Bible in 90 Days
Interpreting the Time(A)
16 When the Pharisees and Sadducees arrived, in order to test Jesus[a] they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He replied to them, “You say,
‘Red sky at night,
what a delight!
3 Red sky in the morning,
cloudy and storming.’
You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, yet you can’t interpret the signs of the times?[b] 4 An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees(B)
5 When his disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to take any bread along. 6 Jesus told them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
7 As they began to discuss this among themselves, they kept saying, “We didn’t bring along any bread.”
8 Knowing this, Jesus asked them, “You who have little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you don’t have any bread? 9 Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the 5,000 and how many baskets you collected, 10 or the seven loaves for the 4,000 and how many baskets you collected? 11 How can you fail to understand that I wasn’t talking to you about bread? Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
12 Then they understood that he did not say to beware of the yeast used in bread,[c] but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter Declares His Faith in Jesus(C)
13 When Jesus had come to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They said, “Some say[d] John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,[e] the Son of the living God!”
17 Then Jesus told him, “How blessed you are, Simon son of Jonah,[f] since flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, though my Father in heaven has. 18 I tell you that you are Peter,[g] and it is on this rock[h] that I will build my congregation,[i] and the powers of hell[j] will not conquer it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom from[k] heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited[l] in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted[m] in heaven.”
20 Then he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.[n]
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection(D)
21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he would have to go to Jerusalem and suffer a great deal because of the elders, the high priests, and the scribes. Then he would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God be merciful to you, Lord! This must never happen to you!”
23 But Jesus[o] turned and told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an offense[p] to me, because you are not thinking God’s thoughts but human thoughts!”
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow me continuously. 25 Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it, 26 because what profit will a person have if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life? 27 The Son of Man is going to come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to what he has done. 28 I tell all of you[q] with certainty, some people standing here will not experience[r] death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Jesus’ Appearance is Changed(E)
17 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 His appearance was changed in front of them, his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.[s]
4 Then Peter told Jesus, “Lord, it’s good that we’re here! If you want, I’ll set up three shelters[t]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when a bright cloud suddenly overshadowed them.
A voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with him. Keep on listening to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
7 But Jesus came up to them and touched them, saying, “Get up, and stop being afraid.” 8 When they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus all by himself.
9 On their way down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Don’t tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
10 So the disciples asked him, “Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
11 He answered them, “Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, yet people[u] did not recognize him and treated him just as they pleased. In the same way, the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he had been speaking to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon(F)
14 As they approached the crowd, a man came up to Jesus,[v] knelt down in front of him, 15 and said, “Sir,[w] have mercy on my son, because he is an epileptic and suffers terribly. Often he falls into fire and often into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”
17 Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverted generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed that very hour.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20 He told them, “Because of your lack of faith.[x] I tell all of you[y] with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.”[z]
Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection(G)
22 While they were gathering together[aa] in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands. 23 They will kill him, but he will be raised on the third day.” Then they were filled with grief.
Questions about the Temple Tax
24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax[ab] came up to Peter and asked, “Your teacher pays the temple tax,[ac] doesn’t he?”
25 He answered, “Yes.”
When Peter[ad] went home,[ae] Jesus spoke to him first and asked him, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings on the earth collect tolls or tributes? From their own subjects,[af] or from foreigners?”
26 “From foreigners,” he replied.
So Jesus told him, “In that case, the subjects[ag] are exempt. 27 However, so that we don’t offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth, and you will find a coin.[ah] Take it and give it to them for me and you.”
True Greatness(H)
18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom from[ai] heaven?”
2 Calling a little child forward, he had him stand among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell all of you[aj] with certainty, unless you change[ak] and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom from[al] heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom from[am] heaven, 5 and whoever receives a little child like this in my name receives me.”
Causing Others to Sin(I)
6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned at the bottom of the sea. 7 How terrible it will be for the world due to its temptations to sin! Temptations to sin are bound to happen, but how terrible it will be for that person who causes someone to sin!
8 “So if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life injured or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell[an] fire.
10 “See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, because I tell you, their angels in heaven always have access to my Father in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man came to save the lost.”[ao]
The Parable about the Faithful Shepherd(J)
12 “What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays, he leaves the 99 in the hills and goes to look for the one that has strayed, doesn’t he? 13 If he finds it, I tell all of you[ap] with certainty that he rejoices over it more than over the 99 that haven’t strayed. 14 In the same way, it is not the will of your[aq] Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.”
