Chapter 1
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 According to what is written in the prophet Isaiah: »Behold, I send my messenger before you, to prepare the way for you.
3 A voice cries out in the wilderness: «Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness, and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5 All the country of Judea and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem came to him, and, confessing their sins, they received baptism from him in the river Jordan.
6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached:
7 »After me comes one who is mightier than I, and I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the straps of his sandals.
8 I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.«
9 Now it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 And as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit-Saint descend upon him like a dove.
11 And a voice came from heaven: »You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.«
12 And immediately the Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness.
13 And he remained there forty days, being tempted by Satan; he was among the wild beasts, and the angels they served him.
14 After John had been put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.
15 He said, »The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.«
16 As he walked along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea, for they were fishermen.
17 Jesus said to them, »Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.«
18 Immediately, leaving their nets, they followed him.
19 A little further on, he saw James, son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in a boat, mending their nets.
20 He called them at once; and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the mercenaries, they followed him.
21 They went to Capernaum, and on the first Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach.
22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Now there was in their synagogue a man possessed by an unclean spirit, who cried out:
24 »What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? You have come to destroy us! I know who you are, the Holy One of God.«
25 But Jesus, speaking to him threateningly, said, »Be quiet, and come out of him!«
26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him violently, came out of him with a loud shriek.
27 They were all amazed, so that they asked one another, »What is this? What is this new teaching? For he rules even over the unclean spirits, and they obey him.«
28 And his fame spread at once throughout the whole country around Galilee.
29 Leaving the synagogue, they went immediately to the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; immediately they told Jesus about her.
31 He approached and helped her up, taking her by the hand; at the same moment the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 In the evening, after sunset, they brought him all the sick and the demonic ones,
33 and the whole city crowded in front of the gate.
34 He healed many who were sick with various infirmities, and he cast out many demons; but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew him.
35 The next day, having risen long before daybreak, he went out, went to a solitary place, and there he prayed.
36 Simon and those who were with him went in search of him;
37 And when they found him, they said to him, »Everyone is looking for you.«
38 He answered them, »Let us go elsewhere, to the neighboring towns, so that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out.«
39 And he preached in their synagogues, going throughout all Galilee, and driving out demons.
40 A leper came to him, and throwing himself at his knees, he said to him in a pleading tone: "If you wish, you can heal me."»
41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, saying, »I am willing; be healed.«
42 And as soon as he had spoken, the leprosy left that man, and he was healed.
43 Immediately Jesus sent him away, saying to him in a stern tone:
44 »Beware of telling anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your healing what Moses commanded, to testify to it before the people.«
45 But this man went away and began to tell and to publish everywhere what had happened: so that Jesus could no longer enter a city openly, but stayed outside in solitary places, and people came to him from all sides.
Chapter 2
1 Some time later, Jesus returned to Capernaum.
2 When word got around that he was in the house, so many people gathered there that they could not find a place even at the door; and he preached the word to them.
3 Then they brought to him a paralytic carried by four men.
4 And, as they could not approach him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was, and through the opening they lowered the mat on which the paralytic lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, »Son, your sins are forgiven.«
6 Now there were some scribes sitting there, thinking in their hearts:
7 »How can this man speak like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God alone?«
8 At once Jesus, knowing in his spirit that they were thinking this in their hearts, said to them, »Why do you think these things in your hearts?
9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say to him, “Get up, take up your mat and walk”?
10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,
11 «I command you,” he said to the paralytic, “get up, take up your mat and go home.”
12 And immediately he got up, took his mat, and went out in the presence of all, so that all the people were amazed and gave glory to God, saying, »We have never seen anything like this!«
13 Jesus went out again along the sea; and all the people came to him, and he taught them.
14 As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax collector's booth; he said to him, "Follow me." Levi got up and followed him.
15 Now it happened that Jesus was having table in that man’s house, and many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
16 When the scribes and the Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, »Why does your teacher eat and drink with sinners and tax collectors?«
17 Hearing this, Jesus said to them, »It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick; I have not come to call the righteous, but the fishermen.«
18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were in the habit of fasting. They came to him and said, »Why do the disciples of John and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?«
19 Jesus answered them, »Can the guests of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.
21 No one sews a patch of new cloth on an old garment; otherwise the new patch pulls away from the old, and the tear becomes worse.
22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins and spill out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.«
23 One Sabbath, Jesus was walking through the grain fields, and his disciples, as they went along, began to pick some heads of grain.
24 The Pharisees said to him, »Look! Why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?«
25 He answered them, »Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were in need and hungry?
26 How he entered the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for the priests to eat, and even gave some to those who were with him?«
27 He also said to them, »The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath;
28 That is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.«
Chapter 3
1 When Jesus entered the synagogue again, a man was there whose hand was withered.
2 And they watched him to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath day, so that they might accuse him.
3 Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, »Stand here in the middle»;
4 Then he said to them, »Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to take it away?» And they remained silent.
5 Then, looking at them with indignation, and grieved at the blindness of their hearts, he said to the man, »Stretch out your hand.» He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him to try to destroy him.
7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a large crowd followed him from Galilee and Judea,
8 from Jerusalem, from Idumea and beyond the Jordan. Those from the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, having heard of the things he was doing, also came to him in great crowds.
9 And he told his disciples to always have a boat ready for him, so that he would not be pressed by the crowd.
10 For, as he healed many people, all who had any ailment rushed upon him to touch him.
11 When the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out:
12 "You are the Son of God"; but he warned them with great threats not to make known who he was.
13 Then he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he himself wanted, and they came to him.
14 He appointed twelve to be with him and to be sent out to preach,
15 with the power to cure diseases and drive out demons.
