Beginning
After Commissioning The Twelve, Jesus Moves On To Teach In Other Cities
11 And it came about that when Jesus finished giving-directions to His twelve disciples, He passed-on from there that He might teach and proclaim in their cities.
John The Baptist Asks, Are You The King? Jesus Points Him To His Works
2 Now John[a], having in prison heard-of the works of the Christ, having sent through his disciples, 3 said to Him, “Are You the One coming[b], or should we be looking-for a different one?” 4 And having responded, Jesus said to them, “Having gone, report to John the things which you are hearing and seeing[c]— 5 blind ones are seeing-again and lame ones are walking. Lepers are being cleansed and deaf ones are hearing. And dead ones are being raised and poor ones are having-good-news-announced[d] to them. 6 And blessed is whoever does not take-offense[e] in Me”.
Jesus Says John The Baptist Is The Fulfillment of The Prophecies of Malachi
7 And while these ones were proceeding, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John— “What[f] did you go out into the wilderness to look-at? A reed being shaken by the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man having been dressed in soft garments? Behold— the ones wearing the soft garments are in the houses of kings! 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 This one is about whom it has been written [in Mal 3:1]: ‘Behold— I am sending-forth My messenger ahead of Your presence, who will make Your way ready in front of You’. 11 Truly I say to you, a greater[g] one than John the Baptist has not arisen among ones born of women. But the least[h] one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater[i] than he. 12 But the kingdom of the heavens is being treated-violently[j] from the days of John the Baptist until now, and violent ones are snatching it away. 13 For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he himself is Elijah— the one going-to[k] come. 15 Let the one having ears hear[l].
But This Generation Rejects Both The One Preparing And The One Who Came
16 “But to what will I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces who, calling to the others, 17 say ‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance. We lamented[m] and you did not beat-your-breast[n]’. 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking[o], and they say ‘He has a demon’. 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say ‘Behold— a man who is a glutton and drunkard[p], a friend of tax-collectors and sinners’. And wisdom was vindicated[q] by her works[r]”.
Woe To You Cities Who Have Seen My Works And Not Repented
20 Then He began to reproach[s] the cities in which most-of [t] His miracles took place, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! Because if the miracles having taken place in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 Nevertheless[u] I say to you— it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted up to heaven? You will go-down as far as Hades. Because if the miracles having taken place in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. 24 Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you”.
It Pleases God To Hide The Kingdom From The Wise And Reveal It To The Childlike
25 At that time, having responded, Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that[v] You hid these things from wise ones and intelligent ones, and You revealed them to children[w]. 26 Yes, Father, because[x] in-this-manner it became well-pleasing in Your sight. 27 All things were handed-over to Me by My Father. And no one knows[y] the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom[z] the Son wills[aa] to reveal Him. 28 Come to Me, all the ones being weary and having been burdened[ab], and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy[ac], and My burden[ad] is light”.
Regarding The Sabbath, Jesus Makes Himself The Issue: I Am Lord of The Sabbath
12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry and began to pluck[ae] heads [of grain] and eat. 2 And the Pharisees, having seen it, said to Him, “Behold— Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to be doing on a Sabbath”. 3 And the One said to them, “Did you not read [in 1 Sam 21:1-6] what David did when he was hungry, and the ones with him— 4 how he entered into the house of God and they ate the Bread of Presentation[af] which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for the ones with him, but for the priests alone? 5 Or did you not read in the Law that on the Sabbaths, the priests in the temple profane[ag] the Sabbath and are guiltless[ah]? 6 But I say to you that a greater-thing than the temple is here. 7 But if you had known what it means [in Hos 6:6]— ‘I desire mercy, and not a sacrifice’— you would not have condemned the guiltless ones. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath[ai]”.
