For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’

For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”

For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy.

Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.”

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”

for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute.

And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;

he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’

Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’

Unworthy Servants

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’?

And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”

And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’

‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.

For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.

and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.

The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”

And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?”

The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”

“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,

The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.”

Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.

And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’

And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.”

So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.”

When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—

even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.

Final Instructions

Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.

Forgive the Sinner

Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,

But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.

for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.

though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,

If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.

but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.

For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.”

He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?

Faith Without Works Is Dead

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Born Again to a Living Hope

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.

Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.

And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—

so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.

On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.