16 To Simon he gave the surname Peter;
17 then he chooses James, son of Zebedee, and John, brother of James, to whom he gave the surname Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder;
18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot,
19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
20 They returned to the house, and the crowd gathered there again, so that they could not even eat their meal.
21 When his parents heard about this, they came to seize him, for they said, »He is out of his mind.«
22 But the scribes who had come from Jerusalem said, »He is possessed by Beelzebub, and it is by the prince of demons that he casts out demons.«
23 Jesus called them together and told them a parable: »How can Satan drive out Satan?
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand;
25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 If Satan therefore rises up against himself, he is divided and cannot stand, and its power is coming to an end.
27 No one may enter the fort's house and remove its furniture unless he first chains it; and then he will plunder his house.
28 Truly I tell you, all sins will be forgiven the children of men, even the blasphemies they have uttered.
29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.«
30 Jesus spoke thus, because they were saying, "He is possessed by an unclean spirit."»
31 When his mother and brothers came, they stood outside and sent word to him.
32 Now the people were sitting around him, and they told him, »Your mother and your brothers are outside, looking for you.«
33 He replied, »Who is my mother and who are my brothers?«
34 Then, looking around at those who were sitting around him, he said, »Here are my mother and my brothers.
35 For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.«
Chapter 4
1 Jesus began to teach again by the sea. Such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into the boat and sat in the sea, and all the crowd was on the shore.
2 And he taught them many things in parablesAnd he told them in his teaching:
3 » Listen. — The sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and ate them up.
5 Others fell on stony ground, where they did not have much soil; they sprang up immediately, because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun rose, the plant, stricken by its heat and having no root, withered away.
7 Other seeds fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them, and they produced no fruit.
8 Others fell on good soil; growing up and increasing, they yielded their crop, some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold.«
9 And he added, »He who has ears, let him hear.«
10 When he was alone, those around him, with the Twelve, questioned him about the parable.
11 He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to them who are outside, everything is being proclaimed in parables,
12 so that, seeing with their eyes, they may not see, nor hearing with their ears, they may not understand: lest they should turn and receive forgiveness of their sins.
13 He added, »Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?”
14 The sower sows the word.
15 Those on the path are the men in whom the word is sown, and no sooner have they heard it than Satan comes and takes away the word sown in their hearts.
16 Likewise, those who receive the seed on rocky ground are those who, as soon as they hear the word, receive it with joy;
17 But they have no root; they are fickle: whether tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, they immediately fall away.
18 Those who receive the seed among the thorns are those who listen to the word;
19 But the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and other desires entering into their hearts, choke the word, and it bears no fruit.
20 Finally, those whose seed fell on good soil are those who hear the word and accept it, and produce a crop, thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.«
21 He also said to them, »Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on a lampstand?
22 For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing done in secret that will not come to light.
23 If anyone has ears, let them hear well.«
24 And he added: »Consider carefully what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.”.
25 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.«
26 He also said, »The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground.
27 Night and day he sleeps and gets up, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.
28 For the earth produces fruit of itself: first the blade, then the head, and the head afterward is filled with wheat.
29 And when the fruit is ripe, the sickle is put in at once, because it is harvest time.«
30 He also said, »To what shall we compare the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we describe it?”
31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;
32 And when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants, and it spreads out its branches so far that the birds of the air can find shelter in its shade.«
33 He taught them in this way through various parables, depending on whether they were able to hear it.
34 He did not speak to them without parables, but, in particular, he explained everything to his disciples.
35 That day, toward evening, he said to them, »Let us cross to the other side.«
36 Having dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, just as he was, in the boat, and other small boats accompanied him.
37 Then a violent windstorm arose and drove the waves against the boat, so that it was already filling with water.
38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; they woke him and said to him, »Master, do you not care that we are perishing?«
39 When Jesus had woken up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, »Be still!» And the wind subsided, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said to them, »Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?» And they were filled with great fear, and said to one another, »Who then is this, that the wind and the sea obey him?«
Chapter 5
1 Having crossed the sea, they arrived in the land of the Gerasenes.
2 And as Jesus was getting out of the boat, suddenly a man with an unclean spirit came to him from among the tombs.
3 He had his dwelling in the tombs; and no one could keep him bound anymore, not even with a chain.
4 For he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and he had broken the chains and torn off his bonds, so that no one could control him.
5 Day and night he wandered among the tombs and on the mountains, crying out and bruising himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran up and knelt before him,
7 And he cried out in a loud voice, »What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you in the name of God, do not torment me!«
8 For Jesus had been saying to him, »Unclean spirit, come out of this man!«
9 And he asked him, »What is your name?» And he said to him, »My name is Legion, for we are many.«
10 And he earnestly begged him not to send them out of that country.
11 Now there was a large herd of pigs grazing there along the mountain.
12 And the demons begged Jesus, saying, »Send us into those pigs, so that we may go in.«
13 He gave them permission at once, and the unclean spirits, coming out of the possessed man, went into the pigs, and the herd, which was about two thousand, rushed down the steep slopes into the sea and drowned.
14 Those who were guarding them fled and spread the news throughout the city and the countryside. People went to see what had happened;
15 They came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and sane, and they were terrified.
16 And those who had witnessed it told them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs,
17 They began to pray to Jesus to leave their borders.
18 As Jesus got into the boat, the man who had been possessed asked permission to follow him.
19 Jesus did not allow him to do so, but said to him, »Go home to your family and tell them all that the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.«
20 He went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him, and all were amazed.
21 When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat, as he was near the shore, a large crowd gathered around him.
22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came and, seeing him, fell at his feet,
23 and begged him earnestly, saying, »My daughter is dying; come, lay your hand on her, so that she may be healed and live.«
24 And he went with him, and a great multitude followed him and pressed around him.
25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years;
26 She had suffered greatly from several doctors, and spent all her money, and far from experiencing any relief, she had seen her illness worsen.
