Matthew 27:1 - Mark 5:15

New International Version

Judas Hangs Himself

27 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed.^{(A) 2} So they bound him, led him away and handed him over^(B) to Pilate the governor.^(C)

³ When Judas, who had betrayed him,^(D) saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver^(E) to the chief priests and the elders. ⁴ “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”^(F)

⁵ So Judas threw the money into the temple^(G) and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.^(H)

⁶ The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” ⁷ So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. ⁸ That is why it has been called the Field of Blood^(I) to this day. ⁹ Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:^(J) “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, ¹⁰ and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”^[a](K)

Jesus Before Pilate^(L)

¹¹ Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”^(M)

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

¹² When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.^{(N) 13} Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”^{(O) 14} But Jesus made no reply,^(P) not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

¹⁵ Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner^(Q) chosen by the crowd. ¹⁶ At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus^[b] Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^{(R) 18} For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,^(S) his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent^(T) man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream^(U) because of him.”

²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.^(V)

²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

²² “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^(W) Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

²³ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar^(X) was starting, he took water and washed his hands^(Y) in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”^(Z) he said. “It is your responsibility!”^(AA)

²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”^(AB)

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged,^(AC) and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(AD)

²⁷ Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium^(AE) and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. ²⁸ They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,^{(AF) 29} and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.^{(AG) 30} They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.^{(AH) 31} After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.^(AI)

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(AJ)

³² As they were going out,^(AK) they met a man from Cyrene,^(AL) named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.^{(AM) 33} They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).^{(AN) 34} There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall;^(AO) but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵ When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.^{(AP) 36} And sitting down, they kept watch^(AQ) over him there. ³⁷ Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

³⁸ Two rebels were crucified with him,^(AR) one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹ Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads^{(AS) 40} and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,^(AT) save yourself!^(AU) Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”^{(AV) 41} In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴² “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel!^(AW) Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe^(AX) in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him^(AY) now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus^(AZ)

⁴⁵ From noon until three in the afternoon darkness^(BA) came over all the land. ⁴⁶ About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,^[c] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).^[d](BB)

⁴⁷ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar,^(BC) put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ⁴⁹ The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰ And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.^(BD)

⁵¹ At that moment the curtain of the temple^(BE) was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split^{(BF) 52} and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³ They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and^[e] went into the holy city^(BG) and appeared to many people.

⁵⁴ When the centurion and those with him who were guarding^(BH) Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”^(BI)

⁵⁵ Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.^{(BJ) 56} Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph,^[f] and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.^(BK)

The Burial of Jesus^(BL)

⁵⁷ As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸ Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. ⁵⁹ Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and placed it in his own new tomb^(BM) that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. ⁶¹ Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

⁶² The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ⁶³ “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’^{(BN) 64} So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body^(BO) and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵ “Take a guard,”^(BP) Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal^(BQ) on the stone^(BR) and posting the guard.^(BS)

Jesus Has Risen^(BT)

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene^(BU) and the other Mary^(BV) went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake,^(BW) for an angel^(BX) of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone^(BY) and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.^{(BZ) 4} The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid,^(CA) for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.^(CB) Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.^(CC) There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them.^(CD) “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers^(CE) to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Guards’ Report

¹¹ While the women were on their way, some of the guards^(CF) went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away^(CG) while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor,^(CH) we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.^{(CI) 17} When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.^{(CJ) 19} Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,^(CK) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,^{(CL) 20} and teaching^(CM) them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you^(CN) always, to the very end of the age.”^(CO)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(CP)

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,^[g] the Son of God,^{[h](CQ) 2} as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

⁴ And so John the Baptist^(CT) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance^(CU) for the forgiveness of sins.^{(CV) 5} The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,^(CW) and he ate locusts^(CX) and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.^{(CY) 8} I baptize you with^[k] water, but he will baptize you with^[l] the Holy Spirit.”^(CZ)

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus^(DA)(DB)

⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth^(DC) in Galilee and was baptized by John^(DD) in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.^{(DE) 11} And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,^(DF) whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”^(DG)

¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days,^(DH) being tempted^[m] by Satan.^(DI) He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Jesus Announces the Good News^(DJ)

¹⁴ After John^(DK) was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee,^(DL) proclaiming the good news of God.^{(DM) 15} “The time has come,”^(DN) he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe^(DO) the good news!”^(DP)

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.^(DQ)

¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit^(DR)

