The Forerunner

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.¹

² As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face; he will prepare your way.^{2 3} The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; straighten out his paths!’”³

⁴ John the Baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ So the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him; and he was baptizing them in the Jordan river as they confessed their sins. ⁶ Now John was clothed in camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was the message he proclaimed: “One far stronger than I is coming after me, and I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandal. ⁸ I myself have baptized you in⁴ water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus Baptized

⁹ During those days it came about that Jesus arrived from Nazareth of Galilee; and John baptized him in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And just as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit coming down to him like a dove; ¹¹ and a voice came out of the heavens, saying, “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”

Tempted in the Wilderness

¹² And at once the Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness; ¹³ and he was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was also with the wild beasts; and the angels were ministering to his needs.⁵

Jesus’ Ministry Begins

¹⁴ Now after John had been handed over to the authorities, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The appointed time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

The First Disciples Called

¹⁶ And as he was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew (Simon’s brother) casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ¹⁸ So at once they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in their boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ And immediately he called them. So leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, they followed him.

Deliverance at Capernaum

²¹ Then they came to Capernaum; and on the Sabbath day Jesus immediately entered the synagogue and began to teach.^{6 22} And the people⁷ were amazed at his teaching; for unlike the scribes, he was teaching them as one who had authority. ²³ Now at that time there was a man in their synagogue who had an unclean spirit; and the man cried out, ²⁴ saying, “What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” ²⁵ But Jesus rebuked the spirit, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” ²⁶ And throwing the man into a convulsion, the unclean spirit came out of him with a great cry. ²⁷ Then all the people stood amazed, so much so that they were constantly discussing him among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching that comes with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits—and they obey him!” ²⁸ And immediately the news of him spread throughout the entire region surrounding Galilee.

Healing After Sunset

²⁹ As soon as they had left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, together with James and John. ³⁰ Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with a fever; and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So going over to her, he took her by the hand and raised her up; and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

³² Now after sunset that evening, the people began to bring him all who were sick and oppressed by demons; ³³ and the whole town was gathered together at the door. ³⁴ Then he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and drove out many demons. But he would not allow the demons to speak, for they knew who he was.⁸

Preaching in Galilee

³⁵ Now early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went out to a solitary place; and there he entered into prayer. ³⁶ So Simon and those who were with him went looking for him; ³⁷ and when they found him they said to him, “Everyone is looking for you!” ³⁸ But he said to them, “We must go on⁹ to the neighboring towns, so that I can preach there as well; for this is the reason I came forth.”^{10 39} So he traveled throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

A Leper is Cleansed

⁴⁰ Now a leper came up to Jesus, imploring him¹¹ and saying to him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ So Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I am willing: Be cleansed!” ⁴² And at once the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. ⁴³ Then, after warning the leper, he immediately sent him off, ⁴⁴ telling him, “See that you say nothing of this to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ But when the man left, he began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the story far and wide, so much so that Jesus could no longer enter any town openly, but had to remain outside in uninhabited areas. And the people were coming¹² to him from every direction.

Notes

1. A few older mss omit the Son of God
2. Mal. 3:1
3. Is. 40:3
4. Or with
5. Lit. to him
6. Or was teaching
7. Lit. they
8. Lit. they knew him
9. Or Let us go elsewhere
10. Or came out (here)
11. Many mss imploring him and kneeling before him
12. Or began to come
    

A Paralytic Forgiven and Healed  

2 Now after several days Jesus came again to Capernaum; and the news went out¹ that he was at home. ² As a result, so many people gathered around the house that there was no longer any room for them, not even near the door. And he proclaimed the word to them.

³ Then a crowd² came to him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. ⁴ And since they couldn’t bring the man to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above the spot where Jesus was; and when they had dug through it, they lowered the makeshift bed on which the paralytic was lying. ⁵ So when he saw their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, reasoning in their hearts, saying, ⁷ “Why is this man speaking like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ But Jesus, knowing at once within his spirit that they were harboring such thoughts,³ said to them, “Why do you question⁴ these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your bed, and walk’? ¹⁰ But so that you may know the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . .”—then he said to the paralytic— ¹¹ “I say to you, get up, take up your bed, and go home.” ¹² And the man arose, immediately picked up his bed, and went out in full view of them all, with the result that they were beside themselves with wonder; and they began to glorify God, saying, “Never before have we seen anything like this!”

Levi Called  

¹³ Once again Jesus went out beside the sea; and the whole crowd came out to him, and he taught them. ¹⁴ Now as he was passing by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth. So he said to him, “Follow me.” And Levi got up and followed him.

¹⁵ Now it so happened that Jesus was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, and that many tax collectors and sinners were dining with him and his disciples; for many such people were following him.^{5 16} So when the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they began to ask⁶ his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ But when Jesus overheard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician—only those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

A Covenant of Joy 

¹⁸ Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. So they came up and said to Jesus, “Why do John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees fast, but yours do not?” ¹⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom⁷ fast while the bridegroom is present with them? No, as long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken from them, and then, in those days, they will fast. ²¹ No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth onto an old garment; otherwise the patch pulls away from it—the new from the old—and the tear is made worse. ²² Nor does anyone put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. Instead, they put new wine into new wineskins.”

The Lord of the Sabbath 

²³ Now it so happened that Jesus was passing through the grain fields on a Sabbath day; and as they were going along, his disciples began picking⁸ the heads of grain. ²⁴ So the Pharisees said to him, “See here, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” ²⁵ But he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was hungry and in need, both he and those who were with him; ²⁶ how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest and ate the showbread, which is unlawful for anyone to eat except the priests; and how he also gave some to the men who were with him?” ²⁷ Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ Consequently, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”⁹

Notes

1. Lit. it was heard
2. Lit. they
3. Lit. reasoning this way within themselves
4. Or reason about, think
5. Lit. for they were many, and they were following him
6. Or kept asking
7. Or wedding guests, best men; lit. sons of the wedding hall
8. Or were picking
9. Or possibly is Lord of the Sabbath as well
   

Doing Good on the Sabbath  

3 Once again he entered the synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there. ² So some of those in attendance¹ began to watch Jesus closely, to see if he would heal the man² on the Sabbath, so that they could bring charges against him. ³ So Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand up and come forward.”^{3 4} Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil; to save a life or let it perish?” But they kept silent. ⁵ Then, looking around at them in anger, and grieved at the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was healed. ⁶ So immediately after leaving the synagogue, the Pharisees, together with the Herodians, began plotting against him as to how they might put him to death.

Thronging the Healer  

⁷ Then Jesus, along with his disciples, withdrew to the sea; and great crowds from Galilee followed him. Moreover, many people from Judea, ⁸ Jerusalem, Idumea, the regions across the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon came to him when they heard about the things he was doing. ⁹ So he told his disciples that because of the crowd they should keep a small boat ready for him, for fear that the crowd⁴ might crush him; ¹⁰ for he had healed so many people that all who were sick and afflicted kept pressing in on him in order to touch him. ¹¹ And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God!” ¹² But he would sharply command them not to make him known.

The Twelve 

¹³ And he went up on the mountain and called for certain⁵ disciples whom he wanted; and they came to him. ¹⁴ And he appointed twelve (whom he also called apostles)⁶ so that they would be with him, and that he might send them out to preach ¹⁵ with⁷ the authority to drive out demons. ¹⁶ So he appointed the twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter, ¹⁷ James the son of Zebedee, John the brother of James (these two he named Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”), ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,^{8 19} and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

²⁰ Then he came home.⁹ But once again a crowd gathered around, so much so that he and his disciples¹⁰ could not even take a meal. ²¹ But when his family heard about it, they set out, intending to seize and restrain him, for they were saying, “He’s beside himself!”