27 When she heard about Jesus, she came into the crowd and touched the back of his cloak.
28 For she said, »If I only touch his clothes, I will be healed.«
29 Immediately the flow of blood stopped and she felt in her body that she was cured of her infirmity.
30 At that moment Jesus realized that power had gone out from him, and turning around in the crowd, he said, »Who touched my clothes?«
31 His disciples said to him, »You see the crowd pressing around you on every side, and you ask, «Who touched me?’”
32 And he looked around to see who had touched him.
33 This woman, trembling with fear, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet, and told him the whole truth.
34 Jesus said to her, »Daughter, your faith has healed you; go in peace, and be freed from your infirmity.«
35 While he was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader's house and said, "Your daughter is dead. Why burden the teacher any further?"»
36 But when Jesus heard this, he said to the synagogue leader, »Do not be afraid; just believe.«
37 And he did not allow anyone to accompany him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
38 They arrived at the house of the synagogue leader, and there he saw a confused crowd of people weeping and wailing loudly.
39 He went in and said to them, »Why all this noise and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.«
40 And they mocked him. But he put them all out, took with him the child’s father and mother, and the disciples who were with him, and went into the place where the child was lying.
41 And taking her hand, he said to her, »Talitha qoumi,» that is to say, »Little girl, I tell you, get up.«
42 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old; and they were amazed.
43 And Jesus strictly ordered them not to tell anyone about it; then he told them to give the girl something to eat.
Chapter 6
1 Leaving there, Jesus came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.
2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were amazed and said, »Where did this man get these things? What is this wisdom that has been given to him, and how are such miracles performed by his hands?”
3 Isn't that the carpenter, the son of Married, "The brother of James, Joseph, Judah, and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us?" And they were scandalized at him.
4 Jesus said to them, »A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, in his own home, and in his own family.«
5 And he could not perform any miracle there, except that he healed some sick people by laying his hands on them.
6 And he was astonished at their unbelief.
Then Jesus traveled around the surrounding villages, teaching.
7 Then he called the Twelve to him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over the unclean spirits.
8 He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff, no bag, no bread, no money in their belts;
9 but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.
10 And he said to them, »Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place.
11 And if anywhere they refuse to receive you and listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony to them.«
12 So they went out and preached repentance;
13 They drove out many demons, anointed many sick people with oil, and healed them.
14 Now King Herod heard about it of Jesus, whose name had become famous, and he said: "John the Baptist has risen: that is why miraculous power is at work in him."»
15 But others said, »This is Elijah»; and others, »He is a prophet, like one of the ancient prophets. «"«
16 When Herod heard this, he said, »John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead.«
17 For it was Herod himself who had sent and arrested John and had him put in prison loaded with irons, because of Herodias, the wife of Philip, his brother, whom he had married;
18 For John had been saying to Herod, »It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.«
19 Herodias was therefore hostile to him, and wanted to kill him; but she could not.
20 For Herod, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, revered him and watched over his life; he did many things according to his advice and listened to him willingly.
21 Finally, a favorable opportunity presented itself. On the anniversary of his birth, Herod gave a feast for the nobles of his court, his officers, and the leading men of Galilee.
22 When Herodias' daughter entered the hall and danced, she so pleased Herod and those who were at the table with him that the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you."»
23 And he added with an oath: »Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you, up to half of my kingdom.«
24 She went out and said to her mother, »What shall I ask for?» Her mother replied, »The head of John the Baptist.«
25 Returning immediately and eagerly to the king, the young girl made this request: »I want you to give me, at once, on a platter, the head of John the Baptist.«
26 The king was saddened: nevertheless, Because of his oath and his guests, he did not want to distress her with a refusal.
27 He immediately sent one of his guards with orders to bring John's head on a platter.
28 The guard went and beheaded John in the prison, and brought his head on a platter; he gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
29 When John's disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
30 When they returned to Jesus, the Apostles reported to him all that they had done and all that they had taught.
31 He said to them, »Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and get some rest.» For so many people were coming and going that the apostles did not even have time to eat.
32 So they embarked and withdrew to a secluded place.
33 They were seen leaving, and many people, having guessed where they were going, From all the cities people rushed overland to this place, and arrived there before them.
34 When Jesus landed, he saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.
35 As it was already late, his disciples came to him and said, »This is a deserted place and it is already late;
36 Send them back so that they may go to the surrounding farms and villages to buy themselves something to eat.«
37 He answered them, »You give them something to eat.» And they said to him, »Shall we then go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, in order to give it to them to eat?«
38 He asked them, »How many loaves do you have? Go and see.» When they found out, they told him, »Five loaves and two fish.«
39 Then he commanded them to have them all sit down, in groups, on the green grass;
40 and they sat down in groups of a hundred and of fifty.
41 Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people; he also divided the two fish among them all.
42 They all ate and were satisfied,
43 and twelve baskets full of pieces were carried away bread and what was left of the fish.
44 Now those who had eaten numbered five thousand men.
45 Immediately afterward, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side of the lake, to Bethsaida, while he himself dismissed the people.
46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land.
48 Seeing that they were having great difficulty rowing, (because the wind was against them), about the fourth watch of the night, he went out to them, walking on the sea; and he intended to pass by them.
49 But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out.
50 For they all saw him, and they were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, »Take courage! It is I; do not be afraid.«
51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased; and their astonishment was at its full and they were beside themselves;
52 because they did not understand the miracle of the loaves, because their hearts were hardened.
53 After crossing the lake, they came to the territory of Gennesaret and landed there.
54 When they had gotten out of the boat, the people of the country, having immediately recognized Jesus,
55 people searched all around, and people began to bring him the sick on their cots, wherever it was learned that he was.
