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11 And it happened that when Jesus had finished commanding His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
2 And when John (who was in the prison) heard of the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said to Him,
3 “Are You Him Who should come? Or shall we look for another?”
4 And Jesus, answering, said to them, “Go, and show John what things you hear and see.
5 “The blind receive sight. And the lame walk. The lepers are cleansed. And the deaf hear. The dead are raised up. And the poor receive the Gospel.
6 “And blessed is he who shall not be offended by Me.”
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to speak to the multitude about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see - a reed shaken with the wind?
8 “But what did you go out to see - a man wearing soft clothes? Behold, those who wear soft clothes are in kings’ houses.
9 “But what did you go out to see - a Prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a Prophet.
10 “For this is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You.’
11 “Truly I say to you, among those who are begotten of women, there has not arisen a greater than John Baptist. Even so, the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, is greater than he.
12 “And from the time of John Baptist until now, the Kingdom of God suffers violence. And the violent take it by force.
13 “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14 “And if you will receive it, this is that Elijah who was to come.
15 “The one who has ears to hear let him hear.
16 “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like little children who sit in the markets, and call to others,
17 “and say, ‘We have played the flute for you and you have not danced. We have lamented for you, and you have not mourned.’
18 “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drinker of wine, a friend to tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
20 Then He began to reproach the cities wherein most of His great works were done, because they did not repent.
21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the great works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, in sackcloth and ashes.
22 “But I say to you it shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon on the Day of Judgment than for you.
23 “And you, Capernaum, who is lifted up to Heaven, shall be brought down to Hell! For if the great works which have been done in you had been done among those of Sodom, they would still remain to this day!
24 “But I say to you that it shall be easier for them of the land of Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you.”
25 At that time Jesus answered and said, “I give You thanks, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise, and men of understanding, and have opened them to the simple.
26 “It is so, O Father, because it was pleasing before You.
27 “All things are given to Me by My Father: and no one knows the Son, but the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him.
28 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and laden, and I will ease you.
29 “Take My yoke on you, and learn of Me, that I am gentle and lowly in heart. And you shall find rest for your souls.
30 “For My yoke is easy, and My burden light.”
12 At that time, Jesus went through the corn on a Sabbath day. And His disciples were hungry and began to pluck the ears of corn and eat.
2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Behold, Your disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath!”
3 But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry?
4 “How he went into the house of God, and ate the showbread (which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests)?
5 “Or have you not read in the Law how that, on the Sabbath days, the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath and are blameless?
6 “But I say to you that here is One greater than the Temple.
7 “Therefore, if you knew what this meant, ‘I will have mercy and not sacrifice’, you would not have condemned the innocents.
8 “For the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.”
9 And he departed from there and went into their synagogue.
10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal upon a Sabbath day?” (so that they might accuse Him)
11 And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, does not take it and lift it out?
12 “How much better, then, is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do well on a Sabbath day.”
13 “Then He said to the man, “Stretch forth your hand.” And he stretched it forth. And it was made whole as the other.
14 Then the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, how they might destroy Him.
15 But Jesus, knowing of it, departed from there. And great multitudes followed Him. And He healed them all,
16 and warned them that they should not make Him known.
17 So that which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet might be fulfilled, which says,
18 “Behold My Servant, Whom I have chosen; My Beloved in Whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him. And He shall show judgment to the Gentiles.
19 “He shall not strive, nor cry, nor shall anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20 “A bruised reed shall He not break. And a smoldering wick shall He not quench, till He brings forth judgment unto victory.
21 “And in His Name shall the Gentiles trust.”
22 Then one possessed with a demon was brought to Him, who was both blind and mute. And He healed him, so that he who was blind and mute both spoke and saw.
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Is not this that Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This Man does not cast out demons but by Beelzebub the Prince of Demons.
25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to naught. And every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.
26 “So, if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then shall his kingdom endure?
27 “Also, if I cast out demons through Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? They shall therefore be your judges.
28 “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come to you.
29 “Or else how can anyone enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods, unless he first binds the strong man, and then spoil his house?
30 “The one who is not with Me, is against Me. And the one who does not gather with Me, scatters.
31 “Therefore I say to you, “Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven man. But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven man.
32 And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him. But whoever shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.
33 “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or else make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For the tree is known by the fruit.
34 “O generations of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
35 “A good man brings forth good things out of the good treasure of his heart. And an evil man, out of an evil treasure, brings forth evil things.
36 “But I say to you, that of every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof on the Day of Judgment.
37 “For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.”
38 Then answered some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, “Master, we wish to see a sign from You.”
39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign. But no sign shall be given to it, except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.
40 “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth.
41 “The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation and condemn it. For they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And behold, a Greater than Jonah is here.
42 “The Queen of the South shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it. For she came from the utmost parts of the Earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, a Greater than Solomon is here.
43 “Now when the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it walks throughout dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
44 “Then it says, ‘I will return to my house, from where I came.’ And when he has come, he finds it empty, swept and garnished.
45 “Then it goes, and takes with it seven other spirits, worse than itself. And they enter in, and dwell there. And the end of that man is worse than the beginning. Even so shall it be with this wicked generation.”
46 While he was still speaking to the multitude, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to speak with you.”
48 But He answered and said to him who told Him, “Who is My mother. And who are My brothers?”
49 And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples and said, “Behold My mother and My brothers.
50 “For whoever shall do My Father’s will (Who is in Heaven), the same is My brother and sister and mother.”
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