The preaching of John the Baptist

1- 1 The beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 It is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah:

Look, I am going to send my messenger before you;

he will prepare your way.

3 A voice cries in the wilderness:

Prepare a way for the Lord,

make his paths straight,

4 and so it was that John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 All Judaea and all the people of Jerusalem made their way to him, and as they were baptized by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins. 6 John wore a garment of camel skin, and he lived on locust and wild honey. 7 In the course of his preaching he said, "Someone is following me, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Jesus is baptized

9 It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 No sooner had he come up out of the water than he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you."

Temptation in the wilderness

12 Immediately afterward the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness 13 and he remained there for forty days, and he was tempted by Satan. He was with the wild beasts, and the angels looked after him.

Jesus begins to preach

14 After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. 15 "The time has come," he said, "and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent and believe the Good News."

The first four disciples are called

16 As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake - for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." 18 And at once they left their nets and followed him.

19 Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once 20 and leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

Jesus teaches in Capernaum and cures a demoniac

21 They went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. 22 And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.

23 In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit, and it shouted, 24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God." 25 But Jesus said sharply, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" 26 And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. 27 The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. "Here is a teaching that is new," they said, "and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him." 28 And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.

Cure of Simon's mother-in-law

29 On leaving the synagogue, he went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. 31 He went to her, took her hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them.

A number of cures

32 That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. 33 The whole town came crowding around the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast 34 out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.

Jesus quietly leaves Capernaum and travels through Galilee

35 In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. 36 Simon and his companions set out in search of him, 37 and when they found him they said, "Everybody is looking for you." 38 He answered, "Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came." 39 And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.

Cure of a leper

40 A leper came to him and pleaded on his knees: "if you want to," he said, "you can cure me." 41 Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. "Of course I want to!" he said. "Be cured!" 42 And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. 43 Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, 44 "Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery." 45 The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.

Cure of a paralytic

2- 1 When he returned to Capernaum some time later, word went around that he was back; 2 and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them 3 when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, 4 but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "My child, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, 7 "How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?" 8 Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them. "Why do you have these thoughts in your heart? 9 Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven' or to say, 'Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk?' 10 But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins," - 11 he said to the paralytic - "I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home." 12 And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were astounded and praised God saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

The call of Levi

13 He went out again to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. 14 As he was walking on he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.

Eating with sinners

15 When Jesus was at dinner in his house, a number of tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among the followers. 16 When the scribes and the Pharisee party saw him 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, "It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous but sinners."

A discussion on fasting

18 One day when John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came and said to him, "Why is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?" 19 Jesus replied, "Surely the bridegroom's attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. 20 But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. 22 And nobody puts new wine into an old wineskin; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!"

Picking corn on the sabbath

23 One sabbath day he happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields and his disciples began to pick ears of corn as they went along. 24 And the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing something on the sabbath day that is forbidden?" 25 And he replied, "Did you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry - 26 how he went into he house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and he ate the loaves of offering which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him?"

27 And he said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; 28 so he Son of Man is master even of the sabbath."

Cure of the man with a withered hand

3- 1 He went again in a synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. 2 And they were watching him to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use against him. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, "Stand up in the middle!" 4 Then he said to them, "Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?" But they said nothing. 5 Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, he looked angrily around at them, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and his hand was better. 6 The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.

The crowds follow Jesus

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeside, and great crowds from Galilee followed him. From Judaea, 8 Jerusalem, Idumaea, Transjourdania and the region of Tyre and Sidon, great numbers who had heard of all he was doing came to him. 9 And he asked his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, to keep him from being crushed. 10 For he had cured so many that all who were afflicted in any way were crowding forward to touch him. 11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and about, "You are the Son of God!" 12 But he warned them strongly not to make him known.

The appointment of the twelve

13 He now went up into he hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him 14 and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, 15 with power to cast out devils. 16 And so he appointed the Twelve; Simon to whom he gave the name of Peter, 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or "Son of Thunder"; 18 then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.

His relatives are concerned about Jesus

20 He went home again, and once more such a crowd collected that they could not even have a meal. 21 When his relatives heard of this, they set out to take charge of him, convinced he was out of his mind.

Allegations of the scribes

22 The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, "Beelzebul is in him" and, "It is through the prince of devils that he casts devils out." 23 So 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 last. 25 And if a household is divided against itself, that household can never stand. 26 Now if Satan has rebelled against himself and is divided, he cannot stand either - it is the end of him. 27 But no one can make his way into a strong man's house and burgle his property unless he has tied up the strong man first. Only then can he burgle his house.

28 "I tell you solemnly, all men's sins will be forgiven, and all their blasphemies; 29 but let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness; he is guilty of an eternal sin." 30 This was because they were saying, "An unclean spirit is in him."

The true kinsmen of Jesus

31 His mother and brothers now arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him at the time the message was passed to him, "Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you." 33 He replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" 34 And looking around at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. 35 Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother."

