MARK
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6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -
12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16
TOC
Maps
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger
ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the
wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" 4 John the
baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the
forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the
people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river
Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a
leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He
proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not
worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you
with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 9 In those days Jesus
came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And
just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the
Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are
my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." 12 And the Spirit immediately
drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days,
tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news
of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come
near; repent, and believe in the good news." 16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of
Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea--for
they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you
fish for people." 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19
As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John,
who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them; and they
left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. 21
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and
taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having
authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was in their synagogue a
man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, "What have you to do with us,
Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One
of God." 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" 26
And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of
him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is
this? A new teaching--with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and
they obey him." 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding
region of Galilee. 29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house
of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law was in
bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31 He came and took her
by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve
them. 32 That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or
possessed with demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34
And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons;
and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. 35 In the
morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted
place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37
When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." 38 He
answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the
message there also; for that is what I came out to do." 39 And he went
throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out
demons. 40 A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you
choose, you can make me clean." 41 Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand
and touched him, and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean!" 42 Immediately
the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 After sternly warning him he
sent him away at once, 44 saying to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone;
but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses
commanded, as a testimony to them." 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it
freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town
openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every
quarter.
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When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that
he was at home. 2 So many gathered around that there was no longer room for
them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. 3
Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.
4 And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed
the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on
which the paralytic lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
"Son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there,
questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is
blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 At once Jesus perceived in his
spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said
to them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to
say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and take
your mat and walk'? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has
authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the paralytic-- 11 "I say to
you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home." 12 And he stood up, and
immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all
amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" 13
Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he
taught them. 14 As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at
the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.
15 And as he sat at dinner in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were
also sitting with Jesus and his disciples--for there were many who followed him.
16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax
collectors, they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and
sinners?" 17 When Jesus heard this, he said to them, "Those who are well have no
need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the
righteous but sinners." 18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting;
and people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of
the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" 19 Jesus said to them, "The
wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long
as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come
when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that
day. 21 "No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the
patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And
no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the
skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into
fresh wineskins." 23 One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as
they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 The
Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the
sabbath?" 25 And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he
and his companions were hungry and in need of food? 26 He entered the house of
God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it
is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his
companions." 27 Then he said to them, "The sabbath was made for humankind, and
not humankind for the sabbath; 28 so the Son of Man is lord even of the
sabbath."
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Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a
withered hand. 2 They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the
sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the
withered hand, "Come forward." 4 Then he said to them, "Is it lawful to do good
or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. 5
He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart
and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand
was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the
Herodians against him, how to destroy him. 7 Jesus departed with his disciples
to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; 8 hearing all that
he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea,
beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. 9 He told his disciples
to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush
him; 10 for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to
touch him. 11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him
and shouted, "You are the Son of God!" 12 But he sternly ordered them not to
make him known. 13 He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he
wanted, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve, whom he also named
apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, 15 and to
have authority to cast out demons. 16 So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom
he gave the name Peter); 17 James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James
(to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 and Andrew,
and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus,
and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Then he went home; 20 and the crowd came together again, so that they could not
even eat. 21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people
were saying, "He has gone out of his mind." 22 And the scribes who came down
from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts
out demons." 23 And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How
can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that
kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house
will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is
divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong
man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then
indeed the house can be plundered. 28 "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven
for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal
sin"-- 30 for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." 31 Then his mother and
his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A
crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your
brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." 33 And he replied, "Who are
my mother and my brothers?" 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said,
"Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my
brother and sister and mother."
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Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd
gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the
whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 He began to teach them many things
in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 "Listen! A sower went out to
sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate
it up. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and
it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it
was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell
among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8
Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and
increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold." 9 And he said, "Let
anyone with ears to hear listen!" 10 When he was alone, those who were around
him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them,
"To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside,
everything comes in parables; 12 in order that 'they may indeed look, but not
perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn
again and be forgiven.'" 13 And he said to them, "Do you not understand this
parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the
word. 15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear,
Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And
these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they
immediately receive it with joy. 17 But they have no root, and endure only for a
while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word,
immediately they fall away. 18 And others are those sown among the thorns: these
are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world, and the lure of
wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it
yields nothing. 20 And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the
word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold." 21 He
said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under
the bed, and not on the lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden, except to be
disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. 23 Let anyone with
ears to hear listen!" 24 And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear;
the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given
you. 25 For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have
nothing, even what they have will be taken away." 26 He also said, "The kingdom
of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, 27 and would sleep and
rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28
The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full
grain in the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his
sickle, because the harvest has come." 30 He also said, "With what can we
compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31 It is like a
mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds
on earth; 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all
shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make
nests in its shade." 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as
they were able to hear it; 34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but
he explained everything in private to his disciples. 35 On that day, when
evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." 36 And
leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was.
Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into
the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the
stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do
you not care that we are perishing?" 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and
said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead
calm. 40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" 41 And
they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that
even the wind and the sea obey him?"
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They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the
Gerasenes. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of
the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. 3 He lived among the tombs; and no one
could restrain him any more, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been
restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the
shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night
and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising
himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down
before him; 7 and he shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with
me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me." 8
For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" 9 Then Jesus
asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are
many." 10 He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now
there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; 12 and the unclean
spirits begged him, "Send us into the swine; let us enter them." 13 So he gave
them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the
herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and
were drowned in the sea. 14 The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and
in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 They
came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind,
the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen
what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 17 Then they
began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. 18 As he was getting into the
boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with
him. 19 But Jesus refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell
them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you." 20
And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done
for him; and everyone was amazed. 21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to
the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22
Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him,
fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the
point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well,
and live." 24 So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in
on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for
twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all
that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard
about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for
she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." 29 Immediately her
hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in
the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" 31 And his disciples said to him,
"You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?'" 32 He
looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had
happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him
the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go
in peace, and be healed of your disease." 35 While he was still speaking, some
people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble
the teacher any further?" 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the
leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." 37 He allowed no one to
follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they
came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people
weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you
make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." 40 And they
laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and
mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took
her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get
up!" 42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve
years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered
them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
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He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples
followed him. 2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who
heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is
this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by
his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and
Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took
offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor,
except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." 5
And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few
sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went
about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and began to send them
out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered
them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no
money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He
said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.
11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave,
shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." 12 So they
went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons,
and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. 14 King Herod heard of
it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, "John the baptizer has
been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him."
15 But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one
of the prophets of old." 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, "John, whom I
beheaded, has been raised." 17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John,
bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's
wife, because Herod had married her. 18 For John had been telling Herod, "It is
not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." 19 And Herodias had a grudge
against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared
John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When
he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his
courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22 When his daughter
Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said
to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it." 23 And he
solemnly swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my
kingdom." 24 She went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" She
replied, "The head of John the baptizer." 25 Immediately she rushed back to the
king and requested, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist
on a platter." 26 The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths
and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent
a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded
him in the prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl.
Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they
came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. 30 The apostles gathered around
Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, "Come
away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were
coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in
the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and
recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived
ahead of them. 34 As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion
for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach
them many things. 35 When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said,
"This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; 36 send them away so
that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for
themselves to eat." 37 But he answered them, "You give them something to eat."
