Chapter 1 #

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God is the Word. This was in the beginning with God. Everything came to be through him, and not a single thing came into existence without him. In him was life, and that life brought light to humanity. The light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not comprehend it.

² During the reign of King Herod, there was a priest named Zacharias, belonging to the family of Abijah. His wife, Elizabeth, was also of the priestly lineage of Aaron. They both lived upright lives before God, obedient to His commandments and blameless in His sight. Despite their righteousness, they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both of them were advanced in age.

³ Once, while Zacharias was fulfilling his priestly duties before God, it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. Meanwhile, outside, the assembly of people were praying. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to Zacharias, standing to the right of the altar of incense. Zacharias was startled and overcome with fear upon seeing the angel. However, the angel reassured him, saying, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. He will bring you great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. He will be esteemed highly by the Lord, and from birth, he will abstain from wine and strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before the Lord with the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

⁴ Sceptical, Zacharias asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and bring you this news. From now on, you will be unable to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at the right time.” The people were waiting for Zacharias and were puzzled by his long stay in the temple. When he finally came out, he couldn’t speak to them, and they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He communicated with them through signs and remained mute. When his time of service was finished, he went home.

⁵ In due time, Elizabeth conceived and remained in seclusion for five months, saying, “The Lord has done this for me. In these days, He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin named Mary, who was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel greeted her, saying, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Mary asked the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

⁷ In those days, Mary set out and hurried to the hill country, to a town in Judah, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice, she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Mary responded with a hymn of praise:

⁸ “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.

⁹ From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.

¹⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

¹¹ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

¹² When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

¹³ “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

¹⁴ And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

¹⁵ And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Chapter 2 #

¹ The story of Jesus’s birth goes like this: Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, being a righteous man, didn’t want to disgrace her publicly, so he planned to break off the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.

² “Joseph, descendant of David,” the angel said, “don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife. The child within her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this happened to fulfill the prophecy that said: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

³ When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And Joseph named him Jesus.

⁴ Around that time, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

⁵ And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no lodging available for them.

⁶ That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them.

⁷ “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

⁸ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

⁹ When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

¹⁰ Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

¹¹ Then it was time for Mary’s purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

¹² At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

¹³ Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”

¹⁴ Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

¹⁵ When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee.

Chapter 3 #

¹ Following this, the Wise Men journeyed from the East to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We have seen his star and have come to honor him.” King Herod and all of Jerusalem were troubled by this news. Herod assembled the chief priests and scribes and inquired where the Messiah was to be born. They answered, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for it is written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

² Herod then met with the Wise Men privately and asked when they had first seen the star. He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you find him, inform me so that I too may pay him homage.” The Wise Men, upon hearing the king, set out. Lo and behold, the star they had seen in the East guided them until it stopped over the place where the child was. Overjoyed, they entered the house, saw the child with his mother Mary, and fell down to worship him. Opening their treasures, they presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another route.

³ After their departure, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Joseph obeyed, fleeing with them to Egypt and staying there until Herod’s death, fulfilling what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Wise Men, he became furious and ordered the massacre of all male children in Bethlehem and its vicinity, two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Wise Men. This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

⁴ When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” So Joseph took the child and his mother and went to Israel. But hearing that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee and went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

⁵ The child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

⁶ Every year, Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, as was their custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.

⁷ Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

⁸ In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation.’”

⁹ John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Chapter 4 #

¹ No one has ever seen God, but the only Son, who is God and is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

² Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Finally, they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

³ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And so people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

⁴ “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

⁵ As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

⁶ And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

⁷ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

⁸ As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

⁹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

¹⁰ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

¹¹ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Chapter 5 #

¹ Jesus responded to him, saying, “Go away, Satan! As it is written, you should worship the Lord your God and serve Him alone.” After the devil had tempted Him in every way, he left Him, awaiting another opportunity. Then angels came and attended to Him.

² The next day, John was standing with two of his followers. When he saw Jesus passing by, he exclaimed, “Look, there goes the Lamb of God!” Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus noticed them and asked, “What are you seeking?” They replied, “Teacher, where are you staying?” He invited them, “Come and see.” So they went and stayed with Him that day, which was about the tenth hour. One of the two disciples who followed Jesus after hearing John speak was Andrew, Simon’s brother. Andrew first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah.” Then he brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of Jonah. You will be called Cephas.”

³ The next day, Jesus decided to go to Galilee, where He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, who was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Simon, then found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets too—Jesus, Joseph’s son, from Nazareth.” Nathanael skeptically asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.” As Nathanael approached Jesus, He remarked, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.” Puzzled, Nathanael asked, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree, before Philip called you.” Nathanael acknowledged, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus assured him, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than these.” Then He added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

⁴ Jesus returned to Galilee empowered by the Spirit.

⁵ On the third day, there was a wedding feast in Cana, a town in Galilee, and Jesus and His disciples were invited. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.” Jesus replied, “Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother instructed the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, used for Jewish purification rituals, each holding between twenty and thirty gallons. Jesus directed the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” They filled them to the brim. Then He said, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and when the master tasted the water that had been turned into wine, not knowing where it had come from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called the bridegroom and remarked, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” This, the first of His miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. Thus, He revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. After this, Jesus and His followers traveled to Capernaum, where they stayed for a few days.

⁶ Later, Jesus visited Nazareth, where He had grown up. On the Sabbath day, He went into the synagogue, as was His custom, and stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him, and He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Rolling up the scroll, He handed it back to the attendant and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue were fixed on Him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Everyone spoke well of Him and was amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips.

⁷ From that time on, Jesus began to preach, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” As He walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

⁸ As the crowd pressed in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by Lake Gennesaret. He saw two boats left by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. Jesus got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

Chapter 6 #

¹ When Simon Cephas witnessed this, he fell at Jesus’ feet and said, “My Lord, I beg you to leave me, for I am a sinful man.” Astonishment seized him and all those with him because of the abundance of fish they had caught. James and John, the sons of Zebedee and Simon’s partners, were also amazed. Jesus reassured Simon, saying, “Do not fear; from now on, you will be catching people for life.” They brought their boats to the shore, leaving everything behind, and followed him.

² Later, Jesus and his disciples traveled to Judea, where he baptized alongside them. John was also baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there, and people came to be baptized. At this time, John had not yet been imprisoned. Some of John’s disciples and a Jew engaged in a discussion about purification. They approached John, saying, “Teacher, the one who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you testified, is now baptizing, and many are going to him.” John replied, “A person cannot receive anything unless it is given to them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. They testify to what they have seen and heard, yet no one accepts their testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

³ Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John—although, in fact, it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.

⁴ Herod, the governor, had John arrested because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But Herod, aware of John’s righteousness and fearing him, protected him. Knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, he kept him safe. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

⁵ Finally, an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

⁶ The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

⁷ She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

⁸ “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

⁹ At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

¹⁰ The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

¹¹ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

¹² As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

¹³ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁴ “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

¹⁵ “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

¹⁶ Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

¹⁷ Shortly before dawn, Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

¹⁸ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

¹⁹ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁰ “Come,” he said.

²¹ Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

²² Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

²³ And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

²⁴ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Chapter 7 #

¹ On that day, as the dawn broke, he rose early and went to a solitary place to pray. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed, “Everyone is looking for you!”

² Jesus replied, “Let’s go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

³ News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

⁴ Later, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.

⁵ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

⁶ Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

⁷ They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”

⁸ Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”

⁹ He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and sews it on an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out, and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”

¹⁰ One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

¹¹ Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

¹² On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

¹³ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” He looked at them with frustration, saddened by their stubbornness. Then he turned to the man and said, “Stretch out your hand.” The man stretched it out, and his hand was healed. Turning back to the others, he asked, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a well on the Sabbath, won’t you lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore, it is right to do good on the Sabbath.”

Chapter 8 #

¹ The Pharisees huddled together, plotting his demise. Jesus, perceiving their scheme, departed from there, with throngs trailing after him. He healed them all but cautioned against spreading the word, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah: “Behold, my chosen servant, my beloved, in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. And in his name the nations will put their hope.”

² In those days, Jesus withdrew to the mountain to pray, spending the night in communion with God. When morning came, he called his disciples and made his way to the sea, with a multitude from all over following him: Galilee, Judaea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, beyond Jordan, Tyre, Sidon, and Decapolis. Hearing of his deeds, great crowds sought him out. To avoid being overwhelmed, he asked his disciples to ready a boat. Despite the crush of people, he healed many. Those afflicted with diseases and unclean spirits recognized him as the Son of God, but he sternly silenced them. Those tormented by unclean spirits found relief. The crowd pressed in, seeking his touch, as power emanated from him, healing them all.

³ Seeing the masses, Jesus ascended the mountain, calling his disciples to him. He selected twelve, naming them apostles: Simon (whom he called Peter), Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (called the Zealot), Judas (son of James), and Judas Iscariot, who would betray him. Descending to a level place with his disciples and a vast assembly, he designated these twelve to be with him and sent them to preach, granting them authority to heal the sick and cast out demons.

⁴ Then, addressing the multitude, he began to teach, saying:

⁵ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

⁶ But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

⁷ You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. For truly, nothing concealed will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden will not be brought to light. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

⁸ Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore, anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

⁹ You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Chapter 9 #

¹ You’ve heard it said before: “Don’t lie, and honor your promises to God.” But here’s my take: Don’t make oaths at all. Don’t swear by heaven, because that’s where God’s throne is. Don’t swear by the earth, it’s just a footstool for God. And definitely don’t swear by Jerusalem, it’s the city of the great King. Don’t even swear by your own head, because you can’t change the color of a single hair. Just let your word be straightforward—yes or no. Anything more than that is coming from a bad place.

² You’ve also heard, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” But I’m telling you, don’t retaliate against evil. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer them the other one too. If they try to sue you for your shirt, give them your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go two. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. Don’t fight back against someone who takes from you. Treat others as you want to be treated.

³ You’ve heard the rule: “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But here’s the twist: Love your enemies. Pray for those who curse you. Be kind to those who hate you. Show compassion to those who mistreat you and persecute you. This way, you’ll truly be children of your heavenly Father, who doesn’t discriminate between good and evil, or who deserves what. If you only love those who love you back, what’s so special about that? Even tax collectors do that. And if you only do good to those who do good to you, what’s the big deal? Even sinners do that. Instead, love your enemies, do good to them, lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.

⁴ When you give to the needy, don’t make a show of it. Don’t announce it with trumpets like the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, just to be praised by others. When you give, do it quietly. Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you openly.

⁵ And when you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly. Instead, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in private. Your Father, who sees everything done in private, will reward you openly. Don’t babble on and on as the pagans do, thinking that their prayers are answered because of their many words. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. When you pray, pray like this: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.” If you forgive others, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

⁶ When you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do. They try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

⁷ So don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father delights in giving you the Kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Store up treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is unhealthy, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.

Chapter 10 #

¹ No one can serve two masters, because you’ll end up favoring one over the other. You can’t be fully devoted to both God and material possessions. So, don’t worry about what you’ll eat or drink, or what clothes you’ll wear. Isn’t life more than just food and clothing? Look at the birds—they don’t sow, reap, or store up food, yet they’re taken care of by your heavenly Father. Aren’t you much more valuable to him than they are? Can worrying add a single moment to your life? If you can’t do even the smallest things, why worry about the rest?

² Consider how the wildflowers grow—they don’t work or spin thread, yet Solomon in all his glory wasn’t dressed as beautifully as they are. If God cares so wonderfully for the wildflowers, which are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. So don’t worry about these things; your Father already knows your needs. Instead, seek God’s kingdom above all else and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

³ Don’t judge others, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn others, and you won’t be condemned. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your generosity will overflow. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.

⁴ Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

⁵ Keep asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁶ Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

⁷ Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Good fruit is produced by good trees, and bad fruit by bad trees. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

⁸ Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

⁹ Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.

Chapter 11 #

¹ And when Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority, unlike their scribes and Pharisees.

² As he came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him.

³ When Jesus entered Capernaum, a chief’s servant, who was dear to him, was gravely ill, nearing death. The chief heard about Jesus and came to him with the Jewish elders, pleading, “My Lord, my servant lies paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” The elders urged Jesus, saying, “He deserves your help because he loves our people and even built a synagogue for us.” Jesus replied, “I will come and heal him.” But the chief humbly said, “My Lord, I am unworthy to have you under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; another to come, and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” Amazed, Jesus said to the crowd following him, “Truly, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I tell you, many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the chief, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And at that moment, his servant was healed.

⁴ The next day, Jesus and his disciples, along with a large crowd, went to a city called Nain. As they approached the city gate, they saw a funeral procession. The only son of a widow was being carried out, accompanied by a large crowd. When Jesus saw the widow, his heart went out to her, and he said, “Don’t cry.” He went up to the bier, and the pallbearers stopped. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God, saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us!” and “God has come to help his people.” News about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.

⁵ Seeing the large crowds around him, Jesus instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. As they sailed, a scribe approached him, saying, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Another disciple said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

⁶ That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they left the crowd behind and set out. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion, when suddenly a furious storm arose on the lake. The waves swept over the boat, threatening to sink it. The disciples woke Jesus and cried out, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus replied, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The disciples were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

⁷ They sailed to the region of the Gadarenes, across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time, this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured.

Chapter 12 #

¹ And as Jesus landed, a multitude from Gadara approached him, imploring him to leave their region, as they were seized with great fear.

² Nevertheless, Jesus boarded the ship and crossed back to his city. The man from whom the demons had been cast out begged to accompany him, but Jesus instructed him to return home and proclaim what God had done for him. So, the man went and began to spread the news throughout Decapolis, causing amazement among the people.

³ Upon reaching the other side, a large crowd eagerly welcomed Jesus, all seeking his presence. Among them was Jairus, the leader of the synagogue, who fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading for help. He explained that his only daughter was near death but believed that if Jesus laid his hands on her, she would live. Jesus, along with his disciples, agreed to accompany Jairus. As they walked, a throng of people pressed in around them.

