1 

When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2 

Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

3 

and said to him, "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?"

4 

Jesus answered them,"Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

5 

the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,Isaiah 35:5the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.Isaiah 61:1-4

6 

Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me."

7 

As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John,"What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

8 

But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

9 

But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

10 

For this is he, of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'Malachi 3:1

11 

Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

12 

From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

13 

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

14 

If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.

15 

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

16 

"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions

17 

and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you didn't dance. We mourned for you, and you didn't lament.'

18 

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'

19 

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."

20 

Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn't repent.

21 

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22 

But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

23 

You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades.For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until today.

24 

But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you."

25 

At that time, Jesus answered,"I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.

26 

Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.

27 

All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

28 

"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

29 

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.

30 

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

1 

At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

2 

But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, "Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."

3 

But he said to them,"Haven't you read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him;

4 

how he entered into God's house, and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests?1 Samuel 21:3-6

5 

Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day, the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless?

6 

But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.

7 

But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,'Hosea 6:6you would not have condemned the guiltless.

8 

For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

9 

He departed there, and went into their synagogue.

10 

And behold there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?" that they might accuse him.

11 

He said to them,"What man is there among you, who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won't he grab on to it, and lift it out?

12 

Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day."

13 

Then he told the man,"Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.

14 

But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.

15 

Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,

16 

and commanded them that they should not make him known:

17 

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

18 

"Behold, my servant whom I have chosen;my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased:I will put my Spirit on him.He will proclaim justice to the nations.

19 

He will not strive, nor shout;neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

20 

He won't break a bruised reed.He won't quench a smoking flax,until he leads justice to victory.

21 

In his name, the nations will hope."Isaiah 42:1-4

22 

Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

23 

All the multitudes were amazed, and said, "Can this be the son of David?"

24 

But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons."

25 

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them,"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

26 

If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

27 

If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

28 

But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God's Kingdom has come upon you.

29 

Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.

30 

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn't gather with me, scatters.

31 

Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

32 

Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.

33 

"Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.

34 

You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

35 

The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasurebrings out evil things.

36 

I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

37 

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

38 

Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you."

39 

But he answered them,"An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.

40 

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41 

The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.

42 

The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.

43 

When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn't find it.

44 

Then he says, 'I will return into my house from which I came out,' and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

45 

Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation."

46 

While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.

47 

One said to him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you."

48 

But he answered him who spoke to him,"Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"

49 

He stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said,"Behold, my mother and my brothers!

50 

For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother."