Matthew 7:13-19:2 “Go in through the narrow gate; because wide is the gate and broad is the way which leads away into perdition, and those who are going in through it are many.

WPNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹³ “Go in through the narrow gate; because wide is the gate and broad is the way which leads away into perdition, and those who are going in through it are many. ¹⁴ How narrow is the gate and confined the way which leads away into life, and those who are finding it are few! ¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Do people gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Just so, every good tree produces good fruits, but the rotten tree produces evil fruits. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot produce evil fruits, nor can a rotten tree produce good fruits. ¹⁹ So every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore, you will know them by their fruits. ²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will go into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of my Father who is in the heavens. ²² Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and perform many mighty works in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me you practitioners of lawlessness!’ ²⁴ “Therefore whoever hears these words of mine and does them, I will compare him to a prudent man who built his house on the bedrock; ²⁵ and the rain fell, and the rivers rose, and the winds blew and attacked that house; and it did not fall, because it was founded on the bedrock. ²⁶ But every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand; ²⁷ and the rain fell, and the rivers rose, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall!” ²⁸ And so it was, when Jesus had ended these words, that the crowds were astonished at His teaching, ²⁹ for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not like the scribes. ⁸ ¹ So when He came down from the mountain large crowds followed Him. ² And then, a leper came and worshipped Him saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean”. ³ So reaching out His hand Jesus touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed”. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴ And Jesus says to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a proof to them.” ⁵ As He entered Capernaum a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him ⁶ and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, being terribly tormented”. ⁷ And Jesus says to him, “I will go and heal him”. ⁸ But in answer the centurion said: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof; but only speak a word and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go’, and he goes; and to another, ‘Come’, and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this’, and he does.” ¹⁰ Upon hearing him Jesus marveled, and said to those who were following: “Assuredly I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith! ¹¹ And I say to you that many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens; ¹² but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the darkness farthest away. There there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; and let it be done for you just as you believed”. And his servant was healed in that very hour. ¹⁴ Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his mother-in-law laid up and burning with fever. ¹⁵ So He touched her hand and the fever left her; and she got up and began to serve Him. ¹⁶ And when evening came they brought to Him many who were demonized. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, ¹⁷ so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet should be fulfilled, namely: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” ¹⁸ Seeing large crowds around Him Jesus gave an order to depart for the opposite shore. ¹⁹ Then a certain scribe approaching said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you may go”. ²⁰ So Jesus says to him, “The foxes have dens and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of the Man does not have where He may lay His head”. ²¹ Then a different one of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father”. ²² But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” ²³ Now when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. ²⁴ And then—a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves. But He was sleeping. ²⁵ So the disciples came and awakened Him saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” ²⁶ And He says to them, “Why are you cowardly, you little-faiths?” Then rising He rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. ²⁷ So the men marveled, saying, “What sort of being is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” ²⁸ Upon His coming to the other side, to the region of the Gergesenes, two demonized men met Him, coming out from the tombs, very dangerous, so that no one could pass that way. ²⁹ And then—they cried out saying: “What do you have to do with us, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” ³⁰ Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many pigs feeding. ³¹ So the demons kept imploring Him saying, “Since you are going to cast us out, permit us to go into the herd of pigs”. ³² So He said to them, “Go!” And coming out they went off into the herd of pigs. And then—the whole herd of pigs rushed down the steep bank into the sea and died in the water! ³³ So the swineherds ran away, and going into the town they told everything, including about the demonized men. ³⁴ And then, the whole town went out to meet with Jesus; and upon seeing Him they begged Him to depart from their borders. ⁹ ¹ So getting into the boat He crossed over and came into His own city. ² And then, they came to Him carrying a paralytic lying on a pallet. And seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralytic, “Courage, son; your sins are forgiven you!” ³ But then, some of the scribes said within themselves, “This man blasphemes!” ⁴ So Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said: “Why do you think evil in your hearts? ⁵ So which is easier, to say ‘Your sins are forgiven’, or to say ‘Get up and walk’? ⁶ But so that you may know that the Son of the Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins”—then He says to the paralytic, “On your feet, pick up your pallet and go to your house”. ⁷ So he got up and went off to his house. ⁸ And seeing it the crowds marveled and glorified God, the one giving such authority to the people. ⁹ And going on from there Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He says to