Jesus Is Taken to Pilate

(Mark 15.1; Luke 23.1,2; John 18.28-32)

27 Early the next morning all the chief priests and the nation's leaders met and decided that Jesus should be put to death. ² They tied him up and led him away to Pilate the governor.

The Death of Judas

(Acts 1.18,19)

^3 (A) Judas had betrayed Jesus, but when he learned that Jesus had been sentenced to death, he was sorry for what he had done. He returned the 30 silver coins to the chief priests and leaders ⁴ and said, “I have sinned by betraying a man who has never done anything wrong.”

“So what? That's your problem,” they replied. ⁵ Judas threw the money into the temple and then went out and hanged himself.

⁶ The chief priests picked up the money and said, “This money was paid to have a man killed. We can't put it in the temple treasury.” ⁷ Then they had a meeting and decided to buy a field that belonged to someone who made clay pots. They wanted to use it as a graveyard for foreigners. ⁸ This is why people still call that place “Field of Blood.” ^9 (B) So the words of the prophet Jeremiah came true,

Pilate Questions Jesus

(Mark 15.2-5; Luke 23.3-5; John 18.33-38)

¹¹ Jesus was brought before Pilate the governor, who asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Those are your words!” Jesus answered. ¹² And when the chief priests and leaders brought their charges against him, he did not say a thing.

¹³ Pilate asked him, “Don't you hear what crimes they say you have done?” ¹⁴ But Jesus did not say anything, and the governor was greatly amazed.

The Death Sentence

(Mark 15.6-15; Luke 23.13-26; John 18.39—19.16)

¹⁵ During Passover the governor always freed a prisoner chosen by the people. ¹⁶ At that time a well-known terrorist named Jesus Barabbas^[b] was in jail. ¹⁷ So when the crowd came together, Pilate asked them, “Which prisoner do you want me to set free? Do you want Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” ¹⁸ Pilate knew the leaders had brought Jesus to him because they were jealous.

¹⁹ While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Don't have anything to do with that innocent man. I have had nightmares because of him.”

²⁰ But the chief priests and the leaders convinced the crowds to ask for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be killed. ²¹ Pilate asked the crowd again, “Which of these two men do you want me to set free?”

“Barabbas!” they shouted.

²² Pilate asked them, “What am I to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?”

They all yelled, “Nail him to a cross!”

²³ Pilate answered, “But what crime has he done?”

“Nail him to a cross!” they yelled even louder.

^24 (C) Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do and that the people were starting to riot. So he took some water and washed his hands^[c] in front of them and said, “I won't have anything to do with killing this man. You are the ones doing it!”

²⁵ Everyone answered, “We and our own families will take the blame for his death!”

²⁶ Pilate set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross.

Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus

(Mark 15.16-21; John 19.2,3)

²⁷ The governor's soldiers led Jesus into the fortress^[d] and brought together the rest of the troops. ²⁸ They stripped off Jesus' clothes and put a scarlet robe^[e] on him. ²⁹ They made a crown out of thorn branches and placed it on his head, and they put a stick in his right hand. The soldiers knelt down and pretended to worship him. They made fun of him and shouted, “Hey, you king of the Jews!” ³⁰ Then they spit on him. They took the stick from him and beat him on the head with it.

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross

(Mark 15.22-32; Luke 23.27-43; John 19.17-27)

³¹ When the soldiers had finished making fun of Jesus, they took off the robe. They put his own clothes back on him and led him off to be nailed to a cross. ³² On the way they met a man named Simon who was from Cyrene, and they forced him to carry Jesus' cross.

³³ They came to a place named Golgotha, which means “Place of a Skull.”^{[f] 34 (D)} There they gave Jesus some wine mixed with a drug to ease the pain. But when Jesus tasted what it was, he refused to drink it.

^35 (E) The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes. ³⁶ Then they sat down to guard him. ³⁷ Above his head they put a sign that told why he was nailed there. It read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” ³⁸ The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one to the right of Jesus and the other to his left.

^39 (F) People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and ^40 (G) shouted, “So you're the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days! If you are God's Son, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

⁴¹ The chief priests, the leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses also made fun of Jesus. They said, ⁴² “He saved others, but he can't save himself. If he is the king of Israel, he should come down from the cross! Then we will believe him. ^43 (H) He trusted God, so let God save him, if he wants to. He even said he was God's Son.” ⁴⁴ The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus.

The Death of Jesus

(Mark 15.33-41; Luke 23.44-49; John 19.28-30)

⁴⁵ At noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until three o'clock. ^46 (I) Then about that time Jesus shouted, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”^[g] which means, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?”

⁴⁷ Some of the people standing there heard Jesus and said, “He's calling for Elijah.”^{[h] 48 (J)} One of them at once ran and grabbed a sponge. He soaked it in wine, then put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus.

⁴⁹ Others said, “Wait! Let's see if Elijah will come^[i] and save him.” ⁵⁰ Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died.

^51 (K) At once the curtain in the temple^[j] was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and rocks split apart. ⁵² Graves opened, and many of God's people were raised to life. ⁵³ They left their graves, and after Jesus had risen to life, they went into the holy city, where they were seen by many people.

⁵⁴ The officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus felt the earthquake and saw everything else that happened. They were frightened and said, “This man really was God's Son!”

^55 (L) Many women had come with Jesus from Galilee to be of help to him, and they were there, looking on at a distance. ⁵⁶ Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John^[k] were some of these women.