Jesus Deliberately Heals a Man On The Sabbath, Inflaming The Pharisees
9 And having passed-on from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold— there was a man having a withered hand. And they questioned Him, saying, ‘Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?’— in order that they might accuse Him. 11 And the One said to them, “What person will there be from-among you who will have one sheep, and if this sheep falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and raise it? 12 How much then is a person more-valuable than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to be acting commendably[aj] on the Sabbath”. 13 Then He says to the man, “Stretch-out your hand”. And he stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 And having gone out, the Pharisees took counsel against Him, so that they might destroy Him.
Jesus Speaks By His Actions. He Does Not Quarrel Or Shout, Fulfilling Isaiah
15 But Jesus, having known it, withdrew from there. And large crowds followed Him, and He cured them all. 16 And He warned them that they should not make Him known, 17 in order that the thing might be fulfilled having been spoken through Isaiah the prophet saying 18 “Behold My servant Whom I chose, My Beloved in Whom My soul was[ak] well-pleased: I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will announce[al] justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel, nor shout, nor will anyone hear His voice in the wide-roads. 20 He will not break a reed having been bruised, and He will not quench a smoldering wick, until He leads-out[am] justice[an] to victory. 21 And the Gentiles will put-hope in His name” [Isa 42:1-4].
The Crowds Call Jesus The Messiah. The Pharisees Attribute His Power To The Devil
22 Then a blind and mute man being demon-possessed was brought to Him. And He cured him, so that the mute man was speaking and seeing. 23 And all the crowds were astonished, and were saying, “This One is not the Son of David, is He?” 24 But the Pharisees, having heard it, said, “This One is not casting out the demons except by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons!”
Such Blasphemy Against The Spirit Will Not Be Forgiven
25 And knowing their thoughts, He said to them— “Every kingdom having been divided against itself is desolated, and every city or house having been divided against itself will not stand; 26 and if Satan is casting-out Satan, he was divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I am casting out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom[ao] are your sons casting them out? For this reason they will be your judges; 28 but if I am casting out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God came[ap] upon you. 29 Or how can anyone enter into the house of the strong man and snatch-away his things unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 The one not being with Me[aq] is against Me. And the one not gathering with Me is scattering. 31 For this reason I say to you— every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to people. But the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven[ar]. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven to him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven to him— neither in this age nor in the one coming. 33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad[as]. For the tree is known by the fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How are you able to speak good things, being evil? For the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart— 35 the good person brings out good things from his good treasure[at], and the evil person brings out evil things from his evil treasure. 36 And I say to you that every useless[au] word which people will speak— they will render an account for it on the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be declared-righteous, and by your words you will be condemned”.
Pharisees Ask Jesus For a Sign. He Offers Only The Sign of Jonah: Three Days In a Grave
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees responded to Him, saying “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You”. 39 But the One, having responded, said to them— “An evil and adulterous[av] generation is seeking-for a sign. And a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea-creature[aw], so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights[ax] in the heart of the earth.
The Ninevites Will Condemn This Generation, For They Repented At Jonah’s Message
41 “Ninevite men will rise-up at the judgment with this generation, and they will condemn it. Because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and behold— a greater thing than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will be raised at the judgment with this generation, and she will condemn it. Because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold— a greater thing than Solomon is here.
The Demons I Cast Out Now Will Return Later, And You Will Be Worse Off
43 “Now when the unclean spirit departs from the person, it goes through waterless places seeking rest[ay], and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from where I came-out’. And having come, it finds it being unoccupied, having been swept and put-in-order[az]. 45 Then it proceeds and takes along with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself. And having gone in, they dwell there, and the last[ba] state of that person becomes worse than the first. So it will be[bb] also with this evil generation”.
Jesus Says That Whoever Does The Will of God Is His Brother And Sister And Mother
46 While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold— His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47 And someone said to Him, “Behold— Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You”. 48 But the One, having responded, said to the one speaking to Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And having stretched-out His hand toward His disciples, He said “Behold— My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in the heavens— he is My brother and sister and mother”.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing