# verses

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Is there sin in Gilead? For sure its people are of no worth. In Gilgal they kill bulls in worship. Their altars are like the many stones laid beside a plowed field.


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By a man who spoke for Him, the Lord brought Israel from Egypt. And by a man who spoke for Him, the Lord cared for him.


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But Ephraim has made the Lord very angry. So the Lord will leave on him the guilt of his blood, and make his shame return to him.


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When Ephraim spoke, men shook in fear. He was honored in Israel. But he sinned by worshiping Baal, and died.


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And now they sin more and more. They make false gods for themselves. Their able workmen make them out of silver. And they say, "Let the men who give gifts in worship kiss the calf-gods!"


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So they will be like the morning cloud, and like the water on the grass in the early morning which is soon gone. They will be like the dust of the grain that is blown away from the grainfloor, and like smoke from a fire.


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"I am the Lord your God Who brought you out of Egypt. You were not to know any god but Me, for there is no one who can save you but Me.


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When I fed them, they were filled. And when they were filled, their heart became proud and they forgot Me.


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I will fight them like a bear robbed of her young ones. I will tear open their chests. I will eat them there like a female lion, and tear them like a wild animal.


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Where is your king, that he may save you? Where are your rulers in all your cities, of whom you said, 'Give me a king and leaders'?


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The pains like a woman giving birth will come upon him, but he is not a wise son. He is not willing to be born.


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I will pay the price to free them from the power of the grave. I will save them from death. O Death, where are your thorns? O Grave, where is your power to destroy? I will have no loving-pity.


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"Even if he grows among his brothers, an east wind will come. The wind of the Lord will come from the desert. And his well will dry up. His water will be gone. It will take away everything of much worth.


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Samaria will suffer for her guilt, for she has not wanted to obey her God. They will be killed by the sword. Their little ones will be crushed in pieces. And their women who are soon to give birth will be torn open."


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Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, "Take away all sin, and receive us in kindness, that we may praise You with our lips.


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Assyria will not save us. We will not ride on horses. And we will never say again, 'Our god,' to what we have made with our hands. For those who have no father find loving-kindness in You."


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"I will bring My people back to Me. I will not hold back My love from them, for I am no longer angry with them.


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I will be to Israel like the water on the grass in the early morning. He will grow like the lily, and have roots like the cedars of Lebanon.


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His young branches will spread out and his beauty will be like the olive tree. His smell will be like the cedars of Lebanon.


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Those who live in his shadow will grow like grain and like flowers of the vine. He will be known like the wine of Lebanon.


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�O Ephraim, what have I to do with false gods? It is I Who answer and take care of you. I am like a green cypress tree. Your fruit comes from Me.�


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Whoever is wise, let him understand these things and know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and those who are right and good will follow them, but sinners will not follow them.


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Hear this, you old men. Listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this happened in your days or in your fathers' days?


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Tell your sons about it, and let your sons tell their sons, and their sons tell the next sons-to-come.


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What the chewing locust has left, the flying locust has eaten. What the flying locust has left, the jumping locust has eaten. And what the jumping locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten.


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Wake up and cry, you who drink too much. Cry in a loud voice, all you who drink wine, for the sweet wine has been taken from your lips.


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A nation has come to fight against my land. Its army is powerful, with too many to number. Its teeth are the teeth of a lion. It has the long, sharp teeth of a female lion.


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It has made my vine a waste, and has broken my fig tree to pieces. It has torn off their covering and thrown it away. Their branches have become white.


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Cry in sorrow like a young, pure woman dressed in cloth made from hair because the man she was going to marry is dead.


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The grain gifts and drink gifts have been cut off from the house of the Lord. The religious leaders who served the Lord are full of sorrow.


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The fields are laid waste and the land is full of sorrow. The grain is destroyed, the new wine dries up, and the oil wastes away.


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Be troubled, you farmers! Cry in a loud voice, you who take care of the vines! Cry for the wheat and the barley, because what was gathered from the field is destroyed.


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The vine dries up and the fig tree wastes away. The pomegranate, the palm, the apple tree, and all the trees of the field dry up. And the people's joy dries up.


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Dress in cloth made from hair, and cry in sorrow, you religious leaders! Cry in a loud voice, you who serve at the altar! Come, spend the night in cloth made from hair, you who serve my God. For the grain gifts and drink gifts are kept from the house of your God.


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Set apart a time when no food will be eaten. Call together a holy meeting. Gather the leaders and all the people of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.


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What a bad day it will be! The day of the Lord is near, when the All-powerful God will come to destroy.


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Do you see how our food has been taken from us? Has not happiness and joy been cut off from the house of our God?


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The seeds dry up under the ground. The store-houses are laid waste. The buildings where the grain was kept are torn down, for the grain is destroyed.


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How the animals cry inside themselves! The cattle go from place to place because there is no food for them. Even the flocks of sheep suffer.


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I cry to You, O Lord. For fire has destroyed the fields of the desert. All the trees of the field have burned up.


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Even the animals of the field cry to You. For the rivers are dried up, and fire has burned up the fields of the desert.


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Blow a horn in Zion! Give the sound of danger on My holy mountain! Let all the people of the land shake in fear, for the day of the Lord is coming. The day is near.


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It will be a day of darkness, a day of clouds and much darkness. A large and powerful army will come like darkness spreading over the mountains. There has never been anything like it, and there will never be anything like it again for all time to come.


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Fire destroys in front of them and behind them. The land is like the garden of Eden in front of them, but a desert waste is left behind them. Nothing gets away from them.


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As they jump on the tops of the mountains they sound like warwagons. They sound like a fire burning up the dry grass, like a powerful army ready for battle.


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They run like strong men. They go over the wall like soldiers. They each walk straight on, and do not turn from their paths.


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They do not push each other. Each one walks in his path. When they break through those who fight against them, their path is not changed.


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They rush upon the city. They run on the wall. They go into the houses through the windows like a robber.


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The earth shakes in front of them. The heavens shake. The sun and the moon become dark, and the stars stop shining.


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The Lord thunders in front of His army. His army has too many to number. Those who obey His Word are powerful. The day of the Lord is very great and fills people with fear and wonder. Who can live through it?


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"Yet even now," says the Lord, "return to Me with all your heart, crying in sorrow and eating no food.


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Tear your heart and not your clothes." Return to the Lord your God, for He is full of loving-kindness and loving-pity. He is slow to anger, full of love, and ready to keep His punishment from you.


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It may be that He will turn and have pity, and leave good behind for you. He may leave you a grain gift and a drink gift for the Lord your God.


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Gather the people and make them holy. Gather together the leaders, the children, and the nursing babies. Let the man to be married come out of his room, and the bride come out of her room.


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Let the religious leaders who serve the Lord cry between the porch and the altar. Let them say, "Have pity on Your people, O Lord. Do not put your people to shame. And do not make the nations speak against them. Why should the people of the nations say, 'Where is their God?' "


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The Lord will say to His people, "I am going to send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be filled with them. I will never again put you to shame among the nations.


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I will take the army from the north far from you, and will drive it into a hot and dry land. The ones in front will be driven into the sea in the east. The ones in the back will be driven into the sea in the west. And a bad smell will rise up from their dead bodies. For He has done great things."


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Do not be afraid, you animals of the field. For the fields of the desert have turned green and there is fruit on the trees. The fig trees and vines are full of fruit.


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Be glad, O sons of Zion. Be happy in the Lord your God. For He has given the early rain to help you. He has poured down much rain for you, both fall and spring rains, as before.


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The grainfloors will be full of grain, and the crushing-places will flow over with new wine and oil.


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"I will pay you back for the years that your food was eaten by the flying locust, the jumping locust, the destroying locust, and the chewing locust, My large army which I sent among you.


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You will have much to eat and be filled. And you will praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has done wonderful things for you. Then My people will never be put to shame.


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You will know that I am in Israel. You will know that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other. And My people will never be put to shame.


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"In the last days I will send My Spirit on all men. Then your sons and daughters will speak God's Word. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see special dreams.


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I will show powerful works in the heavens and on the earth, like blood and fire and clouds of smoke.


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The sun will turn dark and the moon will turn to blood before the day of the Lord. His coming will be a great and troubled day.


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It will be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from the punishment of sin. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem some will be taken out of trouble, as the Lord has said. Those whom the Lord calls will be kept alive.


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I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will judge them for what they did to My people Israel. They have sent My people out among the different nations, and have divided up My land.


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They have drawn names to see who would get My people. They have traded a boy for a woman who sells the use of her body. And they have sold a girl for wine to drink.


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What are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the lands of Philistia? Are you paying Me back for something? If you are, I will be quick to pay you back!


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So I am going to move them from the place where you have sold them, and do to you what you have done to them.


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I will sell your sons and daughters to the sons of Judah. And they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away." The Lord has spoken.


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Make this known among the nations: Get ready for war! Call your strong men! Gather all the soldiers and let them come up!


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Beat your plows into swords, and your vine hooks into spears. Let the weak say, "I am a powerful soldier."


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Hurry and come, all you nations on every side, and gather yourselves there. Bring down Your men of war, O Lord.


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Let the nations get ready and come to the valley of Jehoshaphat. For there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.


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Use the long, sharp knife, for the fruit is full-grown. Come and crush the grapes, for the crushing-place is full. They flow over, for their sins are many.


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Thousands and thousands are in the valley of God's punishment. For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of God's punishment.


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The Lord makes a loud noise from Zion. He lets His voice be heard from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a safe place for His people, a strong place to the sons of Israel.


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"Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, living in Zion My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, and strangers will never pass through it again.


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"In that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine and the hills will flow with milk. All the rivers of Judah will flow with water. And a river will go out from the house of the Lord to water the valley of Shittim.


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Egypt will be destroyed and Edom will become a desert waste, because of the bad things done to the sons of Judah. They have killed people in the land of Judah who were not guilty of wrong-doing.


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These are the words of Amos, a shepherd of Tekoa, which he received in special dreams about Israel two years before the earth shook. Uzziah was king of Judah then, and Jeroboam the son of Joash was the king of Israel.


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He said, "The Lord makes a loud noise from Zion. He lets His voice be heard from Jerusalem. And the shepherds' fields are filled with sorrow, and the top of Carmel dries up."


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The Lord says, "For three sins of Damascus and for four, I will not hold back punishment. They have crushed Gilead with tools of sharp iron.


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I will break down the gate of Damascus, and destroy the people from the Valley of Aven and the king from Beth-Eden. The people of Syria will be taken away to Kir," says the Lord.


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The Lord says, "For three sins of Gaza and for four, I will not hold back punishment. They took a nation of people away and sold them to Edom.


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I will destroy the people from Ashdod and the king from Ashkelon. I will send My power against Ekron, and the rest of the Philistines will die," says the Lord God.


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The Lord says, "For three sins of Tyre and for four, I will not hold back punishment. They took a nation of people and sold them to Edom. They did not remember the agreement between brothers.


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The Lord says, "For three sins of Edom and for four, I will not hold back punishment. He went after his brother with the sword and would not have loving-pity. He was always angry, and he held on to his anger forever.


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The Lord says, "For three sins of Ammon and for four, I will not hold back punishment. They tore open the women of Gilead who were going to have a baby, so that they would get more land.


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So I will set a fire on the wall of Rabbah, and it will destroy her strong-places. Then there will be cries of war on the day of battle, and strong winds on the day of the storm.


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The Lord says, "For three sins of Moab and for four, I will not hold back punishment. He burned the bones of the king of Edom to ashes.


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So I will send fire upon Moab, and it will destroy the strong-places of Kerioth. Moab will die among much noise, with cries of war and the sound of a horn.


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The Lord says, "For three sins of Judah and for four, I will not hold back punishment. They turned away from the Law of the Lord. They have not obeyed His Laws. They have gone the wrong way, following the lies of their fathers.


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The Lord says, "For three sins of Israel and for four, I will not hold back punishment. They sell those who are right and good for money. To get shoes, they sell people who are in need.


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They crush those who are poor in the dust of the earth with their feet. They push the poor out of the way. A man and his father go to the same girl and sin against My holy name.


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They lie down beside every altar on clothing taken as trust for promises. And in the house of their God they drink the wine which was paid by those who have done wrong.


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"I destroyed the Amorite before them, who was as tall as the cedar trees and as strong as the oaks. I destroyed his fruit above and his root below.


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I brought you up from the land of Egypt and led you in the desert for forty years to give you the land of the Amorite.


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Then I raised up some of your sons to speak for Me, and some of your young men to be Nazirites. Is this not true, you sons of Israel?" says the Lord.


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Even the fast man will not get away. The strong man will not keep his strength. And the powerful man will not save his life.


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He who uses the bow will not stand. The fast runner will not get away. The horseman will not save his life.


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Even the strongest of heart among the men of war will run away without clothes on that day," says the Lord.


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O people of Israel, hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you and against the whole family which He brought up from the land of Egypt.


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"You are the only ones I have chosen among all the families of the earth. So I must punish you for all your sins."


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Does a lion make noise among the trees when he has no food? Does a young lion cry out from his home if he has not caught anything?


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Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no food to tempt it? Does a trap jump up from the ground when it does not catch anything?


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Are not the people afraid when a horn is blown in a city? When trouble comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it?


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For sure the Lord does not do anything without making His plan known to His servants who speak for Him.


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The lion has made a noise! Who will not be afraid? The Lord God has spoken! Who can keep from speaking His Word?


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Say to the people who live in the strong cities of Ashdod and Egypt, "Gather together on the mountains of Samaria. See all the trouble within her and how her people suffer.


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They do not know how to do what is right," says the Lord. "They store up in their strong cities what they have fought for and robbed."


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So the Lord God says, "Those who hate you will gather around the land. They will pull down your strong-places and rob your strong cities."


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The Lord says, "As the shepherd saves from the lion's mouth just two legs or a piece of an ear, so will the people of Israel living in Samaria be saved, with the corner of a bed and a part of a cover.


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"On the day I punish Israel for her sins, I will punish the altars of Bethel. The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.


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I will destroy the winter house together with the summer house. The houses of ivory will be destroyed, and the beautiful houses will come to an end," says the Lord.


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Listen to this, you fat cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria. You make it hard for the poor. You crush those in need. You say to your husbands, "Bring us something to drink!"


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As the Lord God is holy, He has promised, "The days are coming when they will take you away with meat hooks. And the last of you will be taken with fish hooks.


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You will go out through breaks in the walls. Each of you will go straight out. And you will be sent to Harmon," says the Lord.


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"Go to Bethel and sin! Go and sin much more in Gilgal! Bring your gifts in worship every morning. Every three days give a tenth part of what you receive.


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Give a thank gift of bread made with yeast. And make your free-will gifts known. For this is what you love to do, O people of Israel," says the Lord God.


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"I kept food from your teeth in all your cities. I did not let you have enough bread in all your places. Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord.


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"I kept the rain from you while there were still three months until gathering time. Then I would send rain on one city, but would send no rain on another city. One part would receive rain, while the part which did not receive rain would dry up.


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People would go from city to city to drink water, but would not get enough. Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord.


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"I sent hot wind to dry up your fields. The locust destroyed your many gardens and grape-fields, fig trees and olive trees. Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord.


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"I sent a very bad disease upon you as I had done to Egypt. I killed your young men with the sword and took your horses away. I filled your nose with the bad smell of your camp. Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord.


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"I destroyed some of you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick pulled out of the fire. Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord.


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"So I will do this to you, O Israel. And because I will do this to you, get ready to meet your God, O Israel."


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He is the One Who makes the mountains and the wind. He makes His thoughts known to man. He turns the morning into darkness, and walks on the high places of the earth. The Lord God of All is His name.


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"The young pure woman Israel has fallen, and she will not rise again. She is left alone on her land. There is no one to raise her up."


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For the Lord God says, "The city of Israel that sends out a thousand soldiers will have a hundred left. And the one that sends out a hundred will have ten left."


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But do not look for Bethel. Do not go to Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba. For the people of Gilgal will be taken away to a strange land, and Bethel will come to nothing."


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Look for the Lord and live, or He will break out like fire in the family of Joseph. It will destroy, and no one in Bethel will be able to stop it.


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The Lord made the stars of Pleiades and Orion. He changes darkness into morning, and turns day into night. He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the earth. The Lord is His name.


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You crush the poor under foot and make them pay taxes with their grain. Because of this, even though you have built houses of cut stone, you will not live in them and even though you have planted beautiful grape-fields, you will not drink their wine.


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For I know that you have done much wrong and your sins are many. You make trouble for those who are right and good, and you take pay in secret for wrongdoing. You will not be fair to the poor.


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Look for good and not sin, that you may live. Then the Lord God of All will be with you, just as you have said.


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Hate sin, and love good. And let what is fair be done at the gate. It may be that the Lord God of All will show kindness to those left of Joseph.


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So the Lord, the Lord God of All, says, "There is a loud crying in the city. In all the streets they say, 'It is bad! It is bad!' They call the farmers to cry in sorrow. They call those whose work is to cry over the dead to sing songs of sorrow.


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And there are cries of sorrow in all the grape-fields, because I will pass among you," says the Lord.


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It is bad for you who want the day of the Lord to come. For what will the day of the Lord be to you? It will be darkness and not light.


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It will be as when a man runs away from a lion and is met by a bear. It will be as when a man goes home and rests with his hand against the wall, and gets bitten by a snake.


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"I hate your special suppers. I will have nothing to do with them. And I am not pleased with your religious meetings.


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Even if you give Me burnt gifts and grain gifts in worship, I will not receive them. I will not even look at the peace gifts of your fat animals.


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"O people of Israel, was it to Me you gave gifts of animals and grain on the altar for forty years in the desert?


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You also carried with you Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun your star god, the false gods you made for yourselves.


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So I will make you go as prisoners to the other side of Damascus," says the Lord, Whose name is the God of All.


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It is bad for those who are taking it easy in Zion, and for those who feel safe on the mountain of Samaria, you great men of the most important nation, to whom the people of Israel come!


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Go over to Calneh and look. And go from there to great Hamath. Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these nations? Is their land better than yours?


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How bad it will be for you who lie on beds of ivory and spread out upon your long seats! You eat lambs from the flock and calves from the cattle-house.


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You drink wine from the holy dishes, and pour the best oil on yourselves. Yet you are not filled with sorrow because Joseph has been destroyed!


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You will be among the first to be taken away as prisoners to a strange land, and your happy times of rest will pass away.


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The Lord God has promised by Himself. The Lord God of All has said, "I hate the pride of Jacob, and I hate his strong-places, so I will give up the city and everything in it."


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The dead man's brother, who is to take care of the body, will lift him up to carry his bones from the house. And he will say to the one inside the house, "Is anyone else with you?" That one will say, "No." Then he will say, "Keep quiet! For the name of the Lord must not be spoken."


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For the Lord is going to say that the great house must be broken apart and the small house into pieces.


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Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow them with oxen? Yet you have turned what is fair into poison. You have turned what is right and good into something bitter.


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The Lord God of All says, "I am going to raise up a nation against you, O people of Israel. And they will bring much suffering upon you from the gate of Hamath to the river of the Arabah."


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This is what the Lord God showed me: He was making a gathering of locusts when the spring grain began to grow. The spring grain was after the king's share had been cut.


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When they had finished eating the grass I said, "Lord God, forgive! O that Jacob may stay alive for he is so small!"


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This is what the Lord God showed me: The Lord God was calling for a punishment by fire. It dried up the deep waters and began to destroy the farm land.


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This is what He showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall made straight by a string held in His hand.


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The Lord said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A string." Then the Lord said, "See, I am about to put a straight string among my people Israel. I will not change My mind again about punishing them.


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The high places of Isaac will be destroyed. The holy places of Israel will be laid waste. Then I will rise up against the people of Jeroboam with the sword."


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Then Amaziah, the religious leader of Bethel, sent word to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has made plans against you among the people of Israel. His words will destroy the land.


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For this is what Amos is saying: 'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and the people of Israel will be taken away from their own land to a strange land.' "


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Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Go, you who tell what is going to happen in the future! Run away to the land of Judah! There eat your bread, and there speak your words!


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But never speak about your special dreams again at Bethel. For it is a holy place of the king, a place where the nation worships."


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Amos answered Amaziah, saying, "I am not a man who tells what is going to happen in the future, or the son of such a man. I take care of sheep and cattle, and grow fig trees.


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But the Lord took me from following the flock and said to me, 'Go and speak in My name to My people Israel.'


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So now hear the Word of the Lord. You are saying, 'Do not speak against Israel or preach against the people of Isaac.'


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So this is what the Lord says: 'Your wife will sell the use of her body in the city. Your sons and daughters will be killed by the sword. Your land will be divided and given to others. You yourself will die in an unclean land. And Israel will be driven away from this land to a strange country.' "


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And the Lord said, "What do you see, Amos?" I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the Lord said to me, "The end has come for My people Israel. I will not change My mind again about punishing them.


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The songs of the king's house will become loud cries of sorrow on that day," says the Lord God. "There will be many dead bodies. In every place they will be thrown out without a word."


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You say, "When will the New Moon be over, so that we may buy grain? When will the Day of Rest be over, so that we may open the store and sell grain? Then we will make the basket smaller and the weight bigger, and we will lie about the weight.


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We will buy the poor for money, and those in need for shoes. And we will sell the part of the grain that is of no worth."


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Will not the land shake because of this? Will not everyone who lives in it be filled with sorrow? All of it will rise up like the Nile. It will be troubled, and will fall like the Nile River of Egypt.


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On that day," says the Lord God, "I will make the sun go down at noon. I will make the earth dark in the daytime.


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I will turn your special suppers into times of sorrow, and all your songs into songs of sorrow. I will make all of you wear cloth made from hair, and cut all the hair from your heads. I will fill that time with sorrow, as if an only son had died. And the end of it will be like a bitter day.


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"The days are coming," says the Lord God, "when I will send a time upon the land when the people will be very hungry. They will not be hungry for bread or thirsty for water, but they will be hungry to hear the Words of the Lord.


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People will go from sea to sea, and from the north to the east. They will go from place to place to look for the Word of the Lord, but they will not find it.


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On that day the beautiful, pure, young women and the young men will lose their strength and fall because of thirst.


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As for those who swear by the false gods of Samaria, saying, 'As your god lives, O Dan,' and 'As the way of Beersheba lives,' they will fall and never rise again."


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I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and He said, "Break the tops of the pillars so that the bases shake! Break them to pieces on the heads of all the people! Then I will kill the rest of them with the sword. Not one of them will get away.


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Even if they dig into the place of the dead, My hand will take them from there. Even if they go up to heaven, I will bring them down from there.


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Even if they hide on the top of Mount Carmel, I will find them and take them from there. Even if they hide themselves from My eyes on the bottom of the sea, there I will tell the large sea-snake to bite them.


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Even if they are taken away to a strange land by those who hate them, there I will have the sword kill them. I will set My eyes against them to hurt them, and not to bring good to them."


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The Lord God of All is the One Who touches the land and it melts. All those who live in it are filled with sorrow. All of it rises and falls like the Nile River of Egypt.


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The Lord builds His upper rooms in the heavens and sets His sky over the earth. He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the earth. The Lord is His name.


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"Are you not like the Ethiopians to Me, you people of Israel?" says the Lord. "Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?


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See, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful nation, and I will destroy it from the earth. But I will not destroy all the people of Jacob," says the Lord.


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"I will say what must be done. I will shake the people of Jacob among all the nations, as grain is shaken on a fine net. But not the smallest seed will fall to the ground.


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All the sinners among My people who say, 'The trouble will not catch up to us or come to us,' will die by the sword.


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"In that day I will build again the tent of David that fell down. Yes, I will build it again from the stones that fell down. I will set it up again as it used to be.


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And so the people of Israel will own what is left of the land of Edom and all the nations that are called by My name," says the Lord who does this.


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"The days are coming," says the Lord, "when the man who plows will catch up with the man who gathers. The man who crushes the grapes will catch up with the man who plants the seed. The mountains will drip sweet wine, and all the hills will flow with it.


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And I will return My people Israel to their riches. They will build again the cities that have been destroyed, and live in them. They will plant grape-fields and drink their wine. And they will make gardens and eat their fruit.


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I will plant My people on their land. And they will never again be pulled up from the land I gave them," says the Lord your God.


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The pride of your heart has fooled you. You live in the holes of the rock. Your home is high in the mountains. And so you say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?'


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Even when you build your home as high as the eagle, and make your nest among the stars, I will bring you down from there," says the Lord.


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"If robbers came to you during the night, O how you will be destroyed! Would they not steal only enough for themselves? If those who gather grapes came to you, would they not leave some behind?


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All the men you have made an agreement with will drive you from the country. The men at peace with you will lie to you and get power over you. Those who eat your bread will set a trap for you, but you will not know it."


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The Lord says, "On that day I will destroy the wise men from Edom and understanding from Mount Esau.


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Then your powerful soldiers will be troubled, O Teman, and every one from Mount Esau will be killed.


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You stood aside on that day when strangers carried his riches away. Men from another land went in through his gate and divided Jerusalem among themselves. And you were like one of them.


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Do not look down on your brother in the day of his trouble. Do not be happy about the sons of Judah in the day they are destroyed. Yes, do not speak with pride in the day of their trouble.


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Do not go in through the gate of My people in the day of their trouble. Do not speak with pride about their suffering in the day of their trouble. And do not rob their riches in the day of their trouble.


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Do not stand at the cross-roads to kill their people who get away. And do not put into prison those who are left alive in the day of their trouble.


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"For the day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. What you do will come back to you on your own head.


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Just as you drank on My holy mountain, so all the nations will drink all the time. They will drink and drink, and be as if they had never been.


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"But on Mount Zion there will be a way to be set free, and it will be holy. The people of Jacob will own what belongs to them.


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The people of Jacob will be a fire. The people of Joseph will be burning. But the people of Esau will be like dry grass. They will set them on fire and destroy them.


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People of the Negev will live on Mount Esau. And those in the lower land will live in the land of the Philistines. They will live in the land of Ephraim and Samaria, and Benjamin will own Gilead.


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The people of Israel who are living among the Ca-naanites as far as Zarephath, and the people of Jerusalem who are in Sephared, will own the cities of the Negev.


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The men of Jerusalem who fight and win the battle will go up Mount Zion to rule over Mount Esau. And the nation will belong to the Lord.


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"Get up and go to the large city of Nineveh, and preach against it. For their sin has come up before Me."


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But Jonah ran away from the Lord going toward Tarshish. He went down to Joppa and found a ship which was going to Tarshish. Jonah paid money, and got on the ship to go with them, to get away from the Lord.


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Then the Lord sent a powerful wind upon the sea, and there was such a big storm that the ship was about to break up.


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The sailors became afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the things that were in the ship into the sea so that it would not be so heavy. But Jonah had gone below in the ship and had lain down and fallen asleep.


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So the captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god. It may be that your god will care about us, and we will not die."


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Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us draw names so we can find out who is to blame for this trouble." So they drew names, and Jonah's name was drawn.


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Then they said to him, "Now tell us! Who is to blame for this? What is your work? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"


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Jonah said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord God of heaven Who made the sea and the dry land."


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Then the men were filled with fear and said to him, "How could you do this?" For the men knew that he was running away from the Lord, because he had told them.


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So they said to him, "What should we do to you to make the sea quiet down for us?" For the storm was getting worse.


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Jonah said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will quiet down for you. For I know that this bad storm has come upon you because of me."


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The men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the wind was blowing even worse against them.


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Then they called on the Lord and said, "We beg You, O Lord, do not let us die for what this man has done. And do not let us become guilty for killing someone who is not to blame. For You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased."


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Then the men feared the Lord very much. They gave a gift in worship to the Lord and made promises to Him.


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The Lord sent a big fish to swallow Jonah, and he was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights.


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saying, "I called out to the Lord because of my trouble, and He answered me. I cried for help from the place of the dead, and You heard my voice.


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You threw me into the deep waters, to the very bottom of the sea. A flood was all around me and all Your waves passed over me.


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I went down to the roots of the mountains. The walls of the earth were around me forever. But You have brought me up from the grave, O Lord my God.


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While I was losing all my strength, I remembered the Lord. And my prayer came to You, into Your holy house.


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But I will give gifts in worship to You with a thankful voice. I will give You what I have promised. The Lord is the One Who saves."


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"Get up and go to the large city of Nineveh, and tell the people there the news which I am going to tell you."


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So Jonah got up and went to Nineveh, as the Lord had told him. Now Nineveh was a very large city. It took three days to walk through it.


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Jonah started into the city, for a day's walk, and he cried out, "In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!"


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Then the people of Nineveh believed in God. They called for a time when no food was to be eaten. And all the people, from the greatest to the least, put on clothes made from hair.


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When the news came to the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne and laid aside his beautiful clothing. Then he covered himself with cloth made from hair, and sat in ashes.


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And he sent word through all of Nineveh, saying, "By the law of the king and his leaders, do not let man or animal, cattle or flock, taste anything. Do not let them eat or drink water.


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Both man and animal must be covered with cloth made from hair. Everyone must pray to God with all his heart, so each person may turn from his sinful way and from the bad things he has done.


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When God saw what they did, and that they turned from their sinful way, He changed His mind about the trouble He said He would bring upon them, and He did not destroy Nineveh.


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He prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, is this not what I said You would do while still in my own country? That is why I ran away to Tarshish. For I knew that You are a kind and loving God Who shows pity. I knew that You are slow to anger and are filled with loving-kindness, always ready to change Your mind and not punish.


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Then Jonah left the city and sat to the east of the city. There he made a tent for himself, and sat in its shadow until he could see what would happen in the city.


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Then the Lord God made a plant grow up over Jonah to cover him from the hot sun and to stop his suffering. Jonah was very happy about the plant.


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When the sun came up, God sent a hot east wind. And the sun's heat came upon Jonah's head so that he became weak and begged with all his heart to die. He said, "Death is better to me than life."


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Then God said to Jonah, "Do you have a good reason to be angry about the plant?" And Jonah said, "I have a good reason to be angry, angry enough to die."


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The Lord said, "You had loving-pity on the plant which you did not work for. You did not cause it to grow. It came up during the night and died during the night.


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And should I not have loving-pity for Nineveh, the large city where more than 120,000 people live who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?"


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This is the Word of the Lord which came to Micah of Moresheth about Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.


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Hear, O people, all of you. Listen, O earth and all who are in it. The Lord God will speak against you from His holy house.


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The mountains will melt under Him and the valleys will break open, like a candle in front of the fire, like water poured down a hill.


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All this is because Jacob would not obey and because of the sins of the people of Israel. What is Jacob's sin? Is it not Samaria? What is the high place of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?


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So I will make Samaria a waste in the open country, making it a place to plant grape-fields. I will pour her stones down into the valley, and lay open the base of the city.


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All of her false gods will be broken to pieces. Everything given in the place of worship will be burned with fire. I will destroy all her objects of worship, for she gathered them from the pay of a woman who sells the use of her body. They will return to pay a woman who sells the use of her body.


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Because of this I must cry out in sorrow. I must go without shoes and clothing. I must cry out like the wild dogs, and cry in sorrow like the ostriches.


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For her hurt cannot be cured. It has come to Judah. It has come to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.


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Go on your way, people of Shaphir, without cloth-ing and in shame. The people of Zaanan do not come out. Cries of sorrow come from Beth-ezel. Its help is taken from you.


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Those who live in Maroth become weak waiting for good, because trouble has come down from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem.


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Tie the war-wagons to the horses, you people of Lachish. You were the beginning of sin to the people of Zion, for the sins of Israel were found in you.


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I will bring one who will beat you in battle, O people of Mareshah. The shining-greatness of Israel will come to Adullam.


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Cut off all your hair in sorrow for the children you love. Let no hair be on your head like the eagle, for your children will be taken away from you.


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It is bad for those who make plans to do wrong, who lie on their beds thinking of something sinful to do! When morning comes, they do it, because it is in their power.


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They want fields that belong to someone else, and take them. They want houses, and take them. They rob a man and his house, a man and what has been given to him.


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So the Lord says, "I am planning trouble against this family, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk in pride, for it will be a time of much trouble.


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On that day they will make fun of you and sing a bitter song of sorrow, saying, 'We are destroyed and everything is gone! My people's land is divided. He takes it from me! He gives our fields to those who turned against us.' "


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Should it be said, O people of Jacob: "Is the Spirit of the Lord angry? Would He do such things? Do not My Words do good to the one whose way is right and good?


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My people have begun to hate those who are at peace with them. You pull the coat off from a brother Israelite, from those who pass by in peace like men returning from war.


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You drive the women of My people away from their beautiful houses. You take My greatness away from their children forever.


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Get up and go away, for this is no place of rest, because it is made unclean. It is destroyed with much suffering.


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If a man comes speaking lies and says, 'I will speak to you about wine and strong drink,' he would be the one for these people!


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"I will gather all of you together, Jacob. I will gather all those left of Israel. I will put them together like sheep within a fence, like a flock in its field. The land will be filled with the noise of many people.


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The One Who breaks open the way will go out before them. They will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them, and the Lord will lead them."


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And I said, "Hear now, leaders of Jacob and rulers of the people of Israel! Should you not know what is fair?


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Yet you hate good and love sin. You tear off the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones.


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You eat my people's flesh, pull their skin off, break their bones, and cut them up like meat for the pot."


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Then they will cry to the Lord, but He will not answer them. He will hide His face from them at that time, because they have done sinful things.


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This is what the Lord says about the men who speak in God's name and lead my people the wrong way. When they have something to eat, they speak of peace. But they make holy war against him who does not feed them.


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So night will come to you without a special dream. Darkness will come to you without any word about the future. The sun will go down on those who speak about special dreams, and the day will become dark over them.


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Those who tell what is going to happen in the future will be ashamed. Those who learn about the future using their secret ways will be ashamed. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.


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But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, with what is fair, and with strength. I am able to make known to Jacob his wrong-doing, and to Israel his sin.


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Now listen to this, you leaders of Jacob and rulers of the people of Israel. You hate what is fair, and turn everything around that is right.


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Her leaders take pay in secret for doing wrong. Her religious leaders teach for a price. Her men who tell what is going to happen in the future do it for money. Yet they rest upon the Lord and say, "Is not the Lord among us? No trouble will come to us."


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So because of you Zion will be plowed as a field. Jerusalem will be laid waste. And the mountain of the Lord's house will be covered with trees.


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In the last days the mountain of the Lord's house will be the highest one of all. It will be raised above the hills, and the people will flow to it.