56 Wherever he arrived, in villages, in towns and in the countryside, they put the sick in the public squares, and they begged him to let them only touch the tassel of his cloak; and all who could touch it were healed.
Chapter 7
1 The Pharisees and many scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus.
2 When he saw some of his disciples eating with defiled hands, that is, unwashed hands, they THE blamed.
3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they have washed their hands thoroughly, according to the tradition of the elders.
4 And when they return from the public square, they do not eat unless they have performed ablutions. They also observe many other traditional customs, such as the purification of cups, jugs, bronze vessels, and beds.
5 The Pharisees and the scribes therefore asked him, »Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders, but eat with unclean hands?«
6 He answered them, »Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship of me is in vain; they teach doctrines that are precepts of men.
8 You have let go of the commandments of God and are holding on to human traditions, cleaning the vessels and cups and doing many other things like these.
9 You know very well, he added, how to nullify God's commandment in order to observe your tradition!
10 For Moses said, “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “Whoever curses his father or his mother must be put to death.”.
11 But you say, “If a man says to his father or mother, ‘The good that I could have given you is Corban,’ that is, a gift.” Done to God,
12 You no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, —
13 thus nullifying the word of God by the tradition that you teach. And you do many other things like this.«
14 Having called the people together, Jesus said to them, »Listen to me, all of you, and understand.
15 Nothing that is outside a person can defile them by going into them; but what comes out of a person is what defiles them.
16 Let anyone who has ears hear.«
17 When he had gone into a house, away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about this parable.
18 He said to them, »Are you so dull? Do you not understand that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?”,
19 because it does not enter his heart, but goes to his stomach, and is expelled to the secret place, which purifies all foods?
20 But he added, what comes out of a man is what defiles him.
21 For it is from within, out of the heart of men, that evil thoughts come, adultery, fornication, murder,
22 theft, avarice, wickedness, fraud, debauchery, the evil eye, slander, pride, madness.
23 All these evil things come from within and defile a person.«
24 He then left that place and went to the borders of Tyre and Sidon. And having entered a house, he wished that no one would know it, but he could not remain hidden.
25 For no sooner had a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him than she came and fell at his feet.
26 This woman was a pagan, a Syrophoenician by nation; she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.
27 He said to him, »First let the children be fed, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
28 «It is true, Lord,” she replied; “but even the little dogs eat the children’s crumbs under the table.”
29 Then he said to her, »Because of this saying, go, the demon has left your daughter.«
30 When she returned home, she found her daughter lying on her bed; the demon had left her.
31 Then Jesus left the country of Tyre and returned by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the center of the Decapolis.
32 There they brought to him a deaf-mute, and begged him to lay his hands on him.
33 Jesus took him aside from the crowd, put his fingers into his ears, and spit on his tongue;
34 Then, looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to her, »Ephphatha,» that is, “Be opened.”.
35 And immediately the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he spoke distinctly.
36 Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them, the more they proclaimed it;
37 And filled with boundless admiration, they said, "Everything he has done is marvelous! He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."»
Chapter 8
1 In those days, when there were still a great crowd who had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples together and said to them:
2 »I have compassion for these people, for they have not left me for three days now, and they have nothing to eat.
3 If I send them back to their homes without food, they will faint on the way, for many of them have come from far away!«
4 His disciples answered him, »How could anyone here in this desert region find enough bread to feed them?«
5 And he asked them, »How many loaves do you have?» They said, »Seven.«
6 Then he made the crowd sit down on the ground, took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them to the people.
7 They also had some small fish; after saying a blessing, Jesus also distributed them.
8 They ate and were satisfied, and seven baskets of the leftover pieces were taken up.
9 Now those who ate were about four thousand. Then Jesus sent them away.
10 He immediately got into the boat with his disciples and came to the land of Dalmanutha.
11 The Pharisees arrived and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven to test him.
12 Jesus sighed deeply and said, »Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.«
13 And leaving them, he got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.
14 But the disciples had forgotten to bring bread; they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
15 Jesus warned them, »Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.«
16 Then they discussed this among themselves, saying, »It’s because we have no bread.«
17 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them, »Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still have neither sense nor understanding? Are your hearts still blinded?
18 Do you have eyes but do not see, and ears but do not hear? And do you have no memory?
19 When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand men, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take?» They told him, »Twelve.»
20 And when I broke the seven loaves among the four thousand men, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?» They told him, »Seven.«
21 He said to them, »How is it that you still do not understand?«
22 They arrived at Bethsaida, and they brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him.
23 Taking the blind man by the hand, Jesus led him out of the village, put some of his saliva on his eyes, and, laying his hands on him, asked him if he saw anything.
24 The blind man looked up and said, »I see people walking around, like trees.«
25 Jesus again laid his hands on his eyes and made him look. Then he was so well healed that he could see everything clearly.
26 Then Jesus sent him home, saying, »Go home, but do not enter the village or tell anyone there about this.«
27 From there, Jesus and his disciples went to the villages around Caesarea Philippi, and on the way he asked them, »Who do people say I am?«
28 They answered him, »John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29 »But who do you say I am?» he asked them. Peter answered him, «You are the Christ.”
30 And he strictly forbade them to say that from him to no one.
31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.
32 And he told them these things openly. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 But Jesus turned and looked at his disciples and rebuked Peter, saying, »Get behind me, Satan! For you are thinking not of God, but of men.«
34 Then, having called the people together with his disciples, he said to them, »If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.
35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
36 What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?
37 For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the angels saints.
39 He added, »Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.«
Chapter 9
1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves, and he was transfigured before them.
