New Testament in a Year
The Sign of Jonah
29 As[a] the crowds were increasing, Jesus[b] began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign,[c] but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.[d] 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh,[e] so the Son of Man will be a sign[f] to this generation.[g] 31 The queen of the South[h] will rise up at the judgment[i] with the people[j] of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon—and now,[k] something greater[l] than Solomon is here! 32 The people[m] of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them[n]—and now,[o] something greater than Jonah is here!
Internal Light
33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place[p] or under a basket,[q] but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy,[r] your whole body is full of light, but when it is diseased,[s] your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore see to it[t] that the light in you[u] is not darkness. 36 If[v] then[w] your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark,[x] it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”[y]
Rebuking the Pharisees and Experts in the Law
37 As he spoke,[z] a Pharisee[aa] invited Jesus[ab] to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table.[ac] 38 The[ad] Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus[ae] did not first wash his hands[af] before the meal. 39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean[ag] the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.[ah] 40 You fools![ai] Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside as well?[aj] 41 But give from your heart to those in need,[ak] and[al] then everything will be clean for you.[am]
42 “But woe to you Pharisees![an] You give a tenth[ao] of your mint,[ap] rue,[aq] and every herb, yet you neglect justice[ar] and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others.[as] 43 Woe to you Pharisees! You love the best seats[at] in the synagogues[au] and elaborate greetings[av] in the marketplaces![aw] 44 Woe to you![ax] You are like unmarked graves, and people[ay] walk over them without realizing it!”[az]
45 One of the experts in religious law[ba] answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult[bb] us too.” 46 But Jesus[bc] replied,[bd] “Woe to you experts in religious law as well![be] You load people[bf] down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch[bg] the burdens with even one of your fingers! 47 Woe to you! You build[bh] the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors[bi] killed. 48 So you testify that you approve of[bj] the deeds of your ancestors,[bk] because they killed the prophets[bl] and you build their[bm] tombs![bn] 49 For this reason also the wisdom[bo] of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that this generation may be held accountable[bp] for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning[bq] of the world,[br] 51 from the blood of Abel[bs] to the blood of Zechariah,[bt] who was killed[bu] between the altar and the sanctuary.[bv] Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against[bw] this generation. 52 Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away[bx] the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered[by] those who were going in.”
53 When he went out from there, the experts in the law[bz] and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly,[ca] and to ask him hostile questions[cb] about many things, 54 plotting against[cc] him, to catch[cd] him in something he might say.
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