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The Family Line of Jesus the Messiah

This is the written story of the family line of Jesus the Messiah. He is the son of David. He is also the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac.

Isaac was the father of Jacob.

Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah. Tamar was their mother.

Perez was the father of Hezron.

Hezron was the father of Ram.

Ram was the father of Amminadab.

Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.

Nahshon was the father of Salmon.

Salmon was the father of Boaz. Rahab was Boaz’s mother.

Boaz was the father of Obed. Ruth was Obed’s mother.

Obed was the father of Jesse.

And Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon. Solomon’s mother had been Uriah’s wife.

Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.

Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.

Abijah was the father of Asa.

Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.

Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.

Jehoram was the father of Uzziah.

Uzziah was the father of Jotham.

Jotham was the father of Ahaz.

Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.

10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.

Manasseh was the father of Amon.

Amon was the father of Josiah.

11 And Josiah was the father of Jeconiah and his brothers. At that time, the Jewish people were forced to go away to Babylon.

12 After this, the family line continued.

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel.

Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.

13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud.

Abihud was the father of Eliakim.

Eliakim was the father of Azor.

14 Azor was the father of Zadok.

Zadok was the father of Akim.

Akim was the father of Elihud.

15 Elihud was the father of Eleazar.

Eleazar was the father of Matthan.

Matthan was the father of Jacob.

16 Jacob was the father of Joseph. Joseph was the husband of Mary. And Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

17 So there were 14 generations from Abraham to David. There were 14 from David until the Jewish people were forced to go away to Babylon. And there were 14 from that time to the Messiah.

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary and Joseph had promised to get married. But before they started to live together, it became clear that she was going to have a baby. She became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph was faithful to the law. But he did not want to put her to shame in public. So he planned to divorce her quietly.

20 But as Joseph was thinking about this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. The baby inside her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She is going to have a son. You must give him the name Jesus. That’s because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to bring about what the Lord had said would happen. He had said through the prophet, 23 “The virgin is going to have a baby. She will give birth to a son. And he will be called Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) The name Immanuel means “God with us.”

24 Joseph woke up. He did what the angel of the Lord commanded him to do. He took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not sleep with her until she gave birth to a son. And Joseph gave him the name Jesus.

The Wise Men Visit Jesus

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea. This happened while Herod was king of Judea. After Jesus’ birth, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the child who has been born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose. Now we have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard about it, he was very upset. Everyone in Jerusalem was troubled too. So Herod called together all the chief priests of the people. He also called the teachers of the law. He asked them where the Messiah was going to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied. “This is what the prophet has written. He said,

“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are certainly not the least important among the towns of Judah.
A ruler will come out of you.
    He will rule my people Israel like a shepherd.’ ” (Micah 5:2)

Then Herod secretly called for the Wise Men. He found out from them exactly when the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem. He said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report it to me. Then I can go and worship him too.”

After the Wise Men had listened to the king, they went on their way. The star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them. It finally stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. 11 The Wise Men went to the house. There they saw the child with his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures. They gave him gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 But God warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they returned to their country on a different road.

Jesus’ Family Escapes to Egypt

13 When the Wise Men had left, Joseph had a dream. In the dream an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you to come back. Herod is going to search for the child. He wants to kill him.”

14 So Joseph got up. During the night, he left for Egypt with the child and his mother Mary. 15 They stayed there until King Herod died. So the words the Lord had spoken through the prophet came true. He had said, “I brought my son out of Egypt.” (Hosea 11:1)

16 Herod realized that the Wise Men had tricked him. So he became very angry. He gave orders about Bethlehem and the area around it. He ordered all the boys two years old and under to be killed. This agreed with the time when the Wise Men had seen the star. 17 In this way, the words Jeremiah the prophet spoke came true. He had said,

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah.
    It’s the sound of crying and deep sadness.
Rachel is crying over her children.
    She refuses to be comforted,
    because they are gone.” (Jeremiah 31:15)

Jesus’ Family Returns to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, Joseph had a dream while he was still in Egypt. In the dream an angel of the Lord appeared to him. 20 The angel said, “Get up! Take the child and his mother. Go to the land of Israel. The people who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