Jesus Is Buried

(Mark 15.42-47; Luke 23.50-56; John 19.38-42)

⁵⁷ That evening a rich disciple named Joseph from the town of Arimathea ⁵⁸ went and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate gave orders for it to be given to Joseph, ⁵⁹ who took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. ⁶⁰ Then Joseph put the body in his own tomb that had been cut into solid rock^[l] and had never been used. He rolled a big stone against the entrance to the tomb and went away.

⁶¹ All this time Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb.

⁶² On the next day, which was a Sabbath, the chief priests and the Pharisees went together to Pilate. ^63 (M) They said, “Sir, we remember what this liar said while he was still alive. He claimed in three days he would come back from death. ⁶⁴ So please order the tomb to be carefully guarded for three days. If you don't, his disciples may come and steal his body. They will tell the people he has been raised to life, and this last lie will be worse than the first one.”^[m]

⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, “All right, take some of your soldiers and guard the tomb as well as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they sealed it tight and placed soldiers there to guard it.

The Ancestors of Jesus

(Luke 3.23-38)

1 Jesus Christ came from the family of King David and also from the family of Abraham. And this is a list of his ancestors. From Abraham to King David, his ancestors were:

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and his brothers (Judah's sons were Perez and Zerah, and their mother was Tamar), Hezron;

Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz (his mother was Rahab), Obed (his mother was Ruth), Jesse, and King David.

^(A) From David to the time of the exile in Babylonia, the ancestors of Jesus were:

David, Solomon (his mother had been Uriah's wife), Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram;

Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, and Jehoiachin and his brothers.

^12-16 From the exile to the birth of Jesus, his ancestors were:

Jehoiachin, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Achim;

Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, and Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

¹⁷ There were 14 generations from Abraham to David. There were also 14 from David to the exile in Babylonia and 14 more to the birth of the Messiah.

The Birth of Jesus

(Luke 2.1-7)

^18 (B) This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David's family. But before they were married, she learned that she was going to have a baby by God's Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph was a good man^[a] and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to quietly call off the wedding.

²⁰ While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. ^21 (C) Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus,^[b] because he will save his people from their sins.”

²² So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said, ^23 (D) “A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.”

²⁴ After Joseph woke up, he and Mary were soon married, just as the Lord's angel had told him to do. ^25 (E) But they did not sleep together before her baby was born. Then Joseph named him Jesus.

The Wise Men

2 When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men^[c] from the east came to Jerusalem ² and said, “Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east^[d] and have come to worship him.”

³ When King Herod heard about this, he was worried, and so was everyone else in Jerusalem. ⁴ Herod brought together the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses and asked them, “Where will the Messiah be born?”

⁵ They told him, “He will be born in Bethlehem, just as the prophet wrote,

⁷ Herod secretly called in the wise men and asked them when they had first seen the star. ⁸ He told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, let me know. I also want to go and worship him.”

⁹ The wise men listened to what the king said and then left. And the star they had seen in the east went on ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ They were thrilled and excited to see the star.

¹¹ When the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him. They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh^[e] and gave them to him. ¹² Later they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they went back home by another road.

The Escape to Egypt

¹³ After the wise men had gone, an angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Hurry and take the child and his mother to Egypt! Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is looking for the child and wants to kill him.”

¹⁴ That night, Joseph got up and took his wife and the child to Egypt, ^15 (G) where they stayed until Herod died. So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said, “I called my son out of Egypt.”

The Killing of the Children

¹⁶ When Herod found out that the wise men from the east had tricked him, he was very angry. He gave orders for his men to kill all the boys who lived in or near Bethlehem and were two years old and younger. This was based on what he had learned from the wise men.

¹⁷ So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet Jeremiah had said,

The Return from Egypt

¹⁹ After King Herod died, an angel from the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph while he was still in Egypt. ²⁰ The angel said, “Get up and take the child and his mother back to Israel. The people who wanted to kill him are now dead.”

²¹ Joseph got up and left with them for Israel. ²² But when he heard that Herod's son Archelaus was now ruler of Judea, he was afraid to go there. Then in a dream he was told to go to Galilee, ^23 (I) and they went to live there in the town of Nazareth. So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said, “He will be called a Nazarene.”^[f]

The Preaching of John the Baptist

(Mark 1.1-8; Luke 3.1-18; John 1.19-28)

3 Years later, John the Baptist started preaching in the desert of Judea. ^2 (J) He said, “Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven^[g] will soon be here.”^[h]

^3 (K) John was the one the prophet Isaiah was talking about, when he said,

^4 (L) John wore clothes made of camel's hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey.

⁵ From Jerusalem and all Judea and from the Jordan River Valley crowds of people went to John. ⁶ They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the river.

^7 (M) Many Pharisees and Sadducees also came to be baptized. But John said to them:

You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? ⁸ Do something to show you have really given up your sins. ^9 (N) And don't start telling yourselves that you belong to Abraham's family. I tell you that God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. ^10 (O) An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into a fire.

¹¹ I baptize you with water so you will give up your sins.^[i] But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals.^[j] He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ^12 (P) His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks.^[k] He will store the wheat in a barn and burn the husks in a fire that never goes out.

The Baptism of Jesus

(Mark 1.9-11; Luke 3.21,22)

¹³ Jesus left Galilee and went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. ¹⁴ But John kept objecting and said, “I ought to be baptized by you. Why have you come to me?”

¹⁵ Jesus answered, “For now this is how it should be, because we must do all God wants us to do.” Then John agreed.

¹⁶ So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. ^17 (Q) Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him.”

Jesus and the Devil

(Mark 1.12,13; Luke 4.1-13)

4 ^(R) The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him. ² After Jesus had gone without eating^[l] for 40 days and nights, he was very hungry. ³ Then the devil came to him and said, “If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread.”

