Bible Verse Lookup

The Twelve

Jesus called his Twelve disciples to him and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.

These are the names of the Twelve apostles: first, Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew;

James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

Simon, the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, the man who would betray him.

Mission of the Twelve

Jesus sent these Twelve on a mission with the instructions: “Do not visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town.

Go, instead, to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.

Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near.

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Do not carry any gold, silver, or money in your purses.

Do not bring a travel bag, an extra shirt, sandals, or a walking stick: workers deserve compensation.

When you arrive in a town or village, seek out a worthy person, and remain there until you leave.

When you enter the house, wish it peace.

If the people are worthy, your peace will rest on them; if they are not, your blessing will come back to you.

And if you are not welcomed, and your words are not listened to, leave that house or that town, and shake the dust off your feet.

I assure you, the people of Sodom and Gomorrah will have an easier time on the day of judgment than the people of that town.

Warning of Persecution

See, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. You must be as clever as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Be cautious around people, for they will turn you over to their courts and flog you in their synagogues.

You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake as a witness to them and to the pagans.

But when you are arrested, don’t worry about what to say or how to say it; when the time comes, you will be given what to say.

For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Brother will give his brother over to death, and a father to his child; children will turn against their parents and have them put to death.

Everyone will hate you because of me, but anyone who stays firm until the end will be saved.

When they persecute you in one town, escape to the next. I assure you, you won’t have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

A student is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.

A student should be content to become like his teacher and the slave like his master. If the head of the household has been called Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!

Exhortation to Courage

So, do not be afraid of them. Nothing hidden will remain secret. Everything concealed will eventually be revealed.

What I tell you in secret, you must speak openly; what you hear in private, proclaim from the rooftops.

Do not fear those who can only kill the body, but cannot harm the soul. Instead, fear the one who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna.

For just a few cents, you can buy two sparrows. Yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father knowing.

As for you, every hair on your head has been counted.

Don’t be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows!

Choice for Jesus

Whoever acknowledges me in front of others, I will acknowledge them before my Father in heaven.

Whoever rejects me in front of others, I will reject them before my Father in heaven.

Radical Discipleship

Don’t think I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

Each one will have enemies from their own family.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rewards

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes him who sent me.

Whoever welcomes a prophet will receive the reward of a prophet; the one who welcomes a just man, because he is a just man, will receive the reward of a just man.

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, because he is my disciple, I assure you, he will not lose his reward.

After Jesus finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their towns.

About John the Baptist

When John the Baptist heard in prison about the deeds of Christ, he sent a message through his disciples

asking him:

“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus answered them:

“Go and tell John what you hear and see:

the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor hear the good news;

and how fortunate is the one who does not take offense at me!”

As the messengers departed, Jesus started speaking to the crowds about John:

“When you went out to the desert, what did you expect to see? A reed swept by the wind?

What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? People who wear fine clothes live in palaces.

What was it that you truly went out to see? A prophet? Yes, indeed, and even more than a prophet.

He is the man of whom Scripture says:

I send my messenger ahead of you to prepare the way before you.

I tell you this: no one greater than John the Baptist has ever been born of women, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is something to be conquered, and the violent take it by force.

All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John.

And if you trust me, John truly is that Elijah whose return was foretold.

Let anyone with ears listen!

Now, what can I compare the people of this time to? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, about whom their friends complain:

We played the flute for you,

but you wouldn’t dance.

We sang a funeral song,

but you wouldn’t cry!

For John came fasting, and people said, ‘He is possessed by a demon!’

Then the Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and people said, ‘Look at this man: a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Yet, wisdom is vindicated by her works.

He Reproves the Cities of Galilee

Then Jesus started to condemn the cities where he had done most of his miracles because the people there did not repent:

“Alas for you, Chorazin and Bethsaida! If the miracles performed in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

But I assure you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? You will be brought down to the realm of the dead! For if the miracles performed in you had been done in Sodom, it would still be standing today!

But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than it will be for you.”

The Father and the Son

At that time, Jesus said:

“Father, LORD of heaven and earth, I praise you because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to simple people.

Yes, Father, this was your gracious will.

Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus and the Sabbath

One day, Jesus was walking through the wheat fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they started to pick some heads of wheat to crush and eat the grain.

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus:

“Look at your disciples! They are doing what is forbidden on the Sabbath!”

Jesus answered:

“Have you not read what David did when he and his men were hungry?

He entered the House of God and they ate the bread offered to God, even though neither he nor his men had the right to eat it, which was reserved only for the priests.

And haven’t you read in the law how, on the Sabbath, the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, yet they are not considered guilty?

I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.

If you truly understood the meaning of the words: ‘It is mercy I want, not sacrifice’; you would not have condemned the innocent.

For the Son of Man is LORD of the Sabbath.”

Jesus then departed from that place and entered one of their synagogues.

A man was there with a paralyzed hand, and those who wanted to accuse Jesus asked him: “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?”

He said to them:

“What if one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath? Would you not take hold of your sheep and lift it out?

Is a human being less deserving of help than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Then Jesus said to the man:

“Stretch out your hand.”

He stretched it out, and it was fully restored, just as sound as the other one.

Then the Pharisees went out and plotted to eliminate Jesus.

Since Jesus knew their plans, he left that place.

Jesus, the Servant of God

Many people followed him, and he healed everyone who was sick.

But he gave them strict orders not to let him be known.

Thus, Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled:

Here is my servant whom I have chosen,

the one I love and with whom I am pleased.

I will put my spirit upon him,

and he will proclaim my judgment

to the nations.

He will not argue or shout,

nor will his voice be heard in the streets.

The bruised reed he will not crush,

nor snuff out the smoldering wick

until he brings justice to victory.

And in him, all the nations

will put their hope.

Jesus and Satan

Then some people brought to him a man possessed by a demon who was blind and mute. Jesus healed the man, and he was able to speak and see again.

Everyone in the crowd was amazed and said:

“Could he be the Son of David?”

When the Pharisees heard this, they said:

“It is by Beelzebul, prince of the devils, that this man drives out devils.”

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them:

“Every kingdom that is divided against itself is destroyed; and every city or family that is divided against itself will not last long.

If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided; then how can his kingdom last?

And if I drive out devils by Beelzebul, then whom do your own people use to cast them out? For this reason, they will be your judges.

But if I drive out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you.

How can anyone break into the strong man’s house and steal his belongings unless they first tie him up? Only then can they plunder his house.

The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters.

And so I tell you this: people can be forgiven for any sin and any evil thing they say against God, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

And whoever speaks against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either now or in the age to come.

A healthy tree produces healthy fruit; a rotten tree produces rotten fruit. You can tell a tree by its fruit.

You brood of vipers, how can you say anything good when you are so evil? For the mouth speaks what fills the heart.

A good person brings forth good out of a store of goodness, and an evil person brings forth evil out of a store of evil.

I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will have to account for every careless word they have spoken.

Your words will reveal if you’re innocent or guilty.”