The Unpardonable Sin

²² Now the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem kept saying, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “He’s driving out demons by the ruler of the demons.” ²³ So Jesus summoned them and began speaking to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶ And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but has come to an end.^{11 27} Moreoever,¹² no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his property unless he first ties up the strong man; then he can plunder his house.^{13 28} I tell you the truth: all sins will be forgiven to the sons of men, including whatever blasphemies they may utter. ²⁹ But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin ” ³⁰ (for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit”).

“Who is My Mother?”

³¹ Then his mother and his brothers arrived; and standing outside, they sent word to him, calling for him. ³² Now a crowd was seated around him. So they said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you.” ³³ But answering them, he said, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ³⁴ And casting his eyes on those who were seated around him, he said, “Here are¹⁴ my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ For whoever does the will of God, that is my brother and sister and mother.”

Notes

1. Lit. they
2. Lit. him
3. Lit. Stand up into the midst
4. Lit. they
5. Lit. those
6. Some mss omit this phrase
7. Lit. and to have
8. Lit. Cananean, thought to derive from the Aramaic word for Zealot (see Luke 6:15)
9. Or came into a house
10. Lit. they
11. Lit. but he has an end
12. Lit. but
13. Lit. and then he will plunder his house
14. Lit. Behold

The Parable of the Soils 

4 Once again he began to teach beside the sea. And a great crowd gathered around him, so great that he stepped into a boat offshore¹ and sat down, while the whole multitude remained on the land facing the sea. ² Then, using parables, he taught them many things. And in his teaching he said to them, ³ “Behold, the sower went out to sow. ⁴And as he was sowing, it happened that some of the seed fell beside the path, and the birds came and devoured it. ⁵ Meanwhile, other seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn’t much soil;² and because its soil was not deep, it immediately sprang up. ⁶ But when the sun had risen, the plant was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ Again, other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, so that it produced no crop. ⁸ However, still other seed fell on good soil; and when it sprouted and grew up, it produced a crop, some yielding thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold.” ⁹ Then he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Purpose of Parables 

¹⁰ Now when he was alone, those who were gathered around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. ¹¹ So he said to them, “To you the mystery of the kingdom of God has been given; but to those on the outside all things come in parables, ¹² so that though they see, they may see and not perceive; and though they hear, they may hear and not understand, lest they should turn back and be forgiven.”³

The Parable of the Soils Explained 

¹³ And he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any of the parables? ¹⁴ The sower sows the word. ¹⁵ Now these are the ones beside the path where the word is sown: As soon as they hear, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. ¹⁶ And these are the ones who are sown on stony ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy; ¹⁷ but since they have no root within themselves, they only remain for a little while. Then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, they immediately take offense and fall away.^{4 18} Others are the ones sown among the thorns: These are those who have heard the word, ¹⁹ but the cares of the present age,⁵ the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things enter in and⁶ choke the word, so that it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰ But these are the ones sown on the good soil: They hear the word, receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold.”

Light for the Whole House

²¹ And he said to them, “Do people bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed? Shouldn’t it be placed on the lampstand? ²² For there is nothing hidden that isn’t meant to be revealed; nor has anything been kept secret that isn’t meant to come to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” ²⁴ And he said to them, “Pay close attention to what you hear: The measure you use will be the measure used for you—and more will be added to you. ²⁵ For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he does have will be taken from him.”

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ And he said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground; ²⁷ then, night and day, he goes to bed and gets up, and the seed sprouts and grows, while he himself does not know how. ²⁸ For the ground brings forth the crop all on its own: first the stalk, then the head, and then the full grain in the head. ²⁹ But as soon as the crop is ready, the man immediately puts in the sickle, for the time to harvest has arrived.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³⁰ And he he said, “To what can we liken the kingdom of God, or with what sort of parable can we represent it? ³¹ It’s like a mustard seed sown into the ground: Though smaller than all the other seeds in the ground, ³² once it is sown it grows up to become the largest of all the garden plants, and it sends out branches so big that the wild brids⁷ can nest beneath its shade.”⁸ 

³³ And according to their ability to hear, Jesus used many such parables to speak the word to them; ³⁴ but he would not speak to them without a parable. Nevertheless, in private he would explain everything to his own disciples.

Lord of Wind and Waves  

³⁵ Now on the same day, when evening had arrived, he said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side.” ³⁶ So leaving the crowd behind, the disciples⁹ took him with them in the boat, just as he was; and other boats were with him as well. ³⁷ Then a fierce gale arose on the sea, and the waves kept breaking into the boat, so much so that the boat was nearly swamped. ³⁸ But Jesus himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to die?” ³⁹ Then he got up, sharply¹⁰ commanded the wind, and said to the sea, “Hush! Be still!” And the wind died down, and a great calm fell upon the waters. ⁴⁰ And he said to the men, “Why are you so afraid? Are you still without any faith at all?” ⁴¹ Then great fear took hold of them,¹¹ and they began saying to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” 

Notes

1. Lit. on the sea
2. Lit. it did not have much soil
3. Is. 6:9-10
4. Lit. immediately stumble
5. Lit. worries (preoccupations) of the age
6. Lit. the desires for other things continually coming in
7. Lit. birds of the air
8. See Ezek. 31:6
9. Lit. they
10. Or After (fully) waking up, he sharply
11. Lit. they feared a great fear

The Gerasene Demoniac  

5 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. ² Now as soon as Jesus stepped out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit emerged from the tombs and met him. ³ This man¹ was now living among the tombs; and no longer was anyone able to restrain him, not even with a chain ⁴ (for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and broken the shackles in pieces; and no one was strong enough to subdue him). ⁵ Moreover, all night and all day—both among the tombs and in the mountains—he would cry out and gash himself with stones. ⁶ Now when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran up and knelt down before him; ⁷ and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God, why have you come?² I implore you by God: Do not torment me!” ⁸ (For Jesus had been saying to him, “You unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) ⁹ Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” So he said to him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” ¹⁰ Then the spirit began to beg him repeatedly³ that he would not send them away from that region. ¹¹ Now a large herd of pigs was feeding on a nearby hillside, ¹² and the spirits⁴ pleaded with him, saying, “Send us over to the pigs so that we can enter them.” ¹³ Then he allowed them to do so; and coming out of the man, the unclean spirits entered the pigs; and the herd—about two thousand in number—rushed down a steep slope into the sea and drowned.⁵

¹⁴ Then the men who were feeding the pigs ran off and spread the news of these things in the city and the neighboring villages. So the people went out to see what had happened. ¹⁵ And they came to Jesus and saw the man who had been possessed by the demons sitting down, clothed, and in his right mind—the very one who had had the legion; and they were gripped with fear. ¹⁶ Then the men who had seen what happened to the demon-possessed man told the people about it, and about the pigs as well. ¹⁷ So they all began pleading with Jesus, that he would leave their territory. ¹⁸ Now as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged him that he might remain with him. ¹⁹ But Jesus would not let him; instead, he said to the man, “Go home to your people and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he has shown you mercy.”^{6 20} So the man departed and began proclaiming in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and everyone stood amazed.

A Father’s Plea, a Woman’s Healing

²¹ Now when Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him; and he remained there beside the sea. ²² Then one of the rulers of the synagogue, a man by the name of Jairus, came to Jesus; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet ²³ and pleaded with him, saying, “My little daughter is lying at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” ²⁴ So Jesus went with him.

