Category: Matthew

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

1 The record of the genealogy ofJesus theMessiah, the son (descendant) ofDavid, the son (descendant) of Abraham:

2 Abrahamwas the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father ofJudah and his brothers [who became the twelve tribes of Israel].

3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.

4 Ram was the father of Aminadab, Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon.

5 Salmon was the father of Boaz byRahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse.

6 Jesse was the father ofDavid the king.

David was the father of Solomon byBathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah.

7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.

8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah.

9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.

10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah.

11 Josiah became the father of Jeconiah [also called Coniah and Jehoiachin] and his brothers, at the time of the deportation (exile) to Babylon.

12 After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.

13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor.

14 Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud.

15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob.

16 Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, bywhom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah (Christ).

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen; from David to the Babylonian deportation (exile), fourteen generations; and from the Babylonian deportation to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Conception and Birth of Jesus

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had beenbetrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by [the power of] the Holy Spirit.

19 And Joseph her [promised] husband, being a justandrighteous man and not wanting to expose her publicly to shame, planned to send her awayanddivorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the Child who has beenconceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

21 She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lordis salvation), for He willsave His people from their sins.”

22 All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through theprophet [Isaiah]:

23 “Behold,thevirgin shall be with child and give birth to aSon,and they shall callHis nameImmanuel”—which, when translated, means, “God with us.”

24 Then Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and he tookMary[to his home] as his wife,

25 but he kept her a virgin until she had given birth to a Son [her firstborn child]; and he named Him Jesus (The Lordis salvation).

The Visit of the Magi

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days ofHerod the king (Herod the Great),magi (wise men) from the east came to Jerusalem, asking,

2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His starin the east and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 So he called together all the chief priests andscribes of the people and [anxiously] asked them where the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) was to be born.

5 They replied to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what has been written by the prophet [Micah]:

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem,in the land ofJudah,

are not in any way least among the leaders ofJudah;

For from you shall come aRuler

Who will shepherdMy peopleIsrael.’ ”

7 Then Herod secretly sent for the magi and learned from themthe [exact] time the star [had first] appeared.

8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”

9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them [continually leading the way] until it came and stood overthe placewhere the young Child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

11 And after entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, after opening their treasure chests, they presented to Him gifts [fit for a king, gifts] of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 And having been warned [by God] in a dream not to go back to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

The Flight to Egypt

13 Now when they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod intends to search for the Child in order to destroy Him.”

14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.

15 He remained there until the death of Herod.This wasto fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet [Hosea]: “Out ofEgyptIcalledMySon.”

Herod Slaughters the Babies

16 Then Herod, when he realized that he had been tricked by the magi, was extremely angry, and he sent [soldiers] and put to death all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that area who were two years old and under, according to the date which he had learned from the magi.

17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

18 “Avoice was heard inRamah,

Weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children;

She refused to be comforted,

Because they were no more.”

19 But whenHerod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said,

20 “Get up! Take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.”

21 Then Joseph got up, and took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judeain place of his father Herod [the Great], he was afraid to go there. Then being warnedby Godin a dream, he left for the region of Galilee,

23 and went and settled in a city called Nazareth.This wasto fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called aNazarene.”

The Preaching of John the Baptist

1 In those daysJohn the Baptist appeared, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea [along the western side of the Dead Sea] and saying,

2 “Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

3 This is the one who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the road for theLord,

MakeHis highways straight(level, direct)!’ ”

4 Now this same John had clothing made of camel’s hair and a [wide] leatherband around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

5 At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan;

6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

7 But when he saw many of thePharisees andSadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the [divine] wrathandjudgment to come?

8 So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin];

9 and do not presume to say to yourselves [as a defense], ‘We have Abraham for our father [so our inheritance assures us of salvation]’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham.

10 And already the axe [of God’s judgment] isswinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, I baptize youwith water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] withfire (judgment).

12 Hiswinnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat (believers) into His barn (kingdom), but He will burn up the chaff (the unrepentant) with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan [River], to be baptized by him.