They said to him, "Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and
give it to them to eat?" 38 And he said to them, "How many loaves have you? Go
and see." When they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish." 39 Then he
ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40
So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves
and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and
gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish
among them all. 42 And all ate and were filled; 43 and they took up twelve
baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 Those who had eaten the loaves
numbered five thousand men. 45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the
boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the
crowd. 46 After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47
When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48
When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he
came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass
them by. 49 But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a
ghost and cried out; 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately
he spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." 51 Then he
got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly
astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts
were hardened. 53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret
and moored the boat. 54 When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized
him, 55 and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went, into villages or cities
or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might
touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
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Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from
Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 they noticed that some of his disciples were
eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. 3 (For the Pharisees,
and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus
observing the tradition of the elders; 4 and they do not eat anything from the
market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they
observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) 5 So the Pharisees and
the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the
tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" 6 He said to them, "Isaiah
prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors
me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7 in vain do they worship
me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.' 8 You abandon the commandment of God
and hold to human tradition." 9 Then he said to them, "You have a fine way of
rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition! 10 For Moses
said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'Whoever speaks evil of father
or mother must surely die.' 11 But you say that if anyone tells father or
mother, 'Whatever support you might have had from me is Corban' (that is, an
offering to God)-- 12 then you no longer permit doing anything for a father or
mother, 13 thus making void the word of God through your tradition that you have
handed on. And you do many things like this." 14 Then he called the crowd again
and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing
outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are
what defile." 16 17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his
disciples asked him about the parable. 18 He said to them, "Then do you also
fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside
cannot defile, 19 since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out
into the sewer?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, "It is what
comes out of a person that defiles. 21 For it is from within, from the human
heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22 adultery,
avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All
these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." 24 From there he
set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want
anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, 25 but a woman
whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she
came and bowed down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, of
Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27
He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the
children's food and throw it to the dogs." 28 But she answered him, "Sir, even
the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." 29 Then he said to her,
"For saying that, you may go--the demon has left your daughter." 30 So she went
home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. 31 Then he returned
from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in
the region of the Decapolis. 32 They brought to him a deaf man who had an
impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took
him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears,
and he spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and
said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." 35 And immediately his ears were
opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then Jesus ordered
them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they
proclaimed it. 37 They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done
everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."
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In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to
eat, he called his disciples and said to them, 2 "I have compassion for the
crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to
eat. 3 If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the
way--and some of them have come from a great distance." 4 His disciples replied,
"How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?" 5 He asked them,
"How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven." 6 Then he ordered the crowd
to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks
he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed
them to the crowd. 7 They had also a few small fish; and after blessing them, he
ordered that these too should be distributed. 8 They ate and were filled; and
they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 Now there were
about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got
into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. 11 The
Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven,
to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why does this
generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this
generation." 13 And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went
across to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread;
and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them,
saying, "Watch out--beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of
Herod." 16 They said to one another, "It is because we have no bread." 17 And
becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, "Why are you talking about having no
bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do
you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you
not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many
baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?" They said to him, "Twelve." 20
"And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did
you collect?" And they said to him, "Seven." 21 Then he said to them, "Do you
not yet understand?" 22 They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man
to him and begged him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led
him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his
hands on him, he asked him, "Can you see anything?" 24 And the man looked up and
said, "I can see people, but they look like trees, walking." 25 Then Jesus laid
his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored,
and he saw everything clearly. 26 Then he sent him away to his home, saying, "Do
not even go into the village." 27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the
villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do
people say that I am?" 28 And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others,
Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 He asked them, "But who do
you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." 30 And he sternly
ordered them not to tell anyone about him. 31 Then he began to teach them that
the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the
chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke
him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said,
"Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on
human things." 34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If
any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their
cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and
those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save
it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their
life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are
ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them
the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father
with the holy angels."
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And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with
power." 2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led
them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before
them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could
bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking
with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here;
let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6
He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then a cloud
overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, "This is my Son, the
Beloved; listen to him!" 8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one
with them any more, but only Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, he
ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man
had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning
what this rising from the dead could mean. 11 Then they asked him, "Why do the
scribes say that Elijah must come first?" 12 He said to them, "Elijah is indeed
coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man,
that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt? 13 But I
tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it
is written about him." 14 When they came to the disciples, they saw a great
crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. 15 When the whole crowd
saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet
him. 16 He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?" 17 Someone from
the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that
makes him unable to speak; 18 and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down;
and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples
to cast it out, but they could not do so." 19 He answered them, "You faithless
generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up
with you? Bring him to me." 20 And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit
saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled
about, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the father, "How long has this been
happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. 22 It has often cast him into
the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything,
have pity on us and help us." 23 Jesus said to him, "If you are able!--All
things can be done for the one who believes." 24 Immediately the father of the
child cried out, "I believe; help my unbelief!" 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd
came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You spirit
that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him,
and never enter him again!" 26 After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it
came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is
dead." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to
stand. 28 When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why
could we not cast it out?" 29 He said to them, "This kind can come out only
through prayer." 30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did
not want anyone to know it; 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to
them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill
him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." 32 But they did not
understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. 33 Then they came to
Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing
about on the way?" 34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with
one another who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to
them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." 36
Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he
said to them, 37 "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and
whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me." 38 John said to
him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to
stop him, because he was not following us." 39 But Jesus said, "Do not stop him;
for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to
speak evil of me. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For truly I tell
you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of
Christ will by no means lose the reward. 42 "If any of you put a stumbling block
before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if
a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.
