Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue,^(A) and a man with a shriveled hand was there. ² Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely^(B) to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.^{(C) 3} Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

⁴ Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

⁵ He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. ⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians^(D) how they might kill Jesus.^(E)

Crowds Follow Jesus^(F)

⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.^{(G) 8} When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.^{(H) 9} Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. ¹⁰ For he had healed many,^(I) so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.^{(J) 11} Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”^{(K) 12} But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.^(L)

Jesus Appoints the Twelve^(M)

¹³ Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.^{(N) 14} He appointed twelve^[a](O) that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach ¹⁵ and to have authority to drive out demons.^{(P) 16} These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter),^{(Q) 17} James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law^(R)(S)

²⁰ Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered,^(T) so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.^{(U) 21} When his family^[b] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”^(V)

²² And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem^(W) said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul!^(X) By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”^(Y)

²³ So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables:^(Z) “How can Satan^(AA) drive out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶ And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. ²⁷ In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.^{(AB) 28} Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, ²⁹ but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”^(AC)

³⁰ He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

³¹ Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived.^(AD) Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. ³² A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

³³ “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

³⁴ Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand^(A)(B)(C)

8 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ² “I have compassion for these people;^(D) they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

⁴ His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

⁵ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied.

⁶ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. ⁷ They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them.^{(E) 8} The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.^{(F) 9} About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, ¹⁰ he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

¹¹ The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.^{(G) 12} He sighed deeply^(H) and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” ¹³ Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

¹⁴ The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ¹⁵ “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast^(I) of the Pharisees^(J) and that of Herod.”^(K)

¹⁶ They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

¹⁷ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?^{(L) 18} Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,”^(M) they replied.

²⁰ “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”^(N)

²¹ He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”^(O)

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

²² They came to Bethsaida,^(P) and some people brought a blind man^(Q) and begged Jesus to touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit^(R) on the man’s eyes and put his hands on^(S) him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

²⁴ He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

²⁵ Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into^[a] the village.”

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(T)

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(U) others say Elijah;^(V) and still others, one of the prophets.”

²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”^(W)

³⁰ Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.^(X)

Jesus Predicts His Death^(Y)

³¹ He then began to teach them that the Son of Man^(Z) must suffer many things^(AA) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(AB) and that he must be killed^(AC) and after three days^(AD) rise again.^{(AE) 32} He spoke plainly^(AF) about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

³³ But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!”^(AG) he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Way of the Cross

³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(AH) 35} For whoever wants to save their life^[b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.^{(AI) 36} What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man^(AJ) will be ashamed of them^(AK) when he comes^(AL) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Divorce^(A)

10 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan.^(B) Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.^(C)

² Some Pharisees^(D) came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

³ “What did Moses command you?” he replied.

⁴ They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”^(E)

⁵ “It was because your hearts were hard^(F) that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. ⁶ “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’^{[a](G) 7} ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,^{[b] 8} and the two will become one flesh.’^[c](H) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

¹⁰ When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. ¹¹ He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.^{(I) 12} And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”^(J)

The Little Children and Jesus^(K)

¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.^{(L) 15} Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”^{(M) 16} And he took the children in his arms,^(N) placed his hands on them and blessed them.

The Rich and the Kingdom of God^(O)

¹⁷ As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees^(P) before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^(Q)

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’^[d]”^(R)

²⁰ “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,^(S) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(T) Then come, follow me.”^(U)

²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich^(V) to enter the kingdom of God!”

²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is^[e] to enter the kingdom of God!^{(W) 25} It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”^(X)

²⁶ The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”^(Y)

²⁸ Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”^(Z)

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much^(AA) in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come^(AB) eternal life.^{(AC) 31} But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”^(AD)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time^(AE)

³² They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve^(AF) aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “We are going up to Jerusalem,”^(AG) he said, “and the Son of Man^(AH) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.^(AI) They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, ³⁴ who will mock him and spit on him, flog him^(AJ) and kill him.^(AK) Three days later^(AL) he will rise.”^(AM)

The Request of James and John^(AN)

³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”^(AO)

³⁸ “You don’t know what you are asking,”^(AP) Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup^(AQ) I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”^(AR)

³⁹ “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,^{(AS) 40} but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

⁴¹ When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{(AT) 44} and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,^(AU) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”^(AV)

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight^(AW)

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,^(AX) he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David,^(AY) have mercy on me!”

⁴⁸ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” ⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi,^(AZ) I want to see.”

⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.”^(BA) Immediately he received his sight and followed^(BB) Jesus along the road.

The Parable of the Tenants^(A)

12 Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard.^(B) He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. ² At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. ³ But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. ⁵ He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

⁶ “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all,^(C) saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

⁷ “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

⁹ “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

¹² Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd;^(F) so they left him and went away.^(G)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar^(H)

¹³ Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians^(I) to Jesus to catch him^(J) in his words. ¹⁴ They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax^[b] to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” ¹⁶ They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”^(K)

And they were amazed at him.

Marriage at the Resurrection^(L)

¹⁸ Then the Sadducees,^(M) who say there is no resurrection,^(N) came to him with a question. ¹⁹ “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.^{(O) 20} Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. ²¹ The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. ²² In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. ²³ At the resurrection^[c] whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

²⁴ Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures^(P) or the power of God? ²⁵ When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.^{(Q) 26} Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’^[d]?^{(R) 27} He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

The Greatest Commandment^(S)

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law^(T) came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[e] 30} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{[f](U) 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[g](V) There is no commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.^{(W) 33} To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”^(X)

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”^(Y) And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.^(Z)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?^(AA)(AB)

³⁵ While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts,^(AC) he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?^{(AD) 36} David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit,^(AE) declared:

³⁷ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

The large crowd^(AG) listened to him with delight.

Warning Against the Teachers of the Law

³⁸ As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹ and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.^{(AH) 40} They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Widow’s Offering^(AI)

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put^(AJ) and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”^(AK)