2 His clothes became dazzling white, as bright as snow, and whiter than any fuller on earth could bleach them.
3 Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter, speaking up, said to Jesus, »Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.«
5 He did not know what he was saying, for terror had seized them.
6 And a cloud covered them with its shadow, and a voice came from the cloud: »This is my beloved Son; listen to him.«
7 Immediately, looking all around, they saw no one except Jesus alone with them.
8 As they were coming down the mountain, he commanded them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
9 And they kept this to themselves, while they wondered among themselves what this word meant: »raised from the dead!«
10 They questioned him and said, »Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?«
11 He answered them, »Elijah must come first and restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he must suffer many things and be despised?
12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did to him as they wished, just as it is written about him.«
13 When he returned to his disciples, he saw a large crowd around them, and scribes discussing with them.
14 The whole crowd was amazed to see Jesus, and they immediately ran to greet him.
15 He asked them, »What are you discussing with them?«
16 A man from the crowd answered him, »Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a mute spirit.
17 Wherever the spirit seizes him, it throws him to the ground, and’child It foams at the mouth, gnashes its teeth, and dries up; I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.
18 «O unbelieving generation,” Jesus said to them, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to me.”
19 They brought him to her. At the sight of him, the spirit suddenly agitated the child violently; he fell to the ground and rolled around foaming at the mouth.
20 Jesus asked the child's father, "How long has this been happening to him?" "Since he was a child," he replied.
21 Often the spirit has thrown him into the fire and into the water to destroy him; if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.«
22 Jesus said to him, »If you can (believe), all things are possible to him who believes.«
23 Immediately the child's father cried out, weeping, "I believe (Lord); help my unbelief!"»
24 When Jesus saw the crowds running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying, »You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again!«
25 Then, with a loud cry and violently convulsing him, he came out, and the child became like a corpse, so that many said, »He is dead.«
26 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up, and he stood up.
27 When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, »Why could we not drive out the spirit?«
28 He said to them, »This kind demon can only be driven out by prayer and fasting.«
29 Leaving that place, they traveled throughout Galilee, and Jesus did not want anyone to know it,
30 For he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, »The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and on the third day after his death he will rise again.«
31 But they did not understand this saying, and they were afraid to ask him.
32 They arrived at Capernaum. When he was in the house, Jesus asked them, »What were you talking about on the road?«
33 But they remained silent, for on the way they had argued among themselves about who was the greatest.
34 Then they sat down, called the Twelve together, and said to them, »If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last of all, and the servant of all.«
35 Then, taking a little child, he placed him in their midst; and after embracing him, he said to them:
36 »Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.«
37 John answered him, »Teacher, we saw someone who is not one of us driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him.”
38 Do not stop him, said Jesus; for no one can perform a miracle in my name and then immediately speak evil of me.
39 Whoever is not against us is for us.
40 For whoever gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ, I tell you truly, he will by no means lose his reward.
41 And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.
42 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.,
43 where their worm does not die, and where the fire is not quenched.
44 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell, where the fire never goes out.,
45 where their worm does not die, and where the fire is not quenched.
46 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.,
47 where their worm does not die, and where the fire is not quenched.
48 For every man shall be salted with fire, and every offering shall be salted with salt.
49 Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Keep the salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.«
Chapter 10
1 Leaving that place, Jesus went to the borders of Judea, beyond the Jordan; and the people gathered around him again, and he began to teach them again, as was his custom.
2 The Pharisees approached him and asked whether it was lawful for a husband to divorce his wife: this was to test him.
3 He answered them, »What did Moses command you?«
4 They said, »Moses permitted a man to draw up a certificate of divorce and to send away his wife.«
5 Jesus answered them, »It is because of the hardness of your heart that he gave you this law.
6 But at the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
7 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
8 and the two will become one flesh.» So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate!«
10 When they were in the house, his disciples asked him again about this subject,
11 and he said to them, »Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against the first wife.
12 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.«
13 People brought little children to him so that he might touch them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, »Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.
15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.«
16 Then he kissed them, and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
17 As he was going out to begin his journey, someone ran up to him and, falling on his knees before him, asked him, »Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?«
18 Jesus said to him, »Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
19 You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, abstain from all deceit, honor your father and mother.«
20 He replied, »Teacher, I have observed all these things since my youth.«
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. »You lack one thing,« he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 But he, grieved by this saying, went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus, looking around him, said to his disciples, »How hard it is for those who have the goods of this world to enter the kingdom of God!«
24 When the disciples were astonished at his words, Jesus said again, »My little children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.«
26 And they were even more astonished, and they said to one another, »Who then can be saved?«
27 Jesus looked at them and said, »With man this is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.«
28 Then Peter spoke up, saying, »Look, we have left everything to follow you.«
29 Jesus answered, »Truly I tell you, no one will leave home or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for me and for the gospel,
30 that he may not now receive a hundred times as much in this present time: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields, in the midst of persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life.
31 And many of the last will be first, and many of the first will be last.«
32 Now they were on their way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; and they were amazed and followed him with fear. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to him:
33 »Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles;
34 They will insult him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him, and three days later he will rise again.«
35 James and John, sons of Zebedee, approached him, saying, »Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
36 «What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them.«
37 They said, »Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and the other at your left, in your glory.«
38 Jesus said to them, »You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am going to drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am going to be baptized?«
39 They answered, »We can.» And Jesus said to them, »The cup that I am going to drink, you will indeed drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized;
40 But to sit at my right or my left is not for me to grant, except to those for whom it has been prepared.«
41 When the other ten heard this, they became indignant with James and John.
42 Jesus called them together and said to them, »You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the nations lord it over them, and that their great ones exercise authority over them.
43 It should not be so among you; but whoever wants to become great among you must become your servant;
44 And whoever wants to be first among you must become a slave to all.
45 For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.«
46 They arrived at Jericho. As Jesus was leaving that city with his disciples and a rather large crowd, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus the blind, was sitting by the roadside begging for alms.