^4 (S) Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say:

⁵ Next, the devil took Jesus into the holy city to the highest part of the temple. ^6 (T) The devil said, “If you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say:

^7 (U) Jesus answered, “The Scriptures also say, ‘Don't try to test the Lord your God!’ ”

⁸ Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms on earth and their power. ⁹ The devil said to him, “I will give all this to you, if you will bow down and worship me.”

^10 (V) Jesus answered, “Go away Satan! The Scriptures say:

¹¹ Then the devil left Jesus, and angels came to help him.

Jesus Begins His Work

(Mark 1.14,15; Luke 4.14,15)

^12 (W) When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he went to Galilee. ^13 (X) But instead of staying in Nazareth, Jesus moved to Capernaum. This town was beside Lake Galilee in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali.^{[m] 14} So God's promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said,

^17 (Z) Then Jesus started preaching, “Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven will soon be here.”^[n]

Jesus Chooses Four Fishermen

(Mark 1.16-20; Luke 5.1-11)

¹⁸ While Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two brothers. One was Simon, also known as Peter, and the other was Andrew. They were fishermen, and they were casting their net into the lake. ¹⁹ Jesus said to them, “Follow me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” ²⁰ Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him.

²¹ Jesus walked on until he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus asked them to come with him. ²² At once they left the boat and their father and went with Jesus.

Jesus Teaches, Preaches, and Heals

(Luke 6.17-19)

^23 (AA) Jesus went all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news about God's kingdom. He also healed every kind of disease and sickness. ²⁴ News about him spread all over Syria, and people with every kind of sickness or disease were brought to him. Some of them had a lot of demons in them, others were thought to be crazy,^[o] and still others could not walk. But Jesus healed them all.

²⁵ Large crowds followed Jesus from Galilee and the region around the ten cities known as Decapolis.^[p] They also came from Jerusalem, Judea, and from across the Jordan River.

The Sermon on the Mount

5 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down.^[q]

Blessings

(Luke 6.20-23)

Jesus' disciples gathered around him, ² and he taught them:

^11 (AG) God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. ^12 (AH) Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.

Salt and Light

(Mark 9.50; Luke 14.34,35)

^13 (AI) You are the salt for everyone on earth. But if salt no longer tastes like salt, how can it make food salty? All it is good for is to be thrown out and walked on.

^14 (AJ) You are the light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, ^15 (AK) and no one lights a lamp and puts it under a clay pot. Instead, it is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. ^16 (AL) Make your light shine, so others will see the good you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

The Law of Moses

¹⁷ Don't suppose I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets.^[u] I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. ^18 (AM) Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen.

¹⁹ If you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom. ²⁰ You must obey God's commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don't, I promise you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

Anger

^21 (AN) You know our ancestors were told, “Do not murder” and “A murderer must be brought to trial.” ²² But I promise you if you are angry with someone,^[v] you will have to stand trial. If you call someone a fool, you will be taken to court. And if you say that someone is worthless, you will be in danger of the fires of hell.

²³ So if you are about to place your gift on the altar and remember that someone is angry with you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. Make peace with that person, then come back and offer your gift to God.

²⁵ Before you are dragged into court, make friends with the person who has accused you of doing wrong. If you don't, you will be handed over to the judge and then to the officer who will put you in jail. ²⁶ I promise you will not get out until you have paid the last cent you owe.

Marriage

^27 (AO) You know the commandment which says, “Be faithful in marriage.” ²⁸ But I tell you if you look at another woman and want her, you are already unfaithful in your thoughts. ^29 (AP) If your right eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body, than for your whole body to end up in hell. ^30 (AQ) If your right hand causes you to sin, chop it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one part of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

Divorce

(Matthew 19.9; Mark 10.11,12; Luke 16.18)

^31 (AR) You have been taught that a man who divorces his wife must write out divorce papers for her.^{[w] 32 (AS)} But I tell you not to divorce your wife unless she has committed some terrible sexual sin.^[x] If you divorce her, you will cause her to be unfaithful, just as any man who marries her is guilty of taking another man's wife.

Promises

^33 (AT) You know our ancestors were told, “Don't use the Lord's name to make a promise unless you are going to keep it.” ^34 (AU) But I tell you not to swear by anything when you make a promise! Heaven is God's throne, so don't swear by heaven. ^35 (AV) The earth is God's footstool, so don't swear by the earth. Jerusalem is the city of the great king, so don't swear by it. ³⁶ Don't swear by your own head. You cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ When you make a promise, say only “Yes” or “No.” Anything else comes from the devil.

Revenge

(Luke 6.29,30)

^38 (AW) You know you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” ³⁹ But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek,^[y] turn and let that person slap your other cheek. ⁴⁰ If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well. ⁴¹ If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one kilometer, carry it two kilometers.^{[z] 42} When people ask you for something, give it to them. When they want to borrow money, lend it to them.

Love

(Luke 6.27,28,32-36)

^43 (AX) You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” ⁴⁴ But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. ^45 (AY) Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. ⁴⁶ If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for this? Even tax collectors^[aa] love their friends. ⁴⁷ If you greet only your friends, what's so great about this? Don't even unbelievers do that? ^48 (AZ) But you must always act like your Father in heaven.

Giving

6 ^(BA) When you do good deeds, don't try to show off. If you do, you won't get a reward from your Father in heaven.

² When you give to the poor, don't blow a loud horn. That's what show-offs do in the synagogues and on the street corners, because they are always looking for praise. I can assure you that they already have their reward.