Now a large crowd was following him, pressing in on him from every side; ²⁵ and a certain woman, plagued with a discharge of blood for twelve years, was there among them. ²⁶ The woman had suffered many things from many physicians, and spent everything she had; yet she had not been helped at all, but instead grew worse. ²⁷ So hearing about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak; ²⁸ for she was saying to herself, “If only I can touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹ And at once the fountain of her blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she had been healed of her affliction. ³⁰ But knowing within himself that power had gone out of him, Jesus quickly turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” ³¹ So his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in around you, and you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” ³² But he kept looking around to see who it was who had done this. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him in fear and trembling; and she told him the whole truth. ³⁴ So he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well.⁷ Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

At Jairus’ House

³⁵ Now while he was still speaking, certain men from the house of the ruler of the synagogue came up to Jairus, saying, “Your daughter has died. Why trouble the Teacher any longer?” ³⁶ But Jesus, overhearing⁸ what they were saying, said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Don’t be afraid; only believe.” ³⁷ And from then on he allowed no one but Peter, James, and John (the brother of James) to follow along with him. ³⁸ So they arrived at the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and there he observed a great commotion, with people weeping and wailing at the top of their voices.^{9 39} So when he went in, he said to them, “Why weep and make such an uproar? The child is not dead, but only sleeps.” ⁴⁰ So they began to laugh at him. But putting them all outside, he took the child’s father and mother, as well as the disciples who were with him, and entered the room where the child was lying. ⁴¹ Then, taking hold of the child’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha, koum,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” ⁴² And at once the girl got up and began walking around (for she was twelve years old). And they were beside themselves with astonishment. ⁴³ But he strictly charged them that no one was must know about this; and he ordered¹⁰ that something should be given to her to eat.

Notes

1. Lit. who
   
2. Lit. What to me and to you? See Matt. 8:29
3. Or earnestly, desperately
4. Lit. they
5. Lit. drowned in the sea
6. Or compassion
7. Lit. saved you
8. Or ignoring
9. Or incessantly; lit. much, many
   
10. Lit. said
    

A Prophet Without Honor  

6 Then he went out from there and entered his hometown; and his disciples followed him. ² Now when the Sabbath arrived, he began to teach in the synagogue. And when they heard him speak, many among them were amazed, saying, “Where did this man get these things?” and, “What sort of wisdom has been granted to him, so that¹ mighty miracles are performed through his hands? ³ Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters living here with us?” So they stumbled over what they saw in him. ⁴ But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” ⁵ So in that place he could perform no work of power, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And he marveled at their unbelief.

The Twelve Sent Out

Now Jesus was circulating among the villages, teaching the people. ⁷ And he called the twelve to himself and began sending them out two by two. As he did so, he gave them² authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸ He also commanded them to take nothing on the journey except a single staff—no bread, no sack, no money in their belts— ⁹ but to put on sandals, and not to wear two tunics. ¹⁰ And he said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.^{3 11} And whatever town will not receive you or listen to you, as you leave it, shake off the dust beneath your feet as a testimony against them.” ¹² So they went out and preached that everyone⁴ should repent. ¹³ And they were driving out many demons, and were anointing many sick people with oil and healing them.

John the Baptizer Beheaded 

¹⁴ Now king Herod heard about Jesus, for his name had become well known. For some were saying, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead, and this is why miraculous powers are at work within him.” ¹⁵ But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” Meanwhile, still others were saying, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has been raised!” ¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent out men, taken John into custody, and chained him up in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip; for he had married her. ¹⁸ For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ So Herodias bore a grudge against him and wanted to kill him; but she could do nothing, ²⁰ for Herod stood in fear of John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. Now when Herod heard John speak, he was troubled and perplexed;⁵ yet he still enjoyed listening to him.

²¹ But when Herod hosted a banquet on his birthday for his high officials, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee, an opportunity⁶ presented itself. ²² For when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced for them, she pleased Herod and those who were seated with him. So the king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” ²³ Moreover, he swore to her with an oath, saying, “Whatever you request, I will give it to you, up to half my kingdom.” ²⁴ So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptizer!” ²⁵ So at once she hurried back in to the king and made her request, saying, “I want you to give me, right now, the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.” ²⁶ And though the king was deeply distressed by this, he was not willing to refuse her because of the oaths he had sworn, and because of the people who were seated with him. ²⁷ So immediately he sent out an executioner with orders to bring back John’s head. And after going his way, the executioner beheaded John in the prison, ²⁸ brought back his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ Now when John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took away his dead body and laid it in a tomb.

The Feeding of the Five Thousand 

³⁰ Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and told him about all they had done and taught. ³¹ So he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a little.” (For so many people were coming and going that⁷ they didn’t even have time to eat.) ³² So all by themselves they departed in the boat for an isolated place. ³³ But the people saw them leaving, and many of them recognized Jesus. So together they hurried along on foot from all the towns, and they arrived there ahead of him. ³⁴ Therefore, when Jesus stepped out of the boat, he saw a great crowd; and he was moved with compassion for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

³⁵ Now when the day was far spent, Jesus’ disciples came to him and said, “This is an uninhabited place, and it is getting late.^{8  36} Send the people away so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” ³⁷ But Jesus answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat!” So they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” ³⁸ But he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” ³⁹ Then he instructed them to have everyone sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in companies of hundreds and fifties. ⁴¹ And when he had received the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up into heaven, offered thanks,⁹ broke the loaves, and gave¹⁰ portions to his disciples to set before the people;¹¹ and he also divided up the two fish among them all. ⁴² S0 all the people ate and were filled to satisfaction. ⁴³ And they picked up the fragments of the bread and the fish: twelve basketsful. ⁴⁴ Now those who had partaken of the loaves numbered¹² five thousand men.

A Walk on the Water  

⁴⁵ Immediately after this, Jesus had his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself was dismissing the crowd. ⁴⁶ And after he had taken leave of them,¹³ he went up into the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷ Now when the evening hours had fully come, the boat was in the midst of the sea and Jesus was all by himself on the land. ⁴⁸ And seeing them straining at the oars (for the wind was against them), he came to them around the fourth watch of the night,¹⁴ walking on the sea; and he intended to pass them by. ⁴⁹ But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought he was a ghost and cried out; ⁵⁰ for they all saw him and were terrified. But at once he spoke to them, and said, “Take heart! It is I; don’t be afraid!” ⁵¹ Then he got up into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were beside themselves with wonder and amazement. ⁵² For they had not grasped the meaning of the miracle of the loaves, for their hearts were still hardened.

Healings in Gennesaret  

⁵³ Now when they had finished crossing over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and moored the boat near the shore.^{15 54} And when they got out of the boat, the people recognized him at once. ⁵⁵ So they ran through that entire region and began to bring all those who were sick on makeshift beds to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶ And wherever he would go—into villages, towns, or country hamlets—the people would lay the sick in the marketplaces; and they would beg of him that they might simply touch hem of his garment. And as many as touched him were healed.¹⁶ 

Notes

1. Lit. What is the wisdom given to him so that
2. Lit. and he was giving them
3. Lit. that place
4. Lit. they
5. Lit. uncertain, disturbed; many mss did many things
6. Lit. an opportune day
7. Lit. and
8. Lit. the hour is already late
   
9. Lit. blessed (them)
   
10. Lit. was giving, kept giving
11. Lit. them
12. Lit. were; some mss those who had eaten numbered
13. Or sent them off; bid them farewell
14. I.e. 3-6 AM
15. Or anchored there
16. Lit. touched him (it) were saved
    

“They Worship Me in Vain”  

7 Now the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered together around Jesus. ² And they noticed that some of his disciples were eating bread with “unclean” hands (that is, with unwashed hands). ³ For the Pharisees and all the Jews, holding strictly to the traditions of the elders, will not eat unless they first have performed a ceremonial washing; ⁴ likewise, when they come back from the marketplace they will not eat unless they have washed in just this way.¹ And there are many other traditions² that they have received and hold to,³ such as the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and dining couches.⁴

⁵ So the Pharisees and scribes asked him, “Why is it that your disciples do not walk according to the traditions of the elders, but eat their bread with unclean hands?” ⁶ But Jesus said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites. As it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁷ But they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’^{5 8} Having turned from the commandment of God, you are holding to the tradition of men.”