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Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about His ways, so that we may walk in His paths." For the Law will go out from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.


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He will judge between many people. He will decide for strong nations that are far away. Then they will beat their swords into plows, and their spears into cutting hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and they will never learn war any more.


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Every man will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make him afraid. For the mouth of the Lord of All has spoken.


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All the nations may walk in the name of their god. But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.


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"In that day," says the Lord, "I will gather together those who cannot walk and those who have been driven away, even those whom I have made to suffer.


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I will make a new beginning with those who cannot walk. I will make a strong nation of those who have been driven away. And the Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever.


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As for you, O watch-tower of the flock, the strong-place of the people of Zion, the power you had to rule will come to you again. The nation will come to Jerusalem.


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"Now why do you cry out in a loud voice? Is there no king among you? Has your wise man died, so that you have pains like a woman giving birth?


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Suffer in pain, O people of Zion, like a woman giving birth. For now you will go out of the city and live in the field, and go to Babylon. There you will be saved and He will make you free from the power of those who hate you.


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"Now many nations are gathered against you. They say, 'Let her be unclean. Let our eyes look on Zion.'


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But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord. They do not understand His plan. For He has gathered them like grain to the crushing-floor.


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Get up and crush the grain, O people of Zion. For I will give you horns of iron and feet of brass, and you will break many nations to pieces. You will give to the Lord what they received by hurting others. You will give their riches to the Lord of all the earth.


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"Now gather yourselves into armies, people of Israel. They are all around us with their army. They will hit the judge of Israel on the face.


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"Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are too little to be among the family groups of Judah. But from you One will come who will rule for Me in Israel. His coming was planned long ago, from the beginning."


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He will give them up until the time when the woman in pain gives birth to a child. Then the rest of His brothers will return to the people of Israel.


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And He will come and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the great power of the name of the Lord His God. His people will live there and be safe, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.


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And He will be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and crushes under foot our strong-places, we will fight against him with seven shepherds and eight leaders.


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They will rule the land of Assyria, the land of Nimrod, with the sword. And He will take us from the Assyrians when they come into our country and crush under foot our land.


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Then the people who are left of Jacob will be among many people like water on the ground in the early morning from the Lord, like rain on the grass, which does not wait for man.


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Those who are left of Jacob will be among the nations, among many people, like a lion among the animals in the woods, like a young lion among flocks of sheep. When he passes through, he crushes them and tears them to pieces, and there is no one to help them.


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I will destroy your false gods and your pillars of worship, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands.


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Listen to what the Lord says: "Stand up and make your cause known in front of the mountains. Let the hills hear your voice.


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Listen to the Lord's cause, you mountains and bases of the earth that last forever. The Lord has something against His people, and will speak against Israel.


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I brought you out of the land of Egypt. I took you out of the land where you were servants. And I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead you.


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My people, remember what Balak king of Moab said, and what Balaam son of Beor answered him. Remember what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may know the good things the Lord has done."


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What should I bring to the Lord when I bow down before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt gifts, with calves a year old?


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Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with 10,000 rivers of oil? Should I give my first-born to pay for not obeying? Should I give the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?


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O man, He has told you what is good. What does the Lord ask of you but to do what is fair and to love kindness, and to walk without pride with your God?


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The voice of the Lord is calling to the city, and it is wise to fear Your name: "Listen, O family of Judah, you who are gathered in the city.


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O sinful house, can I forget the riches you got by wrong-doing? You lied about the weight of things, which I hate.


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The rich men of the city have hurt many people. Her people are liars. Their tongues in their mouths speak false words.


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You will eat, but you will not be filled. Your stomachs will still be empty. You will store up, but save nothing. And what you save I will give to the sword.


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You will plant, but you will not gather. You will crush the olive, but you will not pour oil on yourself. You will crush the grapes, but you will not drink wine.


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You have kept the laws of Omri and all the works of the people of Ahab. You have followed their ways. So I will give you up to be destroyed, and your people will be made fun of. You, My people, will be put to shame." Sorrow For Israel's Sins


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It is bad for me! For I am like those who pick fruit and gather grapes. There are no grapes to eat, or any of the early figs that I want so much.


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There is not a God-like person left in the land. There is no good person among men. All of them lie in wait to kill. Each one hunts the other with a net.


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Both hands are very able in doing sinful things. The ruler and the judge ask for pay in secret to do what is wrong. The powerful man tells what he wants, and they all make plans together.


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The best of them is like a thistle. The most honest of them is like a thorn bush. The day you have a watchman, you will be punished. Then their trouble will come.


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Do not trust a neighbor. Do not put trust in a friend. Be careful what you say even with her who lies in your arms.


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For a son does not honor his father. A daughter rises up against her mother. And a daughterin-law turns against her mother-inlaw. Those of a man's own house hate him.


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But as for me, I will watch for the Lord. I will wait for the God Who saves me. My God will hear me.


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Do not have joy over me, you who hate me. When I fall, I will rise. Even though I am in darkness, the Lord will be my light.


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I will suffer under the Lord's anger, because I have sinned against Him, until He speaks for me and does what is fair for me. He will bring me out to the light, and I will see His saving power.


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Then the one who hated me will see, and shame will cover her who said to me, "Where is the Lord your God?" My eyes will look on her, and she will be crushed under foot like mud in the streets.


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In that day people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt to the Euphrates River, from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.


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Shepherd Your people with Your power. Take care of Your chosen flock which lives by itself in the woods, in a field of much fruit. Let them eat in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago.


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Nations will see and be ashamed of all their power. They will put their hands on their mouths, and will not be able to hear with their ears.


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They will eat the dust like a snake, like animals that move along the ground. They will come out of their strong-places shaking with fear. They will come in much fear to the Lord our God, and they will be afraid of You.


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Who is a God like You, Who forgives sin and the wrong-doing of Your chosen people who are left? He does not stay angry forever because He is happy to show lovingkindness.


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He will again have loving-pity on us. He will crush our sins under foot. Yes, You will throw all our sins into the deep sea.


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You will be true to Jacob and show lovingkindness to Abraham, as You promised our fathers in days long ago.


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The Lord is a jealous God and One Who punishes. The Lord punishes and is angry. The Lord punishes those who fight against Him. He is angry with those who hate Him.


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The Lord is slow to anger and great in power. The Lord will be sure to punish the guilty. The way He punishes is in the strong-wind and storm. The clouds are the dust under His feet.


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He speaks sharp words to the sea and makes it dry. He dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel dry up. The flowers of Lebanon dry up.


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Mountains shake because of Him, and the hills melt. The earth is laid waste before Him, the world and everyone in it.


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Who can stand before His anger? Who can live through the burning of His anger? His anger is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken up by Him.


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But He will put an end to Nineveh by making a flood flow over it. And He will drive those who hate Him into darkness.


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They are like thorns that tie themselves together, like those who are drunk with strong drink. They are destroyed like dry grass.


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From you one has come who makes sinful plans against the Lord, one who talks about sinful things to do.


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The Lord says, "Even if they are strong and many, they will be destroyed and pass away. I have brought trouble to you, O Judah, but I will not bring you trouble any more.


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The Lord has said this about you: "You will have no one to carry on your name. I will destroy the false gods and objects of worship from the house of your gods. I will make your grave ready, for you are very sinful."


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See, on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news and speaks of peace! Keep your special suppers, O Judah. Keep your promises. For the sinful one will never come against you again. He is destroyed.


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The one who destroys has come against you, O Nineveh. Put men on the battle-walls. Watch the road. Be strong. Be ready for battle.


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For the Lord will make Jacob great again, like the greatness of Israel, even when destroyers have destroyed them and their vine branches.


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The battle-coverings of his strong men are red. His men of war are dressed in red. The war-wagons shine like fire when they are made ready. The cypress spears are waved.


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The war-wagons race in the streets. They rush through the city. They look like fire and move like lightning.


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The leaders are called. They lose their step as they go, and hurry to the wall. The battle-covering is set up.


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The city is laid waste and the people are carried away. Her women servants are crying like doves, beating on their breasts.


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Take the silver! Take the gold! For there is no end of the riches, every kind of thing of great worth.


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Everything has been taken from her! Yes, she is an empty waste! Hearts are melting in fear and knees are knocking! All bodies suffer, and all their faces turn white!


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Where is the home of the lions, the place where they feed their young, where the male and female and young lions went, with nothing to be afraid of?


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The lion killed enough for his young, and for his female lions. He filled his home with food, with torn flesh.


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"I am against you," says the Lord of All. "I will burn up your war-wagons in smoke. A sword will destroy your young lions. I will cut off your food from the land. And the voice of your men who came with news will never be heard again."


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It is bad for the city of blood, full of lies and stolen riches! There is no end of her prizes of war!


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Horsemen rushing to battle, swords and spears shining, many dead, too many dead bodies to number! They fall over the dead bodies!


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All this is because of the many sins of the woman who sells the use of her body. She tempts with her beauty and uses witchcraft. She sells nations by her sinful acts, and families by her witchcraft.


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"I am against you," says the Lord of All. "I will lift up your clothing over your face and let the nations see your body. The nations will see your shame.


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All who see you will leave you and say, 'Nineveh is destroyed! Who will have sorrow for her?' Where can I find anyone to comfort you?"


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Are you better than Thebes, which is by the Nile River? Water was all around her. The sea kept her safe, for the water was her wall.


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Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, with too many to number. Put and Lubim were among her helpers.


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Yet she was taken away to a strange land. She was taken away in chains. Her small children were beaten to death at every street corner. They drew names to see who would get her men of honor. And all her great men were put in chains.


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You also will become drunk. You will be hidden. You will look for a safe place from those who hate you.


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All your strong towers are like fig trees with first-fruits. When they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the one who eats them.


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Your soldiers are all women. The gates of your land are opened wide to those who hate you. Fire destroys your gates.


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Store up water to drink when you are shut in by armies! Make your walls stronger! Go into the clay to make more clay blocks for building!


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There the fire will destroy you. The sword will kill you. It will destroy you like the locust. Make yourselves as many as the locusts, as many as the flying locusts.


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You have more traders than the stars of heaven. The locust destroys everything from the land and flies away.


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Your watchmen are like the flying locusts. Your leaders are like clouds of locusts. They stay in the stone walls on a cold day. When the sun rises they fly away and no one knows where they are.


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Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria. Your leaders are lying down. Your people have gone everywhere on the mountains. And there is no one to gather them together again.


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Nothing can heal your hurt. Your sore cannot be cured. All who hear about you will clap their hands over you. For who has not suffered under your sinful ways again and again?


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O Lord, how long must I call for help before You will hear? I cry out to You, "We are being hurt!" But You do not save us.


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Why do you make me see sins and wrong-doing? People are being destroyed in anger in front of me. There is arguing and fighting.


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The Law is not followed. What is right is never done. For the sinful are all around those who are right and good, so what is right looks like sin.


text:
"Look among the nations, and see! Be surprised and full of wonder! For I am doing something in your days that you would not believe if you were told.


text:
I am bringing the Babylonians to power. They are people filled with anger who go across the whole earth to take homes that are not theirs.


text:
Their horses are faster than leopards, and show less pity than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come on running horses from far away. They fly like an eagle coming down to get food.


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They make fun of kings and laugh at rulers. They laugh at every strong city and build a battle-wall to take it.


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Then they move through like the wind and keep going. They are guilty men, whose strength is their god."


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Have You not lived forever, O Lord, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. O Lord, You have chosen them to judge. You, O Rock, have chosen them to punish us.


text:
Your eyes are too pure to look at sin. You cannot look on wrong. Why then do You look with favor on those who do wrong? Why are You quiet when the sinful destroy those who are more right and good than they?


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Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, like things which move along the ground that have no ruler?


text:
The Babylonians bring all of them up with a hook, and pull them away with their net. They gather them together in their fishing net, and so they have joy and are glad.


text:
So they give gifts in worship to their net. They burn special perfume to their fishing net, because their net catches all the good things and good food they need.


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I will take my stand and keep watch. I will take my place on the tower. And I will keep watch to see what the Lord will say, and how I should answer when He speaks strong words to me.


text:
Then the Lord answered me and said, "Write down the special dream on stone so that one may read it in a hurry.


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For it is not yet time for it to come true. The time is coming in a hurry, and it will come true. If you think it is slow in coming, wait for it. For it will happen for sure, and it will not wait.


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As for the proud one, his soul is not right in him. But the one who is right and good will live by his faith.


text:
"Also, wine fools the proud man, so he does not stay at home. He is like the grave who always wants more. Like death, he never has enough. He gathers all nations for himself, and gathers all people for his own.


text:
"Will not all these people make fun of him and say, 'It is bad for him who gathers what is not his and makes himself rich with other people's money. How long will this go on?'


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Will not those to whom you owe money rise up all at once? Will they not wake up and make you afraid? Then they will take what belongs to you.


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Because you have robbed many nations, the rest of them will rob you. For you have killed men. You have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.


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"It is bad for him who builds his house by sinful ways, to put his nest in a high place to be safe from trouble!


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You have brought shame upon your house by destroying many nations. You are sinning against yourself.


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Is it not the will of the All-powerful Lord that people work for what will burn up and nations make themselves tired for nothing?


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For the earth will be filled with knowing of the Lord's shining-greatness, as the waters cover the sea.


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"It is bad for him who makes his neighbors drink, mixing in his poison to make them drunk, so he can look on their shame!


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You will be filled with shame instead of honor. Now you yourself drink and let your own shame be seen. The cup in the Lord's right hand will come around to you, and your greatness will turn to shame.


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The bad things you have done to Lebanon will come back to you. Because you have killed its animals, now they will make you afraid. This will happen because of all the killing you have done. You have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.


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"Of what worth is a false god when a workman has made it? Of what worth is an object of worship, a teacher of lies? For the workman trusts in his own work when he makes these false gods that cannot speak.


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It is bad for him who says to a piece of wood, 'Wake up!' or to a stone that cannot speak, 'Get up!' Can this teach you? See, it is covered with gold and silver. There is no breath in it.


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O Lord, I have heard of what You have done, and I am filled with fear. O Lord, do again in our times the great things which You have done before. Remember to show lovingkindness, even when You are angry.


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God comes from Teman. The Holy One comes from Mount Paran. His shining-greatness covers the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise.


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He stood and looked over the earth. He looked and shook the nations. The lasting mountains were broken to pieces, and the old hills fell down. His ways last forever.


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Were You angry with the rivers, O Lord? Was Your anger against the rivers? Or were You angry with the sea? You rode on Your horses. You rode on Your war-wagons saving people.


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You took the covering off Your bow and put the arrows to the string. You divided the earth with rivers.


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The mountains saw You and shook. The flood of waters flowed by. The sea made its noise and its waves rose high.


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The sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the light of Your arrows, at the shining of Your spear.


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You went to save Your people, to save Your chosen ones. You crushed the leader of the land of the sinful and laid him open from thighs to neck.


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With his own spear You cut through the head of his soldiers. They came like a storm to send us everywhere, finding joy as if they were destroying in secret those who had it very hard.


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I heard and my body shook. My lips shook at the sound. My bones began to waste away and my legs shook. Yet I will be quiet and wait for the day of trouble to come upon the people who fight against us.


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Even if the fig tree does not grow figs and there is no fruit on the vines, even if the olives do not grow and the fields give no food, even if there are no sheep within the fence and no cattle in the cattle-building,


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The Lord God is my strength. He has made my feet like the feet of a deer, and He makes me walk on high places. This is for the song leader, on my different kinds of harps.


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This is the Word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Godaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.


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"I will take away man and animal. I will take away the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea. I will destroy the sinful. And I will take man from off the earth," says the Lord.


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"I will put out My hand against Judah and against all the people of Jerusalem. I will destroy from this place the rest of the people who worship Baal, and the names of the religious leaders who worship false gods.


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I will destroy those who bow down on the roofs to the stars of heaven, and those who bow down and make promises to the Lord and yet promise in the name of Milcom.


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I will destroy those who have turned back from following the Lord, and those who have not looked for the Lord or prayed to Him."


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Be quiet before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has made a gift ready for the altar. He has made holy those whom He has asked to come.


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"On the day of the Lord's gift, I will punish the leaders, the king's sons, and all who dress themselves with strange clothes.


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On that day I will punish everyone who is quick to jump through the door, who fill the house of their owner with angry actions and lies.


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On that day," says the Lord, "a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate. A cry of sorrow will be heard from the new part of the city, and a loud noise from the hills.


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Cry in a loud voice, you people who live in the part of the city where people buy and sell. For all the traders of Canaan will be destroyed. All who weigh out silver will be cut off.


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At that time I will look through Jerusalem with a light and will punish those who take it easy and do not care what happens. They say in their hearts, 'The Lord will not do good or bad.'


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Their riches will be taken from them and their houses will be laid waste. They will build houses but not live in them. They will plant grape-fields but not drink their wine."


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The great day of the Lord is near. It is near and coming soon. Listen! The cry on the day of the Lord! The man of war will cry out with a bitter cry.


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That day is a day of anger, a day of trouble and suffering, a day when much will be destroyed, a day of darkness, a day of clouds and much darkness.


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It is a day of the sound of a horn and the cry of battle against the strong cities and the high towers.


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I will bring trouble to men so that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like body waste.


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Their silver and gold will not be able to save them on the day of the Lord's anger. All the earth will be destroyed in the fire of His jealousy. For all at once He will make an end of all the people of the earth.


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before you are driven away like the waste from the grain. Gather together before the burning anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger.


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Look for the Lord, all you people of the earth who are not proud, and who have obeyed His Laws. Look for what is right and good. Have no pride. You may be kept safe on the day of the Lord's anger.


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For Gaza will be left empty. Ashkelon will be laid waste. Ashdod's people will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be pulled up by the roots.


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It is bad for the people who live by the sea, the nation of the Cherethites! The Word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines. I will destroy you so that no people will be left living in you.


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The land by the sea will be for those left of the people of Judah. They will let their flocks eat there. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. For the Lord their God will care for them and return their riches.


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"I have heard how Moab has made fun of My people and the sons of Ammon have spoken strong words against them. They have spoken in pride against My people's land.


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So as I live," says the Lord of All, the God of Israel, "Moab will be like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon will be like Gomorrah, a land taken over by thistles and salt, a waste land forever. Those left of My people will rob them. Those left of My nation will take their land."


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This will happen to them because of their pride, because they have made fun of the people of the Lord of All.


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They will be filled with fear because of the Lord. He will destroy all the gods of the earth. All the nations beside the sea will worship Him, every one in his own land.


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He will put out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria. And He will destroy Nineveh, making it a waste land like the desert.


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Flocks will lie down in it, all the animals of the field. The pelican and the hedgehog will live in the tops of its pillars. Birds will sing in the window. And the doorways will be broken down. The pieces of cedar will not be covered.


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This is the city that is full of joy and takes it easy and thinks it is safe. It says to itself, "I am, and there is no one else." How it has become a waste, a resting place for animals! All who pass by will make fun of her and laugh at her shaking their hands.


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She does not listen to anyone and will not be taught. She did not trust in the Lord. She does not come near to her God.


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Her leaders are lions that make a loud noise. Her judges are wolves at evening. They leave nothing for the morning.


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Her men who tell what is going to happen in the future are proud and cannot be trusted. Her religious leaders have made the holy place unclean. They have turned in anger against the Law.


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The Lord within her is right and good. He will be fair and do nothing wrong. Every morning He brings to light what is fair. Every new day He is faithful. But the one who does wrong knows no shame.


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"I have cut off nations. Their towers are destroyed. I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them. Their cities are laid waste, and no one lives in them.


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I said, 'For sure you will honor Me with fear and receive teaching.' Then her place would not be destroyed and she would not be punished as I had planned. But they were quick to make all their works sinful.


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"So wait for Me," says the Lord, "for the day when I stand up to speak. I have decided to gather nations together to pour My burning anger upon them. All the earth will be destroyed by the fire of My jealous anger.


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Then I will make the lips of the people pure. And all of them will call on the name of the Lord, to serve Him shoulder to shoulder.


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Those who worship Me and have been driven away will bring My gifts in worship from the other side of the rivers of Ethiopia.


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On that day you will not be put to shame because of all the works you have done against Me. For then I will take away all your people who find joy in their pride. And you will never be proud again on My holy mountain.


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The people of Israel who are left will do no wrong and tell no lies. A lying tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down with no one to make them afraid."


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Sing, O people of Zion! Call out, O Israel! Have joy and be happy with all your heart, O people of Jerusalem!


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The Lord has taken away your punishment. He has taken away those who hate you. The King of Israel, the Lord, is with you. You will not be afraid of trouble any more.


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On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: "Do not be afraid, O Zion. Do not let your hands lose their strength.


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The Lord your God is with you, a Powerful One Who wins the battle. He will have much joy over you. With His love He will give you new life. He will have joy over you with loud singing.


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At that time I will punish all those who made it hard for you. I will save those who cannot walk and gather those who have been driven away. And I will turn their shame into praise. They will be known all over the earth.


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At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you together. I will make you known all over the earth, and all the nations will praise you, when I return your riches before your eyes," says the Lord


text:
On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king, the Word of the Lord came to Haggai. The Word was for Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, saying,


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"This is what the Lord of All says: 'These people say, "The time has not yet come to build again the house of the Lord." ' "


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"Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your houses with walls covered with wood, while this house lies waste?"


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You have planted much, but gather little. You eat, but there is not enough to fill you. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothing, but no one is warm enough. You earn money, but put it into a bag with holes."


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Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build again the house of God, that I may be pleased with it and worshiped as I should be," says the Lord.


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"You look for much, but it turns out to be little. When you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?" says the Lord of All. "Because My house lies waste, while each of you takes care of his own house.


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So the sky has held back the water on the grass in the early morning because of you, and the earth has held back its food.


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I have called for a time without rain on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on the vegetables, on men, on cattle, and on all the work of your hands."


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Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, and all the rest of the people of Israel, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God. They obeyed the words of Haggai the man of God, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people honored the Lord with fear.


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Then Haggai the man of God spoke for the Lord to the people, saying, "I am with you," says the Lord.


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So the Lord moved the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, and the spirit of all the rest of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of All, their God.


text:
On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Word of the Lord came by Haggai the man of God, saying,


text:
"Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, and to the rest of the people. Say to them,


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'Who is left among you who saw this house of God as it was before in its greatness? And how does it look to you now? Is it anything like it was?


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But now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the Lord. 'Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, head religious leader. And be strong, all you people of the land,' says the Lord. 'Do the work, for I am with you,' says the Lord of All.


text:
For the Lord of All says, 'Once again, in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.


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I will shake all the nations so that the riches of all nations will come in. And I will fill this house with greatness,' says the Lord of All.


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'This house will be even greater than it was before,' says the Lord of All. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the Lord of All."


text:
On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month in the second year of Darius, the Word of the Lord came to Haggai the man of God, saying,


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If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his clothing, and this fold touches bread or hot food, or wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?' " The religious leaders answered and said, "No."


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Then Haggai said, "If a man is unclean because he touched a dead body and touches any of these, will it become unclean?" And the religious leaders answered and said, "It will become unclean."


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Then Haggai said, " 'So are these people, and so is this nation before Me,' says the Lord. 'And so is everything they have made. What they give there is unclean.


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Now think about this from this day on. Think about how things were before one stone was placed on another in the house of the Lord.


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When anyone came to a place where there were twenty baskets of grain, there would be only ten. When anyone came to a place to get fifty bottles of wine, there would be only twenty.


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I destroyed you and everything you did with a strong-wind, disease, and hail. Yet you did not return to Me,' says the Lord.


text:
'Think about this from this day on, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day when the base of the Lord's house was laid, think about this:


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Is the seed still in the store-house? The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not given any fruit. Yet from this day on I will bring good to you.' "


text:
I will take the power away from kings and destroy the power of the nations. I will destroy war-wagons and their drivers. Horses and their horsemen will fall, every one by the sword of another.


text:
On that day,' says the Lord of All, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,' says the Lord. 'And I will make you like a ring for marking My name. For I have chosen you,' says the Lord of All."


text:
In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the Word of the Lord came to Zechariah the man of God, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,


text:
Do not be like your fathers. The men who spoke for Me in the past told them, 'The Lord of All says, "Return from your sinful ways and from your sinful works." ' But they did not listen to Me," says the Lord.


text:
I gave My Words and My Laws to your fathers through My servants who spoke for Me. But they would not listen and so they were punished. Then they were sorry for their sins and said, 'The Lord of All has punished us for our ways and our works, as He said He would.' " ' "


text:
On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the Word of the Lord came to Zechariah the man of God, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.


text:
During the night while I was sleeping I saw a man traveling on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the narrow valley, with red, brown, and white horses behind him.


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I asked, "My lord, what are these?" And the angel who was speaking with me said, "I will show you what these are."


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So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees said, "These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to travel all over the earth to keep watch."


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And they said to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have looked over all the earth, and saw that the whole earth is at rest and in peace."


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Then the angel of the Lord said, "O Lord of All, how long will You have no loving-pity for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You have been angry with them for seventy years now."


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So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, "Make this known: 'The Lord of All says, "I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion.


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But I am very angry with the nations who take it easy. When I was only a little angry, they added to the trouble."


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So the Lord says, "I will return to Jerusalem with loving-pity. My house will be built in it and all Jerusalem will be built again," says the Lord of All.


text:
Also make this known: 'The Lord of All says, "My cities will again be filled with riches. The Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem." ' "


text:
So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, "What are these?" And he said, "These are the horns which have divided the people of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."


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I said, "What are these coming to do?" And he said, "These are the horns which have sent the people of Judah everywhere, so that no man raised his head. But these workmen have come to make them afraid and to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah so the people would be sent everywhere."


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Then the angel who was speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet him,


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and said to him, "Run, say to that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the many men and cattle in it.


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For I will be a wall of fire around her,' says the Lord. 'And I will be the shining-greatness of her.' "


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"Come, come, run from the land of the north!" says the Lord. "For I have sent you to the four winds of the heavens," says the Lord.


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For the Lord of All says, "The Lord of shining-greatness has sent Me against the nations which have robbed you in battle. For whoever touches you, touches what is of great worth to Him.


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I will wave My hand over them, and they will be taken by those who were made to serve them. Then you will know that the Lord of All has sent Me.


text:
Sing for joy and be glad, O people of Zion. For I am coming and I will live among you," says the Lord.


text:
"Many nations will be joined to the Lord in that day and will become My people. I will live among you, and you will know that the Lord of All has sent Me to you.


text:
Then he showed me Joshua the head religious leader standing before the angel of the Lord. And Satan was standing at his right side to blame him.


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The Lord said to Satan, "May the Lord's Word be sharp against you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem speak sharp words against you! Is not this a burning stick saved from the fire?"


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The angel said to those who were standing in front of him, "Take off his dirty clothes." And he said to him, "See, I have taken your sin away from you, and will dress you in beautiful clothes."


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Then I said, "Let them put a clean covering on his head." So they put a clean covering on his head and dressed him in clothes, while the angel of the Lord was standing by.


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"The Lord of All says, 'If you will walk in My ways and do My work, then you will rule My house and everything around it. And I will give you a place among these who are standing here.


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Now listen, Joshua the head religious leader, and your friends who are sitting in front of you are men who show a part of the good things to come in the future. See, I am going to bring My Servant the Branch.


text:
See the stone that I have set in front of Joshua. There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will cut writings on it,' says the Lord of All. 'And I will take away the sin of that land in one day.


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In that day,' says the Lord of All, 'every one of you will ask his neighbor to come sit under his vine and under his fig tree.' "


text:
Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me up like a man would be made to wake up from his sleep.


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He said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see a gold lamp-stand with a cup at the top and seven lamps on it. And there are seven places to hold oil, one on the top of each of the lamps.


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So the angel who was speaking with me said, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord."


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Then he said to me, "This is the Word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by strength nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of All.


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'What are you, O great mountain? In front of Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring out the top stone and call out, "May God give it loving-favor!" ' "


text:
"Zerubbabel's hands have laid the first stones of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of All has sent me to you.


text:
Who has hated the day of small things? Men will be glad when they see Zerubbabel building the walls of the Lord's house. These seven are the eyes of the Lord which travel over all the earth."


text:
A second time I said to him, "What are the two olive branches beside the two gold places that hold the oil to be poured out?"


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And the angel said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see a flying book, as long as ten long steps and as wide as five long steps."


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Then he said to me, "This is the curse that is going out over all the land. Everyone who steals will be cut off by what is written on one side. And everyone who swears will be cut off by what is written on the other side.


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I will send it out," says the Lord of All, "and it will go into the house of the robber and the house of the one who makes false promises using My name. It will spend the night in that house and destroy it, both its wood and stones."


text:
Then the angel who was speaking with me came out and said to me, "Look up and see what this is that is going out."


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And I said, "What is it?" He said, "This is the large basket going out." And he said, "This is the sin of all the people in all the land."


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The angel said, "This is Sin!" And he threw her back into the basket and threw the lead weight on its opening.


text:
Then I looked up and saw two women coming out with the wind in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork. And they lifted up the large basket between earth and heaven.


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He said to me, "To build a house for it in the land of Shinar. When it is ready, it will be put in its place."


text:
I looked up again and saw four war-wagons coming out from between the two mountains. The mountains were made of brass.


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The angel said to me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going away from standing before the Lord of All the earth.


text:
The war-wagon with the black horses is going toward the north country. The white ones follow them. And the horses with spots go toward the south country.


text:
When the strong horses went out, they were in a hurry to look over all the earth." And he said, "Go, look over all the earth." So they went over the whole earth.


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Then he called to me, "See, those who are going to the land of the north have given My Spirit rest in the north country."


text:
"Take the gifts from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have returned from Babylon. And go the same day to the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah.


text:
Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader.


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Then tell him, 'The Lord of All says, "See, the man whose name is the Branch, for He will branch out from where He is. And He will build the house of the Lord.


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Yes, He is the One Who will build the house of the Lord. He will be honored as King, and sit and rule on His throne. And He will be a religious leader on His throne, and there will be peace between the two." '


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The crown will be in the Lord's house, that people may remember Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah.


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Those who are far away will come to build the house of the Lord. Then you will know that the Lord of All has sent me to you. This will happen if you are careful to obey the Lord your God."


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In the fourth year of King Darius, the Word of the Lord came to Zechariah. This was on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev.


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Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to ask for the Lord's favor.


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They asked the religious leaders of the house of the Lord of All, and the men who speak for God, "Should I cry and go without food in the fifth month, as I have done these many years?"


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"Say to all the people of the land and to the religious leaders, 'When you went without food and cried in sorrow in the fifth and seventh months these 70 years, was it to honor Me?


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Are not these the words the Lord made known through the men who spoke for Him in the past? They spoke these words when Jerusalem was full of people and riches, together with the cities around it, and when the Negev and the lower hills were full of people.' "


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Do not make it hard for the woman whose husband has died, or the child who has no parents, or the stranger, or the poor. Do not make sinful plans in your hearts against one another.'


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They made their hearts like hard stone, so that they could not hear the Law and the words which the Lord of All had sent by His Spirit through the men who spoke for Him in the past. So the Lord of All became very angry.


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When I called, they would not listen. So when they called, I would not listen," says the Lord of All.


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"With the wind of a storm I sent them everywhere among all the nations that they had not known. The land was laid waste behind them, so that no one could come or go. They turned the good land into an empty waste."


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The Lord says, 'I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of All will be called the Holy Mountain.'


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The Lord of All says, 'Old men and old women will sit in the streets of Jerusalem again. Each man will have a walking stick in his hand because he will be old.


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The Lord of All says, 'It may be wonderful to the few people here in those days, but will it be wonderful to Me also?' says the Lord of All.


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The Lord of All says, 'I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west.


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I will bring them back and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be My people and I will be their God. I will be faithful and do what is right and good for them.'


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"The Lord of All says, 'You who are now listening to these words spoken through the men of God who were there when the Lord's house was started, let your hands be strong for building the Lord's house.


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Before that time there was no pay for man or animal. No one could come in or go out in peace because of those who hated him. I turned people against one another.


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'The seed will grow in peace. The vine will give its fruit. The land will give its food. The heavens will give water on the grass in the early morning. And I will let the rest of this people have all these things.


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O people of Judah and Israel, just as you were a curse among the nations, I will save you and make you something good. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strong.'


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These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another. Judge with truth so there will be peace within your gates.


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Do not make sinful plans against one another in your hearts. And do not love to make false promises. For I hate all these things,' says the Lord."


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"The Lord of All says, 'The times when you do not eat in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become glad times of joy. They will become happy, special suppers for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace.'


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The people of one city will say to another, "Let us go at once and pray to the Lord and ask for His favor. I will go also."


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'So many people and powerful nations will come to look for the Lord of All in Jerusalem and to ask for the Lord's favor.'


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The Lord of All says, 'In those days ten men from the nations of every language will take hold of the coat of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." ' "


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The Word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus. For the eyes of men and all the family groups of Israel are on the Lord.


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The Word of the Lord is against Hamath also, which is beside Hadrach, and against Tyre and Sidon, even though they are very wise.


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For Tyre built a strong tower for herself. She gathered silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.


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But the Lord will take away her riches and throw them into the sea. And she will be destroyed by fire.


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Ashkelon will see it and be afraid. Gaza will suffer with much pain. So will Ekron, for her hope will be destroyed. Gaza will lose her king, and no one will live in Ashkelon.


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I will take the blood from their mouths, and the unclean food from between their teeth. Those who are left will belong to our God, and be like a family in Judah. Ekron will be like the Jebusites.


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Then I will camp around My land and keep armies from going through it. No one will make it hard for them again, for now I am keeping watch.


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Be full of joy, O people of Zion! Call out in a loud voice, O people of Jerusalem! See, your King is coming to you. He is fair and good and has the power to save. He is not proud and sits on a donkey, on the son of a female donkey.


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I will destroy the war-wagon from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem. The battle-bow will be broken. He will make peace among the nations and rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.


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As for you, because of the blood of My agreement with you, I have set your people free from the deep hole that has no water.


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Return to the strong city, you prisoners who have hope. Today I am telling you that I will give you twice as much as you had before.


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I will use Judah as My bow, and Ephraim as My arrow. I will move your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you like a soldier's sword.


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Then the Lord will be seen over them, and His arrow will go out like lightning. The Lord God will blow the horn and go in the storm winds of the south.


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The Lord of All will fight for them, and they will destroy, and walk on the stones that were to be thrown at them. They will drink and make much noise as with wine. They will be filled like a cup used for putting blood on the corners of the altar.


