Acknowledging Christ

³² “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.^{(A) 33} But whoever denies me before others,^(B) I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. ³⁴ Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.^{(C) 35} For I came to turn

³⁷ The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; ^(E) the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Anyone who finds his life will lose it,^(F) and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.^(G)

A Cup of Cold Water

⁴⁰ “The one who welcomes you welcomes me,^(H) and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me.^{(I) 41} Anyone who welcomes a prophet^(J) because he is a prophet^[b] will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous^[c] will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And whoever gives^(K) even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple,^[d](L) truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

The Widow’s Gift

⁴¹ Sitting^(A) across from the temple treasury,^(B) he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich^(C) people were putting in large sums. ⁴² Then a poor^(D) widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. ⁴³ Summoning his disciples,^(E) he said to them, “Truly I tell you,^(F) this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.^{(G) 44} For they all gave out of their surplus,^(H) but she out of her poverty^(I) has put in everything she had^(J) —all she had to live on.”^(K)