⁹ Moreover, he said to them, “How cleverly you nullify⁶ the commandment of God so that you can set up⁷ your own tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’⁸ and ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’^{9 11} But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Anything of mine that might have been of help to you is Corban” (that is, dedicated as a gift to God), then he is free.‘ ¹² Thus, you no longer permit him do anything for his father or his mother, ¹³ thereby nullifying the word of God through the¹⁰ tradition you have handed down. And you do many other such things.”

Uncleanness Is from Within

¹⁴ Then, after summoning the crowd once again, he said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵ There is nothing outside of a man that can make him unclean when it enters into him. Rather, it is the things that come out of the man—those are the things that make him unclean. ¹⁶ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”¹¹

¹⁷ Now when he had left the crowd and entered a house, his disciples questioned him about the parable. ¹⁸ And he said to them, “Are you, then, also without understanding? Don’t you realize that whatever enters a man from the outside cannot make him unclean, since it doesn’t enter his heart, but first goes into his stomach, and afterwards into the latrine?”¹² (In saying this, Jesus was declaring all foods clean.) ²⁰ Then he went on to say, “It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, ²² murders, adulteries, covetings, malicious¹³ deeds, deceit, unbridled lust, an evil eye,¹⁴ abusive speech, pride, and foolishness. ²³ All these evils come from within and make the man unclean.”

A Gentile Daughter Full of Faith

²⁴ Then Jesus stood up, left that place, and came into the vicinity of Tyre. Now after entering a certain house, he wanted no one to know of his presence. But he was unable to remain concealed, ²⁵ for¹⁵ as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit came to him and fell down at his feet. ²⁶ Now the woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth; and she kept begging him to drive the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷ But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first; it isn’t proper to take the children’s bread and throw it to the household dogs.” ²⁸ But in reply she said to him, “Yes Lord, but even the household dogs beneath the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” ²⁹ So he said to her, “Because of this that you have said,¹⁶ go your way: The demon has gone out of your daughter.” ³⁰ And when she had returned to her house, she found her daughter lying on the bed and the demon gone.

“He Has Done All Things Well!”  

³¹ And departing once again from the vicinity of Tyre, he went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee in¹⁷ the region of the Decapolis. ³² Then some people¹⁸ brought him a man who was deaf and who spoke with great difficulty; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. ³³ So after taking him aside in private, far from the crowd, Jesus placed his fingers in his ears; and after spitting, he touched his tongue. ³⁴ Then, looking up into heaven, he sighed and said to the man, “Ephphatha”— that is, “Be opened!” ³⁵ And at once the man’s ears were opened and the shackle on his tongue removed, so that¹⁹ now he spoke clearly. ³⁶ Then Jesus strictly charged them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them to say nothing, the more they kept proclaiming it. ³⁷ And they were amazed beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well! He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak!”

Notes

1. Lit. dipped, immersed
2. Lit. things
3. Lit. that they have received to hold onto
4. Some mss omit dining couches
5. Is. 29:13
6. Or reject
7. Some mss keep in place, hold, observe
8. Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16
9. Ex. 21:17
10. Lit. your
11. Many mss omit this verse
12. Lit. and it proceeds into the latrine
13. Or wicked
14. Or envy, jealousy
15. Lit. but
16. Lit. this word
17. Or (passing) through
18. Lit. they
19. Lit. and

The Feeding of the Four Thousand 

8 In those days, when again there was a large crowd with nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples and said to them, ² “I’m concerned about the crowd, because they’ve stayed with me for three days now, and they have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them to their homes hungry, they will weaken along the way, and some of them have come from a great distance.” ⁴ But his disciples answered him, saying, “Where could anyone get enough bread here in the wilderness to satisfy all these people?” ⁵ He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” ⁶ So he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And after taking the seven loaves and giving thanks, he broke them and began giving portions to his disciples to set before the crowd; and they did so. ⁷ They also had a few small fish; and after he had blessed¹ them, he said that these too should be served to the people. ⁸ So they all ate and were filled; and they picked up the fragments that were left over: seven basketsful. ⁹ Now about four thousand men were present. So he sent them on their way; ¹⁰ and immediately he entered the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

A Wicked Generation Seeks a Sign 

¹¹ Then the Pharisees came out and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, putting him to a test. ¹² But sighing deeply in his spirit, Jesus said, “Why does this generation keep asking for² a sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to this generation.” ¹³ And turning away them, he got back into the boat and left for the other side.

The Leaven of the Pharisees  

¹⁴ Now the disciples had forgotten to take along bread, and they only had a single loaf with them in the boat. ¹⁵ Meanwhile, Jesus was admonishing them, saying, “Watch out! Be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” ¹⁶ So they began to think together about the fact that they had no bread. ¹⁷ But Jesus, knowing this, said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Have your hearts been hardened? ¹⁸ Do you have eyes, yet fail to see? And do you have ears, yet fail to hear? And do you not remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketsful of fragments did you pick up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” ²⁰ “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many large basketsful of fragments did you pick up?” And they said, “Seven.” ²¹ Then he said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

A Blind Man Healed in Bethsaida 

²² Then he came to Bethsaida, where some of the people³ brought him a blind man; and they were pleading with Jesus to touch him. ²³ So taking the blind man by the hand, he led him out of the town. And when he had spit into his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ So after looking up, the man said, “I know I’m seeing men,⁴ because they look like walking trees!” ²⁵ Then Jesus again placed his hands on his eyes; and the man⁵ looked steadily ahead⁶ and was completely restored, so that now he could see all things clearly. ²⁶ And Jesus sent him away to his house, saying, “Don’t even enter the town.”

“Who Do You Say That I Am?”  

²⁷ Then Jesus and his disciples went out to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road he began to question his disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?” ²⁸ So they answered him, saying, “John the Baptist. But others say Elijah; and still others, that you are one of the prophets.” ²⁹ But he continued to question them: “And what about you; who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to him, “You are the Messiah.” ³⁰ And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.⁷

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Foretold 

³¹ Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³² Moreover, he was speaking freely⁸ about the matter. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³ But turning around and seeing⁹ his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan; for your mind is not set on the things of God, but the things of men.”

The Way of a Disciple  

³⁴ And when he had summoned both the crowd and¹⁰ his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? ³⁷ For what can¹¹ a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁸ For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man will likewise be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with all the holy angels.”

Notes

1. Or given thanks for
2. Or seek, keep seeking
3. Lit. Bethsaida, and they
4. Lit. I see men
5. Lit. he
6. Or opened his eyes (saw clearly, looked intently)
7. Or it (i.e. his being the Messiah)
8. Or openly, plainly
9. Or looking at
10. Lit. summoned the crowd with
11. Lit. will
    

9 Then he said to them, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they have seen the kingdom of God coming in power.”

The Transfiguration

² Now six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John; and he brought them up onto a high mountain where they were all by themselves. And there before them his appearance was suddenly changed, ³ and his clothes became radiant, exceedingly white, whiter than any launderer on earth could ever make them.^{1 4} Then Elijah appeared to them, along with Moses; and the two of them² were conversing with Jesus. ⁵ Responding to these things, Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here! So let us prepare three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶ (He said this because he had no idea how to respond, for they all were deathly afraid.) ⁷ Then a cloud appeared and hovered over them;³ and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son: Listen to him!” ⁸ And suddenly, as they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus alone.