47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, »Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!«
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, »Son of David, have mercy on me!«
49 Then Jesus stopped and said, »Call him.» And they called him, saying, »Take heart; get up, he is calling you.«
50 Throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus.
51 Jesus said to him, »What do you want me to do for you?« The blind man replied, “Rabboni, I want to see.”
52 Jesus said to him, »Go, your faith has saved you.» And immediately he saw, and followed him along the road.
Chapter 11
1 As they approached Jerusalem, near Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples,
2 saying to them, »Go to the village ahead of you; as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no man has ever sat; untie it and bring it to me.
3 And if anyone asks you, «What are you doing?” answer, “The Lord needs him,” and he will send him back here immediately.«
4 As the disciples went on their way, they found a colt tied to a gate outside, at the turn of the road, and they untied it.
5 Some of those who were there said to them, »What are you doing untying that donkey?«
6 They answered as Jesus had commanded them, and they were allowed to do so.
7 And they brought the donkey to Jesus, and put their cloaks on it, and Jesus sat on them.
8 A large number spread their cloaks along the road; others cut branches from trees and spread them on the road.
9 And those who went before, and those who followed, cried out: »Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10 Blessed be the reign of David our father, which is about to begin! Hosanna in the highest!«
11 And he entered Jerusalem, into the temple; and having observed all things, as it was already late, he departed for Bethany with the Twelve.
12 The next day, after they had left Bethany, he was hungry.
13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree covered with leaves, he went up to see if he might find some fruit on it; and when he approached it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs.
14 Then he said to the fig tree, »May no one ever eat fruit from you again!» This is what his disciples heard.
15 They arrived in Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.,
16 and he did not allow anyone to carry any object through the temple.
17 And he taught, saying, »Is it not written: «My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
18 Having heard this, the chief priests and the scribes sought ways to destroy him; for they feared him, because all the people admired his teaching.
19 When evening came, Jesus left the city.
20 Now, when the disciples passed by again early in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the root up.
21 Then Peter remembered and said to Jesus, »Teacher, look, the fig tree you cursed has withered.«
22 Jesus answered them, »Have faith in God.
23 Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours.
25 When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
26 If you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your sins.«
27 They arrived again in Jerusalem. While Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him,
28 and said to him, »By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you authority to do them?«
29 Jesus said to them, »I too will ask you a question; answer me and I will tell you by what power I do these things.
30 Was John's baptism from heaven or from men? Answer me.«
31 But they were saying to themselves, »If we answer, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe in him?’”.
32 If we answer: men… » They feared the people; for all held John to be a true prophet.
33 So they answered Jesus, »We do not know.« “And I,” Jesus said, “will not tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Chapter 12
1 Jesus began to speak to them in parables"A man planted a vineyard; he put a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he rented it to some vine-growers and left for another country.
2 At the proper time, he sent a servant to the tenants to receive from them a share of the harvest.
3 But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
4 He sent them yet another servant, and they wounded him in the head and heaped insults upon him.
5 He sent a third, whom they killed; many others were also, some beaten, others killed by them.
6 The master had one son left, whom he loved very much; he sent him also to them last, saying to himself, “They will respect my son.”.
7 But these tenants said to one another, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.”.
8 And they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give his vineyard to others.
10 Have you not read this passage of Scripture: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”?
11 The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes?«
12 And they sought to seize him, knowing that he had them in mind in this parable; but they feared the people, and left him, they went away.
13 So they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch him in what he said.
14 When they came to him, they said, »Teacher, we know that you are a man of truth and that you care nothing for anyone; for you do not regard people as they are, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or not?«
15 Knowing their treachery, he said to them, »Why are you tempting me? Bring me a denarius, so I may see it.«
16 They brought it to him; and he said to them, »Whose image and inscription are these?« “Caesar’s,” they said to him.
17 Then Jesus answered them, »Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.» And they were amazed.
18 Of the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, They then approached him and asked him this question:
19 »Teacher, Moses commanded us that if a brother dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother must take his wife and raise up children for his brother.
20 Now there were seven brothers; the first one took a wife, and died without leaving any children.
21 The second one then took her, and also died without leaving any children. The same thing happened to the third one,
22 and each of the seven took her, and left no children. After all of them, the woman also died.
23 Well, in the resurrection, When they are resurrected, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as their wife.«
24 Jesus answered them, »Are you not mistaken because you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?
25 For when men are raised from the dead, they do not take wives, nor women husbands; but they are like the angels in the sky.
26 And touching the resurrection Have you not read in the book of Moses, at the Passing of the Burning Bush, what God said to him: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
27 He is not the God of the dead, but living people. You are therefore greatly mistaken.«
28 One of the scribes, who had heard this discussion, seeing that Jesus had answered them well, approached him and asked, »Which commandment is the first of all?«
29 Jesus answered him, »The first of all is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 You shall therefore love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.
31 The second one is similar to it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.«
32 The Scribe said to him, »Well said, Master, you have spoken the truth, that God is one, and that there is no other besides him;
33 and to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.«
34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, »You are not far from the kingdom of God.» And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
35 Jesus, continuing to teach in the temple, said, »How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?
36 For David himself speaks thus by the Holy Spirit: The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
37 David himself calls him Lord, how then can he be his son?» And the large crowd enjoyed hearing him.
38 He also told them in his teaching: »Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,
39 the best seats in the synagogues and the best places at feasts:
40 These people, who devour widows' houses and ostentatiously make long prayers, will receive a greater condemnation.«
41 Sitting opposite the trunk, Jesus watched the people putting money into it; many rich people put in large sums.
42 A poor widow came and put in two small coins, worth together a quarter of an as.
43 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, »Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but this woman out of her poverty gave everything she had, all she had to live on.«
Chapter 13
1 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, »Master, look at these stones and these buildings!«
2 Jesus answered him, »Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone in them will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.«
3 When he sat down on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew questioned him privately:
4 »Tell us when this will happen, and what sign will it be that all these things are about to be fulfilled?«
5 Jesus answered them and began this speech: »Take heed that no one deceives you.
6 For many will come in my name, saying, “I am he.” Christ ; and they will deceive a great many.
7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; for these things must take place, but the end is not yet.
