Beginning

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath Day

6 One Sabbath day Jesus was walking through the grainfields. His disciples began to break off some heads of grain. They rubbed them in their hands and ate them. ² Some of the Pharisees said, “It is against the Law to do this on the Sabbath day. Why are you doing it?”

³ Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you ever read about what David did? He and his men were hungry. ⁴ He entered the house of God and took the holy bread. He ate the bread that only priests were allowed to eat. David also gave some to his men.” ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day.”

⁶ On another Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue and was teaching. A man whose right hand was weak and twisted was there. ⁷ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were trying to find fault with Jesus. So they watched him closely. They wanted to see if he would heal on the Sabbath day. ⁸ But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He spoke to the man who had the weak and twisted hand. “Get up and stand in front of everyone,” he said. So the man got up and stood there.

⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “What does the Law say we should do on the Sabbath day? Should we do good? Or should we do evil? Should we save life? Or should we destroy it?”

¹⁰ He looked around at all of them. Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand had been made as good as new. ¹¹ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were very angry. They began to talk to one another about what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

¹² On one of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray. He spent the night praying to God. ¹³ When morning came, he called for his disciples to come to him. He chose 12 of them and made them apostles. Here are their names.

Jesus Gives Blessings and Warnings

¹⁷ Jesus went down the mountain with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there. A large number of other people were there too. They came from all over Judea, including Jerusalem. They also came from the coastland around Tyre and Sidon. ¹⁸ They had all come to hear Jesus and to be healed of their sicknesses. People who were troubled by evil spirits were made well. ¹⁹ Everyone tried to touch Jesus. Power was coming from him and healing them all.

²⁰ Jesus looked at his disciples. He said to them,

²³ “The prophets of long ago were treated the same way. When these things happen to you, be glad and jump for joy. You will receive many blessings in heaven.

Love Your Enemies

²⁷ “But here is what I tell you who are listening. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. ²⁸ Bless those who call down curses on you. And pray for those who treat you badly. ²⁹ Suppose someone slaps you on one cheek. Let them slap you on the other cheek as well. Suppose someone takes your coat. Don’t stop them from taking your shirt as well. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you. And if anyone takes what belongs to you, don’t ask to get it back. ³¹ Do to others as you want them to do to you.

³² “Suppose you love those who love you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And suppose you do good to those who are good to you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And suppose you lend money to those who can pay you back. Should anyone praise you for that? Even a sinner lends to sinners, expecting them to pay everything back. ³⁵ But love your enemies. Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will receive a lot in return. And you will be children of the Most High God. He is kind to people who are evil and are not thankful. ³⁶ So have mercy, just as your Father has mercy.

Be Fair When You Judge Other People

³⁷ “If you do not judge other people, then you will not be judged. If you do not find others guilty, then you will not be found guilty. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good amount will be poured into your lap. It will be pressed down, shaken together, and running over. The same amount you give will be measured out to you.”

³⁹ Jesus also gave them another example. He asked, “Can a blind person lead another blind person? Won’t they both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰ The student is not better than the teacher. But everyone who is completely trained will be like their teacher.

⁴¹ “You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye. ⁴² How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye’? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye? You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³ “A good tree doesn’t bear bad fruit. And a bad tree doesn’t bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ You can tell each tree by the kind of fruit it bears. People do not pick figs from thorns. And they don’t pick grapes from bushes. ⁴⁵ A good man says good things. These come from the good that is stored up in his heart. An evil man says evil things. These come from the evil that is stored up in his heart. A person’s mouth says everything that is in their heart.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and still don’t do what I say? ⁴⁷ Some people come and listen to me and do what I say. I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man who builds a house. He digs down deep and sets it on solid rock. When a flood comes, the river rushes against the house. But the water can’t shake it. The house is well built. ⁴⁹ But here is what happens when people listen to my words and do not obey them. They are like a man who builds a house on soft ground instead of solid rock. The moment the river rushes against that house, it falls down. It is completely destroyed.”

A Roman Commander Has Faith

7 Jesus finished saying all these things to the people who were listening. Then he entered Capernaum. ² There the servant of a Roman commander was sick and about to die. His master thought highly of him. ³ The commander heard about Jesus. So he sent some elders of the Jews to him. He told them to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. ⁴ They came to Jesus and begged him, “This man deserves to have you do this. ⁵ He loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” ⁶ So Jesus went with them.

When Jesus came near the house, the Roman commander sent friends to him. He told them to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself. I am not good enough to have you come into my house. ⁷ That is why I did not even think I was fit to come to you. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁸ I myself am a man who is under authority. And I have soldiers who obey my orders. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

⁹ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at the commander. Jesus turned to the crowd that was following him. He said, “I tell you, even in Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong.” ¹⁰ Then the men who had been sent to Jesus returned to the house. They found that the servant was healed.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son From the Dead

¹¹ Some time later, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd went along with him. ¹² He approached the town gate. Just then, a dead person was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother. She was a widow. A large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. So he said, “Don’t cry.”

¹⁴ Then he went up and touched the coffin. Those carrying it stood still. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” ¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.

¹⁶ The people were all filled with wonder and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” ¹⁷ This news about Jesus spread all through Judea and the whole country.

Jesus and John the Baptist

¹⁸ John’s disciples told him about all these things. So he chose two of them. ¹⁹ He sent them to the Lord. John told them to ask him, “Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?”

²⁰ The men came to Jesus. They said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?’ ”

²¹ At that time Jesus healed many people. They had illnesses, sicknesses and evil spirits. He also gave sight to many who were blind. ²² So Jesus replied to the messengers, “Go back to John. Tell him what you have seen and heard. Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are made ‘clean.’ Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is announced to those who are poor. ²³ Blessed is anyone who does not give up their faith because of me.”

²⁴ So John’s messengers left. Then Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, “What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? ²⁵ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. Those who wear fine clothes and have many expensive things are in palaces. ²⁶ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ He is the one written about in Scripture. It says,

²⁸ I tell you, no one more important than John has ever been born. But the least important person in God’s kingdom is more important than John is.”

²⁹ All the people who heard Jesus’ words agreed that God’s way was right. Even the tax collectors agreed. These people had all been baptized by John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the authorities on the law did not accept for themselves God’s purpose. So they had not been baptized by John.

³¹ Jesus went on to say, “What can I compare today’s people to? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the market and calling out to each other. They say,

³³ That is how it has been with John the Baptist. When he came to you, he didn’t eat bread or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And you say, ‘This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ ³⁵ All who follow wisdom prove that wisdom is right.”

A Sinful Woman Pours Perfume on Jesus

³⁶ One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So he went to the Pharisee’s house. He took his place at the table. ³⁷ There was a woman in that town who had lived a sinful life. She learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she came there with a special jar of perfume. ³⁸ She stood behind Jesus and cried at his feet. And she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair. She kissed them and poured perfume on them.

³⁹ The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this. He said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him. He would know what kind of woman she is. She is a sinner!”

⁴⁰ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

⁴¹ “Two people owed money to a certain lender. One owed him 500 silver coins. The other owed him 50 silver coins. ⁴² Neither of them had the money to pay him back. So he let them go without paying. Which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who owed the most money.”

“You are right,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman. He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water to wash my feet. But she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss. But this woman has not stopped kissing my feet since I came in. ⁴⁶ You did not put any olive oil on my head. But she has poured this perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ So I tell you this. Her many sins have been forgiven. She has shown that she understands this by her great acts of love. But whoever has been forgiven only a little loves only a little.”

⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ The other guests began to talk about this among themselves. They said, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”