³ When you give to the poor, don't let anyone know about it.^{[ab] 4} Then your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret and will reward you.

Prayer

(Luke 11.2-4)

^5 (BB) When you pray, don't be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward.

⁶ When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private and will reward you.

^7 (BC) When you pray, don't talk on and on as people do who don't know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. ⁸ Don't be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask.

⁹ You should pray like this:

^14 (BD)(BE) If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Worshiping God by Going without Eating

¹⁶ When you go without eating,^[af] don't try to look gloomy as those show-offs do when they go without eating. I can assure you that they already have their reward. ^17 (BF) Instead, comb your hair and wash your face. ¹⁸ Then others won't know you are going without eating. But your Father sees what is done in private, and he will reward you.

Treasures in Heaven

(Luke 12.33,34)

^19 (BG) Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. ^20 (BH) Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. ²¹ Your heart will always be where your treasure is.

Light

(Luke 11.34-36)

²² Your eyes are a window for your body. When they are good, you have all the light you need. ²³ But when your eyes are bad, everything is dark. If the light inside you is dark, you surely are in the dark.

Money

(Luke 16.13)

²⁴ You cannot be the slave of two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Worry

(Luke 12.22-31)

²⁵ I tell you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn't life more than food or clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds in the sky! They don't plant or harvest. They don't even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren't you worth much more than birds?

²⁷ Can worry make you live longer?^{[ag] 28} Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don't work hard to make their clothes. ^29 (BI) But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth^[ah] wasn't as well clothed as one of them. ³⁰ God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. God will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith?

³¹ Don't worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” ³² Only people who don't know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows you need all of these. ³³ But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.

³⁴ Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.

Judging Others

(Luke 6.37,38,41,42)

7 Don't condemn others, and God won't condemn you. ^2 (BJ) God will be as hard on you as you are on others! He will treat you exactly as you treat them.

³ You can see the speck in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the log in your own eye. ⁴ How can you say, “My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye,” when you don't see the log in your own eye? ⁵ You're nothing but show-offs! First, take the log out of your own eye; then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend's eye.

⁶ Don't give to dogs what belongs to God. They will only turn and attack you. Don't throw pearls down in front of pigs. They will trample all over them.

Ask, Search, Knock

(Luke 11.9-13)

^7 (BK) Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. ⁸ Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks.

⁹ Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? ¹⁰ Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? ¹¹ As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.

^12 (BL) Treat others as you want them to treat you. This is what the Law and the Prophets^[ai] are all about.

The Narrow Gate

(Luke 13.24)

^13 (BM) Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate. ¹⁴ But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

(Luke 6.43-45)

¹⁵ Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you. ^16 (BN) You can tell what they are by what they do. No one picks grapes or figs from thornbushes. ¹⁷ A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. ^19 (BO) Every tree producing bad fruit will be chopped down and burned. ^20 (BP) You can tell who the false prophets are by their deeds.

A Warning

(Luke 13.26,27)

²¹ Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. ²² On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, “We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles.” ^23 (BQ) But I will tell them, “I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!”

Two Builders

(Luke 6.47-49)

²⁴ Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. ²⁵ Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and winds beat against that house. But it was built on solid rock, and so it did not fall.

²⁶ Anyone who hears my teachings and doesn't obey them is like a foolish person who built a house on sand. ²⁷ Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and the winds blew and beat against that house. Finally, it fell with a crash.

^28 (BR) When Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were surprised at his teaching. ²⁹ He taught them like someone with authority, and not like their teachers of the Law of Moses.

Jesus Heals a Man

(Mark 1.40-45; Luke 5.12-16)

8 As Jesus came down the mountain, he was followed by large crowds. ² Suddenly a man with leprosy^[aj] came and knelt in front of Jesus. He said, “Lord, you have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to.”

³ Jesus put his hand on the man and said, “I want to! Now you are well.” At once the man's leprosy disappeared. ^4 (BS) Jesus told him, “Don't tell anyone about this, but go and show the priest that you are well. Then take a gift to the temple just as Moses commanded, and everyone will know that you have been healed.”^[ak]

Jesus Heals an Army Officer's Servant

(Luke 7.1-10; John 4.43-54)

⁵ When Jesus was going into the town of Capernaum, an army officer came up to him and said, ⁶ “Lord, my servant is at home in such terrible pain that he can't even move.”

⁷ “I will go and heal him,” Jesus replied.

⁸ But the officer said, “Lord, I'm not good enough for you to come into my house. Just give the order, and my servant will get well. ^9 (BT) I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes. I can say to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I can say to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he will do it.”

¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, “I tell you in all of Israel I've never found anyone with this much faith! ^11 (BU) Many people will come from everywhere to enjoy the feast in the kingdom of heaven with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ^12 (BV) But the ones who should have been in the kingdom will be thrown out into the dark. They will cry and grit their teeth in pain.”

¹³ Then Jesus said to the officer, “You may go home now. Your faith has made it happen.”

Right then his servant was healed.

Jesus Heals Many People

(Mark 1.29-34; Luke 4.38-41)

¹⁴ Jesus went to the home of Peter, where he found that Peter's mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever. ¹⁵ He took her by the hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and served Jesus a meal.

¹⁶ That evening many people with demons in them were brought to Jesus. And with only a word he forced out the evil spirits and healed everyone who was sick. ^17 (BW) So God's promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said,

Some Who Wanted To Go with Jesus

(Luke 9.57-62)

¹⁸ When Jesus saw the crowd,^[al] he went across Lake Galilee. ¹⁹ A teacher of the Law of Moses came up to him and said, “Teacher, I'll go anywhere with you!”

²⁰ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens, and birds have nests. But the Son of Man doesn't have a place to call his own.”

^21 (BX) Another disciple said to Jesus, “Lord, let me wait till I bury my father.”

²² Jesus answered, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”^[am]

A Storm

(Mark 4.35-41; Luke 8.22-25)

²³ After Jesus left in a boat with his disciples, ²⁴ a terrible storm suddenly struck the lake, and waves started splashing into their boat.

Jesus was sound asleep, ²⁵ so the disciples went over to him and woke him up. They said, “Lord, wake up! Save us before we drown!”

²⁶ But Jesus replied, “Why are you so afraid? You surely don't have much faith.” Then he got up and ordered the wind and the waves to calm down. And everything was calm.

²⁷ The men in the boat were amazed and said, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him.”

Two Men with Demons in Them

(Mark 5.1-20; Luke 8.26-39)

²⁸ After Jesus had crossed the lake, he came to shore near the town of Gadara^[an] and started down the road. Two men with demons in them came to him from the tombs.^[ao] They were so fierce that no one could travel that way. ²⁹ Suddenly they shouted, “Jesus, Son of God, what do you want with us? Have you come to punish us before our time?”

³⁰ Not far from there a large herd of pigs was feeding. ³¹ So the demons begged Jesus, “If you force us out, please send us into those pigs!” ³² Jesus told them to go, and they went out of the men and into the pigs. All at once the pigs rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

³³ The people taking care of the pigs ran to the town and told everything, especially what had happened to the two men. ³⁴ Everyone in town came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged him to leave their part of the country.

Jesus Heals a Man Who Could Not Walk

(Mark 2.1-12; Luke 5.17-26)

9 Jesus got into a boat and crossed back over to the town where he lived.^{[ap] 2} Some people soon brought to him a man lying on a mat because he could not walk. When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the man, “My friend, don't worry! Your sins are forgiven.”

³ Some teachers of the Law of Moses said to themselves, “Jesus must think he is God!”

⁴ But Jesus knew what was in their minds, and he said, “Why are you thinking such evil things? ⁵ Is it easier for me to tell this man his sins are forgiven or to tell him to get up and walk? ⁶ But I will show you that the Son of Man has the right to forgive sins here on earth.” So Jesus said to the man, “Get up! Pick up your mat and go on home.” ⁷ The man got up and went home. ⁸ When the crowds saw this, they were afraid^[aq] and praised God for giving such authority to people.

Jesus Chooses Matthew

(Mark 2.13-17; Luke 5.27-32)

⁹ As Jesus was leaving, he saw a tax collector^[ar] named Matthew sitting at the place for paying taxes. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Matthew got up and went with him.

^10 (BY) Later, Jesus and his disciples were having dinner at Matthew's house.^[as] Many tax collectors and other sinners were also there. ¹¹ Some Pharisees asked Jesus' disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and other sinners?”

¹² Jesus heard them and answered, “Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. ^13 (BZ) Go and learn what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others.’ I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners.”

People Ask about Going without Eating

(Mark 2.18-22; Luke 5.33-39)

¹⁴ Some followers of John the Baptist came and asked Jesus, “Why do we and the Pharisees often go without eating,^[at] while your disciples never do?”

¹⁵ Jesus answered:

The friends of a bridegroom aren't sad while he is still with them. But the time will come when he will be taken from them. Then they will go without eating.

¹⁶ No one uses a new piece of cloth to patch old clothes. The patch would shrink and tear a bigger hole.

¹⁷ No one pours new wine into old wineskins. The wine would swell and burst the old skins.^[au] Then the wine would be lost, and the skins would be ruined. New wine must be put into new wineskins. Both the skins and the wine will then be safe.

A Dying Girl and a Sick Woman

(Mark 5.21-43; Luke 8.40-56)

¹⁸ While Jesus was still speaking, an official came and knelt in front of him. The man said, “My daughter has just now died! Please come and place your hand on her. Then she will live again.”

¹⁹ Jesus and his disciples got up and went with the man.

²⁰ A woman who had been bleeding for twelve years came up behind Jesus and barely touched his clothes. ²¹ She had said to herself, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”

²² Jesus turned. He saw the woman and said, “Don't worry! You are now healed because of your faith.” At that moment she was healed.

²³ When Jesus went into the home of the official and saw the musicians and the crowd of mourners,^{[av] 24} he said, “Get out of here! The little girl isn't dead. She is just asleep.” Everyone started laughing at Jesus. ²⁵ But after the crowd had been sent out of the house, Jesus went to the girl's bedside. He took her by the hand and helped her up.

²⁶ News about this spread all over that part of the country.

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

²⁷ As Jesus was leaving that place, two blind men began following him and shouting, “Son of David,^[aw] have pity on us!”

²⁸ After Jesus had gone indoors, the two blind men came up to him. He asked them, “Do you believe I can make you well?”

“Yes, Lord,” they answered.

²⁹ Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, you will be healed.” ³⁰ They were able to see, and Jesus strictly warned them not to tell anyone about him. ³¹ But they left and talked about him to everyone in that part of the country.

Jesus Heals a Man Who Could Not Talk

³² As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, some people brought to him a man who could not talk because a demon was in him. ³³ After Jesus had forced the demon out, the man started talking. The crowds were so amazed they began saying, “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!”

^34 (CA) But the Pharisees said, “The leader of the demons gives him the power to force out demons.”