Parable of the sower

4- 1 Again he began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there. The people were all along the shore, at the water's edge. 2 He taught them many things in parables, and in he course of his teaching he said to them, 3 'Listen! Imagine a sower going out to sow. 4 Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was no depth of earth; 6 and when the sun came up it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away. 7 Some seed fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop. 8 And some seeds fell into rich soil and. Growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold." 9 And he said, "Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!"

Why Jesus speaks in parables

10 When he was alone, the Twelve, together with the others who formed his company, asked what the parables meant. 11 He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God is given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables, 12 so that they may see and see again, but not perceive; ma hear and hear again, but not understand; otherwise they might be converted and be forgiven."

The parable of the sower explained

13 e said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? 14 What the sower is sowing is the word. 15 Those on the edge of the path where the word is sown are the people who have noo sooner heard it than Satan comes and carries away the word that was sown in them. 16 Similarly, those who receive the seed on patches of rock are people who, when first they hear the word, welcome it at once with joy. 17 But they have no root in them, they do not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, they fall away at once. 18 The there are others who receive the seed in thorns. These have heard the word, 19 but the worries of this world the lure of riches and all the other passions come in to choke the word, and so it produces nothing. 20 And there are those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and hundredfold."

Parable of the lamp

21 He also said to them, "Would you bring in a lamp to put under a tub or under a bed? Surely you will put it on the lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this."

Parable of the measure

24 He also said to them, "Take notice of what you are hearing. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given - and more besides; 25 for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away."

Parable of the seed growing by itself

26 He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. 27 Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. 28 Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the ful grain in the ear. 29 And when the crop is ready, he loses no time; he starts to reap because the harvest has come."

Parable of the mustard seed

30 He also said, "What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32 yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade."

The use of parables

33 Using man parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. 34 He would not speak to them except in paables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.

The calming of the storm

35 With the coming of evening that same day, he said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side." 36 And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. 37 Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were braking into the boat so that it was almost swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. 39 They woke him and said to him, "Master, do you not care? We are going down!" And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Quiet now! Be calm!" And the wind dropped and all was calm again. 40 Then he said to them, "Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?" 41 They were filed with awe and said to one another, "Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him."

The Gerasene demoniac

5- 1 They reached the country of the Garasenes on the other side of the lake, 2 and no sooner had he left the boat than a man with an unclean spirit came out from the tombs toward him. 3 The man lived in the tombs and no one could secure him any more, even with a chain; 4 because he had often been secured wit fetters and chains but had snapped the chains and broken the fetters, and no one had the strength to control him. 5 All night and all day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he would howl and gash himself with stones. 6 Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and fell at his feet 7 and shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? Swear by God you will not torture me!" 8 - For Jesus had been saying to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit." 9 "What is your name?" Jesus asked. "My name is legion," he answered, "for there are many of us." 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the district. 11 Now there was there on the mountainside a great heard of pigs feeding, 12 and the unclean spirits begged him, "Send us to the pigs, let us go into them." 13 So he gave them leave. With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand pigs charged down he cliff into the lake, and there they were drowned. 14 The swineherds ran off and told their story in the town and in the country around about; and the people came to see what had really happened. 15 they came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in full senses - the very man who had the legion in him before -and they were afraid. 16 And these who had witnessed it reported what had happened to the demoniac and what had become of the pigs. 17 Then they began to implore Jesus to leave the neighbourhood. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to be allowed to stay with him. 19 Jesus would not let him but said to him, "Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you." 20 So the man went off and proceeded to spread throughout the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.

Cure of the woman with a haemorrhage. The daughter of Jairus raised to life

21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him and he stayed by the lakeside. 22 Then one of the synagogue officials came up, Jairus by name, and seeing him, fell at his feet 23 and pleaded with him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her to make her better and save her life." 24 Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing all around him.

25 Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years; 26 after long and painful treatment under various doctors, she had spent all she had without being any the better for it, in fact, she was getting worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his cloak. 28 "If I can touch even his clothes," she had told herself, "I shall be well again." 29 And the source of the bleeding dried up instantly, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone out from him, Jesus turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" 31 His disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing around you and yet you say, "Who touched me?'" 32 But he continued to look all around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened to her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth.34 "My daughter," he said, "your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free from your complaint."

35 While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the synagogue official to say, "Your daughter is dead: why put the Master to any further trouble?" 36 But Jesus had overheard this remark of theirs and he said to the official, "Do not be afraid; only have faith." 37 And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 So they came to the official's house and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep." 40 But they laughed at hm. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child's father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. 41 And taking the child by the hand he said to her, "Talitha, kum!" Which means, "Little girl, I tell you to get up." 42 The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At this they were overcome with astonishment, and ordered them strictly not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.

A visit to Nazareth

6- 1 Going from that district, he went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. 2 With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, "Where did the man got all this? Hat is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? 3 This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?" And they would not accept him. 4 And Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own town"; 5 and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hand on them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

The mission of the Twelve

He made a tour around the villages, teaching. 7 Then he summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff - no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. 9 They were to wear sandals but, he added, "Do not take a spare tunic." 10 And he said to them, "If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. 11 And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust from under your feet as a sign to them." 12 So they set off to preach repentance; 13 and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.

Herod and Jesus

14 Meanwhile King Herod had heard about him, since by now his name was well-known. Some were saying, "John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." 15 Others said, "He is Elijah"; others again, "He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have." 16 But when Herod heard this he said, "It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead."

John the Baptist beheaded

17 Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife whom he had married. 18 For John had told Herod, "It is against the law for you to have your brother's wife." 19 As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, 20 because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.

21 An opportunity came on Herod's birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. 22 When the daughter of the same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, "Ask me anything you like and I will give it you." 23 And he swore her an oath, "I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom." 24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the Baptist." 25 The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, "I want you to give me John the Baptist's head, here and now, on a dish." 26 The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. 27 So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with others to bring John's head. 28 The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When John's disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

The first miracle of the loaves

30 The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. 31 Then he said to them, "You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest a while"; for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time to eat. 32 So they went off in a boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. 33 But people saw them going, and many could guess where; and from every town they all hurried to the place on foot and reached it before them. 34 So has he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length. 35 By now it was getting very late, and his disciples came up to him and said, "This is a lonely lace and it is getting very late, 36 so send them away and they can go to the farms and villages around about, to buy themselves something to eat." 37 He replied, "Give them something to eat yourselves." They answered, "Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?" 38 "How many loafs have you?" he asked, "Go and see." And when they had found out they said. "Five and two fish." 39 Then he ordered them to get all the people together in groups on the green grass, 40 and they sat down on the ground in squares of hundreds and fifties. 41 Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then he broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the people. He also shared out the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate as much as they wanted. 43 They collected twelve basketful of scraps of bread and pieces of fish. 44 Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

Jesus walk on the water

45 Directly after this he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. 46 After saying good-by to them he went off into the hills to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake, and he was alone on he land. 48 He could see they were worn out with rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came toward them, walking on the lake. He was going to pass them by 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake they thought it was a ghost and cried out; 50 for they had seen him and were terrified. But he at once spoke to them and said, "Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid." 51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumfounded, 52 because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.

Cures at Gennesaret

53 Having made the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. 54 No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognized him, 55 and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.

The tradition of the Pharisees

7- 1 The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, 2 and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. 3 For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; 4 and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. 5 So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?" 6 He answered, "It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:

This people honours me only with lip-service,

while their hearts are far from me.

7 The worship they offer me is worthless,

the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.

8 You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions." 9 And he said to them, "How ingeniously you get around the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition! 10 For Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death. 11 But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Corban (that is, dedicated to God), 12 then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother.' 13 In this way you make God's word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this."

On clean and unclean

14 He called the people to him again and said, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand. 15 Nothing that goes into a man from the outside can make him unclean; It is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this."

17 When he had gone back into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. 18 He said to them, "Do you not understand either? Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, 19 because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer?" (Thus he pronounced all foods clean.) 20 And he went on, "It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. 21 For it is from within, from men's hearts, that evil intentions emerge; fornication, theft, murder, adultery, 22 avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean."

The daughter of the Syrophoenician woman healed

24 He left that place and set out for the territory of Tyre. There he went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there but he could not pass unrecognized. 25 A woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about his straightaway and came and fell at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a pagan, by birth a Syrophoenician, and she begged him to cast the devil out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, "The children should be fed first, because it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the house dogs." 28 But she spoke up: "Ah yes, sir," she replied, "but the house dogs under the table can eat the children's scraps." 29 And he said to her, "For saying this, you may go home happy; the devil has gone out of your daughter." 30 So she went off to her home and found the child lying on the bed and the devil gone.

Healing of the deaf man

31 Returning from the district of Tyre he went by way of Sidon toward the Sea of Galilee, right through the Decapolis region. 32 And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue with spittle. 34 Then looking up to heaven he signed; and he said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." 35 And his ears were opened, and the ligament of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. 36 And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they published it. 37 Their admiration was unbounded. "He has done all things well," they said, "He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."

Second miracle of the loaves

8- 1 And once again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat. So he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 "I fell sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them off home hungry they will collapse on the way; some have come a great distance." 4 His disciples replied, "Where could anyone get bread to feed these people in a desert place like this?" 5 He asked them, "How many loaves have you?" "Seven," they said. 6 Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them among the crowd. 7 They had a few small fish as well, and over these he said a blessing and ordered them to be distributed also. 8 They ate as much as they wanted, and they collected seven basketfuls of the scraps left over. 9 Now there had been about four thousand people. He send them away, 10 and immediately, getting into the boat with his disciples, went to the region of Dalmanutha.

The Pharisees ask for a sign from heaven

11 The Pharisees came up and started a discussion with him; they demanded of him a sign from heaven, to teat him. 12 and with a sigh that came straight from the heart he said, "Why does this generation demand a sign? I tell you solemnly, no sign shall be given to this generation." 13 And leaving them again and re-embarking he went away to the opposite shore.

The yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod

14 The disciples had forgotten to take any food and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Then he gave them this warning, "Keep your eyes open; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod." 16 And they said to one another, "It is because we have no bread." 17 And Jesus knew it, and he said to them, "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not yet understand? Have you no perception? Are your minds closed? 18 Have you eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear? Or do you not remember? 19 When i broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?" They answered, "Twelve." 20 And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?" And they answered, "Seven." 21 Then he said to them, "Are you still without perception?"

Cure of a blind man at Bathsaida

22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought to him a blind man whom they begged him to touch. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Then putting spittle on his eyes and laying his hands on him, he asked, "Can you see anything?" 24 The man, who was beginning to see, replied, "I can see people; they look like trees to me, but they are walking about." 25 Then he laid his hands on the man's eyes again and he saw clearly; he was cured, and he could see everything plainly and distinctly. 26 And Jesus sent him home, saying, "Do not even go into the village."

Peter's profession of faith

27 Jesus and his disciples left for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he put this question to his disciples, "Who do people say I am?" 28 And they told him, "John the Baptist," they said, "Others Elijah; others again, one of the prophets." 29 "But you," he asked, "who do you say I am?" Peter spoke up and said to him, "You are the Christ." 30 And he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him.

First prophecy of the Passion

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man was destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and after three days to rise again; 32 and he said all this quite openly. Then taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. 33 But, turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said to him, "Get behind me Satan! Because the way you think is not God's way but man's."

The condition of following Christ

34 He called the people and his disciples to him and said, "If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 What gain, then, is it for a man to win the whole world and ruin his life? 37 And indeed what can a man offer in exchange for his life? 38 For if anyone in this adulterous and sinful generation is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

9- 1 And he said to them, "I tell you solemnly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before the kingdom of God come with power."

The transfiguration

2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: 3 his clothes became dazzling white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. 4 Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter spoke to Jesus: "Rabbi," he said, "it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." 6 He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. 7 And a cloud came, covering them with shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, "This is my Son, the Blessed. Listen to him." 8 Then suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.

The question about Elijah

9 As they came down from the mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what "rising from the dead" could mean. 11 And they put this question to him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah has to come first?" 12 "True," he said, "Elijah is to come first and to see that everything is as it should be; yet how is that the scriptures say about the Son of Man he is to suffer grievously and be treated with contempt? 13 However, I tell you that Elijah has come and they have treated him as they pleased, just as the scriptures say about him."

The epileptic demoniac

14 When they rejoined the disciples they saw a large crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them. 15 The moment they saw him the whole crowd were struck with amazement and ran to greet them. 16 What are you arguing about with them?" he asked. 17 A man answered him from the crowd, "Master, I have brought my son to you; there is a spirit of dumbness in him, 18 and when it takes hold of him it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and goes rigid. And I asked your disciples to cast it out and they were unable to." 19 "You faithless generation," he said to them in reply. "How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me." 20 They brought the boy to him, and as soon as the spirit saw Jesus it threw the boy into convulsion, and he fell to the ground and lay writhing there, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the father, "How long has this been happening to him?" "From childhood," he replied, 22 and it has often thrown him into the fire and into the water, in order to destroy him. 23 But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." "If you can?" Retorted Jesus, "Everything is possible for anyone who has faith." 24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do have faith. Help the little faith I have!" 25 And when Jesus saw how many people were pressing around him, he rebuked the unclean spirit, "Deaf and dumb spirit," he said, "I command you: come out of him and never enter him again." 26 Then throwing the boy into violent convulsions it came out shouting, and the boy lay there so like a corpse that most of them said, "He is dead." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and help him up, and he was able to stand. 28 When he had gone indoors his disciples asked him privately, "Why were we unable to cast it out?" 29 "This is the kind," he answered, "that can only be driven out by prayer."

Second prophecy of the Passion

30 After leaving the place they made their way through Galilee; and he did not want anyone to know, 31 because he was instructing his disciples; he was telling them, "The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men; they will put him to death, and three days after he has been put to death he will rise again." 32 But they did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him.

Who is the greatest?

33 They came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he ask them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" 34 They said nothing because they had been arguing which of them was the greatest. 35 So he sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all." 36 He then took a little child, set him in front of them, put his arms around him, and said to them, 37 "Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

On using the name of Jesus

38 John said to him, "Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him." 39 But Jesus said, "You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. 40 Anyone who is not against us is for us.

Charity shown to Christ's disciples

41 "If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.

On leading others astray

42 "But anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone around his neck. 43 And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off, it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. 45 And if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell 48 where their worm does not die nor fire go out. For everyone will be salted with fire. 49 50 Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you season it again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another."