Dealing with a Brother who Sins(K)
15 “If your brother sins against you,[ar] go and confront him while the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two others with you so that ‘every word may be confirmed by the testimony[as] of two or three witnesses.’[at] 17 If, however, he ignores them, tell it to the congregation.[au] If he also ignores the congregation,[av] regard him as an unbeliever[aw] and a tax collector.
18 “I tell all of you[ax] with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited[ay] in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted[az] in heaven. 19 Furthermore, I tell all of you[ba] with certainty that if two of you agree on earth about anything you request, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven, 20 because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.”
The Parable about an Unforgiving Servant
21 Then Peter came up and asked him, “Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? Seven times?”
22 Jesus told him, “I tell you, not just seven times, but 77 times![bb] 23 “That is why the kingdom from[bc] heaven may be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he had begun to settle the accounts, a person who owed him 10,000 talents[bd] was brought to him. 25 Because he couldn’t pay, his master ordered him, his wife, his children, and everything that he owned to be sold so that payment could be made. 26 Then the servant fell down and bowed low before him, saying, ‘Be patient[be] with me, and I will repay you everything!’ 27 The master of that servant had compassion and released him, canceling his debt.
28 “But when that servant went away, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[bf] He grabbed him, seized him by the throat, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29 Then his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me and I will repay you!’ 30 But he refused and had him thrown into prison until he could repay the debt.
31 “When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very disturbed and went and reported to their master everything that had occurred. 32 Then his master sent for him and told him, ‘You evil servant! I canceled that entire debt for you because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers until he could repay the entire debt. 35 This is how my heavenly Father will treat each one of you unless you forgive your brother from your hearts.”
Teaching about Divorce(L)
19 When Jesus had finished saying these things,[bg] he left Galilee and went to the territory of Judea on the other side[bh] of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 Some Pharisees came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man[bi] to divorce his wife for any reason?”
4 He answered them, “Haven’t you read that the one who made[bj] them at the beginning ‘made them male and female’[bk] 5 and said, ‘That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?[bl] 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate.”
7 They asked him, “Why, then, did Moses order us ‘to give a certificate of divorce and divorce her’?”[bm]
8 He told them, “It was because of your hardness of heart that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning it was not this way. 9 I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”[bn]
10 His disciples asked him, “If that is the relationship of a man with his wife, it’s not worth getting married!”
11 “Not everyone can accept this saying,” he replied, “except those to whom celibacy[bo] has been granted, 12 because some men are celibate from birth,[bp] while some are celibate because they have been made that way by others. Still others are celibate because they have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom from[bq] heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”
Jesus Blesses the Little Children(M)
13 Then some little children were brought to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked those who brought[br] them. 14 Jesus, however, said, “Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom from[bs] heaven belongs to people like these.” 15 When he had laid his hands on them, he went on from there.
A Rich Man Comes to Jesus(N)
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus.[bt] “Teacher,”[bu] he asked, “what good deed should I do to have eternal life?”
17 Jesus[bv] asked him, “Why ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.[bw] If you want to get into that life, you must keep the commandments.”
18 The young man[bx] asked him, “Which ones?”
Jesus said, “‘You must not murder,[by] you must not commit adultery,[bz] you must not steal,[ca] you must not give false testimony,[cb] 19 honor your father and mother,’[cc] and, ‘you must love your neighbor as yourself.’”[cd]
20 The young man told him, “I have kept all of these.[ce] What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money[cf] to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this statement he went away sad, because he had many possessions.
Salvation and Reward(O)
23 Then Jesus told his disciples, “I tell all of you[cg] with certainty, it will be hard for a rich person to get into the kingdom from[ch] heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were completely astonished. “Who, then, can be saved?” they asked.
26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “For humans this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”
27 “Look!” Peter replied. “We have left everything and followed you. So what will we get?”
28 Jesus told them, “I tell all of you[ci] with certainty, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne in the renewed creation, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, governing the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 In fact, everyone who has left his homes, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times as much[cj] and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
The Workers in the Vineyard
20 “The kingdom from[ck] heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing to pay the workers one denarius[cl] a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock,[cm] he saw others standing in the marketplace without work. 4 He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard, too, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So off they went. He went out again about noon[cn] and about three o’clock[co] and did the same thing. 6 About five o’clock[cp] he went out and found some others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why are you standing here all day long without work?’ 7 They told him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard as well.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his manager, ‘Call the workers and give them their wages, beginning with the last and ending with[cq] the first.’ 9 Those who were hired at five o’clock[cr] came, and each received a denarius.