The Sign of Jonah

Then, some teachers of the law and some Pharisees spoke up:

“Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

Jesus answered them:

“An evil and unfaithful people seek a sign; but no sign will be given them except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Similarly, as Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so the Son of Man will spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

At the judgment, the people of Nineveh will rise up with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah—and there is someone greater than Jonah here.

At the judgment, the Queen of the South will stand up and condemn you. She came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and here there is someone greater than Solomon.

When an evil spirit leaves a person, it wanders through empty wastelands searching for a place to rest but cannot find one.

Then it says, ‘I will go back to my house which I had to leave.’ So it returns and finds the house empty, clean, and in order.

Off it goes again, this time to bring back seven spirits more evil than itself. They enter and settle there, causing this person to end up in a worse state than at the beginning. This is what will happen to this evil generation.

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

While Jesus was talking to the people, his mother and brothers wanted to speak to him, so they waited outside.

So someone said to him:

“Your mother and your brothers are standing outside; they want to speak with you.”

Jesus asked:

“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

Then he pointed to his disciples and said:

“Look! Here are my mother and my brothers.

Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, sister, and mother.”

Parable of the Sower

That same day, Jesus left the house and sat down by the lakeside.

Many people gathered around him, so he got into a boat and sat down, while the crowds stood on the shore;

and he spoke to them in parables about many things.

Jesus said:

“The sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path; and the birds came and ate them up.

Other seeds fell on rocky ground where there was little soil, and the seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was not deep.

But as soon as the sun rose, the plants were scorched; and they withered, because they had no roots.

Again, other seeds fell among the thistles, which grew and choked the plants.

Still, other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop: some a hundredfold, others sixty, and others thirty.

If you have ears, then hear!”

Then his disciples came to him and asked:

“Why do you speak to them in parables?”

Jesus answered, “To you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but not to these people.

For those who have, more will be given, and they will have abundance. But those who do not have will lose even what they do have.

That is why I speak to them in parables; because they look but do not see, hear but do not listen or understand.

Within them, the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled:

Despite hearing,

you do not understand;

you shall indeed look but never see.

For the heart of this people

has grown dull.

Their ears hardly hear,

and their eyes dare not see.

If they were to see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

and understand with their heart,

they would turn back,

and I would heal them.

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear.

For I tell you, many prophets and righteous people have longed to see the things you see, but they did not see them; and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear them.

Explanation of the Parable of the Sower

Hear then the parable of the sower.

When someone hears the message of the kingdom but doesn’t take it seriously, the devil comes and takes away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed that fell along the footpath.

The seed that falls on rocky ground represents the person who hears the word and immediately accepts it with joy.

But such a person has no roots and only lasts for a short time. As soon as he is harassed or persecuted because of the word, he gives up.

The seed that falls among the thistles is the one who hears the word but then gets distracted by the worries of life and the love of money, which choke the word so it does not produce fruit.

As for the seed that falls on good soil, it is the one who hears the word and understands it; this seed bears fruit and produces a hundred, sixty, or thirty times more.”

Parable of the Weeds

Jesus told them another parable:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

While everyone was asleep, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.

When the plants sprouted and produced grain, the weeds also grew.

Then the owner’s servants came and asked him, ‘Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?’

He responded to them, ‘This is the work of an enemy.’ They asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’

He told them, ‘No, when you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat with it.

Let them grow together until harvest; and, at harvest time, I will say to the workers: Pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles, and burn them; then gather the wheat into my barn.”

Parable of the Mustard Seed

Jesus shared another parable with them:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.

It is smaller than all other seeds, but once it is fully grown, it is bigger than any garden plant; like a tree, the birds come and rest in its branches.”

Parable of the Yeast

He told them another parable:

“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until the whole batch of dough began to rise.”

Jesus taught these things to the crowds through parables; he didn’t speak to them without using a parable.

This fulfilled what the Prophet said:

I will speak in parables,

and I will reveal things kept secret

since the beginning of the world.

Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds

Then he sent the crowds away and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

Jesus answered them, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

The field represents the world; the good seed is the people of the kingdom; the weeds are those who follow the evil one.

The enemy who sows the weeds is the devil; the harvest is at the end of time, and the workers are the angels.

Just as weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of time.

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his kingdom all that is scandalous and everyone who does evil.

And these will be thrown into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. If you have ears, then hear.

The kingdom of heaven is like a hidden treasure in a field. The person who finds it buries it again, and so happy is he that he sells everything he has to buy that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a trader searching for fine pearls.

Once he finds a pearl of exceptional quality, he leaves, sells everything he has, and buys it.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large fishing net lowered into the sea, catching all kinds of fish.

When the net is full, they pull it ashore. Then they sit down and separate the good fish into buckets, tossing away the bad ones.

That is how it will be at the end of time; the angels will go out to separate the wicked from the just

and cast the wicked into the blazing furnace, where they will weep and gnash their teeth.

The New and the Old

Jesus asked:

“Have you understood all these things?”

“Yes,” they replied.

So he said to them:

“Therefore, every teacher of the law who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who can produce from his store things both new and old.”

In the Synagogue at Nazareth

When Jesus finished these parables, he left that place.

He went to his hometown and taught the people in their synagogue.

They were amazed and said:

“Where did he get this wisdom and these special powers?

Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t Mary his mother, and aren’t James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers?

Aren’t all of his sisters living here? Where did he get all these things?”

And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them:

“The only place where a prophet is not welcome is his hometown and in his own family.”

And he did not perform many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

At that time, reports about Jesus reached King Herod.

And he said to his servants: “This man is John the Baptist. John has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

Herod actually ordered that John be arrested, chained, and imprisoned because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.

For John had told Herod, “It is not right for you to have her as your wife.”

Herod wanted to kill him, but he did not dare because he feared the people, who considered John a prophet.

On Herod’s birthday, Herodias’s daughter danced among the guests; she so pleased Herod

that he promised under oath to give her whatever she requested.

The girl, following her mother’s advice, said:

“Give me the head of John the Baptist, here, on a dish.”

The king was very displeased, but because he had given his promise under oath in front of his guests, he ordered it to be given to her.

So he ordered John to be beheaded in prison

and his head was brought on a dish and given to the girl. The girl then took it to her mother.

Then John’s disciples came, took his body, and buried it. Afterwards, they went and told Jesus.

Feeding the Five Thousand

When Jesus heard about it, he took a boat to go to a quiet place to be alone. But the people found out and followed him on foot from their towns.

When Jesus went ashore, he saw the crowd gathered there and had compassion on them. He also healed the sick.

Late in the afternoon, his disciples approached him and said:

“We are in a lonely place, and it is now late. You should send these people away so they can go to the villages and buy something to eat for themselves.”

But Jesus replied:

“They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat.”

They replied:

“We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.”

Jesus said to them:

“Bring them here to me.”

Then he made everyone sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fishes, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and handed them to the disciples to distribute to the people.

And they all ate, and everyone had enough; then the disciples gathered the leftovers, filling twelve baskets.

About five thousand men had eaten there, along with women and children.

He Walks On Water

Immediately, Jesus obliged his disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the crowd away.

After sending the people away, he went up the mountain alone to pray. By nightfall, he was there all alone.