43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter
life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.
44 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you
to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. 46 47 And
if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter
the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into
hell, 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. 49 "For
everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if salt has lost its
saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with
one another."
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He left that place and went to the region of Judea and beyond the
Jordan. And crowds again gathered around him; and, as was his custom, he again
taught them. 2 Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, "Is it lawful
for a man to divorce his wife?" 3 He answered them, "What did Moses command
you?" 4 They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and
to divorce her." 5 But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he
wrote this commandment for you. 6 But from the beginning of creation, 'God made
them male and female.' 7 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and
mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.' So they
are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let
no one separate." 10 Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this
matter. 11 He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries
another, she commits adultery." 13 People were bringing little children to him
in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. 14
But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little
children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the
kingdom of God belongs. 15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the
kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." 16 And he took them up in
his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. 17 As he was setting out on
a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what
must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me
good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: 'You shall not
murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear
false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" 20 He said
to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." 21 Jesus, looking at
him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give
the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow
me." 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had
many possessions. 23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How
hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 And
the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again,
"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter
the kingdom of God." 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another,
"Then who can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is
impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible." 28 Peter began to
say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." 29 Jesus said,
"Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or
mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good
news, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers
and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age
to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will
be first." 32 They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was
walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He
took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33
saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed
over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death;
then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; 34 they will mock him, and spit
upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again."
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him,
"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." 36 And he said to
them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" 37 And they said to him, "Grant us
to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." 38 But
Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink
the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"
39 They replied, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink
you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be
baptized; 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but
it is for those for whom it has been prepared." 41 When the ten heard this, they
began to be angry with James and John. 42 So Jesus called them and said to them,
"You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord
it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so
among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44
and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of
Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."
46 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving
Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.
47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say,
"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48 Many sternly ordered him to be
quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49
Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man,
saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you." 50 So throwing off his
cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 Then Jesus said to him, "What do you
want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see
again." 52 Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he
regained his sight and followed him on the way.
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When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany,
near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, "Go
into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find
tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone
says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it and
will send it back here immediately.'" 4 They went away and found a colt tied
near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some of the
bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" 6 They told
them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7 Then they brought
the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8 Many people
spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had
cut in the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were
shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 10
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest
heaven!" 11 Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had
looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with
the twelve. 12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.
13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he
would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for
it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit
from you again." And his disciples heard it. 15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And
he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those
who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money
changers and the seats of those who sold doves; 16 and he would not allow anyone
to carry anything through the temple. 17 He was teaching and saying, "Is it not
written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But
you have made it a den of robbers." 18 And when the chief priests and the
scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid
of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. 19 And when
evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. 20 In the morning as
they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 Then Peter
remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has
withered." 22 Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly I tell you, if
you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and if you do
not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it
will be done for you. 24 So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe
that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 "Whenever you stand praying,
forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may
also forgive you your trespasses." 26 27 Again they came to Jerusalem. As he was
walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to
him 28 and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you
this authority to do them?" 29 Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question;
answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Did the
baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Answer me." 31 They
argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did
you not believe him?' 32 But shall we say, 'Of human origin'?"--they were afraid
of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet. 33 So they answered
Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by
what authority I am doing these things."
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Then he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a
vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a
watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 2 When the
season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of
the produce of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him
away empty-handed. 4 And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat
over the head and insulted. 5 Then he sent another, and that one they killed.
And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. 6 He had
still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will
respect my son.' 7 But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir;
come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8 So they seized him,
killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What then will the owner of the
vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to
others. 10 Have you not read this scripture: 'The stone that the builders
rejected has become the cornerstone; 11 this was the Lord's doing, and it is
amazing in our eyes'?" 12 When they realized that he had told this parable
against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left
him and went away. 13 Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to
trap him in what he said. 14 And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know
that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people
with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful
to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? 15 Should we pay them, or should we not?"
