Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath^(A)

6 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.^{(B) 2} Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”^(C)

³ Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?^{(D) 4} He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat.^(E) And he also gave some to his companions.” ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man^(F) is Lord of the Sabbath.”

⁶ On another Sabbath^(G) he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. ⁷ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely^(H) to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.^{(I) 8} But Jesus knew what they were thinking^(J) and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

¹⁰ He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. ¹¹ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious^(K) and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Twelve Apostles^(L)

¹² One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.^{(M) 13} When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:^{(N) 14} Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew,^(O) Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, ¹⁶ Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Blessings and Woes^(P)

¹⁷ He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,^{(Q) 18} who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, ¹⁹ and the people all tried to touch him,^(R) because power was coming from him and healing them all.^(S)

²⁰ Looking at his disciples, he said:

²³ “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,^(Z) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.^(AA)

Love for Enemies^(AG)

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,^{(AH) 28} bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.^{(AI) 29} If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.^{(AJ) 31} Do to others as you would have them do to you.^(AK)

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?^(AL) Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?^(AM) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them,^(AN) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children^(AO) of the Most High,^(AP) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful,^(AQ) just as your Father^(AR) is merciful.

Judging Others^(AS)

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.^(AT) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.^{(AU) 38} Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.^(AV) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”^(AW)

³⁹ He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?^{(AX) 40} The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.^(AY)

⁴¹ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit^(AZ)

⁴³ “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.^(BA) People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. ⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.^(BB)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(BC)

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(BD) and do not do what I say?^{(BE) 47} As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice,^(BF) I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting.^(A) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations^(B) from the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ^(C) who fourteen years ago was caught up^(D) to the third heaven.^(E) Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.^{(F) 3} And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— ⁴ was caught up^(G) to paradise^(H) and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. ⁵ I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.^{(I) 6} Even if I should choose to boast,^(J) I would not be a fool,^(K) because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations.^(L) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(M) a messenger of Satan,^(N) to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.^{(O) 9} But he said to me, “My grace^(P) is sufficient for you, for my power^(Q) is made perfect in weakness.^(R)”^(S) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight^(T) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,^(U) in persecutions,^(V) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(W)

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹¹ I have made a fool of myself,^(X) but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”^[a](Y) even though I am nothing.^{(Z) 12} I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.^{(AA) 13} How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you?^(AB) Forgive me this wrong!^(AC)

¹⁴ Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,^(AD) and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents,^(AE) but parents for their children.^{(AF) 15} So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.^(AG) If I love you more,^(AH) will you love me less? ¹⁶ Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you.^(AI) Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! ¹⁷ Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged^(AJ) Titus^(AK) to go to you and I sent our brother^(AL) with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God^(AM) as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends,^(AN) is for your strengthening.^{(AO) 20} For I am afraid that when I come^(AP) I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be.^(AQ) I fear that there may be discord,^(AR) jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,^(AS) slander,^(AT) gossip,^(AU) arrogance^(AV) and disorder.^{(AW) 21} I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved^(AX) over many who have sinned earlier^(AY) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery^(AZ) in which they have indulged.

Final Warnings

13 This will be my third visit to you.^(BA) “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”^{[b](BB) 2} I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent:^(BC) On my return I will not spare^(BD) those who sinned earlier^(BE) or any of the others, ³ since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me.^(BF) He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. ⁴ For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness,^(BG) yet he lives by God’s power.^(BH) Likewise, we are weak^(BI) in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him^(BJ) in our dealing with you.

⁵ Examine yourselves^(BK) to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.^(BL) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you^(BM)—unless, of course, you fail the test? ⁶ And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. ⁷ Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. ⁸ For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹ We are glad whenever we are weak^(BN) but you are strong;^(BO) and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.^{(BP) 10} This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh^(BQ) in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.^(BR)

Final Greetings

¹¹ Finally, brothers and sisters,^(BS) rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.^(BT) And the God of love^(BU) and peace^(BV) will be with you.

¹² Greet one another with a holy kiss.^{(BW) 13} All God’s people here send their greetings.^(BX)

¹⁴ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,^(BY) and the love of God,^(BZ) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit^(CA) be with you all.