²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.^{(DS) 22} The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.^{(DT) 23} Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴ “What do you want with us,^(DU) Jesus of Nazareth?^(DV) Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”^(DW)

²⁵ “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”^{(DX) 26} The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.^(DY)

²⁷ The people were all so amazed^(DZ) that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸ News about him spread quickly over the whole region^(EA) of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many^(EB)(EC)

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue,^(ED) they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up.^(EE) The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

³² That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.^{(EF) 33} The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases.^(EG) He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.^(EH)

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place^(EI)

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.^{(EJ) 36} Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”^{(EK) 39} So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues^(EL) and driving out demons.^(EM)

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy^(EN)

⁴⁰ A man with leprosy^[n] came to him and begged him on his knees,^(EO) “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

⁴¹ Jesus was indignant.^[o] He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ “See that you don’t tell this to anyone.^(EP) But go, show yourself to the priest^(EQ) and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing,^(ER) as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places.^(ES) Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.^(ET)

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man^(EU)

2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers^(EV) that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man,^(EW) carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”^(EX)

⁶ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷ “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”^(EY)

⁸ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹ Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰ But I want you to know that the Son of Man^(EZ) has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, ¹¹ “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹² He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God,^(FA) saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”^(FB)

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners^(FC)

¹³ Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him,^(FD) and he began to teach them. ¹⁴ As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,”^(FE) Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

¹⁵ While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees^(FF) saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”^(FG)

¹⁷ On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”^(FH)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting^(FI)

¹⁸ Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting.^(FJ) Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

¹⁹ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. ²⁰ But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them,^(FK) and on that day they will fast.

²¹ “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. ²² And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath^(FL)(FM)

²³ One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.^{(FN) 24} The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”^(FO)

²⁵ He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? ²⁶ In the days of Abiathar the high priest,^(FP) he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat.^(FQ) And he also gave some to his companions.”^(FR)

²⁷ Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man,^(FS) not man for the Sabbath.^{(FT) 28} So the Son of Man^(FU) is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue,^(FV) 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^(FW) to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.^{(FX) 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^(FY) how they might kill Jesus.^(FZ)

Crowds Follow Jesus^(GA)

⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.^{(GB) 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.^{(GC) 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,^(GD) so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.^{(GE) 11} Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”^{(GF) 12} But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.^(GG)

Jesus Appoints the Twelve^(GH)

¹³ Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.^{(GI) 14} He appointed twelve^[p](GJ) that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach ¹⁵ and to have authority to drive out demons.^{(GK) 16} These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter),^{(GL) 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^(GM)(GN)

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

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

²³ So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables:^(GU) “How can Satan^(GV) 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.^{(GW) 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.”^(GX)

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

³¹ Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived.^(GY) 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.”

The Parable of the Sower^(GZ)(HA)

4 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake.^(HB) The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. ² He taught them many things by parables,^(HC) and in his teaching said: ³ “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.^{(HD) 4} As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”^(HE)

⁹ Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”^(HF)

¹⁰ When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. ¹¹ He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God^(HG) has been given to you. But to those on the outside^(HH) everything is said in parables ¹² so that,

¹³ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? ¹⁴ The farmer sows the word.^{(HJ) 15} Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan^(HK) comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. ¹⁶ Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ¹⁸ Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; ¹⁹ but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth^(HL) and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²⁰ Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

A Lamp on a Stand

²¹ He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?^{(HM) 22} For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.^{(HN) 23} If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”^(HO)

²⁴ “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.^{(HP) 25} Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”^(HQ)

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like.^(HR) A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”^(HS)

The Parable of the Mustard Seed^(HT)

³⁰ Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like,^(HU) or what parable shall we use to describe it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. ³² Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

³³ With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.^{(HV) 34} He did not say anything to them without using a parable.^(HW) But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Jesus Calms the Storm^(HX)

³⁵ That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.^(HY) There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”^(HZ)

⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man^(IA)(IB)

5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.^{[s] 2} When Jesus got out of the boat,^(IC) a man with an impure spirit^(ID) came from the tombs to meet him. ³ This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. ⁴ For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵ Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

⁶ When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. ⁷ He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me,^(IE) Jesus, Son of the Most High God?^(IF) In God’s name don’t torture me!” ⁸ For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

⁹ Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,”^(IG) he replied, “for we are many.” ¹⁰ And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

¹¹ A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. ¹² The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” ¹³ He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

¹⁴ Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. ¹⁵ When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion^(IH) of demons,^(II) sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.