him, “Follow me”. So getting up he followed Him. ¹⁰ Now it happened, as He was reclining at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners had come and were reclining at the table with Jesus and His disciples. ¹¹ Upon seeing this the Pharisees said to His disciples, “Why does your teacher eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” ¹² But Jesus heard it, so He said to them: “Those who are strong do not need a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” ¹⁴ Then the disciples of John come to Him saying, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast about many things, but your disciples do not fast?” ¹⁵ So Jesus said to them: “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. ¹⁶ “And no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment and the tear becomes worse. ¹⁷ Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst and the wine spills out, and the wineskins will be ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” ¹⁸ While He was saying these things to them, there he was; a certain ruler came and worshipped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live”. ¹⁹ So Jesus got up and followed him, with His disciples. ²⁰ And then—a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. ²¹ For she kept saying to herself, “If only I may touch His garment I will be healed”. ²² But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Take courage, daughter; your faith has made you well”. And the woman was healed from that very hour. ²³ When Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flutists and the crowd making a commotion, ²⁴ He says to them, “Go away, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping”. So they began to ridicule Him. ²⁵ But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and grasped her hand, and the girl got up. ²⁶ And the report of this went out into all that land. ²⁷ As Jesus went on from there two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” ²⁸ And arriving in the house, the blind men approached Him; so He says to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They say to Him, “Yes, Lord”. ²⁹ Then He touched their eyes saying, “According to your faith let it be to you”. ³⁰ And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them saying, “See to it that no one knows!” ³¹ But going out they spread the news about Him in all that country. ³² As they were going out, well, they brought to Him a mute man, demonized. ³³ And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the crowds marveled saying, “Never was it seen like this in Israel!” ³⁴ But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.” ³⁵ Then Jesus went around to all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every illness among the people. ³⁶ Seeing the crowds He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and prostrated, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then He says to His disciples: “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He may send out workers into His harvest.” ¹⁰ ¹ So summoning His twelve disciples He gave them authority over unclean spirits so as to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every illness. ² Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first Simon (the one called Peter) and Andrew his brother, James (the son of Zebedee) and John his brother, ³ Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew (the tax collector), James (the son of Alphaeus) and Lebbaeus (who was surnamed Thaddeus), ⁴ Simon (the Canaanite) and Judas Iscariot (who also betrayed Him). ⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out, and commanded them saying: “Do not go off into the road of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. ⁶ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has come near’. ⁸ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You have received free of charge, give free of charge. ⁹ Do not provide gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, ¹⁰ nor a knapsack for the road, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; because the worker is worthy of his food. ¹¹ “In whatever city or village you may enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go out. ¹² Upon entering the house, greet it; ¹³ and should the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but should it not be worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, as you go out from that house or city shake off the dust from your feet. ¹⁵ Assuredly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of judgment than for that city! ¹⁶ “Now then, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be prudent like snakes and innocent like doves. ¹⁷ But beware of the people, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ And you will be brought before governors and even kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the nations. ¹⁹ But whenever they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you will speak, for it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ²⁰ for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. ²¹ “Furthermore, brother will hand over brother to death, and a father a child, and children will rise up against parents and put them to death. ²² And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake; but the one enduring to the end, he will be delivered. ²³ But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly I say to you, you will certainly not go through all the cities of Israel before the Son of the Man comes. ²⁴ A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for a disciple that he become like his teacher, and a slave like his master. Since they have stigmatized the master of the house as Beelzebub, how much more those of his household! ²⁶ So do not fear them; because there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, and secret that will not be known. ²⁷ “What I tell you in the dark, say in the light; and what you hear in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father’s will . ³⁰ Why even the hairs of your head are all numbered! ³¹ Therefore do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ³² “Now then, everyone who will confess me before the people, I will also confess him before my Father who is in the heavens. ³³ But whoever should deny me before the people, I will also deny him before my Father who is in the heavens. ³⁴ “Do not suppose that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; ³⁶ and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. ³⁷ “The one who is more devoted to father or mother than to me is not worthy of