10 “When the first came, they thought they would receive more, but each received a denarius as well. 11 When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner, 12 ‘These last fellows worked only one hour, but you paid them the same as us, and we’ve been working all day,[cs] enduring the scorching heat!’
13 “But he told one of them, ‘Friend, I’m not treating you unfairly. You did agree with me for a denarius, didn’t you? 14 Take what is yours and go. I want to give this last man as much as I gave you.[ct] 15 I am allowed to do what I want with my own money,[cu] am I not? Or are you envious[cv] because I’m generous?’
16 “In the same way, the last will be first, and the first will be last, because many are called, but few are chosen.”[cw]
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Third Time(P)
17 When Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples[cx] aside and told them as they were walking along, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the high priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death. 19 Then they will hand him over to unbelievers[cy] to be mocked, whipped, and crucified, but on the third day he will be raised.”
The Request of James and John(Q)
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus[cz] with her sons. She bowed down in front of him to ask him for a favor. 21 He asked her, “What do you want?”
She told him, “Promise[da] that in your kingdom these two sons of mine will sit on your right and on your left.”
22 Jesus replied, “You don’t realize what you’re asking. Can you drink from the cup that I’m going to drink from?”[db]
They told him, “We can.”
23 He told them, “You will indeed drink from my cup. But it’s not up to me to grant you a seat at my right hand or at my left. These positions have already been prepared for others by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard this, they became furious with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called the disciples[dc] and said, “You know that the rulers of the unbelievers[dd] lord it over them and their superiors act like tyrants over them. 26 That’s not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. 28 That’s the way it is with the Son of Man. He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men(R)
29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Jesus.[de] 30 When two blind men who were sitting by the roadside heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Have mercy on us, Lord,[df] Son of David!” 31 When the crowd told them harshly to be silent, they shouted even louder, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”
32 Jesus stopped and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 They told him, “Lord, we want to be able to see!”[dg] 34 Then Jesus, deeply moved with compassion, touched their eyes, and at once they could see again. So they followed him.
The King Enters Jerusalem(S)
21 When they came near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples on ahead and 2 told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied up and a colt with it. Untie them, and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and that person will send them at once.”
4 Now this happened to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet when he said,
5 “Tell the daughter[dh] of Zion,
‘Look, your king is coming to you![di]
He is humble and mounted on a donkey,
even on a colt of a donkey.’”[dj]
6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put their coats on them, and he sat upon them. 8 Many people in the crowd spread their own coats on the road, while others began cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Both the crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed him kept shouting,
“Hosanna[dk] to the Son of David!
How blessed is the one who comes
in the name of the Lord![dl]
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”[dm]
10 When he came into Jerusalem, the whole city was trembling with excitement. The people[dn] were asking, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds kept saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, the man from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Confrontation in the Temple over Money(T)
12 Then Jesus went into the Temple,[do] threw out everyone who was selling and buying in the Temple, and overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the chairs of those who sold doves. 13 He told them, “It is written, ‘My house is to be called a house of prayer,’[dp] but you are turning it into a hideout[dq] for bandits!”
14 Blind and lame people came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the high priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he had done and the children shouting in the Temple, “Hosanna[dr] to the Son of David,” they became furious 16 and asked him, “Do you hear what these people are saying?”
Jesus told them, “Yes! Haven’t you ever read, ‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have created praise’?”[ds] 17 Then he left them and went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree(U)
18 In the morning, as Jesus[dt] was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the roadside, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. He told it, “May fruit never come from you again!” And immediately the fig tree dried up.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?” they asked.
21 Jesus answered them, “I tell all of you[du] with certainty, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you be able to do what has been done to the fig tree, but you will also say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22 You will receive whatever you ask for in prayer, if you believe.”
Jesus’ Authority is Challenged(V)
23 Then Jesus[dv] went into the Temple. While he was teaching, the high priests and the elders of the people came to him and asked, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus answered them, “I, too, will ask you one question.[dw] If you answer it for me, I will also tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 Where did John’s authority to baptize[dx] come from? From heaven or from humans?”
They began discussing this among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From humans,’ we are afraid of the crowd, because everyone regards John as a prophet.” 27 So they told Jesus, “We don’t know.”
