.


text:
 I found that he was accused over questions about their Law, but there was no accusation against him deserving death or imprisonment.


text:
 And when I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you.&quot;


text:
 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.


text:
 When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.


text:
 When he had read the letter, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia,


text:
 he said, &quot;I will hear you when your accusers arrive also.&quot; And he commanded him to be kept in Herod


text:
 After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor.


text:
 And when Paul was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to Felix: &quot;Since through you we have enjoyed much peace, and since by your provision, reforms are introduced on behalf of this nation,


text:
 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.


text:
 By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges of which we accuse him.&quot;


text:
 When the governor had motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: &quot;Realizing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense.


text:
 They did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues, or in the city.


text:
 But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do worship the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,


text:
 having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there will certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.


text:
 As I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia


text:
 But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, &quot;When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.&quot;


text:
 Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody but have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to his needs.


text:
 But some days later Felix came with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.


text:
 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, &quot;Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.&quot;


text:
 At the same time, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him.


text:
 But when two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.


text:
 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews brought charges against Paul; and they urged him,


text:
 as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.


text:
 Festus answered that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and that he himself intended to go there shortly.


text:
 &quot;Therefore,&quot; he said, &quot;let the men of authority among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them prosecute him.&quot;


text:
 After he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.


text:
 And when Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.


text:
 Paul said in his defense, &quot;Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended at all.&quot;


text:
 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, &quot;Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?&quot;


text:
 If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of the charges brought against me is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.&quot;


text:
 Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, &quot;You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.&quot;


text:
 Now when a few days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.


text:
 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for sentence against him.


text:
 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.


text:
 When therefore they came together here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in.


text:
 but they simply had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.


text:
 Being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters.


text:
 Then Agrippa said to Festus, &quot;I also would like to hear the man myself.&quot; &quot;Tomorrow,&quot; he said, &quot;you shall hear him.&quot;


text:
 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high ranking officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.


text:
 Festus said, &quot;King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.


text:
 But I found that he had done nothing deserving of death; and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to send him.


text:
 But I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write.


text:
 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.&quot;


text:
 Agrippa said to Paul, &quot;You have permission to speak for yourself.&quot; Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:


text:
 &quot;I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews,


text:
 because you are especially familiar with all customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.


text:
 So then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem.


text:
 They have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.


text:
 the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews.


text:
 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem; I not only shut up many of the saints in prison, by authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.


text:
 And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.


text:
 &quot;On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.


text:
 At midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.


text:
 But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness to the things which you have seen of me, and also to the things in which I will appear to you;


text:
 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.


text:
 but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and perform deeds worthy of their repentance.


text:
 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen:


text:
 that the Christ must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.&quot;


text:
 And as he was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, &quot;Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.&quot;


text:
 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner.


text:
 And Agrippa said to Paul, &quot;In a short time you think to persuade me to become a Christian!&quot;


text:
 And Paul said, &quot;Whether in a short or a long time, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am


text:
 and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, &quot;This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.&quot;


text:
 And Agrippa said to Festus, &quot;This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.&quot;


text:
 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius.


text:
 And embarking in a ship from Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica.


text:
 The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends and be cared for.


text:
 We put out to sea from there and sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.


text:
 When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.


text:
 When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete, off Salmone.


text:
 We sailed along it with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.


text:
 As much time had been lost, and the voyage was now dangerous because the fast had already gone by, Paul advised them,


text:
 and said to them, &quot;Men, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.&quot;


text:
 But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the owner of the ship than by what was being said by Paul.


text:
 Because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.


text:
 When a gentle south wind came up, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore.


text:
 and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.


text:
 And running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were scarcely able to secure the boat.


text:
 After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables to undergird the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along.


text:
 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was raging on us, all hope of our being saved was finally abandoned.


text:
 When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up among them and said, &quot;Men, you should have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss.


text:
 Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage; for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.


text:
 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen exactly as I have been told.


text:
 But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to sense that they were approaching land.


text:
 They took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms.


text:
 Fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and prayed for daybreak.


text:
 But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down the lifeboat into the sea, on the pretense of laying out anchors from the bow,


text:
 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, &quot;Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.&quot;


text:
 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, &quot;Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and without food, having taken nothing.


text:
 Therefore I urge you to take some food; it will give you strength, since not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.&quot;


text:
 Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat.


text:
 When day came, they could not recognize the land, but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could.


text:
 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders; then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach.


text:
 But striking a sandbar they ran the vessel aground; the bow stuck fast and remained immovable, and the stern was broken up by the pounding of the surf.


text:
 But the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land,


text:
 and the rest on planks or on various pieces of the ship. And so it happened that they were all brought safely to land.


text:
 The natives showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold.


text:
 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.


text:
 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, &quot;No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.&quot;


text:
 They waited, expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead; but after they had waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.


text:
 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days.


text:
 It happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed sick with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.


text:
 When this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.


text:
 They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.


text:
 After three months we set sail in a ship which had wintered in the island, an Alexandrian ship, with the Twin Brothers as figurehead.


text:
 From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli.


text:
 There we found some brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.


text:
 And the brethren, when they heard of us, came from there as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.


text:
 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.


text:
 After three days Paul called together the local leaders of the Jews; and when they had gathered, he said to them, &quot;Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.


text:
 And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death.


text:
 For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.&quot;


text:
 They said to him, &quot;We have not received letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brethren who have come here has reported or spoken anything bad about you.


text:
 But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.&quot;


text:
 When they had appointed a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers. And he explained the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets.


text:
 When they disagreed among themselves, they began to leave, after Paul had made one final statement: &quot;The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:


text:
 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.&quot;


text:
 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.


text:
 Through him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,


text:
 To all in Rome who are beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


text:
 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.


text:
 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers,


text:
 I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have some harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.


text:
 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.


text:
 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, &quot;The just shall live by faith.&quot;


text:
 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth,


text:
 For since the creation of the world his invisible nature, even his eternal power and deity, has been clearly seen, being understood by the things that have been made. So they are without excuse;


text:
 for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.


text:
 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.


text:
 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,


text:
 because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.


text:
 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural.


text:
 And the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.


text:
 And since they did not see fit to retain the knowledge of God, God gave them over to a base mind, to do what ought not to be done.


text:
 They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, depravity. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,


text:
 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,


text:
 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge another; for in whatever point you pass judgment on him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.


text:
 Do you think, O man, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do the same yourself, you will escape the judgment of God?


text:
 Or do you presume upon the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not know that God


text:
 But by your hardness and your impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God


text:
 to those who by patience in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life;


text:
 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury.


text:
 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,


text:
 All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.


text:
 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.


text:
 When Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.


text:
 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing or else excusing them


text:
 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth


text:
 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?


text:
 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?


text:
 For, as it is written, &quot;The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.&quot;


text:
 Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.


text:
 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?


text:
 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a breaker of the law.


text:
 For he is not a real Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something outward and in the flesh.


text:
 He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, and not by the written code. His praise is not from men but from God.


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 Certainly not! Let God be true, though every man a liar. As it is written: &quot;That you may be justified in your words and prevail when you are judged.&quot;


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 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)


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 What then? Are we Jews any better off? Certainly not; for we have already charged that all men, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin.


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 All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.&quot;


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 &quot;Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to practice deceit.&quot; &quot;The poison of asps is under their lips.&quot;


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


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 Therefore no flesh will be justified in his sight by works of the law, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.


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 But now the righteousness of God has been revealed apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it,


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 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For there is no difference,


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 whom God put forward as an atoning sacrifice by his blood, to be received through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over sins committed beforehand;


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 and it was to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.


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 Where then is our boasting? It is excluded. On what law? On the law of works? No, but on the law of faith.


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 since there is one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through their faith.


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 For what does the scripture say? &quot;Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.&quot;


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 And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.


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 So also David describes the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:


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 Is this blessedness only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.


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 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.


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 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be reckoned to them.


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 And he is also the father of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.


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 The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that he would be heir of the world, was not through the law but through the righteousness of faith.


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 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all his descendants


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 (as it is written, &quot;I have made you the father of many nations&quot;) in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls things that do not exist as though they did.


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 In hope, he believed against hope, so that he became the father of many nations; as he had been told, &quot;So shall your descendants be.&quot;


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 And he did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah


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 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,


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 but for us also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,


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 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,


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 through whom we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of the glory of God.


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 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.


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 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved through him from the wrath of God.


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 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.


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 Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received our reconciliation.


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 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all men, because all men sinned.


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 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.


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 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.


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 Law came in, that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,


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 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.


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 Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?


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 We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.