The question about divorce

10- 1 Leaving there, he came to the district of Judaea and the far side of the Jordan. And again crowds gathered around him, and again he taught them, as his custom was. 2 Some Pharisees approached him and asked, "Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. 3 He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" 4 "Moses allowed us," they said, "to draw up a writ of dismissal and so to divorce." 5 Then Jesus said to them, "It was 6 7 because you were so unteachable that he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. 8 This is why a man must leave father and mother, 9 and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide." 10 Back in the house the disciples questioned him again about this, 11 and he said to them, "The man who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. 12 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she is guilty of adultery too."

Jesus and the children

13 People were bringing little children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, 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 I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of Gog like a little child will never enter it." 16 Then he put his arms around them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.

The rich young man

17 He was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, "Good master, 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 must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother." 20 And he said to him, "Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days." 21 Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, "There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven; then come follow me." 22 But his face fell at thee words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

The danger of riches

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, "My children," he said to them, "How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26 They were more astonished than ever. "In that case," they said to one another, "who can be saved?" 27 Jesus gazed at them. "For a man," he said, "it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God."

The reward of renunciation

28 Peter took this up. "What about us?" he asked him, "We have left everything and followed you." 29 Jesus said, "I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel 30 who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land - not without persecutions - now in this present time and in the world to come, eternal life.

31 "Many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Third prophecy of the Passion

32 They were on the road, going to Jerusalem; Jesus was walking on ahead of them; they were in a daze, and those who followed were apprehensive. Once more taking the Twelve aside he began to tell them what was going to happen to him: 33 "Now we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the pagans, 34 who will mock him and spit at him and scourge him and put him to death; and after three days he will rise again."

The sons of Zebedee make their request

35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him. "Master," they said to him, "we want you to do us a favour." 36 He said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" 37 They said to him, "Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory." 38 "You do not know what you are asking." Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup that I must drink, or be baptized with the baptism with which I must be baptized?" 39 They replied, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup I must drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I must be baptized you shall be baptized, 40 but as for seats at my right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted."

Leadership with service

41 When the other ten heard this they began to feel indignant with James and John, 42 so Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that among the pagans their so-called rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. 43 This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all. 45 For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom foe many."

The blind man of Jericho

46 They reached Jericho; and as he left Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, "Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me." 48 And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, "Son of David, have pity on me." 49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him here." So they called the blind man. 'Courage," he said, "get up; he is calling you." 50 So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. 51 Then Jesus spoke, "What do you want me to do for you?" "Rabbuni," the blind man said to him, 'Master, let me see again." 52 Jesus said to him, "Go, your faith has saved you." Nd immediately his sight returned and he followed him along the road.

The Messiah enters Jerusalem

11- 1 When they were approaching Jerusalem. in sight of Bethpahge and Bethany, close to the Mount of Olives, he sent two of is disciples 2 and said to them "Go off to the village facing you, ans as soon as you enter it you will find a tethered colt that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone says to you, "What are you doing?" Say, 'The Master needs it and will send it back here directly.'" 4 They went off and found a colt tethered near a door in the open street. As they untied, 5 some men standing there said, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6 They gave him the answer Jesus had told them, and the men let them go. 7 Many people spread their cloaks on its back, and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, others greenery which they had cut in the fields. 9 And those who went in front and those who followed were all shouting, "Hosanna! Blessing on him who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessings on the coming kingdom of out Father David! Hosanna in he highest heavens!" 11 He entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple. He looked all around him, but as it was now late he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

The barren fig tree

12 Next day as they were leaving Bethany, he felt hungry. 13 Seeing a fig tree in leaf some distance away, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it, but when he came p to it he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he addressed the fig tree. "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." He said. And his disciples heard him say this.

The expulsion of the dealers from the Tempe

15 So they reached Jerusalem and he went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling and buying there; he upset the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling pigeons. 16 Nor would he allow anyone to carry anything through the Temple. 17 And he taught them and said, "Does not the scripture say: My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples. But you have turned it into a robber's den." 18 This came to the ears of the chief priests and the scribes, ans they tried to find some way of doing away with im; they were afraid of him because the people were carried away by his teaching. 19 And when evening came he went out of the city.

The fig tree withered. Faith and prayer

20 Next morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered to the roots. 21 Peter remembered, "Look, Rabbi," he said to Jesus, "The fig tree you cursed has withered away." 22 Jesus answered, "Have faith in God. 23 I tell you solemnly, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Get up and throw yourself into the sea,' with no hesitation in his heart but believing that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 I ell you therefore: everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours. 25 And when you pray stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too."

The authority of Jesus is questioned

27 They came to Jerusalem again, and as Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, 28 and they said to him, "What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do these things?" 29 Jesus said to them, "I will ask you a question, only one; answer me and I will tell you my authority for acting like this, 30 John's baptism: did it come from heaven, or from man? Answer me that." 31 And they argued it out this way among themselves: "If we say from heaven, he will say, 'Then why did you refuse to believe him?' 32 But dare we say from man?" - they had the people to fear, for everyone held that John was a real prophet. 33 So their reply to Jesus was, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this."

