New Testament in a Year
Lord of the Sabbath
6 Jesus[a] was going through the grain fields on[b] a Sabbath,[c] and his disciples picked some heads of wheat,[d] rubbed them in their hands, and ate them.[e] 2 But some of the Pharisees[f] said, “Why are you[g] doing what is against the law[h] on the Sabbath?” 3 Jesus[i] answered them,[j] “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry— 4 how he entered the house of God, took[k] and ate the sacred bread,[l] which is not lawful[m] for any to eat but the priests alone, and[n] gave it to his companions?”[o] 5 Then[p] he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord[q] of the Sabbath.”
Healing a Withered Hand
6 On[r] another Sabbath, Jesus[s] entered the synagogue[t] and was teaching. Now[u] a man was there whose right hand was withered.[v] 7 The experts in the law[w] and the Pharisees[x] watched[y] Jesus[z] closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath,[aa] so that they could find a reason to accuse him. 8 But[ab] he knew[ac] their thoughts,[ad] and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Get up and stand here.”[ae] So[af] he rose and stood there. 9 Then[ag] Jesus said to them, “I ask you,[ah] is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?” 10 After[ai] looking around[aj] at them all, he said to the man,[ak] “Stretch out your hand.” The man[al] did so, and his hand was restored.[am] 11 But they were filled with mindless rage[an] and began debating with one another what they would do[ao] to Jesus.
Choosing the Twelve Apostles
12 Now[ap] it was during this time that Jesus[aq] went out to the mountain[ar] to pray, and he spent all night[as] in prayer to God.[at] 13 When[au] morning came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:[av] 14 Simon[aw] (whom he named Peter), and his brother Andrew; and James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,[ax] 15 Matthew, Thomas,[ay] James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,[az] 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot,[ba] who became a traitor.
The Sermon on the Plain
17 Then[bb] he came down with them and stood on a level place.[bc] And a large number[bd] of his disciples had gathered[be] along with[bf] a vast multitude from all over Judea, from[bg] Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.[bh] They came to hear him and to be healed[bi] of their diseases, 18 and those who suffered from[bj] unclean[bk] spirits were cured. 19 The[bl] whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power[bm] was coming out from him and healing them all.
20 Then[bn] he looked up[bo] at his disciples and said:
“Blessed[bp] are you who are poor,[bq] for the kingdom of God belongs[br] to you.
21 “Blessed are you who hunger[bs] now, for you will be satisfied.[bt]
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.[bu]
22 “Blessed are you when people[bv] hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil[bw] on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because[bx] your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors[by] did the same things to the prophets.[bz]
24 “But woe[ca] to you who are rich, for you have received[cb] your comfort[cc] already.
25 “Woe to you who are well satisfied with food[cd] now, for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you[ce] who laugh[cf] now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 “Woe to you[cg] when all people[ch] speak well of you, for their ancestors[ci] did the same things to the false prophets.
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