14 But John tried to prevent Him [vigorously protesting], saying, “It is I who need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”

15 But Jesus replied to him,“Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for usto fulfill all righteousness.”Then John permitted [it and baptized] Him.

16 After Jesus was baptized, He came up immediately out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he (John) saw theSpirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him (Jesus),

17 and behold, avoice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleasedanddelighted!”

The Temptation of Jesus

1 Then Jesus was led by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

2 After He had gone without food for forty days and forty nights, He became hungry.

3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

4 But Jesus replied,“It is writtenandforever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,but by every word that comes out of the mouth ofGod.’ ”

5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city [Jerusalem] and placed Him on the pinnacle (highest point) of the temple.

6 And he said [mockingly] to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will commandHis angels concerningYou[to serve, care for, protect and watch over You]’;

and

‘They will lift you up ontheirhands,

So thatYou will not strikeYour foot against a stone.’ ”

7 Jesus said to him,“On the other hand, it is writtenandforever remains written, ‘You shall not test theLord yourGod.’ ”

8 Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory [splendor, magnificence, and excellence] of them;

9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”

10 Then Jesus said to him,“Go away, Satan! For it is writtenandforever remains written, ‘You shall worship theLord yourGod,and serveHim only.’ ”

11 Then the devil left Him; and angels came and ministered to Him [bringing Him food and serving Him].

Jesus Begins His Ministry

12 Now when Jesus heard that John [the Baptist] had been arrestedandput in prison, He left for Galilee.

13 And leaving Nazareth, He went and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the country of Zebulun and Naphtali.

14 This wasto fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

15 “The land ofZebulun and the land ofNaphtali,

By the way of the sea,beyond theJordan, Galilee[in the district]of theGentiles—

16 The people who were sitting(living)in[spiritual]darkness have seen a greatLight,

And for those who were sitting(living)in the land and shadow of[spiritual and moral]death,

Upon them aLight has dawned.”

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say,“Repent[change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life],for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The First Disciples

18 As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He noticed two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

19 And He said to them,“Follow Me[as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk],and I will make you fishers of men.”

20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example].

21 And going on [further] from there He noticed two other brothers, James thesonof Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their fatherZebedee, mending their nets; and He called them [to follow Him as His disciples].

22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example].

Ministry in Galilee

23 And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people [demonstrating and revealing that He was indeed the promised Messiah].

24 So the news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were sick, those suffering with various diseases and pains, those under the power of demons, and epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.

25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and theDecapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and the other side of the Jordan.

The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes

1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, Hisdisciples came to Him.

2 Then Hebeganto teach them, saying,

3 “Blessed[spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired]are the poor in spirit[those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant],for theirs is the kingdom of heaven[both now and forever].

4 “Blessed[forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace]are those who mourn[over their sins and repent],for they will be comforted[when the burden of sin is lifted].

5 “Blessed[inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect]are thegentle[the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled],for they will inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed[joyful, nourished by God’s goodness]are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness[those who actively seek right standing with God],for they will be[completely]satisfied.

7 “Blessed[content, sheltered by God’s promises]are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 “Blessed[anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature]are the pure in heart[those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character],for they will see God.

9 “Blessed[spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor]are the makersandmaintainers of peace, for they will[express His character and]be called the sons of God.

10 “Blessed[comforted by inner peace and God’s love]are those who are persecuted fordoing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven[both now and forever].

11 “Blessed[morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness]are you whenpeopleinsult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of[your association with]Me.

12 Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great[absolutely inexhaustible];for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Disciples and the World

13 “You are thesalt of the earth; but if the salt haslost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people[when the walkways are wet and slippery].

14 “You are the light of[Christ to]the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

15 nor doesanyonelight a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deedsandmoral excellence, and[recognize and honor and]glorify your Father who is in heaven.

17 “Do not think that I came to do away withorundo theLaw[of Moses]or the[writings of the]Prophets; I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

18 For I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke[of the pen]will pass from the Law until all things[which it foreshadows]are accomplished.

19 So whoever breaks one of the least[important]of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least[important]in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Personal Relationships

21 “You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever murders shall beguilty before the court.’