me, and the one who is more devoted to son or daughter than to me is not worthy of me; ³⁸ and he who does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ The one ‘finding’ his life will lose it, and the one ‘losing’ his life for my sake will find it. ⁴⁰ “The one receiving you receives me, and the one receiving me receives the One who sent me. ⁴¹ The one receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one receiving a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴² And whoever should give so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, in the name of a disciple, assuredly I say to you, he will certainly not lose his reward.” ¹¹ ¹ And so it was, when Jesus finished directing His twelve disciples, that He moved on from there to teach and preach in their cities. ² But John, hearing in prison about the works of the Messiah, sent two of his disciples ³ to say to Him, “Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?” ⁴ By way of answer Jesus said to them: “Go and report to John the things that you hear and see: ⁵ blind regain sight and lame walk, lepers are cleansed and deaf hear, dead are raised and the poor are evangelized. ⁶ And, blessed be whoever is not offended at Me!” ⁷ So as they departed Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see, a reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what did you go out to see, a man clothed in soft garments? Actually, those who wear soft material are in kings’ houses. ⁹ But really, what did you go out to see, a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. ¹⁰ For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way ahead of you.’ ¹¹ Assuredly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptizer; but he who is least in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. ¹² But from the days of John the Baptizer until now the kingdom of the heavens is being aggressive and aggressive people are seizing upon it. ¹³ For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John, ¹⁴ and if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear! ¹⁶ “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in a marketplace and calling to their friends ¹⁷ and saying, ‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance; we mourned for you and you did not lament’. ¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking and they say, ‘He has a demon’; ¹⁹ the Son of the Man came eating and drinking and they say, ‘Just look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Indeed, wisdom is vindicated by her children.” ²⁰ Then He began to reproach the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! Because if the mighty works that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² So I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the Day of judgment than for you. ²³ And you, Capernaum, ‘the one having been exalted to heaven’, you will be brought down to Hades! Because if the mighty works that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴ So I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of judgment than for you.” ²⁵ At that time Jesus reacted and said: “‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to babes. ²⁶ Yes, Father, because thus it was good to You.’ ²⁷ “All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one really knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone really know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son may will to reveal Him . ²⁸ Come to me all you who are laboring and are loaded down, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls; ³⁰ for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” ¹² ¹ At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbaths. But His disciples became hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ² And upon seeing it the Pharisees said to Him, “Hey, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath!” ³ But He said to them: “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and those who were with him, ⁴ how he entered the house of God and ate the loaves of presentation, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those with him, but only for the priests? ⁵ Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? ⁶ Yet I say to you that a greater than the temple is here. ⁷ If you had but known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’, you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸ Furthermore, the Son of the Man is Lord of the Sabbath!” ⁹ Now moving on from there He went into their synagogue. ¹⁰ And there was a man with a withered hand! And they asked Him saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him. ¹¹ So He said to them: “What man will there be among you who has one sheep, and should this one fall into a ditch on the Sabbath, will he not lay hold of it and lift it out? ¹² Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” ¹³ Then He says to the man, “Stretch out your hand”. And he stretched it out, and it was restored whole like the other. ¹⁴ But going out the Pharisees plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. ¹⁵ So being aware, Jesus withdrew from there. And large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all. ¹⁶ Yet He warned them not to make Him known, ¹⁷ so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, namely: ¹⁸ “Behold my Servant whom I chose, my Beloved in whom my soul is well pleased! I will put my Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the nations. ¹⁹ He will not quarrel nor cry-out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. ²⁰ A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not quench, until He sends justice forth to victory. ²¹ And in His name Gentiles will trust.” ²² Then a demonized man was brought to Him, blind and mute, and He healed him, so that the \up6 a\up0 blind and \up6 b\up0 mute both \up6 b\up0 spoke and \up6 a\up0 saw. [a chiasmus—ab,ba] ²³ And all the crowds were amazed and said, “Might this not be the Son of David?” ²⁴ But upon hearing it the Pharisees said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, ruler of the demons.” ²⁵ But knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself becomes desolate, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶ So if Satan casts out Satan he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹ Or how can anyone go into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man? Then he can plunder the house. ³⁰ “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. ³¹ Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven people. ³² And whoever speaks a word against the