Meanwhile, the boat was far from land, dangerously rocked by the waves, because the wind was against it.

At dawn, Jesus walked on the sea to reach them.

When they saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, thinking it was a ghost. And they cried out in fear.

But immediately, Jesus said to them:

“Take courage! Don’t be afraid. It’s me!”

Peter responded:

“Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.”

Jesus told him:

“Come!”

Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water to go to Jesus.

But seeing the strong wind, he was afraid and began to sink; he cried out:

“Lord, save me!”

Jesus immediately extended his hand and grasped him, saying:

“Man of little faith, why did you doubt?”

As they stepped into the boat, the wind died down.

Then those in the boat bowed down before Jesus, saying:

“Truly, you are the Son of God!”

Healings in Gennesaret

They arrived ashore at Gennesaret.

The local people recognized Jesus and spread the word throughout the region. They brought all the sick to him,

begging him to let them touch just the hem of his cloak. Everyone who touched it was healed.

On Tradition

Later, some Pharisees and teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus. They said to him:

“Why don’t your disciples follow the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands before eating.”

Jesus answered:

“And you, why do you violate God’s command for the sake of your traditions?

For God commanded: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to death.

But you say that anyone may tell his father or mother, ‘What you could have expected from me is given to God.’

In this case, according to you, a person is excused from his duty to his father and mother. So, you have nullified God’s command for the sake of your traditions.

Hypocrites! Isaiah accurately prophesied about you when he said:

This people honors me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

The worship they give me is meaningless,

teaching human precepts as doctrines.

On True Purity

Jesus then called the crowd to him and said:

“Listen and understand:

What enters the mouth does not make a person unclean. What defiles a person is what comes out of his mouth.”

After a while, the disciples gathered around Jesus and said:

“Do you know that the Pharisees were offended by what you said?”

Jesus answered:

“Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted shall be uprooted.

Ignore them! They’re blind leading the blind. When one blind person leads another, both will fall into a pit.”

Peter said to him:

“Explain this parable to us.”

Jesus replied:

“So you’re dull, even you?”

Don’t you see that whatever goes into the mouth ends up in the stomach and then exits the body?

But what comes out of the mouth originates from the heart, and that’s what makes a person unclean.

Indeed, evil desires originate from the heart: murder, adultery, immorality, theft, lies, slander.

These are the things that make a person unclean, but eating without washing their hands does not make a person unclean.”

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

After leaving that place, Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

A Canaanite woman from the region came and called out:

“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering from a demon.”

But Jesus did not answer her, not even a word. So his disciples approached him and said:

“Send her away! See how she is shouting after us.”

Then Jesus said to her:

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”

But the woman was already kneeling before Jesus and said:

“Sir, help me!”

Jesus replied:

“It is not right to take the bread from the children and toss it to the dogs.”

The woman replied:

“That is true, sir, but even puppies eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

Then Jesus said:

“Woman, how great is your faith! Let it be as you wish.”

And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Multiple Healings

From there, Jesus traveled to the shore of Lake Galilee and then went up into the hills, where he sat down.

Great crowds gathered around him, bringing the deaf, the blind, the lame, the crippled, and many others with various illnesses. People carried them to Jesus, and he healed all of them.

Everyone was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the lame walking, the crippled healed, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Feeding the Four Thousand

Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “I am filled with compassion for these people; they have already followed me for three days and now have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away fasting, or they may faint on the way.”

His disciples asked him, “And where shall we find enough bread in this wilderness to feed such a crowd?”

Jesus asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

Jesus ordered the people to sit on the ground.

Then, he took the seven loaves and the small fish, gave thanks to God, broke them, and handed them to his disciples to distribute to the people.

They all ate until they were satisfied, and the remaining pieces filled seven wicker baskets.

Four thousand men had eaten, along with women and children.

Then Jesus dismissed the crowd, got into the boat, and went to the region of Magdala.

They Ask Him for a Sign From Heaven  

The Pharisees and Sadducees appeared, seeking to test Jesus, and asked him for a sign from heaven.

Jesus answered:

[“When evening comes, you say: ‘It will be a good day, for the sky is red.’

And in the morning, you say: ‘Stormy weather today, for the sky in the east is red.’ If you know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, why can’t you interpret the signs of the times?]

An evil and unbelieving people asked for a sign, but no sign will be given them except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.

Blindness of the Disciples

When the disciples went to the other side, they forgot to take bread.

Jesus told them:

“Pay attention and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

But the disciples said to each other: ‘He means the bread we didn’t bring.’

Aware of this, Jesus said to them:

“You of little faith! Why are you arguing among yourselves about having no bread?

Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand people, and how many baskets you took up?

Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many wicker baskets did you take up?

How can you not understand that I was not talking about bread when I told you: ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees’?”

Then they realized he wasn’t talking about yeast for bread but about the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Then Jesus went to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples:

“Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They said:

“For some of them you are John the Baptist; for others Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

Jesus asked them:

“But who do you say I am?”

Peter responded:

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied:

“It is fortunate for you, Simon Barjona, because it is not flesh and blood that has revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.

And now I say to you: You are Peter, and on this Rock, I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.”

Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

From that day, Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, that he would suffer many things at the hands of the Jewish authorities, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law, and that he would be killed and be raised on the third day.

Then Peter pulled him aside and started to reproach him:

“Never, Lord! No, this must never happen to you!”

But he turned and said to Peter:

“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path. You are thinking not as God does, but as people do.”

Then Jesus told his disciples:

“If you want to follow me, deny yourself. Take up your cross and follow me.

Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life for my sake will find it.

What does a person gain by winning the whole world if he destroys his soul? Or what can someone offer in exchange for his life?

Know that the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with the holy angels, and he will reward each person according to his deeds.

Truly, I tell you, some here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John with him, and led them up a tall mountain where they were alone.

Jesus’ appearance changed before them: his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as snow.

Then suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.

Peter spoke up and said to Jesus:

“Master, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Peter was still speaking when a bright cloud covered them with its shadow, and a voice from the cloud said:

“This is my Son, the Beloved, my Chosen One. Listen to him.”

Hearing the voice, the disciples fell to the ground full of fear.

But Jesus came, touched them, and said:

“Stand up, do not be afraid!”

When they looked up, they saw no one else except Jesus.

And as they came down the mountain, Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.

The disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus answered, “So it is: first comes Elijah; and he will restore all things.

But I tell you, Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him; and they treated him as they pleased. And they will also make the Son of Man suffer.”

Then the disciples understood that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.

When they reached the crowd, a man approached Jesus, knelt before him and said”

Sir, have mercy on my son, who is epileptic and suffers greatly. He has often fallen into the fire and sometimes into the water.

I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.

Jesus replied:

“O you people, faithless and misguided! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.”

And Jesus commanded the evil spirit to leave the boy, and the boy was instantly healed.

Later, the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked:

“Why couldn’t we drive out the spirit?”

Jesus said to them:

“Because you have little faith. I tell you: if only you had faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would obey you. Nothing would be impossible for you.”

[[But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.]]”