⁴ In the midst of this crowd was a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years. She had endured much suffering and spent all she had on doctors, yet found no relief. Hearing of Jesus, she approached him from behind and touched the edge of his cloak, thinking to herself, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Instantly, her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was freed from her affliction. Jesus, sensing power had gone out from him, asked who had touched him. Though initially denied by the crowd, the woman came forward trembling with fear and explained everything. Jesus commended her faith and bid her farewell in peace.

⁵ While Jesus was still speaking, messengers arrived from Jairus’ house, informing him that his daughter had died and advising him not to trouble Jesus any further. Jesus assured Jairus, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be healed.” He allowed only Peter, James, and John to accompany him to Jairus’ house. Upon arrival, they found mourners wailing loudly. Jesus assured them the girl was not dead but asleep, which they mocked. He then took the parents and his three disciples into the girl’s room, took her by the hand, and commanded her to rise. Instantly, she got up and walked. Amazement seized them all, and Jesus instructed them not to spread the news.

⁶ As Jesus left the house, two blind men followed, crying out for mercy. Jesus entered a house, and they followed him there. He asked if they believed he could heal them, and they affirmed their faith. He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, let it be done to you.” Immediately, their sight was restored, and Jesus urged them to keep it quiet, but they spread the news nonetheless.

⁷ Continuing his journey, Jesus was brought a man possessed by a demon, rendering him unable to speak. Jesus cast out the demon, causing astonishment among the crowds, who marveled at such power.

⁸ Jesus traveled throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. Seeing the crowds, he was moved with compassion, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. He called his twelve disciples, giving them authority over demons and diseases, sending them out two by two to proclaim the kingdom of God and heal the sick. He instructed them to rely on the hospitality of those they encountered, to leave any place that rejected them, and to shake the dust off their feet as a testimony against them. He emphasized the importance of their mission, comparing the fate of those who rejected them to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Chapter 13 #

¹ I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be savvy, like cunning snakes, yet innocent, like doves. Watch out for people—they’ll hand you over to the authorities and have you whipped in their places of worship. You’ll even stand trial before governors and kings because of me, giving testimony to them and to the nations. But don’t stress about what to say when they drag you in. The right words will come to you at the right time. You won’t be speaking alone; the Spirit of your Father will speak through you.

² It’s going to get rough. Brothers will betray brothers to death, fathers will betray their own children, and children will turn against their parents, leading to their deaths. Because of me, you’ll be hated by everyone. But those who endure until the end will be saved. If they kick you out of one town, head to another. I assure you, you won’t have covered all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man arrives.

³ Remember, a disciple isn’t above the teacher, and a servant isn’t above the master. If they called the master of the house Satan, imagine what they’ll say about those who live there! But don’t worry. Everything hidden will eventually be revealed, and what’s whispered in secret will be shouted from the rooftops. So, don’t fear those who can only kill the body—fear the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell. You’re worth more than a bunch of sparrows. If you acknowledge me in front of others, I’ll acknowledge you before my Father. But if you deny me, I’ll deny you too.

⁴ Do you think I’ve come to bring peace? No, I’ve come to stir things up. From now on, families will be torn apart—three against two, two against three. Parents will be divided against their children, and children against their parents. In-laws will be against each other. Those who love their family more than me aren’t worthy of me. And whoever doesn’t take up their cross and follow me isn’t worthy of me. Lose your life for my sake, and you’ll find it.

⁵ And whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. If someone welcomes a prophet because they’re a prophet, they’ll get a prophet’s reward. If they welcome a righteous person because they’re righteous, they’ll get a righteous person’s reward. Even offering a cup of water to one of these little ones because they follow me will be rewarded.

⁶ After giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, Jesus moved on to teach and preach in their cities. Along the way, they entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to his teachings. Martha, busy with preparations, asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her. But Jesus replied, “Martha, Martha, you’re worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is better, and it won’t be taken away from her.”

⁷ The apostles went out, preaching repentance and healing the sick and possessed. When John the Baptist heard about all this while in prison, he sent his disciples to Jesus, asking if he was the one they were expecting or if they should wait for another. Jesus performed many miracles in their presence and instructed them to report back to John what they had seen and heard.

⁸ As John’s disciples left, Jesus addressed the crowds, commending John as more than a prophet, the one foretold to prepare the way for him.

Chapter 14 #

¹ Truly I tell you, no one born of women has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet, even the least in the kingdom of heaven surpasses him.

² When the people and even the tax collectors heard John, they acknowledged the righteousness of God, having been baptized by him. But the Pharisees and the scribes rejected God’s plan for themselves by refusing John’s baptism. Since the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is advancing forcefully, and those who are eager seize it. The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. After that, the message of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is striving to enter it. But it’s those who press on with determination who truly obtain it. All the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is the Elijah who was predicted to come. Let anyone with ears listen.

³ Comparing the people of this generation, who can I liken them to? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, calling out to their playmates, saying, ‘We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance; we sang a dirge, and you didn’t mourn.’ John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you said, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is proved right by her actions.

⁴ After saying this, crowds gathered at the house again, and they couldn’t even find bread to eat. While he was driving out a demon that was mute, when the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of the Pharisees said, ‘He drives out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.’

⁵ Others, testing him, demanded a sign from heaven. Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in parables: ‘Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.’

⁶ Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.

⁷ And he said to the multitudes, When ye see the clouds appear from the west, straightway ye say that there cometh rain; and so it cometh to pass. And when the south wind bloweth, ye say that there will be heat; and it cometh to pass. And when the evening is come, ye say, It will be fair weather, for the heaven has become red. And in the morning ye say, To-day there will be severe weather, for the redness Arabic. Of the heaven is paling. Ye hypocrites, ye know to examine the face of the P. heaven and the earth; but the signs of this time ye know not to discern. Then they brought to him one possessed of a demon, dumb and blind; and he healed him, so that the dumb and blind began to speak and see. And all the multitudes wondered, and said, Is this, think you, the son of David?

⁸ And the apostles returned unto Jesus, and told him everything that they had done and wrought. And he said unto them, Come, let us go into the desert alone, and rest yea little. And many were going and returning, and they had not leisure, not even to eat bread.

⁹ And then, a Pharisee approached him and asked if he would dine with him. So, he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. Now, in that city, there was a woman known for her sins. When she learned that he was at the Pharisee’s house, she brought a jar of fragrant oil, stood behind him near his feet, weeping. She began to wet his feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the fragrant oil. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he thought to himself, “If this man were truly a prophet, he would know who this woman is and what she has done, for she is a known sinner.”

¹⁰ He addressed the crowd, saying, “You know how to interpret the weather based on the signs in the sky. When clouds gather in the west, you predict rain, and indeed it happens. When the south wind blows, you expect heat, and it occurs. And when the sky turns red in the evening, you forecast fair weather for the next day. Yet you can’t seem to discern the signs of the times you’re living in. You’re good at reading the face of the sky and the earth, but you’re oblivious to the significance of the present moment.”

¹¹ Then they brought to him a person possessed by a demon, who was both mute and blind. Jesus healed him, enabling the previously mute and blind person to speak and see. The crowd marveled, questioning whether Jesus could be the son of David.

¹² Later, the apostles returned to Jesus and reported all that they had accomplished. Jesus suggested they withdraw to the desert for some solitude and rest, as they were constantly surrounded by people and had no time to even eat.

¹³ Afterward, a Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him. Jesus accepted the invitation and reclined at the Pharisee’s table. In the city, there was a woman known for her sinful ways. When she learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she brought a jar of fragrant oil, stood behind Jesus near his feet, weeping. She wet his feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the oil. Witnessing this, the Pharisee hosting the dinner thought to himself, “If this man were truly a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him and what her reputation is.”

Chapter 15 #

¹ Jesus replied, “Listen up, Simon, I’ve got something to share with you.” Simon responded, “Go ahead, Master.” Jesus said, “Let me tell you a story. There were two debtors, both owing money to a lender. One owed a significant sum—let’s say, five hundred bucks—and the other owed a smaller amount, fifty bucks. Neither could pay, so the lender forgave them both. Now, who do you think would appreciate the lender more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one who was forgiven the larger debt.” Jesus said, “You’ve got it right.”

² Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman here? When I came into your house, you didn’t even offer me water to wash my feet. But she’s been washing my feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since she came in. And you didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she’s anointed my feet with fragrant oil. Because of this, I’m telling you, her many sins are forgiven, for she has shown great love. But whoever is forgiven little, shows little love.”

³ Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” Those who were present started wondering, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Many people believed in him when they saw the miracles he performed. However, Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them because he knew all people and didn’t need anyone to testify about them; he knew what was in each person’s heart.

⁴ Later on, Jesus appointed seventy others and sent them out in pairs ahead of him to every town and place he intended to visit. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field. Now, go! I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves. Don’t take money bags, a traveler’s bag, or sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road. Whenever you enter someone’s house, first say, ‘May peace be upon this house.’ If someone there truly wants peace, your blessing will bring peace to them; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Don’t move around from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But if you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and announce, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.”

⁵ Then Jesus rebuked the towns where he had done many miracles because they hadn’t repented. He said, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles performed in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the judgment day than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the judgment day than for you.”

⁶ After this, Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

⁷ The seventy returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

⁸ In that moment, Jesus exulted in the Holy Spirit and spoke, saying, “I give thanks to you, my Father, the Sovereign of heaven and earth, for concealing these truths from the wise and discerning and revealing them to the innocent. Yes, Father, this was your intention.” Then, turning to his followers, he declared, “All authority has been entrusted to me by my Father. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all 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 in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

⁹ As Jesus journeyed with the crowds, he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me yet does not prioritize me over their family, even their own self, cannot truly be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you desires to construct a tower. Would you not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if you have enough to complete it? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and being unable to finish, you would become a laughingstock, with people saying, ‘This person began to build but couldn’t finish.’ Or imagine a king going to war against another king without first considering whether he is capable of facing the opponent with his own force of ten thousand against the twenty thousand coming against him. If not, while the other king is still far away, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace. In the same way, anyone who wants to be my disciple must carefully consider the cost, for if they do not renounce all they possess, they cannot be my disciple.”

Chapter 16 #

¹ Some of the scholars and religious leaders approached him, hoping to test him, and said, “Teacher, we’d like to see a miraculous sign from you.” He replied, “This generation is wicked and unfaithful, always seeking a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. The queen of the south will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now something greater than Solomon is here. The people of Nineveh will also stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.

² “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.

³ While Jesus was still speaking to the crowd, a woman from the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

⁴ As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

⁵ After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. With him were the Twelve, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

⁶ Then Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. He told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

⁷ The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

⁸ “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

⁹ “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

¹⁰ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

Chapter 17 #

¹ He told them another story, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seeds in his field. But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. The man’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you plant good seeds in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.’”

² He told them another parable: “The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.

³ He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of God is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

⁴ Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”

⁵ Then Jesus left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them 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. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

⁶ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

⁸ “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

⁹ Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” “Yes,” they replied. He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

¹⁰ When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.” And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were furious. Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way.

¹¹ And he went about teaching in the surrounding villages.

Chapter 18 #

¹ Around that time, Herod the ruler heard about Jesus and the remarkable things happening because of him. He was intrigued, as he had heard a lot about him. Some people were saying that John the Baptist had risen from the dead, others thought he was Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Herod remarked to his attendants, “This must be John the Baptist, whom I beheaded; he’s risen from the dead, and that’s why these powerful miracles are happening.” Herod had indeed ordered John’s arrest and had him imprisoned because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. John had told Herod, “You shouldn’t be married to your brother’s wife,” which angered Herodias, who wanted John dead but couldn’t get to him because Herod protected him, knowing John was a righteous and holy man. Although Herod wanted to kill him, he feared the people, who considered John a prophet.

² One day, during a feast to celebrate his birthday, Herodias’s daughter danced for Herod and his guests. Herod was so pleased that he promised to give her whatever she asked, even up to half of his kingdom. Prompted by her mother, the girl asked for John the Baptist’s head on a platter. Though saddened, Herod felt bound by his oath and his guests and ordered John’s execution. The executioner brought John’s head to the girl, who gave it to her mother. John’s disciples retrieved his body and buried it, then went to inform Jesus of what had happened. Upon hearing this, Herod was troubled and wanted to meet Jesus.

³ Upon learning of Herod’s interest, Jesus left by boat for a secluded place across the Sea of Galilee. Many recognized them and hurried ahead on foot from all the towns. When Jesus saw the large crowd, he had compassion on them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. He taught them about the kingdom of God and healed their sick.

⁴ As evening approached, his disciples suggested sending the crowds away to nearby towns for food. But Jesus said, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.” The disciples were surprised, as they only had five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus instructed them to have the people sit in groups on the grass. Taking the loaves and fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute. Everyone ate and was satisfied, and afterward, they collected twelve baskets of leftovers. There were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

⁵ After this, Jesus urged his disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee while he dismissed the crowd. When he had sent them away, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.

⁶ Later that evening, the disciples, in a boat, were making their way across the Sea of Galilee toward Capernaum. A strong wind stirred up the sea, and they struggled against the waves as darkness fell.

Chapter 19 #

¹ In the early hours of the morning, around the fourth watch, Jesus approached his disciples who were struggling to row their boat due to strong winds. He walked towards them on the water, covering a distance of about twenty-five or thirty furlongs. When his disciples saw him, they were terrified, thinking they were seeing an apparition. But Jesus reassured them, saying, “Take courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” Peter, eager to confirm it was truly Jesus, asked him to call him onto the water. Jesus agreed, and Peter stepped out of the boat, walking toward him. However, as Peter noticed the strong wind, he became afraid and began to sink. He cried out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of Peter, and said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” As soon as Jesus and Peter boarded the boat, the wind ceased. Those in the boat worshiped Jesus, declaring, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

² They soon reached their destination, and the people in that area quickly spread the word about Jesus. They brought the sick to wherever they heard he was, laying them in the streets and markets, hoping to touch even the edge of his garment. All who touched him were healed.