8 People will rise against people, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
9 Be on your guard! You will be brought before the courts and the synagogues, and there you will be beaten; you will stand trial before governors and kings on account of me, for me to bear witness before them.
10 The gospel must first be preached to all nations.
11 Therefore, when they bring you before them, do not think beforehand about what you are going to say, but say whatever is given you at that time; for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his son; children will rise against their parents and put them to death.
13 And You will all be hated because of my name. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
14 When you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be—let the reader understand—then those who are in Judea should flee to the mountains.
15 Let him who is on the roof not go down into his house, nor enter to take anything out.
16 And let him who has gone into his field not return to take his cloak.
17 But woe to those who are pregnant or nursing infants in those days!
18 Pray that these things do not happen in winter.
19 For in those days there will be tribulations such as have not been since the beginning of the world which God created, until now, and never shall be.
20 And if the Lord had not shortened those days, no man would be saved; but he shortened them for the sake of the elect whom he chose.
21 If anyone tells you then, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there is the Christ!’ do not believe it.
22 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
23 For you, beware! See, I have told you everything beforehand.
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
25 The stars of heaven will fall, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.
26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and great glory.
27 And then he will send his angels to gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
28 Listen to this comparison of the fig tree: As soon as its branches are tender and it puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.
29 Thus, when you see these things happening, know that the Son of Man is near, that he is at the door.
30 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
32 As for that day and hour, no one knows, nor the angels in heaven, not the Son, but the Father alone.
33 Be on guard, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come.
34 In the same way, a man, having left his house to go on a journey, after having put his servants in charge and assigned each his task, commands the doorkeeper to keep watch.
35 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will come back, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning;
36 lest, coming suddenly, he should find you asleep.
37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!«
Chapter 14
1 The Passover and the Unleavened Bread were to take place two days later; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking ways to seize Jesus by trickery, in order to kill him.
2 »But,« they said, “it must not be during the festival, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
3 While Jesus was in Bethany, at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came in while he was reclining at the table. She had an alabaster jar full of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard; and she broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
4 Several of those who were there expressed their displeasure to one another: "Why waste this fragrance?"
5 It could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.» And they became angry with her.
6 But Jesus said, »Leave her alone; why are you bothering her? She has done a good thing for me.”.
7 For you have always the poor With you, and whenever you want, you can do them good; but you don't always have me.
8 This woman did what she could; she embalmed my body beforehand for burial.
9 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.«
10 Now Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus.
11 After hearing it, they were in joy and promised to give him money. And Judas was looking for a favorable opportunity to betray him.
12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, his disciples said to Jesus, »Where do you want us to go and prepare the Passover meal for you?«
13 And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, »Go into the city; you will meet a man carrying a jar of water, follow him.
14 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house: The Teacher sends you to say: Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?
15 And he will show you a large, furnished and ready-made chamber: make preparations for us there.«
16 His disciples went out and went to the city; and they found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
17 In the evening, Jesus came with the Twelve.
18 While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, »Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—the one who is eating with me!«
19 And they began to grieve and to say to him one after another, »Is it I?«
20 He answered them, »It is one of the Twelve, who puts his hand in the dish with me.
21 As for the Son of Man, he will go, just as it is written about him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.«
22 During the meal, Jesus took bread, and after saying a blessing, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, »Take it; this is my body.«
23 Then he took the cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
24 And he said to them, »This is my blood, the blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many.
25 Truly I tell you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.«
26 After singing the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 Then Jesus said to them, »This very night I will cause all of you to stumble, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’.
28 But after I have risen, I will be your leader in Galilee.«
29 Peter said to him, »Even if you fall away on account of all, you never will fall away on account of me.«
30 Jesus said to him, »Truly I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.«
31 But Peter insisted even more: »Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you.» And they all said the same.
32 They came to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, »Sit here while I pray.«
33 And having taken with him Peter, James, and John, he began to feel fear and despondency.
34 And he said to them, »My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death; stay here and keep watch.«
35 Having advanced a little, he threw himself to the ground; and he prayed that this hour, if it could, would pass from him.
36 And he said, »Abba (Father), all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.«
37 He came later and found his disciples sleeping; and he said to Peter, »Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you watch for one hour!”
38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.«
39 And going away again, he prayed, saying the same words.
40 Then, when he returned, he found them still asleep; for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.
41 He returned a third time and said to them, »Now you are sleeping and resting. Enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.”.
42 Rise, let us go; the one who betrays me is near.«
43 At that very moment, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, and with him a large company armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.
44 The traitor had given them this sign: »The one I kiss is the man; seize him and take him away safely.«
45 As soon as he arrived, he approached Jesus and said, »Master!» and kissed him.
46 The others threw their hands on him and arrested him.
47 One of those who were there drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
48 Jesus answered them, »Have you come out as to a robber, with swords and clubs to take me away?.
49 Every day I was among you, teaching in the temple, and you did not arrest me; but this happened so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.«
50 Then all his disciples deserted him and fled.
51 A young man was following him, covered only by a sheet; they seized him;
52 But he let go of the sheet and ran away naked from their hands.
53 They took Jesus to the high priest, where all the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders were assembled.
54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest, and sitting down by the fire with the servants, he warmed himself.
55 However, the chief priests and the whole council were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they could not find any.