21 So Joseph got up. He took the child and his mother Mary back to the land of Israel. 22 But then he heard that Archelaus was king of Judea. Archelaus was ruling in place of his father Herod. This made Joseph afraid to go there. Joseph had been warned in a dream. So he went back to the land of Galilee instead. 23 There he lived in a town called Nazareth. So what the prophets had said about Jesus came true. They had said that he would be called a Nazarene.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the Desert of Judea. He said, “Turn away from your sins! The kingdom of heaven has come near.” John is the one Isaiah the prophet had spoken about. He had said,

“A messenger is calling out in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
    Make straight paths for him.’ ” (Isaiah 40:3)

John’s clothes were made out of camel’s hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea. They also came from the whole area around the Jordan River. When they confessed their sins, John baptized them in the Jordan.

John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing. He said to them, “You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger? Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins. Don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones. 10 The ax is ready to cut the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water, calling you to turn away from your sins. But after me, someone is coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His pitchfork is in his hand to clear the straw from his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the storeroom. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”

Jesus Is Baptized

13 Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He wanted to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to stop him. So he told Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you. So why do you come to me?”

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be this way for now. It is right for us to do this. It carries out God’s holy plan.” Then John agreed.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened. Jesus saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. 17 A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him.”

Jesus Is Tempted in the Desert

The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert. There the devil tempted him. After 40 days and 40 nights of going without eating, Jesus was hungry. The tempter came to him. He said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Man must not live only on bread. He must also live on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

Then the devil took Jesus to the holy city. He had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. It is written,

“ ‘The Lord will command his angels to take good care of you.
    They will lift you up in their hands.
    Then you won’t trip over a stone.’ ” (Psalm 91:11,12)

Jesus answered him, “It is also written, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

Finally, the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain. He showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “If you bow down and worship me,” he said, “I will give you all this.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Get away from me, Satan! It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:13)

11 Then the devil left Jesus. Angels came and took care of him.

Jesus Begins to Preach

12 John had been put in prison. When Jesus heard about this, he returned to Galilee. 13 Jesus left Nazareth and went to live in the city of Capernaum. It was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 In that way, what the prophet Isaiah had said came true. He had said,

15 “Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!
    Galilee, where Gentiles live!
    Land along the Mediterranean Sea! Territory east of the Jordan River!
16 The people who are now living in darkness
    have seen a great light.
They are now living in a very dark land.
    But a light has shined on them.” (Isaiah 9:1,2)

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach. “Turn away from your sins!” he said. “The kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Jesus Chooses His First Disciples

18 One day Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. There he saw two brothers, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake, because they were fishermen. 19 “Come and follow me,” Jesus said. “I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers. They were James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee. As they were preparing their nets, Jesus called out to them. 22 Right away they left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.

Jesus Heals Sick People

23 Jesus went all over Galilee. There he taught in the synagogues. He preached the good news of God’s kingdom. He healed every illness and sickness the people had. 24 News about him spread all over Syria. People brought to him all who were ill with different kinds of sicknesses. Some were suffering great pain. Others were controlled by demons. Some were shaking wildly. Others couldn’t move at all. And Jesus healed all of them. 25 Large crowds followed him. People came from Galilee, from the area known as the Ten Cities, and from Jerusalem and Judea. Others came from the area across the Jordan River.

Jesus Teaches the Disciples and Crowds

Jesus saw the crowds. So he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him. Then he began to teach them.

Jesus Gives Blessings

He said,

“Blessed are those who are spiritually needy.
    The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Blessed are those who are sad.
    They will be comforted.
Blessed are those who are humble.
    They will be given the earth.
Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for what is right.
    They will be filled.
Blessed are those who show mercy.
    They will be shown mercy.
Blessed are those whose hearts are pure.
    They will see God.
Blessed are those who make peace.
    They will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who suffer for doing what is right.
    The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

11 “Blessed are you when people make fun of you and hurt you because of me. You are also blessed when they tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12 Be joyful and glad. Your reward in heaven is great. In the same way, people hurt the prophets who lived long ago.

Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But suppose the salt loses its saltiness. How can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything. It will be thrown out. People will walk all over it.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill can’t be hidden. 15 Also, people do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand. Then it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine so others can see it. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will bring glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Jesus Fulfills the Law

17 “Do not think I have come to get rid of what is written in the Law or in the Prophets. I have not come to do this. Instead, I have come to fulfill what is written. 18 What I’m about to tell you is true. Heaven and earth will disappear before the smallest letter disappears from the Law. Not even the smallest mark of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything is completed. 19 Do not ignore even one of the least important commands. And do not teach others to ignore them. If you do, you will be called the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. Instead, practice and teach these commands. Then you will be called important in the kingdom of heaven. 20 Here is what I tell you. You must be more godly than the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. If you are not, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder

21 “You have heard what was said to people who lived long ago. They were told, ‘Do not commit murder. (Exodus 20:13) Anyone who murders will be judged for it.’ 22 But here is what I tell you. Do not be angry with a brother or sister. Anyone who is angry with them will be judged. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ must stand trial in court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire in hell.

23 “Suppose you are offering your gift at the altar. And you remember that your brother or sister has something against you. 24 Leave your gift in front of the altar. First go and make peace with them. Then come back and offer your gift.

25 “Suppose someone has a claim against you and is taking you to court. Settle the matter quickly. Do this while you are still together on the way. If you don’t, you may be handed over to the judge. The judge may hand you over to the officer to be thrown into prison. 26 What I’m about to tell you is true. You will not get out until you have paid the very last penny!

Adultery

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ (Exodus 20:14) 28 But here is what I tell you. Do not even look at a woman in the wrong way. Anyone who does has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. Your eye is only one part of your body. It is better to lose an eye than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. Your hand is only one part of your body. It is better to lose a hand than for your whole body to go into hell.

Divorce

31 “It has been said, ‘Suppose a man divorces his wife. If he does, he must give her a letter of divorce.’ (Deuteronomy 24:1) 32 But here is what I tell you. Anyone who divorces his wife makes her a victim of adultery. And anyone who gets married to the divorced woman commits adultery. A man may divorce his wife only if she has not been faithful to him.

Promises

33 “Again, you have heard what was said to your people long ago. They were told, ‘Do not break the promises you make to the Lord. Keep your promises to the Lord that you have made.’ 34 But here is what I tell you. Do not make any promises like that at all. Do not make them in the name of heaven. That is God’s throne. 35 Do not make them in the name of the earth. That is the stool for God’s feet. Do not make them in the name of Jerusalem. That is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not make a promise in your own name. You can’t make even one hair of your head white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Anything more than this comes from the evil one.

Be Kind to Others

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye must be put out for an eye. A tooth must be knocked out for a tooth.’ (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21) 39 But here is what I tell you. Do not fight against an evil person. Suppose someone slaps you on your right cheek. Turn your other cheek to them also. 40 Suppose someone takes you to court to get your shirt. Let them have your coat also. 41 Suppose someone forces you to go one mile. Go two miles with them. 42 Give to the one who asks you for something. Don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow something from you.

Love Your Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor. (Leviticus 19:18) Hate your enemy.’ 44 But here is what I tell you. Love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. 45 Then you will be children of your Father who is in heaven. He causes his sun to shine on evil people and good people. He sends rain on those who do right and those who don’t. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Even the tax collectors do that. 47 If you greet only your own people, what more are you doing than others? Even people who are ungodly do that. 48 So be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Giving to Needy People

“Be careful not to do good deeds in front of other people. Don’t do those deeds to be seen by others. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you.

“When you give to needy people, do not announce it by having trumpets blown. Do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They announce what they do in the synagogues and on the streets. They want to be honored by other people. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. When you give to needy people, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Then your giving will be done secretly. Your Father will reward you, because he sees what you do secretly.

Prayer

“When you pray, do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They want to be seen by other people. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. When you pray, go into your room. Close the door and pray to your Father, who can’t be seen. Your Father will reward you, because he sees what you do secretly. When you pray, do not keep talking on and on. That is what ungodly people do. They think they will be heard because they talk a lot. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask him.

“This is how you should pray.

“ ‘Our Father in heaven,
may your name be honored.
10 May your kingdom come.
May what you want to happen be done
    on earth as it is done in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our sins,
    just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 Keep us from sinning when we are tempted.
    Save us from the evil one.’