⁹ Now as they were coming down from the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about the things they had seen, not until the Son of Man should rise from the dead. ¹⁰ So they kept the matter to themselves, discussing⁴ what “rising from the dead” might mean. ¹¹ Then they began to question him, saying, “Why do the scribes say Elijah must come first?” ¹² So he said to them, “Elijah does indeed come first and restore all things. Yet how is it written of the Son of Man that he must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? ¹³ Nevertheless, I tell you that Elijah has already come,⁵ and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him.”

A Boy Set Free

¹⁴ Now when the four of them⁶ came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd gathered around them, and some scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵ And as soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were filled with excitement⁷ and ran to greet him. ¹⁶ So he asked the scribes, “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷ Then a man⁸ in the crowd answered him, saying, “Teacher, I brought you my son who has a spirit that makes him mute. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down on the ground; and he foams at the mouth, clenches⁹ his teeth, and stiffens out. And I told this to your disciples so that they might drive it out; but they could not.” ¹⁹ Then, in response to them all, Jesus said, “O unbelieving generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me!”

²⁰ So they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the child into a convulsion; and falling to the ground, he rolled about, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ So Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From his childhood. ²² Again and again it throws him into fire or water, trying to destroy him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” ²³ But Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for him who believes.” ²⁴ So at once the boy’s father cried out, saying, “Lord, I do believe; help my unbelief!”

²⁵ Now when Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: Come out of him and never enter him again!” ²⁶ And when the spirit had let out a shriek and sent the boy into terrible convulsions, it came out of him; and his body looked so much like a corpse that many were saying, “He’s dead!” ²⁷ But after taking him by the hand, Jesus lifted him to his feet, and the boy stood there on his own.

²⁸ Now when Jesus had entered the house, his disciples began to question him in private, asking, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” ²⁹ So he said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”¹⁰

Jesus Again Foretells His Death and Resurrection

³⁰ Then they left that place and began to pass through Galilee; but he wanted no one to know about it, ³¹ for he was instructing his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill him. But three days after he is killed, he will rise.” ³² But they could not understand what he was saying,¹¹ and they were afraid to ask him about it.

True Greatness

³³ Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he began to question them: “What was it you were discussing on the road?” ³⁴ But they kept silent, for on the road they had been arguing among themselves about who was¹² the greatest. ³⁵ So after sitting down, he called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, let him be last of all, and servant of all.” ³⁶ Then he took a little child and stood him in the midst of them; and taking the child into his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever receives one such child in my name is receiving me; and whoever receives me is not receiving me, but him who sent me.”

Who Is on Our Side?

³⁸ Then John spoke up and said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop¹³ because he wasn’t following us.” ³⁹ But Jesus said, “Don’t try to stop him, for no one who works a miracle in my name can soon afterward speak evil of me; ⁴⁰ for he who is not against us is on our side. ⁴¹ For whoever gives you a cup of water because of your name as followers of the Messiah—I tell you the truth, he will by no means lose his reward.

Beware of Stumbling Blocks!

⁴² “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me¹⁴ to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone¹⁵ were hung around his neck, and he himself thrown into the sea. ⁴³ And if your own hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life maimed than to have two hands and depart into Gehenna, into the fire that cannot be quenched.^{16 45} And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into Gehenna. ⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to stumble, throw it far from you;¹⁷ it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into Gehenna, ⁴⁸ where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.^{18 49} For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor,¹⁹ with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and live at peace with one another.”

Notes

1. Lit. surpassingly white, such as no launderer on earth could whiten
2. Lit. they
3. Lit. overshadowing them
4. Or And they seized upon this word, discussing among themselves
5. Or possibly that Elijah also has come; lit. has indeed come
6. Lit. they
7. Or amazement
8. Lit. one
9. Or grinds
10. Many mss add and fasting
11. Lit. They were not knowing the word (saying, utterance)
12. Or would be
13. Or tried to stop him
14. Some mss omit in me
15. Lit. the millstone of a donkey
16. Some later mss add vv. 44 and 46, which are identical with v. 48
17. Lit. throw it out
18. Is. 66:24
19. Lit. becomes unsalty
    

Is it Lawful to Divorce?  

10 And departing¹ from there, Jesus came into the regions of Judea and Transjordan. Once again crowds gathered around him; and once again, as was his custom, he taught them.

² Now certain Pharisees, in an effort to test him, came up and asked him if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife. ³ So he answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴ They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and send his wife away.” ⁵ But Jesus said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. ⁶ But from the beginning of the creation “God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,^{2 8} and the two will become one flesh.³ So then: They are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

¹⁰ Now when they were in the house again, the disciples began to ask him about this. ¹¹ So he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another has committed⁴ adultery against her. ¹² And if she herself divorces her husband and marries another, she has committed adultery.”

Do Not Hinder the Little Children 

¹³ Now the people⁵ were bringing him little children so that he might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, he was greatly displeased.⁶ So he said to them, “Let the little children come to me! You mustn’t hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it at all.” ¹⁶ And when he had taken some of the children⁷ into his arms, he laid his hands on them and blessed them.

The Rich Young Ruler 

¹⁷ Now as he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁸ So Jesus said to him, “Why are you calling me good? There is only one who is good,⁸ and that is God. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, and honor your father and your mother.’”^{9 20} Then the man said to him, “Teacher, I have carefully observed all these things from my youth up.” ²¹ So Jesus, looking at him, loved him; and he said to him, “One thing you lack: Go, sell whatever you have, and give the proceeds to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.” ²² But the man, stunned¹⁰ by this word, went away in sorrow, for he had many possessions. 

“Who Then Can Be Saved?”  

²³ Therefore, after looking around, Jesus said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” ²⁴ Now the disciples were astonished at his words. But responding once again, Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ And now they were shocked beyond measure, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” ²⁷ But turning his gaze on them, Jesus said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

²⁸ Then Peter began speaking to him: “Look, Lord, we have left everything behind to follow you.” ²⁹ Jesus answered and said, “I tell you the truth: There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for the sake of me and the gospel, ³⁰ who will not receive now, at this present time, a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, he will receive eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection a Third Time 

³² Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And the disciples¹¹ were in awe, and those who followed after them were filled with fear. Then, taking the twelve aside once again, Jesus began to tell them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “Listen!¹² We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will sentence him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles; ³⁴ and they will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. And on the third day he will rise again.”

Kingdom Greatness  

³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” ³⁶ So he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” ³⁷ They said to him, “Grant us that in your glory one of us will sit on your right hand, and the other on your left.” ³⁸ But Jesus said to them, “You don’t realize what you are asking for yourselves. Are you able to drink the cup that I will drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I will undergo?”^{13 39} They said to him, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I will drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I must undergo. ⁴⁰ But to sit on my right or my left is not mine to grant, but belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.”

⁴¹ Now when the ten heard about this, they began to get angry at James and John. ⁴² But calling them to himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and that their “great ones” wield authority over them. ⁴³ But among you it will not be so; rather, whoever desires to become great among you must be your servant; ⁴⁴ and whoever desires to be first among you must be the slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus 

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. Now as Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city,¹⁴ a blind beggar (Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. ⁴⁷ And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁸ Then many of those in the crowd began to rebuke him, telling him to keep quiet; but instead he cried out all the more, saying, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁹ Then Jesus stood still; and he said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man and said to him, “Take courage! Get up! He’s calling for you!” ⁵⁰ So throwing aside his cloak, the man jumped up and came to Jesus. ⁵¹ Then Jesus answered him and said, “What is it that you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Master,¹⁵ that I might regain my sight.” ⁵² Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.”¹⁶ And immediately he regained his sight and began to follow him on the road.