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The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of His people. For they are like the stones of a crown, shining in His land.


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How good and how beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men grow strong. And the young, pure women will grow strong with new wine.


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Ask the Lord for rain in the spring time. It is the Lord Who makes the storm clouds. He gives rain to men, and gives vegetables in the field to every one.


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The false gods say what is not true. Those who use their secret ways tell lies about the false dreams they have seen. Their comfort means nothing. So the people go from place to place like sheep and are troubled because they have no shepherd.


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"My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders. For the Lord of All has visited His flock, the people of Judah, and will make them like His proud horse in battle.


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From them will come the cornerstone. From them will come the tent nail. From them will come the bow of battle. And from them will come every ruler.


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Together they will be like powerful men, crushing under foot those who hate them into the mud of the streets. They will fight and win the battle against the horsemen because the Lord is with them.


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I will give strength to the family of Judah. I will save the family of Joseph, and I will bring them back, because I have loving-pity on them. They will be as if I had not turned away from them. For I am the Lord their God, and I will answer them.


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Ephraim will be like a powerful man. Their hearts will be glad as with wine. And their children will see it and be glad. Their hearts will have joy in the Lord.


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I will call them together, for I have saved them and set them free. And they will be as many as they were before.


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Even when I send them everywhere among the nations, they will remember Me in far countries. They and their children will live and return.


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I will bring them back from the land of Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon until there is no more room for them.


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When they pass through the sea of trouble, I will hold back the waves in the sea. The whole Nile River will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and Egypt will lose its power.


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Cry in sorrow, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen. The beautiful trees have been destroyed. Cry in sorrow, O oaks of Bashan, for the many trees have fallen.


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Listen to the cry of the shepherds, for their great land is laid waste. Listen to the sound of the young lions, for the trees along the valley of the Jordan River lay waste.


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Those who buy them kill them and are not punished. And those who sell them say, 'Thanks and honor be to the Lord, for I have become rich!' Their own shepherds have no pity on them.


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For I will no longer have pity on the people who live in this land," says the Lord. "I will give everyone over to the power of his neighbor and his king. They will bring trouble to the land, and I will not save them from their power."


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So I took care of the flock that was to be killed, and those of the flock who suffered. I took two walking sticks. One I called Favor, and the other I called Agreement. I took care of the flock.


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Then I said, "I will not take care of you. Let those die who are to die. And what is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. Let those who are left eat each other's flesh."


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And I took my walking stick Favor and cut it in pieces, to break the agreement I had made with all the people.


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So it was broken on that day. And those of the flock who suffered and were watching me knew that it was the Word of the Lord.


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I said to them, "If you think it is right, give me my pay. But if not, keep it." So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver as my pay.


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Then the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the one who makes pots - the great price they thought I was worth." So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the pot maker in the house of the Lord.


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Then I cut my second walking stick, Agreement, in pieces, to break the agreement between Judah and Israel.


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For I am going to have a shepherd rule over the land who will not care for the dying. He will not look for those who were sent everywhere or heal the hurt, or feed those who are well. But he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their feet.


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It is bad for the shepherd who has no worth and who leaves the flock! A sword will destroy his arm and his right eye! His arm will be all dried up, and his right eye will be blind."


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The Word of the Lord about Israel: The Lord, Who spread out the heavens, who put the earth in its place, and made the spirit of man within him says this about Israel:


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"I am going to make Jerusalem like a cup that makes all the people around it seem to be drunk. Judah will be shut in by armies as well as Jerusalem.


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On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the people. All who lift it will be hurt. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.


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On that day," says the Lord, "I will put fear in every horse, and make the horsemen crazy. But I will watch over the people of Judah, while I make every horse of the nations blind.


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Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, 'The people of Jerusalem are strong because of the Lord of All, their God.'


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On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a pot of fire among pieces of wood, like fire among cut grain. They will destroy all the people around them, on the right and on the left. And the people of Jerusalem will again live on their own land in Jerusalem.


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The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the shining-greatness of the family of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not be greater than that of Judah.


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On that day the Lord will fight for the people of Jerusalem. The one who is weak among them on that day will be like David. And the family of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord leading them.


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"I will pour out the Spirit of loving-favor and prayer on the family of David and on those who live in Jerusalem. They will look on Him Whose side they cut. They will cry in sorrow for Him, as one cries for an only son. They will cry much over Him, like those who have lost their first-born son.


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On that day there will be much crying in Jerusalem, like the cries of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.


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The land will be filled with sorrow, each family by itself. The families of David and their wives, and the family of Nathan and their wives, will each be filled with sorrow.


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The family of Levi and their wives will cry in sorrow, and the family of the Shimeites and their wives,


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"On that day a well of water will be opened for the family of David and for the people of Jerusalem to make them clean from their sin.


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"On that day," says the Lord of All, "I will destroy the names of the false gods from the land. They will no longer be remembered. And I will take away from the land those who tell what will happen in the future and the unclean spirit.


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If anyone still tells what will happen in the future, his father and mother who gave birth to him will tell him, 'You must not live, because you have lied in the name of the Lord.' And his father and mother who gave birth to him will kill him when he speaks false words.


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On that day those who tell what will happen in the future will each be ashamed of his special dream when he speaks. He will not put on clothing made from hair to fool the people.


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But he will say, 'I am not a man who speaks for God. I am a farmer. A man sold me as a servant when I was young.'


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If someone asks him, 'What are these sores on your back?' he will answer, 'They are the sores I received in the house of my friends.'


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"Wake up, O sword, against My shepherd and against the man who is close to Me," says the Lord of All. "Kill the shepherd, and the sheep will go everywhere. And I will turn My hand against the little ones.


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And I will bring the third part through the fire. I will make them pure like silver is made pure. I will test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are My people,' and they will say, 'The Lord is my God.' "


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For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle. The city will be taken. The houses will be robbed. The women will be taken against their will. And half of the city will be taken away to a strange land. But the rest of the people will not be taken away from the city.


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On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, in front of Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives will be divided in two from east to west by a very large valley. Half the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.


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You will run away by the valley of My mountains, for it will go as far as Azel. You will run away just as you did when the earth shook in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him.


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It will be a special day which is known to the Lord. It will not be day or night. For when evening comes, there will be light.


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On that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem. Half of them will flow toward the sea in the east. The other half will flow toward the sea in the west. They will flow in summer and in winter.


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The Lord will be King over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.


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The whole land will be changed into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem will rise and stay on its land from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to where the king's wine is made.


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People will live in it, and there will be no more curse. The people of Jerusalem will live without fear.


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Now this is how the Lord will punish all the people who have gone to war against Jerusalem. Their flesh will waste away while they stand on their feet. Their eyes will waste away in their faces, and their tongues will waste away in their mouths.


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On that day the Lord will send much fear upon them. They will take hold of one another's hand, and the hand of one will be raised against the hand of another.


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Judah also will fight at Jerusalem. And the riches of all the nations around will be gathered, much gold and silver and clothing.


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The same kind of punishment will come upon the horse, the mule, the camel, the donkey, and all the cattle in those camps.


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Then everyone who is left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go each year to worship the King, the Lord of All, and to keep the Special Supper of Tents.


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If any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of All, they will have no rain.


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If the family of Egypt does not go up to worship, then they will have no rain. The Lord will punish them as He punishes the nations that do not go up to keep the Special Supper of Tents.


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This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to keep the Special Supper of Tents.


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On that day, "Holy to the Lord," will be written on the bells of the horses. And the cooking pots in the house of the Lord will be like the holy dishes in front of the altar.


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Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the Lord of All. And all who come bringing gifts in worship will take some of the pots and cook in them. On that day there will no longer be one who buys and sells in the house of the Lord of All.


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"I have loved you," says the Lord. But you say, "How have You loved us?" "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" says the Lord. "Yet I have loved Jacob,


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but I have hated Esau. I have laid waste his mountains and have given his riches to the wild dogs of the desert."


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Edom may say, "We have been destroyed, but we will return and build our cities again." But the Lord of All says, "They may build, but I will tear down. They will be called the sinful land, the people with whom the Lord is angry forever."


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"A son honors his father. A servant honors his owner. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? If I am a boss, where is My respect? says the Lord of All to you, O religious leaders who hate My name. But you say, 'How have we hated Your name?'


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You are bringing unclean food to My altar. But you say, 'How have we made Your altar unclean?' "Because you say the Lord's table is to be hated.


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When you bring a blind animal to the altar as My gift, is it not sinful? When you bring one that cannot walk, or one that is sick, is it not sinful? Why not bring it to your ruler? Would he be pleased with you? Would he receive it?" says the Lord of All.


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"Now pray for God's favor, that He may be kind to us. With such gifts from your hands, will He receive any of you in kindness?" says the Lord of All.


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"If only there were one among you who would shut the gates and stop you from burning a fire on My altar for nothing! I am not pleased with you," says the Lord of All. "And I will not receive a gift in worship from you.


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From sunrise to sunset My name will be great among the nations. Special perfume will be given to My name everywhere, and a grain gift that is pure. For My name will be great among the nations," says the Lord of All.


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"But you are making it unclean when you say that the table of the Lord is unclean, and that its food is to be hated.


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You say, 'How tired it makes us!' And you turn your nose away from it," says the Lord of All. "You bring what was stolen, and what cannot walk, and what is sick. You bring this as your gift! Should I receive that from your hands?" says the Lord.


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"A curse will come upon the sinful man who promises to give a male from his flock, but gives an animal that is not perfect to the Lord. For I am a great King," says the Lord of All. "And My name is feared among the nations.


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If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor My name," says the Lord of All, "then I will send the curse on you. I will destroy the good things you have been given. Yes, I have cursed them already, because you have not set your heart to honor Me.


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I will speak sharp words to your children. I will spread animal waste on your faces, the waste of your special suppers. And you will be taken away with it.


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Then you will know that I have sent this word to you, so that My agreement with Levi may be kept," says the Lord of All.


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"My agreement with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him, that he might honor Me with fear. So he honored Me with fear. My name filled him with fear and wonder.


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True teaching was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and was right and good. And he turned many from sin.


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For the lips of a religious leader should have much learning. Men should listen for teaching from his mouth, for he is sent by the Lord of All.


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But you have turned aside from the way. You have made many fall by your teaching. You have sinned against the agreement of Levi," says the Lord of All.


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"So I have made you hated and ashamed in front of all the people, for you are not keeping My ways. You have shown favor to certain people when you teach them."


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"Do we not all have one Father? Has not one God made us? Why can we not be trusted by one another? Why do we sin against the agreement of our fathers?


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Judah has not been faithful. A very sinful thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has made unclean the holy place of the Lord, which He loves. And he has married the daughter of a strange god.


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May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob every man who does this, even if he brings a gift in worship to the Lord of All.


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This is another thing you do: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears from much crying, because He no longer cares about the gift or receives it with favor from your hands.


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You ask, "Why?" It is because the Lord has seen how you have not been faithful to the wife you married when you were young, even when she stays with you and is your wife by agreement.


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Has not the Lord made them one in flesh and spirit? And what does He desire but God-like children? Be careful then in your spirit, and stay faithful to the wife you married when you were young.


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"For I hate divorce," says the Lord, the God of Israel. "And I hate the man who does wrong to his wife," says the Lord of All. "So be careful in your spirit, and be one who can be trusted."


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You have made the Lord tired with your words. Yet you say, "How have we made Him tired?" By saying, "Everyone who sins is good in the eyes of the Lord, and He is pleased with them." Or by asking, "Where is the God Who is fair?"


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"See, I am going to send one with news, and he will make the way ready before Me. Then all at once the Lord you are looking for will come to His house. The one with the news of the agreement, whom you desire, is coming," says the Lord of All.


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"But who can live through the day of His coming? Who can stand when He shows Himself? For He is like a fire for making gold pure, and like a strong cleaner.


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He will sit as one who melts silver and makes it pure. He will make the sons of Levi pure. He will make them pure like gold and silver, so that they may bring the right gifts to the Lord.


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Then I will come to judge you. I will be quick to speak against those who use witchcraft, and those who do sex sins, and those who make false promises. I will speak against those who do not pay a man what he has earned, and who make it hard for the woman whose husband has died and for children who have no parents. And I will speak against those who turn away the stranger and do not fear Me," says the Lord of All.


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"From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My Laws and have not obeyed them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the Lord of All. "But you say, 'How are we to return?'


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Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' You have not given Me the tenth part of what you receive and your gifts.


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Bring the tenth part into the store-house, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this," says the Lord of All. "See if I will not then open the windows of heaven and pour out good things for you until there is no more need.


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I will speak sharp words to the destroyer for you, so that it may not destroy the fruits of the ground. And your vine in the field will be sure to give its grapes," says the Lord of All.


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"All the nations will say that much good has come to you, for you will be a happy land," says the Lord of All.


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"Your words have been spoken in pride against Me," says the Lord. "Yet you say, 'What have we said against You?'


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You have said, 'It is of no worth to serve God. What do we get by doing what He says, or by walking in sorrow before the Lord of All?


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So now we say that it is good to be proud. Not only are sinners doing well, but they put God to the test and get away with it.' "


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Then those who feared the Lord spoke often to one another, and the Lord listened to them. And the names of those who worshiped the Lord and honored Him were written down before Him in a Book to be remembered.


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"They will be Min says the Lord of All, "on that day that I gather My special people. I will have loving-pity on them as a man has loving-pity on his own son who serves him."


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Then you will again see the difference between those who are right and good, and those who are sinful. You will see the difference between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.


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"See, the day is coming. It is burning like a hot fire. And all those who are proud and those who do wrong will be like dry grass. The day that is coming will set them on fire," says the Lord of All. "Not a root or branch will be left to them.


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But for you who fear My name, the sun of what is right and good will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and dance like calves from the cattle-house.


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You will crush the sinful under foot. They will be ashes under your feet on the day when I do these things," says the Lord of All.


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See, I will send you Elijah the man of God before the day of the Lord comes, that great day that will be full of much trouble.


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And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Or else I will come and destroy the land with a curse."


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


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Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah. Their mother was Tamar. Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Aram.


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Aram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.


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Salmon was the father of Boaz. The mother of Boaz was Rahab. Boaz was the father of Obed. The mother of Obed was Ruth. Obed was the father of Jesse.


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Jesse was the father of David the king. King David was the father of Solomon. His mother had been the wife of Uriah.


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Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the father of Abijah. Abijah was the father of Asa.


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Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat was the father of Joram. Joram was the father of Uzziah.


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Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Amon. Amon was the father of Josiah.


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After they were taken to the city of Babylon, Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.


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Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud. Abiud was the father of Eliakim. Eliakim was the father of Azor.


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Eliud was the father of Eleazar. Eleazar was the father of Matthan. Matthan was the father of Jacob.


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Jacob was the father of Joseph. Joseph was the husband of Mary. She was the mother of Jesus Who is called the Christ.


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So the number of families from Abraham to David was fourteen. The number of families from David to the time the people were taken to Babylon was fourteen. The number of families after they were taken to Babylon to the birth of Jesus Christ was fourteen.


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The birth of Jesus Christ was like this: Mary His mother had been promised in marriage to Joseph. Before they were married, it was learned that she was to have a baby by the Holy Spirit.


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Joseph was her promised husband. He was a good man and did not want to make it hard for Mary in front of people. He thought it would be good to break the promised marriage without people knowing it.


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While he was thinking about this, an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She is to become a mother by the Holy Spirit.


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A Son will be born to her. You will give Him the name Jesus because He will save His people from the punishment of their sins."


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He said, "The young woman, who has never had a man, will give birth to a Son. They will give Him the name Immanuel. This means God with us." <n>Isaiah 7:14</n>


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Joseph awoke from his sleep. He did what the angel of the Lord told him to do. He took Mary as his wife.


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But he did not have her, as a husband has a wife, until she gave birth to a Son. Joseph gave Him the name Jesus.


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Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in the country of Judea. It was the time when Herod was king of that part of the country. Soon after Jesus was born, some wise men who learned things from stars came to Jerusalem from the East.


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They asked, "Where is the King of the Jews Who has been born? We have seen His star in the East. We have come to worship Him."


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He called together all the religious leaders of the Jews and the teachers of the Law. Herod asked them where Christ was to be born.


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'You, Bethlehem of Judah, are not the least of the leaders of Judah. Out of you will come a King Who will lead My people, the Jews.' " <n>Micah 5:2</n>


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Then Herod had a secret meeting with the men who learned things from stars. He asked them about what time the star had been seen.


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He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and find the young Child. When you find Him, let me know. Then I can go and worship Him also."


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After the king had spoken, they went on their way. The star they had seen in the East went before them. It came and stopped over the place where the young Child was.


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They went into the house and found the young Child with Mary, His mother. Then they got down before Him and worshiped Him. They opened their bags of riches and gave Him gifts of gold and perfume and spices.


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Then God spoke to them in a dream. He told them not to go back to Herod. So they went to their own country by another road.


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When they had gone, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream. He said, "Get up. Take the young Child and His mother to the country of Egypt. Go as fast as you can! Stay there until you hear from Me. Herod is going to look for the young Child to kill Him."


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He stayed there until Herod died. This happened as the Lord had said through an early preacher, "I called My Son out of Egypt." <n>Hosea 11:1</n>


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Herod learned that the wise men had fooled him. He was very angry. He sent men to kill all the young boys two years old and under in Bethlehem and in all the country near by. He decided to do this from what he had heard from the wise men as to the time when the star was seen.


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He said, "The sound of crying and much sorrow was heard in Ramah. Rachel was crying for her children. She would not be comforted because they were dead." <n>Jeremiah 31:15</n>


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He said, "Get up. Take the young Child and His mother and go into the land of the Jews. Those who tried to kill the young Child are dead."


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Joseph heard that Archelaus was the king of the country of Judea. Herod, the father of Archelaus, had died. Joseph was afraid to go there. God told him in a dream to go to the country of Galilee and he went.


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Joseph stayed in a town called Nazareth. It happened as the early preachers said it would happen. They said, "Jesus will be called a Nazarene."


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The early preacher Isaiah spoke of this man. He said, "Listen! His voice calls out in the desert! 'Make the way ready for the Lord. Make the road straight for Him!' " <n>Isaiah 40:3</n>


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John wore clothes made of hair from camels. He had a leather belt around him. His food was locusts and wild honey.


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Then the people of Jerusalem and of all the country of Judea and those from near the Jordan River went to him.


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He saw many proud religious law-keepers and other people of the religious group who believe no one will be raised from the dead. They were coming to him to be baptized. He said to them, "You family of snakes! Who told you how to keep from God's anger that is coming?


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Do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God can make children for Abraham out of these stones.


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"Even now the ax is on the root of the trees. Every tree that does not give good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.


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For sure, I baptize with water those who are sorry for their sins and turn from them. The One Who comes after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is greater than I. I am not good enough to take off His shoes.


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He comes ready to clean the grain. He will gather the grain in and clean it all. The clean grain He will put into a building. He will burn that which is no good with a fire that cannot be put out."


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Jesus said to him, "Let it be done now. We should do what is right." John agreed and baptized Jesus.


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When Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened. He saw the Spirit of God coming down and resting on Jesus like a dove.


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The devil came tempting Him and said, "If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to be made into bread."


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But Jesus said, "It is written, 'Man is not to live on bread only. Man is to live by every word that God speaks.' " <n>Deuteronomy 8:3</n>


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Then the devil took Jesus up to Jerusalem, the holy city. He had Jesus stand on the highest part of the house of God.


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The devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. It is written, 'He has told His angels to look after You. In their hands they will hold You up. Then Your foot will not hit against a stone.' " <n>(Psalm 91:11-12)</n>


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Jesus said to the devil, "It is written also, 'You must not tempt the Lord your God.' " <n>Deuteronomy 6:16</n>


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Again the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain. He had Jesus look at all the nations of the world to see how great they were.


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He said to Jesus, "I will give You all these nations if You will get down at my feet and worship me."


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Jesus said to the devil, "Get away, Satan. It is written, 'You must worship the Lord your God. You must obey Him only.' " <n>Deuteronomy 6:13</n>


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He left Nazareth and went to live in the city of Capernaum. It is by the lake in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali.


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"The land of Zebulun and Naphtali is along the road to the lake. It is on the other side of the Jordan River in Galilee. These people are not Jews.


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The people who sat in darkness saw a great light. Light did shine on those in the land who were near death." <n>(Isaiah 9:1-2)</n>


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From that time on, Jesus went about preaching. He said, "Be sorry for your sins and turn from them. The holy nation of heaven is near."


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Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers. They were Simon <n>(his other name was Peter)</n> and Andrew, his brother. They were putting a net into the sea for they were fishermen.


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Going from there, Jesus saw two other brothers. They were James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were sitting in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus called them.


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Jesus went over all Galilee. He taught in their places of worship and preached the Good News of the holy nation. He healed all kinds of sickness and disease among the people.


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The news about Him went over all the country of Syria. They brought all the sick people to Him with many kinds of diseases and pains. They brought to Him those who had demons. They brought those who at times lose the use of their minds. They brought those who could not use their hands and legs. He healed them.


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Many people followed Him from Galilee and Judea. They followed Him from the cities of Decapolis and Jerusalem. They followed Him from Judea and from the other side of the Jordan River.


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"Those who know there is nothing good in themselves are happy, because the holy nation of heaven is theirs.


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You are happy when people act and talk in a bad way to you and make it very hard for you and tell bad things and lies about you because you trust in Me.


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Be glad and full of joy because your reward will be much in heaven. They made it very hard for the early preach-ers who lived a long time before you.


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"You are the salt of the earth. If salt loses its taste, how can it be made to taste like salt again? It is no good. It is thrown away and people walk on it.


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Men do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. They put it on a table so it gives light to all in the house.


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Let your light shine in front of men. Then they will see the good things you do and will honor your Father Who is in heaven.


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"Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses or the writings of the early preachers. I have not come to do away with them but to complete them.


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I tell you, as long as heaven and earth last, not one small mark or part of a word will pass away of the Law of Moses until it has all been done.


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Anyone who breaks even the least of the Law of Moses and teaches people not to do what it says, will be called the least in the holy nation of heaven. He who obeys and teaches others to obey what the Law of Moses says, will be called great in the holy nation of heaven.


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I tell you, unless you are more right with God than the teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers, you will never get into the holy nation of heaven.


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"You have heard that men were told long ago, 'You must not kill another person. If someone does kill, he will be guilty and will be punished for his wrong-doing.'


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But I tell you that whoever is angry with his brother will be guilty and have to suffer for his wrong-doing. Whoever says to his brother, 'You have no brains,' will have to stand in front of the court. Whoever says, 'You fool,' will be sent to the fire of hell.


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leave your gift on the altar. Go and make right what is wrong between you and him. Then come back and give your gift.


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Agree with the one who is against you while you are talking together, or he might take you to court. The court will hand you over to the police. You will be put in prison.


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For sure, I tell you, you will not be let out of prison until you have paid every piece of money of the fine.


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But I tell you, anyone who even looks at a woman with a sinful desire of wanting her has already sinned in his heart.


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


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If your right hand is the reason you sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go to hell.


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"It has been said, 'Whoever wants to divorce his wife should have it put in writing, telling her he is leaving her.'


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But I tell you, whoever divorces his wife except if she has not been faithful to him, makes her guilty of a sex sin. Whoever marries a woman who has been divorced is guilty of a sex sin.


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"You have heard that it was said long ago, 'You must not make a promise you cannot keep. You must carry out your promises to the Lord.'


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I tell you, do not use strong words when you make a promise. Do not promise by heaven. It is the place where God is.


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Do not promise by earth. It is where He rests His feet. Do not promise by Jerusalem. It is the city of the great King.


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But I tell you, do not fight with the man who wants to fight. Whoever hits you on the right side of the face, turn so he can hit the other side also.


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Give to any person who asks you for something. Do not say no to the man who wants to use something of yours.


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But I tell you, love those who hate you. <n>(*Respect and give thanks for those who say bad things to you. Do good to those who hate you.)</n> Pray for those who do bad things to you and who make it hard for you.


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Then you may be the sons of your Father Who is in heaven. His sun shines on bad people and on good people. He sends rain on those who are right with God and on those who are not right with God.


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If you love those who love you, what reward can you expect from that? Do not even the tax gatherers do that?


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If you greet only the people you like, are you doing any more than others? The people who do not know God do that much.


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"Be sure you do not do good things in front of others just to be seen by them. If you do, you have no reward from your Father in heaven.


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When you give to the poor, do not be as those who pretend to be someone they are not. They blow a horn in the places of worship and in the streets so people may respect them. For sure, I tell you, they have all the reward they are going to get.


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"When you pray, do not be as those who pretend to be someone they are not. They love to stand and pray in the places of worship or in the streets so people can see them. For sure, I tell you, they have all the reward they are going to get.


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When you pray, go into a room by yourself. After you have shut the door, pray to your Father Who is in secret. Then your Father Who sees in secret will reward you.


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When you pray, do not say the same thing over and over again making long prayers like the people who do not know God. They think they are heard because their prayers are long.


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'Do not let us be tempted, but keep us from sin. *Your nation is holy. You have power and shining-greatness forever. Let it be so.'


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"When you go without food so you can pray better, do not be as those who pretend to be someone they are not. They make themselves look sad so people will see they are going with out food. For sure, I tell you, they have all the reward they are going to get.


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"Do not gather together for yourself riches of this earth. They will be eaten by bugs and become rusted. Men can break in and steal them.


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Gather together riches in heaven where they will not be eaten by bugs or become rusted. Men cannot break in and steal them.


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No one can have two bosses. He will hate the one and love the other. Or he will listen to the one and work against the other. You cannot have both God and riches as your boss at the same time.


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"I tell you this: Do not worry about your life. Do not worry about what you are going to eat and drink. Do not worry about what you are going to wear. Is not life more important than food? Is not the body more important than clothes?


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Look at the birds in the sky. They do not plant seeds. They do not gather grain. They do not put grain into a building to keep. Yet your Father in heaven feeds them! Are you not more important than the birds?


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God clothes the grass of the field. It lives today and is burned in the stove tomorrow. How much more will He give you clothes? You have so little faith!


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Do not worry. Do not keep saying, 'What will we eat?' or, 'What will we drink?' or, 'What will we wear?'


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The people who do not know God are looking for all these things. Your Father in heaven knows you need all these things.


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First of all, look for the holy nation of God. Be right with Him. All these other things will be given to you also.


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Do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will have its own worries. The troubles we have in a day are enough for one day.


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"Do not say what is wrong in other people's lives. Then other people will not say what is wrong in your life.


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You will be guilty of the same things you find in others. When you say what is wrong in others, your words will be used to say what is wrong in you.


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Why do you look at the small piece of wood in your brother's eye, and do not see the big piece of wood in your own eye?


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How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take that small piece of wood out of your eye,' when there is a big piece of wood in your own eye?


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You who pretend to be someone you are not, first take the big piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you can see better to take the small piece of wood out of your brother's eye.


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"Do not give that which belongs to God to dogs. Do not throw your pearls in front of pigs. They will break them under their feet. Then they will turn and tear you to pieces.


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"Ask, and what you are asking for will be given to you. Look, and what you are looking for you will find. Knock, and the door you are knocking on will be opened to you.


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Everyone who asks receives what he asks for. Everyone who looks finds what he is looking for. Everyone who knocks has the door opened to him.


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You are bad and you know how to give good things to your children. How much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?


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"Do for other people whatever you would like to have them do for you. This is what the Jewish Law and the early preachers said.


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"Go in through the narrow door. The door is wide and the road is easy that leads to hell. Many people are going through that door.


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But the door is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life that lasts forever. Few people are finding it.


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"Watch out for false teachers. They come to you dressed as if they were sheep. On the inside they are hungry wolves.


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Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will go into the holy nation of heaven. The one who does the things My Father in heaven wants him to do will go into the holy nation of heaven.


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Many people will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not preach in Your Name? Did we not put out demons in Your Name? Did we not do many powerful works in Your Name?'


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"Whoever hears these words of Mine and does them, will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.


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The rain came down. The water came up. The wind blew and hit the house. The house did not fall because it was built on rock.


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Whoever hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.


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The rain came down. The water came up. The wind blew and hit the house. The house fell and broke apart."


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He was teaching them as One Who has the right and the power to teach. He did not teach as the teachers of the Law.


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A man with a bad skin disease came and got down before Him and worshiped Him. He said, "Lord, if You will, You can heal me!"


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Jesus said to him, "Go now, but tell no one. Let the religious leader see you. Give the gift in worship that Moses told you to give. This will show them you have been healed." <n>Leviticus 13:49</n>


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The captain said, "Lord, I am not good enough for You to come to my house. Only speak the word, and my servant will be healed.


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I am a man who works for someone else and I have men working under me. I say to this man, 'Go!' and he goes. I say to another, 'Come!' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this!' and he does it."


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When Jesus heard this, He was surprised and wondered about it. He said to those who followed Him, "For sure, I tell you, I have not found so much faith in the Jewish nation.


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I say to you, many people will come from the east and from the west. They will sit down with Abraham and with Isaac and with Jacob in the holy nation of heaven.


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But those who should have belonged to the holy nation of heaven will be thrown out into outer darkness, where there will be crying and grinding of teeth."


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Jesus said to the captain, "Go your way. It is done for you even as you had faith to believe." The servant was healed at that time.


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That evening they brought to Jesus many people who had demons in them. The demons were put out when Jesus spoke to them. All the sick people were healed.


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It happened as the early preacher Isaiah said it would happen. He said, "He took on Himself our sickness and carried away our diseases." <n>Isaiah 53:4</n>


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Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes. Birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."


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He said to them, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then He stood up. He spoke sharp words to the wind and the waves. Then the wind stopped blowing.


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Then men were surprised and wondered about it. They said, "What kind of a man is He? Even the winds and the waves obey Him."


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Jesus came to the other side of the lake into the country of the Gadarenes. Two men came to Him from among the graves. They had demons in them and were very wild men. They were so bad that no one would go near them.


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They called out, saying, "What do You want of us, You Son of God? Have You come here to make us suffer before it is our time to suffer?"


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Jesus said to the demons, "Go!" They came out of the men and went into the pigs. At once the pigs ran down the mountain side. They fell into the water and died.


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The men who cared for the pigs ran fast into the city and told everything. They told what happened to the men who had the demons.


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Every person in the city came to meet Jesus. When they saw Jesus, they asked Him to leave their country.


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They took a man to Him who was on his bed. This man was not able to move his body. Jesus saw their faith. He said, "Son, take hope. Your sins are forgiven."


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Some of the teachers of the Law said to themselves, "This man speaks as if He is God, but He is not!"


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But this is to show you that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins." He said to the sick man, "Get up! Take your bed and go home."


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All the people saw this. They were surprised and wondered about it. Then they gave thanks to God because He had given such power to men.


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As Jesus went from there, He saw a man called Matthew. Matthew was sitting at his work gathering taxes. Jesus said to him, "Follow Me." Matthew got up and followed Jesus.


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Jesus ate in Matthew's house. Many men who gathered taxes and many who were sinners came to Matthew's house and sat down with Jesus and His followers.


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The proud religious law-keepers saw this. They said to the followers of Jesus, "Why does your Teacher eat with men who gather taxes and with sinners?"


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But go and understand these words, 'I want loving-kindness and not a gift to be given.' <n>(Hosea 6:6)</n> For I have not come to call good people. I have come to call those who are sinners."


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Then the followers of John the Baptist came to Jesus. They asked, "Why do we and the proud religious law-keepers many times go without food so we can pray better? But Your followers never go without food so they can pray better."


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Jesus said, "Can the friends at a wedding be sorry when the man just married is with them? But the days will come when the man just married will be taken from them. Then they will not eat food so they can pray better.


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"No one sews a piece of new cloth on an old coat, because if the new piece pulls away, it makes the hole bigger.


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Men do not put new wine into old skin bags. If they did, the skins would break and the wine would run out. The bags would be no good. They put new wine into new skin bags and both can be used."


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While Jesus talked to them, a leader of the people came and got down before Him, and worshiped Him. He said, "My daughter has just died. But come, lay Your hand on her and she will live."


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Just then a woman who had been sick with a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind. She touched the bottom of His coat.


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Then Jesus turned around. He saw her and said, "Daughter, take hope! Your faith has healed you." At once the woman was healed.


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Jesus went on from there. Two blind men followed Him. They called out, "Take pity on us, Son of David."


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Jesus went into the house. The blind men came to Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do you have faith that I can do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Sir!"


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Then Jesus put His hands on their eyes and said, "You will have what you want because you have faith."


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When the demon was put out of him, the man was able to talk. Many people were surprised and wondered about it. They said, "We have never seen anything in the nation of the Jews like this."


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But the proud religious lawkeepers said, "He puts out demons by the help of the leader of the demons."


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Jesus went on to all the towns and cities. He taught in their places of worship. He preached the Good News of the holy nation of God. He healed every sickness and disease the people had.


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As He saw many people, He had loving-pity on them. They were troubled and were walking around everywhere. They were like sheep without a shepherd.


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Pray then to the Lord Who is the Owner of the grain fields that He will send workmen to gather His grain."


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Jesus called His twelve followers to Him. He gave them power to put out demons and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease.


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These are the names of the twelve followers. There were Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John who were the sons of Zebedee.


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There were Philip and Bartholomew and Thomas. There was Matthew, the man who gathered taxes. There were James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeaus, and


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Jesus sent out these twelve followers. He told them to go, saying, "Stay away from people who are not Jews. And do not go to any town in the country of Samaria.


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Heal the sick and those with bad skin diseases. Raise the dead. Put out demons. You have received much, now give much.


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Do not take a bag of things for the trip. Do not take two coats or shoes or a walking stick. A workman should receive his food and what he needs.


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And if the house is respected, give them your good wishes. If it is not respected, let your good wishes come back to you.


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Whoever does not receive you or does not listen to what you say, as you leave that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.


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For sure, I tell you, it will be easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day men stand before God and are told they are guilty, than for that city.


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"I am sending you out like sheep with wolves all around you. Be wise like snakes and gentle like doves.


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But look out for men. They will take you up to their courts and they will hurt you in their places of worship.


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They will take you in front of the leaders of the people and of the kings because of Me. You will tell them and the people who do not know God about Me.


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When you are put into their hands, do not worry what you will say or how you will say it. The words will be given you when the time comes.


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"A brother will hand over a brother to be put to death. A father will hand over his child to be put to death. Children will hand over their parents to be put to death.