³ The following day, the crowd realized that Jesus and his disciples had left in the boat without him. They noticed there were no other boats except the one the disciples had taken, but they knew Jesus hadn’t gone with them. Some boats from Tiberias were also nearby, but Jesus wasn’t in any of them. Determined to find him, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

⁴ When they found Jesus, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” They then asked, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” They inquired further, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

⁵ The Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” Jesus responded, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

⁶ The Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum, and many of his disciples heard it and said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

Chapter 20 #

¹ Jesus sensed that his disciples were grumbling about something, so he asked them, “Does this bother you? What if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? It’s the spirit that gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I speak to you are full of spirit and life. But there are some among you who don’t believe.” Jesus knew from the start who wouldn’t believe and who would betray him. So he added, “That’s why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

² Upon hearing this, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. Jesus then asked the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

³ Jesus answered, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

⁴ While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. The Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus didn’t wash before the meal. Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

⁵ Some Pharisees and teachers of the law came from Jerusalem to Jesus. They saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

⁶ Jesus replied, “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. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’

⁷ Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this: Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

⁸ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

⁹ Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

¹⁰ Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

¹¹ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

¹² The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

¹³ He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

¹⁴ “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

¹⁵ Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And from that moment on, her daughter was healed, and the demon left her. The woman returned home and found her daughter lying peacefully on the bed, completely free from the torment of the demon.

Chapter 21 #

¹ Jesus left the outskirts of Tyre and Sidon and headed to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, near Decapolis. People brought to him a person who was unable to speak and hear, asking him to heal them. Jesus took the individual aside, away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the person’s ears, spat and touched their tongue. Then, looking up to the sky, he sighed and said, “Be opened.” Immediately, the person could hear, and they could speak clearly. Jesus strongly advised them not to spread the news, but the more he insisted, the more they spread it. They were amazed, saying, “He does everything well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

² As he journeyed through the region of Samaria, he arrived at a Samaritan town named Sychar, near the plot of land Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Wearied from the journey, Jesus sat down by Jacob’s well around noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus asked her for a drink. His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.

³ The woman, surprised by Jesus, asked, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (Jews traditionally avoided contact with Samaritans.)

⁴ Jesus replied, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him instead, and he would give you living water.”

⁵ Perplexed, the woman questioned him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where can you get this ’living water’? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, along with his sons and livestock?”

⁶ Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

⁷ The woman said to him, “Sir, give me some of this water so I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

⁸ As he spoke, his followers arrived, surprised to see him conversing with a woman. Yet, none of them questioned him about it. The woman, leaving her water jar, hurried back to town and exclaimed to the locals, “Come and meet a man who has told me everything I ever did! Could he be the awaited one?” Intrigued, the townsfolk went to see him.

⁹ Meanwhile, his disciples urged him, “Teacher, have something to eat.” But he replied, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” They whispered among themselves, puzzled as to whether someone had brought him food.

¹⁰ Jesus explained to them, “My nourishment comes from fulfilling the will of the one who sent me and completing his work. Don’t you say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? Well, I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. The one who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. You have entered into the labor of others, reaping what you haven’t sown.”

¹¹ Because of the woman’s testimony, many Samaritans from the town believed in him. They asked him to stay with them, and he did for two days. More came to faith because of his words, affirming, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

¹² Afterward, Jesus left for Galilee, testifying that a prophet is not honored in his own town. The Galileans welcomed him warmly.

Chapter 22 #

¹ As Jesus journeyed to a certain village, a leper approached him, falling at his feet, pleading, “If you’re willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus, moved with compassion, reached out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately, the leprosy left him, and he was healed. Jesus then sternly instructed him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priests, and offer the appropriate sacrifice for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, as a testimony.” However, the man, upon leaving, began to spread the news widely, making it difficult for Jesus to enter any city openly due to the spreading reports. Consequently, he stayed outside in deserted places. Yet, many still sought him out from various regions to hear his teachings and to be healed of their afflictions. Jesus would often retreat to the wilderness to pray.

² Later, during a Jewish festival, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the city was a pool area known as the House of Mercy, with five porches, where many sick, blind, lame, and paralyzed people lay, waiting for the water to be stirred. It was believed that the first person to enter the water after it was stirred would be healed of their afflictions. Among them was a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years. Seeing him, Jesus asked, “Do you want to be made well?” The man replied, “Yes, Lord, but I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred; someone always gets in ahead of me.” Jesus then commanded him, “Get up, take your mat, and walk.” Immediately, the man was healed; he picked up his mat and walked.

³ Now, it happened to be the Sabbath day. When the Jews saw the healed man carrying his mat, they objected, saying, “It’s the Sabbath; you’re not allowed to carry your mat.” He replied, “The one who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’” They asked him who this person was, but the man didn’t know, as Jesus had moved away from the crowd. Later, Jesus encountered him in the temple and said, “Look, you are well now. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.” The man then informed the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. Because of this, the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him, not only because he had healed on the Sabbath but also because he had claimed God as his Father, making himself equal to God.

⁴ Jesus responded, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” This further enraged the Jews, who sought to kill him for making such claims. Jesus clarified, “I can’t do anything on my own. I act according to the Father’s will. The Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does. And he will show him even greater works, so that you will be amazed. Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so does the Son. And the Father has given the Son authority to judge, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Indeed, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.

⁵ “I can do nothing on my own; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true. You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. But I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. I do not accept glory from human beings, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”

Chapter 23 #

¹ And Jesus left that place and went to the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where he ascended a mountain and sat down. A great multitude followed him, bringing with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, laying them at Jesus’ feet. They had witnessed the signs he performed in Jerusalem during the feast, so they sought his healing touch. And he healed them all. The crowds were amazed to see the mute speak, the maimed made whole, the lame walk, and the blind see. They praised the God of Israel for these wonders.

² Jesus then called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for this multitude, for they have been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way, especially since some have come from afar.” His disciples replied, “But where in this wilderness can we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?” Jesus asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They answered, “Seven, and a few small fish.” So Jesus instructed the crowds to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves and the fish, he blessed them, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. Everyone ate and was satisfied, and they collected seven basketfuls of leftovers. Those who ate numbered four thousand men, besides women and children. After the crowd dispersed, Jesus boarded a boat and went to the region of Magada.

³ Later, the Pharisees and Sadducees approached Jesus, seeking to challenge him. They demanded a sign from heaven to test him. Jesus sighed deeply and said, “What sign does this wicked and adulterous generation seek? No sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Truly I tell you, this generation will not be given any other sign.” With that, he left them and sailed to the other side.

⁴ On another occasion, Jesus and his disciples forgot to bring bread with them on the boat—not even one loaf. Jesus warned them, saying, “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the yeast of Herod.” They discussed among themselves, realizing they had no bread. Jesus, aware of their conversation, said, “You of little faith, why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not understand or remember the miracles of the loaves, feeding thousands? How many baskets of leftovers did you collect? Twelve from the five loaves for five thousand, and seven from the seven loaves for four thousand. Why do you not understand that I was not talking to you about bread but about the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees?” Then they understood that he warned them not about bread but about the teachings of the religious leaders.

⁵ Afterward, Jesus arrived at Bethsaida, where some people brought a blind man to him, begging him to touch him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand, led him out of the village, spat on his eyes, laid his hands on him, and asked what he saw. The man replied, “I see people; they look like trees walking.” Jesus touched his eyes again, and his sight was completely restored. He instructed the man not to enter the village or tell anyone in the village about his healing.

⁶ As Jesus and his disciples journeyed to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked them, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus commended Peter, saying, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this revelation did not come from flesh and blood but from my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

⁷ From then on, Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes. He told them he would be killed but would rise again on the third day. He spoke plainly about these things. Peter, troubled by this, said, “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

⁸ Jesus then called the crowd, along with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels. For the Son of Man will soon come in the glory of his Father accompanied by his holy angels, and at that time, he will give each person their reward based on their works.

Chapter 24 #

¹ Jesus spoke to his followers, saying, “Truly I tell you, some of you standing here will witness the arrival of God’s kingdom in full force, along with the Son of Man coming in his glory.”

² After six days, Jesus took Simon Peter, James, and John, his brother, and led them up a high mountain, away from the others. While they prayed, Jesus underwent a remarkable transformation. His appearance changed dramatically; his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzlingly white, brighter than anything on earth could bleach them. Moses and Elijah appeared beside him, conversing with Jesus. Peter, James, and John, although drowsy, glimpsed this extraordinary scene. As Moses and Elijah prepared to leave, Peter exclaimed, “Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Shall we build three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah?” Peter spoke without fully understanding, overwhelmed by fear. As he spoke, a bright cloud enveloped them, and they trembled with fear as Moses and Elijah entered it. From the cloud came a voice, saying, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” When the disciples heard the voice, they fell face down on the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” And when they looked up, Jesus was alone.

³ When they descended the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” They kept it to themselves, puzzled by his statement about rising from the dead. They asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they didn’t recognize him. Instead, they chose to do to him whatever they pleased, just as the Scriptures predicted concerning him.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking of John the Baptist.

⁴ As they approached the crowd, a man came and knelt before Jesus. “Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here to me.” So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!” Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”

⁵ From there, Jesus and his disciples traveled through Galilee, but he didn’t want anyone to know he was there. For he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.” They didn’t understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant. And they were very sad.

Chapter 25 #

¹ And on that day, a certain thought occupied the minds of his followers, and they pondered, who among them might rise to prominence. As they arrived in Capernaum and entered a dwelling, Jesus addressed them, “What were you discussing along the way?” They fell silent, for they had indeed deliberated on that matter.

² When Simon went out, those collecting the tribute approached him, asking, “Does your teacher not contribute his due?” Simon affirmed, “Yes.” Later, upon Simon’s return, Jesus confronted him, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly rulers collect taxes and fees? From their own offspring or from strangers?” Simon replied, “From strangers.” Jesus then said, “Then the sons are exempt. However, to avoid offense, go to the sea, cast a line, and the first fish you catch, open its mouth. Inside you’ll find a coin; take it and pay for both you and me.”

³ At that moment, the disciples approached Jesus, questioning, “Who do you think holds the highest rank in the heavenly realm?” Aware of their thoughts, Jesus summoned a child, placed the child among them, embraced the child, and declared, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes not only me but also the one who sent me. The one who is least among you all is the greatest. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

⁴ John interjected, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name and tried to stop him because he was not one of us.” Jesus replied, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

⁵ Leaving there, Jesus went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. Multitudes gathered to him, and he healed them and taught them, as was his custom. The Pharisees approached him, testing him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” Jesus replied, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” Jesus answered, “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law. But at the beginning of creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

⁶ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them, and blessed them.

Chapter 26 #

¹ As Jesus sat teaching, both tax collectors and those deemed sinful gathered around him to listen. The scribes and Pharisees, however, grumbled among themselves, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and even eats with them.” Jesus, noticing their discontent, shared this parable with them: “Imagine if one of you had a hundred sheep and one went missing. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine and go search for the lost one until you found it? And when you found it, wouldn’t you rejoice more over it than over the ones that didn’t wander off? You’d carry it back, share the good news with your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ In the same way, your Heavenly Father doesn’t want even one of these little ones to be lost. He actively seeks their repentance. I tell you, there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need to repent.

² “Likewise, suppose a woman had ten valuable coins and lost one. Wouldn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she’d gather her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin!’ I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need to repent.

³ “And there was another story Jesus told: A man had two sons. The younger one asked his father for his share of the inheritance and then left for a distant land, where he wasted everything in wild living. When a famine hit, he found himself in need and took a job feeding pigs. He longed to eat what the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. Finally, he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he went back to his father.

⁴ “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. The son started his prepared speech but was interrupted by his father, who called for a robe, a ring, and sandals to be brought for him. Then they slaughtered the fattened calf and celebrated, for his son who was lost is found. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he approached the house and heard music and dancing, he called one of the servants to ask what was going on. The servant informed him that his brother had returned and their father had thrown a feast to celebrate his safe return. The older brother became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and pleaded with him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat to celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ His father reassured him, ‘My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

⁵ Then Jesus told his disciples this parable: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg—yet I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’ Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ ‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’ The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?”

Chapter 27 #

¹ Imagine a ruler in the heavens, like a wise king who decides to settle his debts with his subjects. As he began this task, they brought before him a man who owed him a substantial sum. This man, unable to repay, faced the grim prospect of being sold along with his family and possessions to settle the debt. In desperation, the man fell before the king, pleading for patience and promising repayment.

² Moved with compassion, the king pardoned the debt entirely, setting the man free. But as fate would have it, this same man, upon leaving the king’s presence, encountered a fellow debtor who owed him a much smaller amount. Instead of showing the same mercy he had received, he demanded immediate payment, showing no leniency.

³ The debtor, in a similar plight, begged for time to repay, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. The unforgiving man had him thrown into prison until the debt was settled. Witnessing this injustice, others reported the incident to the king.

⁴ Upon learning of the man’s hypocrisy and lack of mercy, the king was outraged. He summoned the ungrateful servant and rebuked him sharply. “I forgave you all that debt because you begged me,” the king reminded him. “Shouldn’t you have shown the same mercy to your fellow servant as I showed to you?”

⁵ In his anger, the king handed the unmerciful servant over to be punished until he repaid everything he owed. And so, the lesson was clear: Just as the king had shown mercy, so should his subjects show mercy to one another.

⁶ Listen closely, for this is the way of the kingdom of heaven: If you refuse to forgive others from your heart, expect no forgiveness from above. Pay attention to yourselves: if someone wrongs you, confront them; if they repent, forgive them. Even if they wrong you repeatedly in a single day and sincerely seek forgiveness, be ready to grant it.

⁷ If someone wrongs you, address the matter privately first. If they listen, you’ve won them over. But if not, seek the counsel of a few others. And if they still refuse to listen, bring it before the community. If they persist in their wrongdoing even then, treat them as you would any outsider.

⁸ Understand this: Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Furthermore, if two of you agree on anything and ask for it, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. Wherever two or three gather in my name, I am there among them.

⁹ Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times should I forgive someone who wrongs me? Up to seven times?” Jesus replied, “Not seven times, but seventy times seven.”