But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why are you putting me to the
test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it." 16 And they brought one. Then he
said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" They answered, "The
emperor's." 17 Jesus said to them, "Give to the emperor the things that are the
emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were utterly amazed
at him. 18 Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and
asked him a question, saying, 19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that 'if a man's
brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man shall marry the widow and
raise up children for his brother.' 20 There were seven brothers; the first
married and, when he died, left no children; 21 and the second married her and
died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; 22 none of the seven left
children. Last of all the woman herself died. 23 In the resurrection whose wife
will she be? For the seven had married her." 24 Jesus said to them, "Is not this
the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of
God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in
marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised,
have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God
said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?
27 He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong." 28 One of
the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that
he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" 29
Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is
one; 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your
soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' 31 The second is
this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment
greater than these." 32 Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher;
you have truly said that 'he is one, and besides him there is no other'; 33 and
'to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all
the strength,' and 'to love one's neighbor as oneself,'--this is much more
important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34 When Jesus saw that
he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."
After that no one dared to ask him any question. 35 While Jesus was teaching in
the temple, he said, "How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of
David? 36 David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared, 'The Lord said to my
Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet."' 37
David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?" And the large crowd was
listening to him with delight. 38 As he taught, he said, "Beware of the scribes,
who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the
marketplaces, 39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of
honor at banquets! 40 They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance
say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation." 41 He sat down
opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small
copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said
to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who
are contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have contributed out of
their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all
she had to live on."
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As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him,
"Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!" 2 Then Jesus asked
him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon
another; all will be thrown down." 3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives
opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 "Tell
us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about
to be accomplished?" 5 Then Jesus began to say to them, "Beware that no one
leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and they will
lead many astray. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed;
this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8 For nation will rise
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in
various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth
pangs. 9 "As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils;
and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and
kings because of me, as a testimony to them. 10 And the good news must first be
proclaimed to all nations. 11 When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do
not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at
that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Brother will
betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against
parents and have them put to death; 13 and you will be hated by all because of
my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 "But when you see
the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader
understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 15 the one on the
housetop must not go down or enter the house to take anything away; 16 the one
in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 17 Woe to those who are pregnant
and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 18 Pray that it may not be
in winter. 19 For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been
from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never
will be. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved;
but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. 21
And if anyone says to you at that time, 'Look! Here is the Messiah!' or 'Look!
There he is!'--do not believe it. 22 False messiahs and false prophets will
appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23
But be alert; I have already told you everything. 24 "But in those days, after
that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will
be shaken. 26 Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in clouds' with great
power and glory. 27 Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from
the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 "From the
fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth
its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things
taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly I tell you,
this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 "But about
that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but
only the Father. 33 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will
come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his
slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the
watch. 35 Therefore, keep awake--for you do not know when the master of the
house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36
or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37 And what I say to you
I say to all: Keep awake."
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It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened
Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus
by stealth and kill him; 2 for they said, "Not during the festival, or there may
be a riot among the people." 3 While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the
leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly
ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his
head. 4 But some were there who said to one another in anger, "Why was the
ointment wasted in this way? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more
than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they scolded
her. 6 But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed
a good service for me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and you can show
kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. 8 She has
done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. 9 Truly
I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she
has done will be told in remembrance of her." 10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was
one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11
When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money.
So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. 12 On the first day of
Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to
him, "Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the
Passover?" 13 So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go into the
city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14 and
wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks, Where is
my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 15 He will show
you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."
16 So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had
told them; and they prepared the Passover meal. 17 When it was evening, he came
with the twelve. 18 And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus
said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me."