While Jesus was in Galilee with the Twelve, he said to them:

“The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men

and they will kill him. But he will rise on the third day.”

The Twelve were deeply grieved.

When they returned to Capernaum, the temple tax collectors approached Peter and asked him:

“Does your master pay the temple tax?”

He answered:

“Yes.”

Peter then entered the house, and immediately Jesus asked him:

“What do you think, Simon? Who pays taxes or tribute to the kings of the earth: their sons or strangers and aliens?”

Peter replied:

“Strangers and aliens.”

And Jesus told him:

“The sons, then, are tax-free.

But, to avoid offending these people, go to the sea, throw in a hook, and open the mouth of the first fish you catch. You will find a coin inside. Take the coin and give it to them—do it for both you and me.”

At that time, the disciples approached Jesus and asked him:

“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Then Jesus called a small child, placed the child in the middle of the disciples

and said: “I assure you that unless you change and become like little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven,

and whoever receives such a child in my name, receives me.”

Radicalism in the Face of Sin

If any of you cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble and fall, it would be better for him to be thrown into the depths of the sea with a great millstone around his neck.

Woe to the world because of so many scandals! Scandals are unavoidable, but woe to the one who causes a scandal.

If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to be thrown into the eternal fire with two hands and two feet.

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 be cast into fiery Gehenna with two eyes.

Parable of the Lost Sheep

Make sure you do not underestimate any of these little ones; for I tell you, their angels in heaven continually see the face of my heavenly Father.

[[For the Son of Man has come to save what was lost.]]

What do you think of this? If someone has a hundred sheep and one strays, won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go to look for the stray one?

And I tell you, when he finally finds it, he is more pleased about it than about the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

The same applies to your Father in heaven. Your Father in heaven does not want even one of these little ones to perish.

If your brother has sinned against you, go and confront him privately, and if he listens to you, you have restored your brother.

If he doesn’t listen to you, bring one or two others with you, so that the matter can be decided based on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the gathered Church. But if he does not listen to the Church, then consider him a pagan or a tax collector.

I say to you: whatever you bind on earth, heaven will also bind; and whatever you unbind on earth, heaven will also unbind.

Similarly, I tell you, if two of you agree on anything you ask for, it will be granted to you by my heavenly Father.

For where two or three gather in my name, I am there among them.

Then Peter asked him:

“Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister’s offenses? Seven times?”

Jesus answered:

“No, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

This story sheds light on the kingdom of Heaven: A king decided to settle accounts with his servants.

One of the first was someone who owed him ten thousand pieces of gold.

Since the man couldn’t repay the debt, the king ordered that he be sold into slavery along with his wife, children, and all his possessions as payment.

The servant knelt before the king and said, ‘Give me time, and I will pay you back everything.’

The king took pity on him and not only freed him but also waived his debt.

When this servant left the king’s presence, he encountered one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred pieces of silver. He seized him by the throat and almost choked him, shouting, ‘Pay me what you owe!’

His fellow servant threw himself at his feet and begged him, ‘Give me time, and I will pay everything.’

But the other disagreed and put him in prison until he paid off all his debt.

Now the king’s servants saw what had happened. They were very upset, so they went and reported everything to their lord.

Then the lord summoned his servant and said, ‘Wicked servant, I forgave you all that you owed me when you begged me to do so.

Weren’t you supposed to have pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?

The lord was now angry. He handed the wicked servant over to be punished until he paid the entire debt.

Jesus added:

“So will my heavenly Father do with you unless you sincerely forgive your brothers and sisters.”

When Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and reached the border of Judea across the Jordan River.

Large crowds gathered around him, and he healed their sick there as well.

Some Pharisees came to him. They aimed to test him and asked:

“Is a man allowed to divorce his wife for any reason he wants?”

Jesus replied:

“Have you not read that in the beginning, the Creator made them male and female?

And the Creator said: Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.

So, they are no longer two, but one body. Let no one separate what God has joined.”

They asked him:

“Then why did Moses command us to write a bill of dismissal in order to divorce?”

Jesus replied:

“Moses knew the hardness of your hearts, so he allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not so in the beginning.

Therefore, I say to you: whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another, commits adultery.

The disciples said:

“If that is the condition of a married man, it is better not to marry.”

Jesus said to them:

“Not everyone can accept what you have just said, but only those to whom that is granted.

Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others. But some have given up the possibility of marriage, for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who can accept it, accept it.”

Then little children were brought to Jesus so that he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded those who brought them.

Jesus then said:

“Let the children be! Don’t hinder them from coming to me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are humble like these children.”

Jesus laid his hands on them and then went away.

That was when a young man approached him and asked:

“Master, what good work must I do to receive eternal life?”

Jesus answered:

“Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good. If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.”

The young man asked:

“Which commandments?”

Jesus answered:

“Do not kill; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness;

honor your father and mother. And love your neighbor as yourself.”

The young man asked him:

“I have kept all these commandments. What do I still lack?”

Jesus answered:

“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell all that you possess and give the money to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.”

Hearing this, the young man left feeling sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

Jesus told his disciples, “Truly I say to you: it will be difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Yes, believe me: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Hearing this, the disciples were astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and replied:

“For human beings, it is impossible, but for God, all things are possible.”

Then Peter spoke up and said:

“You see, we have given up everything to follow you. What then will there be for us?”

Jesus answered:

“You who have followed me, listen to my words: on the Day of Renewal, when the Son of Man sits on his throne in glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

For those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, children, or property because of my name, they will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

Many who are now first will be last, and many who are now last will be first.”

This story sheds light on the kingdom of heaven: A landowner went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

He agreed to pay each worker the standard daily wage and sent them to his vineyard.

He went out again around nine in the morning, and seeing others idling in the town square,

he said to them, ‘You also go to my vineyard, and I will pay you what is right.’

So they went. The owner went out at midday and again at three in the afternoon, making the same offer both times.

Again, he went out at the last working hour—the eleventh—and saw others standing around. So he asked them, ‘Why do you stand idle all day?’

They replied, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ The master said, ‘Go and work in my vineyard.’

When evening arrived, the vineyard owner told his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last and ending with the first.’

Those who had arrived to work at the eleventh hour came forward and each received a silver coin.

When it was the first person’s turn, they thought they would get more.

But they also received one silver coin. Upon receiving it, they began complaining about the landowner.

They said, ‘These last ones hardly worked an hour; yet you have treated them the same as us who have endured the heavy work of the day and the heat.’

The owner said to one of them, ‘Friend, I have not been unjust to you. Did we not agree on one silver coin per day?

So, take what is yours and leave. I want to give the last the same as I give to you.

Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what’s mine? Why are you jealous when I am kind?

So it will be: the last will be first, the first will be last.”

Third Announcement of the Passion and Resurrection

When Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he pulled the twelve disciples aside and said to them:

“See, we are heading to Jerusalem. There, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and they will condemn him to death.

They will hand him over to the foreigners, who will mock him, scourge him, and crucify him. But he will be raised to life on the third day.”

Then the mother of James and John approached Jesus with her sons and knelt down to request a favor.

Jesus asked her:

“What do you want?”

