Salt and Light

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot.^(A)

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.^{(B) 15} People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.^{(C) 16} In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.^(D)

The Law and the Prophets

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.^{(E) 18} For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter,^[a] not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.^{(F) 19} Therefore, whoever breaks^[b] one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.^{(G) 20} For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus Ministers to Crowds of People

²³ Jesus^[a] went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news^[b] of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.^{(A) 24} So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, people possessed by demons or having epilepsy or afflicted with paralysis, and he cured them.^{(B) 25} And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.^(C)

The Harvest Is Great, the Laborers Few

³⁵ Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness.^{(A) 36} When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.^(B)

¹⁴ When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.^(A)

Feeding the Four Thousand

³² Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat, and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.”^(A)