22 But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brotherorharbors malice against him shall be guilty before the court; and whoever speaks[contemptuously and insultingly]to his brother,‘Raca (You empty-headed idiot)!’ shall be guilty before the supreme court (Sanhedrin); and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of thefiery hell.

23 So if you are presenting your offering at the altar, andwhilethere you remember that your brother has something[such as a grievance or legitimate complaint]against you,

24 leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering.

25 Come to terms quickly[at the earliest opportunity]with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way[to court], so that your opponent does not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you are thrown into prison.

26 I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid the lastcent.

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’;

28 but I say to you that everyone who[so much as]looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 If your right eye makes you stumbleandleads you to sin, tear it out and throw it away[that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation];for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

30 If your right hand makes you stumbleandleads you to sin, cut it off and throw it away[that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation];for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

31 “It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife is to give her a certificate of divorce’;

32 but I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on grounds of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who has been divorced commits adultery.

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not make false vows,but you shall fulfill your vows to theLord[as a religious duty].’

34 But I say to you, do not make an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God;

35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; or by Jerusalem, for it isthe city of theGreatKing.

36 Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you are not able to make a single hair white or black.

37 But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’[a firm yes or no];anything more than that comes from the evil one.

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye,and a tooth for a tooth[punishment that fits the offense].’

39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person[who insults you or violates your rights];but whoeverslaps you on the right cheek, turn the other toward him also[simply ignore insignificant insults or trivial losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity, your self-respect, your poise].

40 If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt,let him have your coat also[for the Lord repays the offender].

41 And whoeverforces you to go one mile, go with him two.

42 Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor(fellow man) and hate your enemy.’

44 But I say to you,love[that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for]your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may[show yourselves to]be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous[those who are morally upright]and the unrighteous[the unrepentant, those who oppose Him].

46 For if you love[only]those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

47 And if you greet only your brothers[wishing them God’s blessing and peace],what more[than others]are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles[who do not know the Lord]do that?

48 You, therefore, will be perfect[growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life],as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Giving to the Poor and Prayer

1 “Be[very]careful not to do yourgood deeds publicly, to be seen by men; otherwise you will have no reward[prepared and awaiting you]with your Father who is in heaven.

2 “So whenever you give to the pooranddo acts of kindness, do not blow a trumpet before you[to advertise it],as the hypocrites do[like actors acting out a role]in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honoredandrecognizedandpraised by men. I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, they[already]have their reward in full.

3 But when you give to the pooranddo acts of kindness, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing[give in complete secrecy],

4 so that your charitable acts will be done in secret; and your Father who sees[what is done]in secret will reward you.

5 “Also, when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to pray[publicly]standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets so that they may be seen by men. I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, they[already]have their reward in full.

6 But when you pray, go into your most private room, close the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees[what is done]in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

8 So do not be like them[praying as they do];for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

9 “Pray, then,in this way:

‘Our Father, who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come,

Yourwill be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day ourdaily bread.

12 And forgive us ourdebts, as we have forgiven our debtors[letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].

13 And do notlead us into temptation, but deliver us fromevil.[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’

14 For if you forgiveothers their trespasses[their reckless and willful sins],your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive others[nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God],then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.

Fasting, The True Treasure, Wealth (Mammon)

16 “And whenever you are fasting, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they put on a sad and dismal face[like actors, discoloring their faces with ashes or dirt]so that their fasting may be seen by men. I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, they[already]have their reward in full.

17 But when you fast, put oil on your head[as you normally would to groom your hair]and wash your face

18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by people, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees[what is done]in secret will reward you.

19 “Do not store up for yourselves[material]treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal;

21 for where your treasure is, there your heart[your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers]will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear[spiritually perceptive],your whole body will be full of light[benefiting from God’s precepts].

23 But if your eye is bad[spiritually blind],your whole body will be full of darkness[devoid of God’s precepts].So if the[very]light inside you[your inner self, your heart, your conscience]is darkness, how greatandterrible is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon[money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].

The Cure for Anxiety

25 “Therefore I tell you, stop being worriedoranxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow[seed]nor reap[the harvest]nor gather[the crops]into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?

27 And who of you by worrying can add onehour to[the length of]his life?

28 And why are you worried about clothes? See how the liliesandwildflowers of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin[wool to make clothing],

29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his gloryandsplendor dressed himself like one of these.

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is aliveandgreen today and tomorrow is[cut and]thrown[as fuel]into the furnace,will Henot much moreclotheyou? You of little faith!

31 Therefore do not worryorbe anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’

32 For the[pagan]Gentiles eagerly seek all these things;[but do not worry,]for your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

33 But firstandmost importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness[His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God],and all these things will be given to you also.

34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Judging Others

1 “Do not judgeandcriticizeandcondemn[others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge],so that you will not be judged[unfairly].

2 For just as you[hypocritically]judge others[when you are sinful and unrepentant],so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure[used to pass out judgment],judgment will be measured to you.

3 Why do you look at the[insignificant]speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not noticeandacknowledge the[egregious]log that is in your own eye?

4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye?

5 You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give that which is holy todogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, for they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Prayer and the Golden Rule

7 “Askandkeep on asking and it will be given to you; seekandkeep on seeking and you will find; knockandkeep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened.

9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will[instead]give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will[instead]give him a snake?

11 If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give goodandadvantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven[perfect as He is]give what is goodandadvantageous to those who keep on asking Him.

12 “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is[the essence of]the Law and the[writings of the]Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broadandeasy to travel is the path that leads the way to destructionandeternal loss, and there are many who enter through it.

14 But small is the gate and narrowanddifficult to travel is the path that leads the way to[everlasting]life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the false prophets,[teachers]who come to you dressed as sheep[appearing gentle and innocent],but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16 By their fruit you will recognize them[that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus].Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?

17 Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them[as false prophets].

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me on that day[when I judge them],‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’

23 And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you;depart fromMe[you are banished from My presence],you who act wickedly[disregarding My commands].’

The Two Foundations

24 “So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man[a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man]who built his house on the rock.

25 And the rain fell, and the floodsandtorrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

26 And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish (stupid) man who built his house on the sand.

27 And the rain fell, and the floodsandtorrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and greatandcomplete was its fall.”

28 When Jesus had finished [speaking] these words [on the mountain], the crowds were astonishedandoverwhelmed at His teaching;

29 for He was teaching them as one who had authority [to teach entirely of His own volition], and not as their scribes [who relied on others to confirm their authority].

Jesus Cleanses a Leper; The Centurion’s Faith

1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowdsfollowed Him.

2 And a leper came up to Him and bowed down before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You are able to make me clean (well).”

3 Jesus reached out His hand and touched him, saying,“I am willing; be cleansed.”Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus said to him,“See that you tell no one[about this];but go, show yourself to the priest[for inspection]and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony (evidence) to them[of your healing].”

5 As Jesus went into Capernaum, acenturion came up to Him, begging Him [for help],

6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, with intenseandterrible, tormenting pain.”

7 Jesus said to him,“I will come and heal him.”

8 But the centurion replied to Him, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

9 For I also am a man subject to authority [of a higher rank], with soldiers subject to me; and I say to one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those who were following Him,“I tell you truthfully, I have not found such great faith[as this]with anyone in Israel.

11 I say to you that many[Gentiles]will come from east and west, and will sit down[to feast at the table, and enjoy God’s promises]with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven[because they accepted Me as Savior],

12 while the sonsandheirs of the kingdom[the descendants of Abraham who will not recognize Me as Messiah]will be thrown out into the outer darkness; in that place[which is farthest removed from the kingdom]there will be weeping[in sorrow and pain]and grinding of teeth[in distress and anger].”

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion,“Go; it will be done for you as you have believed.”And the servant was restored to health at that very hour.

Peter’s Mother-in-law and Many Others Healed

14 When Jesus went into Peter’s house [in Capernaum], He saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever.

15 He touched her hand and the fever left her; and she got up and served Him.

16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were under the power of demons; and He cast out theevilspirits with a word, and restored to health all who were sick [exhibiting His authority as Messiah],

17 so that He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “HeHimself took our infirmities[upon Himself]and carried away our diseases.”