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When they make it hard for you in one town, go to another. For sure, I tell you, before you have gone through the Jewish cities, the Son of Man will come.


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"A follower is not greater than his teacher. A servant who is owned by someone is not greater than his owner.


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A follower should be happy to be as his teacher, and a servant who is owned by someone should be happy to be as his owner. If they have called the head of the house Satan, how much more will they speak against those of the house.


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Then do not be afraid of them. For nothing is covered up that will not be brought out into the light. There is nothing hid that will not be made known.


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You tell in the light what I tell you in the dark. You must speak with a loud voice from the roofs of houses what you have heard.


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Do not be afraid of them who kill the body. They are not able to kill the soul. But fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.


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Are not two small birds sold for a very small piece of money? And yet not one of the birds falls to the earth without your Father knowing it.


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But whoever does not make Me known in front of men and acts as if he does not know Me, I will not make him known to My Father in heaven.


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I came to turn a man against his father. I came to turn a daughter against her mother. I came to turn a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.


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"He who loves his father and mother more than Me is not good enough for Me. He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not good enough for Me.


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He who wants to keep his life will have it taken away from him. He who loses his life because of Me will have it given back to him.


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Whoever receives a preacher who speaks for God because he is a preacher, will get the reward of a preacher who speaks for God. Whoever receives a man right with God, because he is a man right with God, will get the reward of a man right with God.


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For sure, I tell you, anyone who gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he follows Me, will not lose his reward."


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When Jesus finished telling His twelve followers what to do, He went away from there to teach and preach in their towns.


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The blind are made to see. Those who could not walk are walking. Those who have had bad skin diseases are healed. Those who could not hear are hearing. The dead are raised up to life and the Good News is preached to poor people.


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As the followers of John the Baptist went away, Jesus began to tell the people about John. He said, "What did you go out to see in the desert? A small tree shaking in the wind?


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But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in good clothes? Those who are dressed in good clothes are in the houses of kings.


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What did you go out to see? One who speaks for God? Yes, I tell you, he is more than one who speaks for God.


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This is the man the Holy Writings spoke of when they said, 'See! I will send My helper to carry news ahead of You. He will make Your way ready for You!' <n>Malachi 3:1</n>


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For sure, I tell you, of those born of women, there is no one greater than John the Baptist. The least in the holy nation of heaven is greater than he.


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From the days of John the Baptist until now, the holy nation of heaven has suffered very much. Fighting men try to take it.


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"What are the people of this day like? They are like children playing in the center of town where people gather. They call to their friends.


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They say, 'We played music for you, but you did not dance. We showed sorrow in front of you, but you did not show sorrow.'


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Then the Son of Man came and ate and drank. They said, 'See! He eats too much and likes wine. He is a friend of men who gather taxes and of sinners!' But wisdom shows itself to be right by what it does."


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Then He began to say strong words against the cities where most of His powerful works were done. He spoke to them because they were not sorry for their sins and did not turn from them.


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"It is bad for you, city of Chorazin! It is bad for you, town of Bethsaida! For if the powerful works which were done in you had been done in the cities of Tyre and Sidon, they would have turned from their sins long ago. They would have shown their sorrow by putting on clothes made from hair and would have sat in ashes.


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I tell you, it will be better for Tyre and Sidon on the day men stand before God and are told they are guilty, than for you.


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"And Capernaum, are you to be lifted up into heaven? You will be taken down to hell. If the powerful works which were done in you had been done in the city of Sodom, it would be here to this day.


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But I say to you that it will be better for the land of Sodom on the day men stand before God and are told they are guilty, than for you."


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At that time Jesus said, "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You hid these things from the wise and from those who have much learning. You have shown them to little children.


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"Everything has been given to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son but the Father. No one knows the Father but the Son, and those to whom the Son wants to make the Father known.


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Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls.


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At that time Jesus walked through the grain-fields on the Day of Rest. His followers were hungry and began to pick off grain to eat.


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The proud religious law-keepers saw this. They said to Jesus, "See! Your followers do what the Law says not to do on the Day of Rest."


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He went into the house of God and ate the special bread used in worship which was against the Law for him or those with him to eat! Only the Jewish religious leaders were to eat that special bread.


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Have you not read in the Law how the religious leaders do that which is not right to do on the Day of Rest, and yet they are not guilty?


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If you had understood what the words mean, 'I want loving-kindness and not a gift to be given,' <n>(Hosea 6:6)</n> you would not say a person is guilty who has done no wrong.


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A man was there with a dried-up hand. The proud religious law-keepers asked Jesus, "Does the Law say it is right to heal on the Day of Rest?" They wanted something to say against Him.


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He said to them, "If one of you has a sheep which falls into a hole on the Day of Rest, will you not take hold of it and pull it out?


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The proud religious law-keepers went out and made plans against Him. They planned how they might kill Him.


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"See! My Servant Whom I have chosen! My much Loved, in Whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit in Him. He will say to the nations what is right from wrong.


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Then they brought to Him a man who had a demon. He was blind and could not speak. Jesus healed him and he could talk and see.


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But when the proud religious lawkeepers heard it, they said, "This Man puts out demons only by Satan, the leader of demons."


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Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every nation divided into groups that fight each other is going to be destroyed. Every city or family divided into groups that fight each other will not stand.


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If I put out demons by Satan, by whom do your followers put them out? So your followers will say if you are guilty.


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How can anyone go into a strong man's house and take away his things, unless he ties up the strong man first? Only then can he take things from his house.


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I tell you, every sin and every bad word men speak against God will be forgiven, but bad words spoken against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.


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Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in this life or in the life to come.


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You family of snakes! How can you say good things when you are sinful? The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.


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A good man will speak good things because of the good in him. A bad man will speak bad things because of the sin in him.


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I say to you, on the day men stand before God, they will have to give an answer for every word they have spoken that was not important.


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For it is by your words that you will not be guilty and it is by your words that you will be guilty."


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Then some of the teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers said to Jesus, "Teacher, we would like to have you do something special for us to see."


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He said to them, "The sinful people of this day look for something special to see. There will be nothing special to see but the powerful works of the early preacher Jonah.


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Jonah was three days and three nights in the stomach of a big fish. The Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the grave also.


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The men of the city of Nineveh will stand up with the people of this day on the day men stand before God. Those men will say these people are guilty because the men of Nineveh were sorry for their sins and turned from them when Jonah preached. And see, Someone greater than Jonah is here!


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"The Queen of the South will stand up with the people of this day on the day men stand before God. She will say that these people are guilty because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wise sayings of Solomon. And see, Someone greater than Solomon is here!


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Then it says, 'I will go back into my house from which I came.' When it goes back, it sees that it is empty. But it sees that the house has been cleaned and looks good.


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Then it goes out and comes back bringing with it sev-en demons more sinful than itself. They go in and live there. In the end that man is worse than at first. It will be like this with the sinful people of this day."


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While Jesus was still talking to the people, His mother and His brothers came and stood outside. They wanted to talk to Him.


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Then He got in a boat and sat down because so many people had gathered around Him. Many people were standing on the shore. Who Planted Seeds


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Some seeds fell on good ground and gave much grain. Some gave one hundred times as much grain. Some gave sixty times as much grain. Some gave thirty times as much grain.


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He said to the followers, "You were given the secrets about the holy nation of heaven. The secrets were not given to the others.


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He who has will have more given to him. He will have even more than enough. But he who has little will have even that taken away from him.


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"This is why I speak to them in picture-stories. They have eyes but they do not see. They have ears but they do not hear and they do not understand.


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It happened in their lives as Isaiah said it would happen. He said, 'You hear and hear but do not understand. You look and look but do not see.


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The hearts of these people have become fat. They hear very little with their ears. They have closed their eyes. If they did not do this, they would see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts. Then they would be changed in their ways, and I would heal them.' <n>(Isaiah 6:9-10)</n>


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For sure, I tell you, that many early preachers and men right with God have wanted to see the things you see, but they did not see them. They wanted to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear them.


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When anyone hears the Word about the holy nation and does not understand it, the devil comes and takes away what was put in his heart. He is like the seed that fell by the side of the road.


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The seed which fell between rocks is like the person who receives the Word with joy as soon as he hears it.


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Its root is not deep and it does not last long. When troubles and suffering come because of the Word, he gives up and falls away.


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The seed which fell among thorns is like the person who hears the Word but the cares of this life, and the love for money let the thorns come up and do not give the seed room to grow and give grain.


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The seed which fell on good ground is like the one who hears the Word and understands it. He gives much grain. Some seed gives one hundred times as much grain. Some gives sixty times as much grain. Some gives thirty times as much grain."


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Jesus told them another picture-story. He said, "The holy nation of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field.


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During the night someone who hated him came and planted weed seed with the good seed in his field and went away.


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"The servants of the man who planted the seed came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not plant good seed in your field? Why does it have weeds also?'


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The man who planted the seed said, 'Someone who hates me has done this.' The servants asked him, 'Should we go and pull the weeds out from among the good grain?'


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Let them grow together until the time to gather the grain. Then I will say to the workmen, "Gather the weeds first and put them together to be burned. Then gather the good grain into my building." ' "


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Jesus told them another picture-story. He said, "The holy nation of heaven is like mustard seed which a man planted in his field.


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It is the smallest of seeds. But when it is fullgrown, it is larger than the grain of the fields and it becomes a tree. The birds of the sky come and stay in its branches."


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Jesus gave them another picture-story. He said, "The holy nation of heaven is like yeast that a woman put into three pails of flour until it had become much more than at first."


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Jesus told all these things using picture-stories to the many people. He did not speak to them without using picture-stories.


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It happened as the early preacher said it would happen, "I will open My mouth in picturestories. I will tell things which have been kept secret from the beginning of the world." <n>Psalm 78:2</n>


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After Jesus sent the people away, He went into the house. His followers came to Him and said, "Tell us what You mean by the picture-story of the weeds in the field."


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The field is the world. The good seeds are the children of the holy nation. The weeds are the children of the devil.


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The devil is the one who got in and planted the weeds. The time to gather is the end of the world. The men who gather are the angels.


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The Son of Man will send His angels. They will gather out of His holy nation all things that cause people to sin and those who do sin.


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Then the ones right with God will shine as the sun in the holy nation of their Father. You have ears, then listen!"


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"The holy nation of heaven is like a box of riches buried in a field. A man found it and then hid it again. In his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.


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"The holy nation of heaven is like a big net which was let down into the sea. It gathered fish of every kind.


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When it was full, they took it to the shore. They sat down and put the good fish into pails. They threw the bad fish away.


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It will be like this in the end of the world. Angels will come and take the sinful people from among those who are right with God.


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They will put the sinful people into a stove of fire where there will be loud crying and grinding of teeth."


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He said to them, "Every teacher of the Law who has become a follower of the holy nation of heaven is like a man who owns his house. He takes new and old riches from his house."


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He came to His own town and taught them in their places of worship. They were surprised and wondered, saying, "Where did this Man get this wisdom? How can He do these powerful works?


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Is not this the son of the man who makes things from wood? Is not Mary His mother? Are not James and Joseph and Simon and Judas His brothers?


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And they were ashamed of Him and turned away because of Him. Jesus said to them, "One who speaks for God is shown no respect in his own town and in his own house."


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He said to his helpers, "This must be John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead. That is why these powerful works are done by him."


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For Herod had taken John and put him in prison. It was because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.


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He would have killed John but he was afraid of the people. The people thought John was one who spoke for God.


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The king was sorry. But he said for it to be given because he had promised and because of those who were eating with him.


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When Jesus heard that John had been killed, He went from there by boat to a desert. He wanted to be alone. When the people knew it, they followed after Him by land from the cities.


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When He got out of the boat, He saw many people. He had loving-pity for them and healed those who were sick.


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When it was evening, His followers came to Him. They said, "This is a desert. The day is past. Send the people away so they may go into the towns and buy food for themselves."


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He told the people to sit down on the grass. Then He took the five loaves of bread and two fish. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke the loaves in pieces and gave them to His followers. The followers gave them to the people.


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They all ate and were filled. They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish after the people were finished eating.


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At once Jesus had His followers get into the boat. He told them to go ahead of Him to the other side while He sent the people away.


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After He had sent them away, He went up the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone.


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By this time the boat was far from land and was being thrown around by the waves. The wind was strong against them.


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When the followers saw Him walking on the water, they were afraid. They said, "It is a spirit." They cried out with fear.


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But when he saw the strong wind, he was afraid. He began to go down in the water. He cried out, "Lord, save me!"


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At once Jesus put out His hand and took hold of him. Jesus said to Peter, "You have so little faith! Why did you doubt?"


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When the men of that land saw it was Jesus, they sent word into all the country around. They brought all who were sick to Jesus.


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They begged Him that they might touch the bottom of His coat. As many as touched the bottom of His coat were healed.


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Some of the teachers of the Law and the proud religious lawkeepers from Jerusalem came to Jesus. They asked,


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"Why do Your followers not obey the teaching that was given to them by our fathers? They do not wash their hands before they eat."


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For God said, 'Show respect to your father and mother.' <n>(Exodus 20:12)</n> And, 'He who curses his father or mother will be put to death.' <n>Exodus 21:17</n>


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But you say that if a man says to his parents that anything he has, that might have been of help to them, is already given to God,


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he does not have to show respect by helping his father and mother. You are putting aside the Word of God to keep their teaching.


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It is not what goes into a man's mouth that makes his mind and heart sinful. It is what comes out of a man's mouth that makes him sinful."


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His followers came to Him. They said, "Did You know the proud religious law-keepers were ashamed and turned away because of You when they heard this?"


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Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. If one blind man leads another blind man, they will both fall into a hole."


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Do you not understand that whatever goes into the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body?


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But whatever comes from the mouth has come out of the heart. These things make the man unclean inside.


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For out of the heart come bad thoughts, killing other people, sex sins of a married person, sex sins of a person not married, stealing, lying, speaking against God.


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These are the things that make the man unclean inside. It does not make a man sinful to eat with hands that have not been washed."


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A woman came from the land of Canaan. She cried out to Jesus and said, "Take pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter has a demon and is much troubled."


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But Jesus did not speak a word to her. His followers kept asking, saying, "Send her away for she keeps calling us."


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Jesus said to her, "Woman, you have much faith. You will have what you asked for." Her daughter was healed at that very time.


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Many people came to Him. They brought with them those who were not able to walk. They brought those who were not able to see. They brought those who were not able to hear or speak and many others. Then they put them at the feet of Jesus and He healed them.


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All the people wondered. They saw how those who could not speak were now talking. They saw how those who could not walk were now walking. They saw how those who could not see were now seeing, and they gave thanks to the God of the Jews.


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Then Jesus called His followers to Him. He said, "I pity these people because they have been with Me three days and they have no food. I do not want to send them home without food. They might get too weak as they go."


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Jesus said to them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They said, "Seven loaves and a few small fish."


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Then He took the seven loaves of bread and the fish and gave thanks. He broke them and gave them to His followers. The followers gave them to the people.


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They all ate and were filled. They picked up seven baskets full of pieces of bread and fish after the people finished eating.


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The proud religious law-keepers and a religious group of people who believe no one will be raised from the dead came to Jesus. They asked Him to show something special from heaven. They wanted to trap Jesus.


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<n>(*He said to them, "In the evening you say, 'The weather will be good tomorrow because the sky is red.'


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And in the morning you say, 'We will have a storm today because the sky is red and the clouds are low.' You understand the things you see in the sky, but you cannot understand the special things you see these days!)</n>


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The sinful people of this day go after something special to see. There will be nothing special for them to see but the early preacher Jonah." Then He went away from them.


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The followers came to the other side of the lake. They remembered they had forgotten to bring bread.


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Jesus said to them, "See! Have nothing to do with the yeast of the proud religious law-keepers and the religious group of people who believe no one will be raised from the dead."


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They started to think about it among themselves and said, "He said this because we forgot to bring bread."


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Jesus knew this and said, "You have very little faith! Why are you talking among yourselves about not bringing bread?


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Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of bread that fed five thousand men? And how many baskets full were gathered up?


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Or do you not even remember the seven loaves of bread that fed the four thousand men? And how many baskets full were gathered up?


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Why is it that you do not see that I was not talking to you about bread? I was talking to you about keeping away from the yeast of the proud religious law-keepers and the religious group of people who believe no one will be raised from the dead."


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Then they understood that it was not the yeast of bread that He was talking about. But He was talking about the teaching of the proud religious law-keepers and of the other religious group of people.


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Jesus came into the country of Caesarea Philippi. He asked His followers, "Who do people say that I, the Son of Man, am?"


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They said, "Some say You are John the Baptist and some say Elijah and others say Jeremiah or one of the early preachers."


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Jesus said to him, "Simon, son of Jonah, you are happy because you did not learn this from man. My Father in heaven has shown you this.


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"And I tell you that you are Peter. On this rock I will build My church. The powers of hell will not be able to have power over My church.


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I will give you the keys of the holy nation of heaven. Whatever you do not allow on earth will not have been allowed in heaven. Whatever you allow on earth will have been allowed in heaven."


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From that time on Jesus began to tell His followers that He had to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things. These hard things would come from the leaders and from the head religious leaders of the Jews and from the teachers of the Law. He told them He would be killed and three days later He would be raised from the dead.


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Peter took Jesus away from the others and spoke sharp words to Him. He said, "Never, Lord! This must not happen to You!"


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Then Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are standing in My way. You are not thinking how God thinks. You are thinking how man thinks."


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Jesus said to His followers, "If anyone wants to be My follower, he must forget about himself. He must take up his cross and follow Me.


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If anyone wants to keep his life safe, he will lose it. If anyone gives up his life because of Me, he will save it.


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For what does a man have if he gets all the world and loses his own soul? What can a man give to buy back his soul?


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The Son of Man will come in the greatness of His Father with His angels. Then He will give to every man his reward as he has worked.


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For sure, I tell you, there are some standing here that will not die until they see the Son of Man coming as King."


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Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and his brother John. He led them up to a high mountain by themselves.


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He was changed in looks before them. His face was as bright as the sun. His clothes looked as white as light.


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Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You will let us, we will build three altars here. One will be for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah."


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While Peter was speaking, a bright cloud came over them. A voice from the cloud said, "This is My muchloved Son, I am very happy with Him. Listen to Him!"


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When the followers heard this, they got down on the ground on their faces and were very much afraid.


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As they came down from the mountain, Jesus told them in strong words, saying, "Do not tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man is raised from the dead."


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But I tell you, Elijah has already come and they did not know him. They did to him whatever they wanted to do. In the same way the Son of Man will suffer from them also."


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"Lord, have pity on my son. He is very sick and at times loses the use of his mind. Many times he falls into the fire or into the water.


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Then Jesus said, "You people of this day have no faith and you are going the wrong way. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to Me."


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The followers came to Jesus when He was alone. They said, "Why were we not able to put the demon out?"


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Jesus said to them, "Because you have so little faith. For sure, I tell you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to over there,' and it would move over. You will be able to do anything.


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*But this kind of demon does not go out but by prayer and by going without food so you can pray better."


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While they were still in Galilee, Jesus said to the followers, "The Son of Man will be handed over to men.


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They will kill Him, but He will be raised from the dead three days later." The followers were very sad.


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They came to the city of Capernaum. Those who gathered the tax for the house of God came to Peter. They said, "Does not your Teacher pay tax money for the house of God?"


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Peter said, "Yes." When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first. He said, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of this earth get their money or taxes, from their own people or from those of another country?"


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Peter said to Him, "From those of another country." Then Jesus said, "Then their own people do not pay taxes.


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But so we will not make them to be troubled, go down to the lake and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up. In its mouth you will find a piece of money. Take that and pay the tax for Me and yourself."


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At that time the followers came to Jesus. They said, "Who is the greatest in the holy nation of heaven?"


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He said, "For sure, I tell you, unless you have a change of heart and become like a little child, you will not get into the holy nation of heaven.


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But whoever is the reason for one of these little children who believe in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for him to have a large rock put around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.


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"It is bad for the world because of that which makes people sin. Men will be tempted to sin. But it is bad for the one who is the reason for someone to sin.


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If your hand or your foot is the reason you sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to go into life without a hand or a foot, than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the fire of hell.


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If your eye is the reason you sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better for you to go into life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.


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Be sure you do not hate one of these little children. I tell you, they have angels who are always looking into the face of My Father in heaven.


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What do you think about this? A man has one hundred sheep and one of them is lost. Will he not leave the ninetynine and go to the mountains to look for that one lost sheep?


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If he finds it, for sure, I tell you, he will have more joy over that one, than over the ninetynine that were not lost.


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"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him what he did without other people hearing it. If he listens to you, you have won your brother back again.


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But if he will not listen to you, take one or two other people with you. Every word may be remembered by the two or three who heard.


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If he will not listen to them, tell the trouble to the church. If he does not listen to the church, think of him as a person who is as bad as one who does not know God and a person who gathers taxes.


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"For sure, I tell you, whatever you do not allow on earth will not have been allowed in heaven. Whatever you allow on earth will have been allowed in heaven.


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Again I tell you this: If two of you agree on earth about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.


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Then Peter came to Jesus and said, "Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him, up to seven times?"


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"The holy nation of heaven is like a king who wanted to find out how much money his servants owed him.


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He could pay nothing that he owed. So the king spoke the word that he and his wife and his children and all that he had should be sold to pay what he owed.


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The servant got down on his face in front of the king. He said, 'Give me time, and I will pay you all the money.'


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Then the king took pity on his servant and let him go. He told him he did not have to pay the money back.


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"But that servant went out and found one of the other servants who owed him very little money. He took hold of his neck and said, 'Pay me the money you owe me!'


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"When his other servants saw what had happened, they were very sorry. They came and told the king all that was done.


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Then the king called for the first one. He said, 'You bad servant! I forgave you. I said that you would not have to pay back any of the money you owed me because you asked me.


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The king was very angry. He handed him over to men who would beat and hurt him until he paid all the money he owed.


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So will My Father in heaven do to you, if each one of you does not forgive his brother from his heart."


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When Jesus had finished talking, He went from the country of Galilee. He came to the part of the country of Judea which is on the other side of the Jordan River.


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The proud religious law-keepers came to Jesus. They tried to trap Him by saying, "Does the Law say a man can divorce his wife for any reason?"


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He said to them, "Have you not read that He Who made them in the first place made them man and woman?


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It says, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will live with his wife. The two will become one.'


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The proud religious law-keepers said to Jesus, "Then why did the Law of Moses allow a man to divorce his wife if he put it down in writing and gave it to her?"


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Jesus said to them, "Because of your hard hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. It was not like that from the beginning.


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And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sex sins, and marries another, is guilty of sex sins in marriage. Whoever marries her that is divorced is guilty of sex sins in marriage."


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His followers said to Him, "If that is the way of a man with his wife, it is better not to be married."


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For there are some men who from birth will never be able to have children. There are some men who have been made so by men. There are some men who have had themselves made that way because of the holy nation of heaven. The one who is able to do this, let him do it."


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Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray for them. The followers spoke sharp words to them.


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But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me. Do not stop them. The holy nation of heaven is made up of ones like these."


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A man came to Jesus and asked, "Good Teacher, what good work must I do to have life that lasts forever?"


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Jesus said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One Who is good. If you want to have life that lasts forever, you must obey the Laws."


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The man said to Him, "What kind of laws?" Jesus said, "You must not kill another person. You must not be guilty of sex sins. You must not steal. You must not lie.


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Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell everything you have and give the money to poor people. Then you will have riches in heaven. Come and follow Me."


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Jesus said to His followers, "For sure, I tell you, it will be hard for a rich man to get into the holy nation of heaven.


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Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the holy nation of heaven."


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When His followers heard this, they could not understand it. They said, "Then who can be saved from the punishment of sin?"


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Then Peter said to Him, "We have given up everything and have followed You. Then what will we have?"


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Jesus said to them, "For sure, I tell you, when all the earth will be new and the Son of Man will sit on His throne in His shining-greatness, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, and judge the twelve family groups of the Jewish nation.


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Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands because of Me, will get a hundred times more. And you will get life that lasts forever.


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"For the holy nation of heaven is like the owner of a grape-field. He went out early in the morning to hire workmen to work in his grape-field.


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Later in the morning he went to the center of the town where people gather. He saw men standing there doing nothing.


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He said to them, 'You go to my grape-field and work also. Whatever is right, I will pay you.' And they went.


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About five o'clock he went out and still found others doing nothing. He asked them, 'Why do you stand here all day and do nothing?'


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They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said, 'Go to my grape-field and work. Whatever is right, I will pay you.'


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"When evening came, the owner of the grape-field said to the boss of the workmen, 'Call the workmen. Give them their pay. Start with the last ones hired and go on to the first ones hired.'


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The workmen who had been hired at five o'clock came up. Each one of them got a day's pay for his work.


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When the workmen who had been hired the first thing in the morning came, they thought they would get more. But each one got a day's pay.


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They said, 'The last workmen hired have only worked one hour. You have given to them the same as to us. We have worked hard through the heat of the day.'


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But he said to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me when I promised to pay you a day's pay?


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Do I not have the right to do what I want to do with my own money? Does your eye make you want more because I am good?'


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As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He talked also to the twelve followers by the side of the road. He said,


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"Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the religious leaders and to the teachers of the Law. They will say that He must be put to death.


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They will hand Him over to the people who do not know God. They will make fun of Him and will beat Him. They will nail Him to a cross. Three days later He will be raised to life."


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The mother of Zebedee's children <n>(James and John)</n> came to Jesus with her sons. She got down on her knees before Jesus to ask something of Him.


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He said to her, "What do you want?" She said, "Say that my two sons may sit, one at Your right side and one at Your left side, when You are King."


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Jesus said to her, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to take the suffering that I am about to take? <n>(*Are you able to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?)</n>" They said, "Yes, we are able."


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He said to them, "You will suffer as I will suffer. But the places at My right side and at My left side are not Mine to give. Whoever My Father says will have those places."


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Jesus called them to Him and said, "You know how the kings of the nations show their power to the people. Important leaders use their power over the people.


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For the Son of Man came not to be cared for. He came to care for others. He came to give His life so that many could be bought by His blood and made free from the punishment of sin." <n>(Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43)</n>


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Two blind men were sitting by the side of the road. They called out when they heard that Jesus was going by. They said, "Lord, take pity on us, Son of David!"


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Many people spoke sharp words to them. They told the blind men not to call out. But they called all the more, "Lord! Take pity on us, Son of David!"


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Jesus had loving-pity on them and put His hands on their eyes. At once they could see, and they followed Jesus.


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They were near Jerusalem and had come to the town of Bethphage at the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two followers on ahead.


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He said to them, "Go to the town over there. You will find a donkey tied and her young with her. Let them loose and bring them to Me.


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"Say to the people in Jerusalem, 'See! Your King is coming to you. He is gentle. He is riding on a young donkey.' " <n>(Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 62:11)</n>


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They brought the donkey and her young one. They put their clothes on the donkey and Jesus sat on them.


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Many people put their coats down on the road. Other people cut branches from the trees and put them along the way.


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The people who went in front and those who followed Jesus called out, "Greatest One! The Son of David! Great and honored is He Who comes in the name of the Lord! Greatest One in the highest heaven."


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Many people said, "This is Jesus, the One Who speaks for God from the town of Nazareth in the country of Galilee." Jesus Stops The Buying And The Selling In The House Of God


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Then Jesus went into the house of God and made all those leave who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables of the men who changed money. He turned over the seats of those who sold doves.


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He said to them, "It is written, 'My house is to be called a house of prayer.' You have made it a place of robbers." <n>(Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11)</n>


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The religious leaders of the Jews and the teachers of the Law saw the great things He did. They heard the children calling in the house of God and saying, "Greatest One! Son of David!" The leaders were very angry.


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They said to Jesus, "Do you hear what these children are saying?" Jesus said to them, "Yes, have you not read the writings, 'Even little children and babies will honor Him'?"


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He saw a fig tree by the side of the road and went to it. There was nothing on it but leaves. He said to the tree, "No fruit will ever grow on you again." At once the fig tree dried up.


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The followers saw it and were surprised and wondered. They said, "How did the fig tree dry up so fast?"


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Jesus said to them, "For sure, I tell you this: If you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only be able to do what was done to the fig tree. You will also be able to say to this mountain, 'Move from here and be thrown into the sea,' and it will be done.


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Jesus came into the house of God. The religious leaders and the other leaders of the people came up to Him as He was teaching. They said, "By what right and power are You doing these things? Who gave You the right and the power to do them?"


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Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing also. If you tell Me, then I will tell you by what right and power I do these things.


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Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?" They thought among themselves, "If we say, 'From heaven,' then He will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?'


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But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the people, because they all think John was one who spoke for God."


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They said to Jesus, "We do not know." He said to them, "Then I will not tell you by what right and power I do these things.


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"What do you think about this? There was a man who had two sons. He came to the first son and said, 'My son, go to my grape-field and work today.'


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The father came to the second son and asked the same thing. The son said, 'No, I will not go.' Later he was sorry and went.


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Which one of the two sons did what his father wanted?" They said to Jesus, "The second son." Jesus said to them, "For sure, I tell you this: Tax gatherers and women who sell the use of their bodies will get into the holy nation of heaven before you.


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For John came to you preaching about being right with God. You did not believe him. But tax gatherers and women who sell the use of their bodies did believe him. When you saw this, you were not sorry for your sins and did not turn from them and believe him.


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"Listen to another picture-story. A man who owned land planted grapes in a field and put a fence around it. He made a place for making wine. He built a tower to look over the grape-field. He let farmers rent it and then he went into another country.


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Again he sent other servants. He sent more than the first time. The farmers did the same to those servants.


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When the farmers saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the one who will get everything when the owner dies. Let us kill him and we will get it all.'


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They said to Him, "He will put those bad men to death. Then he will rent the grape-field to other farmers who will give him the grapes when they are ready."


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Jesus said to them, "Have you not read in the Holy Writings, 'The Stone that was put aside by the workmen has become the most important Stone in the building? The Lord has done this. We think it is great!' <n>(Psalm 118:22-23)</n>


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I say to you, because of this, the holy nation of God will be taken from you. It will be given to a nation that will give fruit.


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When the religious leaders and the proud religious law-keepers heard this picture-story, they knew He spoke of them.


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When they tried to put their hands on Him, they were afraid of the many people. The people thought He was One Who spoke for God.


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He sent his servants to tell the people, who had been asked, to come to the supper. But the people did not want to come.


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"He sent other servants, saying to them, 'Tell those who have been asked to come, "See! My supper is ready. My cows and fat calves are killed. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding supper!" '


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"When the king heard this, he was very angry. He sent his soldiers to put those to death who had killed his servants. He burned their city.


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Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding supper is ready. Those who were asked to come to the supper were not good enough.


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"The servants went out into the roads and brought all they could find, both bad and good. The wedding supper room was full of people.


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The king came in to see those who had come. He saw one man who did not have on wedding supper clothes.


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He said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without wedding supper clothes?' The man could not speak!


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Then the king said to his servants, 'Tie his hands and feet, and throw him out into the darkness. In that place there will be loud crying and grinding of teeth.'


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They sent their followers to Jesus with some of King Herod's men. They asked, "Teacher, we know that You are true. We know that You are teaching the truth about God. We know You are not afraid of what men think or say about You.


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Jesus knew their sinful thoughts and said, "You pretend to be someone you are not! Why do you try to trap Me?


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They said to Him, "Caesar's." Then He said to them, "Pay to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar. Pay to God the things that belong to God."


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The same day some people from the religious group who believe no one will be raised from the dead came to Jesus. They asked,


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"Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man should die without having children, then his brother must marry his wife. He should have children for his brother.' <n>Deuteronomy 25:5</n>


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There were seven brothers with us. The first was married but died before he had any children. The second brother then married the first brother's wife.


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When people are raised from the dead, whose wife will she be of the seven? They all had her for a wife."


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'I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.' He is not the God of the dead but of the living!" <n>Exodus 3:6</n>


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The proud religious law-keepers got together when they heard that the religious group of people who believe no one will be raised from the dead were not able to talk anymore to Jesus.


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Jesus said to him, " 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'


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Jesus said to them, "Then how is it that David, being led by the Holy Spirit, calls Him 'Lord'? He said,


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'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right side until I make those who hate you a place to rest Your feet." ' <n>Psalm 110:1</n>


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He said, "The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers have put themselves in Moses' place as teachers.


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Do what they tell you to do and keep on doing it. But do not follow what they do. They preach but do not obey their own preaching.


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They make heavy loads and put them on the shoulders of men. But they will not help lift them with a finger.


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Everything they do, they do to be seen of men. They have words from the Holy Writings written in large letters on their left arm and forehead and they make wide trimming for their clothes.


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They like to have the important places at big suppers and the best seats in the Jewish places of worship.


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They like to have people show respect to them as they stand in the center of town where people gather. They like to be called teacher.


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The person who thinks he is important will find out how little he is worth. The person who is not trying to honor himself will be made important.


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"It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You keep men from going into the holy nation of heaven. You are not going in yourselves, and you do not allow those to go in who are about to go in.


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It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! <n>(*You take houses from poor women whose husbands have died. Then you try to cover it up by making long prayers. You will be punished all the more because of this.)</n>


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It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You go over land and sea to win one follower. When you have him, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are.


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"It is bad for you, blind leaders! You say, 'Whoever makes a promise by the house of God, his promise is worth nothing. But whoever makes a promise by the gold of the house of God, then his promise has to be kept.'


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You say, 'Whoever will promise by the altar, his promise does not have to be kept. But whoever makes a promise by the gift on the altar, then his promise has to be kept.'


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"It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You give one-tenth part of your spices, and have not done the most important things of the Law, such as thinking what is right and wrong, and having pity and faith. These you should have done and still have done the other things also.


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"It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You clean the outside of the cup and plate, but leave the inside full of strong bad desires and are not able to keep from doing sinful things.


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You blind proud religious law-keepers! Clean the inside of the cup and plate, then the outside will be clean also.


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"It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You are like graves that have been made white and look beautiful on the outside. But inside you are full of the bones of dead men and of every sinful thing.


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As men look at you, you seem to be good and right but inside you are full of sin. You pretend to be someone you are not.


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"It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You make buildings for the graves of the early preachers, and you make the graves beautiful of those who are right with God.


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You say, 'If we had lived in the days of our early fathers, we would not have helped kill the early preachers.'