She replied:

“Here are my two sons. Grant that they may sit, one at your right and one at your left in your kingdom.”

Jesus told the brothers:

“You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?”

They replied:

“We can.”

Jesus replied:

“You will indeed drink from my cup, but sitting at my right or left is not for me to give. That will be for those for whom my Father has prepared it.”

The other ten heard all of this and became angry with the two brothers.

Then Jesus called them to him and said: “You know that the rulers of nations act like tyrants and the powerful oppress them.

It shall not be so among you: whoever wants to be great in your community, let him minister to the community.

And if you want to be first among everyone, make yourself a servant to all.

Be like the Son of Man who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life to redeem many.”

As they left Jericho, a large crowd followed them along the way.

Two blind men sat by the roadside, and when they heard Jesus was passing by, they started to call out:

“Son of David, have mercy on us!”

The people told them to be quiet, but they shouted even louder:

“[Lord,] Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Jesus stopped, called out to them, and asked:

“What do you want me to do for you?”

They said:

“LORD, open our eyes.”

Jesus was moved with compassion and touched their eyes. Immediately, they regained their sight and began to follow Jesus.

When they drew near Jerusalem and arrived at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples,

saying:

“Go to the village ahead, and there you will find a donkey tied up with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me.

If anyone says something to you, say that the Lord needs them and that he will send them back immediately.”

This happened to fulfill what the prophet said:

Say to the daughter of Zion:

See, your king comes to you

in all humility, riding on a donkey,

a beast of burden, with its colt.

The disciples went, as Jesus had instructed them

and they brought the donkey with its colt. Then they laid their cloaks on its back, and Jesus sat on them.

Many people also lay their cloaks on the road, while others cut leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

The people walking ahead of Jesus and those following him started shouting:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed is he who comes

in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest!”

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the entire city was stirred up. The people asked:

“Who is this man?”

And the crowd answered:

“This is the Prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Jesus went into the temple and drove out everyone buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the stools of those selling pigeons.

And he said to them:

“It is written: My house shall be called a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and Jesus healed them.

The chief priests and teachers of the law saw the amazing things Jesus did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

They became angry and said to Jesus:

“Do you hear what they say?”

Jesus answered them:

“Yes. But have you never read this text:

From the mouths of children and infants

you have perfect praise?”

So, leaving them, he went out of the city and stayed in Bethany for the night.

While returning to the city early in the morning, Jesus felt hungry.

He saw a fig tree by the road, approached it, and found only leaves.

So he told the tree:

“Never again bear fruit!”

Immediately, the fig tree withered.

When the disciples saw this, they were astonished and asked:

“How did the fig tree suddenly dry up?”

Jesus said:

“Truly, I say to you: if you have faith and do not doubt, not only could you do what I did to the fig tree, but you could even say to that mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea!’ and it would be done.

Whatever you ask for in prayer, full of faith, you will receive.”

Jesus had entered the temple and was teaching, when the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish authorities came to him and asked:

“What authority do you have to act like this? Who gave you the authority to do all this?”

Jesus answered them:

“I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.

Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?”

They discussed this among themselves, saying:

“If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’

And if we say, ‘The baptism of John was merely something human,’ we need to be cautious of the people, because they all consider John to be a prophet.

So they replied to Jesus:

“We do not know.”

And Jesus said to them:

“Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Jesus continued, saying: “What do you think of this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said to him, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’”

And the son replied: ‘I don’t want to.’ But later, he reconsidered and went.

Then the father went to his other son and said the same thing to him. This son replied: ‘I will go, sir,’ but he did not go.

Which of the two did what the father wanted?”

They answered:

“The first.”

And Jesus said to them:

“Truly, I tell you: tax collectors and the prostitutes are ahead of you on the way to the kingdom of heaven.

For John came to show you the way of goodness, and you did not believe him, but tax collectors and the prostitutes did. You witnessed this, yet you neither repented nor believed him.

Listen to another example: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a winepress, built a watchtower, leased the vineyard to tenants, and then went to a distant country.

When harvest time arrived, the landowner sent his servants to the tenants to collect his portion of the harvest.

But the tenants seized his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

Once more, the owner sent additional servants, but they were treated the same way.

Finally, he sent his son, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’

But when the tenants saw the son, they thought, ‘This is the one who is to inherit the vineyard. Let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.’

They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

Now, what will the vineyard owner do with the tenants when he comes?

They told him:

“He will bring those wicked men to a wicked end and lease the vineyard to others, who will pay him in due time.”

And Jesus replied:

“Have you never read what the Scriptures say?

The stone the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

This was the LORD’s doing,

and we marvel at it.

Therefore, I tell you: the kingdom of heaven will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

[Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and on whomsoever this stone falls, he will be ground to dust.]”

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard these parables, they understood that Jesus was talking about them.

They would have arrested him, but they were afraid of the crowd, who regarded him as a prophet.

Jesus kept talking to them in parables:

“This story sheds light on the kingdom of heaven: A king hosted a wedding banquet for his son.

He sent his servants to summon the invited guests to the banquet, but they refused to come.

Once again, he sent out other servants, telling them to say to the invited guests, ‘I have prepared a banquet, slaughtered my fattened calves and other animals, and now everything is ready. Come to the wedding!’

But they paid no attention and walked away, some heading to their farms and others to their work.

Others captured the king’s servants, insulted them, and killed them.

The king was furious. He sent his troops to wipe out those murderers and burn their city.

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but the invited guests were not worthy.

Instead, go to the main streets and invite everyone you meet to the wedding feast.

The servants went out into the streets and gathered everyone they found, both bad and good, so that the hall was filled with guests.

The king entered to see the wedding guests, and he noticed a man not wearing a wedding garment.

So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in without the wedding clothes?’ But the man stayed silent.

So the king told his servants, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The Pharisees left, thinking about how they could trap Jesus with his own words.

They sent their disciples to him, along with members of Herod’s party, saying:

“Master, we know that you are an honest man and truly teach God’s way. You are not influenced by others, nor are you afraid of anyone.

So tell us what you think: is paying taxes to Caesar against the law or not?”

But Jesus understood their evil intentions and said to them:

“Hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?

Show me the coin you use to pay taxes.”

They showed him a silver coin.

Jesus asked them:

“Whose head is this, and whose name?”

They answered:

“Caesar’s.”

Then Jesus replied:

“Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.”

They were astonished by his answer, so they left him and went away.

Later that day, some Sadducees approached Jesus. Since they deny the resurrection, they questioned him in this manner:

“Master, Moses said that if a man dies without children, his brother must marry the widow and have a child, who will be considered the child of the deceased man.

Now, there were seven brothers. The first married a woman, but he died; since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother.

The same thing happened to the second brother, then to the third, all the way up to the seventh.

Then, finally, the woman died.

Now, in the resurrection of the dead, to which of the seven will she be a wife, since they all had her as a wife?”

Jesus replied:

“You are completely mistaken because you don’t understand either the Scriptures or the power of God.

First of all, in the resurrection of the dead, neither men nor women will marry, but they will be like the angels in heaven.

Regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you ever thought about what God told you:

I am the God of Abraham,

the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob?

He is God, not of the dead but of the living.”

The people who heard him were astonished at his teaching.

When the Pharisees heard how Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.

One of them, a lawyer, questioned him to test him:

“Teacher, which commandment of the law is the greatest?”

Jesus answered:

“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the first and most important commandment.

The second is similar:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The entire law and the prophets are built upon these two commandments.”

While the Pharisees were gathered, Jesus asked them:

“What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

They replied:

“David’s.”

Jesus then asked them:

“Why did David, inspired by God, call the Messiah LORD? For David says in a psalm:

The LORD said to my LORD:

Sit at my right hand

until I put your enemies

under your feet.

If David calls him Lord, how can he be his son?”

No one responded to him, not even with a word. From that day forward, no one dared to question him again.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.

So, you should do and follow everything they say; but do not imitate their actions, for they do not do what they preach.

They burden people with heavy loads and load them onto their shoulders, but they themselves won’t lift a finger to move them.

They do everything to be noticed by others: wearing large bands of the law around their foreheads and robes with oversized tassels.

They enjoy the front seats at banquets and the best spots in the synagogues,

and they love being greeted in the marketplace and called ‘Master’ by others.

But you, do not let yourselves be called Master, because you have only one Master, and all of you are brothers and sisters.

Neither should you call anyone on earth Father, because you have only one Father—he who is in heaven.

You should not be called Master, because you have but one master, the Messiah.

Let the greatest among you be the servant of all.

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

But woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You, yourselves, do not enter, nor do you allow others to do so.

[[Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You consume widows’ property, and in public, you pray lengthy prayers! Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation.]]

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel across sea and land to make a single convert; yet, once he is converted, you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves!

Woe to you, blind guides! You say: To swear by the temple is not binding, but to swear by the gold of the temple is binding.

Foolish men! Blind men! Which is more valuable: the gold inside the temple, or the temple itself, which makes the gold a sacred treasure? You say:

Swearing by the altar isn’t binding, but swearing by the offering on the altar is binding.

How blind you are! Which is more valuable: the offering on the altar or the altar itself, which makes the offering sacred?

Whoever swears by the altar is also swearing by everything on it.

Whoever swears by the temple is also swearing by God, who dwells in the temple.

Whoever swears by heaven is swearing by God’s throne and by Him who sits on it.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You carefully avoid neglecting the mint, anise, and cumin seeds when you demand the tenth of everything, but then, you forget what is most fundamental in the law: justice, mercy, and faith! You should have practiced these things without neglecting the others.

Blind guides! You remove a mosquito but swallow a camel.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You fill the plate and the cup with theft and violence, then pronounce a blessing over them.

Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside first, and then the outside will be clean as well.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside, but inside, there are only dead bones and uncleanness.

Similarly, you seem religious to others, but inside you’re full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.

You say: Had we lived in the time of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.

So, you yourselves confess to being descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

And now, complete what your ancestors started!

Serpents, race of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to Gehenna?

Therefore, I am sending prophets, wise men, and teachers to you; but some of them you will murder and crucify, some you will flog in your synagogues, and others you will drive from one city to the next.

Because of this, you will be held responsible for all the innocent blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the altar and the Sanctuary.

Truly I tell you: the current generation will pay for all of this.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and stone those sent to you by God. How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you refused!

Look! Your house will be left to you, deserted!

I tell you that you will no longer see me until you say:

Blessed is he who comes

in the name of the Lord!

Jesus left the temple, and as he was walking away, his disciples came up to him and pointed out the impressive temple buildings.

But he said:

“You see all this? Truly I tell you: not a single stone will be left on another here. All will be torn down.”

Later, when Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and asked:

“Tell us when this will take place. What sign will be given us of your coming, and the end of the world?”

Jesus answered:

“Be on your guard; and let no one mislead you.

Many will come in my name, claiming: ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many people.

You will hear about wars and rumors of wars; but do not be troubled, for these things must happen; the end is still ahead.

Nations will clash, and kingdoms will oppose one another. There will be famine and earthquakes in various places;

but all this is just the start—the initial pains of childbirth.

Then, they will arrest you; they will torture and kill you. All nations will hate you because you bear my name.

During that time, many will fall into sin; they will betray and hate each other.

False prophets will appear and deceive many;

and because of such great wickedness, love in many people will grow cold.

But those who persevere until the end will be saved.

The good news of the kingdom will be preached worldwide to all nations as a testimony to every people. Then the end will come.

The Great Tribulation

When you see what the prophet Daniel spoke about—the idol of the invader set up in the temple (let the reader understand!),

then let those in Judea flee to the mountains.

If you’re on the roof, don’t come down to grab anything.

If you’re in the field, don’t go back to get your coat.

How difficult it will be for pregnant women and mothers with breastfeeding babies!

Pray that you won’t have to flee during winter or on a Sabbath.

For there will be great suffering, such as has never been seen from the beginning of the world until now, and never will be again.

And if that time were not shortened, no one would survive. But God will shorten those days for the sake of His chosen ones.

Then, if anyone says to you, ‘Look! The Messiah is here! He is there!’, do not believe it.

For false Messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders so great that they could deceive even God’s chosen people if that were possible.

See, I have told you everything beforehand.

So, if anyone tells you, ‘He is in the desert,’ do not go. If they say, ‘He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

The coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning that flashes from the east to the west.

Wherever there is a body, vultures will gather.)

And later, after that distress, the sun will grow dark, the moon will not shine, the stars will fall from the sky, and the entire universe will be shaken.

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. As all the nations of the earth beat their breasts, they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with divine power and great glory.

He will send his angels to sound the trumpet; and they will gather his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the earth to the other.

Learn a lesson from the fig tree: when its branches become tender and its leaves start to sprout, you know summer is near.

Similarly, when you see all these things, know that the time is near, even at the door.

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.

Heaven and earth may pass away, but my words will never pass away.

But, as for that Day and that Hour, no one knows when it will happen, not even the angels of God, nor the Son, but only the Father.

When the Son of Man comes, it will be just like it was in Noah’s time.

In those days before the Flood, people were eating, drinking, and marrying, until that day when Noah went into the ark.

Yet, they did not know what would happen until the flood came and swept them away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man:

of two men in the field, one will be taken and the other left;

of two women grinding wheat together at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left.

Stay alert, because you don’t know what day your Lord will return.

Obviously, if the homeowner knew when the thief was coming, he would definitely stay awake and prevent his house from being broken into.

Stay alert, for the Son of Man will come at the hour you least expect.

Imagine a trustworthy and prudent servant, whom his master has entrusted with managing his household, to provide them with food at the right time.

Fortunate, indeed, is the servant whom his master will find working when he arrives.

Truly, I tell you, his master will entrust him with everything he has.

It’s not the same with the lazy servant who thinks, ‘My master is delayed.’

And he begins to mistreat his fellow servants while eating and drinking with drunkards.

But his master will come on a day he doesn’t know and at an hour he least expects.