Notes

1. Lit. having arisen
2. Many mss add and will be joined to his wife
3. Gen. 2:24, 2:24
4. Lit. commits
5. Lit. they
6. Or angry, indignant
7. Lit. them
8. Lit. No one is good but one
9. Ex. 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
10. Or saddened
11. Lit. they
12. Lit. Behold
13. Lit. am baptized with
14. Lit. Jericho
15. Greek Rhabbouni, an honorific
16. Lit. saved you
    

The Triumphal Entry  

11 Now as they drew near to Jerusalem—and came to Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives—Jesus sent out two of his disciples. ² And he said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it, you will find a colt that no one has ever ridden,¹ secured there. Untie it and bring it to me. ³ And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing that?’ you are to say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here shortly.’ ⁴ So they went their way and found a colt standing outside in the street, secured at a doorway; and they untied it. ⁵ Then some of the men standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶ So the disciples answered² just as Jesus had told them, and they let them go.³

⁷ Then the disciples brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it; and Jesus sat on the colt. ⁸ And many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others did the same with leafy branches they had cut down and brought in from the fields. ⁹ And the people who went before him, as well as those who followed behind, all kept crying out, “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’^{4 10} Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

¹¹ Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around, surveying all things,⁵ he went out to Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late in the day.⁶

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

¹² Now the next day, after they had left Bethany, Jesus grew hungry. ¹³ So when he noticed a leafy fig tree in the distance, he went over to see if perhaps he could find some fruit⁷ on it. But when he came up to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not yet the season for figs. ¹⁴ So in response, Jesus said to the tree, “Let no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his disciples were listening.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple 

¹⁵ Then they came to Jerusalem. And after Jesus had entered the temple grounds, he began to drive out those who were buying and selling there.⁸ Moreover, he threw down the tables of the money changers and the seats of the men who were selling doves; ¹⁶ nor would he allow anyone to carry merchandise⁹ through the temple courts. ¹⁷ Then he began to teach. And he said to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’?¹⁰ But you have turned it into a den of thieves!”^{11 18} Now the chief priests and the scribes heard him saying this. And they began to consider how they might put him to death;¹² for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd stood amazed at his teaching. ¹⁹ And whenever evening arrived, he and his disciples¹³ would go out of the city.

Lessons from the Fig Tree  

²⁰ Now in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. ²¹ And Peter, remembering what Jesus had done, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered away!” ²² In reply Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God. ²³ I tell you the truth: Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea’—and doesn’t doubt it in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen—it will be done for him. ²⁴ Therefore I say to you, anything at all that you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ²⁵ And whenever you stand in prayer, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. ²⁶ But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive you your trespasses.”¹⁴

Authority from Above  

²⁷ Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders all came up to him. ²⁸ And they began saying to him, “By what authority are you doing these things?” or, “Who gave you this authority, that you should do these things?” ²⁹ But Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me first and then I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ³⁰ The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer me.” ³¹ So they began to discuss this¹⁵ among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘From men . . .’” (Now these leaders¹⁶ were afraid of the crowd, for all the people held that John was a true prophet.) ³³ So they answered Jesus, saying, “We don’t know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Notes

1. Lit. on which no one has sat
2. Lit. they spoke to them
3. Or they gave them permission
4. Ps. 118:26
5. Lit. looking around at all things
   
6. Lit. since the hour was already late (evening)
7. Lit. something
8. Lit. in the temple
9. Lit. a vessel
10. Is. 56:7
11. Jer. 7:11
12. Lit. seeking how they might destroy him
13. Lit. they; some early mss he
14. Many mss omit this verse; see Matt. 6:15
15. Or reasoning about it
16. Lit. they

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants 

12 Then he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, surrounded it with a wall,¹ dug a vat beneath the winepress, and built a watchtower for the field’s protection.² Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and left home on a journey. ² Now at the time of the harvest he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them his share of the vineyard’s fruit. ³ But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ So again he sent them a servant, another one; and this one they struck on the head and treated with utter contempt. ⁵ Then he sent another, and that one they killed; and they did the same to many more, beating some, killing others. ⁶ But the man still had one servant: a beloved son. So he sent him to them last of all, saying to himself, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’ ⁷ But the tenants said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ ⁸ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹ What then will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Have you never read this scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone; ¹¹ this was the Lord’s doing, and it is wondrous in our eyes’?”^{3 12} Then they began looking for a way to arrest him, for they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went their way.

Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar? 

¹³ Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus, in order to trap him in his own words.^{4 14} So when they arrived, they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man, and that you defer to no one; for you have no regard for the standing⁵ of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” ¹⁵ But seeing through their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius so I can look at it.” ¹⁶ So they brought him one; and he said to them, “Whose image is this, and whose inscription?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” ¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they stood amazed at him.

Resurrection, Scripture, and the Power of God

¹⁸ Then some of the Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came up to him; and they began to question him, saying: ¹⁹ “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife but no children, he should take his brother’s wife and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁰ Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died, leaving behind no offspring. ²¹ Then the second took her, but he also died leaving no offspring; and likewise the third. ²² Indeed, all seven⁶ took her, but left behind no offspring. Last of all, the woman also died. ²³ So then: In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For all seven had her for a wife.”

²⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken: You know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? ²⁵ For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven. ²⁶ Moreover, concerning the dead—that they are indeed raised—have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?^{7 27} He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are greatly mistaken.”

Which Commandment is Greatest?

²⁸ Then one of the scribes came up and heard them reasoning together. And seeing that Jesus had answered the Sadducees well, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is first in importance?” ²⁹ Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ³¹ And the second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’⁸ No other commandment is greater than these.” ³² So the scribe said to him, “Well spoken, Teacher! You have stated the truth: He is indeed one, and there is no other besides him. ³³ And to love him with all your⁹ heart, all your understanding, and all your strength—and to love your neighbor as yourself—is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ Now when Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to question him further.

David’s Son is David’s Lord

³⁵ Now as he was teaching in the temple, Jesus responded to them all, saying, “How is it that the scribes say the Messiah is the Son of David? ³⁶ For David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, said, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand till I place your enemies beneath your feet.”’^{10 37} David himself calls him ‘Lord’; how then can he be his son?” And the great crowd was listening to him gladly.

Beware the Hypocrisy of the Scribes

³⁸ And as he was teaching, he said, “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in flowing robes, and who love formal greetings in the marketplaces, ³⁹ the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets; ⁴⁰ who devour widows’ houses, and who for mere show pray on and on at great length. Their punishment will be all the more severe.”¹¹

A Widow’s Sacrifice

⁴¹ Now when he had seated himself opposite the offering box, Jesus began to observe how the crowd would drop coins into it; and many who were rich were depositing large amounts. ⁴² Then one poor widow came up and threw in two tiny copper coins,¹² the equivalent of a penny.^{13 43} So calling his disciples to himself, Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth: This poor widow has put more in the offering box than all the rest. ⁴⁴ For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she, out of her extreme poverty, has put in all she had, her entire livelihood.”

Notes

1. Or fence, hedge
2. See Is. 5:1-2
3. Ps. 118:22-23
4. Lit. in a word (statement)
5. Lit. face
6. Lit. the seven, and so in v. 23
7. Ex. 3:6, 15
8. Deut. 6:4-5; Lev. 19:18
9. Lit. the
10. Ps. 110:1
11. Lit. These will receive greater punishment (condemnation)
12. Greek lepta
13. Greek quadrans (1/64 of a denarius)
    

The Temple Will be Destroyed  

13 Now as he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look! What massive stones, and what huge structures!” ² But Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone here will remain on top of another; every one of them will be torn down.”¹

“What Will Be the Sign?”  

³ Now while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew began to question him in private: ⁴ “Tell us: When will these things take place? And what will be the sign that all these things are about to occur?”²

⁵ So Jesus began to speak to them: “See to it that no one leads you astray; ⁶ for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. ⁷ And whenever you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be alarmed or shaken; such things must take place, but the end is still to come.^{3 8} For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and in various places there will be earthquakes and famines. These are the beginning of the birth pains.