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"Because of this, I am going to keep on sending to you men who speak for God and wise men and teachers of the Law. Some of them you will kill and nail to a cross. Some of them you will beat in your places of worship. You will make it very hard for them as they go from city to city.


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Because of this, you will be guilty of the blood of all those right with God on the earth. It will be from the blood of Abel who was right with God to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachias. He was the one you killed between the house of God and the altar.


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"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the men who speak for God and throw stones at those who were sent to you. How many times I wanted to gather your children around Me, as a chicken gathers her young ones under her wings. But you would not let Me.


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I say to you, you will not see Me again until you will say, 'Great is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!' "


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Jesus went out of the house of God. On the way His followers came to Him to show Him the buildings of the house of God.


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Jesus said to them, "Do you see all these things? For sure, I tell you, all these stones will be thrown down. Not one will be left standing on another."


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Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. The followers came to Him when He was alone and said, "Tell us, when will this happen? What can we look for to show us of Your coming and of the end of the world?"


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Many people will come using My name. They will say, 'I am Christ.' They will fool many people and will turn them to the wrong way.


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You will hear of wars and lots of talk about wars, but do not be afraid. These things must happen, but it is not the end yet.


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Nations will have wars with other nations. Countries will fight against countries. There will be no food for people. The earth will shake and break apart in different places.


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"Then they will hand you over to be hurt. They will kill you. You will be hated by all the world because of My name.


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Many people will give up and turn away at this time. People will hand over each other. They will hate each other.


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Many false religious teachers will come. They will fool many people and will turn them to the wrong way.


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Because of people breaking the laws and sin being everywhere, the love in the hearts of many people will become cold.


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"This Good News about the holy nation of God must be preached over all the earth. It must be told to all nations and then the end will come.


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"You will see a sinful man-made god standing in the house of God in Jerusalem. It was spoken of by the early preacher Daniel. <n>(Daniel 9:27; 12:11)</n> The one who reads this should understand it.


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It will be hard for a woman who will soon be a mother. It will be hard for the ones feeding babies in those days!


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In those days there will be very much trouble and pain and sorrow. It has never been this bad from the beginning of the world and never will be again.


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If the time had not been made short, no life would have been saved. Because of God's people, the time will be made short.


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People who say they are Christ and false preachers will come. They will do special things for people to see. They will do great things, so that if it can be done, God's people will be fooled to believe something wrong.


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If they tell you, 'See! He is in the desert,' do not go to see. Or if they say, 'See! He is in the inside room,' do not believe them.


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"As soon as those days of trouble and pain and sorrow are over, the sun will get dark. The moon will not give light. The stars will fall from the sky. The powers in the heavens will be shaken.


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Then something special will be seen in the sky telling of the Son of Man. All nations of the earth will have sorrow. They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the sky with power and shining-greatness.


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He will send His angels with the loud sound of a horn. They will gather God's people together from the four winds. They will come from one end of the heavens to the other.


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"Now learn something from the fig tree. When the branch begins to grow and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.


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In the same way, when you see all these things happen, you know the Son of Man is near, even at the door.


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For sure, I tell you, the people of this day will not pass away before all these things have happened.


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But no one knows the day or the hour. No! Not even the angels in heaven know. The Son does not know. Only the Father knows.


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In the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking. They were marrying and being given in marriage. This kept on until the day Noah went into the large boat.


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They did not know what was happening until the flood came and the water carried them all away. It will be like this when the Son of Man comes.


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But understand this: If the owner of a house had known when the robber was coming, he would have watched. He would not have allowed his house to have been broken into.


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"Who is the faithful and wise servant whom his owner has made boss over the other servants? He is to have food ready for them at the right time.


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The owner will punish the servant and will give him his place with those who pretend to be someone they are not. There will be loud crying and grinding of teeth.


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"At that time the holy nation of heaven will be like ten women who have never had men. They took their lamps and went out to meet the man soon to be married.


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"At twelve o'clock in the night there was a loud call, 'See! The man soon to be married is coming! Go out to meet him!'


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The foolish women said to the wise women, 'Give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.'


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But the wise women said, 'No! There will not be enough for us and you. Go to the store and buy oil for yourselves.'


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While they were gone to buy oil, the man soon to be married came. Those who were ready went in with him to the marriage. The door was shut.


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"For the holy nation of heaven is like a man who was going to a country far away. He called together the servants he owned and gave them his money to use.


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He gave to one servant five pieces of money worth much. He gave to another servant two pieces of money worth much. He gave to another servant one piece of money worth much. He gave to each one as he was able to use it. Then he went on his trip.


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The servant who had the five pieces of money went out to the stores and traded until he made five more pieces.


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The servant who had received the one piece of money went and hid the money in a hole in the ground. He hid his owner's money.


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"After a long time the owner of those servants came back. He wanted to know what had been done with his money.


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The one who had received the five pieces of money worth much came and handed him five pieces more. He said, 'Sir, you gave me five pieces of money. See! I used it and made five more pieces.'


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His owner said to him, 'You have done well. You are a good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will put many things in your care. Come and share my joy.'


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The one who received two pieces of money worth much came also. He said, 'Sir, you gave me two pieces of money. See! I used it and made two more pieces.'


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The one who had received one piece of money worth much came. He said, 'Sir, I know that you are a hard man. You gather grain where you have not planted. You take up where you have not spread out.


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His owner said to him, 'You bad and lazy servant. You knew that I gather grain where I have not planted. You knew that I take up where I have not spread out.


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You should have taken my money to the bank. When I came back, I could have had my own money and what the bank paid for using it.


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For the man who has will have more given to him. He will have more than enough. The man who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.


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"When the Son of Man comes in His shining-greatness, He will sit down on His throne of greatness. All the angels will be with Him.


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All the nations of the earth will be gathered before Him. He will divide them from each other as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats.


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"Then the King will say to those on His right side, 'Come, you who have been called by My Father. Come into the holy nation that has been made ready for you before the world was made.


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For I was hungry and you gave Me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave Me water to drink. I was a stranger and you gave Me a room.


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I had no clothes and you gave Me clothes to wear. I was sick and you cared for Me. I was in prison and you came to see Me.'


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"Then those that are right with God will say, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You? When did we see You thirsty and give You a drink?


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When did we see You a stranger and give You a room? When did we see You had no clothes and we gave You clothes?


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Then the King will say, 'For sure, I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of My brothers, you have done it to Me.'


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"Then the King will say to those on His left side, 'Go away from Me! You are guilty! Go into the fire that lasts forever. It has been made ready for the devil and his angels.


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For I was hungry but you did not give Me food to eat. I was thirsty but you did not give Me water to drink.


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I was a stranger but you did not give Me a room. I had no clothes but you did not give Me clothes. I was sick and in prison but you did not come to see Me.'


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"Then they will ask, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger? When did we see You without clothes or sick or in prison and did not care for You?'


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Then He will say to them, 'For sure, I tell you, because you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'


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These will go to the place where they will be punished forever. But those right with God will have life that lasts forever."


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"You know that the special religious supper to remember how the Jews left Egypt is in two days. The Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to a cross."


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The religious leaders and the leaders of the people gathered at the house of the head religious leader. His name was Caiaphas.


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But they said, "This must not happen on the day of the special supper. The people would be against it. They would make much trouble."


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A woman came with a jar of perfume. She had given much money for this. As Jesus ate, she poured the perfume on His head.


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Jesus knew what they were saying. He said to them, "Why are you giving this woman trouble? She has done a good thing to Me.


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For sure, I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in all the world, this woman will be remembered for what she has done."


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He said, "What will you pay me if I hand Jesus over to you?" They promised to pay him thirty pieces of silver.


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On the first day of the supper of bread without yeast the followers came to Jesus. They said, "What place do You want us to make ready for You to eat the supper of the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt?"


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He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near. I will eat the special supper at your house with My followers." ' "


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The Son of Man is going away as it is written of Him. It is bad for that man who hands the Son of Man over! It would have been better if he had not been born!"


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Judas was the one who was handing Jesus over. He said, "Teacher, am I the one?" Jesus said to him, "You have said it."


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As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread. He gave thanks and broke it in pieces. He gave it to His followers and said, "Take, eat, this is My body."


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This is My blood of the New Way of Worship which is given for many. It is given so the sins of many can be forgiven.


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I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until that day when I will drink it new with you in the holy nation of My Father."


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Jesus said to them, "All of you will be ashamed of Me and leave Me tonight. For it is written, 'I will kill the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be spread everywhere.' <n>Zechariah 13:7</n>


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Jesus said to him, "For sure, I tell you, before a rooster crows this night, you will say three times you do not know Me."


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Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will never say I do not know You." And all the followers said the same thing.


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Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, "You sit here while I go over there to pray."


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Then He said to them, "My soul is very sad. My soul is so full of sorrow I am ready to die. You stay here and watch with Me."


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He went on a little farther and got down with His face on the ground. He prayed, "My Father, if it can be done, take away what is before Me. Even so, not what I want but what You want."


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Then He came to the followers and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, "Were you not able to watch with Me one hour?


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Watch and pray so that you will not be tempted. Man's spirit is willing, but the body does not have the power to do it."


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He went away again the second time. He prayed, saying, "My Father, if this must happen to Me, may whatever You want be done."


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Then He came to His followers and asked them, "Are you still sleeping and getting your rest? As I speak, the time has come when the Son of Man will be handed over to sinners.


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Judas, one of the twelve followers, came while Jesus was talking. He came with many others who had swords and sticks. They came from the religious leaders of the Jews and the leaders of the people.


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The man who handed Jesus over gave the men something to look for. He said, "The One I kiss is the One you want. Take Him!"


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Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you came to do." Then they came and put their hands on Jesus and took Him.


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One of those with Jesus took his sword. He hit the servant who was owned by the religious leader and cut off his ear.


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Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back where it belongs. Everyone who uses a sword will die with a sword.


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Then Jesus said to the many people, "Have you come with swords and sticks to take Me as if I were a robber? I have been with you every day teaching in the house of God. You never put your hands on Me then.


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But this has happened as the early preachers said in the Holy Writings it would happen." Then all the followers left Him and ran away.


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Those who had taken Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas. He was the head religious leader. The teachers of the Law and the other leaders were gathered there.


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But Peter followed Him a long way behind while going to the house of the head religious leader. Then he went in and sat with the helpers to see what would happen.


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The religious leaders and the other leaders and all the court were looking for false things to say against Jesus. They wanted some reason to kill Him.


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They said, "This Man said, 'I am able to destroy the house of God and build it up again in three days.' "


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Then the head religious leader stood up. He said to Jesus, "Have You nothing to say? What about the things these men are saying against You?"


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Jesus said nothing. Then the head religious leader said to Him, "In the name of the living God, I tell You to say the truth. Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God."


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Jesus said to him, "What you said is true. I say to you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated on the right hand of the All-powerful God. You will see Him coming on the clouds of the sky."


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Then the head religious leader tore his clothes apart. He said, "He has spoken as if He were God! Do we need other people to speak against Him yet? You have heard Him speak as if He were God!


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Peter sat outside in the yard. A young servant-girl came to him. She said, "You were also with Jesus Who is from the country of Galilee!"


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After he had gone out, another young servant-girl saw him. She said to those standing around, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."


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After a little while some of the people standing around came up to Peter and said, "For sure, you are one of them. You talk like they do."


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Then he began to say bad words and swear. He said, "I do not know the Man!" At once a rooster crowed.


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Peter remembered the words Jesus had said to him, "Before a rooster crows, you will say three times you do not know Me." Peter went outside and cried with loud cries.


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Early in the morning all the head religious leaders of the Jews and the leaders of the people gathered together and talked about how they could put Jesus to death.


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They tied Him and took Him away. Then they handed Him over to Pilate who was the leader of the country.


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Then Judas was sorry he had handed Jesus over when he saw that Jesus was going to be killed. He took back the thirty pieces of silver and gave it to the head religious leaders and the other leaders.


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He said, "I have sinned because I handed over a Man Who has done no wrong." And they said, "What is that to us? That is your own doing."


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He threw the money down in the house of God and went outside. Then he went away and killed himself by hanging from a rope.


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The head religious leaders took the money. They said, "It is against the Law to put this money in the house of God. This money has bought blood."


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It happened as the early preacher Jeremiah said it would happen. He said, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver which was the price the Jews said they would pay for Him.


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Then Jesus stood in front of the leader of the country. The leader asked Jesus, "Are You the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "What you say is true."


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At the special supper each year the leader of the country would always let one person who was in prison go free. It would be the one the people wanted.


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When they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to let go free? Should it be Barabbas or Jesus Who is called Christ?"


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For the leader of the country knew the religious leaders had given Jesus over to him because they were jealous.


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While Pilate was sitting in the place where he judges, his wife sent him this word, "Have nothing to do with that good Man. I have been troubled today in a dream about Him."


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The head religious leaders and the other leaders talked the many people into asking for Barabbas to go free and for Jesus to be put to death.


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The leader of the country said to them, "Which one of the two do you want me to let go free?" They said, "Barabbas."


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Pilate said to them, "Then what am I to do with Jesus Who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Nail Him to a cross!"


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Then Pilate said, "Why, what bad thing has He done?" But they cried out all the more, "Nail Him to a cross!"


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Pilate saw that he could do nothing. The people were making loud calls and there was much pushing around. He took water and washed his hands in front of the many people. He said, "I am not guilty of the blood of this good Man. This is your own doing."


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Pilate let Barabbas go free but he had men whip Jesus. Then he handed Him over to be nailed to a cross.


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Then the soldiers of Pilate took Jesus into a large room. A big group of soldiers gathered around Him.


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They put a crown of thorns on His head. They put a stick in His right hand. They got on their knees before Him and made fun of Him. They said, "Hello, King of the Jews!"


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After they had made fun of Him, they took the coat off and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him away to be nailed to a cross.


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As they were on the way, they came to a man called Simon from the country of Cyrene. They made him carry the cross for Jesus.


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When they had nailed Him to the cross, they divided His clothes by drawing names. *It happened as the early preacher said it would happen. He said, "They divided My clothes among them by drawing names to see who would get My coat." <n>Psalm 22:18</n>


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They nailed two robbers to crosses beside Him. One was on His right side. The other was on His left side.


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They said, "You are the One Who could destroy the house of God and build it up again in three days. Now save Yourself. If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."


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The head religious leaders and the teachers of the Law and the other leaders made fun of Him also. They said,


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"He saved others but He cannot save Himself. If He is the King of the Jews, let Him come down from the cross. Then we will believe in Him.


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At once one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with sour wine. He put it on a stick and gave it to Him to drink.


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At once the curtain in the house of God was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks fell apart.


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After Jesus was raised from the grave, these arose from their graves and went into Jerusalem, the Holy City. These were seen by many people.


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The captain of the soldiers and those with him who were watching Jesus, saw all the things that were happening. They saw the earth shake and they were very much afraid. They said, "For sure, this Man was the Son of God."


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Many women were looking on from far away. These had followed Jesus from the country of Galilee. They had cared for Him.


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Among them was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of Zebedee's sons.


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When it was evening, a rich man came from the city of Arimathea. His name was Joseph. He was a follower of Jesus also.


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He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate said that the body should be given to him.


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He laid it in his own new grave. This grave had been cut out in the side of a rock. He pushed a big stone over the door of the grave and went away.


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The next day, the day after Jesus was killed, the head religious leaders and the proud religious law-keepers gathered together in front of Pilate.


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They said, "Sir, we remember what that Man Who fooled people said when He was living, 'After three days I am to rise from the dead.'


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Speak the word to have the grave watched for three days. Then His followers cannot come at night and take Him away and say to the people, 'He has been raised from the dead.' The last mistake would be worse than the first."


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The Day of Rest was over. The sun was coming up on the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the grave.


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At once the earth shook and an angel of the Lord came down from heaven. He came and pushed back the stone from the door and sat on it.


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The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus Who was nailed to the cross.


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He is not here! He has risen from the dead as He said He would. Come and see the place where the Lord lay.


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Run fast and tell His followers that He is risen from the dead. He is going before you to the country of Galilee. You will see Him there as I have told you."


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They went away from the grave in a hurry. They were afraid and yet had much joy. They ran to tell the news to His followers.


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As they went to tell the followers, Jesus met them and said hello to them. They came and held His feet and worshiped Him.


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Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My followers to go to Galilee. They will see Me there."


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While they were on their way, some of the soldiers who were to watch the grave came into the city. They told the head religious leaders everything that had happened.


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The soldiers gathered together with the other leaders and talked about what to do. The leaders gave much money to the soldiers.


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They said, "Tell the people, 'His followers came at night and took His body while we were sleeping.'


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They took the money and did as they were told. This story was told among the Jews and is still told today.


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Then the eleven followers went to Galilee. They went to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.


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Go and make followers of all the nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.


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Teach them to do all the things I have told you. And I am with you always, even to the end of the world."


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begins with the words of the early preachers: "Listen! I will send My helper to carry the news ahead of you. He will make the way ready.


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His voice calls out in the desert, 'Make the way ready for the Lord. Make the road straight for Him!' " <n>Isaiah 40:3</n>


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John the Baptist preached in the desert. He preached that people should be baptized because they were sorry for their sins and turned from them. And they would be forgiven.


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People from over all the country of Judea and from Jerusalem came to him. They told of their sins and were baptized by John in the Jordan River.


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He preached, saying, "One is coming after me Who is greater than I. I am not good enough to get down and help Him take off His shoes.


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Jesus came to the Jordan River from the town of Nazareth in the country of Galilee. He was baptized by John.


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As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw heaven open up. The Holy Spirit came down on Him like a dove.


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After John the Baptist was put in prison, Jesus came to the country of Galilee. He preached the Good News of God.


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He said, "The time has come. The holy nation of God is near. Be sorry for your sins, turn from them, and believe the Good News."


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Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He saw Simon and his brother Andrew putting a net into the sea. They were fishermen.


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Jesus went on a little farther. He saw James and his brother John who were sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat mending their nets.


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Jesus called them and they left their father Zebedee. He was in the boat with men who were working for him.


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Jesus and His followers went to the city of Capernaum on the Day of Rest. They went to the Jewish place of worship where Jesus taught the people.


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The people were surprised and wondered about His teaching. He taught them as One Who had the right and the power to teach and not as the teachers of the Law.


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"What do You want of us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know Who You are. You are the Holy One of God."


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The people were all surprised and wondered. They asked each other, "What is this? Is this a new teaching? He speaks with power even to the demons and they obey Him!"


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Jesus and His followers came out of the Jewish place of worship. Then they went to the house of Simon and Andrew. James and John went with them.


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He went and took her by the hand and raised her up. At once her sickness was gone. She got up and cared for them.


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In the evening as the sun went down, the people took all who were sick to Jesus. They took those who had demons to Him.


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Jesus healed those who were sick of many kinds of diseases. He put out many demons. Jesus would not allow the demons to speak because they knew Who He was.


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In the morning before the sun was up, Jesus went to a place where He could be alone. He prayed there.


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Jesus said to the followers, "Let us go to the towns near here so I can preach there also. That is why I came."


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A man came to Jesus with a bad skin disease. This man got down on his knees and begged Jesus, saying, "If You want to, You can heal me."


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He said to him, "Tell no one about this. Go and let the religious leader of the Jews see you. Give the gifts Moses has told you to give when a man is healed of a disease. Let the leaders know you have been healed."


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But the man went out and talked about it everywhere. After this Jesus could not go to any town if people knew He was there. He had to stay in the desert. People came to Him from everywhere.


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Soon many people gathered there. There was no more room, not even at the door. He spoke the Word of God to them.


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These men could not get near Jesus because of so many people. They made a hole in the roof of the house over where Jesus stood. Then they let down the bed with the sick man on it.


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"Why does this Man talk like this? He is speaking as if He is God! Who can forgive sins? Only One can forgive sins and that is God!"


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At once Jesus knew the teachers of the Law were thinking this. He said to them, "Why do you think this in your hearts?


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Which is easier to say to the sick man, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your bed, and start to walk?'


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I am doing this so you may know the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins." He said to the sick man who could not move his body,


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At once the sick man got up and took his bed and went away. Everybody saw him. They were all surprised and wondered about it. They thanked God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"


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He walked farther and saw Levi <n>(Matthew)</n> the son of Alphaeus. Levi was sitting at his work gathering taxes. Jesus said to him, "Follow Me." Levi got up and followed Him.


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Jesus ate in Levi's house. Many men who gather taxes and others who were sinners came and sat down with Jesus and His followers. There were many following Him.


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The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers saw Jesus eat with men who gather taxes and others who were sinners. They said to His fol-lowers, "Why does He eat and drink with men who gather taxes and with sinners?"


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Jesus heard it and said to them, "People who are well do not need a doctor. Only those who are sick need a doctor. I have not come to call those who are right with God. I have come to call those who are sinners."


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The followers of John and the proud religious law-keepers were not eating food so they could pray better. Some people came to Jesus and said, "Why do the followers of John and the proud religious law-keepers go without food so they can pray better, but Your followers do not?"


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Jesus said to them, "Can the friends at a wedding go without food when the man just married is with them? As long as they have him with them, they will not go without food.


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The days will come when the man just married will be taken from them. Then they will not eat food so they can pray better.


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No man puts new wine into old skin bags. The skin would break and the wine would run out. The bags would be no good. New wine must be put into new skin bags."


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At that time Jesus walked through the grain-fields on the Day of Rest. As they went, His followers began to take some of the grain.


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The proud religious law-keepers said to Jesus, "See! Why are they doing what the Law says should not be done on the Day of Rest?"


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He went into the house of God when Abiathar was head religious leader of the Jews. He ate the special bread used in the religious worship. The Law says only the Jewish religious leaders may eat that. David gave some to those who were with him also."


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Jesus said to them, "The Day of Rest was made for the good of man. Man was not made for the Day of Rest.


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The proud religious law-keepers watched Jesus to see if He would heal the man on the Day of Rest. They wanted to have something to say against Jesus.


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Then Jesus said to the proud religious lawkeepers, "Does the Law say to do good on the Day of Rest or to do bad, to save life or to kill?" But they said nothing.


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Jesus looked around at them with anger. He was sad because of their hard hearts. Then He said to the man, "Put out your hand." He put it out and his hand was healed. It was as good as the other.


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The proud religious law-keepers went out and made plans with the followers of King Herod how they might kill Jesus.


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Jesus went with His followers to the sea. Many people followed Him from the countries of Galilee and Judea.


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They followed from Jerusalem and from the country of Idumea. They came from the other side of the Jordan River and from the cities of Tyre and Sidon. Many people heard all that Jesus was doing and came to Him.


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He told His followers to have a small boat ready for Him because so many people might push Him down.


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He had healed so many that the sick people were pushing in on Him. They were trying to put their hands on Him.


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James and John were brothers. They were the sons of Zebedee. He named them Boanerges, which means, The Sons of Thunder.


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The others were Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Canaanite,


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When Jesus came into a house, many people gathered around Him again. Jesus and His followers could not even eat.


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Teachers of the Law came down from Jerusalem. They said, "Jesus has Satan in Him. This Man puts out demons by the king of demons."


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Jesus called them to Him and spoke to them in picture-stories. He said, "How can the devil put out the devil?


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No man can go into a strong man's house and take away his things, unless he ties up the strong man first. Only then can he take things from his house.


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But if anyone speaks bad things against the Holy Spirit, he will never be forgiven. He is guilty of a sin that lasts forever."


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Many people were sitting around Him. They said, "See! Your mother and brothers are outside looking for You."


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Jesus began to teach by the sea-shore again. Many people gathered around Him. There were so many He had to get into a boat and sit down. The people were on the shore.


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Some seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew and did not give the seed room to grow. This seed gave no grain.


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Some seed fell on good ground. It came up and grew and gave much grain. Some gave thirty times as much grain. Some gave sixty times as much grain. Some gave one hundred times as much grain."


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Those who were with Jesus and the twelve followers came to Him when He was alone. They asked about the picture-story.


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He said to them, "You were given the secrets about the holy nation of God. Everything is told in picture-stories to those who are outside the holy nation of God.


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They see, but do not know what it means. They hear, but do not understand. If they did, they might turn to God and have their sins forgiven." <n>(Isaiah 6:9-10)</n>


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Jesus said to them, "Do you not understand this picture-story? Then how will you understand any of the picture-stories?


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Those by the side of the road are the ones who hear the Word. As soon as they hear it, the devil comes and takes away the Word that is planted in their hearts.


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Their roots are not deep so they live only a short time. When sorrow and trouble come because of the Word, they give up and fall away.


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But the cares of this life let thorns come up. A love for riches and always wanting other things let thorns grow. These things do not give the Word room to grow so it does not give grain.


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The seed that fell on good ground is like people who hear the Word and understand it. They give much grain. Some give thirty times as much grain. Some give sixty times as much grain. Some give one hundred times as much grain."


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He said to them, "Is a lamp to be put under a pail or under a bed? Should it not be put on a lamp-stand?


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Everything that is hidden will be brought into the light. Everything that is a secret will be made known.


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Jesus said to them, "Be careful what you listen to. The same amount you give will be given to you, and even more.


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He who has, to him will be given. To him who does not have, even the little he has will be taken from him."


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The earth gives fruit by itself. The leaf comes first and then the young grain can be seen. And last, the grain is ready to gather.


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Jesus said, "In what way can we show what the holy nation of God is like? Or what picture-story can we use to help you understand?


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After it is put in the ground, it grows and becomes the largest of the spices. It puts out long branches so birds of the sky can live in it."


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After sending the people away, they took Jesus with them in a boat. It was the same boat He used when He taught them. Other little boats went along with them.


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A bad wind storm came up. The waves were coming over the side of the boat. It was filling up with water.


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Jesus was in the back part of the boat sleeping on a pillow. They woke Him up, crying out, "Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?"


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He got up and spoke sharp words to the wind. He said to the sea, "Be quiet! Be still." At once the wind stopped blowing. There were no more waves.


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Many times he had been tied with chains on his feet. He had broken the chains as well as the irons from his hands and legs. No man was strong enough to keep him tied.


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Night and day he was among the graves and in the mountains. He would cry out and cut himself with stones.


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The man spoke with a loud voice and said, "What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I ask You, in the name of God, do not hurt me!"


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Then Jesus let them do what they wanted to do. So they went into the pigs. The pigs ran fast down the side of the mountain and into the sea and died. There were about 2000.


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The men who cared for the pigs ran fast to the town and out to the country telling what had been done. People came to see what had happened.


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They came to Jesus and saw the man who had had the demons. He was sitting with clothes on and in his right mind. The men were afraid.


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Those who had seen it told what had happened to the man who had had the demons. They told what had happened to the pigs.


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Jesus would not let him go but said to him, "Go home to your own people. Tell them what great things the Lord has done for you. Tell them how He had pity on you."


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The man went his way and told everyone in the land of Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him. All the people were surprised and wondered.


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Then Jesus went by boat over to the other side of the sea. Many people gathered around Him. He stayed by the sea-shore.


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Jairus was one of the leaders of the Jewish place of worship. As Jairus came to Jesus, he got down at His feet.


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He cried out to Jesus and said, "My little daughter is almost dead. Come and put your hand on her that she may be healed and live."


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She had suffered much because of having many doctors. She had spent all the money she had. She had received no help, but became worse.


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At the same time Jesus knew that power had gone from Him. He turned and said to the people following Him, "Who touched My coat?"


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His followers said to Him, "You see the many people pushing on every side. Why do You ask, 'Who touched My coat?' "


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The woman was filled with fear when she knew what had happened to her. She came and got down before Jesus and told Him the truth.


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While Jesus spoke, men came from the house of the leader of the place of worship. They said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher anymore?"


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Jesus heard this. He said to the leader of the Jewish place of worship, "Do not be afraid, just believe."


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They came to the house where the leader of the place of worship lived. Jesus found many people making much noise and crying.


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He went in and asked them, "Why is there so much noise and crying? The girl is not dead. She is sleeping."


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They laughed at Jesus. But He sent them all out of the room. Then He took the girl's father and mother and those who were with Him. They went into the room where the girl was.


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At once the girl got up and walked. She was twelve years old. They were very much surprised and wondered about it.


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He spoke sharp words to them that they should not tell anyone. He told them to give her something to eat.


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On the Day of Rest He began to teach in the Jewish place of worship. Many people heard Him. They were surprised and wondered, saying, "Where did this Man get all this? What wisdom is this that has been given to Him? How can He do these powerful works with His hands?


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Is He not a Man Who makes things from wood? Is He not the Son of Mary and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Do not His sisters live here with us?" The people were ashamed of Him and turned away from Him.


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Jesus said to them, "One who speaks for God is respected everywhere but in his own country and among his own family and in his own house."


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So Jesus could do no powerful works there. But He did put His hands on a few sick people and healed them.


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Jesus called the twelve followers to Him and began to send them out two by two. He gave them power over demons.


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He told them to take nothing along with them but a walking stick. They were not to take a bag or food or money in their belts.


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Whoever does not take you in or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet. By doing that, you will speak against them. For sure, I tell you, it will be easier for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day men stand before God and are judged than for that city."


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King Herod heard about Jesus because everyone was talking about Him. Some people said, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why he is doing such powerful works."


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Other people said, "He is Elijah." Others said, "He is one who speaks for God like one of the early preachers."


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When Herod heard this, he said, "It is John the Baptist, whose head I cut off. He has been raised from the dead."


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For Herod had sent men to take John and put him into prison. He did this because of his wife, Herodias. She had been the wife of his brother Philip.


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Herod was afraid of John. He knew he was a good man and right with God, and he kept John from being hurt or killed. He liked to listen to John preach. But when he did, he became troubled.


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Then Herodias found a way to have John killed. Herod gave a big supper on his birthday. He asked the leaders of the country and army captains and the leaders of Galilee to come.


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The daughter of Herodias came in and danced before them. This made Herod and his friends happy. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you."


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Then he made a promise to her, "Whatever you ask for, I will give it to you. I will give you even half of my nation."


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She went to her mother and asked, "What should I ask for?" The mother answered, "I want the head of John the Baptist."


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At once the girl went to Herod. She said, "I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a plate now."


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At once he sent one of his soldiers and told him to bring the head of John the Baptist. The soldier went to the prison and cut off John's head.


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He said to them, "Come away from the people. Be by yourselves and rest." There were many people coming and going. They had had no time even to eat.


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Many people saw them leave and knew who they were. People ran fast from all the cities and got there first.


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When Jesus got out of the boat, He saw many people gathered together. He had loving-pity for them. They were like sheep without a shepherd. He began to teach them many things.


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The day was almost gone. The followers of Jesus came to Him. They said, "This is a desert. It is getting late.


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He said to them, "Give them something to eat." They said to Him, "Are we to go and buy many loaves of bread and give it to them?"


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He said to them, "How many loaves of bread do you have here? Go and see." When they knew, they said, "Five loaves of bread and two fish."


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Jesus took the five loaves of bread and two fish. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke the loaves in pieces and gave them to the followers to set before the people. He divided the two fish among them all.


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At once Jesus had His followers get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to the town of Bethsaida. He sent the people away.


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He saw His followers were in trouble. The wind was against them. They were working very hard rowing the boat. About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came to them walking on the sea. He would have gone past them.


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When the followers saw Him walking on the water, they thought it was a spirit and cried out with fear.


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For they all saw Him and were afraid. At once Jesus talked to them. He said, "Take hope. It is I, do not be afraid."


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He came over to them and got into the boat. The wind stopped. They were very much surprised and wondered about it.


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Wherever He went, they would lay the sick people in the streets in the center of town where people gather. They begged Him that they might touch the bottom of His coat. Everyone who did was healed. This happened in the towns and in the cities and in the country where He went.


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The proud religious law-keepers and some of the teachers of the Law had come from Jerusalem. They gathered around Jesus.


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The proud religious law-keepers and all the Jews never eat until they wash their hands. They keep the teaching that was given to them by their early fathers.


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When they come from the stores, they never eat until they wash. There are many other teachings they keep. Some are the washing of cups and pots and pans in a special way.


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Then the proud religious law-keepers and the teachers of the Law asked Jesus, "Why do Your followers not obey the teaching given to them by their early fathers? They eat bread without washing their hands."


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He said to them, "Isaiah told about you who pretend to be someone you are not. Isaiah wrote, 'These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.


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Moses said, 'Respect your father and mother.' <n>(Exodus 20:12)</n> 'He who curses his father and mother will be put to death!' <n>Exodus 21:17</n>


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But you say that it is right if a man does not help his father and mother because he says he has given to God what he could have given to them.


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You are putting away the Word of God to keep your own teaching. You are doing many other things like this."


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It is not what goes into a man's mouth from the outside that makes his mind and heart sinful. It is what comes out from the inside that makes him sinful.


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He went into the house away from all the people. His followers began to ask about the picture-story.


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He said to them, "Do you not understand yet? Do you not under-stand that whatever goes into a man cannot make him sinful?


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It does not go into his heart, but into his stomach and then on out of his body." In this way, He was saying that all food is clean.


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From the inside, out of the heart of men come bad thoughts, sex sins of a married person, sex sins of a person not married, killing other people,


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stealing, wanting something that belongs to someone else, doing wrong, lying, having a desire for sex sins, having a mind that is always looking for sin, speaking against God, think-ing you are better than you are and doing foolish things.


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Jesus went from their towns and cities to the cities of Tyre and Sidon. He went into a house and wanted to stay there without people knowing where He was. But He could not hide Himself.


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The woman was not a Jew. She was from the country of Syrophenicia. She asked Jesus if He would put the demon out of her daughter.


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Jesus said to her, "Let the children have what they want first. It is wrong to take children's food and throw it to the dogs."


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He said to her, "Because of what you have said, go your way. The demon is gone out of your daughter."


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So she went to her house and found the demon was gone and her daughter was lying on the bed. Who Could Not Hear Or Speak Well


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Then Jesus left the cities of Tyre and Sidon. He came back to the Sea of Galilee by way of the land of Decapolis.


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Jesus took him away from the other people. He put His fingers into the man's ears. He spit and put His finger on the man's tongue.


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Then Jesus told them they should tell no one. The more He told them this, the more they told what He had done.


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They were very much surprised and wondered about it. They said, "He has done all things well. He makes those who could not hear so they can hear. He makes those who could not speak so they can speak."


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In those days many people were gathered together. They had nothing to eat. Jesus called His followers to Him and said,


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If I send them home without food, they may be too weak as they go. Many of them have come a long way."


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Then He told the people to sit down on the ground. Jesus took the seven loaves of bread and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to His followers to give to the people. The followers gave the bread to them.