He will severely punish that servant and assign him to the hypocrites. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This story sheds light on what will happen in the kingdom of heaven: Ten bridesmaids went out with their lamps to meet the bridegroom.

Five of them were foolish, and five were sensible.

The careless bridesmaids took their lamps as they were and did not bring extra oil.

But those who were wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.

As the bridegroom delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

But at midnight, a cry rang out, ‘The bridegroom is here, come out and meet him!’

All the maidens woke up at once and trimmed their lamps.

Then the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some oil, for our lamps are going out.’

The sensible ones replied, ‘There might not be enough for us and for you. You’d better go to those who sell and buy some for yourselves.’

When the bridegroom arrived, the foolish maidens were out buying oil, but those who were prepared went with him into the wedding feast, and the doors were shut.

Later, the other bridesmaids arrived and called out, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’

But he replied, ‘Truly, I do not know you.’

So stay alert, for you do not know the day or the hour.

Imagine someone who, before traveling abroad, gathers his servants to entrust his property to them.

He gave five talents of silver to one servant, two talents to another, and one talent to a third, each according to his ability; then he went away.

The servant who received five talents immediately went to invest them and earned another five.

The person who received two talents did the same and earned another two.

But the one who received one talent dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

After a long while, the master of those servants returned and demanded an account.

The one who received five talents came forward with another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, and see, I have gained five more.’

The master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your master’s joy.’

Then the one who had received two talents approached and said, ‘Lord, you entrusted me with two talents; with them, I have gained two more.’

The master said, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful with little, I will entrust you with more. Come and share the joy of your master.’

Finally, the one who had received one talent came and said, ‘Master, I know that you are a hard man. You reap what you have not sown and gather what you have not scattered.

I was scared, so I hid your money in the ground. Here, take what’s yours!

But his master replied, ‘Wicked and worthless servant, you know that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered.

You should have deposited my money in the bank and given it back to me with interest when I returned.

Therefore, take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten.

For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who are unproductive, even what they have will be taken from them.

As for that useless servant, cast him out into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

When the Son of Man arrives in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on his throne of glory.

All the nations will be brought before him; and just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,

so will he do with them, placing the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

The king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, blessed of my Father! Take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.

I was a stranger, and you welcomed me into your home. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to see me.

Then the righteous will ask him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food; thirsty and give you something to drink;

or a stranger and welcome you; or naked and clothe you?

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to see you?’

The king will reply, ‘Truly, I say to you: just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Go, cursed people, out of my sight into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels!

For I was hungry and you did not give me anything to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink;

I was a stranger, and you did not welcome me into your house; I was naked, and you did not clothe me; I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.

They, too, will ask, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, naked, or a stranger, sick, or in prison, and did not help you?’

The king will reply, ‘Truly I say to you: just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’

And these will go into eternal punishment; but the just, into eternal life.

When Jesus finished everything he wanted to say, he told his disciples:

“You know that in two days it will be the Passover, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered at the palace of the High Priest, whose name was Caiaphas,

and they agreed to arrest Jesus and kill him.

But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uprising among the people.”

While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,

a woman approached him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume. She poured it on Jesus’ head while he was at the table.

Seeing this, the disciples became angry and said:

“What a waste!

The perfume could have been sold for a high price, and the money given to the poor.”

Jesus was aware of this and said to them:

“Why are you troubling this woman? What she has done for me is indeed a good work.

You always have the poor with you; but you will not always have me.

When she anointed my body with perfume, she was getting me ready for my burial.

Truly I say to you: wherever the gospel is preached around the world, what she has done will be remembered in her honor.”

Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said:

‘How much will you give me if I hand him over to you?’

They promised to give him thirty pieces of silver,

and from that moment he kept looking for the best way to hand Jesus over to them.

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”

Jesus answered, “Go into the city, to the house of a certain man, and tell him, ‘The Master says:

My hour is near and I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples in your house.’”

The disciples did as Jesus had ordered and prepared the Passover meal.

When evening came, Jesus sat at the table with the Twelve.

While they were eating, Jesus said:

“Truly, I say to you: one of you will betray me.”

They were deeply distressed and asked him, one after the other:

“You do not mean me, do you, Lord?”

He answered:

“The one who dips his bread with me will betray me.

The Son of Man is going as the Scriptures say he will. But alas for the one who betrays the Son of Man: it would have been better for him not to have been born.

Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked:

“You do not mean me, Master, do you?”

Jesus replied:

“You have said it.”

While they were eating, Jesus took the bread, said a blessing, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

“Take and eat: this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and passed it to them, saying:

“Drink this, all of you,

for this is my blood, the blood of the Covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Yes, I tell you: From now on I will not taste the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink new wine with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

After singing psalms of praise, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them:

“You will falter tonight because of me, and all of you will fall. For Scripture says:

I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep will be scattered.

But after my resurrection, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

Peter responded:

“Even though everyone stumbles and falls, I will never fall away!”

Jesus replied:

“Truly I say to you: this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

Peter said:

“Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you!”

And all the disciples said the same thing.

Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he told his disciples:

“Sit here while I go over there to pray.”

He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, and he began to feel overwhelmed by anguish and distress.

And he said to them:

“My soul is full of sorrow, even to death. Remain here and stay awake with me.”

He moved a little further and fell to the ground, with his face touching the earth, and prayed:

“Father, if it is possible, take this cup away from me. Yet, not what I will, but what you will.”

He returned to his disciples and found them asleep; then he said to Peter:

“Could you not stay awake with me for one hour?

Stay awake and pray so that you won’t fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

He went away again and prayed:

“Father, if this cup cannot be taken from me without me drinking it, your will must be done.”

When he returned to his disciples, he found them asleep again, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.

So again, Jesus left them and went to pray for the third time, saying the same words.

Then he returned to his disciples and told them:

“You can sleep now and rest! The hour has come, and the Son of Man will be handed over to sinners.

Get up, let’s go! See, the betrayer is here!”

Jesus was still speaking when Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people.

The traitor had given them a sign: ‘The one I kiss; he is the man; arrest him!’

Judas went straight to Jesus and said:

“Greetings, Rabbi!”

Then kissed him.

Jesus said to him:

“Friend, do what you came to do.”

Then they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.

One of those who was with Jesus drew his sword and struck the servant of the High Priest, cutting off his ear.

Then, Jesus told him:

“Put your sword back in its place! For everyone who takes hold of the sword will die by the sword.

Don’t you know that I could call on my Father, and he would immediately send me more than twelve legions of angels?

If Scripture says that these things must happen, shouldn’t Scripture be fulfilled?”

At that hour, Jesus said to the crowd:

“Why do you come to arrest me with swords and clubs, as if I were a robber? Day after day, I sat among you, teaching in the temple, yet you did not arrest me.

But all this happened in fulfillment of what the Prophets said.”

Then all his disciples deserted Jesus and fled.

Those who arrested Jesus took him to the house of High Priest Caiaphas, where the teachers of the law and the elders were gathered.

Peter followed Jesus from a distance, reaching as far as the High Priest’s courtyard; he went in and sat with the guards, waiting to see what would happen.