14 Forgive other people when they sin against you. If you do, your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive the sins of other people, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Fasting

16 “When you go without eating, do not look gloomy like those who only pretend to be holy. They make their faces look very sad. They want to show people they are fasting. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. 17 But when you go without eating, put olive oil on your head. Wash your face. 18 Then others will not know that you are fasting. Only your Father, who can’t be seen, will know it. Your Father will reward you, because he sees what you do secretly.

Gather Riches in Heaven

19 “Do not gather for yourselves riches on earth. Moths and rats can destroy them. Thieves can break in and steal them. 20 Instead, gather for yourselves riches in heaven. There, moths and rats do not destroy them. There, thieves do not break in and steal them. 21 Your heart will be where your riches are.

22 “The eye is like a lamp for the body. Suppose your eyes are healthy. Then your whole body will be full of light. 23 But suppose your eyes can’t see well. Then your whole body will be full of darkness. If the light inside you is darkness, then it is very dark!

24 “No one can serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one of them and love the other. Or you will be faithful to one and dislike the other. You can’t serve God and money at the same time.

Do Not Worry

25 “I tell you, do not worry. Don’t worry about your life and what you will eat or drink. And don’t worry about your body and what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than eating? Aren’t there more important things for the body than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air. They don’t plant or gather crops. They don’t put away crops in storerooms. But your Father who is in heaven feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than they are? 27 Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work or make clothing. 29 But here is what I tell you. Not even Solomon in all his royal robes was dressed like one of these flowers. 30 If that is how God dresses the wild grass, won’t he dress you even better? Your faith is so small! After all, the grass is here only today. Tomorrow it is thrown into the fire. 31 So don’t worry. Don’t say, ‘What will we eat?’ Or, ‘What will we drink?’ Or, ‘What will we wear?’ 32 People who are ungodly run after all those things. Your Father who is in heaven knows that you need them. 33 But put God’s kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all those things will also be given to you. 34 So don’t worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Be Fair When You Judge Other People

“Do not judge other people. Then you will not be judged. You will be judged in the same way you judge others. You will be measured in the same way you measure others.

“You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye. How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye’? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye? You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye.

“Do not give holy things to dogs. Do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they might walk all over them. They might turn around and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Search, Knock

“Ask, and it will be given to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find. The door will be opened to the one who knocks.

“Suppose your son asks for bread. Which of you will give him a stone? 10 Or suppose he asks for a fish. Which of you will give him a snake? 11 Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 In everything, do to others what you would want them to do to you. This is what is written in the Law and in the Prophets.

The Large and Small Gates

13 “Enter God’s kingdom through the narrow gate. The gate is large and the road is wide that leads to ruin. Many people go that way. 14 But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to life. Only a few people find it.

True and False Prophets

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you pretending to be sheep. But on the inside they are hungry wolves. 16 You can tell each tree by its fruit. Do people pick grapes from bushes? Do they pick figs from thorns? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit. But a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t bear bad fruit. And a bad tree can’t bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down. It is thrown into the fire. 20 You can tell each tree by its fruit.

True and False Disciples

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord! Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we drive out demons in your name? Didn’t we do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them clearly, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who do evil!’

The Wise and Foolish Builders

24 “So then, everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man. He builds his house on the rock. 25 The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. But it does not fall. It is built on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man. He builds his house on sand. 27 The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. And it falls with a loud crash.”

28 Jesus finished saying all these things. The crowds were amazed at his teaching. 29 That’s because he taught like one who had authority. He did not speak like their teachers of the law.

Jesus Heals a Man Who Had a Skin Disease

Jesus came down from the mountainside. Large crowds followed him. A man who had a skin disease came and got down on his knees in front of Jesus. He said, “Lord, if you are willing to make me ‘clean,’ you can do it.”

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing to do it,” he said. “Be ‘clean’!” Right away the man was healed of his skin disease. Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone. Go and show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift Moses commanded. It will be a witness to everyone.”

A Roman Commander Has Faith

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman commander came to him. He asked Jesus for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home and can’t move. He is suffering terribly.”

Jesus said, “Shall I come and heal him?”