¹⁰ And the servant who knows what their master wants but doesn’t prepare accordingly will face severe consequences. But if someone doesn’t know and still does something deserving punishment, they’ll face lighter consequences. To whom much is given, much is expected, and those entrusted with much will be held accountable for much. I’ve come to ignite a fire on the earth, and I wish it were already burning. I have a challenging ordeal ahead of me, a baptism to undergo, and I’m distressed until it’s completed. Don’t look down on any of these believers. I assure you, their angels always have access to my Father in heaven. The Son of Man came to rescue what was lost.

¹¹ After that, Jesus traveled in Galilee, avoiding Judea because the Jews were plotting to kill him. Some people informed him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus responded, asking if they thought those Galileans were worse sinners than others because of what happened to them. No, I tell you. But unless you change your ways, you will face a similar fate. Or consider those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—were they more guilty than others in Jerusalem? No. Unless you all repent, you will likewise perish.

¹² And so he told them this story: There was a guy who had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. Every time he checked for fruit, he found none. So he said to the gardener, “Look, I’ve been checking on this fig tree for three years now, and it’s not producing anything. Let’s just cut it down. It’s taking up space for no reason.” But the gardener said to him, “Sir, give it one more year. I’ll work on it, fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, great! If not, then we can cut it down.”

¹³ Now, while Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath, there was a woman who had been suffering from a debilitating condition for eighteen years. She was hunched over and couldn’t stand up straight at all. Jesus noticed her, called her over, and said, “Ma’am, you’re free from your ailment.” He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood tall and praised God. But the leader of the synagogue was furious because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. He scolded the crowd, saying, “There are six other days to come and get healed. Don’t come seeking healing on the Sabbath.” Jesus shot back at him, “Hypocrites! You untie your animals and give them water on the Sabbath. Shouldn’t this woman, a daughter of Abraham, who has been bound by Satan for eighteen years, be released from her bondage on the Sabbath?” When he said this, those who opposed him were embarrassed, and the crowd cheered for the amazing things he was doing.

Chapter 28 #

¹ As the time for the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles approached, Jesus’ brothers urged him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your followers can witness your works. No one who seeks public recognition does things in secret. If you’re going to do these things, show yourself to the world.” They said this because even his own brothers didn’t fully believe in him yet.

² Jesus replied, “My time hasn’t come yet, but your time is always opportune. The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I expose its evil deeds. You go on to the feast; I’m not going just yet because my time hasn’t come.” After saying this, he stayed in Galilee.

³ However, when his brothers went up to the feast, Jesus went too, but not openly. He traveled quietly to avoid drawing attention. At the feast, the Jews were looking for him, asking, “Where is he?” There was a lot of whispering about him among the crowds. Some said he was a good man, while others claimed he was leading people astray. Yet, no one spoke openly about him because they feared the Jewish leaders.

⁴ When the feast was halfway through, Jesus went to the temple courts and began to teach. The Jews were astonished, wondering, “How does this man know so much when he hasn’t been formally educated?”

⁵ Jesus responded, “My teachings aren’t mine alone; they come from the one who sent me. Anyone who desires to do God’s will can discern whether my teachings are from God or from myself. Those who speak on their own seek their own glory, but the one who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is genuine, and there’s no deceit in him. Didn’t Moses give you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill me?”

⁶ The crowd responded, “You’re demon-possessed! Who’s trying to kill you?”

⁷ Jesus answered, “I did one miracle, and you’re all amazed. Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though it actually originated with the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. Now, if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath to keep the law of Moses, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”

⁸ Some people from Jerusalem remarked, “Isn’t this the man they’re trying to kill? Yet, here he is, speaking publicly, and they’re saying nothing to him. Could our leaders have concluded that he is the Messiah?”

⁹ But others argued, “Isn’t this the man from Galilee? How can the Messiah come from there? No one knows where the Messiah comes from.”

¹⁰ As Jesus continued to teach in the temple courts, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. But I haven’t come on my own; the one who sent me is true, though you don’t know him. I know him because I’m from him, and he sent me.” At this, they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him because his time hadn’t yet come. Nevertheless, many in the crowd believed in him, saying, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man has?”

¹¹ In the midst of the crowd, a man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

¹² Jesus replied, “Who made me a judge or arbiter between you?” Then he said to his disciples, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against all kinds of greed; life doesn’t consist of an abundance of possessions.”

¹³ He told them this parable: “There was a rich man whose land produced plentiful crops. He debated with himself, ‘What should I do? I have nowhere to store my crops.’ Then he decided, ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I’ll store all my grain and goods there. Then I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’

¹⁴ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

¹⁵ As Jesus continued on his journey, a ruler approached him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁶ Jesus responded, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

¹⁷ The ruler replied, “I’ve kept all these since I was young. What do I still lack?”

¹⁸ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

¹⁹ But the ruler’s face fell at this, and he went away sad because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

Chapter 29 #

¹ Truly I tell you, it’s tough for a wealthy person to get into heaven. I’ll put it this way: it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom. The disciples were baffled by this, and Jesus responded, “My friends, it’s really hard for those who depend on their wealth to enter God’s kingdom.” This made the listeners even more astonished, and they started murmuring among themselves, troubled. They asked, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it’s impossible, but with God, everything is possible. As it is written, God can do all things.”

² Simon Peter spoke up, “Look, we’ve left everything to follow you. What will we get?” Jesus replied, “I assure you, when the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And anyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property for my sake will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

³ When the Pharisees heard this, being lovers of wealth, they mocked Jesus. He knew their hearts and said to them, “You try to look good in front of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.”

⁴ Then Jesus told them a parable, “There was a rich man who dressed in the finest clothes and feasted lavishly every day. At his gate was a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to eat the scraps from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs would come and lick his sores. Eventually, both men died. Lazarus was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. He shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ The rich man pleaded, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

⁵ Jesus continued with another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About nine in the morning, he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon, he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. So he told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

⁶ Once, Jesus went to eat at the house of a prominent Pharisee on the Sabbath, and they were watching him closely. There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way. Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” And they had nothing to say.

Chapter 30 #

¹ And he told a story to those invited, noticing how they sought the most prestigious seats in the room: “When you’re invited to a gathering,” he advised, “don’t rush to claim the top spot, lest the host asks you to give it up for someone more deserving. It’s embarrassing to be asked to move and take a lower seat. Instead, take a humble position. Then, the host might come to you and say, ‘Friend, come up higher,’ and you’ll be honored in front of everyone. Remember, those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

² He also turned to the host and said, “When you host a meal or a party, don’t just invite your friends, family, or wealthy neighbors. They might invite you back, and that’s all the reward you’ll get. Instead, invite the less fortunate—the poor, the disabled, the marginalized. They can’t repay you, but you’ll be blessed, and your reward will be in heaven.” Upon hearing this, one of the guests exclaimed, “How fortunate are those who will dine in the kingdom of God!”

³ Jesus continued with another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who threw a grand banquet for his son’s wedding. He invited many guests and sent servants to notify them when everything was ready. But they all made excuses and refused to come. One said he had bought a field, another had to inspect oxen, and yet another had just gotten married. The king sent more servants to insist they come, but they ignored the invitation, busy with their own affairs. Some even mistreated and killed the servants. Enraged, the king sent his army to punish the murderers and destroy their cities. Then he instructed his servants to invite anyone they could find, regardless of status or background, to fill the banquet hall. And so, the hall was filled with guests, both good and bad.”

⁴ When the king entered the hall, he noticed one guest not dressed appropriately for the occasion. “Friend,” he asked, “why aren’t you wearing proper attire?” The guest had no answer. So the king ordered his servants to bind the man and cast him into darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Many are called, but few are chosen,” he concluded.

⁵ And so it came to pass that during the feast of unleavened bread of the Jews, Jesus made his way to Jerusalem. Along the journey, he encountered ten individuals afflicted with leprosy, who stood at a distance and called out to him, “Master Jesus, have mercy on us!” Seeing them, he instructed them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were healed. Astonishingly, only one of them, a Samaritan, upon realizing he was cleansed, returned, praising God loudly and prostrating himself at Jesus’ feet in gratitude.

⁶ Jesus remarked, “Weren’t there ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Only this foreigner has returned to give thanks to God.” To him, Jesus said, “Rise and go your way; your faith has saved you.”

⁷ As they journeyed towards Jerusalem, Jesus walked ahead, while his disciples followed, filled with awe and apprehension. Taking his twelve disciples aside, Jesus privately revealed to them what awaited him in Jerusalem. He spoke of the prophesied fate of the Son of Man: betrayal, condemnation, mistreatment, crucifixion, and resurrection on the third day. However, the disciples failed to grasp the significance of his words; they remained perplexed, unable to comprehend what was foretold.

⁸ Soon after, the mother of James and John approached Jesus with her sons, seeking a favor. Bowing before him, she made her request, and Jesus inquired, “What is it you desire?” James and John stepped forward, asking to be granted positions of honor, one at Jesus’ right hand and the other at his left, in his kingdom and glory. Jesus cautioned them, “You do not know what you ask. Can you drink from the cup I will drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?” They confidently replied, “We can.” Jesus assured them, “Indeed, you will drink from my cup and undergo my baptism. However, it is not for me to grant you positions of honor; rather, it is for those for whom my Father has prepared them.”

Chapter 31 #

¹ When the ten heard what had happened, they were furious with James and John. Jesus called them over and said, “You know that in the world, rulers lord it over their subjects, and those in authority wield their power over them. But among you, it must be different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

² He said these words as he journeyed through villages and cities, eventually arriving in Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He replied, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many will try to enter but will not be able to. Once the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed, there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

³ As Jesus passed through Jericho, a man named Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector and a wealthy man, wanted to see him. But because he was short, he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Jesus, who was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry down, for today I must stay at your house.” So Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and welcomed him with joy. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

⁴ As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. There were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

⁵ He then told them a parable because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ ‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’ Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’ His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Chapter 32 #

¹ When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, he headed straight for the temple of God. Upon entering, he found merchants selling oxen, sheep, and doves. He also saw money-changers at work. Infuriated by what he witnessed, Jesus fashioned a whip out of rope and drove them all out of the temple, along with their livestock and tables. He scattered their money and overturned the seats of those selling doves, declaring, “Isn’t it written that my Father’s house should be a place of prayer for everyone? Yet you’ve turned it into a den of thieves!” He specifically addressed the dove-sellers, commanding them to leave and not to turn his Father’s house into a marketplace. He prohibited anyone from carrying merchandise through the temple.

² His disciples recalled the scripture, “The zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jewish leaders demanded a sign for his actions. Jesus responded, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it in three days.” They scoffed, pointing out that the temple took forty-six years to build. However, Jesus spoke of the temple of his body, hinting at his resurrection. After he rose from the dead, his disciples remembered his words and believed in both the scriptures and his teachings.

³ Later, Jesus sat near the temple treasury, observing people making their offerings. Many wealthy individuals contributed large sums, but then a poor widow approached and dropped in two small coins. Calling his disciples, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this widow has given more than all the others. They gave out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.” He then shared a parable about humility and righteousness, contrasting a Pharisee who boasted about his righteousness with a humble publican who begged for mercy. Jesus emphasized that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while the humble will be exalted.

⁴ As evening approached, Jesus and his twelve disciples left the city and stayed in Bethany. Despite their departure, people who knew the place sought them out, and Jesus healed those who were sick. The next morning, as Jesus returned to the city from Bethany, he noticed a fig tree along the road with leaves but no fruit, even though it wasn’t the season for figs. In response, he cursed the tree, declaring it would never bear fruit again. His disciples overheard his words.

⁵ They arrived in Jerusalem, and among them was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. He sought out Jesus under the cover of night and addressed him respectfully, saying, “Teacher, we recognize that you are a divine envoy, for no one can perform the miraculous signs you do unless God is with him.” Jesus replied, “Truly, I tell you, unless someone is born anew, they cannot perceive the realm of God.” Nicodemus, puzzled, asked, “How can someone be born again when they are old? Can they enter their mother’s womb a second time?” Jesus clarified, “Truly, I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, they cannot enter God’s realm. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

⁶ “Don’t be surprised when I say you must be born anew. The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it’s going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus inquired further, “How can this be?” Jesus replied, somewhat incredulously, “You’re a respected teacher in Israel, and yet you don’t understand these things? I assure you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen, yet you don’t accept our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.

⁷ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not judged, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned for not believing in the name of God’s one and only Son. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, but people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. Those who do evil hate the light and avoid it for fear their actions will be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

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⁸ The fig tree you cursed has withered away,” replied Jesus. “Let the faith of God dwell within you,” he continued. “Truly I tell you, if you believe without doubt in your hearts, and are certain that what you say will come to pass, you will receive whatever you ask for. If you command this mountain to move and be cast into the sea, it will obey. Whatever you pray for, believing, you will receive from God.”

⁹ The apostles then implored Jesus, “Increase our faith.” He answered them, “If you possess faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could command this fig tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you. Consider this: if you have a servant who tends to your oxen or sheep, when he returns from the field, do you immediately bid him to rest? No, you instruct him to prepare your meal, serve you, and only after you have eaten and drunk may he partake. Would you thank the servant for merely doing his duty? I think not. Similarly, when you have done all that is commanded of you, say, ‘We are merely servants; we have only done what was expected of us.’”

¹⁰ “Therefore, I say to you, whatever you pray for, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours. And when you stand to pray, forgive anyone you hold a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your transgressions. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your transgressions either.”

¹¹ Then Jesus told them a parable to illustrate the importance of persistent prayer and diligence. “In a certain city, there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about people. And there was a widow in that city who repeatedly asked him, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For a while, he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I neither fear God nor care about people, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” Jesus concluded, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Won’t God bring about justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

¹² And so they returned to Jerusalem once more. One day, as Jesus walked in the temple, teaching the people and spreading the good news, the chief priests, scribes, and elders approached him. They said, “Tell us, by what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?” Jesus replied, “I’ll tell you if you answer me this: Was John’s baptism from heaven or merely of human origin?” They pondered among themselves and said, “If we say it was from heaven, he’ll ask why we didn’t believe him. But if we say it was of human origin, we fear the people, for they hold John as a prophet.” So they answered, “We don’t know.” Jesus then said, “Then neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

¹³ “What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ The son refused at first but later changed his mind and went. Then he went to the other son and said the same. This one immediately agreed but didn’t go. Which of the two did what his father wanted?” They answered, “The first one.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, yet you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”

¹⁴ Listen to this story: There was once a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the farmers did the same to them. Finally, the landowner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

¹⁵ “But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.