He in turn told them, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
The Parable about Two Sons
28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 His son[dy] replied, ‘I don’t want to,’ but later he changed his mind and went. 30 Then the father[dz] went to the other son[ea] and told him the same thing. He replied, ‘I will,[eb] sir,’ but he didn’t go. 31 Which of the two did the father’s will?”
They answered, “The first one.”
Jesus told them, “I tell all of you[ec] with certainty, tax collectors and prostitutes will get into God’s kingdom ahead of you! 32 John came to you living a righteous life,[ed] and you didn’t believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. But even when you saw that, you didn’t change your minds[ee] at last and believe him.”
The Parable about the Tenant Farmers(W)
33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a wall around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went abroad. 34 When harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenant farmers to collect his produce. 35 But the farmers took his servants and beat one, killed another, and attacked another with stones. 36 Again, he sent other servants to them, a greater number than the first, but the tenant farmers[ef] treated them the same way. 37 Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they told one another, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’ 39 So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do to those farmers?”
41 They told him, “He will put those horrible men to a horrible death. Then he will lease the vineyard to other farmers who will give him his produce at harvest time.”
42 Jesus asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures,
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.[eg]
This was the Lord’s[eh] doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes.’?[ei]
43 That is why I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce fruit for it. 44 The person who falls over this stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”[ej]
45 When the high priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was talking about them. 46 Although they wanted to arrest him, they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus[ek] to be a prophet.
The Parable about a Banquet(X)
22 Again Jesus spoke to them in parables. He said, 2 “The kingdom from[el] heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding, but they refused to come. 4 So[em] he sent other servants after saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! I’ve prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened calves have been slaughtered. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding!”’ 5 But they paid no attention to this and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest grabbed the king’s[en] servants, treated them brutally, and then killed them. 7 Then the king became outraged. He sent his troops, and they destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 “Then he told his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 So go into the roads leading out of town and invite as many people as you can find to the wedding.’ 10 Those servants went out into the streets and brought in everyone they found, evil and good alike, and the wedding hall was packed with guests.
11 “When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man[eo] was speechless. 13 Then the king told his servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into the darkness outside!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,[ep] 14 because many are invited, but few are chosen.”
A Question about Paying Taxes(Y)
15 Then the Pharisees went and planned how to trap Jesus[eq] in conversation. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.[er] They said, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere and that you teach the way of God truthfully. You don’t favor any individual, because you pay no attention to external appearance. 17 So tell us what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
18 Recognizing their wickedness, Jesus asked, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax.”
They brought him a denarius.[es] 20 Then he asked them, “Whose face and name is this?”
21 They told him, “Caesar’s.”
So he told them, “Then give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. Then they left him and went away.
A Question about the Resurrection(Z)
23 That same day some Sadducees, who claim there is no resurrection, came to Jesus[et] and asked him, 24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for his brother.’[eu] 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his widow to his brother. 26 The same thing happened with the second brother, and then the third, and finally with the rest of the brothers.[ev] 27 Finally, the woman died, too. 28 Now in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be, since all of them had married[ew] her?”
29 Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken because you don’t know the Scriptures or God’s power, 30 because in the resurrection, people[ex] neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels[ey] in heaven. 31 As for the resurrection from the dead, haven’t you read what was spoken to you by God when he said, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?[ez] He[fa] is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.
The Greatest Commandment(AA)
34 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus[fb] had silenced the Sadducees, they met together in the same place. 35 One of them, an expert in the Law, tested him by asking, 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus[fc] told him, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[fd] 38 This is the greatest and most important[fe] commandment. 39 The second is exactly like it: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’[ff] 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.”
A Question about David’s Son(AB)
41 While the Pharisees were still[fg] gathered, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah?[fh] Whose son is he?”
They told him, “David’s.”
43 He asked them, “Then how can David by the Spirit call him ‘Lord’ when he says,
44 ‘The Lord[fi] told my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.”’?[fj]
45 If David calls him ‘Lord’, how can he be his son?”
46 No one could answer him at all,[fk] and from that day on no one dared to ask him another question.
Jesus Denounces the Scribes and the Pharisees(AC)
23 Then Jesus told the crowds and his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees administer the authority of Moses,[fl] 3 so do whatever they tell you and follow it, but stop doing what they do, because they don’t do what they say. 4 They tie up burdens that are heavy and unbearable and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they refuse to lift a finger to remove them.