The commander replied, “Lord, I am not good enough to have you come into my house. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. I myself am a man under authority. And I have soldiers who obey my orders. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those following him, “What I’m about to tell you is true. In Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west. They will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of heaven. They will sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 12 But those who think they belong in the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness. There they will weep and grind their teeth.”

13 Then Jesus said to the Roman commander, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.

Jesus Heals Many People

14 When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law. She was lying in bed. She had a fever. 15 Jesus touched her hand, and the fever left her. She got up and began to serve him.

16 When evening came, many people controlled by demons were brought to Jesus. He drove out the spirits with a word. He healed all who were sick. 17 This happened so that what Isaiah the prophet had said would come true. He had said,

“He suffered the things we should have suffered.
    He took on himself the sicknesses that should have been ours.” (Isaiah 53:4)

The Cost of Following Jesus

18 Jesus saw the crowd around him. So he gave his disciples orders to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him. He said, “Teacher, I will follow you no matter where you go.”

20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens. Birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

21 Another follower said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me. Let the dead bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms the Storm

23 Jesus got into a boat. His disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a terrible storm came up on the lake. The waves crashed over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up. They said, “Lord! Save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 He replied, “Your faith is so small! Why are you so afraid?” Then Jesus got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop. It became completely calm.

27 The disciples were amazed. They asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Jesus Heals Two Men Controlled by Demons

28 Jesus arrived at the other side of the lake in the area of the Gadarenes. Two men controlled by demons met him. They came from the tombs. The men were so wild that no one could pass that way. 29 “Son of God, what do you want with us?” they shouted. “Have you come here to punish us before the time for us to be judged?”

30 Not very far away, a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

32 Jesus said to them, “Go!” So the demons came out of the men and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the steep bank. They ran into the lake and drowned in the water. 33 Those who were tending the pigs ran off. They went into the town and reported all this. They told the people what had happened to the men who had been controlled by demons. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged him to leave their area.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Man Who Could Not Walk

Jesus stepped into a boat. He went over to the other side of the lake and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a man who could not walk. He was lying on a mat. Jesus saw that they had faith. So he said to the man, “Don’t lose hope, son. Your sins are forgiven.”

Then some teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is saying a very evil thing!”

Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said, “Why do you have evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’? Or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he spoke to the man who could not walk. “Get up,” he said. “Take your mat and go home.” The man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with wonder. They praised God for giving that kind of authority to a human being.

Jesus Chooses Matthew and Eats With Sinners

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew. He was sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him. Matthew got up and followed him.

10 Later Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners came. They ate with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this. So they asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 Jesus heard this. So he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a doctor. Sick people do. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ (Hosea 6:6) I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to follow me.”

Jesus Is Asked About Fasting

14 One day John’s disciples came. They said to Jesus, “We and the Pharisees often go without eating. Why don’t your disciples go without eating?”

15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the groom be sad while he is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah(A)(B)(C)

This is the genealogy[a] of Jesus the Messiah[b] the son of David,(D) the son of Abraham:(E)

Abraham was the father of Isaac,(F)

Isaac the father of Jacob,(G)

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,(H)

Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,(I)

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,(J)

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of King David.(K)

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,(L)

Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,

Jehoram the father of Uzziah,

Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,(M)

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah[c] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.(N)

12 After the exile to Babylon:

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,(O)

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,(P)

13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud,

Abihud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

14 Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

Akim the father of Elihud,

15 Elihud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,(Q) and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.(R)

17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[d]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.(S) 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce(T) her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel(U) of the Lord appeared to him in a dream(V) and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[f](W) because he will save his people from their sins.”(X)

22 All this took place to fulfill(Y) what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[g](Z) (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel(AA) of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.(AB)

The Magi Visit the Messiah

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,(AC) during the time of King Herod,(AD) Magi[h] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?(AE) We saw his star(AF) when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem(AG) in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’[i](AH)

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.(AI) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts(AJ) of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned(AK) in a dream(AL) not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The Escape to Egypt

13 When they had gone, an angel(AM) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.(AN) “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”(AO)

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled(AP) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[j](AQ)

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:(AR)

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel(AS) weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”[k](AT)

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel(AU) of the Lord appeared in a dream(AV) to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”(AW)