Son of the Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in the present age nor in the next. ³³ “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten; for the tree is known by the fruit. ³⁴ Brood of vipers! How can you, being malignant, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ The good man out of the good reservoir brings forth good things, and the malignant man out of the malignant reservoir brings forth malignant things. ³⁶ Furthermore I say to you that for every useless word whatever that people may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” ³⁸ Then some of the scribes and Pharisees reacted saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you”. ³⁹ But in answer He said to them: “A malignant and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the stomach of the sea monster, so will the Son of the Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹ Ninevite men will arise with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and really, a greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The queen of the South will be raised with this generation at the judgment and she will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and really, a greater than Solomon is here. ⁴³ “Now when an unclean spirit [demon] goes out from a man, he goes through arid places looking for rest, but finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from where I came’. And coming he finds it unoccupied, swept and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and takes along with himself seven different spirits, more malignant than himself, and going in he dwells there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Just so it will be for this malignant generation also.” ⁴⁶ But then, while He was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. ⁴⁷ So someone said to Him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with you”. ⁴⁸ But in answer He said to the one who told Him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ And stretching out His hand toward His disciples He said: “Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in the heavens, he is my brother and sister and mother.” ¹³ ¹ On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. ² And large crowds were gathered together to Him, so He got into a boat to sit down; and the whole crowd stood on the shore. ³ Then He spoke many things to them in parables saying: “Listen, a sower went out to sow. ⁴ And as he sowed, some seeds fell alongside the road, and the birds came and devoured them. ⁵ Others fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; so they sprouted quickly because they had no depth of earth. ⁶ But when the sun came up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. ⁷ And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and smothered them. ⁸ But others fell on the good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” ¹⁰ And the disciples approached and said to Him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ So in answer He said to them: “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, but to them it has not been given. ¹² For whoever has, to him more will be given and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables, that seeing they not see and hearing they not hear nor understand. ¹⁴ And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘By hearing you (ye) will hear and not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive. ¹⁵ Because the \up6 a\up0 hearts of this people have grown dull, and their \up6 b\up0 ears hard of hearing, and their \up6 c\up0 eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their \up6 c\up0 eyes and hear with their \up6 b\up0 ears and understand with their \up6 a\up0 hearts, and turn around; and I would heal them.’ ¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear; ¹⁷ for assuredly I say to you that many prophets and righteous ones desired to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. ¹⁸ “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand, the malignant one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart—this is the seed sown alongside the road. ²⁰ But the seed sown on stony places—this is he who hears the word and directly receives it with joy, ²¹ but he has no root in himself and is short-lived; for when trial or persecution comes because of the word, directly he is offended. ²² But the seed sown among the thorns—this is he who hears the word, but the care of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke out the word, and it becomes fruitless. ²³ Now the seed sown on the good ground—this is he who hears the word and understands, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” ²⁴ He put another parable to them, saying: “The kingdom of the heavens is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵ but while the people were sleeping his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went away. ²⁶ But when the stalk sprouted and produced fruit, then the tares also appeared. ²⁷ So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy did it’. The servants said to him, ‘So do you want us to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he said: ‘No, lest gathering up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them into bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn”’.” ³¹ He put another parable to them, saying: “The kingdom of the heavens is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; ³² which indeed is smaller than all the seeds, but when it is grown it is greater than all the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and rest in its branches.” ³³ He spoke another parable to them: “The kingdom of the heavens is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal until it was all leavened.” ³⁴ All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and without a parable He did not speak to them, ³⁵ so that what was spoken through the prophet should be fulfilled, namely: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.” ³⁶ Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples approached Him saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field”. ³⁷ So He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of the Man. ³⁸ The field is the world; as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom, while the tares are the sons of the malignant one. ³⁹ The enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ Therefore just as the tares are gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of this age. ⁴¹ The Son of the Man will send out His angels, and they will collect out of His kingdom everything that is offensive, and those who perpetrate lawlessness; ⁴² and they will throw them into the furnace of fire. There there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. ⁴⁴ “Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and re-hid, and in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field. ⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a merchant, seeking beautiful pearls, ⁴⁶ who upon finding one very valuable pearl went and sold everything he had and bought it. ⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a seine that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind, ⁴⁸ which, when it was full, they pulled upon the shore; and sitting down they collected the good into vessels, but threw out the bad. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth and will separate the malignant out from among the righteous, ⁵⁰ and they will throw them into the furnace of fire. There there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ⁵¹ Jesus says to them, “Did you understand all these things?” They say to Him, “Yes, Lord”. ⁵² So He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been discipled into the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a householder, who brings out of his reservoir things new and old.” ⁵³ Now it happened, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. ⁵⁴ And coming into His hometown He began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said: “Where did this man get this wisdom, and the mighty works? ⁵⁵ Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James and Joses and Simon and Jude? ⁵⁶ And his sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” ⁵⁷ So they were offended at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own house”. ⁵⁸ And He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. ¹⁴ ¹ At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus ² and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and therefore the powers are at work in him”. ³ For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. ⁴ For John would say to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her”. ⁵ And although he wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd, because they counted him as a prophet. ⁶ But while Herod’s birthday was being celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and she pleased Herod. ⁷ So he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. ⁸ So she, having been prompted by her mother, she says, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist!” ⁹ And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and those who were reclining at the table with him, he commanded it to be given. ¹⁰ So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. ¹¹ And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. ¹² Then his disciples came forward and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus. ¹³ Upon hearing it Jesus departed from there by boat to a deserted place privately. But when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ So when Jesus disembarked He saw a large crowd, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick. ¹⁵ Now with evening coming on His disciples approached Him saying: “The place is uninhabited and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.” ¹⁶ But Jesus said to them: “They do not need to go away. You give them to eat.” ¹⁷ But they say to Him, “We have nothing here except five loaves and two fish”. ¹⁸ So He said, “Bring them here to me”. ¹⁹ Then He commanded the crowds to recline on the grass. And taking the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, He blessed; and breaking the loaves He gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowds. ²⁰ So they all ate and were filled; and they took up the fragments that remained, twelve baskets full. ²¹ Now those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. ²² Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. ²³ And having dismissed the crowds He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. So when night came He was alone there. ²⁴ But the boat was already in the middle of the sea, being harassed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. ²⁵ So in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they became agitated saying, “It’s a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. ²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them saying: “Courage! It is I; don’t be afraid!” ²⁸ So in answer Peter said, “Since it’s you, command me to come to you on the water”. ²⁹ So He said to him, “Come!” And stepping down from the boat Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus. ³⁰ But seeing the strong wind he became afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out saying, “Lord, save me!” ³¹ And immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him and says to him: “You little-faith! Why did you doubt?” ³² And when they got into the boat the wind ceased. ³³ Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God!” ³⁴ When they had crossed over they came to the land of Genesaret. ³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Him they sent messengers into all that surrounding region and they brought to Him all who were sick. ³⁶ And they would beg Him that if only they might at least touch the hem of His garment; and as many as touched were completely healed. ¹⁵ ¹ Then the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem approached Jesus saying: ² “Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands whenever they eat bread.” ³ So in answer He said to them: “Why do you even transgress the commandment of God through your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’, and ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death’. ⁵ But you say: ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever you might be profited by me is a gift to God ”— ⁶ then he must not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have nullified the commandment of God through your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you saying: ⁸ ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. ⁹ But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’.” ¹⁰ Then summoning the crowd He said to them: “Hear and understand. ¹¹ Not what goes into the mouth defiles the man, but what comes out of the mouth—this defiles the man.” ¹² Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do you know that upon hearing this saying the Pharisees were offended?” ¹³ But in answer He said: “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. ¹⁴ Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind; and if the blind guides the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” ¹⁵ Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us”. ¹⁶ So Jesus said: “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is expelled into the sewer? ¹⁸ But the things coming out of the mouth actually come from the heart; those are the things that defile the man. ¹⁹ Because out of the heart proceed malignant thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things that defile the man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.” ²¹ Going out from there Jesus withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² And then, a Canaanite woman coming from those parts cried out to Him saying: “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demonized.” ²³ But He answered her not a word. So His disciples came and urged Him saying, “Send her away, because she is crying out after us”. ²⁴ But in answer He said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. ²⁵ So she came and worshipped Him saying, “Lord, help me!” ²⁶ But in answer He said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs”. ²⁷ So she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table”. ²⁸ Then Jesus answered and said to her: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. ²⁹ Moving on from there Jesus went alongside the Sea of Galilee, and going up on the mountain He sat down there. ³⁰ And large crowds approached Him, having with them lame, blind, mute, maimed and many others, and they placed them at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. ³¹ So the crowds marveled—seeing mutes speaking, maimed made whole, lame walking, and blind seeing—and they kept glorifying the God of Israel. ³² Then Jesus summoned His disciples and said: “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have already remained with me three days, and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” ³³ So His disciples say to Him, “Where could we get, in an uninhabited place, enough bread so as to satisfy such a great crowd?” ³⁴ Jesus says to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fish”. ³⁵ So He commanded the crowds to recline on the ground. ³⁶ And taking the seven loaves and the fish, He gave thanks, broke and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the crowd. ³⁷ So they all ate and were filled; and they took up seven hampers full of the fragments that remained. ³⁸ Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. ³⁹ And having dismissed the crowds He got into the boat and went to the region of Magdala. ¹⁶ ¹ The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. ² But in answer He said to them: “When it is evening you say, ‘Fair weather, for the sky is red’; ³ and in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast’. Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky but cannot discern the signs of the times. ⁴ A malignant and adulterous generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And leaving them behind He went away. ⁵ Upon arriving at the other side His disciples had forgotten to take bread. ⁶ Then Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees”. ⁷ So they reasoned among themselves saying, “It’s because we didn’t bring any bread”. ⁸ But Jesus, being aware, said to them: “You little-faiths! Why are you reasoning among yourselves because you didn’t bring any bread? ⁹ Do you not yet perceive nor remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? ¹⁰ Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many hampers you took up? ¹¹ How come you don’t perceive that it wasn’t about bread that I told you to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?” ¹² Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. ¹³ When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi He questioned His disciples saying, “Who do people say that I, the Son of the Man, am?” ¹⁴ So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets”. ¹⁵ He says to them, “But you, who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶ So in answer Simon Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” ¹⁷ And in answer Jesus said to him: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in the heavens. ¹⁸ And I further say to you that you are a stone, but on this bedrock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not withstand her. ¹⁹ And I will give you (sg) the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in the heavens, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in the heavens.” ²⁰ Then He ordered His disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah. ²¹ From then on Jesus began to show to His disciples that He had to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day. ²² So taking Him aside Peter began to rebuke Him saying: “Grace to you, Lord! This shall not happen to you!” ²³ But turning He said to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not mindful of God’s values, but of men’s values.” ²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples: “If anyone desires to come after me, let him really deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will waste it, but whoever ‘wastes’ his life on my account will find it. ²⁶ For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life? ²⁷ For the Son of the Man will certainly come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will recompense each according to his performance. ²⁸ Assuredly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of the Man coming in His kingdom.” ¹⁷ ¹ Now after six days Jesus takes Peter, James and his brother John and leads them up on a high mountain, in private. ² And He was transfigured before them and his face shone like the sun, while His clothes became as white as the light. ³ When wow, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with Him. ⁴ Then Peter reacted and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, let us make three booths: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁵ While he was still speaking a brilliant cloud overshadowed them and, double wow, a Voice came out of the cloud saying: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am always well pleased. Hear Him!” ⁶ As the disciples heard it they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. ⁷ Then Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, don’t be afraid”. ⁸ So lifting up their eyes they saw no one but Jesus only. ⁹ As they were coming down from the mountain Jesus commanded them saying, “Tell no one the vision until the Son of the Man is risen