¹⁶ “When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”

¹⁷ The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

¹⁸ Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?

¹⁹ ‘The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.’

²⁰ I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

²¹ When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.

Chapter 34 #

¹ The Pharisees then strategized how to trap him with his words, intending to hand him over to the authorities. So, they sent their followers along with Herod’s supporters to him, saying, “Teacher, we acknowledge your truthful teachings about God’s ways and your impartiality. You don’t cater to anyone’s favor, nor do you seek to impress. Now, tell us, is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But Jesus, perceiving their deceit, replied, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” They presented a coin, and Jesus asked, “Whose image and inscription are on this?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” Then Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.” They couldn’t trap him with his words before the people, and they were amazed by his response.

² Later, the Sadducees approached him, denying the resurrection. They posed a scenario about a woman married successively to seven brothers due to the levirate marriage law. They asked, “At the resurrection, whose wife will she be?” Jesus replied, “You are mistaken because you don’t understand the Scriptures or God’s power. In the resurrection, people neither marry nor are given in marriage. They are like angels, children of God, as they are children of the resurrection. Haven’t you read in the book of Moses about God speaking to him from the burning bush, declaring, ‘I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’? God isn’t the God of the dead but of the living, for all are alive to him.” They were greatly mistaken.

³ When the crowd heard this, they marveled at his teaching. Some scribes praised him, but the Pharisees, unhappy with his response to the Sadducees, plotted against him.

⁴ One of the scholars, well-versed in the law, was impressed by the wisdom of Jesus’ response and wanted to test him. So he asked, “What must I do to gain eternal life? And which commandment holds the highest importance in the law?” Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, people of Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.”

⁵ The scholar acknowledged Jesus’ answer, saying, “You are right, Teacher. Loving God with everything we have and loving our neighbors as ourselves is more important than any offering or sacrifice.” Jesus saw that he had answered wisely and said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God. If you do this, you will live.” But the scholar, wanting to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

⁶ In response, Jesus told a story: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and left him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So did a Levite. But then a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

⁷ The scholar replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” After that, no one dared to ask Jesus any more questions.

⁸ Jesus continued to teach daily in the temple. However, the religious leaders sought to destroy him, yet they couldn’t find a way to do it because the people were captivated by his teachings. Many believed in him, wondering if the Messiah could possibly do more miraculous signs than Jesus. When the Pharisees heard the crowds whispering about him, they sent officers to arrest him. Jesus told them, “I am with you only for a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

⁹ The Jews wondered where Jesus intended to go that they couldn’t find him. They speculated if he meant to teach the non-Jewish people elsewhere. They were perplexed by his words, “You will seek me and not find me, and where I am, you cannot come.”

Chapter 35 #

¹ And on the final day of the feast, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “Anyone who thirsts, come to me and drink. Those who believe in me will have streams of pure water flowing from within them, as the Scriptures have said.” He spoke of the Spirit that those who believed in him were to receive, for the Spirit had not yet been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. Many in the crowd, upon hearing his words, declared, “This is truly the prophet!” Others exclaimed, “This is the Messiah!” But some questioned, “Can the Messiah come from Galilee? Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Messiah will be descended from David and born in Bethlehem, the city of David?” This led to division among the people. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.

² The officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him?” The officers replied, “No one has ever spoken like this man.” The Pharisees retorted, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who doesn’t know the law, is accursed.” Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus by night, interjected, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing from him and knowing what he has done?” They responded, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

³ When the Pharisees gathered, Jesus questioned them, “What do you say about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They answered, “The son of David.” Jesus then asked, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’? If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” No one could answer him, and from that day on, no one dared to question him further.

⁴ Jesus addressed them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” The Pharisees challenged him, saying, “You are testifying about yourself; your testimony is not valid.” Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. “Even if I make judgments, they are accurate because I am not acting alone; my Father, who sent me, is with me. It’s written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid. I am one witness, and my Father, who sent me, is the other.”

⁵ They asked him, “Where is your Father?”

⁶ “You don’t know me or my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”

⁷ He said all this while teaching in the temple treasury, and no one arrested him because it wasn’t yet the right time.

⁸ Jesus continued, “I will be here for only a short time longer. Then you will search for me but won’t find me. You cannot go where I am going.”

⁹ The Jewish leaders asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot go where I am going’?”

¹⁰ Jesus replied, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That’s why I said that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”

¹¹ The Jews asked, “Who are you?”

¹² Jesus replied, “I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful.”

¹³ But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father.

¹⁴ So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me - he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.”

¹⁵ Many who heard him say these things believed in him.

¹⁶ Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. “If you stick with my teaching, you are truly my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

¹⁷ “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”

¹⁸ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

¹⁹ “Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham,” Jesus said. “Yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”

²⁰ “Our father is Abraham!” they declared.

²¹ “No,” Jesus replied, “if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. No, you are imitating your real father.”

²² “What do you mean?” they asked. “We were not born out of wedlock! God himself is our true Father.”

²³ Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”

²⁴ The people retorted, “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?”

²⁵ “No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge.”

Chapter 36 #

¹ Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever follows my teachings won’t face eternal death. Some of the Jewish leaders responded, “Now we’re sure you’re possessed by evil spirits! Abraham and the prophets are dead, yet you claim that anyone who follows your teachings won’t experience death? Are you trying to say you’re greater than our ancestor Abraham and the prophets who have passed away? Who do you think you are?” Jesus replied, “I’m not here to glorify myself. It’s my Father who gives me glory, the one you claim as your God, even though you don’t really know him. But I do, and if I were to deny knowing him, I’d be as dishonest as you. I do know him and I keep his teachings. Abraham, your ancestor, was excited to see my time, and he saw it and celebrated.” The Jewish leaders scoffed, “You’re not even fifty years old yet, and you claim to have seen Abraham?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, even before Abraham was born, I am.” This statement angered them, and they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus slipped away from the temple without being noticed.

² As he went along, he noticed a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Master, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. While it’s still daytime, I must do the works of the one who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam.” So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was, while others said, “No, he just looks like him.” But the man himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.

³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

⁴ A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Chapter 37 #

¹ Jesus spoke, “I’ve come to judge the world, so that those who can’t see may gain sight, and those who claim to see may become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard this and asked, “Are we blind too?” Jesus replied, “If you were truly blind, you wouldn’t be guilty of sin. But because you claim to see, your guilt remains.”

² In simple terms, Jesus continued, “Imagine a flock of sheep. The one who sneaks in without using the door is a thief and a robber. But the shepherd enters through the door. The doorkeeper recognizes him and opens the door. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls them by name, leading them out. They follow him because they know his voice and trust him. They won’t follow a stranger; instead, they’ll run away because they don’t recognize a stranger’s voice.”

³ Jesus clarified further, “I am the door for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the door. Anyone who enters through me will be saved and will come and go freely and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come to give life—life in all its fullness. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”

⁴ He went on, “I know my sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. That is why my Father loves me, because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. This is the command I have received from my Father.”

⁵ Some people disagreed with Jesus’ words. “He’s possessed by a demon,” they said. “Why listen to him?” Others argued, “These aren’t the words of someone possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

⁶ During the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, while it was winter, Jesus was walking in Solomon’s Colonnade in the Temple. The Jews gathered around him, demanding, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

⁷ Jesus replied, “I have already told you, but you don’t believe me. The proof is in the miracles I do in my Father’s name. But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

⁸ The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus said, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

⁹ “We’re not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

¹⁰ Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your Scriptures that I said, ‘You are gods’? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be altered—what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”

¹¹ Once again, they tried to seize him, but he escaped from their grasp.

¹² Later, Jesus crossed the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Many people came to him there, saying, “John never performed a sign, but everything he said about this man was true.” And many believed in him.

¹³ In the village of Bethany, there was a man named Lazarus who was sick. He was the brother of Mary and Martha, the same Mary who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

¹⁴ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

¹⁵ Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

¹⁶ “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”

¹⁷ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

¹⁸ After saying this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

¹⁹ His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

²⁰ So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

²¹ Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Chapter 38 #

¹ And Jesus arrived at Bethany, finding that Lazarus had been in the grave for four days already. Now Bethany lay close to Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs away, and many of the Jews had come to comfort Martha and Mary concerning their brother. Martha, upon hearing that Jesus was coming, went out to meet him, but Mary remained in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Yet even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

² Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he may die, yet shall he live. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” And when she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying to her secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And Mary, when she heard it, rose quickly and went to him. (Now Jesus had not yet come into the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him.) When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

⁴ Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

⁵ Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

⁶ The chief priests and Pharisees convened, expressing concern: “What should we do about this? Look, this man performs numerous miracles. If we allow him to continue unchecked, everyone will follow him, and then the Romans will intervene, jeopardizing our nation and our people.” Then Caiaphas, who held the position of chief priest that year, spoke up, saying, “You fail to grasp the situation. It’s better for us to sacrifice one man for the sake of the nation, rather than risk the destruction of the entire populace.” This wasn’t just his personal opinion; being the chief priest, he unintentionally prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, not just to save the nation but also to unite the scattered children of God.

⁷ And from that day on, they plotted how to get rid of him. Jesus avoided openly walking among the Jewish community and went to a place near the wilderness, a town called Ephraim. He stayed there, moving around with his disciples. The Jewish Passover was approaching, and many people from the villages were going up to Jerusalem before the feast to purify themselves. They searched for Jesus, asking each other in the temple what they thought about him not showing up for the feast. The chief priests and the Pharisees had ordered that if anyone knew where he was, they should report it so they could arrest him.

⁸ When the time came for him to go up to Jerusalem, he got ready and sent messengers ahead of him. He entered a village of Samaria, but they didn’t welcome him because he was heading to Jerusalem. When James and John, his disciples, saw this, they asked him, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them, like Elijah did?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, saying, “You don’t know what kind of spirit you are of. The Son of Man didn’t come to destroy lives but to save them.” Then they went to another village.

Chapter 39 #

¹ About six days before the Passover celebration, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived—the man he had raised from the dead. A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him. Then a large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there; and they came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.

² Meanwhile, Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

³ But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

⁴ Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

⁵ Meanwhile, Jesus, with leisurely steps, continued toward Jerusalem. When he reached Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’”

⁶ This fulfilled the prophecy that said, “Tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt.’”

⁷ The disciples weren’t aware of it then, but after Jesus was glorified, they recalled that these events had been foretold about him and that they had participated in them. So, when the two disciples went, they found things just as Jesus had told them, and they followed his instructions. When they untied the animals, their owners questioned them, “Why are you untying them?” They replied, “The Lord needs them,” and the owners let them go. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on the colt, and Jesus rode on it. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and scattered them on the path. As he approached the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole assembly of disciples began to joyfully praise God for all the miracles they had seen, shouting, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” A large crowd that had come to the Passover heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” But he answered, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

⁸ As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If only you, even you, had known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

⁹ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Because they had heard about this miraculous sign, many people went out to meet him.

Chapter 40 #

¹ As Jesus stepped into the temple, they brought to him people who were blind and lame, and he healed them. But when the religious leaders and the Pharisees witnessed the miracles he performed, and heard the children praising him, saying, “Hail to the Son of David,” they were troubled. They said to Jesus, “Don’t you hear what these children are saying?” Jesus replied, “Yes, have you never read in the scriptures: ‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” The Pharisees whispered among themselves, “Do you see? Nothing we do has any effect. Look, the whole world is following him.”

² There were also some non-Jews among them, who had come to worship at the festival. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew, and together they informed Jesus. Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” Then Jesus told them, “You will have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”

³ As some of the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come, he replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

⁴ During the day, he would teach at the temple, and at night, he often went out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives. People would flock to him in the morning at the temple to hear his teachings.

⁵ Jesus then addressed the crowds and his followers, saying, “The religious scholars and Pharisees have authority based on tradition, so listen and obey what they teach from Moses’ seat. But don’t follow their example, for they preach but don’t practice. They burden people with heavy religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. Everything they do is for show. They love to be recognized and honored by others.”

⁶ Continuing his teachings, Jesus warned, “Beware of these scholars who love to parade around in their elaborate robes and crave public recognition in the marketplaces. They seek the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. Yet they shamelessly exploit widows and make a show of their long prayers. Their judgment will be severe. But you, don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your true Father. And don’t let anyone call you ‘Master,’ for there is only one master—the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

⁷ Jesus continued, “How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces.”

⁸ “And woe to you, religious scholars and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers. Because of this, you will be severely punished. And woe to you, religious scholars and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces.”

⁹ Woe to you who claim to know the law! You hide the keys of knowledge, neither entering yourselves nor allowing others to enter.

¹⁰ Woe to you, religious scholars and leaders, hypocrites! You travel far and wide to make converts, but once converted, you make them even worse than yourselves, leading them into ruin.

¹¹ You blind guides! You say it means nothing to swear by the temple but condemn those who swear by the gold in the temple. Which is more sacred, the gold or the temple that sanctifies it? And you say swearing by the altar means nothing, yet condemn those who swear by the gift on the altar. Which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? To swear by the altar is to swear by it and everything on it. To swear by the temple is to swear by it and by God who dwells in it. And to swear by heaven is to swear by God’s throne and by Him who sits on it.

¹² Woe to you, scholars and leaders, hypocrites! You meticulously tithe even the smallest herbs but neglect the weightier matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should do both, not neglecting one for the other. You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

¹³ Woe to you, scholars and leaders, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. First, clean the inside so that the outside may also be clean.

¹⁴ Woe to you, scholars and leaders, hypocrites! You look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead bones and uncleanness. Outwardly, you appear righteous to others, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

¹⁵ One of the scholars said to him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.” He replied, “Woe to you also, scholars! You burden people with heavy loads but won’t lift a finger to help them.

¹⁶ Woe to you, scholars and leaders, hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets whom your ancestors killed and decorate the graves of the righteous. You claim that if you had lived in the time of your ancestors, you wouldn’t have participated in their crimes. But by doing this, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. You are no different; you continue their legacy. You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?