5 “They do everything to be seen by people. They increase the size of their phylacteries[fm] and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6 They love to have the places of honor at festivals, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 to be greeted in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’[fn] by people.
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’[fo] because you have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers. 9 And don’t call anyone on earth ‘Father,’ because you have only one Father, the one in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ‘Teachers,’ because you have only one teacher, the Messiah![fp] 11 The person who is greatest among you must be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom from[fq] heaven in people’s faces. You don’t go in yourselves, and you don’t allow those who are trying to enter to go in.
14 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and say long prayers to cover it up. Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation![fr]
15 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make a single convert, and when this happens you make him twice as fit for[fs] hell[ft] as you are.
16 “How terrible it will be for you, blind guides! You say, ‘Whoever swears an oath by the sanctuary is excused,[fu] but whoever swears an oath by the gold of the sanctuary must keep his oath.’[fv] 17 You blind fools! What is more important, the gold or the sanctuary that made the gold holy? 18 Again you say,[fw] ‘Whoever swears an oath by the altar is excused,[fx] but whoever swears by the gift that is on it must keep his oath.’[fy] 19 You blind men![fz] Which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? 20 Therefore, the one who swears an oath by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 The one who swears an oath by the sanctuary swears by it and by the one who lives there. 22 And the one who swears an oath by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
23 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, dill, and cummin, but have neglected the more important matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness.[ga] These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides! You filter out a gnat, yet swallow a camel!
25 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but on the inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup,[gb] so that its outside may also be clean.
27 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people’s bones and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. 30 Then you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our ancestors, we would have had no part with them in shedding[gc] the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Therefore, you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Then finish what your ancestors started![gd] 33 You snakes, you children of serpents! How can you escape being condemned to hell?[ge]
34 “That is why I am sending you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will whip in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. 35 As a result, you will be held accountable for[gf] all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of the righteous Abel[gg] to the blood of Berechiah’s son Zechariah,[gh] whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 I tell all of you[gi] with certainty, all these things will happen to those living today.”[gj]
Jesus Rebukes Jerusalem(AD)
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones to death those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! 38 Look! Your house is left abandoned! 39 I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘How blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”[gk]
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple(AE)
24 After Jesus had left the Temple and was walking away, his disciples came up to him to point out to him the Temple buildings. 2 But in reply he responded to them, “You see all these things, don’t you? I tell all of you[gl] with certainty, not even a single stone here will be left standing on top of another that won’t be completely demolished.”
Cults, Revolutions, Famines, and Earthquakes(AF)
3 Now while Jesus[gm] was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 In reply, Jesus told them, “See to it that no one deceives you, 5 because many will come in my name, proclaiming, ‘I’m the Messiah,’[gn] and they will deceive many people. 6 You’ll begin to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you don’t panic. These things must take place, but the end won’t have come yet, 7 because nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are only a beginning of agonies.”
Future Persecution, Apostasy, and Evangelism(AG)
9 “Then they’ll hand you over to suffer[go] and will kill you, and you’ll be hated by all the nations[gp] on account of my name. 10 Then many people will fall away, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people, 12 and because lawlessness will increase, the love of many people will grow cold. 13 But the person who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the inhabited world as a testimony to all nations,[gq] and then the end will come.”
Signs of the End(AH)
15 “So when you see the destructive desecration, mentioned by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place (let the reader take note),[gr] 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 Anyone who’s on the housetop must not come down to get what is in his house, 18 and anyone who’s in the field must not turn back to get his coat.
19 “How terrible it will be for women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days! 20 Pray that it may not be in winter or on a Sabbath when you flee, 21 because at that time there will be great suffering,[gs] the kind that hasn’t happened from the beginning of the world until now and certainly won’t ever happen again. 22 If those days hadn’t been shortened, no one[gt] would survive. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened.
23 “At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look here! The Messiah!’[gu] or ‘There he is!’,[gv] don’t believe it, 24 because false messiahs[gw] and false prophets will have arisen and will produce great signs and startling demonstrations so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 Remember, I’ve told you beforehand. 26 So if they say to you, ‘Look! He’s in the wilderness,’ don’t go out looking for him.[gx] And if they say, ‘Look! He’s in the storeroom,’ don’t believe it, 27 because just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there’s a corpse, there the vultures[gy] will gather.