Jesus Has Pity on People

^35 (CB) Jesus went to every town and village. He taught in their synagogues and preached the good news about God's kingdom. Jesus also healed every kind of disease and sickness. ^36 (CC) When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them. They were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ^37 (CD) He said to his disciples, “A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers. ³⁸ Ask the Lord in charge of the harvest to send out workers to bring it in.”

Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles

(Mark 3.13-19; Luke 6.12-16)

10 Jesus called together his twelve disciples. He gave them the power to force out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and sickness. ² The first of the twelve apostles was Simon, better known as Peter. His brother Andrew was an apostle, and so were James and John, the two sons of Zebedee. ³ Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector,^[ax] James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus were also apostles. ⁴ The others were Simon, known as the Eager One,^[ay] and Judas Iscariot,^[az] who later betrayed Jesus.

Instructions for the Twelve Apostles

(Mark 6.7-13; Luke 9.1-6)

⁵ Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions:

Stay away from the Gentiles and don't go to any Samaritan town. ⁶ Go only to the people of Israel, because they are like a flock of lost sheep. ^7 (CE) As you go, announce that the kingdom of heaven will soon be here.^{[ba] 8} Heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy,^[bb] and force out demons. You received without paying, now give without being paid. ⁹ Don't take along any gold, silver, or copper coins. ^10 (CF) And don't carry^[bc] a traveling bag or an extra shirt or sandals or a walking stick.

Workers deserve their food. ¹¹ So when you go to a town or a village, find someone able and willing to have you as their guest and stay with them until you leave. ¹² When you go to a home, give it your blessing of peace. ¹³ If the home is deserving, let your blessing remain with them. But if the home doesn't accept you, take back your blessing of peace. ^14 (CG) If someone won't welcome you or listen to your message, leave their home or town. And shake the dust from your feet at them.^{[bd] 15 (CH)} I promise you the day of judgment will be easier for the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah^[be] than for that town.

Warning about Trouble

(Mark 13.9-13; Luke 21.12-17)

^16 (CI) I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. ^17 (CJ) Watch out for people who will take you to court and have you beaten in their synagogues. ¹⁸ Because of me, you will be dragged before rulers and kings to tell them and the Gentiles about your faith. ¹⁹ But when someone arrests you, don't worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given the words to say. ²⁰ But you will not really be the one speaking. The Spirit from your Father will tell you what to say.

^21 (CK) Brothers and sisters will betray one another and have each other put to death. Parents will betray their own children, and children will turn against their parents and have them killed. ^22 (CL) Everyone will hate you because of me. But if you remain faithful until the end, you will be saved. ²³ When people mistreat you in one town, hurry to another one. I promise you before you have gone to all the towns of Israel, the Son of Man will come.

^24 (CM) Students are not better than their teacher, and slaves are not better than their master. ^25 (CN) It is enough for students to be like their teacher and for slaves to be like their master. If people call the head of the family Satan, what will they say about the rest of the family?

The One To Fear

(Luke 12.2-7)

^26 (CO) Don't be afraid of anyone! Everything is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known. ²⁷ Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you. ^28 (CP) Don't be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell. ²⁹ Aren't two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. ³⁰ Even the hairs on your head are counted. ³¹ So don't be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.

Telling Others about Christ

(Luke 12.8,9)

³² If you tell others you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven you are my followers. ^33 (CQ) But if you reject me, I will tell my Father in heaven you don't belong to me.

Not Peace, but Trouble

(Luke 12.51-53; 14.26,27)

³⁴ Don't think I came to bring peace to the earth! I came to bring trouble, not peace. ^35 (CR) I came to turn sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. ³⁶ Your worst enemies will be in your own family.

^37 (CS) If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. ^38 (CT) And unless you are willing to take up your cross and follow me, you are not fit to be my disciples. ^39 (CU) If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.

Rewards

(Mark 9.41)

^40 (CV) Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me also welcomes the one who sent me. ⁴¹ Anyone who welcomes a prophet, just because that person is a prophet, will be given the same reward as a prophet. Anyone who welcomes a good person, just because that person is good, will be given the same reward as a good person. ⁴² And anyone who gives one of my most humble followers a cup of cool water, just because that person is my follower, will be rewarded.

John the Baptist

(Luke 7.18-35)

11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he left and began teaching and preaching in the towns.^[bf]

² John was in prison when he heard what Christ was doing. So John sent some of his followers ³ to ask Jesus, “Are you the one we should be looking for? Or must we wait for someone else?”

⁴ Jesus answered, “Go and tell John what you have heard and seen. ^5 (CW) The blind are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People with leprosy^[bg] are being healed, and the deaf can hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. ⁶ God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do.”

⁷ As John's followers were going away, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John:

What sort of person did you go out into the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? ⁸ What kind of man did you go out to see? Was he someone dressed in fine clothes? People who dress like that live in the king's palace. ⁹ What did you really go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was. I tell you that he was more than a prophet. ^10 (CX) In the Scriptures God says about him, “I am sending my messenger ahead to get things ready for you.” ¹¹ I tell you no one ever born on this earth is greater than John the Baptist. But whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John.

^12 (CY) From the time of John the Baptist until now, violent people have been trying to take over the kingdom of heaven by force. ¹³ All the Books of the Prophets and the Law of Moses^[bh] told what was going to happen up to the time of John. ^14 (CZ) And if you believe them, John is Elijah, the prophet you are waiting for. ¹⁵ If you have ears, pay attention!

¹⁶ You people are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,

¹⁸ John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, “That man has a demon in him!” ¹⁹ But the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, and you say, “That man eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors^[bi] and sinners.” Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what it does.

The Unbelieving Towns

(Luke 10.13-15)

²⁰ In the towns where Jesus had worked most of his miracles, the people refused to turn to God. So Jesus was upset with them and said:

^21 (DA) You people of Chorazin are in for trouble! You people of Bethsaida are in for trouble too! If the miracles that took place here had happened in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have turned to God long ago. They would have dressed in sackcloth and put ashes on their heads.^{[bj] 22} I tell you on the day of judgment the people of Tyre and Sidon will get off easier than you will.

^23 (DB) People of Capernaum, do you think you will be honored in heaven? You will go down to hell! If the miracles that took place in your town had happened in Sodom, it would still be standing. ^24 (DC) So I tell you on the day of judgment the people of Sodom will get off easier than you.

Come to Me and Rest

(Luke 10.21,22)

²⁵ At that moment Jesus said:

My Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I am grateful that you hid all this from wise and educated people and showed it to ordinary people. ²⁶ Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.

^27 (DD) My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so they can know him too.

^28 (DE) If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. ^29 (DF) Take the yoke^[bk] I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. ³⁰ This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.

A Question about the Sabbath

(Mark 2.23-28; Luke 6.1-5)

12 ^(DG) One Sabbath, Jesus and his disciples were walking through some wheat fields.^[bl] His disciples were hungry and began picking and eating grains of wheat. ² Some Pharisees noticed this and said to Jesus, “Why are your disciples picking grain on the Sabbath? They are not supposed to do this!”

^3 (DH) Jesus answered:

You surely must have read what David did when he and his followers were hungry. ^4 (DI) He went into the house of God, and then they ate the sacred loaves of bread that only priests are supposed to eat. ^5 (DJ) Haven't you read in the Law of Moses that the priests are allowed to work in the temple on the Sabbath? But no one says they are guilty of breaking the law of the Sabbath. ⁶ I tell you there is something here greater than the temple. ^7 (DK) Don't you know what the Scriptures mean when they say, “Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others?” If you knew what this means, you would not condemn these innocent disciples of mine. ⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord over the Sabbath.

A Man with a Paralyzed Hand

(Mark 3.1-6; Luke 6.6-11)

⁹ Jesus left and went into one of their synagogues, ¹⁰ where there was a man whose hand was paralyzed. Some Pharisees wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong, so they asked him, “Is it right to heal someone on the Sabbath?”

^11 (DL) Jesus answered, “If one of your sheep fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn't you lift it out? ¹² People are worth much more than sheep, and so it is right to do good on the Sabbath.” ¹³ Then Jesus told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man did, and it became as healthy as the other one.

¹⁴ The Pharisees left and started making plans to kill Jesus.

God's Chosen Servant

¹⁵ When Jesus found out what was happening, he left there and large crowds followed him. He healed all of their sick, ¹⁶ but warned them not to tell anyone about him. ¹⁷ So God's promise came true, just as Isaiah the prophet had said,

Jesus and the Ruler of the Demons

(Mark 3.20-30; Luke 11.14-23; 12.10)

²² Some people brought to Jesus a man who was blind and could not talk because he had a demon in him. Jesus healed the man, and then he was able to talk and see. ²³ The crowds were so amazed they asked, “Could Jesus be the Son of David?”^[bm]

^24 (DN) When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “He forces out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons!”

²⁵ Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said to them:

Any kingdom where people fight each other will end up ruined. And a town or family that fights will soon destroy itself. ²⁶ So if Satan fights against himself, how can his kingdom last? ²⁷ If I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons, whose power do your own followers use to force them out? Your followers are the ones who will judge you. ²⁸ But when I force out demons by the power of God's Spirit, it proves that God's kingdom has already come to you. ^29 (DO) How can anyone break into a strong man's house and steal his things, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can take everything.

^30 (DP) If you are not on my side, you are against me. If you don't gather in the harvest with me, you scatter it. ^31-32 (DQ) I tell you any sinful thing you do or say can be forgiven. Even if you speak against the Son of Man, you can be forgiven. But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven, either in this life or in the life to come.

A Tree and Its Fruit

(Luke 6.43-45)

^33 (DR) A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces. ^34 (DS) You are a bunch of evil snakes, so how can you say anything good? Your words show what is in your hearts. ³⁵ Good people bring good things out of their hearts, but evil people bring evil things out of their hearts. ³⁶ I promise you on the day of judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken. ³⁷ On that day they will be told they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said.

A Sign from Heaven

(Mark 8.11,12; Luke 11.29-32)

^38 (DT) Some Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a sign from heaven.”

^39 (DU) But Jesus replied:

You want a sign because you are evil and won't believe! But the only sign you will get is the sign of the prophet Jonah. ^40 (DV) He was in the stomach of a big fish for three days and nights, just as the Son of Man will be deep in the earth for three days and nights. ^41 (DW) On the day of judgment the people of Nineveh^[bn] will stand there with you and condemn you. They turned to God when Jonah preached, and yet here is something far greater than Jonah. ^42 (DX) The Queen of the South^[bo] will also stand there with you and condemn you. She traveled a long way to hear Solomon's wisdom, and yet here is something much greater than Solomon.

Return of an Evil Spirit

(Luke 11.24-26)

⁴³ When an evil spirit leaves a person, it travels through the desert, looking for a place to rest. But when the demon doesn't find a place, ⁴⁴ it says, “I will go back to the home I left.” When it gets there and finds the place empty, clean, and neat, ⁴⁵ it goes off and finds seven other evil spirits even worse than itself. They all come and make their home there, and the person ends up in worse shape than before. That's how it will be with you evil people of today.

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

(Mark 3.31-35; Luke 8.19-21)

⁴⁶ While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside because they wanted to talk with him. ⁴⁷ Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to talk with you.”^[bp]

⁴⁸ Jesus answered, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “These are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ Anyone who obeys my Father in heaven is my brother or sister or mother.”

A Story about a Farmer

(Mark 4.1-9; Luke 8.4-8)

13 That same day Jesus left the house and went out beside Lake Galilee, where he sat down to teach.^{[bq] 2 (DY)} Such large crowds gathered around him that he had to sit in a boat, while the people stood on the shore. ³ Then he taught them many things by using stories. He said:

A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. ⁴ While the farmer was scattering the seed, some of it fell along the road and was eaten by birds. ⁵ Other seeds fell on thin, rocky ground and quickly started growing because the soil wasn't very deep. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and dried up, because they did not have deep roots. ⁷ Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ But a few seeds did fall on good ground where the plants produced 100 or 60 or 30 times as much as was scattered. ⁹ If you have ears, pay attention!

Why Jesus Used Stories

(Mark 4.10-12; Luke 8.9,10)

¹⁰ Jesus' disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you use stories to speak to the people?”

¹¹ Jesus answered:

I have explained the secrets about the kingdom of heaven to you, but not to others. ^12 (DZ) Everyone who has something will be given more. But people who don't have anything will lose even what little they have. ¹³ I use stories when I speak to them because when they look, they cannot see, and when they listen, they cannot hear or understand. ^14 (EA) So God's promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said,

^16 (EB) But God has blessed you, because your eyes can see and your ears can hear! ¹⁷ Many prophets and good people were eager to see what you see and to hear what you hear. But I tell you they did not see or hear.

Jesus Explains the Story about the Farmer

(Mark 4.13-20; Luke 8.11-15)

¹⁸ Now listen to the meaning of the story about the farmer:

¹⁹ The seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message about the kingdom, but don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the message from their hearts. ²⁰ The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it at once. ²¹ But they don't have deep roots, and they don't last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.

²² The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they start worrying about the needs of this life and are fooled by the desire to get rich. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything. ²³ The seeds that fell on good ground are the people who hear and understand the message. They produce as much as 100 or 60 or 30 times what was planted.

Weeds among the Wheat

²⁴ Jesus then told them this story:

The kingdom of heaven is like what happened when a farmer scattered good seed in a field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and scattered weed seeds in the field and then left.

²⁶ When the plants came up and began to mature, the farmer's servants could see the weeds. ²⁷ The servants came and asked, “Sir, didn't you scatter good seed in your field? Where did these weeds come from?”

²⁸ “An enemy did this,” he replied.

His servants then asked, “Do you want us to go out and pull up the weeds?”

²⁹ “No!” he answered. “You might also pull up the wheat. ³⁰ Leave the weeds alone until harvest time. Then I'll tell my workers to gather the weeds and tie them up and burn them. But I'll order them to store the wheat in my barn.”

Stories about a Mustard Seed and Yeast

(Mark 4.30-32; Luke 13.18-21)

³¹ Jesus told them another story:

The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a farmer plants a mustard seed in a field. ³² Although it is the smallest of all seeds, it grows larger than any garden plant and becomes a tree. Birds even come and nest on its branches.

³³ Jesus also said:

The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a woman mixes a little yeast into three big batches of flour. Finally, all the dough rises.

The Reason for Teaching with Stories

(Mark 4.33,34)

³⁴ Jesus used stories when he spoke to the people. In fact, he did not tell them anything without using stories. ^35 (EC) So God's promise came true, just as the prophet^[br] had said,

Jesus Explains the Story about the Weeds

³⁶ After Jesus left the crowd and went inside,^[bs] his disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the story about the weeds in the wheat field.”

³⁷ Jesus answered:

The one who scattered the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸ The field is the world, and the good seeds are the people who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are those who belong to the evil one, ³⁹ and the one who scattered them is the devil. The harvest is the end of time, and angels are the ones who bring in the harvest.

⁴⁰ Weeds are gathered and burned. That's how it will be at the end of time. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everyone who does wrong or causes others to sin. ⁴² Then he will throw them into a flaming furnace, where people will cry and grit their teeth in pain. ^43 (ED) But everyone who has done right will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. If you have ears, pay attention!

A Hidden Treasure

⁴⁴ The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when someone finds a treasure hidden in a field and buries it again. Such a person is happy and goes and sells everything in order to buy that field.

A Valuable Pearl

⁴⁵ The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a shop owner is looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ After finding a very valuable one, the owner goes and sells everything in order to buy that pearl.

A Fish Net

⁴⁷ The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a net is thrown into a lake and catches all kinds of fish. ⁴⁸ When the net is full, it is dragged to the shore, and the fishermen sit down to separate the fish. They keep the good ones, but throw the bad ones away. ⁴⁹ That's how it will be at the end of time. Angels will come and separate the evil people from the ones who have done right. ⁵⁰ Then those evil people will be thrown into a flaming furnace, where they will cry and grit their teeth in pain.

New and Old Treasures

⁵¹ Jesus asked his disciples if they understood all these things. They said, “Yes, we do.”

⁵² So he told them, “Every student of the Scriptures who becomes a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like someone who brings out new and old treasures from the storeroom.”

The People of Nazareth Turn against Jesus

(Mark 6.1-6; Luke 4.16-30)

⁵³ When Jesus had finished telling these stories, he left ⁵⁴ and went to his hometown. He taught in their synagogue, and the people were so amazed that they asked, “Where does he get all this wisdom and the power to work these miracles?