Chapter 41 #

¹ So, listen: I, the wisdom of God, am sending you prophets, apostles, and wise men, and scribes. But some of you will reject them, even resorting to violence, persecuting them in your synagogues, and chasing them from city to city. This will bring upon you the guilt for all the righteous blood shed on this earth, from Abel to Zachariah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly, all these consequences will befall your generation.

² Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and reject those sent to you! How many times have I longed to protect your people like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you refuse? Your house will be left empty. I tell you, you won’t see me again until you welcome the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

³ Even some of the authorities believed in him, but they kept it quiet because they feared being kicked out of the synagogue. They cared more about human approval than about praising God. Then Jesus exclaimed, “Those who trust in me are not really trusting in me, but in the one who sent me. When you see me, you see the one who sent me. I’ve come as a light to shine in this dark world, so everyone who believes in me will no longer remain in the shadows. I haven’t come to judge the world but to give it life. However, those who reject me and refuse to accept what I say will be judged by the very words I have spoken. I don’t speak on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

⁴ When he said this, the religious scholars and Pharisees became hostile, nitpicking his words and trying to trap him with questions, hoping to find something they could use against him.

⁵ When a huge crowd had gathered, almost crushing each other, Jesus turned to his disciples and warned them, “Watch out for the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Everything that’s hidden will be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. What you say in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you whisper behind closed doors will be shouted from the rooftops.”

⁶ After saying this, Jesus withdrew and kept out of sight. Even though he had performed many miracles in front of them, they still didn’t believe in him. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said, “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Isaiah said this because he saw the glory of Jesus and spoke about him.

⁷ As Jesus left the temple, some of his disciples pointed out the impressive architecture and decorations. But Jesus said to them, “Do you see all these buildings? I’m telling you, not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

⁸ Two days before the Passover festival, the chief priests and the scribes were plotting to arrest and kill Jesus, but they didn’t want to do it during the festival to avoid causing an uproar among the people.

⁹ When Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, facing the temple, his disciples, Simon Peter, James, John, and Andrew, approached him. They asked him privately, “Teacher, can you tell us when these things will happen? What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?”

¹⁰ Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

¹¹ “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

¹² “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Chapter 42 #

¹ When you see Jerusalem surrounded by enemy forces, know that its destruction is imminent. Those in Judea should flee to the mountains, and those inside the city should escape, while those in the countryside should not enter. These are days of retribution, fulfilling what has been prophesied. When you see the desecration foretold by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place, those who understand should flee to the mountains. Don’t hesitate; if you’re on the roof, don’t go back inside to grab anything, and if you’re in the field, don’t even turn back to get your coat. It will be a time of great distress, especially for pregnant and nursing mothers. There will be widespread suffering and anger against the people. Many will be killed, and others will be taken as prisoners to distant lands. Jerusalem will be trampled by foreign powers until their time is up.

² If anyone tells you, “The Messiah is here” or “He’s there,” don’t believe them. False messiahs and prophets will appear, performing miracles to deceive even the chosen ones if possible. So, be vigilant; I’m warning you in advance. If they say, “He’s in the wilderness,” don’t go out, and if they claim, “He’s in a secret room,” don’t believe them. The coming of the Son of Man will be sudden and unmistakable, like lightning flashing across the sky. But first, he must endure suffering and rejection by this generation. Pray that your escape won’t be in winter or on the Sabbath, for the tribulation will be unparalleled in history. If the Lord didn’t intervene and shorten those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the chosen ones, he will shorten them. There will be cosmic signs—disturbances in the sun, moon, and stars, and turmoil on earth, causing fear among people. After the tribulation, the sun will be darkened, the moon won’t shine, stars will fall, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all people on earth will mourn as they see him coming with power and glory on the clouds. He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call to gather his chosen ones from all over the world. When you see these things happening, take heart, for your redemption is near.

³ Learn from the example of the fig tree: when it extends its branches and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. Similarly, when you see these signs emerging, recognize that the kingdom of God is at the doorstep. Truly I tell you, this generation will witness all these things. Though heaven and earth may fade, my words will endure.

⁴ Be vigilant, so that your hearts are not weighed down by excess, drunkenness, or the worries of life, lest that day catch you off guard like a sudden trap that befalls everyone on earth. Stay alert at all times, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape what is to come and stand before the Son of Man. No one knows the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven or the Son, but only the Father. Therefore, be vigilant, for you do not know when the appointed time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, who entrusted his house to his servants, each with their assigned task, and instructed the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know when the master of the house will return—whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn—lest he comes suddenly and finds you asleep. What I say to you, I say to everyone: Stay alert.

⁵ For just as in the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying, and being given in marriage until the day Noah entered the ark, and they were oblivious until the flood swept them all away. Likewise, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building, but on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, if someone is on the housetop with belongings inside, they should not go down to retrieve them, and if they are in the field, they should not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life will save it. In that night, two will be in one bed; one will be taken, and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and the other left. Two will be in the field; one will be taken, and the other left. They asked him, “Where, Lord?” He replied, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” Therefore, be on guard, for you do not know when your Lord will come. Understand this: if the homeowner had known at what time the thief was coming, they would have kept watch and not let their house be broken into. So you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Chapter 43 #

¹ Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, is this parable meant only for us, or is it for everyone?” Jesus replied, “Who do you think is like the trustworthy servant, the manager appointed by his master to take care of his household and provide their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to mistreat his fellow servants, eating and drinking with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is unaware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

² “The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them, while the wise ones took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

³ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁴ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

⁵ “‘No,’ they replied, ’there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

⁶ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.

⁷ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

⁸ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.’”

⁹ Once, there was a man who set out on a journey. Before he left, he gathered his servants and entrusted his wealth to them, each according to their abilities. To one, he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one. Then, he departed on his journey.

¹⁰ The one who received five talents immediately went out and traded with them, doubling his wealth to ten talents. Similarly, the one with two talents gained two more through wise investments. However, the servant who received only one talent buried it in the ground to keep it safe.

¹¹ After a considerable time, the master returned and settled accounts with his servants. The one who had been given five talents came forward and presented ten talents, saying, “Master, you entrusted me with five talents, and I have doubled them.” Pleased with his diligence, the master commended him, promising greater responsibilities and joy.

¹² Likewise, the servant with two talents approached and proudly presented four, doubling his initial investment. The master praised him as well for his faithfulness and granted him a share in his joy.

¹³ His lord spoke to him, “Well done, faithful servant! You have been trustworthy with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

¹⁴ Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, “Sir, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”

¹⁵ His master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

¹⁶ Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

¹⁷ “Stay ready, keep your lights on, and be prepared, just like folks waiting for their boss to come home from a party. When he shows up and knocks, be quick to welcome him. Those who are attentive when he arrives will be in for a treat. He’ll roll up his sleeves, have a seat with them, and even serve them. And if he comes later than expected and finds them still on point, they’re in for some serious blessings.

¹⁸ But when the Son of Man comes in all his glory, surrounded by his squad, he’ll take his seat of honor, like a boss on his throne. He’ll gather all the nations before him and sort them out like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The good ones get a spot on his right, the others on his left. Then the big boss will turn to the right and say, ‘Come on over, you’re my Father’s favorites. You’ve got a spot in the kingdom that’s been waiting for you since forever. You saw me hungry and fed me, thirsty and gave me a drink, homeless and welcomed me in, naked and clothed me, sick and visited me, in jail and looked out for me.”

¹⁹ Then, the righteous will say to him, “Our Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” The King will answer and say to them, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

²⁰ Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.” They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

Chapter 44 #

¹ After Jesus had finished speaking, he turned to his disciples and said, “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, scribes, and elders of the people gathered in the court of the high priest, Caiaphas. They discussed how to seize Jesus through cunning and kill him. However, they decided not to do it during the feast to avoid causing a riot among the people, as they feared their reaction.

² And then evil took hold of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, and he went to the chief priests, the scribes, and the temple authorities. He proposed a deal to them, asking, “What will you give me if I hand him over to you?” They were pleased with the idea and offered him thirty pieces of silver. Judas agreed and began to look for the right opportunity to betray Jesus without attracting attention.

³ As the Feast of Unleavened Bread approached, Jesus’ followers asked him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

⁴ Before the Passover celebration, Jesus understood that the time had come for him to leave this world and return to his Father. He had always loved his own followers in this world, and he continued to love them to the end. During the Passover meal, Satan entered into the heart of Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, prompting him to betray Jesus. Knowing that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God, Jesus got up from the table, took off his robe, and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

⁵ When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁶ Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

⁷ “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”

⁸ Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

⁹ Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

¹⁰ Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

¹¹ So, after he’d washed their feet, he took off his clothes, sat down, and said to them, “Do you understand what I’ve just done for you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you’re right, that’s who I am. So, if I, your Teacher and Lord, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet. I’ve set an example for you to follow. I’m telling you the truth: a servant isn’t greater than his master, and a messenger isn’t greater than the one who sends him. If you understand this and actually do it, you’ll be happy. But not all of you will do this. I know those I’ve chosen. This is happening to fulfill the scripture: ‘The one who shares my food has turned against me.’ I’m telling you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you’ll believe that I am who I say I am. I’m telling you the truth: anyone who accepts the messenger I send accepts me, and anyone who accepts me accepts the one who sent me.

¹² Now, think about this: who’s greater, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? Isn’t it the one who sits? But here I am among you as the one who serves. You’re the ones who have stuck with me through my trials. So, just as my Father has promised me, I promise you the kingdom, where you’ll sit at the table and feast in my kingdom.

¹³ On the designated day for the feast of unleavened bread, which was customary for the Jews to observe in remembrance of the Passover, Jesus instructed two of his disciples, Cephas and John, saying, “Go ahead and prepare the Passover meal for us to partake in.”

¹⁴ Curious, they asked him, “Where would you like us to make the preparations?”

¹⁵ Jesus replied, “As you enter the city, you will encounter a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and when he enters a house, tell the owner, ‘Our Teacher says, “My time is near; I will celebrate the Passover at your place with my disciples.”’ Where can we find the quarters for me to dine with my disciples?”

¹⁶ The man will then guide you to a spacious upper room already furnished. Prepare the Passover meal there for us.” Following Jesus’ instructions, the two disciples ventured into the city and found everything just as he had described. They made the necessary preparations for the Passover meal as Jesus had instructed them.

¹⁷ As the evening fell and the appointed time drew near, Jesus arrived and reclined with the twelve apostles. He spoke to them, saying, “I have eagerly desired to share this Passover meal with you before I undergo suffering. I tell you, I won’t partake in it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁸ Jesus became troubled in his spirit and solemnly declared, “Truly, I tell you, one of you who eats with me will betray me.” The apostles were deeply grieved, each asking him in turn, “Lord, is it I?” He replied, “It is one of the twelve, the one who dips his hand into the dish with me. The hand of the betrayer is here on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been foretold of him, but woe to the one who betrays him! It would have been better for that person never to have been born.”

¹⁹ The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. They began to wonder among themselves who could possibly commit such an act.

Chapter 45 #

¹ As they reclined at the table, one of Jesus’ close followers, the one he had a special affection for, was nestled beside him. Simon Peter motioned to him to inquire about whom Jesus was referring to. So, leaning back against Jesus’ chest, the disciple asked, “Who is it, Lord?” Jesus replied, “It’s the one to whom I will give this bread after dipping it.” Then Jesus dipped the bread and handed it to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son. As Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus told him, “Do quickly what you are about to do.” None of the others at the table understood why Jesus said this to Judas. Some of them thought that since Judas was in charge of the money, Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the feast or to give something to the poor. Judas, the one who would betray him, asked, “Surely it’s not me, Rabbi?” Jesus replied, “You have said it yourself.” Judas then took the bread and left immediately, and it was nighttime.

² Jesus spoke, “Now is the time when the Son of Man is glorified, and through him, God is glorified. If God is glorified through him, then God will also glorify him. This glorification will happen without delay.

³ While they were having a meal, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this represents my body.’ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘All of you, drink from it. This is my blood, the new covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I won’t drink from the fruit of the vine again until the day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of God. Remember me through this.’

⁴ Jesus said to Simon, ‘Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’

⁵ ‘Children, I am with you only for a little longer. You will look for me, but where I am going, you cannot come,’ Jesus told his disciples, just as he had told the Jews. ‘But now I am giving you a new command: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.’

⁶ Simon Peter asked, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus replied, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.’”

⁷ Jesus addressed them, saying, “Tonight, all of you will abandon me. It’s written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I rise, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you. I’m prepared to go to prison and even to die for you. I’ll lay down my life for you.” Jesus questioned him, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Truly, I tell you, before the rooster crows twice tonight, you will deny me three times.” But Peter insisted, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

⁸ Jesus comforted them, saying, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house; otherwise, I would have told you. I’m going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may also be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

⁹ If you had understood me, you would have understood my Father too. But now you do know him and have seen him through me. Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know me? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you ask to see the Father? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe because of the works you have seen me do. Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

¹⁰ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. In just a little while, the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

Chapter 46 #

¹ Anyone who follows my instructions and acts accordingly is the one who truly cares for me. Such a person will receive love from my Father, and I will also love them, revealing myself to them. Judas (not Iscariot) asked him, “Master, why do you plan to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus replied, “Those who love me will follow my teachings, and my Father will love them. We will come to them and make our home with them. However, those who do not love me will not follow my teachings. What you hear from me is not just my own teaching, but it comes from the Father who sent me.

² I have shared these things with you while I was still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.

³ Let not your heart be troubled or afraid. You’ve heard me say that I’m leaving and returning to you. If you truly loved me, you’d be glad because I’m going to my Father, who is greater than I. I’m telling you this now before it happens, so when it does, you’ll believe. I won’t speak with you much longer because the ruler of this world is coming, but he has no power over me. This is happening so the world will know I love my Father and do as he commands.

⁴ Regarding the matter of provisions, he asked them, “When I sent you without money, bags, or shoes, did you lack anything?” They replied, “Nothing.” Then he said to them, “But now, whoever has a money bag should take it, and likewise a traveler’s bag. And those who don’t have a sword should sell their cloak and buy one. For what was written about me must be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among the rebels.’ Yes, everything written about me will come true.” The disciples said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” He replied, “That’s enough.” Then Jesus went with them to the Mount of Olives, as was his custom.