56 For many testified falsely against him, but the testimonies did not agree.
57 Finally, some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:
58 »We heard him say: «I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’”
59 But even on this point their testimonies did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up and came into the midst of them and questioned Jesus, saying, »Have you nothing to say to the charges these men are bringing against you?«
61 But Jesus remained silent and did not answer. The high priest questioned him again and said to him, »Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?«
62 Jesus said to him, »I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Almighty, and coming with the clouds of heaven.«
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, »What need have we of witnesses?
64 You have heard the blasphemy; what do you think of it?» They all declared that he deserved death.
65 And some began to spit on him, and, covering his face, they struck him with their fists, saying to him, »Guess!»; and the servants slapped him.
66 While Peter was downstairs in the courtyard, one of the high priest's servant girls came;
67 And seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, »You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.«
68 But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you mean." Then he went away, going to the vestibule; and the rooster crowed.
69 When the servant girl saw him again, she began to say to those present, "There's one of those people."»
70 And he denied it again. A little later, those who were there said to Peter, »You must be one of them, for you are a Galilean.«
71 Then he began to curse and swear an oath, »I do not know the man you are talking about.«
72 And immediately, for the second time, the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken to him: »Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times»; and he began to weep.
Chapter 15
1 Early in the morning, without delay, the chief priests held a council with the elders and scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin. And after binding Jesus, they led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
2 Pilate asked him, »Are you the king of the Jews?» Jesus answered him, »You say so.«
3 As the Princes of the priests brought various accusations against him,
4 Pilate questioned him again, saying, »Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of.»
5 But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was astonished.
6 However, at each festival Easter, He would release a prisoner to them, the one they requested.
7 Now, there was in the prison the man named Barabbas, with the seditious men and his accomplices, for a murder they had committed in sedition.
8 The crowd having risen up, they began to demand what he always granted them.
9 Pilate answered them, »Do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?«
10 For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over.
11 But the pontiffs stirred up the people to get them to release Barabbas instead.
12 Pilate, speaking again, said to them, »What then do you want me to do with the one you call the king of the Jews?«
13 They shouted again, »Crucify him!«
14 Pilate said to them, »But what evil has he done?» And they shouted all the louder, »Crucify him!«
15 Pilate, wanting to satisfy the people, released Barabbas to them; and after having Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.
16 The soldiers led Jesus into the inner courtyard, that is, into the praetorium, and they summoned the whole cohort.
17 And having clothed him in purple, they crowned his head with a crown of thorns which they had woven.
18 Then they began to greet him: »Hail, King of the Jews!«
19 And they struck him on the head with a reed, and they spat on him, and, bending their knees, they paid homage to him.
20 After they had thus mocked him, they took off the purple robe, put his own clothes back on him, and led him away to be crucified.
21 A certain Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, passing by on his way back from the fields, was requisitioned by them to carry the cross of Jesus,
22 that they lead to the place called Golgotha, which is interpreted as: place of the Skull.
23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh to drink, but he did not take it.
24 Having crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves, casting lots for what each would take.
25 It was the third hour when they crucified him.
26 The inscription indicating the cause of his condemnation read: "The King of the Jews."»
27 They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and the other on his left.
28 Thus was fulfilled the Scripture which says, »And he was numbered with the transgressors.«
29 The passersby insulted him, shaking their heads and saying, »Ah! You who destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
30 Save yourself, and come down from the cross.«
31 The chief priests also, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves, saying, »He has saved others, but he cannot save himself.
32 »Now let Christ, the King of Israel, come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with him insulted him.
33 At the sixth hour, darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.
34 And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, »Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani!» which means, »My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?«
35 Some of those who were there, having heard it, said, »Look! He is calling Elijah.«
36 And one of them ran and filled a sponge with vinegar, and having put it on the end of a reed, he gave him to drink, saying, »Leave it, let us see if Elijah will come and bring him down.«
37 But Jesus, having cried out with a loud voice, breathed his last.
38 And the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
39 When the centurion who stood opposite Jesus saw that he had died with such a cry, he said, »Truly this man was the Son of God!«
40 There were also women watching from afar, including Mary Magdalene, Married, mother of James the Less and Joseph, and Salome,
41 who had already followed him and served him when he was in Galilee, and many others who had gone up to Jerusalem with him.
42 Evening had already come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
43 Then Joseph of Arimathea arrived: he was a highly respected member of the Sanhedrin, who was also waiting for the kingdom of God. He had boldly gone to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.
44 But Pilate, surprised that he had died so soon, summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had been dead for a long time.
45 On the centurion's report, he granted the body to Joseph.
46 Then Joseph, having bought a linen cloth, took Jesus down, wrapped him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb cut out of the rock; then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
47 Now Mary Magdalene, and Married, Joseph's mother watched where he was laid.
Chapter 16
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Married, James' mother, and Salome, bought spices, in order to go and anoint Jesus.
2 And on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they arrived at the tomb, the sun already having risen.
3 They said to one another, »Who will remove the stone from the entrance of the tomb?«
4 And, lifting their eyes, they saw that the stone had been rolled away; it was indeed very large.
5 Then they entered the tomb and saw a young man sitting on the right, dressed in a white robe, and they were terrified.
6 But he said to them, »Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him.
7 But go and tell his disciples and Peter that he will lead you in Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.«
8 They immediately left the tomb and fled, for trembling and astonishment had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone because of their fear.
9 So Jesus, having risen early on the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons;
10 And she went and told those who had been with him, and they were grieving and weeping.
11 When they heard that he was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe her.
12 Then Jesus appeared in another form to two of them as they were going into the country.
13 They went back and told the others, but they did not believe them either.
14 Later, he appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were eating; and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, for not believing those who had seen him after he had risen.
15 Then he said to them, »Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.
17 And here miracles who will accompany those who have believed: in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
18 They shall pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not harm them; they shall lay their hands on the sick, and the sick will be healed.«
19 After having Thus After he had spoken, the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God.
20 As for them, they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming their word by miracles who accompanied him.