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They had a few small fish also. He gave thanks to God and told the followers to give the fish to them.


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They all ate and were filled. They picked up seven baskets full of pieces of bread and fish after the people were finished eating.


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The proud religious law-keepers came and began to ask Him for something special to see from heaven. They wanted to trap Jesus.


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He breathed deep within and said, "Why do the people of this day look for something special to see? For sure, I tell you, the people of this day will have nothing special to see from heaven."


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He said to them, "Look out! Have nothing to do with the yeast of the proud religious law-keepers and of Herod."


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Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to them, "Why are you talking among yourselves about forgetting to bring bread? Do you not understand? Is it not plain to you? Are your hearts still hard?


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When I divided the five loaves of bread among the five thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?" They said, "Twelve."


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"When I divided the seven loaves of bread among the four thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?" They said, "Seven."


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Then they came to the town of Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They asked if He would touch him.


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He took the blind man by the hand out of town. Then He spit on the eyes of the blind man and put His hands on him. He asked, "Do you see anything?"


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Jesus put His hands on the man's eyes again and told him to look up. Then he was healed and saw everything well.


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Jesus and His followers went from there to the towns of Caesarea Philippi. As they went, He asked His followers, "Who do people say that I am?"


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They answered, "Some say John the Baptist and some say Elijah and others say one of the early preachers."


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He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things. He told them that the leaders and the religious leaders of the Jews and the teachers of the Law would have nothing to do with Him. He told them He would be killed and three days later He would be raised from the dead.


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He had said this in plain words. Peter took Him away from the others and began to speak sharp words to Him.


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Jesus turned around. He looked at His followers and spoke sharp words to Peter. He said, "Get behind Me, Satan! Your thoughts are not thoughts from God but from men."


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Jesus called the people and His followers to Him. He said to them, "If anyone wants to be My follower, he must give up himself and his own desires. He must take up his cross and follow Me.


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If anyone wants to keep his own life safe, he will lose it. If anyone gives up his life because of Me and because of the Good News, he will save it.


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Whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words among the sinful people of this day, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in the shining-greatness of His Father and His holy angels."


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Jesus said to them, "For sure I tell you, some standing here will not die until they see the holy nation of God come with power!"


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Six days later Jesus took Peter and James and John with Him. He led them up to a high mountain by themselves. Jesus was changed as they looked at Him.


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Peter said to Jesus, "Teacher, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents to worship in. One will be for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah."


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They came down from the mountain. Then Jesus said with strong words that they should tell no one what they had seen. They should wait until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.


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So they kept those words to themselves, talking to each other about what He meant by being raised from the dead.


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He said to them, "For sure, Elijah will come first and get things ready. Is it not written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and that men will have nothing to do with Him? <n>Isaiah 53:3</n>


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But I say to you, Elijah has already come. They did to him whatever they wanted to do. It is written that they would."


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When Jesus came back to His followers, He saw many people standing around them. The teachers of the Law were arguing with them.


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Wherever the demon takes him, it throws him down. Spit runs from his mouth. He grinds his teeth. He is getting weaker. I asked Your followers to put the demon out but they could not."


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He said, "You people of this day have no faith. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me."


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They brought the boy to Jesus. The demon saw Jesus and at once held the boy in his power. The boy fell to the ground with spit running from his mouth.


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Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" The father said, "From the time he was a child.


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Many times it throws him into the fire and into the water to kill him. If You can do anything to help us, take pity on us!"


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At once the father cried out. He said with tears in his eyes, "Lord, I have faith. Help my weak faith to be stronger!"


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Jesus saw that many people were gathering together in a hurry. He spoke sharp words to the demon. He said, "Demon! You who cannot speak or hear, I say to you, come out of him! Do not ever go into him again."


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The demon gave a cry. It threw the boy down and came out of him. The boy was so much like a dead man that people said, "He is dead!"


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When Jesus went into the house, His followers asked Him when He was alone, "Why could we not put out the demon?"


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He said to them, "The only way this kind of demon is put out is by prayer and by going without food so you can pray better."


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From there Jesus and His followers went through the country of Galilee. He did not want anyone to know where He was.


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He taught His followers, saying, "The Son of Man will be handed over to men. They will kill Him. Three days after He is killed, He will be raised from the dead."


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They came to the city of Capernaum and were in the house. Jesus asked His followers, "What were you arguing about along the road?"


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Jesus sat down and called the followers to Him. He said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all. He will be the one to care for all."


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Jesus took a child and stood it among them. Then He took the child up in His arms and said to the followers,


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"Whoever receives one of these little children in My name, receives Me. Whoever will receive Me, receives not Me, but Him Who sent Me."


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John said to Him, "Teacher, we saw someone putting out demons in Your name. We told him to stop because he was not following us."


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Jesus said, "Do not stop him. No one who does a powerful work in My name can say anything bad about Me soon after.


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For sure, I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name because you belong to Christ will not lose his reward from God.


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Whoever is the reason for one of these little ones who believes in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large stone put around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.


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If your hand is the reason you fall into sin, cut it off. It is better to go into life without a hand, than to have two hands and go into the fire of hell that cannot be put out.


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If your foot is the reason you fall into sin, cut it off. It is better to go into life with only one foot, than to have two feet and go into the fire of hell that cannot be put out.


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If your eye is the reason you fall into sin, take it out. It is better to go into the holy nation of God with only one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.


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Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how can it be made to taste like salt again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other."


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Jesus went away from the city of Capernaum. He came to the country of Judea and to the other side of the Jordan River. Again the people gathered around Him. He began to teach them as He had been doing.


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The proud religious law-keepers came to Him. They tried to trap Him and asked, "Does the Law say a man can divorce his wife?"


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He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another is not faithful to her and is guilty of a sex sin.


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If a wo-man divorces her husband and marries another, she is not faithful to her husband and is guilty of a sex sin."


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They brought little children to Jesus that He might put His hand on them. The followers spoke sharp words to those who brought them.


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Jesus saw this and was angry with the followers. He said, "Let the little children come to Me. Do not stop them. The holy nation of God is made up of ones like these.


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For sure, I tell you, whoever does not receive the holy nation of God as a little child does not go into it."


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Jesus was going on His way. A man ran to Him and got down on his knees. He said, "Good Teacher, what must I do to have life that lasts forever?"


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You know the Laws, "Do not be guilty of sex sins in marriage. Do not kill another person. Do not take things from people in wrong ways. Do not steal. Do not lie. Respect your father and mother.' "


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Jesus looked at him with love and said, "There is one thing for you to do yet. Go and sell everything you have and give the money to poor people. You will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow Me."


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When the man heard these words, he was sad. He walked away with sorrow because he had many riches here on earth.


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Jesus looked around Him. He said to His followers, "How hard it is for rich people to get into the holy nation of God!"


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The followers were surprised and wondered about His words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children! How hard it is for those who put their trust in riches to get into the holy nation of God!


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They were very surprised and wondered, saying to themselves, "Then who can be saved from the punishment of sin?"


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Jesus said, "For sure, I tell you, there are those who have given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands because of Me, and the Good News.


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They will get back one hundred times as much now at this time in houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands. Along with this, they will have very much trouble. And they will have life that lasts forever in the world to come.


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They were on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus walked in front of them. Those who followed were surprised and afraid. Then Jesus took the twelve followers by themselves. He told them what would happen to Him.


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He said, "Listen, we are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the religious leaders of the Jews and to the teachers of the Law. They will say that He must be put to death. They will hand Him over to the people who are not Jews.


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They will make fun of Him and will beat Him. They will spit on Him and will kill Him. But three days later He will be raised from the dead."


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James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus. They said, "Teacher, we would like to have You do for us whatever we ask You."


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They said to Him, "Let one of us sit by Your right side and the other by Your left side when You receive Your great honor in heaven."


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Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Can you take the suffering I am about to take? Can you be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"


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They said to Him, "Yes, we can." Jesus said to them, "You will, for sure, suffer the way I will suffer. You will be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with.


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But to sit on My right side or on My left side is not for Me to give. It will be given to those for whom it has been made ready."


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Jesus called them to Him and said, "You know that those who are made leaders over the nations show their power to the people. Important leaders use their power over the people.


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For the Son of Man did not come to be cared for. He came to care for others. He came to give His life so that many could be bought by His blood and be made free from sin." 


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Then they came to the city of Jericho. When He was leaving the city with His followers and many people, a blind man was sitting by the road. He was asking people for food or money as they passed by. His name was Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus.


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He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. He began to speak with a loud voice, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me!"


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Many people spoke sharp words to the blind man telling him not to call out like that. But he spoke all the more. He said, "Son of David, take pity on me."


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Jesus stopped and told them to call the blind man. They called to him and said, "Take hope! Stand up, He is calling for you!"


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Jesus said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Lord, I want to see!"


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Jesus said, "Go! Your faith has healed you." At once he could see and he followed Jesus down the road.


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Jesus and His followers were near Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives. They were in the towns of Bethphage and Bethany. Jesus sent two of His followers on ahead.


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He said to them, "Go into the town over there. As soon as you get there, you will find a young donkey tied. No man has ever sat on it. Let the donkey loose and bring it here.


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If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing that?' say, 'The Lord needs it. He will send it back again soon.' "


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The two followers went on their way. They found the young donkey tied by the door where two streets crossed. They took the rope off its neck.


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Some men were standing there. They said to the two followers, "Why are you taking the rope off that young donkey?"


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Many people put their clothes down on the road. Others cut branches off the trees and put them down on the road.


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Those who went in front and those who followed spoke with loud voices, "Greatest One! Great and honored is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!


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Great is the coming holy nation of our father David. It will come in the name of the Lord, Greatest One in the highest heaven."


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Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the house of God. He looked around at everything. Then He went with the twelve followers to the town of Bethany because it was late.


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Along the road He saw a fig tree with leaves on it. He went over to see if it had any fruit. He saw nothing but leaves. It was not the right time for figs.


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Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the house of God. He began to make the people leave who were selling and buying in the house of God. He turned over the tables of the men who changed money. He turned over the seats of those who sold doves.


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He taught them saying, "Is it not written, 'My house is to be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? You have made it a place of robbers."


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The teachers of the Law and the religious leaders of the Jews heard it. They tried to find some way to put Jesus to death. But they were afraid of Him because all the people were surprised and wondered about His teaching.


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Peter remembered what had happened the day before and said to Jesus, "Teacher, see! The fig tree which You spoke to has dried up!"


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For sure, I tell you, a person may say to this mountain, 'Move from here into the sea.' And if he does not doubt, but believes that what he says will be done, it will happen.


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Because of this, I say to you, whatever you ask for when you pray, have faith that you will receive it. Then you will get it.


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When you stand to pray, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins also.


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They came again to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking around in the house of God. The religious leaders and the teachers of the Law and other leaders came to Him.


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They asked, "How do You have the right and the power to do these things? Who gave You the right and the power to do them?"


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They talked among themselves. They said, "If we say from heaven, He will say, 'Why did you not believe him?'


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But how can we say, 'From men'?" They were afraid of the people because everyone believed that John was one who spoke for God.


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So they said, "We do not know." Then Jesus said, "Then I will not tell you by what right and power I do these things."


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Jesus began to teach them by using picture-stories, saying, "There was a man who planted grapes in a field. He put a fence around it and made a place for making wine. He built a tower to look over the field. Then he let farmers rent it and went into another country.


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"The time came for gathering the grapes. He sent his servant to the farmers to get some of the grapes.


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The owner sent another servant. The farmers threw stones at him and hit him on the head and did other bad things to him.


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Again the owner sent another servant. The farmers killed that one. Many other servants were sent. They beat some and they killed others.


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"He had a much-loved son to send yet. So last of all he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'


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The farmers said to themselves, 'This is the one who will get everything when the owner dies. Let us kill him and we will get everything.'


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What will the owner of the field do? He will come and kill the farmers. He will give the field to other farmers.


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"Have you not read what the Holy Writings say? 'The Stone that was put aside by the workmen has become the most important Stone in the corner of the building.


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The leaders wanted to take Him but they were afraid of the people. They knew He had told the picture-story against them. They left Him and went away.


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They came to Him and said, "Teacher, we know You are true. We know You are not afraid of what men think or say about You. You teach the way of God in truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?


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Should we pay or not pay?" Jesus knew how they pretended to be someone they were not. He said to them, "Why do you try to trap Me? Bring Me a small piece of money so I may look at it."


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They brought Him one. He asked them, "Whose picture is this? Whose name is on it?" They answered, "Caesar's."


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Then Jesus said to them, "Pay to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar. Pay to God the things that belong to God." They were surprised and wondered at Him.


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Some people from the religious group who believe no one will be raised from the dead came to Jesus. They asked Him,


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"Teacher, Moses gave us a Law. It said, 'If a man's brother dies and leaves his wife behind, but no children, then his brother should marry his wife and raise children for his brother.' <n>Deuteronomy 25:5</n>


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Jesus said to them, "Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you do not know the Holy Writings or the power of God?


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When people are raised from the dead, they do not marry and are not given in marriage. They are like angels in heaven.


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As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses how God spoke to him in the burning bush? He said, 'I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.' <n>(Exodus 3:2-6)</n>


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Then one of the teachers of the Law heard them arguing. He thought Jesus had spoken well. He asked Him, "Which Law is the greatest of all?"


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You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' <n>(Deuteronomy 6:4-5)</n> This is the first Law.


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"The second Law is this: 'You must love your neighbor as yourself.' <n>(Leviticus 19:18)</n> No other Law is greater than these."


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Then the teacher of the Law said, "Teacher, You have told the truth. There is one God. There is no other God but Him.


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A man should love Him with all his heart and with all his understanding. He should love Him with all his soul and with all his strength and love his neighbor as himself. This is more important than to bring animals to be burned on the altar or to give God other gifts on the altar in worship."


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Jesus saw he had spoken with understanding. He said to him, "You are not far from the holy nation of God." After that no one thought they could ask Him anything.


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Jesus was in the house of God teaching. He asked, "How do the teachers of the Law say that Christ is the Son of David?


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For David himself, led by the Holy Spirit, said, 'The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right side until I make those who hate You a place to rest Your feet.' <n>Psalm 110:1</n>


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Jesus taught them, saying, "Look out for the teachers of the Law. They like to walk around in long coats. They like to have the respect of men as they stand in the center of town where people gather.


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They like to have the important seats in the places of worship and the important places at big suppers.


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They take houses from poor women whose husbands have died. They cover up the bad they do by saying long prayers. They will be punished all the more."


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Jesus sat near the money box in the house of God. He watched the people putting in money. Many of them were rich and gave much money.


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Jesus called His followers to Him. He said, "For sure, I tell you, this poor woman whose husband has died has given more money than all the others.


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They all gave of that which was more than they needed for their own living. She is poor and yet she gave all she had, even what she needed for her own living."


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Jesus went out of the house of God. One of His followers said to Him, "Teacher, look at the big stones and these great buildings!"


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Jesus said, "Do you see these great buildings? All these stones will be thrown down. Not one will be left standing on another."


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Jesus sat down on the Mount of Olives at a place where He could see the house of God. Peter and James and John and Andrew came to Him. They asked without anyone else hearing,


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Many people will come using My name. They will say, 'I am Christ.' They will turn many to the wrong way.


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When you hear of wars and much talk about wars, do not be surprised. These things have to happen. But the end is not yet.


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Nations will have wars with other nations. Countries will fight against countries. The earth will shake and break apart in different places. There will be no food for people. There will be much trouble. These things are the beginning of much sorrow and pain.


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"Watch out for yourselves. They will take you to the courts. In the places of worship they will beat you. You will be taken in front of rulers and in front of kings because of Me. You will be there to tell them about Me.


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"When you are put into their hands, do not be afraid of what you are to say or how you are to say it. Whatever is given to you to say at that time, say it. It will not be you who speaks, but the Holy Spirit.


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A brother will hand over a brother to death. A father will hand over his son. Children will turn against their parents and have them put to death.


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"You will see a very sinful manmade god standing in the house of God where it has no right to stand. Then those in the country of Judea should run to the mountains. It was spoken of by the early preacher Daniel. <n>(Daniel 9:27; 12:11)</n> The one who reads this should understand.


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It will be hard for women who will soon be mothers. It will be hard for those feeding babies in those days!


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In those days there will be much trouble and pain and sorrow. It has never been this bad from the beginning of time and never will be again.


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If the Lord had not made those days short, no life would have been saved. Because of God's people whom He has chosen, He made the days short.


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Some will come who will say they are Christ. False preachers will come. These people will do special things for people to see. They will do surprising things, so that if it can be, God's people will be led to believe something wrong.


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"After those days of much trouble and pain and sorrow are over, the sun will get dark. The moon will not give light.


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He will send His angels. They will gather together God's people from the four winds. They will come from one end of the earth to the other end of heaven.


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"Now learn something from the fig tree. When the branch begins to grow and puts out its leaves, you know summer is near.


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In the same way, when you see all these things happen, you know the Son of Man is near. He is even at the door.


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The coming of the Son of Man is as a man who went from his house to a far country. He gave each one of his servants some work to do. He told the one standing at the door to watch.


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In the same way, you are to watch also! You do not know when the Owner of the house will be coming. It may be in the evening or in the night or when the sun comes up or in the morning.


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It was now two days before the supper of the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt and the supper of bread without yeast. The religious leaders and the teachers of the Law tried to trap Jesus. They tried to take Him so they could put Him to death.


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These men said, "This must not happen on the day of the special supper. The people would be against it and make much trouble."


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Jesus was in the town of Bethany eating in the house of Simon. Simon was a man with a very bad skin disease. A woman came with a jar of special perfume. She had given much money for this. She broke the jar and poured the special perfume on the head of Jesus.


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You will have poor people with you all the time. Whenever you want, you can do something good for them. You will not have Me all the time.


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Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve followers. He went to the head religious leaders of the Jews to talk about how he might hand Jesus over to them.


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When the leaders heard it, they were glad. They promised to give Judas money. Then he looked for a way to hand Jesus over.


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The first day of the supper of bread without yeast was the day to kill an animal. It was for the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. His followers said to Jesus, "What place do You want us to make ready for You to eat this special supper?"


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Jesus sent two of His followers on ahead and said to them, "Go into the city. There a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.


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He will go into a house. You say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks, "Where is the room you keep for friends, where I can eat this special supper with My followers?" '


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The followers went from there and came into the city. They found everything as Jesus had said. They made things ready for the special supper.


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They sat at the table and ate. Jesus said, "For sure, I tell you, one of you will hand Me over to be killed. He is eating with Me."


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He said to them, "It is one of the twelve followers. It is the one who is putting his hand with mine into the same dish.


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The Son of Man is going away as it is written of Him. But it will be bad for that man who hands the Son of Man over to be killed! It would have been better if he had not been born!"


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As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread. He gave thanks and broke it in pieces. He gave it to them and said, "Take, eat, this is My body."


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For sure, I tell you, that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the holy nation of God."


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Jesus said to them, "All of you will be ashamed of Me and leave Me tonight. For it is written, 'I will kill the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will spread everywhere.' <n>Zechariah 13:7</n>


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Jesus said to him, "For sure, I tell you, that today, even tonight, before a rooster crows two times, you will say three times you do not know Me."


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Peter spoke with strong words, "Even if I have to die with You, I will never say that I do not know You." All the followers said the same thing.


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He said to them, "My soul is very sad. My soul is so full of sorrow I am ready to die. You stay here and watch."


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He went a little farther and got down with His face on the ground. He prayed that this time of suffering might pass from Him if it could.


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He said, "Father, You can do all things. Take away what must happen to Me. Even so, not what I want, but what You want."


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Then Jesus came to the followers and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not able to watch one hour?


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Watch and pray so that you will not be tempted. Man's spirit wants to do this, but the body does not have the power to do it."


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He came back and found them sleeping again. Their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to Him.


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He came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! Listen, the time has come when the Son of Man will be handed over to sinners.


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At once, while Jesus was talking, Judas came. He was one of the twelve followers. He came with many other men who had swords and sticks. They came from the head religious leaders of the Jews and the teachers of the Law and the leaders of the people.


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The man who was going to hand Jesus over gave the men something to look for. He said, "The Man I kiss is the One. Take hold of Him and take Him away."


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One of the followers of Jesus who stood watching took his sword. He hit the servant owned by the head religious leader and cut off his ear.


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I have been with you every day teaching in the house of God. You never took hold of Me. But this has happened as the Holy Writings said it would happen."


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A young man was following Him with only a piece of cloth around his body. They put their hands on the young man.


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They led Jesus away to the head religious leader. All the religious leaders and other leaders and the teachers of the Law were gathered there.


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But Peter followed a long way behind as they went to the house of the head religious leader. He sat with the helpers and got warm by the fire.


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The religious leaders and all the court were looking for something against Jesus. They wanted to find something so they could kill Him. But they could find nothing.


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"We have heard Him say, 'I will destroy the house of God that was made with hands. In three days I will build another that is not made with hands.' ''


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The head religious leader stood up in front of the people. He asked Jesus, "Have You nothing to say? What about the things these men are saying against You?"


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Jesus said nothing. Again the head religious leader asked Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Holy One?"


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Jesus said, "I am! And you will see the Son of Man seated on the right side of the All-powerful God. You will see Him coming again in the clouds of the sky."


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Then the head religious leader tore his clothes apart. He said, "Do we need other people to speak against Him?


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You have heard Him speak as if He were God! What do you think?" They all said He was guilty of death.


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Some began to spit on Him. They covered Jesus' face, and they hit Him. They said, "Tell us what is going to happen." Soldiers hit Him with their hands.


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Peter lied, saying, "I do not know Jesus and do not understand what you are talking about." As he went out, a rooster crowed.


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He lied again saying that he did not know Jesus. Later, those who stood around said to Peter again, "For sure you are one of them. You are from the country of Galilee. You talk like they do.''


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At once a rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him, "Before a rooster crows two times, you will say three times you do not know Me." When he thought about it, he cried.


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Early in the morning the head religious leaders of the Jews and other leaders and the teachers of the Law and all the court gathered together to talk about Jesus. Then they tied up Jesus and led Him away. They handed Him over to Pilate.


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Pilate asked Him again, "Have You nothing to say? Listen to the things they are saying against You!"


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Each year at the special supper Pilate would let one person who was in prison go free. It would be the one the people asked for.


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The name of one of those in prison was Barabbas. He, together with others, had killed people while working against the leaders of the country.


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Then Pilate said to them, "Why? What bad thing has He done?" They spoke with loud voices all the more, "Nail Him to a cross!"


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Pilate wanted to please the people. He gave Barabbas to them and had Jesus beaten. Then he handed Him over to be nailed to a cross.


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They hit Him on the head with a stick and spit on Him. They got down on their knees and worshiped Him.


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After they had made fun of Him, they took the purple coat off of Him and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him away to be nailed to a cross.


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They came to a man called Simon who was coming from the country of Cyrene. He was the father of Alexander and Rufus. They made Simon carry the cross of Jesus.


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When they had nailed Jesus to the cross, they divided His clothes by drawing names to see what each man should take.


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They nailed two robbers on crosses beside Jesus. One was on His right side and the other was on His left side.


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*It happened as the Holy Writings said it would happen, "They thought of Him as One Who broke the Law." <n>Isaiah 53:12</n>


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Those who walked by shook their heads and laughed at Jesus. They said, "You were the One Who could destroy the house of God and build it again in three days.


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The head religious leaders and the teachers of the Law made fun of Him also. They said to each other, "He saved others but He cannot save Himself.


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Let Christ, the King of the Jews, come down from the cross. We want to see it and then we will believe." Those who were on the crosses beside Jesus spoke bad things to Him.


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One of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with sour wine. He put it on a stick and gave it to Him to drink. He said, "Let Him alone. Let us see if Elijah will come and take Him down."


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The captain of the soldiers was looking at Jesus when He cried out. He saw Him die and said, "For sure, this Man was the Son of God."


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Women were looking on from far away. Among them was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.


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These cared for Him when He was in the country of Galilee. There were many other women there who had followed Him to Jerusalem.


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Joseph, who was from the city of Arimathea, was an important man in the court. He was looking for the holy nation of God. Without being afraid, he went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.


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Pilate was surprised and wondered if Jesus was dead so soon. He called the captain of the soldiers and asked if Jesus was already dead.


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Joseph took the body of Jesus down from the cross. He put the linen cloth he had bought around the body. Then he laid the body in a grave which had been cut out in the side of a rock. He pushed a stone over to cover the door of the grave.


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The Day of Rest was over. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices. They wanted to put the spices on Jesus' body.


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Very early in the morning on the first day of the week, they came to the grave. The sun had come up.


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They went into the grave. There they saw a young man with a long white coat sitting on the right side. They were afraid.


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He said, "Do not be afraid. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth Who was nailed to a cross. He is risen! He is not here! See, here is the place where they laid Him.


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Go and tell His followers and Peter that He is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see Him there as He told you."


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They ran from the grave shaking and were surprised. They did not say anything to anyone because they were afraid.


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<n>(*It was early on the first day of the week when Jesus was raised from the dead. Mary Magdalene saw Him first. He had put seven demons out of her.


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After that He was seen again by two of His followers as they walked into the country. He did not look like He had looked before to these two people.


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Later He was seen by the eleven followers as they were eating. He spoke to them with sharp words because they did not believe and their hearts were hard. And they did not believe the others who had seen Him since He had been raised from the dead.


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He who puts his trust in Me and is baptized will be saved from the punishment of sin. But he who does not put his trust in Me is guilty and will be punished forever.


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These special powerful works will be done by those who have put their trust in Me. In My name they will put out demons. They will speak with languages they have never learned.


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They will pick up snakes. If they drink any poison, it will not hurt them. They will put their hands on the sick and they will be healed."


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The followers went from there and preached everywhere. The Lord worked with them. The Lord showed that the Word of God was true by the special works they had power to do.)</n>


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Those who saw everything from the first and helped teach the Good News have passed these things on to us.


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Dear Theophilus, I have looked with care into these things from the beginning. I have decided it would be good to write them to you one after the other the way they happened.


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When Herod was king of the country of Judea, there was a Jewish religious leader named Zacharias. He worked for Abijah. His wife was of the family group of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth.


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They had no children because Elizabeth was not able to have a child. Both of them were older people.


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The religious leaders were given certain kinds of work to do. Zacharias was chosen to go to the house of God to burn special perfume.


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Zacharias saw an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar where the special perfume was burning.


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The angel said to him, "Zacharias, do not be afraid. Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a son. You are to name him John.


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He will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or any strong drink. Even from his birth, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.


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He will be the one to go in the spirit and power of Elijah before Christ comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children. He will teach those who do not obey to be right with God. He will get people ready for the Lord." <n>(Malachi 4:5-6)</n>


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The angel said to him, "My name is Gabriel. I stand near God. He sent me to talk to you and bring to you this good news.


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See! You will not be able to talk until the day this happens. It is because you did not believe my words. What I said will happen at the right time."


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The people outside were waiting. They were surprised and wondered why Zacharias stayed so long in the house of God.


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When he came out, he could not talk to them. They knew he had seen something special from God while he was in the house of God. He tried to talk to them with his hands but could say nothing.


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Some time later Elizabeth knew she was to become a mother. She kept herself hidden for five months. She said,


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"This is what the Lord has done for me. He has looked on me and has taken away my shame from among men."


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Six months after Elizabeth knew she was to become a mother, Gabriel was sent from God to Nazareth. Nazareth was a town in the country of Galilee.


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He went to a woman who had never had a man. Her name was Mary. She was promised in marriage to a man named Joseph. Joseph was of the family of David.


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The angel came to her and said, "You are honored very much. You are a favored woman. The Lord is with you. *You are chosen from among many women."


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He will be great. He will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the place where His early father David sat.


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The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you. The power of the Most High will cover you. The holy Child you give birth to will be called the Son of God.


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"See, your cousin Elizabeth, as old as she is, is going to give birth to a child. She was not able to have children before, but now she is in her sixth month.


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Then Mary said, "I am willing to be used of the Lord. Let it happen to me as you have said." Then the angel went away from her.


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When Elizabeth heard Mary speak, the baby moved in her body. At the same time Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.


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The Lord has looked on me, His servant-girl and one who is not important. But from now on all people will honor me.


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He has done powerful works with His arm. He has divided from each other those who have pride in their hearts.


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He has taken rulers down from their thrones. He has put those who are in a place that is not important to a place that is important.


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Her neighbors and family heard how the Lord had shown loving-kindness to her. They were happy for her.


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On the eighth day they did the religious act of the Jews on the child. They named him Zacharias, after his father.


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He asked for something to write on. He wrote, "His name is John." They were all surprised and wondered about it.


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All those who lived near them were afraid. The news of what had happened was told through all the hill country of Judea.


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And all who heard those words remembered them and said, "What is this child going to be?" For the hand of the Lord was on him.


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Zacharias, the father of John, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He told what was going to happen, saying,


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He promised that we would be saved from those who hate us and that we might worship Him without being afraid.


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"And you, my son, will be the one who speaks for the Most High. For you will go before the Lord to make the way ready for Him.


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You will tell His people how to be saved from the punishment of sin by being forgiven of their sins.


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Because the heart of our God is full of loving-kindness for us, a light from heaven will shine on us.


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It will give light to those who live in darkness and are under the shadow of death. It will lead our feet in the way of peace."


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The child grew and became strong in spirit. He lived in a desert until the day he started to preach to the Jews.


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In those days Caesar Augustus sent out word that the name of every person in the Roman nation must be written in the books of the nation.


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Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in the country of Galilee to the town of Bethlehem. It was known as the city of David. He went there because he was from the family of David.


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Joseph went to have his and Mary's names written in the books of the nation. Mary was his promised wife and soon to become a mother.


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Her first son was born. She put cloth around Him and laid Him in a place where cattle are fed. There was no room for them in the place where people stay for the night.


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In the same country there were shepherds in the fields. They were watching their flocks of sheep at night.


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The angel of the Lord came to them. The shining-greatness of the Lord shone around them. They were very much afraid.


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The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. See! I bring you good news of great joy which is for all people.


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Today, One Who saves from the punishment of sin has been born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord.


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There will be something special for you to see. This is the way you will know Him. You will find the Baby with cloth around Him, lying in a place where cattle are fed."


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At once many angels from heaven were seen, along with the angel, giving thanks to God. They were saying,


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The angels went from the shepherds back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see what has happened. The Lord has told us about this."


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They went fast and found Mary and Joseph. They found the Baby lying in a place where cattle are fed.


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The shepherds went back full of joy. They thanked God for all they had heard and seen. It happened as the angel had told them.


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When eight days were over, they did the religious act of becoming a Jew on the Child. He was named Jesus. This name was given to Him by the angel when Mary was told He was to be born.


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When the days were over for her to be made pure as it was written in the Law of Moses, they took Jesus to Jerusalem to give Him to the Lord.


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It is written in the Law of the Lord, "The first-born male born of a woman will be called holy to the Lord."


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They were to give a gift of two turtle-doves or two young birds on the altar in worship to the Lord. This was written in the Law of the Lord.


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There was a man in Jerusalem by the name of Simeon. He was a good man and very religious. He was looking for the time when the Jewish nation would be saved. The Holy Spirit was on him.


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He came to the house of God being led by the Holy Spirit. The parents took Jesus to the house of God. They came to do what the Law said must be done.


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He will be a light to shine on the people who are not Jews. He will be the shining-greatness of Your people the Jews."


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Joseph and the mother of Jesus were surprised and wondered about these words which were said about Jesus.


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Simeon honored them and said to Mary the mother of Jesus, "See! This Child will make many people fall and many people rise in the Jewish nation. He will be spoken against.


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Anna was a woman who spoke God's Word. She was the daughter of Phanuel of the family group of Asher. Anna was many years old. She had lived with her husband seven years after she was married.


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Her husband had died and she had lived without a husband eighty-four years. Yet she did not go away from the house of God. She served God day and night, praying and going without food so she could pray better.


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At that time she came and gave thanks to God. She told the people in Jerusalem about Jesus. They were looking for the One to save them from the punishment of their sins and to set them free.


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The Child grew and became strong in spirit. He was filled with wisdom and the loving-favor of God was on Him.


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His parents went to Jerusalem every year for the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt.


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When the days of the special supper were over, they started back to their town. But the boy Jesus was still in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it.


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They thought Jesus was with the others of the group. They walked for one day. Then they looked for Him among their family and friends.


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Three days later they found Him in the house of God. He was sitting among the teachers. He was hearing what they said and asking questions.


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When His parents saw Him, they were surprised. His mother said to Him, "My Son, why have You done this to us? See! Your father and I have had much sorrow looking for You."


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He said to them, "Why were you looking for Me? Do you not know that I must be in My Father's house?"


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Tiberius Caesar had been ruler for fifteen years. Pontius Pilate was ruler of the country of Judea. Herod was the ruler of the country of Galilee. His brother Philip was the ruler of the countries of Ituraea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of the country of Abilene.


text:
Annas and Caiaphas were the head religious leaders. The Word of God came to John the Baptist, the son of Zacharias. John was in the desert.


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He went into all the country around the Jordan River. He preached that people should be baptized because they were sorry for their sins and had turned from them, and they would be forgiven.


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The early preacher Isaiah wrote these words: "His voice calls out in the desert. 'Make the way ready for the Lord. Make the road straight for Him!


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Every valley will be filled and every mountain and hill will be brought down. The turns in the road will be made straight and the rough places will be made smooth.


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John said to the people who came to be baptized by him, "You family of snakes! Who told you how to keep from the anger of God that is coming?


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Do something to let me see that you have turned from your sins. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you, God can make children for Abraham out of these stones.


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Even now the ax is on the root of the trees. Every tree that does not give good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."


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He answered them, "If you have two coats, give one to him who has none. If you have food, you must share some."


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Also soldiers asked him, "What are we to do?" He answered them, "Take no money from anyone by using your own strength. Do not lie about anyone. Be happy with the pay you get."


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The people were looking for something to happen. They were thinking in their hearts about John the Baptist. They wondered if he might be the Christ.


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But John said to all of them, "I baptize you with water. There is One coming Who is greater than I. I am not good enough to get down and help Him take off His shoes. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.


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He comes ready to clean the grain. He will gather the grain and clean it all. He will put the clean grain into a building. But He will burn that which is no good with a fire that cannot be put out."


text:
He had also spoken sharp words to Herod the ruler because of Herodias. She was his brother Philip's wife. And John spoke to Herod about all the wrongs he had done.