⁵ He spoke to them, saying, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Any branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he removes it. But if it does bear fruit, he prunes it so it will be even more fruitful. You are already pruned because of the words I’ve spoken to you. Stay connected to me, and I will stay connected to you. Just as a branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it stays connected to the vine, neither can you unless you stay connected to me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you stay connected to me and I stay connected to you, you will bear much fruit. But apart from me, you can’t do anything. If someone doesn’t stay connected, they’re like a withered, useless branch. They’re thrown away, and they wither. Such branches are gathered and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. If you stay connected to me and my words stay connected to you, you can ask for whatever you want, and it will be done for you. This is how my Father is glorified—in you bearing a lot of fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Stay in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will stay in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and stay in his love. I’ve said these things to you so that my joy will be in you and your joy will be complete. This is my commandment: Love each other just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I don’t call you servants anymore, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because everything I heard from my Father I have made known to you.

⁶ You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that whatever you ask in my name, the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. If the world hates you, remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. But you are not of the world; I chose you out of the world, and that’s why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours too. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ When the Advocate comes, whom

⁷ I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

⁸ I’ve told you these things so that you won’t be caught off guard. They’ll kick you out of their places of worship, and a time will come when those who harm you will believe they’re doing a service to God. They’re clueless about me and my Father, so they’ll act in ignorance. I’m letting you know this now so that when it happens, you’ll remember I warned you. I hadn’t mentioned this before because I was here with you. But now I’m going back to the one who sent me, and none of you are even asking where I’m headed.

⁹ I’m telling you all of this, and I see sorrow filling your hearts. But let me tell you the truth: It’s actually better for you if I leave. If I don’t go, the Helper won’t come to you, but if I do go, I’ll send him your way. And when he comes, he’ll expose the world’s wrongdoing, its lack of righteousness, and its impending judgment. He’ll highlight sin because people refuse to believe in me, righteousness because I’m returning to my Father, and judgment because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

¹⁰ I have more to share with you, but you can’t handle it now. However, when the Spirit of truth arrives, he’ll remind you of everything I’ve said. He won’t speak on his own, but he’ll convey what he hears, and he’ll reveal what’s to come. He’ll honor me by taking what is mine and making it known to you. Everything my Father has is mine; that’s why I’ve told you that he’ll take what is mine and reveal it to you.

Chapter 47 #

¹ In a little while, you won’t see me, and soon after, you will see me again because I’m going to the Father. His followers were puzzled and whispered among themselves, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’?” They asked, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.” Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me’? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.

² It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So, you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time, you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”

³ “I’ve been speaking to you figuratively, but there will come a time when I won’t speak in riddles anymore. I’ll plainly reveal the Father to you. That day, you’ll ask in my name, and I won’t need to plead with the Father for you; He loves you because you’ve loved me and believed that I came from Him. I came from the Father, entered the world, and now I’m leaving the world to return to the Father.”

⁴ His disciples said, “Now you’re speaking clearly; you haven’t used any riddles. We know you know everything and don’t need us to ask. This confirms that you came from God.”

⁵ Jesus replied, “Believe that an hour is coming, and it’s here now, when you’ll be scattered, each to your own place, leaving me alone. But I won’t be truly alone, for the Father is with me. I’ve told you this so you can find peace in me. In the world, you’ll face troubles, but take heart; I’ve conquered the world.”

⁶ Saying this, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Bring glory to your Son so that your Son may bring glory to you. You’ve given him authority over all humanity so that he may give eternal life to all you have given him.”

⁷ “This is what eternal life is all about: recognizing that you are the one true God, and that Jesus the Messiah, whom you sent, is the real deal. I’ve honored you on earth and completed the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, it’s time to honor me in return with the glory I shared with you before the world even existed. I revealed your name to those you entrusted to me—they belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They’ve embraced your message and understand that everything I have comes from you. I’ve passed on to them the teachings you gave me, and they’ve accepted them wholeheartedly. They truly believe that I came from you and that you sent me. I’m not praying for the whole world, but for those you’ve given me—they belong to you. Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine, and through them, I am glorified. While I won’t be in this world much longer, they will remain. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be united just as we are. While I was with them, I guarded them and kept them safe by the power of your name. None of them, except the one destined for destruction, has been lost. This was to fulfill the scripture. Now I am coming to you, and I’m telling you all this while I’m still in the world so that they may experience my complete joy.”

⁸ “I’ve shared your message with them, but the world despises them because they don’t belong to its ways, just as I don’t. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to protect them from the evil one. They don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t. Father, help them live out your truth; your word is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I’m sending them. I dedicate myself to this mission so that they too can be dedicated to the truth. I’m not only praying for them but also for those who will believe in me through their message. May they all be united, just as you and I are, so that the world will know you sent me. I’ve given them the glory you gave me so they can be one, just as we are one. I’m in them, and you’re in me, so that they can be completely united. Then the world will know you sent me and that you love them just as you love me. Father, I want those you’ve given me to be with me where I am. I want them to see the glory you’ve given me because you loved me even before the world began. Righteous Father, even though the world doesn’t recognize you, I do, and they know you sent me. I’ve revealed your name to them and will continue to do so, so that the same love you have for me may be in them, and I may be in them.”

Chapter 48 #

¹ After speaking these words, Jesus led his disciples to a place known as Gethsemane, situated on the side of the mountain in the plain of Kidron, which held a garden. As they arrived, Judas, the one who would betray him, recognized the place, as Jesus often gathered there with his followers. Upon reaching the spot, Jesus instructed his disciples, “Stay here while I go over there to pray,” emphasizing the importance of prayer to avoid succumbing to temptation. Taking Peter along with the sons of Zebedee, James and John, Jesus began to feel a deep sorrow and anxiety. Addressing them, he said, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Moving a short distance away, about the length of a stone’s throw, he knelt down and prayed earnestly, expressing his desire for the impending ordeal to pass, yet yielding to the Father’s will above his own. Returning to find his disciples asleep, he rebuked Peter, asking, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

² He went away again and prayed for a second time, saying, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he returned, he found his disciples sleeping again, for their eyes were heavy with sorrow and worry. They didn’t know what to say to him. So he left them and went away once more and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing. Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation,” he said.

³ While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.”

⁴ Knowing all that was about to unfold, Jesus stepped forward to meet them. Immediately, Judas, the one who would betray him, approached Jesus and greeted him, saying, “Peace, Teacher,” and then kissed him. Jesus responded, “Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss? Is this why you’ve come, my friend?” Then turning to those who had come for him, Jesus asked, “Whom are you seeking?” They replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said, “I am he.” Judas, the betrayer, was also standing there with them. When Jesus said, “I am he,” they staggered back and fell to the ground. Jesus asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these others go.” This was to fulfill the words he had spoken, “I have not lost any of those you gave me.” Then those with Judas came forward, seized Jesus, and took him away.

⁵ Witnessing this, his disciples asked, “Lord, should we strike with swords?”

⁶ Simon Peter had a sword with him. He drew it and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, “Shouldn’t I drink the cup that my Father has given me? Put your sword back in its sheath. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you think I could ask my Father for help, and he would send me more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say this must happen?”

⁷ Jesus touched the servant’s ear and healed him. Then he addressed the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”

⁸ All this happened to fulfill the words of the prophets. Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. The soldiers, along with the Jewish officials, arrested Jesus. One young man, wearing only a linen cloth, tried to follow Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.

⁹ Then they seized Jesus, binding him, and brought him to Annas first, as he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who held the position of high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it was expedient for one man to die for the people.

¹⁰ Simon Peter and another disciple trailed Jesus. The high priest recognized that disciple and ushered Jesus into the courtyard, but Simon remained outside near the door. The other disciple, known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the woman guarding the door, and she let Simon in. When the woman saw Simon, she scrutinized him and said, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples, Jesus the Nazarene?” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I don’t know him, nor do I understand what you’re talking about.” The servants and soldiers then kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard to warm themselves because it was cold. As the fire crackled, they sat around it. Simon also joined them and sat down to warm himself, eager to witness the outcome of the unfolding events.

Chapter 49 #

¹ The high priest questioned Jesus regarding his followers and his teachings. Jesus replied, “I’ve been straightforward with everyone, teaching openly in the synagogues and the temple where the Jewish community gathers. I haven’t hidden anything in secrecy. Why do you question me? Ask those who have heard me; they know what I’ve said.” Upon hearing this, one of the soldiers standing nearby slapped Jesus and said, “Is this how you speak to the high priest?” Jesus responded, “If I’ve spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I’ve spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” Then Annas sent Jesus, bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

² As Jesus left, Simon Peter was warming himself in the courtyard. A servant girl saw him and said to the others, “This man was also with Jesus of Nazareth.” Those nearby approached Peter and said,

³ “Surely you’re one of his disciples.” Peter denied it once more, swearing, “I don’t know the man.” After a while, another servant of the high priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, recognized him. He said, “You were with him too; you’re from Galilee, your accent gives you away.”

⁴ He said to Simon, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” Simon then began to curse and swear, saying, “I don’t know the man you’re talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed twice. At that moment, Jesus, who was outside, turned and looked directly at Simon. Then Simon remembered what the Lord had told him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” Simon went out and wept bitterly.

⁵ As morning approached, the servants of the chief priests, the scribes, the elders, and the whole council assembled and conspired to put Jesus to death. They sought false witnesses to testify against him, but they found none whose testimonies aligned. Finally, two false witnesses came forward and said, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands.’” Even their testimonies didn’t match. Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest stood up and questioned Jesus, saying, “Don’t you have anything to say in response to what these men testify against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.

⁶ They brought him before their gathering and said, “If you’re really the Messiah, just tell us straight.” He replied, “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me. And if I asked you, you wouldn’t answer. You wouldn’t even let me go.” Then the head priest spoke up, saying, “I’m calling upon the living God to tell us whether you’re the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You’ve said it yourself.” They all questioned him, “So you admit you’re the Son of God?” Jesus affirmed, “You said it. But let me tell you, from now on you’ll see the Son of man seated at the mighty right hand and arriving with the clouds of heaven.” At this, the head priest tore his robe, declaring, “He’s committed blasphemy!” The others chimed in, “Why do we need more witnesses? We heard the blasphemy right from his mouth. What’s your verdict?” They unanimously agreed, “He deserves death.” Some of them then approached him, spat in his face, and began to strike him while mocking him. The soldiers also joined in, hitting him and taunting, “Prophesy for us, Messiah! Who hit you?” They hurled many false accusations against him.

⁷ Then, with Jesus in tow, they all rose and took him to Pilate the governor’s residence and handed him over. But they themselves didn’t enter the residence, so they wouldn’t defile themselves before eating the Passover meal.

⁸ And there stood Jesus before the judge. Pilate stepped out to them and asked, “What charges do you bring against this man?” They replied, “If he hadn’t been up to no good, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you. We found him leading our people astray, refusing to pay tribute to Caesar, and declaring himself as the King, the Messiah.” Pilate told them, “Then deal with him according to your own laws.”

⁹ They responded, “We can’t execute anyone,” fulfilling what Jesus had predicted about the way he would die. Pilate then summoned Jesus and asked, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “Are you asking this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate retorted, “Do you think I’m Jewish? Your own people and priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom isn’t of this world. If it were, my followers would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish authorities. But my kingdom is from another place.” Pilate asked, “So, are you a king then?” Jesus replied, “You’re right in saying I am a king. I was born for this, and I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Pilate then asked, “What is truth?” After he said this, he went out again to the Jews.

Chapter 50 #

¹ Pilate addressed the head priests and the crowd, saying, “I’ve found no wrongdoing in this man. Yet you claim he’s stirred up trouble throughout Judea, starting from Galilee and reaching this place.” When Pilate heard “Galilee,” he inquired, “Is he a Galilean?” Finding out that Jesus fell under Herod’s jurisdiction, Pilate sent him to Herod since he was in Jerusalem at that time.

² Herod, upon seeing Jesus, was greatly pleased. He had longed to see him for some time, having heard much about him, hoping to witness some miraculous sign. He questioned Jesus at length, but Jesus remained silent. The scribes and chief priests stood nearby, vehemently accusing him. Herod and his attendants mocked him, dressing him in scarlet robes before sending him back to Pilate. This act brought Pilate and Herod together as friends, ending their prior enmity.

³ Pilate then summoned the chief priests and leaders, declaring, “You brought this man to me, accusing him of perverting your people. Yet after examining him, I find no basis for your accusations, nor does Herod. Therefore, I will flog him and release him.” The crowd clamored for Jesus to be taken away. The chief priests and elders leveled many accusations against him, but Jesus remained silent throughout. Pilate, astonished, asked, “Don’t you hear all these charges against you?” Still, Jesus said nothing, leaving Pilate marveling.

⁴ As Pilate sat in judgment, his wife sent him a message, warning, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered greatly in a dream because of him today.”

⁵ During every festival, it was the judge’s tradition to pardon one prisoner chosen by the people. Among them was a well-known inmate named Barabbas. When they gathered, Pilate addressed them, “You have a custom during Passover where I release one prisoner to you. Would you like me to release the King of the Jews?” The crowd vehemently shouted, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a notorious criminal, guilty of robbery, sedition, and murder in the city, landing him in prison.

⁶ The people persisted, urging Pilate to adhere to the customary release. Pilate, sensing their envy toward Jesus, asked, “Which one do you want me to release: Barabbas or Jesus, also known as the Messiah, the King of the Jews?” The chief priests and elders swayed the crowd to demand Barabbas’s freedom and Jesus’s destruction.

⁷ Pilate pressed further, “So what should I do with Jesus?” In unison, they cried, “Crucify him!” Pilate, still hoping to release Jesus, asked again, but they persisted, chanting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” and demanding Barabbas’s release.