Discipleship Tested

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to cast off for the other sideof the Sea of Galilee.

19 Then [on His way to board the boat] a scribe [who was a respected and authoritative interpreter of the Law] came and said to Him, “Master, I will accompany You [as Your student] wherever You go.”

20 Jesus replied to him,“Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but theSon of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

21 Another of thedisciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go andbury my father (collect my inheritance).”

22 But Jesus said to him,“Follow Me[believing in Me as Master and Teacher],and allow the[spiritually]dead to bury their own dead.”

23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.

24 And suddenly a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping.

25 And the disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us, we are going to die!”

26 He said to them,“Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?”Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was [at once] a greatandwonderful calm [a perfect peacefulness].

27 The men wondered in amazement, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Jesus Casts Out Demons

28 When He arrived at the other side in the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming out of the tombs met Him.They wereso extremely fierceandviolent that no one could pass by that way.

29 And they screamed out, “What business do we have [in common] with each other, Son of God? Have You come to torment us before the appointed time [of judgment]?”

30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was grazing.

31 The demonsbeganbegging Him, “If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

32 And He said to them,“Go!”So they came out [of the men] and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and died in the water.

33 The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the men under the power of demons.

34 And the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and as soon as they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region.

A Paralytic Healed

1 And Jesus, getting into a boat, crossed overthe Sea of Galileeand came to [Capernaum] His own city.

2 They brought to Him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a stretcher. Seeing their [active] faith [springing from confidence in Him], Jesus said to the paralytic,“Do not be afraid, son; your sins are forgiven[the penalty is paid, the guilt removed, and you are declared to be in right standing with God].”

3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “Thismanblasphemes [by claiming the rights and prerogatives of God]!”

4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said,“Why do you think evil in your hearts?

5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgivenandthe penalty paid,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?[Both are possible for God; both are impossible for man.]

6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authorityandthe power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic,“Get up, pick up your stretcher and go home.”

7 And he got up and went home [healed and forgiven].

8 When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified Godandpraised Him, who had given such authorityandpower to men.

Matthew Called

9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew (Levi) sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him,“Follow Me[as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].” And Matthew got up and followed Him.

10 Then as Jesus was recliningat the tableinMatthew’shouse, many tax collectors andsinners [including non-observant Jews] came and ate with Him and His disciples.

11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 But when Jesus heardthis,He said,“Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but[only]those who are sick.

13 Go and learn what this[Scripture]means: ‘Idesire compassion[for those in distress],and not[animal]sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call[to repentance]the[self-proclaimed]righteous[who see no need to change],but sinners[those who recognize their sin and actively seek forgiveness].”

The Question about Fasting

14 Then the disciples of John [the Baptist] came to Jesus, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees often fast [as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast?”

15 And Jesus replied to them,“Can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 But no one puts a piece of unshrunk (new) cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.

17 Nor is new wine put into oldwineskins[that have lost their elasticity];otherwise the wineskins burst, and the[fermenting]wine spills and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, so both are preserved.”

Miracles of Healing

18 While He was saying these things to them, a ruler (synagogue official) entered [the house] and kneeled downandworshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just now died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”

19 Jesus got up andbeganto accompany the ruler, with His disciples.

20 Then a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the [tassel] fringe of His outer robe;

21 for she had been saying to herself, “If I only touch His outer robe, I will be healed.”

22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said,“Take courage, daughter; your[personal trust and confident]faith[in Me]has made you well.”And at once the woman was [completely] healed.

23 When Jesus came to the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players [who were professional, hired mourners] and the [grieving] crowd making an uproar,

24 He said,“Go away; for the girl is not dead, but is sleeping.”And they laughedandjeered at Him.

25 But when the crowd had been sent outside, Jesus went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.

26 And the news about this spread throughout all that district.

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, screaming loudly, “Have mercyandcompassion on us,Son of David (Messiah)!”