from the dead”. ¹⁰ So His disciples questioned Him saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹¹ In answer Jesus said to them: “Elijah is indeed coming first, and he will restore all things. ¹² But I say to you that ‘Elijah’ has come already, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. Thus also the Son of the Man is about to suffer at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptizer. ¹⁴ As they came to the crowd a man approached Him and kneeling to Him said: ¹⁵ “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he is moonstruck and suffers badly! For he often falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶ So I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” ¹⁷ Then in answer Jesus said: “O faithless and perverse generation, how long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” ¹⁸ And Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed from that very hour. ¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why were we not able to cast it out?” ²⁰ So Jesus said to them: “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly I say to you, if you have faith like a mustard seed has, you (ye) will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. ²¹ However, this class does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” ²² While they were staying in Galilee Jesus said to them, “The Son of the Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, ²³ and they will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised”. And they were seriously grieved. ²⁴ When they entered Capernaum those who collected the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” ²⁵ He says, “Yes”. So when they entered the house Jesus anticipated him saying: “Simon, what do you think? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or poll tax, from their sons or from strangers?” ²⁶ Peter says to Him, “From the strangers”. Jesus said to him: “Well then the sons are free. ²⁷ But, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And opening its mouth you will find a ‘stater’ [a coin]; take that and give it to them for me and you.” ¹⁸ ¹ At that time the disciples approached Jesus saying, “Who then is greater in the kingdom of the heavens?” ² So Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, ³ and said: “Assuredly I say to you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of the heavens. ⁴ Therefore whoever will humble himself like this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of the heavens. ⁵ “Whoever receives one little child like this in my name, receives me; ⁶ but whoever should cause one of these little ones who believe into me to fall, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung on his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea! ⁷ Woe to the world because of offenses! Now it is necessary that offenses come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes! ⁸ “If your hand or your foot is causing you to fall, cut them off and throw them away! It is better for you to enter into the life lame or maimed than to be thrown into the everlasting fire, having two hands or two feet. ⁹ And if your eye is causing you to fall, tear it out and throw it away! It is better for you to enter into the life one eyed than to be thrown into the fiery Hell, having two eyes. ¹⁰ “See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father, who is in the heavens. ¹¹ For the Son of the Man came to save the lost. ¹² What do you think? If some man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains to go and search for the stray? ¹³ And if he happens to find it, assuredly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. ¹⁴ Likewise it is not a desire, in the view of your Father in heaven, that one of these little ones should be wasted. ¹⁵ “Now if your brother sins against you, go, confront him between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have won your brother. ¹⁶ But should he not hear, take along with you one or two more, so that every word may be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ And should he refuse to hear them, tell it to the congregation. But should he refuse to hear even the congregation, let him be to you just like the heathen and the tax collector. ¹⁸ “Assuredly I say to you, whatever (pl.) you (pl.) may bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you may loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. ¹⁹ Assuredly again, I say to you that if two of you should agree on earth about any subject whatever that they may ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. ²⁰ Because where there are two or three gathered together into my name, there I am in their midst!” ²¹ Then Peter approached Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him; up to seven times?” ²² Jesus says to him: “Not, I tell you, up to seven, but up to seventy-seven times! ²³ “Therefore the kingdom of the heavens is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And as he began to settle up, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him. ²⁵ But since he had nothing with which to repay, his lord commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and everything he had, so as to be repaid. ²⁶ So then the servant fell down and did obeisance to him saying, ‘Lord, be patient with me and I will repay you all’. ²⁷ So the lord of that servant, having compassion, released him and forgave him the loan. ²⁸ “But when that servant went out he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and grabbing him he started choking him saying, ‘Pay me back what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and kept begging him saying, ‘Be patient with me and I will pay you back’. ³⁰ But he would not; instead he went and threw him into prison until he should pay back what was owed. ³¹ But when his fellow servants saw what had happened they were really grieved, and they went and reported to their lord everything that had happened. ³² Then summoning him the lord says to him: ‘Malignant servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Were you also not obligated to have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴ So in anger the lord handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed to him. ³⁵ “My heavenly Father will handle you just like that, if each of you does not forgive his brother his trespasses, from the heart.” ¹⁹ ¹ Now it happened, when Jesus had finished these words, that He departed from Galilee and went to the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan. ² And large crowds followed Him and there He healed them.