⁸ Pilate asked them once more, “What wrong has this man committed? I haven’t found any reason to warrant his death. I’ll discipline him and then release him.” But they persisted loudly, demanding that he be crucified. Their clamor, along with the chief priests’ voices, won out. So Pilate released the prisoner Barabbas, who had been jailed for rebellion and murder, as they requested. Then he had Jesus flogged. The soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters (the Praetorium) and called together the entire regiment. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they spat on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.”

⁹ And so Jesus stepped out, adorned in the crown of thorns and the purple robes. Pilate gestured towards him and declared, “Look at this man!” Upon seeing him, the chief priests and soldiers clamored, shouting, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate retorted, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no fault in him.” The Jewish leaders responded, “By our law, he deserves death for claiming to be the Son of God.” Hearing this, Pilate grew even more apprehensive. He retreated to the porch and questioned Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus remained silent. Pilate pressed, “Are you not going to speak to me? Don’t you realize I have the power to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus replied, “You wouldn’t have any authority over me if it hadn’t been given to you from above. Therefore, the one who handed me over to you bears greater guilt.” Upon hearing this, Pilate sought to release him. However, the Jews protested, “If you let him go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

Chapter 51 #

¹ Upon hearing these words, Pilate escorted Jesus outside and sat on the platform in an area known as the Stone Pavement, or Gabbatha in Hebrew. It was the Friday of Passover, around noon. Pointing to Jesus, Pilate addressed the crowd of Jews, “Here is your King!” They responded vehemently, “Take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate pressed, “Should I crucify your King?” The chief priests retorted, “We have no king but Caesar!”

² Seeing the unrest grow and realizing he gained nothing, Pilate took a basin of water, washed his hands before the crowd, and declared, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility.” The people replied, “Let his blood be on us and our children!” Pilate then ordered Jesus’ crucifixion, yielding to their demand.

³ Meanwhile, Judas, overcome with remorse at the sight of Jesus being mistreated, returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, confessing, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They callously responded, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility.” Judas threw the money into the temple, departed, and hanged himself.

⁴ The priests, deeming the money unsuitable for the temple treasury because it was blood money, deliberated and decided to buy the Potter’s Field as a burial place for foreigners. Thus, the field became known as the Field of Blood, fulfilling the prophecy that spoke of taking thirty pieces of silver, the price set by the Israelites, and purchasing the Potter’s Field as directed by the Lord.

⁵ The Jewish authorities seized Jesus and took him away to be crucified. As he carried his cross and made his way out, they removed the purple and scarlet garments he was wearing and put back on his own clothes. Along the path, they encountered a man from Cyrene named Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming from the countryside. They forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. Then they laid the cross on him to bear and follow Jesus, while Jesus went ahead with his cross behind him.

⁶ A large crowd followed him, including women who were mourning and lamenting. Jesus turned to them and said, “Women of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but for yourselves and your children. The days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Cover us.’ If they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it’s dry?”

⁷ They also brought two other criminals to be executed with Jesus.

⁸ When they reached a place called The Skull, known in Hebrew as Golgotha, they crucified Jesus there, along with the two criminals, one on his right and the other on his left. This fulfilled the scripture that says, “He was numbered with the transgressors.” They offered him wine mixed with myrrh and vinegar, but he refused to drink it.

⁹ When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. His tunic, however, was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots to see who will get it.” This fulfilled the scripture that says, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” So this is what the soldiers did.

¹⁰ Meanwhile, they sat down and kept watch over him there. Pilate also had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

¹¹ And there were people standing around, watching. Those who passed by were insulting him, shaking their heads, and saying, “You who said you could tear down the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you’re really the Son of God, come down from that cross!” Similarly, the religious leaders, scholars, elders, and Pharisees mocked him, joking among themselves, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself! If he’s the chosen one, the Messiah, the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and then we’ll believe in him! He claims to trust in God, so let God rescue him if he wants. After all, he did say, ‘I am the Son of God.’” Even the soldiers joined in, taunting him as they approached with vinegar, saying, “If you’re the King of the Jews, save yourself!” The two criminals crucified with him also joined in the mockery. One of them scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, huh? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him, saying, “Don’t you fear God even when you’re facing the same punishment? With fairness and according to our actions, we’ve received our due rewards, but this person hasn’t committed any wrongdoing. He said to Jesus, “Please remember me, Lord, when you enter your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

¹² Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour, the disciple took her into his own home.

¹³ From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness covered the land, and the sun stopped shining. At three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of those standing nearby, when they heard this, said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”

Chapter 52 #

¹ After that, Jesus realized that everything had been completed. To fulfill the scripture, he said, “I’m thirsty.” A vessel filled with vinegar was nearby. Someone quickly grabbed a sponge, soaked it with vinegar, put it on a stick, and lifted it to Jesus’s mouth. When he had taken the vinegar, he said, “It is done.” Some bystanders said, “Let’s wait and see if Elijah will come to save him.”

² Jesus then said, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.” With a loud cry, he said, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands.” With that, he bowed his head and breathed his last.

³ Immediately, the temple’s curtain was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth shook, rocks split apart, and graves opened. Many saints who had died were raised to life. After Jesus’s resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

⁴ When the soldiers guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and everything else that had happened, they were terrified. They said, “This man truly was innocent and the Son of God!” The crowds that had gathered for the spectacle, upon witnessing these events, went home beating their chests in sorrow.

⁵ The Jews, because it was the eve of the Sabbath, requested that the bodies not be left on the crosses overnight. This particular Sabbath was significant. So, they asked Pilate to have the legs of those crucified broken and their bodies taken down. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the first two men, including the one crucified with Jesus. However, when they reached Jesus, they saw that he had already died, so they didn’t break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

⁶ The one who witnessed this has testified truthfully so that others may believe. He knows his testimony is true, and he shares it so that others may come to believe. This event happened in fulfillment of scripture that says, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and another scripture that says, “They will look on the one they pierced.”

⁷ Meanwhile, at a distance stood many who knew Jesus, including the women who had accompanied him from Galilee, supporting and ministering to him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons, along with many others who had journeyed with him to Jerusalem. They witnessed these events as well.

⁸ When Friday evening arrived, just before the Sabbath began, a wealthy man from Ramah, a city in Judah, named Joseph, who was a follower of Jesus but kept it quiet for fear of the Jewish leaders, came forward. He did not approve of the actions of those who accused Jesus and was eagerly awaiting the arrival of God’s kingdom. Joseph boldly approached Pilate and requested Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised that Jesus had died so soon and inquired about it from the centurion. After learning the truth, Pilate ordered that Jesus’ body be given to Joseph. Joseph then purchased a linen shroud, took down Jesus’ body from the cross, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb.

⁹ Nicodemus, who had previously met with Jesus under the cover of night, also came to Joseph, bringing about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes. Together, they wrapped Jesus’ body in linen and anointed it with the perfumes, following the Jewish burial customs.

¹⁰ The crucifixion site was in a garden where there was a new tomb cut out of rock, which had never been used before. Because the Sabbath was approaching and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus’ body there, rolled a large stone against the entrance, and left.

¹¹ Afterward, Mary Magdalene and another Mary, who was related to Joseph, sat opposite the tomb and observed where Jesus’ body was laid. They then returned home to prepare more spices and perfumes to further anoint Jesus’ body. However, they rested on the Sabbath day as commanded.

¹² The high priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate and said, “Your Excellency, we recall that deceiver’s words while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore, command that the tomb be secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have guards; go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and posting guards.

¹³ Now, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”

Chapter 53 #

¹ As they marveled at this sight, two men appeared above them, their clothing radiant. Fear gripped them, and they bowed their faces to the ground. The men said to them, “Why search for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you while he was in Galilee that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinners, be crucified, and rise on the third day. Now go quickly and tell his disciples, including Cephas, that he has risen from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

² With a mix of joy and fear, they hurried away from the tomb, too overwhelmed to speak. Mary rushed to Simon Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved, saying, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb. The other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloths lying there but didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen cloths lying there, along with the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. It was folded up and placed separately. The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. They still didn’t understand from the Scriptures that Jesus had to rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned home.

³ But Mary stayed by the tomb, tears streaming down her face. As she sobbed, she peered into the sepulcher and saw two angels dressed in white, one at the head and the other at the feet where Jesus’ body had lain. They asked her, “Why are you crying?” She replied, “They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” Saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she didn’t recognize him. Jesus asked her, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you’ve taken him, tell me where you’ve laid him, and I will take him away.” Then Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and exclaimed, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus told her, “Don’t cling to me, for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. Instead, go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

⁴ On the day he rose, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons. Some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. The priests gathered with the elders and devised a plan. They gave the soldiers a sum of money and instructed them, “Say that his disciples came during the night and stole him away while you were asleep. If this reaches the governor’s ears, we will persuade him and keep you out of trouble.” The guards took the money and did as they were instructed. This story has circulated among the Jews to this day.

⁵ Then Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things to her.

⁶ As the first women were on their way to inform his disciples, Jesus encountered them and greeted them with, “Peace be with you.” They approached him, clasped his feet, and paid homage. Jesus reassured them, saying, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to head to Galilee, where they will see me.” The women then returned and shared this message with the eleven disciples and others who were mourning, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others who were with them. However, the disciples found it hard to believe their account, dismissing it as madness. Later, Jesus appeared to two others as they journeyed to the village of Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.

⁷ And as they walked, they discussed everything that had happened. While they were talking and questioning each other, Jesus himself approached and began walking with them. But they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.

⁸ Some of us also went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but they didn’t see him. Then Jesus said to them, “You are slow to understand and hesitant to believe! Wasn’t it predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to endure these things before entering into his glory?” Starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages in the scriptures about himself.

⁹ As they approached the village they were heading to, he acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting late and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. While he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. They said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road and explaining the scriptures to us?”

¹⁰ They got up and returned to Jerusalem that very hour. There they found the eleven gathered together with others, who were saying, “The Lord has truly risen and has appeared to Simon!” The two then told them what had happened on the road and how they recognized Jesus when he broke the bread. But the others did not believe them either.

Chapter 54 #

¹ As they conversed, evening fell on the first day of the week. The disciples, fearing the Jews, had locked the doors. Suddenly, Jesus appeared among them and greeted them, saying, “Peace be with you. Don’t be afraid; it’s me.” But they were startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost. Jesus reassured them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet. It’s really me. Touch me and see; a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones as I do.” Saying this, he showed them his hands, feet, and side. Though filled with joy and amazement, they still couldn’t believe it. Jesus asked for something to eat, and they gave him broiled fish and honey. He ate it in front of them, affirming his physical presence.

² Then he reminded them of what he had taught while with them, how everything written about him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to be fulfilled. He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, explaining that the Messiah had to suffer, rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. They were to be witnesses of these things. He promised to send them the Holy Spirit, and they rejoiced at this. Jesus said again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.” Then he breathed on them, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

³ But Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, also known as Thama, wasn’t present when Jesus appeared to the others. So when the disciples told him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my fingers where the nails were, and unless I put my hand into his side, I won’t believe.”

⁴ A week later, on the next Sunday, the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

⁵ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples which aren’t recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.

⁶ Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.” They replied, “We’ll come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. As morning dawned, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples didn’t recognize him. He called out to them, “Friends, do you have any fish?” They answered, “No.” He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you’ll find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

⁷ Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

⁸ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

⁹ After they finished breakfast, Jesus turned to Simon, also known as Peter, and asked, “Simon, do you love me more than these?” Peter replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus told him, “Then take care of my lambs.”

¹⁰ Jesus asked him again, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you truly love me?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Then take care of my sheep.”

¹¹ For the third time, Jesus asked, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” This grieved Peter because Jesus asked him the same question three times. Peter replied, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then take care of my sheep.

¹² Listen, I tell you the truth: When you were younger, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me.”

¹³ Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them—the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

¹⁴ This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

Chapter 55 #

¹ But the eleven disciples headed to Galilee, to the mountains where Jesus had designated. When they saw him, they paid reverence, though some among them harbored doubts. As they gathered, Jesus appeared once more, reproaching them for their lack of faith and the hardness of their hearts, those who witnessed his resurrection yet hesitated to believe. Then Jesus addressed them, declaring his authority over heaven and earth, asserting his mission from the Father and extending it to them. He commissioned them: “Go forth into all the world, proclaiming my gospel to every creature. Instruct all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to uphold all that I have commanded. And know this, I am with you always, until the end of time. Those who believe and are baptized will find salvation, but those who disbelieve will face rejection. And for those who believe in me, signs shall accompany them: they will expel demons in my name, speak in new languages, handle serpents without harm, drink poison without consequence, and heal the sick by laying their hands upon them. But for now, remain in Jerusalem until you are empowered from on high.”

² After Jesus finished speaking to them, he led them out to Bethany. There, he raised his hands and bestowed blessings upon them. As he blessed them, he gradually parted from them and ascended into heaven, taking his place at the right hand of God. Overwhelmed with reverence, they worshipped him, then returned to Jerusalem filled with immense joy. They frequented the temple, continually praising and thanking God. Amen.

³ From there, they journeyed forth, spreading their message far and wide. The Lord supported them, affirming their words with miraculous signs.

⁴ Moreover, Jesus performed countless other deeds. If every one of them were recorded, I suppose that even the whole world would not have enough room for the books that would be written.

Subscriptions #

¹ I. IN BORGIAN MANUSCRIPT

² Here concludes the Gospel known as the Diatessaron, compiled by Tatianus, also called The Fourfold. This work is a harmonization of the four Gospels authored by the revered Apostles, the esteemed Evangelists (peace be upon them). It was skillfully translated into Arabic by the erudite priest, Abu’l Faraj ‘Abdulla ibn-at-Tayyib (may God bless him), from Syriac, based on a copy penned by ‘Isa ibn-‘Ali al-Motatabbib, a disciple of Honain ibn-Ishak (may God have mercy on them both). Amen.

³ II. IN VATICAN MANUSCRIPT

⁴ With the aid of God, here concludes the holy Gospel compiled by Titianus, known as the Diatessaron, derived from the four Gospels. Praise be to God, the rightful possessor and sovereign thereof! May eternal glory be ascribed to Him.