11 Now 1 Jesus 2 was praying in a certain place. When 3 he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John 4 taught 5 his disciples.” 2 So he said to them, “When you pray, 6 say:
Father, 7 may your name be honored; 8
may your kingdom come. 9
3 Give us each day our daily bread, 10
4 and forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins 11 against us.
And do not lead us into temptation.” 12
5 Then 13 he said to them, “Suppose one of you 14 has a friend, and you go to him 15 at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 16 6 because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, 17 and I have nothing to set before 18 him.’ 7 Then 19 he will reply 20 from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. 21 I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 22 8 I tell you, even though the man inside 23 will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’s 24 sheer persistence 25 he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
9 “So 26 I tell you: Ask, 27 and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door 28 will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks 29 receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door 30 will be opened. 11 What father among you, if your 31 son asks for 32 a fish, will give him a snake 33 instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 34 13 If you then, although you are 35 evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit 36 to those who ask him!”
14 Now 37 he was casting out a demon that was mute. 38 When 39 the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak, 40 and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, 41 the ruler 42 of demons, he casts out demons.” 16 Others, to test 43 him, 44 began asking for 45 a sign 46 from heaven. 17 But Jesus, 47 realizing their thoughts, said to them, 48 “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, 49 and a divided household falls. 50 18 So 51 if 52 Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because 53 you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons 54 cast them 55 out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons by the finger 56 of God, then the kingdom of God 57 has already overtaken 58 you. 21 When a strong man, 59 fully armed, guards his own palace, 60 his possessions are safe. 61 22 But 62 when a stronger man 63 attacks 64 and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s 65 armor on which the man relied 66 and divides up 67 his plunder. 68 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, 69 and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 70
24 “When an unclean spirit 71 goes out of a person, 72 it passes through waterless places 73 looking for rest but 74 not finding any. Then 75 it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ 76 25 When it returns, 77 it finds the house 78 swept clean and put in order. 79 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so 80 the last state of that person 81 is worse than the first.” 82
27 As 83 he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out 84 to him, “Blessed is the womb 85 that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!” 86 28 But he replied, 87 “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey 88 it!”
29 As 89 the crowds were increasing, Jesus 90 began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign, 91 but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 92 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, 93 so the Son of Man will be a sign 94 to this generation. 95 31 The queen of the South 96 will rise up at the judgment 97 with the people 98 of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, 99 something greater 100 than Solomon is here! 32 The people 101 of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them 102 – and now, 103 something greater than Jonah is here!
33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place 104 or under a basket, 105 but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, 106 your whole body is full of light, but when it is diseased, 107 your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore see to it 108 that the light in you 109 is not darkness. 36 If 110 then 111 your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark, 112 it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” 113
37 As he spoke, 114 a Pharisee 115 invited Jesus 116 to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table. 117 38 The 118 Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus 119 did not first wash his hands 120 before the meal. 39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean 121 the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 122 40 You fools! 123 Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside as well? 124 41 But give from your heart to those in need, 125 and 126 then everything will be clean for you. 127
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! 128 You give a tenth 129 of your mint, 130 rue, 131 and every herb, yet you neglect justice 132 and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others. 133 43 Woe to you Pharisees! You love the best seats 134 in the synagogues 135 and elaborate greetings 136 in the marketplaces! 44 Woe to you! 137 You are like unmarked graves, and people 138 walk over them without realizing it!” 139
45 One of the experts in religious law 140 answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult 141 us too.” 46 But Jesus 142 replied, 143 “Woe to you experts in religious law as well! 144 You load people 145 down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch 146 the burdens with even one of your fingers! 47 Woe to you! You build 147 the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors 148 killed. 48 So you testify that you approve of 149 the deeds of your ancestors, 150 because they killed the prophets 151 and you build their 152 tombs! 153 49 For this reason also the wisdom 154 of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that this generation may be held accountable 155 for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning 156 of the world, 157 51 from the blood of Abel 158 to the blood of Zechariah, 159 who was killed 160 between the altar and the sanctuary. 161 Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against 162 this generation. 52 Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away 163 the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered 164 those who were going in.”
53 When he went out from there, the experts in the law 165 and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, 166 and to ask him hostile questions 167 about many things, 54 plotting against 168 him, to catch 169 him in something he might say.
12 Meanwhile, 1 when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus 2 began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against 3 the yeast of the Pharisees, 4 which is hypocrisy. 5 2 Nothing is hidden 6 that will not be revealed, 7 and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 3 So then 8 whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered 9 in private rooms 10 will be proclaimed from the housetops. 11
4 “I 12 tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, 13 and after that have nothing more they can do. 5 But I will warn 14 you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, 15 has authority to throw you 16 into hell. 17 Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? 18 Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; 19 you are more valuable than many sparrows.
8 “I 20 tell you, whoever acknowledges 21 me before men, 22 the Son of Man will also acknowledge 23 before God’s angels. 9 But the one who denies me before men will be denied before God’s angels. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit 24 will not be forgiven. 25 11 But when they bring you before the synagogues, 26 the 27 rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defense 28 or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment 29 what you must say.” 30
13 Then 31 someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell 32 my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But Jesus 33 said to him, “Man, 34 who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?” 35 15 Then 36 he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from 37 all types of greed, 38 because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 He then 39 told them a parable: 40 “The land of a certain rich man produced 41 an abundant crop, 17 so 42 he thought to himself, 43 ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 44 18 Then 45 he said, ‘I 46 will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to myself, 47 “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life 48 will be demanded back from 49 you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 50 21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, 51 but is not rich toward God.”