19 They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, "Surely, not
I?" 20 He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into
the bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to
that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that
one not to have been born." 22 While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread,
and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my
body." 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and
all of them drank from it. 24 He said to them, "This is my blood of the
covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I tell you, I will never again
drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom
of God." 26 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 And Jesus said to them, "You will all become deserters; for it is written, 'I
will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' 28 But after I am
raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." 29 Peter said to him, "Even though
all become deserters, I will not." 30 Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, this
day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three
times." 31 But he said vehemently, "Even though I must die with you, I will not
deny you." And all of them said the same. 32 They went to a place called
Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33 He took
with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. 34
And said to them, "I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep
awake." 35 And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed
that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 He said, "Abba,
Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what
I want, but what you want." 37 He came and found them sleeping; and he said to
Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? 38 Keep awake
and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak." 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying
the same words. 40 And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes
were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. 41 He came a third
time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The
hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up,
let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand." 43 Immediately, while he was
still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a
crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the
elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss
is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard." 45 So when he came, he
went up to him at once and said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him. 46 Then they laid
hands on him and arrested him. 47 But one of those who stood near drew his sword
and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 48 Then Jesus said
to them, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were
a bandit? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did
not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled." 50 All of them deserted him
and fled. 51 A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen
cloth. They caught hold of him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran off
naked. 53 They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the
elders, and the scribes were assembled. 54 Peter had followed him at a distance,
right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards,
warming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole council were
looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. 56
For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. 57
Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58 "We heard him
say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I
will build another, not made with hands.'" 59 But even on this point their
testimony did not agree. 60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked
Jesus, "Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?" 61 But he
was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the
Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" 62 Jesus said, "I am; and 'you will see
the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power,' and 'coming with the
clouds of heaven.'" 63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "Why do
we still need witnesses? 64 You have heard his blasphemy! What is your
decision?" All of them condemned him as deserving death. 65 Some began to spit
on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, "Prophesy!" The
guards also took him over and beat him. 66 While Peter was below in the
courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw
Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, "You also were with Jesus,
the man from Nazareth." 68 But he denied it, saying, "I do not know or
understand what you are talking about." And he went out into the forecourt. Then
the cock crowed. 69 And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to say to
the bystanders, "This man is one of them." 70 But again he denied it. Then after
a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, "Certainly you are one of
them; for you are a Galilean." 71 But he began to curse, and he swore an oath,
"I do not know this man you are talking about." 72 At that moment the cock
crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him,
"Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down
and wept.
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As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation
with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him
away, and handed him over to Pilate. 2 Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of
the Jews?" He answered him, "You say so." 3 Then the chief priests accused him
of many things. 4 Pilate asked him again, "Have you no answer? See how many
charges they bring against you." 5 But Jesus made no further reply, so that
Pilate was amazed. 6 Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them,
anyone for whom they asked. 7 Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the
rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. 8 So the crowd came and
began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. 9 Then he answered
them, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" 10 For he
realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over.
11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for
them instead. 12 Pilate spoke to them again, "Then what do you wish me to do
with the man you call the King of the Jews?" 13 They shouted back, "Crucify
him!" 14 Pilate asked them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all
the more, "Crucify him!" 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released
Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
16 Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the
governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. 17 And they
clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they
put it on him. 18 And they began saluting him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 19 They
struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. 20
After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes
on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. 21 They compelled a passer-by, who
was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the
father of Alexander and Rufus. 22 Then they brought Jesus to the place called
Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed
with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him, and divided his
clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. 25 It was nine
o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The inscription of the charge
against him read, "The King of the Jews." 27 And with him they crucified two
bandits, one on his right and one on his left. 28 29 Those who passed by derided
him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and
build it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!" 31 In
the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him
among themselves and saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let
the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may
see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also taunted him. 33 When it
was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 At
three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?"
which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 35 When some of the
bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." 36 And
someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to
him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him
down." 37 Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain
of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 Now when the centurion,
who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly
this man was God's Son!" 40 There were also women looking on from a distance;
among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of
Joses, and Salome. 41 These used to follow him and provided for him when he was
in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to
Jerusalem. 42 When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation,
that is, the day before the sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member
of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God,
went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Then Pilate wondered
if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he
had been dead for some time. 45 When he learned from the centurion that he was
dead, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and
taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that
had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the
tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was
laid.
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When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of
James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And
very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to
the tomb. 3 They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone
for us from the entrance to the tomb?" 4 When they looked up, they saw that the
stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they entered the
tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side;
and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are
looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not
here. Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and
Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as
he told you." 8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and
amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were
afraid. 9 Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared
first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went out
and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. 11
But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not
believe it. 12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they
were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they
did not believe them. 14 Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were
sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and
stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had
risen. 15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news
to the whole creation. 16 The one who believes and is baptized will be saved;
but the one who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will
accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they
will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if
they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on
the sick, and they will recover." 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken
to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And
they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked
with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.
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