Parable of the wicked husbandmen

12- 1 He went on to speak to them in parables, "A man planted a vineyard; he fenced it around, dug out a trough for the winepress and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. 2 When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce from the vineyard. 3 But they seized the man, thrashed him and sent him away empty handed. 4 Next he sent another servant to them, him they beat about the head and treated shamefully. 5 And he sent another and him they killed; then a number of others, and they thrashed some and killed the rest. 6 He had still someone left: his beloved son. He sent him to them last of all. 'They will respect my son,' he said. 7 But those tenants said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8 So they seized him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and make an end of the tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this text of the scripture:

It was the stone rejected by the builders

that became the keystone.

11 This was the Lord's doing

and it is wonderful to see?

12 And they would have like to arrest him, because they realized that the parable was aimed at them, but they were afraid of the crowds. So they left him alone and went away.

On tribute to Caesar

13 Next they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to catch him out in what he said. 14 These came and said to him, "Master, we know you are an honest man, that you are not afraid of anyone, because man's rank means nothing to you, and that you teach the way of God in all honesty. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay, yes or no?" 15 Seeing through their hypocrisy he said to them, "Why do you set this trap for me? Hand me a denarius and let me see it." 16 They handed him one and he said, "Whose head is this? Whose name?" "Caesar's," they told him, 17 Jesus said to them, "Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar - and to God what belongs to God." This reply took them by surprise.

The resurrection of the dead

18 Then some Sadducees - who deny that there is a resurrection - came to him and they put this question to him, 9 "Master, we have it from Moses in writing, if a man's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first married a wife and then died leaving no children. 21 The second married the widow, and he too died leaving no children; with the third it was the same, 22 and none of the seven left any children. Last of all the woman herself died. 23 Now at the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be, since she had been married to all seven?"

24 Jesus said to them, "Is not the reason why you go wrong, that you understand neither the scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, men ans women do not marry; no, they are like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising again, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him and said: 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 very much mistaken."

The greatest commandment of all

28 One of the scribes who had listened to them debating how well Jesus had answered them, now came up and put a question to him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" 29 Jesus replied, "This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, 30 and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." 32 The scribe said to him, "Well spoken, Master; what you said is true: that he is one and no other. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifices." 34 Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to question him any more.

Christ not only son but Lord of David

35 Later, while teaching in the Temple, Jesus said, "How can the scribes maintain that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, moved by the Holy Spirit, said:

The Lord said to my Lord:

Sit at my right hand

and I will put your enemies

under your feet.

37 David himself calls him Lord, in what way than can he be his son?" And the great majority of the people heard this with delight.

The scribes condemned by Jesus

38 In is teaching he said, 'Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, 39 to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; 40 these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive."

The widow's mite

41 He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, "I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; 44 for the have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on."

The eschatological discourse: introduction

13- 1 As he was leaving the Temple one of his disciples said to him, "Look at the size of those stones, Master! Look at the size of those buildings!" 2 And Jesus said to him, "You see these great buildings? Not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed."

3 And while he was sitting facing the Temple, on the Mount of Olives, Peter, James, John and Andrew questioned him privately. 4 "Tell us when is this going to happen and what sign will there be that all this is about to be fulfilled?"

The beginning of sorrows

5 Then Jesus began to tell them, "Take care that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come using my name and saying, 'I am here.' and they will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed, this is something that must happen, but the end will not be yet. 8 For nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes here and there; there will be famines. This is the beginning of the birth pangs.

9 "Be on your guard: they will hand you over to sanhedrins; you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them, 10 since the Good News must first be proclaimed to all nations.

11 "And when they lead you away to hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what to say; no, say whatever is given to you when the time comes, because it is not you who will be speaking: it will be the Holy Spirit. 12 Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved.

The great tribulation of Jerusalem

14 "When you see the disastrous abomination set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judaea must escape to the mountains; 15 if a man is on the housetop, he must not come down to go into the house to collect any of his belongings; 16 if a man is in the fields, he must not turn back to fetch his cloak. 17 Alas for those with child, or babies at breast, when those days come! 18 Pray that this may not be in winter. 19 For in those days there will be such distress as, until now, has not been equalled since the beginning when God created the world, nor ever will be again. 20 And if the Lord had not shortened that time, no one would have survived; but he did shorten the time, for the sake of the elect whom he chose.

21 "And if someone says to you then, 'Look, here is the Christ' or, 'Look, he is there,' do not believe it; 22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise and produce signs and portents to deceive the elect, if that were possible. 23 You therefore must be on your guard. I have forewarned you of everything.

The coming of the Son of Man

24 "But in those days, after that time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, 25 the stars will come falling from haven and the powers in heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; 27 then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.

The time of his coming

28 "Take the fig tree as a parable; as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that the summer is near. 29 So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

32 "But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven nor the Son; no one but the Father.

Be on the alert

33 "Be on your guard, stay awake, because you never know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man travelling abroad: he has gone from home, and left his servants in charge, each with his own task; and he has told the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 So stay awake, because you do not know when the master of the house is coming, evening midnight, cockcrow, dawn; 36 if he comes unexpectedly he must not find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake!"

The conspiracy against Jesus

14- 1 It was two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by some trick and have him put to death. 2 For they said, "It must not be during the festivities, or there will be a disturbance among the people."

The anointing at Bethany

3 Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper: he was at dinner when a woman came in with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the ointment on his head. 4 Some who were there said to one another indignantly, "Why this waste of ointment? 5 Ointment like this could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor"; and they were angry with her. 6 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why are you upsetting her? What she has done for me is one of the good works. 7 You have the poor with you always, and you can be kind to them whenever you wish, but you will not always have me. 8 She has done what is in her power to do: she has anointed my body beforehand for is burial. 9 I te;; you solemnly, wherever throughout all the world the Good News is proclaimed, what she has done will be told also, in remembrance of her."

Judas betrays Jesus

10 Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, approached the chief priests with an offer to hand Jesus over to them. 11 They were delighted to hear it, and promised to give him money; and looked for a way of betraying him when the opportunity should occur.

Preparations for the Passover supper

12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was 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 to the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, 14 and say to the owner of the house which he enters, "The Master says: Where is my dinning room in which I can eat the passover with my disciples?' 15 He will show you a large upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us there." 16 The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the passover.

The treachery of Judas foretold

17 When evening came he arrived with the Twelve. 18 And while they were at table eating, Jesus said, "I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me, one of you eating with me." 19 They were distressed and asked him, one after another, "Not I, surely?" 20 He said to them, "It is one of the Twelve, one who is dipping into the same dish with me. 21 Yes, the Son of Man is going to his fate, as thee scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!"

The institution of the Eucharist

22 And as they were eating he took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. "Take it," he said, "This is my body." 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, 24 and he said to them, "This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many. 25 I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God."

Peter's denial foretold

26 After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus said to them, "You will all lose faith, for the scripture says: I shall strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered, 28 however after my resurrection I shall go before you to Galilee." 29 Peter said, "Even if all lose faith, I will not." 30 And Jesus said to him, "I tell you solemnly, this day, this very night, 31 before the cock crows twice, you will have disowned me three times." But he repeated still more earnestly, "If I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And they all said the same.

Gethseemane

32 They came to a small estate called Gethseemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Stay here while I pray." 33 Then he took Peter and James and John with him. And a sudden fear came over him, and great distress. 34 And he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here, and keep awake." 35 And going on a little further he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, this hour might pass him by. 36 "Abba (Father)!" He said, "Everything is possible for you. Take this cup away from me. But let it be as you, not I, would have it." 37 He came back and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Had you not the strength to keep awake one hour? 38 You should be awake, and praying not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." 39 Again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And once more he came back and found them sleeping, their eyes were so heavy; and they could find no answer for im. 41 He came back a third time and said to them, "You can sleep on now and take your rest. It is all over. The hour has come. Now the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up! Let us go! My betrayer is close at hand already."

The arrest

43 Even while he was still speaking, Judas; one of the Twelve, came p with a number of men armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the traitor had arranged a signal with them. "The one I kiss," he had said, "he is the man. Take him in charge, and see he is well guarded when you lead him away." 45 So when the traitor came, he went straight up to Jesus and said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him. 46 The others seized him and took him in charge. 47 Then one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck out at the high priest"s servant, and cut off his ear.

48 Then Jesus spoke. "Am I a brigand," he said, "that you had to set out to capture me with swords and clubs? 49 I was among you teaching in the Temple day after day and you never laid hands on me. But this is to fulfill the scripture." 50 And they all deserted him and ran away. 51 A young man who followed him had nothing on but linen cloth. The caught hold of him, 52 but he left the cloth in their hands and ran away naked.

Jesus before the Sanhedrin

53 They led Jesus off to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes assembled there. 54 Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the high Priest's palace, and was sitting with the attendants warming himself at a fire.

55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus on which they may pass the death sentence. But they could not find any. 56 Several indeed, brought false evidence against him, but their evidence was conflicting. 57 Some stood up and submitted this false evidence against him, 58 "We heard him say, 'I am going to destroy this Temple made by human hands, and in three days build another, not made by human hands.'" 59 But even on this point their evidence was conflicting. 60 The high priest then stood up before the whole assembly and put this question to Jesus, "Have you no answer to that? What is this evidence these men are bringing against you?" 61 But he was silent and made no answer at all. The high priest put a second question to him, "Are you the Christ," he said, "the Son of the Blessed one?" 62 "I am," said Jesus, "and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven." 63 The high priest tore his robes, "What need of witnesses have we now?" He said, 64 "You heard the blasphemy. What is your finding?" An they all gave their verdict: he deserved to die.

65 Some of them started spitting on him and, blindfolding him, began hitting him with their fists and shouting, "Play the prophet!" And the attendants rained blows on him.

Peter's denials

66 While Peter was down below in the courtyard, one of the high prest's servant girls came up. 67 She saw Peter warming himself there, stared at him and said. "You too were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth." 68 But he denied it. "I do not know, I do not understand, what you are talking about," he said. And he went out into the forecourt. 69 The servant girl saw him and again started telling the bystanders, "This fellow is one of them." 70 But again he denied it. A little later the bystanders themselves said to Peter, "You are one of them for sure! Why, you are a Galilean." 71 But he started calling down curses on himself and swearing, "I do not know the man you speak of." 72 At that moment the cock crew for the second time, and Peter recalled how Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will have disowned me three times." And he burst into tears.

Jesus before Pilate

15- 1 First thing in the morning, the chief priests together with the elders and scribes, in short the whole Sanhedrin, had their plan ready. They had Jesus bound and took him away and handed him over to Pilate.

2 Pilate questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "It is you who say it." he answered. 3 And the chief priests brought many accusations against him. 4 Pilate questioned him again, "Have you no reply at all? See how many accusations they are bringing against you!" 5 But, to Pilate amazement, Jesus made no further reply.

6 At festival time Pilate used to release a prisoner for them, anyone they asked for. 7 Now a man called Barabbas was then in prison with the rioters who had committed murder during the uprising. 8 When the crowd went up and began to ask Pilate the customary favour, 9 Pilate answered them, "Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?" 10 For he realized it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over. 11 The chief priests, however, had incited the crowd to demand that he should release Barabbas for them instead. 12 Then Pilate spoke again. "But in that case," he said to them, 13 "What am I to do with the man you call king of the Jews?" They shouted back, "Crucify him!" 14 "Why?" Pilate asked them. What harm has he done?" But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!" 15 So Pilate, anxious to placate the crowd, released Barabbas for them and, having ordered Jesus to be scourged, handed him over to be crucified.

Jesus crowned with thorns

16 The soldiers led him away to the inner part of the palace, that is, the Praetorium, and called the whole cohort together. 17 They dressed him up in purple, twisted some thorns into a crown and put it on him. 18 And they began saluting him, "Hail, king of the Jews!" 19 They struck his had with a reed and spat on him; and they went down on their knees to do him homage. 20 And when they had finished making fun of him, they took off the purple and dressed him in his own clothes.

The way of the cross

They led him out to crucify him. 21 They enlisted a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross. 22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull.

The crucifixion

23 They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he refused it. 24 Then they crucified him, and shared out his clothing, casting lots to decide what each should get. 25 It was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 The inscription giving the charge against him read: "The King of the Jews." 27 And they crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.

The crucified Christ is mocked

29 The passer-by jeered at him; they shook their heads and said, "Aha! So you would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days! 30 Then save yourself: come down from the cross!" 31 The chief priests and the scribes mocked him among themselves in the same way. 'He saved others," they said, "he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, for us to see it and believe." Even those who were crucified with him taunted him.

The death of Jesus

33 When the sixth hour came there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi Eloi, lama sabachthani?" Which means, My God, my God, why have you deserted me?" 35 When some of those who stood by heard this, they said, "Listen, he is calling on Elijah." 36 Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar and, putting it on a read, gave it him to drink saying, "Wait and see if Elijah will come to take him down." 37 But Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 The centurion, who was standing in front of him, had seen how he had died, and he said, "In truth this man was a son of God."

The women on Calvary

40 There were some women watching from the distance. Among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary who was the mother of James the younger and Joset, and Salome. 41 These used to follow him and look after him when he was in Galilee. And there were many other women there who had come up to Jerusalem with him.

The burial

42 It was now evening, and since it was Preparation Day (that is, the vigil of the sabbath), 43 there came Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who himself lived in hope of seeing the kingdom of God, and he boldly went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate, astonished that he should have died so soon, summoned the centurion and inquired if he was already dead. 45 Having been assured of this by the centurion, he granted the corpse to Joseph 46 who brought a shroud, took Jesus down from the cross, wrapped him in the shroud and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb. 47 Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of Joset were watching and took note of where he was laid.

The empty tomb. The angel's message

16- 1 When the sabbath as over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, brought spices with which to go and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, just as the sun was rising.

3 They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" 4 But when they looked they could see that the stone - which was very big - had already been rolled back. 5 On entering the tomb they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right-hand side, and they were struck with amazement. 6 But he said to them, "There is no need for alarm. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he has risen, he is not here. See, here is the place where they laid him. 7 But you must go and tell the disciples and Peter, 'He is going before you to Galilee; it is there you will see him, just has he told you.'" 8 And the women came out and ran away from the tomb because they were frighten out of their wits; and they said nothing to a soul, for they were afraid . . .

Appearances of the risen Christ

9 Having risen in the morning on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala from whom he had cast out seven devils. 10 She then went to those who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them. 11 But they did not believe her when they heard her say that he was alive and that she had seen him.

12 After this, he showed himself under another form to two of them as they were on their way into the country. 13 These went back and told the others, who did not believe them either.

14 Lastly, he showed himself to the Eleven themselves while they were at table. He reproached them for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, "Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover."

19 And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, 20 While they, going out, preached everything the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.