⁹ “But as for you, be on your guard!⁴ They will hand you over to the local courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues. Moreover, because of me you will stand before governors and kings, to testify to them.^{5 10} Indeed, the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. ¹¹ But whenever they arrest you and hand you over to the authorities, don’t concern yourselves beforehand about what you will say. Rather, say whatever is given to you in that hour, for it is not you who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit. ¹² And brother will deliver brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death; ¹³ and because of my name you will be hated by all. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

A Great Tribulation  

¹⁴ “Now when you see the abomination that causes desolation⁶ standing where it⁷ should not be” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea  flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ He who is on his roof must not come down, nor should he enter his house to take anything out; ¹⁶ and he who is out in the field must not come back to get his cloak. ¹⁷ But woe to those who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing infants in those days! ¹⁸ And pray that it will not take place in winter; ¹⁹ for in those days there will be tribulation, the likes of which has not been seen from the beginning of the creation that God created until now—and never again will be. ²⁰ And unless the Lord had cut short those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake—those whom he has chosen for himself—he has cut them⁸ short. ²¹ Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ don’t believe him. ²² For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform⁹ signs and wonders in order to deceive, if it were possible, even the elect. ²³ But as for you, stay on guard! I have told you everything ahead of time.

The Coming of the Son of Man 

²⁴ “Now in those days, and after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; ²⁵ the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.^{10 26} And then they will see the Son of Man, coming in the clouds with great power and glory.^{11 27} And then he will send out the angels, and will gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest ends of the earth to the farthest reaches of the sky.

The Parable of the Fig Tree 

²⁸ “Now learn this¹² parable from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ So also for you: When you see these things happening, you will know¹³ that he¹⁴ is near—right at the doors! ³⁰ I tell you the truth: This generation will by no means pass away till all these things have taken place. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

Watch! 

³² “But as for that day and hour, no one knows them: neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. ³³ Keep watch and stay alert, for you do not know when the appointed time will arrive. ³⁴ It’s like a man who left his house for a trip abroad: After putting his servants in charge and assigning to each one his work, he commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch. ³⁵ So keep watch, for you do not know when the lord of the house is coming back, whether in the evening, at midnight, at the rooster’s crow, or in the morning. ³⁶ Otherwise, he may return unexpectedly and find you sleeping. ³⁷ So what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

Notes

1. Lit. another that will not be torn down
2. Lit. sign when
3. Lit. the end is not yet
4. Lit. watch yourselves!
5. Lit. for a witness (testimony) to them
6. Or desolating sacrilege; Dan. 11:31; 12:11
7. Or he
8. Lit. the days
9. Or grant
10. Is. 13:10; 34:4
11. Dan. 7:15
12. Lit. the
13. Or happening, know
14. Or it
    

The Leaders Plot to Kill Jesus 

14 Now the Feast of the Passover and Unleavened Bread was two days off; and the chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to seize Jesus¹ by trickery and put him to death; ² for they had agreed² among themselves, “Not during the Feast, or else there will be an uproar³ among the people.”

A Beautiful Work in Bethany 

³ Now while he was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the leper, a woman came in, carrying⁴ an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume made from pure nard; and when she had broken the jar, she poured the perfume over his head. ⁴ But some who were there took offense,⁵ saying to one another, “Why was this perfume wasted? ⁵ It might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the proceeds given to the poor.” And they were scolding her. ⁶ But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Why are you troubling her? She has performed a beautiful work in my behalf.^{6 7} For the poor will always be with you, and you can do good for them whenever you wish; but I will not always be with you. ⁸ She did what she could: she anointed my body for burial ahead of the time. ⁹ Moreover, I tell you the truth: Wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a memorial to her.”⁷

The Treachery of Judas 

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests to betray Jesus into their hands.^{8 11} And when they heard what he had to say, they were elated; and they promised to give him money. So Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray him.

The Final Passover  

¹² Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations so that you can eat the Passover meal?” ¹³ So he sent out two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him. ¹⁴ And wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ ¹⁵ Then he himself will show you a large upper room, furnished and made ready; prepare for us there.” ¹⁶ So his disciples went out, entered the city, and found everything just as he had told them. And they prepared the Passover meal.

¹⁷ Now when evening arrived, he came with the twelve. ¹⁸ And while they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth: One of you is going to betray me, one who is eating with me.” ¹⁹ So they began to be grieved and distressed, saying to him one at a time, “Surely it isn’t me?” ²⁰ He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, someone who dips his hand with me in the bowl. ²¹ For the Son of Man will indeed depart just as it is written of him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had never been born.”

The Lord’s Supper 

²² Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread. And when he had given thanks,⁹ he broke it, gave it to the disciples,¹⁰ and said, “Take it; this is my body.” ²³ Then, when he had taken the cup and given thanks, he gave it to them; and they all drank from it. ²⁴ And he said to them, “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. ²⁵ I tell you the truth: From now on I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

“You Will Deny Me Three Times”  

²⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “All of you are about to stumble and fall; for it is written, ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’^{11 28} But after I have been raised, I will go before you into Galilee.” ²⁹ But Peter declared to him, “Even if all should stumble, I will not.” ³⁰ So Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, today—this very night, before the rooster crows twice—you will deny me three times.” ³¹ But Peter insisted all the more, saying, “Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you!” And all of them said the same thing.

Agony in Gethsemane  

³² Then they came to a place called Gethsemane; and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here until I have finished praying.” ³³ Then he took with  him Peter, James, and John; and he began to be alarmed and deeply distressed. ³⁴ So he said to them, “My soul is filled with sorrow, even to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch.” ³⁵ And going on a little farther, he fell to the ground and began to pray that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. ³⁶ And he was saying, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup from me! Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.” ³⁷ Then he came back and found the disciples asleep; so he said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray, so that none of you enter into temptation. The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.” ³⁹ Then he went away and prayed again, saying the same thing. ⁴⁰ And once again he returned and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy; and they had no idea how to answer him. ⁴¹ Then he came back a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? But it is enough. The hour has come. Behold: The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Get up and let us go our way: See, my betrayer is almost here.”

Betrayal and Arrest  

⁴³ Just then, while he was still speaking, Judas (one of the twelve) appeared, together with a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. ⁴⁴ Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss—he is the one; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” ⁴⁵ So when Judas arrived, he immediately went up to Jesus and said to him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. ⁴⁶ Then they laid hands on him and took him into custody. ⁴⁷ (But a certain man among those who were standing nearby drew out his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.)

⁴⁸ Then Jesus responded and said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me, as if I were a robber? ⁴⁹ Day by day I was with you in the temple, teaching you, and you didn’t arrest me. But this has taken place so that the scriptures may be fulfilled.” ⁵⁰ And leaving him behind,¹² all the disciples fled.

A Young Man Flees

⁵¹ Now a certain young man had been following him, wearing nothing but a linen garment¹³ over his naked body. And they tried to catch him; ⁵² but leaving the linen garment behind, he ran off naked.

Before the Sanhedrin 

⁵³ Then they led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests, elders, and scribes were assembled. ⁵⁴ (Now Peter had followed him at a distance, all the way into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards,¹⁴ warming himself by the fire.) ⁵⁵ Now the chief priests and the whole council kept seeking testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death; but they could find none, ⁵⁶ for many were giving false testimony against him, but their testimonies did not agree. ⁵⁷ Then certain men stood up and began to give false testimony against him, saying, ⁵⁸ “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’” ⁵⁹ Yet even in this matter their testimonies did not agree.