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The Holy Spirit came down on Him in a body like a dove. A voice came from heaven and said, "You are My muchloved Son. I am very happy with You."


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Jesus was about thirty years old when He began His work. People thought Jesus was the son of Joseph, the son of Heli.


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Heli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melchi. Melchi was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of Joseph.


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Joseph was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Amos. Amos was the son of Nahum. Nahum was the son of Esli. Esli was the son of Naggai.


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Naggai was the son of Maath. Maath was the son of Mattathias. Mattathias was the son of Semein. Semein was the son of Josech. Josech was the son of Juda.


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Juda was the son of Johanan. Johanan was the son of Rhesa. Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the son of Salathiel. Salathiel was the son of Neri.


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Neri was the son of Melchi. Melchi was the son of Addi. Addi was the son of Cosam. Cosam was the son of Elmadam. Elmadam was the son of Er.


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Er was the son of Joshua. Joshua was the son of Eliezer. Eliezer was the son of Jorim. Jorim was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi.


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Levi was the son of Simeon. Simeon was the son of Judah. Judah was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Janam. Janam was the son of Eliakim.


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Eliakim was the son of Melea. Melea was the son of Menna. Menna was the son of Mattatha. Mattatha was the son of Nathan. Nathan was the son of David.


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David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was the son of Obed. Obed was the son of Boaz. Boaz was the son of Salmon. Salmon was the son of Nahshon.


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Nahshon was the son of Amminadab. Amminadab was the son of Admin. Admin was the son of Ram. Ram was the son of Hezron. Hezron was the son of Perez. Perez was the son of Judah.


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Judah was the son of Jacob. Jacob was the son of Isaac. Isaac was the son of Abraham. Abraham was the son of Terah. Terah was the son of Nahor.


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Nahor was the son of Serug. Serug was the son of Ragau. Ragau was the son of Peleg. Peleg was the son of Eber. Eber was the son of Shelah.


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Shelah was the son of Cainan. Cainan was the son of Arphaxad. Arphaxad was the son of Shem. Shem was the son of Noah. Noah was the son of Lamech.


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Lamech was the son of Methuselah. Methuselah was the son of Enoch. Enoch was the son of Jared. Jared was the son of Mahalaleel. Mahalaleel was the son of Cainan.


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Cainan was the son of Enos. Enos was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. Adam was the son of God.


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Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit when He returned from the Jordan River. Then He was led by the Holy Spirit to a desert.


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He was tempted by the devil for forty days and He ate nothing during that time. After that He was hungry.


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The devil took Jesus up on a high mountain. He had Jesus look at all the nations of the world at one time.


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The devil said to Jesus, "I will give You all this power and greatness. It has been given to me. I can give it to anyone I want to.


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Jesus said to the devil, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You must worship the Lord your God. You must obey Him only.' " <n>Deuteronomy 6:13</n>


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Then the devil took Jesus up to Jerusalem. He had Jesus stand on the highest part of the house of God. The devil said to Jesus, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.


text:
In their hands they will hold You up. Then Your foot will not hit against a stone.' " <n>(Psalm 91:11-12)</n>


text:
Jesus said to the devil, "It is written, 'You must not tempt the Lord your God.' " <n>Deuteronomy 6:16</n>


text:
Jesus went back to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit. People talked about Him so much that He was well-known through all the country.


text:
Jesus came to Nazareth where He had grown up. As He had done before, He went into the Jewish place of worship on the Day of Rest. Then He stood up to read.


text:
Someone handed Him the book of the early preacher Isaiah. He opened it and found the place where it was written,


text:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on Me. He has put His hand on Me to preach the Good News to poor people. He has sent Me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent Me to tell those who are being held that they can go free. He has sent Me to make the blind to see and to free those who are held because of trouble.


text:
Jesus closed the book. Then He gave it back to the leader and sat down. All those in the Jewish place of worship kept their eyes on Him.


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They all spoke well of Jesus and agreed with the words He spoke. They said, "Is not this the son of Joseph?"


text:
He said to them, "I wonder if you will tell this old saying to Me, 'Doctor, heal Yourself. What You did in the city of Capernaum, do in Your own country!' ''


text:
It is true that there were many women whose husbands had died in the Jewish land when Elijah lived. For three and a half years there was no rain and there was very little food in the land.


text:
Elijah was sent to none of them, but he was sent to a woman in the city of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. This woman's husband had died.


text:
There were many people in the Jewish land who had a bad skin disease when the early preacher Elisha lived. None of them was healed. But Naaman from the country of Syria was healed."


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They got up and took Jesus out of town to the top of a high hill. They wanted to throw Him over the side.


text:
Jesus spoke sharp words to the demon and said, "Do not talk! Come out of him!" When the demon had thrown the man down, he came out without hurting the man.


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The people were all surprised. They asked each other, "What kind of word is this? He speaks to the demons with power and they come out!"


text:
Jesus went away from the Jewish place of worship and went into Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed, very sick. They asked Jesus to help her.


text:
He stood by her and told the disease to leave. It went from her. At once she got up and cared for them.


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As the sun went down, the people took all that were sick with many kinds of diseases to Jesus. He put His hands on all of them and they were healed.


text:
Also demons came out of many people. The demons cried out and said, "You are Christ, the Son of God." Jesus spoke strong words to them and would not let them speak. They knew He was the Christ.


text:
In the morning He went out to a desert. The people looked for Him. When they found Him, they were trying to keep Him from going away from them.


text:
He said to them, "I must preach about the holy nation of God in other cities also. This is why I was sent."


text:
While Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, many people pushed to get near Him. They wanted to hear the Word of God.


text:
Jesus saw two boats on the shore. The fishermen were not there because they were washing their nets.


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Jesus got into a boat which belonged to Simon. Jesus asked him to push it out a little way from land. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.


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When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Push out into the deep water. Let down your nets for some fish."


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Simon said to Him, "Teacher, we have worked all night and we have caught nothing. But because You told me to, I will let the net down."


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They called to their friends working in the other boat to come and help them. They came and both boats were so full of fish they began to sink.


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When Simon Peter saw it, he got down at the feet of Jesus. He said, "Go away from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man."


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James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were surprised also. They were working together with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will fish for men."


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While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came to Him with a bad skin disease over all his body. When he saw Jesus, he got down on his face before Him. He begged Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can heal me."


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Then Jesus told him to tell no one. He said, "Go and let the religious leader of the Jews see you. Give the gift on the altar in worship that Moses told you to give when a man is healed of a disease. This will show the leaders you have been healed."


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The news about Jesus went out all the more. Many people came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases.


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On one of the days while Jesus was teaching, some proud religious law-keepers and teachers of the Law were sitting by Him. They had come from every town in the countries of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was there to heal them.


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Some men took a man who was not able to move his body to Jesus. He was carried on a bed. They looked for a way to take the man into the house where Jesus was.


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But they could not find a way to take him in because of so many people. They made a hole in the roof over where Jesus stood. Then they let the bed with the sick man on it down before Jesus.


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The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers thought to themselves, "Who is this Man Who speaks as if He is God? Who can forgive sins but God only?"


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"So that you may know the Son of Man has the right and the power on earth to forgive sins,'' He said to the man who could not move his body, "I say to you, get up. Take your bed and go to your home."


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All those who were there were surprised and gave thanks to God, saying, "We have seen very special things today."


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After this Jesus went out and saw a man who gathered taxes. His name was Levi <n>(Matthew)</n>. Levi was sitting at his work. Jesus said to him, "Follow Me."


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Levi made a big supper for Jesus in his house. Many men who gathered taxes and other people sat down with them.


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The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers talked against the followers of Jesus. They said, "Why do You eat and drink with men who gather taxes and with sinners?"


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Jesus said to them, "People who are well do not need a doctor. Only those who are sick need a doctor.


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I have not come to call good people. I have come to call sinners to be sorry for their sins and to turn from them."


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They asked Jesus, "Why do the followers of John and of the proud religious law-keepers go without food so they can pray better, but Your followers keep on eating and drinking?"


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The days will come when the man just married will be taken from them. Then they will not eat food so they can pray better in those days."


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Then Jesus told them a picture-story. He said, "No one sews a piece of cloth from a new coat on an old coat. If he does, the new coat will have a hole. The new piece and the old coat will not be the same.


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No man puts new wine into old skin bags. If they did, the skins would break and the wine would run out. The bags would be no good.


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On the next Day of Rest Jesus was walking through the grain-fields. His followers picked grain. They rubbed it in their hands and ate it.


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Some of the proud religious lawkeepers said to them, "Why are you doing what the Law says should not be done on the Day of Rest?"


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He went into the house of God and ate the special bread used in the religious worship. He gave some to those who were with him also. The Law says only the religious leaders may eat that bread.


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On another Day of Rest Jesus went into the Jewish place of worship and taught. A man with a dried-up hand was there.


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The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers watched to see if He would heal on the Day of Rest. They wanted to have something to say against Him.


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Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to the man with the dried-up hand, "Stand up and come here." The man stood up and went to Jesus.


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Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing. Does the Law say to do good on the Day of Rest or to do bad? To save life or to kill?"


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Jesus looked around at them all and said to the man, "Put out your hand." He put it out and his hand was healed. It was as good as his other hand.


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The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers were filled with anger. They talked with each other about what they might do to Jesus.


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There were Simon, whom He also named Peter, and his brother Andrew. There were James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,


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There were Judas, who was the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot who would hand Jesus over to be killed.


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Then Jesus came down and stood on a plain with many of His followers. Many people came from the country of Judea and from Jerusalem and from the cities of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases.


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He looked at His followers and said, "Those of you who are poor are happy, because the holy nation of God is yours.


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Those of you who are hungry now are happy, because you will be filled. Those of you who have sorrow now are happy, because you will laugh.


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You are happy when men hate you and do not want you around and put shame on you be-cause you trust in Me.


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Be glad in that day. Be full of joy for your reward is much in heaven. Their fathers did these things to the early preachers.


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It is bad for you that are full. You will be hungry. It is bad for you who laugh now. You will have sorrow and you will cry.


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It is bad for you when everyone speaks well of you. In the same way, their fathers spoke well of the false teachers.


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Respect and give thanks for those who try to bring bad to you. Pray for those who make it very hard for you.


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Whoever hits you on one side of the face, turn so he can hit the other side also. Whoever takes your coat, give him your shirt also.


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Give to any person who asks you for something. If a person takes something from you, do not ask for it back.


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"If you love those who love you, what reward can you expect from that? Sinners also love those who love them.


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If you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect from that? Sinners also do good to those who do good to them.


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If you let people use your things and expect to get something back, what thanks can you expect from that? Even sinners let sinners use things and they expect to get something back.


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But love those who hate you. Do good to them. Let them use your things and do not expect something back. Your reward will be much. You will be the children of the Most High. He is kind to those who are not thank-ful and to those who are full of sin.


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Do not say what is wrong in other people's lives. Then other people will not say what is wrong in your life. Do not say someone is guilty. Then other people will not say you are guilty. Forgive other people and other people will forgive you.


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"Give, and it will be given to you. You will have more than enough. It can be pushed down and shaken together and it will still run over as it is given to you. The way you give to others is the way you will receive in return."


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Jesus used a picture-story as He spoke to them. He said, "Can one blind man lead another blind man? Will they not fall into the ditch together?


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The follower is not more important than his teacher. But everyone who learns well will be like his teacher.


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"Why do you look at the small piece of wood in your brother's eye and do not see the big piece of wood in your own eye?


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How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take that small piece of wood out of your eye,' when you do not see the big piece of wood in your own eye? You pretend to be someone you are not. First, take the big piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you can see better to take the small piece of wood out of your brother's eye.


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For every tree is known by its own fruit. Men do not gather figs from thorns. They do not gather grapes from thistles.


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Good comes from a good man because of the riches he has in his heart. Sin comes from a sinful man because of the sin he has in his heart. The mouth speaks of what the heart is full of.


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He is like a man who built a house. He dug deep to put the building on rock. When the water came up and the river beat against the house, the building could not be shaken because it was built on rock.


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But he who hears and does not do what I say, is like a man who built a house on nothing but earth. The water beat against the house. At once it fell and was destroyed."


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A captain of the army had a servant that he thought much of. This servant was very sick and was about to die.


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When the captain heard of Jesus, he sent some Jewish leaders to Him. They were to ask if He would come and heal this servant.


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Jesus went with them. When He was not far from the house, the captain told some friends to tell this to Jesus, "Lord, do not take the time to come to my house, because I am not good enough.


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For I am a man who works for someone else also, and I have soldiers who work for me. I say to this man, 'Go!' and he goes. I say to another, 'Come!' and he comes. I say to my workman, 'Do this!' and he does it."


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Jesus was surprised when He heard this. He turned to the people following Him and said, "I tell you, I have not found so much faith even in the Jewish nation."


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When they came near the city gate, a dead man was being carried out. He was the only son of a woman whose husband had died. Many people of the city were with her.


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He went and put His hand on the box in which the dead man was carried. The men who were carrying it, stopped. Jesus said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"


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Everyone was afraid and they gave thanks to God. They said, "A great Man Who speaks for God has come among us! God has cared for His people!"


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John called two of his followers and sent them to Jesus to ask, "Are You the One Who is to come? Or are we to look for another?"


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The men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask You, 'Are You the One Who is to come? Or are we to look for another?' ''


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At that time Jesus was healing many people of all kinds of sickness and disease and was putting out demons. Many that were blind were able to see.


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Jesus said to John's followers, "Go back to John the Baptist and tell him what you have seen and heard. Tell him the blind are made to see. Those who could not walk, are walking. Those with a bad skin disease are healed. Those who could not hear, are hearing. The dead are raised to life and poor people have the Good News preached to them.


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As John's followers were going away, Jesus began to tell the people about John the Baptist. He said, "Why did you go out to the desert? Did you go out to see a small tree moving in the wind?


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What did you go out to see? A man dressed in good clothes? Those who are dressed in good clothes are in the houses of kings.


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But what did you go to see? One who speaks for God? Yes, I tell you, he is more than one who speaks for God.


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This is the man the Holy Writings spoke of when they said, 'See! I will send My helper to carry news ahead of You. He will make Your way ready for You!' <n>(Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3)</n>


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"I tell you, of those born of women, there is no one greater than John the Baptist. The least in the holy nation of God is greater than he."


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All the people who heard Jesus and those who gathered taxes showed they knew God was right and were baptized by John.


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But the proud religious law-keepers and the men who knew the Law would not listen. They would not be baptized by John and they did not receive what God had for them.


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They are like children playing in front of stores. They call to their friends, 'We have played music for you, but you did not dance. We have had sorrow for you, but you did not have sorrow.'


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The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you say, 'See! He likes food and wine. He is a friend of men who gather taxes and of sinners!'


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One of the proud religious lawkeepers wanted Jesus to eat with him. Jesus went to his house and sat down to eat.


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There was a woman in the city who was a sinner. She knew Jesus was eating in the house of the proud religious law-keeper. She brought a jar of special perfume.


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Then she stood behind Him by His feet and cried. Her tears wet His feet and she dried them with her hair. She kissed His feet and put the special perfume on them.


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The proud religious law-keeper who had asked Jesus to eat with him saw this. He said to himself, "If this Man were One Who speaks for God, He would know who and what kind of a woman put her hands on Him. She is a sinner."


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"There were two men who owed a certain man some money. The one man owed 500 pieces of silver money. The other man owed 50 pieces of silver money.


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Neither one of them had any money, so he told them they did not have to pay him back. Tell Me, which one would love him the most?"


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Simon said, "I think it would be the one who owed the most." And Jesus said to him, "You have said the right thing."


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He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house and you gave Me no water to wash My feet. She washed My feet with her tears and dried them with the hairs of her head.


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I tell you, her many sins are forgiven because she loves much. But the one who has been forgiven little, loves little."


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Those who were eating with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this Man Who even forgives sins?"


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After this Jesus went to all the cities and towns preaching and telling the Good News about the holy nation of God. The twelve followers were with Him.


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Some women who had been healed of demons and diseases were with Him. Mary Magdalene, who had had seven demons put out of her, was one of them.


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Joanna, the wife of Chuza who was one of Herod's helpers, was another one. Susanna and many others also cared for Jesus by using what they had.


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"A man went out to plant seed. As he planted the seed, some fell by the side of the road. It was walked on and birds came and ate it.


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Some seed fell on good ground. It grew and gave one hundred times as much grain." When Jesus had finished saying this, He cried out, "You have ears, then listen!"


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Jesus said, "You were given the secrets about the holy nation of God. Others are told picture-stories. As they look, they do not see. As they hear, they do not understand.


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Those by the side of the road hear the Word. Then the devil comes and takes the Word from their hearts. He does not want them to believe and be saved from the punishment of sin.


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Those which fell among rocks are those who when they hear the Word receive it with joy. These have no root. For awhile they believe, but when they are tempted they give up.


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Those which fell among thorns hear the Word but go their own way. The cares of this life let the thorns grow. A love for money lets the thorns grow also. And the fun of this life lets the thorns grow. Their grain never becomes full-grown.


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But those which fell on good ground have heard the Word. They keep it in a good and true heart and they keep on giving good grain.


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"No man lights a lamp and puts it under a pail or under a bed. He puts it on a lamp-stand so all who come into the room may see it.


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Be careful how you listen! Whoever has, to him will be given. Whoever does not have, even the little he has will be taken from him."


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The mother of Jesus and His brothers came to Him. They could not get near Him because of so many people.


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On one of those days Jesus and His followers got into a boat. Jesus said to them, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." Then they pushed out into the water.


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As they were going, Jesus fell asleep. A wind storm came over the lake. The boat was filling with water and they were in danger.


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The followers came to awake Jesus. They said, "Teacher! Teacher! We are going to die!" Then Jesus got up and spoke sharp words to the wind and the high waves. The wind stopped blowing and there were no more waves.


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He said to them, "Where is your faith?" The followers were surprised and afraid. They said to each other, "What kind of a man is He? He speaks to the wind and the waves and they obey Him."


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As Jesus stepped out on land, a man met Him who had come from the city. This man had demons in him. For a long time he had worn no clothes. He did not live in a house, but lived among the graves.


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When he saw Jesus, he got down before Him and cried with a loud voice, "What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High? I beg of You not to hurt me!"


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For Jesus had spoken to the demon to come out of the man. Many times the demon had taken hold of him. The man had to be tied with chains. But he would break the chains and be taken by the demon into the desert.


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Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" And the demon answered, "Many,'' because many demons had gone into him.


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There were many pigs feeding on the side of the mountain. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. Jesus said they could.


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The demons came out of the man and went into the pigs. Then the many pigs ran down the side of the mountain into the water and died.


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People came to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the man from whom the demons had been sent. He was sitting at the feet of Jesus with clothes on and had the right use of his mind. The people were afraid.


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Then all the people of the country of the Gadarenes begged Jesus to go away from them. They were very much afraid. Jesus got into the boat and went back to the other side.


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"Go back to your house and tell everything God has done for you." He went back and told all the people of the city what great things Jesus had done for him.


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A man named Jairus was a leader of the Jewish place of worship. As he came to Jesus, he got down at His feet. He asked Jesus if He would come to his house.


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He had only one daughter and she was dying. This girl was about twelve years old. As Jesus went, the people pushed Him from every side.


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A woman had been sick for twelve years with a flow of blood. <n>(*She had spent all the money she had on doctors.)</n> But she could not be healed by anyone.


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Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" Everyone said that they had not touched Him. Peter said, "Teacher, so many people are pushing You from every side and You say, 'Who touched Me?' ''


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When the woman saw she could not hide it, she came shaking. She got down before Jesus. Then she told Jesus in front of all the people why she had touched Him. She told how she was healed at once.


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While Jesus was yet talking, a man came from the house of the leader of the place of worship. This man said to Jairus, "Your daughter is dead. Do not make the Teacher use anymore of His time."


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Jesus went into the house. He let only Peter and James and John and the father and mother of the girl go in with Him.


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Everyone was crying and full of sorrow because of her. Jesus said, "Do not cry. She is not dead, but is sleeping."


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Her parents were surprised and wondered about it. Then Jesus told them they should tell no one what had happened.


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Jesus called His twelve followers to Him. He gave them the right and the power over all demons and to heal diseases.


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Then He said to them, "Take nothing along for the trip. Do not take a walking stick or a bag or bread or money. Do not take two coats.


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If anyone will not take you in, as you leave that city, shake its dust off your feet. That will speak against them."


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Now Herod the leader heard of all that had been done by Jesus. He was troubled because some people said that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead.


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Some people said that Elijah had come back. Others thought one of the early preachers had been raised from the dead.


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Then Herod said, "I had John's head cut off. But who is this Man that I hear these things about?" He wanted to see Jesus.


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The twelve followers came back. They told Jesus what they had done. Jesus took them to a desert near the town of Bethsaida. There they could be alone.


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When the people knew where Jesus was, they followed Him. Jesus was happy to see them and talked to them about the holy nation of God. He healed all who were sick.


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When the day was about over, the twelve followers came to Jesus. They said, "Send these many people away so they can go to the towns and country near here. There they can find a place to sleep and get food. We are here in a desert."


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But Jesus said to them, "Give them something to eat." They said, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish. Are we to go and buy food for all these people?"


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There were about five thousand men. Jesus said to His followers, "Have them sit down in groups of fifty people."


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As Jesus took the five loaves of bread and two fish, He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke them in pieces and gave them to His followers to give to the people.


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They all ate and were filled. They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish after the people finished eating.


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While Jesus was praying alone, His followers were with Him. Jesus asked them, "Who do people say that I am?"


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They said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah. Others say that one of the early preachers has been raised from the dead."


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He said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things. The leaders and the religious leaders and the teachers of the Law will have nothing to do with Him. He must be killed and be raised from the dead three days later."


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Then Jesus said to them all, "If anyone wants to follow Me, he must give up himself and his own desires. He must take up his cross everyday and follow Me.


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If anyone wants to keep his own life safe, he must lose it. If anyone gives up his life because of Me, he will save it.


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Whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His own shining-greatness and of the Father's and of the holy angels.


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About eight days after Jesus had said these things, He took Peter and James and John with Him. They went up on a mountain to pray.


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They looked like the shining-greatness of heaven as they talked about His death in Jerusalem which was soon to happen.


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But Peter and those with him had gone to sleep. When they woke up, they saw His shining-greatness and the two men who stood with Him.


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As the two men went from Jesus, Peter said to Him, "Teacher, it is good for us to be here. Let us build three tents to worship in. One will be for You. One will be for Moses. One will be for Elijah." He did not know what he was saying.


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When the voice was gone, Jesus was standing there alone. From that time on, they kept these things to themselves. They told no one what they had seen.


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A man from among the people cried out, "Teacher, I beg of You to look at my son. He is my only child.


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See, a demon takes him and makes him cry out. It takes hold of him and makes him shake. Spit runs from his mouth. He has marks on his body from being hurt. The demon does not want to go from him.


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Then Jesus said, "You people of this day do not have faith. You turn from what is right! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring your son to Me."


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While the boy was coming, the demon threw him down and made him lose the use of his mind for awhile. Jesus spoke sharp words to the demon. He healed the child and gave him back to his father.


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They were all surprised at the great power of God. They all were thinking about the special things Jesus had done. And Jesus said to His followers,


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They did not understand these words because it was hidden from them. They did not know what Jesus meant and were afraid to ask Him.


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He said to the followers, "Whoever receives this child in My name, receives Me. Whoever receives Me, receives Him Who sent Me. The one who is least among you is the one who is great."


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John said, "Teacher, we saw someone putting out demons in Your name. We told him to stop because he was not following us."


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It was about time for Jesus to be taken up into heaven. He turned toward Jerusalem and was sure that nothing would stop Him from going.


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James and John, His followers, saw this. They said, "Lord, do You want us to speak so fire will come down from heaven and burn them up as Elijah did?"


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Jesus turned and spoke sharp words to them. <n>(*He said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you have.


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The Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives. He came to save them from the punishment of sin." They went on their way to another town.)</n>


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Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes. Birds of the sky have nests. The Son of Man has no place to put His head."


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Jesus said to him, "Let the people who are dead bury their own dead. You go and preach about the holy nation of God."


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And another one said, "Lord, I will follow You, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at home."


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Jesus said to him, "Anyone who puts his hand on a plow and looks back at the things behind is of no use in the holy nation of God."


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After this the Lord chose seventy others. He sent them out two together to every city and place where He would be going later.


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Jesus said to them, "There is much grain ready to gather. But the workmen are few. Pray then to the Lord Who is the Owner of the grain-fields that He will send workmen to gather His grain.


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If a man who loves peace lives there, your good wishes will come to him. If your good wishes are not received, they will come back to you.


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Stay in the same house. Eat and drink what they give you. The workman should have his thanks. Do not move from house to house.


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'Even the dust of your city that is on our feet we are cleaning off against you. But understand this, the holy nation of God has come near you!'


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I tell you, on the day men stand before God, it will be easier for the city of Sodom than for that city.


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"It is bad for you, city of Chorazin! It is bad for you, town of Bethsaida! For if the powerful works which were done in you had been done in the cities of Tyre and Sidon they would have turned from their sins long ago. They would have shown their sorrow by putting on clothes made from hair and would have sat in ashes.


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It will be better for Tyre and Sidon on the day men stand before God and be told they are guilty than for you.


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Whoever listens to you, listens to Me. Whoever has nothing to do with you, has nothing to do with Me. Whoever has nothing to do with Me, has nothing to do with the One Who sent Me."


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The seventy came back full of joy. They said, "Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we used Your name."


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Listen! I have given you power to walk on snakes. I have given you power over small animals with a sting of poison. I have given you power over all the power of the one who works against you. Nothing will hurt you.


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Even so, you should not be happy because the demons obey you but be happy because your names are written in heaven."


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At this time Jesus was full of the joy of the Holy Spirit. He said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You have kept these things hidden from the wise and from those who have much learning. You have shown them to little children. Yes, Father, it was what you wanted done.


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"Everything has been given to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son but the Father. No one knows the Father but the Son and the Son makes the Father known to those He chooses."


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Then He turned to His followers and said without anyone else hearing, "Happy are those who see what you see!


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I tell you, many early preachers and kings have wanted to see the things you are seeing, but they did not see them. They have wanted to hear the things you are hearing, but they did not hear them."


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A man stood up who knew the Law and tried to trap Jesus. He said, "Teacher, what must I do to have life that lasts forever?"


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The man said, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart. You must love Him with all your soul. You must love Him with all your strength. You must love Him with all your mind. You must love your neighbor as you love yourself."


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Jesus said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to the city of Jericho. Robbers came out after him. They took his clothes off and beat him. Then they went away, leaving him almost dead.


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In the same way, a man from the family group of Levi was walking down that road. When he saw the man who was hurt, he came near to him but kept on going on the other side of the road.


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Then a man from the country of Samaria came by. He went up to the man. As he saw him, he had loving-pity on him.


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He got down and put oil and wine on the places where he was hurt and put cloth around them. Then the man from Samaria put this man on his own donkey. He took him to a place where people stay for the night and cared for him.


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The next day the man from Samaria was ready to leave. He gave the owner of that place two pieces of money to care for him. He said to him, 'Take care of this man. If you use more than this, I will give it to you when I come again.'


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The man who knew the Law said, "The one who showed loving-pity on him." Then Jesus said, "Go and do the same."


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As they went on their way, they came to a town where a woman named Martha lived. She cared for Jesus in her home.


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Martha was working hard getting the supper ready. She came to Jesus and said, "Do You see that my sister is not helping me? Tell her to help me."


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Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her."


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Jesus had been praying. One of His followers said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray as John the Baptist taught his followers."


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Jesus said to them, "When you pray, say, 'Our Father in heaven, Your name is holy. May Your holy nation come. *What You want done, may it be done on earth as it is in heaven.


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Jesus said to them, "If one of you has a friend and goes to him in the night and says, 'Friend, give me three loaves of bread,


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The man inside the house will say, 'Do not trouble me. The door is shut. My children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you bread.'


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I say to you, he may not get up and give him bread because he is a friend. Yet, if he keeps on asking, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.


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I say to you, ask, and what you ask for will be given to you. Look, and what you are looking for you will find. Knock, and the door you are knocking on will be opened to you.


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For everyone who asks, will receive what he asks for. Everyone who looks, will find what he is looking for. Everyone who knocks, will have the door opened to him.


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"Would any of you fathers give your son a stone if he asked for bread? Or would you give a snake if he asked for a fish?


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You are sinful and you know how to give good things to your children. How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"


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Jesus was putting a demon out of a man who could not speak. When the demon was gone, the man could speak. All the people were surprised and wondered about it.


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But He knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every nation divided into groups that fight each other will be destroyed. Every family divided into groups that fight each other will not stand.


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If Satan is divided against himself, how will his nation stand? And yet you say I put out demons through Satan!


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If I put out demons through Satan, by whose help do your sons put them out? Your own sons will say if you are guilty or not.


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When a stronger man comes along, he wins the fight. He takes away all the things to fight with that the man of the house had put his trust in. Then the stronger man takes anything he wants from the house.


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"When a demon is gone out of a man, it goes through dry places to find rest. If it finds none, it says, 'I will go back to my house I came from.'


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Then the demon goes out and comes back bringing seven demons worse than itself. They go in and live there. In the end that man is worse than at the first."


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As Jesus was talking, a woman of the group said with a loud voice, "The woman is happy who gave You birth and who fed You."


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When the people were gathered near Jesus, He said, "The people of this day are sinful. They are looking for something special to see. They will get nothing special to see, except what Jonah the early preacher did.


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As Jonah was something special to the people of the city of Nineveh, the Son of Man will be to the people of this day also.


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The queen of the south will stand up on the day men stand before God. She will say the people of this day are guilty because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wise sayings of Solomon. And look, Someone greater than Solomon is here!


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The men of Nineveh will stand up on the day men stand before God. They will say the people of this day are guilty because the men of Nineveh were sorry for their sins and turned from them when Jonah preached. And look, Someone greater than Jonah is here!


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"No man lights a lamp and then hides it under a pail. He puts the light on a lamp-stand so those who come in can see it.


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The eye is the light of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. When your eye is sinful, your whole body is full of darkness.


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If your whole body is full of light, with no dark part, then it will shine. It will be as a lamp that gives light."


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As Jesus was talking, a proud religious law-keeper asked Him to eat with him. Jesus went to the man's house and took His place at the table.


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But the Lord said to him, "You proud religious law-keepers make the outside of the cup and plate clean, but inside you are full of stealing and sinning.


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"It is bad for you, proud religious law-keepers! You give one-tenth part of your spices. But you give no thought to what is right and to the love of God. You should do both of these.


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"It is bad for you, proud religious law-keepers! For you like to have the important seats in the places of worship. You like to have people speak good-sounding words to you as you are in the center of town where people gather.


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It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers and you who pretend to be someone you are not! For you are like graves that are hidden. Men walk on graves without knowing they are there."


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One of the men who knew the Law said to Jesus, "Teacher, You are making us look bad when You speak like this."


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Jesus said, "It is bad for you also, you men who know the Law! For you put heavy loads on the shoulders of men. But you will not even put your finger on one of these loads to help them.


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It is bad for you! For you make beautiful buildings for the graves of the early preachers your fathers killed.


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You are saying what your fathers did was good, because they killed the early preachers and you are making their graves.


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"For this reason the wisdom of God has said, 'I will send them early preachers and missionaries. Some they will kill and some they will make it very hard for.'


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It will be from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias, the one who died between the altar and the house of God. For sure, I tell you, the people of this day will be guilty for this.


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"It is bad for you men who know the Law! For you have locked the door to the house of learning. You are not going in yourselves and you do not allow those to go in who are about to go in."


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As Jesus went away from there, the teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers were very angry and tried to make Him say many things.


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At that time thousands of people gathered together. There were so many that they walked on each other. Jesus spoke to His twelve followers first, saying, "Look out! Have nothing to do with the yeast of the proud religious law-keepers which is pretending to be something it is not.


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For there is nothing covered up that will not be seen. There is nothing hidden that will not be known.


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What you have said in the dark will be heard in the light. What you have said in a low voice in a closed room will be spoken with a loud voice from the top of houses.


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I will tell you the one to be afraid of. Be afraid of Him Who has power to put you into hell after He has killed you. Yes, I say to you, be afraid of Him!


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"Are not five small birds sold for two small pieces of money? God does not forget even one of the birds.


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God knows how many hairs you have on your head. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many small birds.


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"Also, I tell you, everyone who makes Me known to men, the Son of Man will make him known to the angels of God.


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But whoever acts as if he does not know Me and does not make Me known to men, he will not be spoken of to the angels of God.


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"Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.


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When they take you to the places of worship and to the courts and to the leaders of the country, do not be worried about what you should say or how to say it.


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One of the people said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the riches that our father left us."


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Then Jesus said to them all, "Watch yourselves! Keep from wanting all kinds of things you should not have. A man's life is not made up of things, even if he has many riches."


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Then he said, 'I know what I will do. I will take down my grain building and I will build a bigger one. I will put all my grain and other things I own into it.


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And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many good things put away in your building. It will be all you need for many years to come. Now rest and eat and drink and have lots of fun." '


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But God said to him, 'You fool! Tonight your soul will be taken from you. Then who will have all the things you have put away?'


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Jesus said to His followers, "Because of this, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you are going to eat. Do not worry about your body, what you are going to wear.


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Look at the birds. They do not plant seeds. They do not gather grain. They have no grain buildings for keeping grain. Yet God feeds them. Are you not worth more than the birds?


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Think how the flowers grow. They do not work or make cloth. Yet, I tell you, that King Solomon in all his greatness was not dressed as well as one of these flowers.


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God puts these clothes on the grass of the field. The grass is in the field today and put into the fire tomorrow. How much more would He want to give you clothing? You have so little faith!


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Sell what you have and give the money to poor people. Have money-bags for yourselves that will never wear out. These money-bags are riches in heaven that will always be there. No robber can take them and no bugs can eat them there.


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Be like men who are waiting for their owner to come home from a wedding supper. When he comes and knocks on the door, they will open it for him at once.


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Those servants are happy when their owner finds them watching when he comes. For sure, I tell you, he will be dressed and ready to care for them. He will have them seated at the table.


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The owner might come late at night or early in the morning. Those servants are happy if their owner finds them watching whenever he comes.


