¹⁵ Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(A)

¹⁶ “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

¹⁸ For John came neither eating^(B) nor drinking,^(C) and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’^(D) But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

²⁹ Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors^(A) and others were eating with them. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect^(B) complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”^(C)

³¹ Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”^(D)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting^(E)

³³ They said to him, “John’s disciples^(F) often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”

³⁴ Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom^(G) fast while he is with them? ³⁵ But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them;^(H) in those days they will fast.”

³¹ Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine,^(A) and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’^{(B) 35} But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine

2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.^(A) Jesus’ mother^(B) was there, ² and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

² Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,^(A) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint^[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;^(B) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.^(C) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,^(D) objected, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.^[b]” ⁶ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,^(E) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.^{(F) 8} You will always have the poor among you,^[c](G) but you will not always have me.”

In Iconium

14 At Iconium^(A) Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue.^(B) There they spoke so effectively that a great number^(C) of Jews and Greeks believed.

⁹ One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision:^(A) “Do not be afraid;^(B) keep on speaking, do not be silent. ¹⁰ For I am with you,^(C) and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

⁸ Paul entered the synagogue^(A) and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.^(B)

³⁰ For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. ³¹ He proclaimed the kingdom of God^(A) and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness^(B) and without hindrance!