The Coming of the Son of Man(AI)
29 “Now immediately after the troubles[gz] of those days,
‘The sun will be darkened,
the moon will not reflect its light,
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers from the heavens will be disrupted.’[ha]
30 Then the sign that is the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all ‘the tribes of the land[hb] will mourn’[hc] as they see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’[hd] with power and great glory. 31 He’ll send out his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they’ll gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another.”
The Lesson from the Fig Tree(AJ)
32 “Now learn a lesson[he] from the fig tree. When its branches become tender and it produces leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you’ll know that the Son of Man[hf] is near, right at the door. 34 I tell all of you[hg] with certainty, this generation won’t disappear until these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”
The Unknown Day and Hour of Messiah’s Return(AK)
36 “No one knows when that day and hour will come[hh]—neither the heavenly angels nor the Son,[hi] but only the Father, 37 because just as it was in Noah’s time, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. 38 In those days before the flood, people[hj] were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage right up to the day when Noah went into the ark. 39 They were unaware of what was happening[hk] until the flood came and swept all of them away. That’s how it will be when the Son of Man appears. 40 At that time, two people will be in the field. One will be taken, and one will be left behind. 41 Two women will be grinding grain[hl] at the mill. One will be taken, and one will be left behind.
42 “So keep on watching, because you don’t know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But be sure of this: if the owner of the house had known when during[hm] the night the thief would be coming, he would have stayed awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 So you, too, must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you are not expecting.”
The Faithful or the Wicked Servant(AL)
45 “Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give the others[hn] their food at the right time? 46 How blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing this when he comes! 47 I tell all of you[ho] with certainty, he will put him in charge of all his property.
48 “But if that wicked servant says to himself,[hp] ‘My master has been delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eat and drink with the drunks, 50 that servant’s master will come on a day when he doesn’t expect him and at an hour that he doesn’t know. 51 Then his master[hq] will punish him severely[hr] and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”[hs]
The Parable about the Ten Bridesmaids
25 “At that time, the kingdom from[ht] heaven will be comparable to ten bridesmaids[hu] who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the groom.[hv] 2 Now five of them were foolish, and five were wise, 3 because when the foolish ones took their lamps, they didn’t take any oil with them. 4 But the wise ones took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 Since the groom was late, all of them became sleepy and lay down. 6 But at midnight there came a shout: ‘The groom is here! Come out to meet him!’ 7 Then all the bridesmaids[hw] woke up and got their lamps ready.
8 “But the foolish ones told the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out!’
9 “But the wise ones replied, ‘No! There will never be enough for us and for you. You’d better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “While they were away buying it, the groom arrived. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was closed. 11 Later, the other bridesmaids[hx] arrived and said, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘I tell all of you[hy] with certainty, I don’t know you!’ 13 So keep on watching, because you don’t know the day or the hour.”[hz]
The Parable about the Talents
14 “Similarly, it is like a man going on a trip, who called his servants and turned his money over to them. 15 To one man he gave five talents,[ia] to another two, and to another one, based on their ability. Then he went on his trip.
16 “The one who received five talents[ib] went out at once and invested them and earned five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two talents[ic] earned two more. 18 But the one who received one talent[id] went off, dug a hole in the ground, and buried his master’s money.
19 “After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received five talents came up and brought five more talents. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’
21 “His master told him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant! Since you’ve been trustworthy with a small amount, I’ll put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master’s joy!’
22 “The one with two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.
23 “His master told him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant! Since you’ve been trustworthy with a small amount, I’ll put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master’s joy!’
24 “Then the one who had received one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you haven’t planted and gathering where you haven’t scattered any seed. 25 Since I was afraid, I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here, take what’s yours!’
26 “His master answered him, ‘You evil and lazy servant! So you knew that I harvested where I haven’t planted and gathered where I haven’t scattered any seed? 27 Then you should’ve invested my money with the bankers. When I returned, I would’ve received my money back with interest.’ 28 Then the master said,[ie] ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the man who has the ten talents, 29 because to everyone who has something, more will be given, and he’ll have more than enough. But from the person who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away from him. 30 Throw this useless servant into the darkness outside! In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”[if]
The Judgment of the Nations
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be assembled in front of him, and he will cull them out, one from another, like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left.
34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, 35 because I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you welcomed me. 36 I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then the righteous will say to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or see you naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’
40 The king will answer them, ‘I tell all of you[ig] with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who are accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the Devil and his angels! 42 Here’s why: I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t welcome me. I was naked, and you didn’t clothe me. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t help you?’