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But understand this, that if the owner of a house had known when the robber was coming, he would have been watching. He would not have allowed his house to be broken into.


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The Lord said, "Who is the faithful and wise servant his owner made boss over the others? He is the one who is to have food ready at the right time.


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"But what if that servant says to himself, 'The owner will not be coming soon,' and then beats the other servants and eats and drinks and gets drunk?


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The owner of that servant will come on a day and at an hour when he is not looking for him. He will cut him in pieces and will put him with those who do not believe.


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"The servant who knew what the owner wanted done, but did not get ready for him, or did not do what he wanted done, will be beaten many times.


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But the servant who did not know what his owner wanted done, but did things that would be reason to be beaten, will be beaten only a few times. The man who receives much will have to give much. If much is given to a man to take care of, men will expect to get more from him.


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From now on there will be five in one house divided. Three will be against two and two will be against three.


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The father will be against the son. The son will be against the father. The mother will be against the daughter. The daughter will be against the mother. The mother-in-law will be against the daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law will be against the mother-in-law."


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Then Jesus also said to the people, "When you see a cloud coming in the west, you say at once, 'It is going to rain.' And it does.


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You who pretend to be someone you are not, you know all about the sky and the earth. But why do you not know what is happening these days?


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When a person says you are wrong and takes you to court, try to make it right with him as you go, or he will take you to the head of the court. Then he will take you to the police and you will be put in prison.


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I tell you, you will not be let out of prison until you have paid the last piece of money of the fine."


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At this time some people came to Jesus. They told Him that Pilate had killed some people from the country of Galilee. It was while they were giving gifts of animals on the altar in worship to God.


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Pilate put their blood together with the blood of the animals. Jesus said to them, "What about these people from Galilee? Were they worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee because they suffered these things?


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What about those eighteen men who were killed when the high building in Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were the worst sinners living in Jerusalem?


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Then He told them this picturestory: "A man had a fig tree in his grape-field. He looked for fruit on it but found none.


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He said to his servant, 'See! For three years I have been coming here looking for fruit on this fig tree. I never find any. Cut it down. Why does it even waste the ground?'


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A woman was there who had suffered for eighteen years because of a demon. She was not able to stand up straight.


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The leader of the Jewish place of worship was angry because Jesus healed on the Day of Rest. The leader said to the people, "There are six days in which work should be done. Come on those days and get healed. Do not come to be healed on the Day of Rest."


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The Lord said to him, "You pretend to be someone you are not! Do not each of you let his cow or his donkey out and lead them to water on the Day of Rest?


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Should not this Jewish woman be made free from this trouble on the Day of Rest? She has been chained by Satan for eighteen years."


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When He said this, all those who were against Him were ashamed. All the many people were glad for the great things being done by Him.


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It is like a mustard seed which a man took and planted in his field. It grew and became a tree. The birds of the sky stayed in its branches."


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Someone asked Jesus, "Lord, will only a few people be saved from the punishment of sin?" Jesus said to them,


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"Work hard to go in through the narrow door. I tell you, many will try to go in but will not be able to go in.


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The owner of the house will get up and shut the door. You who are on the outside will knock on the door and say, 'Lord, let us in.' Then He will say, 'I do not know you.'


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"There will be loud crying and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the early preachers in the holy nation of God, but you will be put out.


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Those who sit at the table in the holy nation of God will come from the east and west and from the north and south.


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That same day some of the proud religious law-keepers came to Jesus. They said, "Go away from here! Herod wants to kill You."


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Jesus said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'See. I put out demons and heal the sick. I will do these things today and tomorrow. And the third day My work will be finished.'


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But I must go on My way today and tomorrow and the day after. One who speaks for God cannot die except at Jerusalem.


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"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the early preachers and throw stones on those sent to you. How many times I wanted to gather your children around me, as a bird gathers her young under her wings, but you would not let Me.


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See! Your house is empty. And I tell you, you will not see Me again until the time comes when you will say, 'Great and honored is the One Who comes in the name of the Lord.' "


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On the Day of Rest Jesus went into the house of one of the leaders of the proud religious lawkeepers to eat. They all watched Jesus to see what He would do.


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Jesus asked the teachers of the Law and the proud religious lawkeepers, "Does the Law say it is right to heal on the Day of Rest, or not?"


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Then Jesus said to the leaders, "If one of you had a cow or donkey that fell into a hole, would you not go at once and pull it out on the Day of Rest?"


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Jesus had been watching those who were asked to come to supper. They were all trying to get the important seats. He told them a picture-story, saying,


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"When you are asked by someone to a wedding supper, do not take the important seat. Someone more important than you may have been asked to come also.


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The one who asked both of you to come may say to you, 'The important seat is for this man.' Then you will be ashamed as you take the last place.


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But when you are asked to come to the table, sit down on the last seat. Then the one who asked you may come and say to you, 'Friend, go to a more important place.' Then you will be shown respect in front of all who are at the table with you.


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Whoever makes himself look more important than he is will find out how little he is worth. Whoever does not try to honor himself will be made important."


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Then Jesus said to the man who asked Him to eat in his house, "When you have a supper, do not ask your friends or your brothers or your family or your rich neighbors. They will ask you to come to their place for a supper. That way you will be paid back for what you have done.


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You will be happy if you do this. They cannot pay you back. You will get your reward when the people who are right with God are raised from the dead."


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When one of those eating at the table with Jesus heard this, he said, "Everyone is happy who will eat in the holy nation of God."


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Then Jesus said to the leader of the proud religious law-keepers, "There was a man who was giving a big supper. He asked many people to come to eat.


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When it was about time to eat, he sent one of the servants he owned to tell those he had asked, saying, 'Come, everything is ready now.'


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They all gave different reasons why they could not come. The first said, 'I have bought some land and I must go and see it. Do not expect me to come.'


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Another one said, 'I have bought ten cows to use for working in my fields. I must go and try them out. Do not expect me to come.'


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"The servant went back to his owner and told him these things. Then his owner became angry. He said to his servant, 'Hurry into the streets and narrow roads of the city and bring poor people here. Bring those whose bodies are diseased. Bring those who cannot walk and those who are blind.'


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The servant came back and said, 'Sir, what you told me to do has been done. But there are still some empty places.'


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Then the owner said to his servant, 'Go out along the roads leading away from the city and into the fields. Tell them they must come. Do this so my house will be filled.


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"If any man comes to Me and does not have much more love for Me than for his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be My follower.


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"If one of you wanted to build a large building, you would sit down first and think of how much money it would take to build it. You would see if you had enough money to finish it,


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or when the base of the building is finished, you might see that you do not have enough money to finish it. Then all who would see it would make fun of you.


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"What if a king is going to war with another king? Will he not sit down first and decide if he is able to go with 10,000 men against the other king who is coming with 20,000 men?


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Or, he will send a soldier to the other king while he is still a long way off. He will ask what can be done to have peace.


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The proud religious law-keepers and the teachers of the Law began to speak against Him. They said, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."


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"What if one of you had one hundred sheep and you lost one of them? Would you not leave the ninety-nine in the country and go back and look for the one which was lost until you find it?


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Then you would go to your house and call your friends and neighbors. You would say to them, 'Be happy with me because I have found my sheep that was lost.'


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I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven because of one sinner who is sorry for his sins and turns from them, than for ninetynine people right with God who do not have sins to be sorry for.


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"What if a woman has ten silver pieces of money and loses one of them? Does she not light a lamp and sweep the floor and look until she finds it?


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When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together. She says to them, 'Be happy with me. I have found the piece of money I had lost.'


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I tell you, it is the same way among the angels of God. If one sinner is sorry for his sins and turns from them, the angels are very happy."


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The younger son said to his father, 'Father, let me have the part of the family riches that will be coming to me.' Then the father divided all that he owned between his two sons.


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Soon after that the younger son took all that had been given to him and went to another country far away. There he spent all he had on wild and foolish living.


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He was so hungry he was ready to eat the outside part of the ears of the corn the pigs ate because no one gave him anything.


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"He began to think about what he had done. He said to himself, 'My father pays many men who work for him. They have all the food they want and more than enough. I am about dead because I am so hungry.


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I will get up and go to my father. I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.


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"The son got up and went to his father. While he was yet a long way off, his father saw him. The father was full of loving-pity for him. He ran and threw his arms around him and kissed him.


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The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am not good enough to be called your son.'


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But the father said to the workmen he owned, 'Hurry! Get the best coat and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.


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For my son was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found. Let us eat and have a good time.'


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The servant answered, 'Your brother has come back and your father has killed the fat calf. Your brother is in the house and is well.'


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The older brother was angry and would not go into the house. His father went outside and asked him to come in.


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The older son said to his father, 'All these many years I have served you. I have always obeyed what you said. But you never gave me a young goat so I could have a supper and a good time with my friends.


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But as soon as this son of yours came back, you killed the fat calf. And yet he wasted your money with bad women.'


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It is right and good that we should have a good time and be glad. Your brother was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found.' "


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Jesus said to His followers, "There was a rich man who put a boss over his houses and lands. Someone told him that his boss was not using his riches in a right way.


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The rich man sent for the boss and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Tell me what you have done with my things. You are not to be the boss of my houses and lands anymore.'


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"The boss said to himself, 'What will I do now? The owner of the houses and lands is taking my work away from me. I cannot dig in the ground for a living. I am too proud to ask for help.


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I know what I will do. I will make it so that when I lose this work I will be able to go to the homes of my friends.'


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"He sent for the people who owed the rich man. He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe the owner?'


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The first man said, 'One hundred barrels of oil.' The boss said to him, 'Take your bill. Sit down at once and change it to fifty.'


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He asked another one, 'How much do you owe?' He said, 'One hundred bags of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill and change it to eighty.'


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Then the rich man said that this sinful boss had been wise to plan for himself for the days ahead. For the people of the world are wiser in their day than the children of light.


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"I tell you, make friends for yourselves by using the riches of the world that are so often used in wrong ways. So when riches are a thing of the past, friends may receive you into a home that will be forever.


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He that is faithful with little things is faithful with big things also. He that is not honest with little things is not honest with big things.


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If you have not been faithful in that which belongs to another person, who will give you things to have as your own?


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No servant can have two bosses. He will hate the one and love the other. Or, he will be faithful to one and not faithful to the other. You cannot be faithful to God and to riches at the same time."


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Jesus said to them, "You are the kind of people who make yourselves look good before other people. God knows your hearts. What men think is good is hated in the eyes of God.


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Until John came, you had the writings of the Law and of the early preachers. From that time until now the Good News of the holy nation of God has been preached. Everyone is pushing his way in.


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But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one small part of a word in the Law to be of no more use.


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"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman is not faithful in marriage and is guilty of sex sins.


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"There was a rich man who dressed in purple linen clothes everyday. He lived like a king would live with the best of food.


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He wanted the pieces of food that fell from the table of the rich man. Even dogs came and licked his sores.


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"The poor man who asked for food died. He was taken by the angels into the arms of Abraham. The rich man died also and was buried.


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In hell the rich man was in much pain. He looked up and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus beside him.


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He cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, take pity on me. Send Lazarus. Let him put the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in much pain in this fire.'


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Abraham said, 'My son, do not forget that when you were living you had your good things. Lazarus had bad things. Now he is well cared for. You are in pain.


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And more than all this, there is a big deep place between us. No one from here can go there even if he wanted to go. No one can come from there.'


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I have five brothers. Let him tell them of these things, or they will come to this place of much pain also.'


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Abraham said, 'They have the Writings of Moses and of the early preachers. Let them hear what they say.'


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But the rich man said, 'No, Father Abraham. If someone goes to them from the dead, they will be sorry for their sins and turn from them.'


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Abraham said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and to the early preachers, they will not listen even if someone is raised from the dead.' "


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Jesus said to His followers, "For sure, things will come that will make people sin. But it is bad for the person who makes someone else sin.


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It would be better for him to have a large rock put around his neck and be thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.


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"Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, speak sharp words to him. If he is sorry and turns from his sin, forgive him.


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What if he sins against you seven times in one day? If he comes to you and says he is sorry and turns from his sin, forgive him."


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The Lord said, "If your faith was as a mustard seed, you could say to this tree, 'Be pulled out of the ground and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.


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"What if you owned a servant who was working in the field or taking care of sheep? Would you say to him when he came in from his work, 'Come and sit down to eat?'


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No, instead you would say, 'Get my supper ready. Dress yourself and care for me until I am through eating and drinking. Then you can eat and drink.'


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It is the same with you also. When you do everything you have been told to do, you must say, 'We are not any special servants. We have done only what we should have done.' "


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As He was going into one of the towns, ten men with a bad skin disease came to Him. They stood a little way off.


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When Jesus saw them, He said, "Go and show yourselves to the religious leaders." As they went, they were healed.


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The proud religious law-keepers asked when the holy nation of God would come. Jesus said to them, "The holy nation of God is not coming in such a way that can be seen with the eyes.


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Jesus said to His followers, "The time will come when you will wish you could see the Son of Man for one day. But you will not be able to.


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When the Son of Man comes, He will be as lightning that shines from one part of the sky to the other.


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But before that, He must suffer many hard things. The people of this day will have nothing to do with Him.


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People ate and drank. They married and were given in marriage. They did these things until the day Noah went into the large boat. Then the flood came and killed all the people on earth.


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It was the same in the time of Lot. People ate and drank. They bought and sold. They planted and built.


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But the day Lot left the city of Sodom, fire and sulphur came down from heaven like rain. It killed all the people of Sodom.


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In that day the man who is on top of a house should not come down to take his things out of the house. In the same way, the man who is in the field should not go back to his house.


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"He who wants to keep his life will have it taken away from him. He who loses his life will have it given back to him.


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I tell you, on that night there will be two men in the same bed. One of them will be taken. The other will be left.


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Then they asked Jesus, "Where will this happen?" He said to them, "Birds also gather where there is a dead body."


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He said, "There was a man in one of the cities who was head of the court. His work was to say if a person was guilty or not. This man was not afraid of God. He did not respect any man.


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In that city there was a woman whose husband had died. She kept coming to him and saying, 'Help me! There is someone who is working against me.'


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For awhile he would not help her. Then he began to think, 'I am not afraid of God and I do not respect any man.


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But I will see that this woman whose husband has died gets her rights because I get tired of her coming all the time.' "


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Will not God make the things that are right come to His chosen people who cry day and night to Him? Will He wait a long time to help them?


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I tell you, He will be quick to help them. But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"


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Jesus told another picture-story to some people who trusted in themselves and thought they were right with God. These people did not think well of other men.


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Jesus said, "Two men went up to the house of God to pray. One of them was a proud religious law-keeper. The other was a man who gathered taxes.


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The proud religious law-keeper stood and prayed to himself like this, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men. I am not like those who steal. I am not like those who do things that are wrong. I am not like those who do sex sins. I am not even like this tax-gatherer.


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I go without food two times a week so I can pray better. I give one-tenth part of the money I earn.'


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But the man who gathered taxes stood a long way off. He would not even lift his eyes to heaven. But he hit himself on his chest and said, 'God, have pity on me! I am a sinner!'


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I tell you, this man went back to his house forgiven, and not the other man. For whoever makes himself look more important than he is will find out how little he is worth. Whoever does not try to honor himself will be made important."


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People took their little children to Jesus so He could put His hand on them. When His followers saw it, they spoke sharp words to the people.


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Jesus called the followers to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me. Do not try to stop them. The holy nation of God is made up of ones like these.


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For sure, I tell you, whoever does not receive the holy nation of God as a child will not go into the holy nation."


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You know the Laws. You must not do any sex sins. You must not kill another person. You must not steal. You must not tell a lie about someone else. Respect your father and your mother."


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When Jesus heard this, He said to the leader of the people, "There is still one thing you need to do. Sell everything you have. Give the money to poor people. Then you will have riches in heaven. Come and follow Me."


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When Jesus saw that he was very sad, He said, "It is hard for those with riches to go into the holy nation of God!


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It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go into the holy nation of God."


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Jesus said to them, "For sure, I tell you, anyone who has left his house or parents or brothers or wife or children because of the holy nation of God


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Then Jesus took the twelve followers to one side and said, "See! We are going up to Jerusalem. All the things the early preachers wrote about the Son of Man are going to happen.


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He will be given over to the people who are not Jews. He will be made fun of. He will be hurt. He will be spit on.


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The followers did not understand these words. The meaning of these words was hidden from them. They did not know what He said.


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The people spoke sharp words to him and told him not to call out. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me."


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Jesus stopped and told the people to bring the blind man to Him. When the man was near, Jesus asked,


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At once he could see. He followed Jesus and gave thanks to God. All the people gave thanks to God when they saw it.


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Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus but he could not because so many people were there and he was a short man.


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When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw Zaccheus. He said, "Zaccheus, come down at once. I must stay in your house today."


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When the people saw it, they began to complain among themselves. They said, "He is going to stay with a man who is known to be a sinner."


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Zaccheus stood up and said to the Lord, "Lord, see! Half of what I own I will give to poor people. And if I have taken money from anyone in a wrong way, I will pay him back four times as much."


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As they heard these things, Jesus told them a picture-story. Because He was near Jerusalem, they thought the holy nation of God would come at once.


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So Jesus said, "A leader of a country went to another country far away. A nation was to be given to him, then he would return home.


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He called ten of the servants he owned. He gave them ten pieces of money and said to them, 'Put this money to use until I return.'


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But other men in his country hated him. They sent men after him to tell him they did not want him as their king.


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After he had been given the other nation, he returned as king. He asked for his servants who had received the money to come to him. He wanted to know how much more they had after putting it to use.


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The first one came and said, 'Lord, the piece of money you gave me has made ten more pieces of money.'


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He said to him, 'You are a good servant. You have been faithful in using a little. Now you will be leader over ten cities.'


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"The second man came to him and said, 'Lord, the piece of money you gave me has made five more pieces of money.'


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"Another one came saying, 'Lord, look! Here is your piece of money. I have kept it hid in a piece of cloth.


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I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You take what you have not put down. You gather where you have not planted.'


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The king said to him, 'By the words from your own mouth I must say that you are guilty. You are a sinful servant. You knew I was a hard man. You knew I take what I have not put down. You knew I gather where I have not planted.


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Why did you not put my money in the bank? Then when I came back I could have had my own money and what the bank paid for using it.'


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"Then he said to those who were standing by, 'Take the piece of money from him and give it to the one who has ten pieces of money.'


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Jesus said, "I tell you, he who has, to him will be given more. To him who does not have, even the little he has will be taken from him.


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'Bring here those who hated me and did not want me to be their king and kill them in front of me.' "


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When Jesus was coming near the towns of Bethphage and Bethany by the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His followers on ahead.


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He said, "Go into the town ahead of you. There you will find a young donkey tied. No man has ever sat on it. Let it loose and bring it to Me.


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As they were letting the young donkey loose, the owners said to them, "Why are you letting the young donkey loose?"


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Jesus was near the city and ready to go down the Mount of Olives. The many people who were following Him began to sing with loud voices and give thanks for all the powerful works they had seen.


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They said, "Great and honored is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord. There is peace and greatness in the highest heaven."


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Some of the proud religious lawkeepers who were in among the people said to Jesus, "Teacher, speak sharp words to Your followers."


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He said, "If you had only known on this great day the things that make peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.


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The time is coming when those who hate you will dig earth and throw it up around you making a wall. They will shut you in from every side.


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They will destroy you and your children with you. There will not be one stone on another. It is because you did not know when God visited you."


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He said to them, "It is written, 'My house is a house of prayer.' 'But you have made it a place of robbers.' " <n>(Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11)</n>


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Jesus taught each day in the house of God. But the religious leaders and the teachers of the Law and other leaders of the people tried to think of some way they could kill Him.


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As He was teaching and preaching the Good News, the religious leaders and the teachers of the Law and the elders came.


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They said to Him, "Tell us, by what right and power are You doing these things? Who gave You the right and the power?"


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They said to themselves, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Then why did you not believe Him?'


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But if we say, 'From men,' then all the people will throw stones at us because they believe John was one who spoke for God."


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Jesus said to them, "And I will not tell you where I get the right and the power to do these things."


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Jesus began to tell the people a picture-story, saying, "There was a man who planted a grape-field. He rented it to farmers. Then he went to a country far away for a long time.


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At the time of gathering fruit he sent one of his servants to the farmers to get some of the fruit. But the farmers beat him and sent him away without fruit.


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He sent another servant. The farmers beat him also. They made it very hard for him and sent him away without fruit.


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"Then the owner of the grape-field said, 'What should I do? I will send my much-loved son. They might respect him.'


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The farmers saw the son. They said to themselves, 'This is the one who will get everything when the owner dies. Let us kill him, and we will get everything.'


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They put him out of the grape-field and killed him. Now what will the owner of the grape-field do to them?


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He will come and kill those farmers. Then he will rent the grape-field to other farmers." When they heard this, they said, "May this never be done!"


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Jesus looked at them and said, "What does this writing mean, 'The Stone that was put aside by the workmen has become the most important Stone in the building'? <n>Psalm 118:22</n>


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Whoever falls on this Stone will be broken. And on the one it falls, it will make him like dust." <n>(Isaiah 8:14-15)</n>


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At this time the religious leaders and the teachers of the Law tried to take Jesus, but they were afraid of the people. These leaders knew Jesus had told this picture-story against them.


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They watched Jesus and they sent men who pretended to be good people to watch Him. They wanted to trap Him in something He said. Then they could give Him over to the leader of the people who had the right and the power to say what to do with Him.


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These men who were sent asked Jesus, "Teacher, we know what You say and teach is right. We know You do not show more respect to one person than to another. We know You teach the truth about God.


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Jesus said to them, "Pay to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar. Pay to God the things that belong to God."


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They could find nothing wrong with what He taught. They were surprised and wondered about what He told the people, so they said nothing more.


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"Teacher, Moses wrote to us in the Law, 'If a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, then his brother must marry her. He should have children for his brother who died.' <n>Deuteronomy 25:5</n>


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The third brother took her for his wife. In the same way all seven took her for a wife. They all died without children.


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When people are raised from the dead, whose wife will she be? All seven brothers had her for a wife."


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But those who have the right to have that life and are raised from the dead do not marry and are not given in marriage.


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They cannot die anymore. They are as the angels and are sons of God. They are children who have been raised from the dead.


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As for the dead being raised, even Moses spoke of that when he told of the burning bush. There he calls the Lord, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.


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"Look out for the teachers of the Law. They like to walk around in long coats. They like to have people speak words of respect to them in the center of town where people gather. They like the important seats in the places of worship. They like the important places at big suppers.


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They take houses from poor women whose husbands have died. They cover up their actions by making long prayers. They will be punished all the more."


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For they have put in a little of the money they had no need for. She is very poor and has put in all she had. She has put in what she needed for her own living."


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Some people were talking about the house of God. They were saying that the stones were beautiful and that many gifts had been given. Jesus said,


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"As for these things you see, all these stones will be thrown down. Not one will be left on another."


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They asked Jesus, "Teacher, when will this take place? What are we to look for to show us these things are about to happen?"


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He said, "Be careful that no one leads you the wrong way. For many people will come in My name. They will say, 'I am the Christ.' The time is near. Do not follow them.


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When you hear of wars and fighting in different places, do not be afraid. These things have to happen first, but the end is not yet."


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Then Jesus said to them, "Nations will have wars with other nations. Countries will fight against countries.


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The earth will shake and break apart in different places. There will be no food. There will be bad diseases among many people. Very special things will be seen in the sky that will make people much afraid.


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"But before all this happens, men will take hold of you and make it very hard for you. They will give you over to the places of worship and to the prisons. They will bring you in front of kings and the leaders of the people. This will all be done to you because of Me.


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For I will give you wisdom in what to say and I will help you say it. Those who are against you will not be able to stop you or say you are wrong.


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"You will be handed over by your parents and your brothers and your family and your friends. They will kill some of you.


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Those in the country of Judea must run to the mountains. Those in the city must leave at once. Those in the country must not go into the city.


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"It will be hard for women who will soon be mothers. It will be hard for those feeding babies in those days. It will be very hard for the people in the land and anger will be brought down on them.


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People will be killed by the sword. They will be held in prison by all nations. Jerusalem will be walked over by the people who are not Jews until their time is finished.


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"There will be special things to look for in the sun and moon and stars. The nations of the earth will be troubled and will not know what to do. They will be troubled at the angry sea and waves.


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The hearts of men will give up because of being afraid of what is coming on the earth. The powers of the heavens will be shaken.


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When these things begin to happen, lift up your heads because you have been bought by the blood of Christ and will soon be free."


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Watch yourselves! Do not let yourselves be loaded down with too much eating and strong drink. Do not be troubled with the cares of this life. If you do, that day will come on you without you knowing it.


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Be sure you watch. Pray all the time so that you may be able to keep from going through all these things that will happen and be able to stand before the Son of Man."


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Everyday Jesus taught in the house of God. At night He went to the Mount of Olives and stayed there.


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The time for the supper of bread without yeast was near. It was the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt.


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The religious leaders and the teachers of the Law looked for a way to kill Jesus. But they were afraid of the people.


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Then Satan came into the heart of Judas who was called Iscariot. He was one of the twelve followers.


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Judas went away and talked with the religious leaders and the leaders of the people. He talked about how he might hand Jesus over to them.


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Judas promised to do this and then looked for a way to hand Jesus over when there were no people around.


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The day of bread without yeast came. It was the day when the lamb had to be killed and given on the altar in worship in the house of God. It was the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt.


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He answered, "See, when you go into the city, you will meet a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him into the house where he goes.


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Say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks you, "Where is the room you keep for friends where I may eat this special supper with My followers?" '


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He said to them, "I have wanted very much to eat this special supper with you to remember how the Jews left Egypt. I have wanted to eat this with you before I suffer.


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I say to you, I will not eat this special supper again until its true meaning is completed in the holy nation of God."


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Then Jesus took bread and gave thanks and broke it in pieces. He gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you. Do this to remember Me."


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In the same way, after they had finished the bread, He took the cup. He said, "This cup is My blood of the New Way of Worship which is given for you.


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"See, the hand of the one who will give Me over to the leaders of the country is on the table with Me.


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The Son of Man will be taken this way because it has been in God's plan. But it is bad for that man who hands Him over!"


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Jesus said to them, "The kings of the nations show their power to the people. Those who have power over the people are given names of honor.


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But you will not be like that. Let the greatest among you be as the least. Let the leader be as the one who cares for others.


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Who is greater, the one who is eating at the table, or the one who is caring for him? Is it not the one who is eating at the table? But I am here with you as One Who cares for you.


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to eat and drink at My table in My holy nation. You will sit on thrones and judge the twelve family groups of the Jewish nation."


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The Lord said, "Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has wanted to have you. He will divide you as wheat is divided from that which is no good.


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But I have prayed for you. I have prayed that your faith will be strong and that you will not give up. When you return, you must help to make your brothers strong."


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Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, a rooster will not crow today before you will say three times that you do not know Me."


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Jesus said to them, "I sent you without money or bag or shoes. Did you need anything?" They said, "Nothing."


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Then He said to them, "But now whoever has a money-bag and a bag for food should take it. Whoever does not have a sword should sell his coat and buy one.


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I tell you, that what has been written about Me must happen. It says, 'He was among the wrong-doers.' <n>(Isaiah 53:12)</n> What is told about Me must happen."


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Jesus came out of the room. Then He went to the Mount of Olives as He had been doing. The followers went with Him.


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He walked away from them about as far as a stone can be thrown. There He got down with His face on the ground and prayed.


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He said, "Father, if it can be done, take away what must happen to Me. Even so, not what I want, but what You want."


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His heart was much troubled and He prayed all the more. Water ran from His face like blood and fell to the ground.


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When Jesus got up after praying, He went back to the followers. He found them sleeping because of so much sorrow.


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While Jesus was speaking, Judas came walking ahead of many people. He was one of the twelve followers. He came near to Jesus to kiss Him.


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Jesus said to the religious leaders and the leaders of the house of God and the other leaders who came to Him, "Have you come with swords and sticks to take Me, as if I were a robber?


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While I was with you everyday in the house of God, you never took hold of Me. But now is the time you are to come and you have come in the dark."


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Then they led Jesus away to the house of the head religious leader. Peter followed a long way behind Him.


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One of the servant-girls saw Peter as he sat by the fire and looked right at him. She said, "This man was with Jesus also."


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After awhile another person saw him and said, "You are one of them also." Peter said, "No, sir, I am not."


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About an hour later another person said the same thing, "For sure, this man was with Jesus also because he is from Galilee."


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But Peter said, "Sir, I do not know what you are saying." And at once, while he was talking, a rooster crowed.


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The Lord turned and looked at Peter. He remembered the Lord had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you do not know Me."


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When it was morning the leaders of the people and the religious leaders and the teachers of the Law got together. They took Jesus to the court of the religious leader. They said,


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Then they said, "What other word do we need against Him? We have heard Him say this with His own mouth."


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They began to tell things against Him, saying, "We have found this Man leading the people of our nation in a wrong way. He has been telling them not to pay taxes to Caesar. He has been saying He is Christ, a King."


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They became more angry. They said, "He makes trouble among the people. He has been teaching over all the country of Judea, starting in Galilee and now here."


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As soon as Pilate knew Jesus belonged in the country where Herod was king, he sent Him to Herod. Herod was in Jerusalem at that time also.


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Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus because he had wanted to see Him for a long time. He had heard many things about Him and had hoped to see Him do some powerful work.


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The religious leaders and the teachers of the Law were standing there. They said many false things against Him.


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Then Herod and his soldiers were very bad to Jesus and made fun of Him. They put a beautiful coat on Him and sent Him back to Pilate.


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He said to them, "You brought this Man to me as one that leads the people in the wrong way. I have asked Him about these things in front of you. I do not find Him guilty of the things you say against Him.


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Herod found nothing wrong with Him because he sent Him back to us. There is no reason to have Him put to death.


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*Every year at the time of the special supper, Pilate would let one person who was in prison go free.


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Barabbas had killed some people and had made trouble against the leaders of the country. He had been put in prison.


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Pilate said to them the third time, "Why, what bad thing has He done? I have found no reason to put Him to death. I will punish Him and let Him go free."


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But they kept on crying out with loud voices saying that He must be nailed to a cross. Their loud voices got what they wanted.


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Pilate let the man go free who had made trouble against the leaders of the country and who had killed people. He gave Jesus over to them to do with as they wanted.


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They led Jesus away. A man named Simon was coming in from the country of Cyrene and they made him carry the cross following behind Jesus.


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Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not cry for Me. Cry for yourselves and your children.


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Listen! The days are coming when they will say, 'Those who have never had children are happy. Those whose bodies have never given birth are happy. Those who have never fed babies are happy.'


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Two other men were led away with Jesus to be put to death also. These men had done things making them guilty of death.


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When they came to the place called Calvary, they nailed Jesus to a cross. The other two men were nailed to crosses also. One was on the right side of Jesus and the other was on His left side.


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Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing." And they divided His clothes by drawing names.


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The people stood around looking on. The leaders were there with them making fun of Jesus. They said, "He saved others, let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the Chosen One of God!"


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These words were written in the Greek and Latin and Hebrew languages above His head: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."


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One of the men who was guilty of death who was on a cross beside Jesus spoke bad words to Him. He said, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."


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But the other man on a cross spoke sharp words to the one who made fun of Jesus. He said, "Are you not afraid of God? You are also guilty and will be punished.


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We are suffering and we should, because of the wrong we have done. But this Man has done nothing wrong."


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Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Father, into Your hands I give My spirit." When He said this, He died.


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All the many people who came together to see the things that were done, went away beating themselves on their chests.


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All His friends and the women who had come with Him from Galilee stood a long way off watching these things.


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This man did not agree with what the court did. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews. He was looking for the holy nation of God to come.


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Then he took it down and put it in linen cloth. It was laid in a grave which had been cut out in the side of a rock. This grave had never been used.


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The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed behind. They saw the grave and how His body was laid.


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They went back and got some spices and perfumes ready. But they rested on the Day of Rest as the Law said to do.


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Early in the morning on the first day of the week, the women went to the grave taking the spices they had made ready.


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They were very much afraid and got down with their faces to the ground. The men said to them, "Why do you look for the living One among those who are dead?


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He said, 'The Son of Man must be given over into the hands of sinful men. He must be nailed to a cross. He will rise again three days later.' "


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When they came back from the grave, they told all these things to the eleven followers and to all the others.


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They were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James. Other women who were with them told these things to the followers also.


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But Peter got up and ran to the grave. He got down to look in and saw only the linen clothes. Then he went away, surprised about what had happened.


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That same day two of His followers were going to the town of Emmaus. It was about a two-hour walk from Jerusalem.


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One of them, whose name was Cleopas, said to Him, "Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who has not heard of the things that have happened here these days?"


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Jesus said to them, "What things?" They answered, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth. He was the great One Who spoke for God. He did powerful works and spoke powerful words in the sight of God and the people.


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And the religious leaders and the leaders of the people gave Him over to be killed and nailed Him to a cross.


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We were hoping He was the One Who was going to make the Jewish people free. But it was three days ago when these things happened.


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"Some of the women of our group have surprised us and made us wonder. They went to the grave early this morning.


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They did not find His body. They came back saying they had seen angels in a special dream who said that He was alive.


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Some of those who were with us went to the grave and found it as the women had said. But they did not see Him."


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Then Jesus said to them, "You foolish men. How slow you are to believe what the early preachers have said.


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Jesus kept on telling them what Moses and all the early preachers had said about Him in the Holy Writings.


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But they said to Him, "Stay with us. It will soon be evening. The day is about over." He went in to stay with them.


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As He sat at the table with them, He took the bread and gave thanks and broke it. Then He gave it to them.


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They said to each other, "Were not our hearts filled with joy when He talked to us on the road about what the Holy Writings said?"


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Then they got up at once and went back to Jerusalem. They found the eleven followers together and others with them.


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Look at My hands and My feet. See! It is I, Myself! Touch Me and see for yourself. A spirit does not have flesh and bones as I have."


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They still wondered. It was hard for them to believe it and yet it made them happy. Then He said to them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"


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Jesus said to them, "These are the things I told you while I was yet with you. All things written about Me in the Law of Moses and in the Books of the early preachers and in the Psalms must happen as they said they would happen."


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He said to them, "It is written that Christ should suffer and be raised from the dead after three days.


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It must be preached that men must be sorry for their sins and turn from them. Then they will be forgiven. This must be preached in His name to all nations beginning in Jerusalem.