22 Then 52 Jesus 53 said to his 54 disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry 55 about your 56 life, what you will eat, or about your 57 body, what you will wear. 23 For there is more to life than food, and more to the body than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: 58 They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds 59 them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by worrying 60 can add an hour to his life? 61 26 So if 62 you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about 63 the rest? 27 Consider how the flowers 64 grow; they do not work 65 or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 28 And if 66 this is how God clothes the wild grass, 67 which is here 68 today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, 69 how much more 70 will he clothe you, you people of little faith! 29 So 71 do not be overly concerned about 72 what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things. 73 30 For all the nations of the world pursue 74 these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, pursue 75 his 76 kingdom, 77 and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased 78 to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions 79 and give to the poor. 80 Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven 81 that never decreases, 82 where no thief approaches and no moth 83 destroys. 34 For where your treasure 84 is, there your heart will be also.
35 “Get dressed for service 85 and keep your lamps burning; 86 36 be like people 87 waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration, 88 so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 Blessed are those slaves 89 whom their master finds alert 90 when he returns! I tell you the truth, 91 he will dress himself to serve, 92 have them take their place at the table, 93 and will come 94 and wait on them! 95 38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night 96 and finds them alert, 97 blessed are those slaves! 98 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief 99 was coming, he would not have let 100 his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” 101
41 Then 102 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?” 103 42 The Lord replied, 104 “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, 105 whom the master puts in charge of his household servants, 106 to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that slave 107 whom his master finds at work 108 when he returns. 44 I tell you the truth, 109 the master 110 will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if 111 that 112 slave should say to himself, 113 ‘My master is delayed 114 in returning,’ and he begins to beat 115 the other 116 slaves, both men and women, 117 and to eat, drink, and get drunk, 46 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two, 118 and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 119 47 That 120 servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked 121 will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know his master’s will 122 and did things worthy of punishment 123 will receive a light beating. 124 From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, 125 and from the one who has been entrusted with much, 126 even more will be asked. 127
49 “I have come 128 to bring 129 fire on the earth – and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism 130 to undergo, 131 and how distressed I am until it is finished! 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 132 52 For from now on 133 there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, 134 father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
54 Jesus 135 also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, 136 you say at once, ‘A rainstorm 137 is coming,’ and it does. 55 And when you see the south wind 138 blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is. 56 You hypocrites! 139 You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how 140 to interpret the present time?
57 “And 141 why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your accuser before the magistrate, 142 make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he will not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, 143 and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the very last cent!” 144
13 Now 1 there were some present on that occasion who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 2 He 3 answered them, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners 4 than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things? 3 No, I tell you! But unless you repent, 5 you will all perish as well! 6 4 Or those eighteen who were killed 7 when the tower in Siloam fell on them, 8 do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who live in Jerusalem? 9 5 No, I tell you! But unless you repent 10 you will all perish as well!” 11
6 Then 12 Jesus 13 told this parable: “A man had a fig tree 14 planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So 15 he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For 16 three years 17 now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it 18 I find none. Cut 19 it down! Why 20 should it continue to deplete 21 the soil?’ 8 But the worker 22 answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer 23 on it. 9 Then if 24 it bears fruit next year, 25 very well, 26 but if 27 not, you can cut it down.’”
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues 28 on the Sabbath, 11 and a woman was there 29 who had been disabled by a spirit 30 for eighteen years. She 31 was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely. 32 12 When 33 Jesus saw her, he called her to him 34 and said, “Woman, 35 you are freed 36 from your infirmity.” 37 13 Then 38 he placed his hands on her, and immediately 39 she straightened up and praised God. 14 But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six days on which work 40 should be done! 41 So come 42 and be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, 43 “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall, 44 and lead it to water? 45 16 Then 46 shouldn’t 47 this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan 48 bound for eighteen long 49 years, be released from this imprisonment 50 on the Sabbath day?” 17 When 51 he said this all his adversaries were humiliated, 52 but 53 the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things 54 he was doing. 55
18 Thus Jesus 56 asked, 57 “What is the kingdom of God 58 like? 59 To 60 what should I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed 61 that a man took and sowed 62 in his garden. It 63 grew and became a tree, 64 and the wild birds 65 nested in its branches.” 66
20 Again 67 he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? 68 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with 69 three measures 70 of flour until all the dough had risen.” 71
22 Then 72 Jesus 73 traveled throughout 74 towns 75 and villages, teaching and making his way toward 76 Jerusalem. 77 23 Someone 78 asked 79 him, “Lord, will only a few 80 be saved?” So 81 he said to them, 24 “Exert every effort 82 to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once 83 the head of the house 84 gets up 85 and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord, 86 let us in!’ 87 But he will answer you, 88 ‘I don’t know where you come from.’ 89 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 90 27 But 91 he will reply, 92 ‘I don’t know where you come from! 93 Go away from me, all you evildoers!’ 94 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth 95 when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, 96 and all the prophets in the kingdom of God 97 but you yourselves thrown out. 98 29 Then 99 people 100 will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table 101 in the kingdom of God. 102 30 But 103 indeed, 104 some are last 105 who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
31 At that time, 106 some Pharisees 107 came up and said to Jesus, 108 “Get away from here, 109 because Herod 110 wants to kill you.” 32 But 111 he said to them, “Go 112 and tell that fox, 113 ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day 114 I will complete my work. 115 33 Nevertheless I must 116 go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it is impossible 117 that a prophet should be killed 118 outside Jerusalem.’ 119 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 120 you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! 121 How often I have longed 122 to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but 123 you would have none of it! 124 35 Look, your house is forsaken! 125 And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” 126