21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream,(AX) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,(AY) 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.(AZ) So was fulfilled(BA) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.(BB)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way(BC)

In those days John the Baptist(BD) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(BE) has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[l](BF)

John’s(BG) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.(BH) His food was locusts(BI) and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized(BJ) by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!(BK) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(BL) Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.(BM) And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(BN) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(BO)

11 “I baptize you with[m] water for repentance.(BP) But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[n] the Holy Spirit(BQ) and fire.(BR) 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”(BS)

The Baptism of Jesus(BT)

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.(BU) 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened,(BV) and he saw the Spirit of God(BW) descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven(BX) said, “This is my Son,(BY) whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”(BZ)

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness(CA)

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[o](CB) by the devil.(CC) After fasting forty days and forty nights,(CD) he was hungry. The tempter(CE) came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God,(CF) tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[p](CG)

Then the devil took him to the holy city(CH) and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,”(CI) he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[q](CJ)

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[r](CK)

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!(CL) For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[s](CM)

11 Then the devil left him,(CN) and angels came and attended him.(CO)

Jesus Begins to Preach

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,(CP) he withdrew to Galilee.(CQ) 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum,(CR) which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill(CS) what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
    the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
    Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
    a light has dawned.”[t](CT)

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(CU) has come near.”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples(CV)

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee,(CW) he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter(CX) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,”(CY) Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.(CZ)

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.(DA) They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.(DB)

Jesus Heals the Sick

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee,(DC) teaching in their synagogues,(DD) proclaiming the good news(DE) of the kingdom,(DF) and healing every disease and sickness among the people.(DG) 24 News about him spread all over Syria,(DH) and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed,(DI) those having seizures,(DJ) and the paralyzed;(DK) and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[u] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.(DL)

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes(DM)

He said:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(DN)
Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.(DO)
Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.(DP)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.(DQ)
Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.(DR)
Blessed are the pure in heart,(DS)
    for they will see God.(DT)
Blessed are the peacemakers,(DU)
    for they will be called children of God.(DV)
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,(DW)
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(DX)

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you,(DY) persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.(DZ) 12 Rejoice and be glad,(EA) because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.(EB)

Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.(EC)

14 “You are the light of the world.(ED) A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.(EE) 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others,(EF) that they may see your good deeds(EG) and glorify(EH) your Father in heaven.

The Fulfillment of the Law

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.(EI) 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.(EJ) 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands(EK) and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.(EL)

Murder(EM)

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,[v](EN) and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry(EO) with a brother or sister[w][x] will be subject to judgment.(EP) Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’[y] is answerable to the court.(EQ) And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.(ER)

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Adultery

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[z](ES) 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.(ET) 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble,(EU) gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble,(EV) cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Divorce

31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’[aa](EW) 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.(EX)

Oaths

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath,(EY) but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’(EZ) 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all:(FA) either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;(FB) 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.(FC) 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’;(FD) anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[ab](FE)

Eye for Eye

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[ac](FF) 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.(FG) 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.(FH)

Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[ad](FI) and hate your enemy.’(FJ) 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,(FK) 45 that you may be children(FL) of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.(FM) 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?(FN) Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.(FO)

Giving to the Needy

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.(FP) If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.(FQ)

Prayer(FR)

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing(FS) in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,(FT) who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling(FU) like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.(FV) Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need(FW) before you ask him.

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father(FX) in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom(FY) come,
your will be done,(FZ)
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.(GA)
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.(GB)
13 And lead us not into temptation,[ae](GC)
    but deliver us from the evil one.[af](GD)

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.(GE) 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.(GF)

Fasting

16 “When you fast,(GG) do not look somber(GH) as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.(GI)

Treasures in Heaven(GJ)

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,(GK) where moths and vermin destroy,(GL) and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,(GM) where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.(GN) 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.(GO)

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[ag] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[ah] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.(GP)

Do Not Worry(GQ)

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry(GR) about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.(GS) Are you not much more valuable than they?(GT) 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[ai]?(GU)

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor(GV) was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?(GW) 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.(GX) 33 But seek first his kingdom(GY) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.(GZ) 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Judging Others(HA)

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.(HB) For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.(HC)

“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? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock(HD)