⁶⁰ Then the high priest stood up, stepped into the midst of the assembly, and questioned Jesus himself, saying, “Have you no reply? What is it these men are testifying against you?” ⁶¹ But Jesus remained silent and gave no reply at all. So once again the high priest questioned him, saying to him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” ⁶² And Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power on high, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”^{15 63} Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “What further need of witnesses do we have? ⁶⁴ You have heard the blasphemy! What is your verdict?” And they all judged that he deserved to die. ⁶⁵ Then some of them began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to buffet him with their fists, and to say to him, “Prophesy!” And when the guards took him into custody, they slapped him about the head.¹⁶

Peter Denies His Lord  

⁶⁶ Now as Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest’s servant girls came by. ⁶⁷ When she noticed him warming himself, she fixed her gaze on him and said, “You were also with Jesus of Nazareth!” ⁶⁸ But he denied it, saying, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”¹⁷ Then he went out into the entryway, and a rooster crowed.^{18 69} When the servant girl saw him standing there, she again started saying to the bystanders, “This man is one of them!” ⁷⁰ But again he denied it. Then, a short time later, the bystanders once again said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you too are a Galilean!” ⁷¹ So he started calling down curses on himself, and swearing: “I don’t know this man that you are talking about!” ⁷² And immediately a rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter recalled the word that Jesus had spoken to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.¹⁹ 

Notes

1. Lit. him
2. Lit. were saying
3. Or riot
4. Lit. having
5. Lit. became indignant
6. Lit. in me
7. Or in memory of her
8. Lit. to them
9. Or blessed it
10. Lit. them
11. Zech. 13:7
12. Or abandoning (deserting, forsaking) him
13. Or possibly cloth, sheet
14. Or servants
15. Dan. 7:13
16. Lit. And the guards received him with blows (slaps to the face)
17. Lit. I neither see nor know what you are saying
18. Several early mss omit this phrase
19. Lit. he began to mourn and weep

Before Pilate 

15 Very early in the morning, after holding a consultation,¹ the chief priests—along with the elders, the scribes, and the entire council—immediately bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. ² So Pilate questioned him: “Are you the King of the Jews?” In reply Jesus said to him, “You are saying it.”^{2 3} Then the chief priests began to accuse him of many things. ⁴ So Pilate questioned him again: “Have you no answer? Look at how many charges they’re bringing against you!” ⁵ But Jesus gave no further reply, so that Pilate stood amazed.

What Shall I Do With Your King?  

⁶ Now during the feast it was customary³ to release to the people any one prisoner whom they requested; ⁷ and there was a certain man by the name of Barabbas, imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder in the insurrection. ⁸ So coming up to Pilate, the crowd began asking him to do for them just as he always had.^{4 9} Then Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” ¹⁰ (For he knew the chief priests had handed him over out of envy.) ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that they would ask for⁵ Barabbas instead. ¹² Answering them again, Pilate said, “What then do you want me to do with the man you call the king of the Jews?”^{6 13} They shouted back,⁷ “Crucify him!” ¹⁴ Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!” ¹⁵ So Pilate, desiring to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them. And after having Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.

The King is Mocked

¹⁶ Then the soldiers took him inside the palace (that is, the Praetorium⁸) and called for the entire Roman cohort.^{9 17} Then they clothed him in a purple robe; and after braiding a crown of thorns, they placed it on his head. ¹⁸ Then they began to salute him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” ¹⁹ And they took turns striking¹⁰ him on the head with a reed, spitting on him, and kneeling down in homage to him; ²⁰ and when they had finished mocking him, they removed the purple robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

The King is Crucified

²¹ Now a certain man—Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus—was coming in from the countryside and passing by; and the soldiers forced him to carry¹¹ Jesus’ cross. ²² So they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which is translated “Place of the Skull”); ²³ and they offered him wine mingled with myrrh, but he refused to take it. ²⁴ Then the soldiers¹² crucified him; and they divided up his garments, casting lots over them to decide which garment each one would take.

²⁵ Now it was the third hour of the day when they crucified him;^{13 26} and the superscription stating the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁷ They also crucified two robbers along with him, one on his right hand and the other on his left.^{14 29} Then the passersby began hurling insults at him, shaking their heads, and saying, “So, you who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days: ³⁰ Save yourself and come down from the cross!” ³¹ In the same way, the chief priests—together with the scribes—were also mocking him among themselves, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself! ³² Let the Messiah, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross so that we can see and believe.” And the men who were crucified with him railed at him as well.

“Surely This Was God’s Son!”  

³³ Now when the sixth hour arrived, darkness fell upon the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴ And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”^{15 35} Now when some of the bystanders heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling for Elijah!” ³⁶ Then someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Now let him be; let’s see if Elijah will come and take him down!”^{16 37} But Jesus, letting out a great cry, breathed his last. ³⁸ And the curtain of the temple¹⁷ was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ Now when the centurion, who was stationed in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was God’s son!”^{18 40} Also present were certain women, watching at a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome; ⁴¹ these had followed Jesus and ministered to his needs when he was in Galilee. And many other women who had come up to Jerusalem with him were present as well.

Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb 

⁴² Now since evening had already fallen,¹⁹ and since it was the Day of Preparation (that is, the day prior to the Sabbath), ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea—a prominent member of the council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God—came forward; and gathering up his courage, he went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁴⁴ But Pilate was amazed to hear that Jesus was already dead; so he called for the centurion and asked him if he had been dead for some time. ⁴⁵ And when he learned from the centurion that he had, Pilate granted the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶ Now after Joseph had purchased some fine linen cloth, he took him down from the cross, wrapped him in the cloth, laid him in a tomb hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone across the entrance²⁰ to the tomb. ⁴⁷ And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on, to see where he was laid.

Notes

1. Or reaching a decision
2. Or (It is as) you say
3. Or it was his custom
4. Lit. just as he was doing for them
5. Lit. release to them
6. Some older mss read What shall I do? Some omit the man you call
7. Or So again they cried out
8. I.e. the Governor’s headquarters
9. About 500 soldiers
10. Lit. they were repeatedly striking
11. Or pick up
12. Lit. they
13. I.e. 9 AM
14. Some mss insert v. 28: And the scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”
15. Ps. 22:1
16. See Matt. 27:48-49
17. Or sanctuary
18. Greek: a son (the Son) of God (a god)
    
19. Lit. and evening having already come
20. Or against the door

Fear and Joy on Resurrection Day! 

16 Now when the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought fragrant spices so that they might go and anoint him. ² So very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb. ³ And they were saying to one other, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb for us?” ⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone (which was very large) had already been rolled away! ⁵ Then, after entering the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were gripped with fear.^{1 6} But he said to them, “Don’t be afraid. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. But he has been raised! He isn’t here! Look, there is the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, say to his disciples and to Peter, “He is going before you into Galilee; you will see him there, just as he told you.” ⁸ So rushing out, they fled from the tomb; for trembling and bewilderment had taken hold of them. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Jesus Appears to Various Disciples ² 

⁹ Now after Jesus³ had risen early on the first day of the week, he first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told his disciples⁴ as they were mourning and weeping; ¹¹ but when they heard that he was alive, and that she had seen him,⁵ they refused to believe it. ¹² After this he appeared in a different form to two of his disciples⁶ as they were walking along the road, heading out into the country. ¹³ These also went back and reported it to the rest, but they would not believe them either.

The Great Commission 

¹⁴ Later on he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had refused to believe those who had seen him after he was raised.

¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.^{7 16} He who has believed and been baptized will be saved; but he who has not believed will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will follow those who have believed: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents with their hands,⁸ and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them at all; and they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

The Ascension

¹⁹ Then, after speaking to them in this way, the Lord Jesus was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ And the disciples⁹ went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the signs that followed.

Notes

1. Or amazed, astonished
2. Vv. 9-20 do not appear in a number of important older mss
3. Lit. he
4. Lit. those who had been with him
5. Lit. he had been seen by her
6. Lit. two of them
7. Or to every creature
8. Some mss omit this phrase
9. Lit. they