The chief priests and the entire Supreme Council needed some false evidence against Jesus so they could put him to death.

But they couldn’t find any, even though false witnesses came forward.

Finally, two men stepped forward and declared:

“This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

The High Priest stood up and asked Jesus:

“What is the evidence against you? Have you no answer to the things they testify against you?”

But Jesus remained silent.

So the High Priest said to him:

“In the name of the living God, I command you to tell us: Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”

Jesus answered:

“You have said it yourself. But I tell you: from now on, you will see the Son of Man, seated at the right hand of God most powerful, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the High Priest tore his clothes, saying:

“He has blasphemed. What more evidence do we need? You have heard the blasphemy!

What is your decision?”

They answered:

“He must die!”

Then they spat in his face and slapped him, while others punched him with their fists,

saying:

“Messiah, prophesy! Who hit you?”

Meanwhile, as Peter sat outside in the courtyard, a young servant-girl said to him, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”

But he denied it before everyone, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”

Later, as Peter was leaving through the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and told the bystanders:

“This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

Peter once again denied it under oath, saying:

“I do not know the man.”

After a short while, those standing there came up to Peter and said:

“Surely you are one of the Galileans: your accent gives you away.”

Peter began defending himself with curses and oaths, insisting that he did not know Jesus. Just then, a rooster crowed,

and Peter remembered Jesus’ words, ‘Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered to find ways to put Jesus to death.

They had him bound and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

When Judas, the traitor, realized that Jesus had been condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders:

saying:

“I have sinned by betraying an innocent man to death.”

They replied:

“What does it matter to us? That is your concern.”

So, after throwing down the money in the temple, he went away and hanged himself.

The chief priests gathered the money and said:

“This money cannot go into the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood.”

So they conferred together and decided to buy the potter’s field with the money to turn it into a cemetery for foreigners.

That is why, to this day, that place is called the Field of Blood.

What the prophet Jeremiah said was fulfilled:

They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price the Sons of Israel valued as his worth,

and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.

Jesus stood before the governor. Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “You say so.”

The chief priests and the elders of the people accused him, but he made no answer.

Pilate said to him, “Do you hear all the charges they bring against you?”

But he did not answer even one question, so that the governor wondered greatly.

During Passover, it was customary for the governor to release any prisoner the people requested.

Now, there was a famous prisoner named Barabbas.

When the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them:

“Whom do you want me to set free: Barabbas or Jesus called the Messiah?”

for he knew that Jesus had been handed over to him because of envy.

While Pilate was sitting in court, his wife sent him this message:

“Have nothing to do with that holy man. Because of him, I had a dream last night that disturbed me greatly.”

But the chief priests and the elders stirred up the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas and the death of Jesus.

When the governor asked them again:

“Which of the two do you want me to set free?”

They replied:

“Barabbas!”

Pilate asked them:

“And what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

All responded:

“Crucify him!”

Pilate asked:

“Why? What evil has he done?”

But they shouted even louder:

“Crucify him!”

Pilate saw he was getting nowhere and that a riot might occur. He asked for water, washed his hands in front of the people, and said:

“I am innocent of this man’s blood. Do what you want!”

And all the people answered:

“His blood be on our children and on us!”

Then Pilate set Barabbas free but had Jesus scourged and handed over to be crucified.

The Roman soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace, and the entire troop gathered around him.

They stripped him and put a purple cloak on him.

Then, weaving a crown of thorns, they forced it onto his head and placed a reed in his right hand. They knelt before Jesus and mocked him, saying:

“Hail, king of the Jews!”

They spat on him, took the reed from his hand, and hit him on the head with it.

After they finished mocking him, they removed the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to be crucified.

On their journey, they met a man from Cyrene named Simon and forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.

When they arrived at the place called Golgotha, meaning the Skull,

they offered him wine mixed with gall. He tasted it but refused to drink.

They crucified him there and divided his clothes among themselves, casting lots to decide what each should get.

Then they sat down to watch over him.

The statement of his offense was displayed above his head, and it read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

They also crucified two thieves with him, one on his right and one on his left.

The people passing by shook their heads and insulted him,

saying:

“Aha! You, who destroy the temple and in three days rebuild it, save yourself—if you are God’s Son—and come down from the cross!”

Similarly, the chief priests, the elders, and the teachers of the law mocked him.

They said:

“The man who saved others cannot save himself. Let the king of Israel come down from his cross and we will believe in him.

He trusted in God; let God rescue him if he wants to, for he himself said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

Even the thieves crucified with him insulted him.

Darkness covered the entire land from midday until mid-afternoon.

At about three o’clock, Jesus cried out loudly:

“Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabbacthani?” which means: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

As soon as they heard this, some of the bystanders said:

“He is calling for Elijah.”

One of them ran, took a sponge, soaked it in vinegar, and, placing it on a reed, gave it to him to drink.

Others said:

“Leave him alone; let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.”

Then Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and gave up his spirit.

At that very moment, the curtain of the temple sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth shook, rocks were split,

tombs were opened, and many holy people who had died were raised.

After his resurrection they came out of the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.

The captain and the soldiers guarding Jesus, upon seeing the earthquake and everything else that had happened, were greatly afraid and said:

“Truly, this was God’s Son.”

There were also many women there, watching from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and cared for his needs.

Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

When it was evening, there came a wealthy man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus.

He approached Pilate and requested Jesus’ body, and the governor instructed that it be given to him.

So Joseph took Jesus’ body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

and laid it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. Then he rolled a large stone across the tomb’s entrance and left.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary stayed there, sitting in front of the tomb.

The next day, which is after the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate

and said to him:

“Sir, we remember that when that impostor was still alive, he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’

Therefore, have his tomb secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal the body and say to the people: He is risen from the dead. That would be a deception worse than the first.”

Pilate responded to them:

“You have soldiers, go and take all the necessary precautions.”

They went to the tomb, secured it by sealing the stone, and placed it under guard.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to visit the tomb.

Suddenly, there was a violent earthquake: an angel of the Lord descending from heaven, came to the stone, rolled it away from the entrance of the tomb, and sat on it.

His appearance was like lightning, and his garment was white as snow.

When they saw the angel, the guards were filled with terror.

The angel said to the women:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where they laid him;

then go immediately and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. This is my message to you.

In fear yet with great joy, the women left the tomb and ran to tell the news to his disciples.

He Appears to the Women

Suddenly, Jesus met them on the road and said:

Rejoice!”

The women approached him, bowed down at his feet, and worshiped him.

Then Jesus said to them:

Do not be afraid! Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Report of the Guards

As the women continued on their way, some of the guards entered the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had taken place.

The chief priests gathered with the elders and decided to pay the soldiers a large sum of money

with this instruction:

“Say that his disciples came by night while you were asleep and stole the body of Jesus.

If Pilate finds out about this, we will explain the situation and keep you out of trouble.”

The soldiers took the money and did as they were told. This story has circulated among the Jews to this day.

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus instructed them to meet.

When they saw Jesus, they bowed before him, although some doubted.

Then Jesus approached and said to them:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, until the end of the age.