45 Then he will say to them, ‘I tell all of you[ih] with certainty, since you didn’t do it for one of the least important of these, you didn’t do it for me.’ 46 These people will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go[ii] into eternal life.”
The Plot to Kill Jesus(AM)
26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things,[ij] he told his disciples, 2 “You know that the Passover will take place in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the high priests and the elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 4 They conspired to arrest Jesus by treachery and to kill him. 5 But they kept saying, “This must not happen during the festival. Otherwise, there’ll be a riot among the people.”
A Woman Anoints Jesus(AN)
6 While Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and poured it on his head while he sat at the table. 8 But when the disciples saw this, they became irritated and said, “Why this waste? 9 Surely this perfume could’ve been sold for a high price and the money[ik] given to the destitute.”
10 But knowing this,[il] Jesus asked them, “Why are you bothering the woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 11 You’ll always have the destitute with you, but you’ll not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she was preparing me for burial. 13 I tell all of you[im] with certainty, wherever this gospel is proclaimed throughout the whole world, what she has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus(AO)
14 Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the high priests 15 and inquired, “What are you willing to give me if I betray Jesus[in] to you?” They offered him 30 pieces of silver, 16 and from then on he began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.[io]
The Passover with the Disciples(AP)
17 On the first day of the Festival[ip] of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?”
18 He said, “Go to a certain man in the city and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.”’”[iq] 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
20 When evening came, Jesus[ir] was sitting at the table with the Twelve.[is] 21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell all of you[it] with certainty, one of you is going to betray me.”
22 Feeling deeply distressed, each one began to ask him, “Surely I am not the one, Lord?”
23 He replied, “The man who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man is going away, just as it has been written about him. How terrible it will be for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born.”
25 Then Judas, who was going to betray him, asked, “Rabbi,[iu] I’m not the one, am I?”
Jesus[iv] told him, “You have said so.”
The Lord’s Supper(AQ)
26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and handed it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it. This is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 28 because this is my blood of the new[iw] covenant that is being poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell all of you[ix] I will never again drink the product of the vine until that day when I drink it with you once again in my Father’s kingdom.”
30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(AR)
31 Then Jesus told them, “All of you will turn against me this very night, because it is written,
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’[iy]
32 However, after I have been raised, I will go to Galilee ahead of you.”
33 But Peter told him, “Even if everyone else turns against you, I certainly won’t!”
34 Jesus told him, “I tell you[iz] with certainty, before a rooster crows this very night, you will deny me three times.”
35 Peter told him, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the disciples said the same thing.
Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane(AS)
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. He told the disciples, “Sit down here while I go over there and pray.” 37 Taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, he began to be grieved and troubled. 38 Then he told them, “I’m so deeply grieved that I feel I’m about to die. Wait here and stay awake with me.”
39 Going on a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, “O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not what I want but what you want.”
40 When he went back to the disciples, he found them asleep. He told Peter, “So, you men couldn’t stay awake with me for one hour, could you? 41 All of you must stay awake and pray that you won’t be tempted. The spirit is indeed willing, but the body[ja] is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot go away unless I drink it, let your will be done.” 43 Then he came back and found them asleep, because they could not keep their eyes open. 44 After leaving them again, he went away and prayed again for the third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then he came back to the disciples and told them, “You might as well keep on sleeping and resting.[jb] Look! The time is near for the Son of Man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up! Let’s go! See, the one who is betraying me is near!”
Jesus is Arrested(AT)
47 Just then, while Jesus[jc] was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. A large crowd armed with swords and clubs was with him. They were from the high priests and elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer personally had given them a signal, saying, “The one I kiss[jd] is the man. Arrest him.”
49 So Judas[je] immediately went up to Jesus and said, “Hello, Rabbi!”[jf] and kissed him tenderly.
50 Jesus asked him, “Friend, why are you here?”[jg] Then the other men[jh] surged forward, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him.
51 Suddenly, one of the men with Jesus reached out his hand, drew his sword, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. 52 Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place! Everyone who uses a sword will be killed by a sword. 53 Don’t you think that I could call on my Father, and he would send me more than twelve legions of angels now? 54 How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say this must happen?”
55 At this point,[ji] Jesus asked the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I were a bandit?[jj] Day after day I sat teaching in the Temple, yet you didn’t arrest me. 56 But all of this has happened so that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
Then all the disciples deserted Jesus[jk] and ran away.
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