“Ask and it will be given to you;(HE) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;(HF) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts(HG) to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,(HH) for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.(HI)

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate.(HJ) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

True and False Prophets

15 “Watch out for false prophets.(HK) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.(HL) 16 By their fruit you will recognize them.(HM) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?(HN) 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.(HO) 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.(HP) 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’(HQ) will enter the kingdom of heaven,(HR) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.(HS) 22 Many will say to me on that day,(HT) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’(HU) 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’(HV)

The Wise and Foolish Builders(HW)

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice(HX) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things,(HY) the crowds were amazed at his teaching,(HZ) 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy(IA)

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy[aj](IB) came and knelt before him(IC) and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone.(ID) But go, show yourself to the priest(IE) and offer the gift Moses commanded,(IF) as a testimony to them.”

The Faith of the Centurion(IG)

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed,(IH) suffering terribly.”

Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.(II) For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.(IJ) 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west,(IK) and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.(IL) 12 But the subjects of the kingdom(IM) will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”(IN)

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.”(IO) And his servant was healed at that moment.

Jesus Heals Many(IP)

14 When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.(IQ) 17 This was to fulfill(IR) what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our infirmities
    and bore our diseases.”[ak](IS)

The Cost of Following Jesus(IT)

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.(IU) 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man(IV) has no place to lay his head.”

21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me,(IW) and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms the Storm(IX)(IY)

23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 He replied, “You of little faith,(IZ) why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.(JA)

27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men(JB)

28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes,[al] two demon-possessed(JC) men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 “What do you want with us,(JD) Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”(JE)

30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.(JF)

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man(JG)

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.(JH) Some men brought to him a paralyzed man,(JI) lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith,(JJ) he said to the man, “Take heart,(JK) son; your sins are forgiven.”(JL)

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”(JM)

Knowing their thoughts,(JN) Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man(JO) has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God,(JP) who had given such authority to man.

The Calling of Matthew(JQ)

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,”(JR) he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”(JS)

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[am](JT) For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”(JU)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting(JV)

14 Then John’s(JW) disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often,(JX) but your disciples do not fast?”

15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?(JY) The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.(JZ)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 1:1 Or is an account of the origin
  2. Matthew 1:1 Or Jesus Christ. Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) both mean Anointed One; also in verse 18.
  3. Matthew 1:11 That is, Jehoiachin; also in verse 12
  4. Matthew 1:18 Or The origin of Jesus the Messiah was like this
  5. Matthew 1:19 Or was a righteous man and
  6. Matthew 1:21 Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the Lord saves.
  7. Matthew 1:23 Isaiah 7:14
  8. Matthew 2:1 Traditionally wise men
  9. Matthew 2:6 Micah 5:2,4
  10. Matthew 2:15 Hosea 11:1
  11. Matthew 2:18 Jer. 31:15
  12. Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3
  13. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  14. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  15. Matthew 4:1 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
  16. Matthew 4:4 Deut. 8:3
  17. Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11,12
  18. Matthew 4:7 Deut. 6:16
  19. Matthew 4:10 Deut. 6:13
  20. Matthew 4:16 Isaiah 9:1,2
  21. Matthew 4:25 That is, the Ten Cities
  22. Matthew 5:21 Exodus 20:13
  23. Matthew 5:22 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verse 23.
  24. Matthew 5:22 Some manuscripts brother or sister without cause
  25. Matthew 5:22 An Aramaic term of contempt
  26. Matthew 5:27 Exodus 20:14
  27. Matthew 5:31 Deut. 24:1
  28. Matthew 5:37 Or from evil
  29. Matthew 5:38 Exodus 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21
  30. Matthew 5:43 Lev. 19:18
  31. Matthew 6:13 The Greek for temptation can also mean testing.
  32. Matthew 6:13 Or from evil; some late manuscripts one, / for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
  33. Matthew 6:22 The Greek for healthy here implies generous.
  34. Matthew 6:23 The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy.
  35. Matthew 6:27 Or single cubit to your height
  36. Matthew 8:2 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  37. Matthew 8:17 Isaiah 53:4 (see Septuagint)
  38. Matthew 8:28 Some manuscripts Gergesenes; other manuscripts Gerasenes
  39. Matthew 9:13 Hosea 6:6