28 When He went into the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them,“Do you believe[with a deep, abiding trust]that I am able to do this?”They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying,“According to your faith[your trust and confidence in My power and My ability to heal]it will be done to you.”

30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesussternly warned them:“See that no one knows this!”

31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that whole district.

32 While they were going away, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Jesus.

33 And when the demon was driven out [by Jesus], the mute man spoke; and the crowds wondered in amazement, saying, “Never before has anything like this [miracle] been seen in Israel.”

34 But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by [the power of] the ruler of demons.”

35 Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages [in Galilee], teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness [His words and His works reflecting His Messiahship].

36 When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassionandpity for them, because they were dispirited and distressed, like sheep without a shepherd.

37 Then He said to His disciples,“The harvest is[indeed]plentiful, but the workers are few.

38 So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service

1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authorityandpower over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

2 Now these are the names of the twelveapostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives): first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother;James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip and Bartholomew (Nathanael); Thomas and Matthew (Levi) the tax collector;James the son ofAlphaeus, and Thaddaeus (Judas, not Iscariot);

4 Simon the Cananaean (Zealot), and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

5 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them:“Do not go among the Gentiles, and do not go into a city of the Samaritans;

6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

9 Do not take gold, or silver, or[even]copper money in your money belt,

10 or a provision bag for your journey, or even two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker deserves his support.

11 Whatever city or village you enter, ask who in it is worthy[who welcomes you and your message],and stay at his house until you leave[that city].

12 As you go into the house, give it your greeting[that is, ‘Peace be to this house’].

13 If[the family living in]the house is worthy[welcoming you and your message],give it your[blessing of]peace[that is, a blessing of well-being and prosperity, the favor of God].But if it is not worthy, take back yourblessing ofpeace.

14 Whoever does not welcome you, nor listen to your message, as you leave that house or city,shake the dust[of it]off your feet[in contempt, breaking all ties].

15 I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land ofSodom and Gomorrah than for that city[since it rejected the Messiah’s messenger].

A Hard Road before Them

16 “Listen carefully: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves[have no self-serving agenda].

17 Beware of men[whose nature is to act in opposition to God],for they will hand you over to the courts and flog you in their synagogues;

18 and you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.

19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given you within that[very]hour;

20 for it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will rise upandrebel against their parents and cause them to be put to death.

22 And you will be hated by everyone because of[your association with]My name, but it is the one who has patiently perseveredandendured to the end who will be saved.

23 “When they persecute you in one city[because of your faith in Me],flee to the next; for I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, you will not finishgoing throughall the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

The Meaning of Discipleship

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor is a bond-servant above his master.

25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the bond-servant like his master. If they have called the head of the houseBeelzebul (Satan), how much more[will they speak evil of]the members of his household.

26 “So do not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed[at the judgment],or kept secret that will not be made known[at the judgment].

27 What I say to you in the dark (privately), tell in the light (publicly); and what you hearwhisperedin your ear, proclaim from the housetops[to many people].

28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

29 Are not two little sparrows sold for acopper coin? And yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.

30 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered[for the Father is sovereign and has complete knowledge].

31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

32 “Therefore, the one whoconfessesandacknowledges Me before men[as Lord and Savior, affirming a state of oneness with Me],that one I will also confessandacknowledge before My Father who is in heaven.

33 But the one who deniesandrejects Me before men, that one I will also denyandreject before My Father who is in heaven.

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword[of division between belief and unbelief].

35 For I have come toset a man against his father,and a daughter against her mother,and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

36 anda man’s enemies will be the members of his[own]household[when one believes and another does not].

37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

38 And he who does not take hiscross[expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come]and follow Me[believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]is not worthy of Me.

39 Whoever finds his life[in this world]will[eventually]lose it[through death],and whoever loses his life[in this world]for My sake will find it[that is, life with Me for all eternity].

The Reward of Service

40 “He who receivesandwelcomes you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

41 He who receivesandwelcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous (honorable) man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.

42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones[these who are humble in rank or influence]even a cup of cold water to drink because he is my disciple, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.”